| ***** Lilith jerked around at the sound of Obi-Wan's voice, accidentally splashing the quite warm caff right in Qui-Gon's face. That had the effect of sobering him up even faster. The smuggler stared over Qui-Gon's shoulder at his apprentice, wondering exactly what that mix of emotions on the young man's face was. There was righteous indignation, certainly, but there was also a healthy dash of embarrassment and, was that envy? Lilith shot a glance at Jemmiah. Yup, envy. If he can't have his girl, why should his master, huh? Standing a bit farther back was Simeon. Qui-Gon was shaking his head like he was trying to clear it and Krelo eased her hand off his shoulder and into her lap as unobtrusively as possible. Lilith made shushing motions at Obi-wan, but the young man wouldn't take the hint. "What were you doing?" he asked again, and this time Simeon and Dex and Leona all began to wander over to see what the fuss was about. Lilith wanted to beat her head against the bar top. Better yet, she wanted to beat Obi-Wan's head against it. But it was too late. A general migration had started and soon everyone except Kryztan, who had kept his distance from the tall Corellian all evening, had gathered around. "Jedi can tell if you're lying," Obi-wan declared and Lilith shot a quick glance at her friend. Krelo nodded, wincing slightly, and Lilith felt her stomach tie itself in a knot. She didn't mind dishing dirt on people. Didn't mind embarrassing them when they were perfectly coherent and able to fight back to the best of their ability, no matter how meager that ability might prove, but she hated messing with the minds of drunks. It was an unfair fight. "Krelo and I were trying to see if we couldn't sober your master up a bit before we left here so that we wouldn't have to carry him again," Lilith tried, but Obi-wan, Hmiol, Dex and Mace were all frowning and shaking their heads at her. "What?!" Lilith half-wailed, half demanded. "That's the truth!" "But not all of it," Mace pointed out. The bleached blond let her shoulders slump. She patted Qui-Gon on the shoulder, a rueful, apologetic smile on her lips. "Sorry. I tried." "Hmmm? What? Where are we?" Qui-Gon glanced around at the group, his expression puzzled. "A toast to Valorum?" he asked. "Nope, Qui, my boy, you lost that one already." Lilith explained, then turned back to the waiting group. She couldn't' even hedge and say it was hers, though, wait! No, they were monitoring her too closely, and she'd never intended to keep it, so she couldn't' even get away with saying it was hers. "It's like this," she began, "I figured Master . . ." "Jinn," Krelo hissed. "Jinn, here, owed me a bit of money for hauling his sorry carcass around town, especially after getting pulled over by the cops." In the background Jemmy, Rela and Spider tried to look innocent, but interested. The Jedi all just looked stern, worried, and was Mace amused? "Anyway, I fished a few credits out of his pockets and I found something else in there later when I went to count it." Beside her Qui-Gon sat up straight, a horrified look on his face. Krelo would have bet everything Lilith had taken from Qui-Gon's pockets that the Master was rapidly approaching stone cold sober and desperately wishing he were dead. "And?" Mace and Dex prompted together. Both already had the beginnings of smiles on their faces while Obi-wan was just looking confused. What could that possibly have to do with why this woman had had her hand in his master's tunics? "Well, I was just . . . checking to see if it might belong to him, or if he was holding it for someone else," Lilith finished quickly. "There. Happy?" she asked Obi-wan. "Not particularly. What the Sith could it have been that you had your hand in his tunics?" Mace and Dex exchanged startled glances and Sal-Fina looked predatory. They hadn't heard that part of it earlier. Qui-Gon's face was now a strangled sort of scarlet. "Maybe I should tell you later, kid," Lilith tried to suggest, glancing around significantly at all the people gathered around, just waiting to hear. "No!" Dex practically shouted and Qui-Gon now buried his face in his hands. "I think we need to know." Seeing she was going to be able to get out of it, Lilith slipped her hand into her pocket and then pulled it back out. Holding it out where everyone could see it, she opened her hand. There were several startled gasps and Sal-Fina crowed in malicious glee. Lilith glanced down at her hand, not expecting such a reaction. After all, it was only a- Her expression froze. There, in her palm, sat the little niobium ring. Unfortunately, that wasn't all she'd grabbed and her own face took on a look of horror to match his as she realized that, in her haste, she had grabbed something else as well. "What are those?" Hmiol asked innocently. "Pasties," Dex answered in astonishment. "What are they for?" Hmiol asked. His answer was a chorus of uninformative 'umm's and 'err's from the other males in the group. Sal-Fina, on the other hand, was only too happy to educate the young man. Qui-Gon was staring helplessly from face to face with an expression that begged for someone to back him up, while Obi-wan looked like he was going to pass out again. Jemmiah was giggling. "Women in strip clubs wear them over their-" Except Mace and Dex chose that time to bust out in loud, roaring laughter. "Those aren't mine!" Qui-Gon yelled repeatedly, glad beyond all imagining that the woman beside him hadn't produced that keycard he'd forgotten to return. "They're not!" "I'll dare say!" Mace howled. "The color clashes with your eyes!" That sent Dex and An-Paj into fresh gales of laughter and both had to find chairs quickly before their knees gave out. Lilith immediately pocketed the evidence and slipped off the barstool, trying to slide around the crowd and disappear. Krelo met her half way and grabbed her by the arm, staring a question she dared not verbalize. "What?!" Lilith hissed at her. "You think tonight was the first time I've strip-teased?!" "And you carry them around in your pocket?!" Lilith rolled her eyes skyward and wished that she'd never suggested following the Jedi tonight. ***** "I can tell you one thing!" Lilith winced as she recovered her cool somewhat, "I am not the only one who's gonna suffer embarrassment here. All this clowning about has given me an idea." "And what's that?" Dex asked curiously. Lilith stood, hands on hips as she addressed the other cantina crawlers. "They say you can learn a lot about a person by what they have in their possession. I say let's get to know each other really well and turn out our pockets. I'll bet there are some really interesting things that could tell us a pretty tale…" The wide eyed, horrified expressions on the faces of her companions told her that there were definitely one or two guilty consciences lurking out there. But what were they all hiding? "C'mon. Turn 'em out." Lilith commanded. "If I've had to suffer…" "We," muttered an ill looking Qui-Gon. "We," corrected Lilith, "have had to suffer the humiliation then I think for the sake of solidarity we should all join in." "Not a chance." Obi-Wan looked aghast. "I'm not doing it." Rela snorted. "Me either." Sal-Fina insisted vehemently. "A persons private property has the right to remain, well…private." "Not good enough." Lilith smirked. "Get to it everyone. Who's first up?" She walked over to Mace. "Master Windu? Care to let me rummage?" "Well," Mace didn't look sure, as if he was desperately trying to remember what he had in his pockets, "I don't know…" "Let's have a delve." Lilith declared as she shoved her hands into his tunic. She stopped suddenly. "If anyone's got any ideas at all about sneakily dropping their belongings onto the floor and retrieving them afterwards, forget it. I will find out about it. And keep anything I like the look of. Now," she smiled, "let's see what can be learned about Master Windu." Her hands brought out a small but very revealing inventory. "One Corellian liquorice stick, half chewed and covered in fluff…" Lilith dropped the item in disgust onto the table. "Keeping that for after, were you Windu? What else have we got?" She laughed at the next item. "One small comb. What the heck do you need with a comb, Mace? Or do we not want to know?" Mace gritted his teeth as the others laughed at his discomfort. "Hello, what's this?" Frowned Lilith. "One bottle of ointment for the treatment of…" "THANK YOU, I'll have that back." Mace swiped at the bottle. "To be used sparingly three times a day." Lilith grinned. "What has?" Jemmiah wondered. Lilith smirked. "Hair tonic." As Rela wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, she wondered who was going to be the next victim of Captain Demodae's searching. Amidst all the hilarity, there were some very troubled faces… ***** Leona snickered behind her hand at Mace' discomfort, catching the attention of the tall, blonde smuggler. "And what about you, little one?" Lilith queried, "what would a Jedi Healer possibly carry with her?" Leona stood and smiled, feeling very smug. "Sorry, but I'm afraid this dress has no pockets." she said with great satisfaction, pulling open the large, borrowed robe she wore for all to see. "Doesn't exactly leave much to the imagination either." Master Berlingside leered, causing the small healer to blush and quickly wrap the cloak around her. "What about her purse?" Jemmiah asked. "Only medical supplies I'm afraid." Leona answered complacently. "Then you won't mind if we go through it" Lilith reached over and snatched the bag off her shoulder. The healer's only answer was a content smile and shrug. Opening the small bag Lilith began taking out each item and placing it on the table. "Med-pak, bandages, pills" the smuggler identified each as she pulled them out. "And this?" she held up a small vial with a thick, yellow liquid in it. "Cologne." Leona announced, while the Amazonian Corellian open the vial sniffing lightly. "Nice." "You really are as boring as you appear." Sal-Fina tittered maliciously, nodding to her apprentice. Leona's eyes blazed at the blonde Master. "Not everyone can be vid stars, can they?" Leona intoned darkly, wiping the smile from Sal-Fina's face. Frustrated with nothing of interest in the bag Lilith turned it over and shook it once and a long braid, tied at both ends with pink ribbon fell to the table. "Ah, what's this?" Lilith picked up the item for closer examination. "What is it?" Mace asked, hoping for some embarrassing revelation. "It's a lock of hair." Lilith dangled it in front of Leona's face, which was now turning bright crimson. "A lover's keepsake perhaps? Anyone we know?" Lilith turned to the man whose hair not only matched the length of the braid, but the fine grey streaks that ran through it. "Care to comment?" she asked Qui-Gon who was giving the petite healer a decidedly confused and somewhat flattered look. ***** "Well, whose is it?" Sal-Fina asked triumphantly. A snicker from someone in the crowd managed to deflect the attention away from a thoroughly embarrassed Leona, who was dreading Qui-Gon asking her the inevitable question at some stage. There was nothing for it, she would have take pleasure in her own company for the rest of the evening because there was no way Leona was prepared to admit to the true owner of the lock of hair. As the laughter sounded again, Lilith homed right in on the source. "You think that's funny d'you?" She lifted her eyebrow questioningly. "Actually," Obi-Wan smirked, "I think it's pretty hilarious." "I'm glad you enjoy a good laugh," the strapping Corellian woman nodded at his cheerful expression, "because you are next." "W-what!?!" Kenobi exclaimed, leaping back a couple of feet. "You heard. Turn out your pockets." "I told you, I'm NOT doing it!" "Oh, now I want to know what he's hiding." Lilith began to herd him up towards the wall. "So do I!" Jemmiah smiled, although still sounding a touch rough. "No you don't!" Obi-Wan's features suddenly looked pinched and white. Jemmy became very suspicious. It wasn't like Ben to be sneaky… "Look, just back off." Obi-Wan insisted. "My arms are all strapped up and I can't even defend myself!" "I like a man who's helpless." Lilith continued to stalk him until his back hit the wall. "Lilith, please!" Implored Kenobi. "I like a man who begs, too!" She chuckled. "But I'm afraid my curiosity is too great. Now," she lunged at the young man's hidden pockets, "what have we here? A letter?" Obi-Wan went scarlet. "Because you went to so much trouble to keep this from us, I'm gonna read it out!" "No!" the padawan yelped. "Yes!" Lilith cleared her throat: "Dearest Jemmy…" "That's a good start." Acknowledged Krelo as the whistling started. Obi-Wan closed his eyes as his only means of escape. Lilith continued: "I just had to write to you and let you know how very special you are, and how much you've come to mean to me over the years." "Awwww, that's nice," sniffed An-Paj, "Pray continue." "There are times when you just walk into a room and everyone else seems to melts away. Just one smile is enough to break my heart." "That is revolting!" Spider gagged. "And when you tease and flirt with me it drives me absolutely crazy with desire!" Obi-Wan didn't dare open his eyes but Jemmiah did risk a quick glance at Qui-Gon, who looked completely and utterly shocked. And still a little shaky. "You are by far the most attractive girl I have ever met both outside or within the temple." "Hey, cheers Piggy!" Meri laughed at his reddened face. "I just wish my master would let us see each other more often. I admire him in almost everything, except that he can be so damned old fashioned, not to mention mean." Qui-Gon seemed to take an extra few seconds to register that with his brain. "Did my padawan just call me mean?" He asked in astonishment. "To continue," Lilith hurried on: "It is my fondest hope that very soon we will be able to express our true feelings for each other without any outside interruptions." There came a loud WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Of insinuation from the other padawans, not to mention a few of the masters. "In the meantime, please accept this gift as a small token of my undying affection." Jay and Simeon chuckled whilst Sybelle, Letina and Kylenn smirked knowingly at each other, winking back and forth between the group of conspirators. "Gift?" Qui-Gon asked through the haze of the alcoholic mist still clinging to the fringes of his mind. "What gift's this?" Dex winked. Lilith's grin became wider: "All my love forever and always, your Ben." "That was horrible." Rela said finally, reaching over to pinch the padawan's face with hooked fingers. "You poor helpless romantic!" "There's an extra line underneath," Lilith added after the rumble of amusement had started to quiet a little: "By the way, I have to tell you that I think you have the nicest…" Lilith broke off suddenly, feigning a cough. "I think we'll leave that adult-rated stuff to the imagination." "Nicest what?" Frowned Simeon. "Forget it." Kenobi mumbled. "I'd like to know." Simeon insisted. "So would I!" Jay added with a leer. "We'll just have to use our imagination." Jodi grinned. "Or our memories." Zac replied. Jemmy snatched the letter away. "Legs, guys. He said legs, didn't he Lilith?" "Er…yeah. Legs." Lilith concurred hurriedly, suddenly realizing the trouble she might have landed Jemmiah in. "What else have we got in Kenobi's pockets?" She fished around diligently for a moment before pulling out a handful of candy wrappers. "Gods, he's a walking garbage disposal unit." Lilith eyed him as he squirmed. "And we also have…a holo picture of his beloved." She nodded at Jemmiah. "Which one?" Jemmy limped over for a better look. "Oh, that one. That's sweet. The one of me sitting on his lap whilst he's pinching my b…." "Moving swiftly on," Lilith rifled through the boy's right pocket. Obi-Wan seemed to flinch suddenly as he recalled what was in there. "And we have…" Lilith pulled out a harmless looking package and tossed it onto the table. There was an audible pause followed by muted titters from the other cantina crawlers. Qui-Gon staggered somewhat over towards his guilty looking padawan. Obi-Wan knew he was well on the road to recovery when Jinn shot him his best piercing, icy gaze. "W-well, master," Obi-Wan gulped in embarrassment, "you always say that a Jedi should be prepared for any eventuality." Qui-Gon stood opposite him, never taking his eyes from his apprentice. The smile he bestowed was lethal. "In that case Obi-Wan," he said as he eyed the package with its somewhat intimate contents, "prepare to die." Jemmiah tried valiantly not to give a damn about all the nudges and whispers she was getting aimed in her direction. Obi-Wan however was the color of a small Alderaani Radish. "I think it's about time we picked on someone else." Lilith said loudly, before leaning in towards Qui-Gon and whispering: "Or else we might just have to reveal what else we found in your pockets the same time we found the ring." Sal-Fina shuffled back just a touch in the hope that Lilith wouldn't notice the move. Lilith smiled to herself. Let her think she'd been forgotten for the time being. Lull her in to a false sense of security. "Jay Abran, how about YOU turn out your pockets?" Abran shrugged. "I've not got much," he replied in a neutral tone of voice, "because I've never been one for unnecessary clutter." He pulled out a small collection of coins, an identity card, a small neck charm… "Poser." Muttered Simeon. …and a box of breath freshening sweets. "Is that it?" Spider wondered. "Nothing else?" "As if I'd be caught with anything more." Jay said just a touch too cockily for Lilith's tastes. "Well then. You won't mind if I have a look." She stepped forwards to make good her threat. "But…look, I'm sure there's absolutely nothing of interest there." Jay felt tiny beads of sweat beginning to form on his brow. Lilith seemed like a thorough woman…the kind that left no stone unturned or pocket overlooked! "I'll be the judge of that, young man." Lilith slid her hands into his pockets and moments later brought out what appeared to be a list of some description. "Now, what could this be?" Demodae waved the list infront of Abran's nose. "It's not important." Jay said, trying and failing miserably to look unfazed. "Is that right?" She looked down the list. "NO.1 - Rig cards so that Simeon, Obi and Jemmy pick the Aces. Dimallie to pick fourth ace." "WHAT!!!" Exclaimed Dimallie and Leona at the same time. "NO.2 - Fix strip Spin the Bottle game. Get Kylenn and Letina down to their undies. Make sure that Jemmy loses the last round." "WHAT!!!" Exclaimed Jemmiah, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. "N0.3 - Trick Jemmy into picking dare in T or D game." "You are so very dead." Jemmiah hissed. "NO.4 - Get Simeon so drunk that he collapses in the gutter." Simeon glared. "NO.5 - Spike Jemmy's drink with that stuff that makes you giggle like an idiot for three solid hours." "It didn't work." Jemmiah's eyes bored into him. "So I see." Abran retorted. "NO.6 - Slip that luminous party food coloring into Hmiol's drink so that under street lighting he turns fluorescent." "Well, at least you haven't managed that one." Mace sighed, as Garos looked slightly ill with anxiety. That's what he thinks, thought Jay. "Try and get some of the masters too, if possible." Lilith read. Yes, it went better than I thought. As if poor Mace and Sal-Fina don't have enough to contend with at the moment… "N0.7 - Tell that embarrassing story about Jemmy and the artist's modelling." "What have I ever done to you?" Jemmiah groaned. "N0.8 - Chat up Ambianca for a dare." "You wouldn't do it for any other reason." Jemmiah muttered. "N0.9 - Collect winnings for little bet regarding Obi and Jemmy." "What bet?" Qui-Gon growled softly. "I really can't imagine." Leona tried to cover up. "N0.10 - Get very sloshed indeed." Jay just stood there; taking in all the hostile faces turned his way. He'd managed to offend just about everyone. "This your prank list for this evening, was it Abran?" Lilith's voice had the quality of rough sandpaper. "Well…the highlights, yes." He admitted. "I should think you've managed to alienate most of the people here before you." Demodae grinned wickedly. "Got anything to say before they tell you what they think of you?" "Er…yeah." Jay actually managed a smile. "What time do the street lights come on?" |
| A Night to (almost) remember |
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