| ***** Simeon stood a few beds away, thinking. He’d have to organize some kind of escape committee to get Jemmiah out of this one. If he didn’t make amends, she’d murder him slowly and every day for the rest of his life. Kenobi would help; so would Sybelle. If they could just avoid An-Paj, they would be fine. Qui-Gon could complain all he wanted when they got to the Cantina-crawl. It would be too late to send her back. All they needed was some official help… He smiled. "Let’s go find Healer Leona." Grinned Simeon to Dimallie. "She’s WHAT!" Obi-Wan’s eyes flared with annoyance. "Calm down, padawan." Qui-Gon admonished. This was going exactly the way he’d expected it to go. "At the healers?" Kenobi repeated doggedly. "There was a bit of an accident, apparently, and she received a slight blow to the head." "How slight?" Obi-Wan continued. "Well," Qui-Gon thought about the options he had. Putting it off would achieve nothing, especially as An-Paj would no doubt fill him in on the details, "A little more than slight, then." He confessed. "But An-Paj said that she’s going to be completely…" It was as far as he got before his apprentice bolted past him. "…Fine." Finished Qui-Gon. "No! Absolutely not!" Healer Leona refused point blank. "That is one thing I won’t do. I’ll look over minor misdemeanors. I’ll even hide your items of female apparel, Simeon, but I am NOT helping you to smuggle out a sick patient from out of this ward!" "But she is going to murder me if I don’t." Dimallie whined at Leona. "And Simeon, too." "She is in here for a reason. To get better!" Leona shook her head. "I cannot let someone who has concussion wander around the streets at night drinking like a fish. Which you know she does, when the chance presents itself." She scolded. "What if something were to happen to her? What would Evla say? Or Qui-Gon Jinn? How would Obi-Wan feel then? You haven’t thought this through, none of you!" She smoothed down her healer’s garb, picking at creases that didn’t exist. It was an unfortunate incident, to be sure, but one that could so easily be made worse. And Leona was not going to have that on her conscience. "I know that this is a terrible thing to happen, and I also know how much effort the girl has put into this. But the answer is still a resounding NO. It’s more than my job’s worth." "We’re not asking you to lie, or anything." Simeon pleaded. "All we’re asking is that you keep An-Paj or any of the other healers who might interfere out of the way whilst we sneak her out." "I can’t just sit back and watch you bundle out a patient who won’t even be in a condition to discharge herself…It’s unethical!" "Jemmiah’s mighty stubborn. You wouldn’t be able to stop her." Cates rejoined. "She knows her own mind." "Too well, if you ask me." Muttered Leona unhappily. "She’d be better of sedated for the next two days until the whole thing has just gone away." "Now THAT’S unethical." Simeon grinned. "I’m sorry. I can’t do it." Was Leona’s final word on the subject. Cates hissed in frustration. "Well, that’s a big pity." Dimallie said carefully, "because if Jemmiah doesn’t go, then Obi-Wan won’t go either…" And if Kenobi doesn’t go, thought Leona- Neither will Qui-Gon. The thought of what would happen if she were caught abetting the two apprentice healers was not one she relished. Normally, there would be no contest at all. Now, however, she couldn’t stand the idea of not seeing Qui-Gon after all her endeavors to sort out sponsorship and all the pains it had cost her to pluck up the courage to sign up in the first place. She closed her eyes. Jemmiah knew about her secret regard for Master Jinn. If she didn’t help her out now, there would be nothing to stop her from spreading it all round the temple. She shuddered. "I’ll do it." She said suddenly. "You will?" Simeon frowned. "Just make sure you do this properly!" She gulped, already feeling guilty. "This only happens if I convince myself that she’s well enough to be released, otherwise you can forget it. Qui-Gon would kill me if anything happened to her…" She blushed, and hoped she hadn’t given herself away. If she had, the others were not making a show of it. "Secondly, I will be on hand at all times to keep an eye on her." Leona stated. "And thirdly, she doesn’t touch a drop of alcohol. It’s fruit juice all the way." "She'll go crazy…" Simeon began. "Tough. I’m sure I have something in my medical kit to help cope with crazy people. If she doesn’t like the conditions, she can stay here. It’s a clear choice." Simeon nodded reluctantly. "I’ll speak to Obi-Wan and see if we can form an escape committee. And a cunning rescue plan." "Make it a good one!" Leona couldn’t believe what she’d agreed to. "If An-Paj finds out, it’ll be next stop: Temple mortuary!" "Aye, aye, ma’am." Cates saluted her. Oh, help, thought Leona. An-Paj walked slowly over towards the privacy screen around Jemmiah’s bed. All beds had such a screen, but what was unusual about this instance was the fact that he had left the screens open. And now they weren’t. Jemmiah would not have had either the strength or the inclination to get out of her bed, as when An-Paj had last seen her (now fully conscious) the headache that he had predicted was in full swing, and then some. The culprit, whoever they were, must be somebody else. An-Paj had a sneaking idea he knew who it was… "Are you sure you’re alright?" Kenobi frowned as Jemmiah lay back on the bed, eyelids closing and blinking with the pain. "What do you think?" She groaned. "I feel awful. It’s a good thing Evla’s not here." "Qui-Gon already knows." Obi-Wan confessed. "WHAT?" Jemmiah shouted, and then wished she hadn’t. "An-Paj called him down. He was here for a while whilst you were still out of it." Kenobi took her hand. "I don’t think the Cantina-crawl’s going to be a viable option for you, somehow." "No way!" Jemmy was defiant. "I sweated blood for this thing. I had to kiss Master Windu, for kriff’s sake. Darn it, I’m not being left out at this late stage." "Look at yourself." Obi-Wan argued. "You’ve got a head wound." "It’s healing." "You can’t even sit up without help." "That’s what you’re there for." "Qui-Gon won’t stand for it!" "He doesn’t own me." Jemmiah cursed fluently in old Corellian. "I’m gonna sign myself out of here." She tried to swing herself out of bed, but got dizzy just trying to lift her head off the pillow. "Idiot!" Snapped Obi-Wan. "Why can’t you do what you’re told?" He gently pushed her back towards the bed. "What, and you’re so well behaved when you’re at your bi-weekly visit to the healers." She grumbled. "Don’t exaggerate." He retorted, sweeping the tangle of long, chestnut hair onto the pillow and arranging it neatly. A pair of large, copper eyes stared at him, misted with pain. "You look really pale." Kenobi frowned. "Then why don’t you help to restore some color to my face?" She tried a lascivious grin, but only half managed it. "What, in here?!?" Obi-Wan looked about at the other patients. "We can’t!" "That’s what the privacy screens are for." "You’re not well." Reminded Obi-Wan. "That’s why you’re in here in the first place, remember?" "What, not even one tiny kiss?" She wheedled. "If I’m stuck in here for all eternity, I think that’s the least you can do, huh?" Kenobi sighed, but smiled to himself. It wasn’t as if they ever got much time to themselves. Qui-Gon had seen to that… "OK." He shook his head. "Just a quick kiss. That’s all." He reached over and pulled the curtain round. "Of course." Jemmiah smiled innocently. "There’s something going on here." An-Paj nudged Ferdi Xadaani on the arm, indicating the privacy screen around Jemmiah Gleshan’s bed. "Uh-huh." Ferdi returned his smile. "Three guesses, if you need them. If you guess correctly first time, this wonderful engraved bedpan can be yours!" He laughed, as only An-Paj knew how. "It’s disgraceful." Ferdi chuckled. "They’re young." He shrugged. "Too young, Qui-Gon would say." "That’s Yoda’s influence on him. He’d turn his padawan into a monk if he could get away with it." He paused, deep in thought. "Let them have some fun, whilst they’re still young enough and flexible enough to get away with it." He groaned, his arm going to the small of his back. "Wives keeping well?" Ferdi teased. "Very amusing." He snorted. He gestured to the screens. "Morally of course, I shouldn’t condone this." "So?" She asked, amused. "A little surprise might be in order." That wicked light had come back in his eyes. "Stop that!" Obi-Wan chided. "Stop what?" "Flirting with me!" "Sorry, I didn’t realize I wasn’t allowed to flirt with my boyfriend." "One kiss, you said." "I didn’t hear you complaining. I’M the one who’s covered in bite marks!" She teased. "Sith!" He sat up. "Did I do that?" "Either that or there’s an invisible vampire doing his rounds on the ward." Jemmiah rubbed her neck. "How’s your head?" Kenobi asked, blue eyes twinkling. "Better. You know, I’ll have to get hurt more often." She grinned at him. "As long as I get to kiss it better." He said smugly. "Urgh! That sounded just like Sybelle and her boyfriend." She groaned, staring up at the ceiling. "Qui-Gon doesn’t exactly approve of us, does he?" "Perhaps not." Obi-Wan watched her face fall slightly. "He thinks you’re too young and flighty. He just thinks I’m irresponsible." He leant forward to kiss her forehead. "So it’ll be up to us to prove him wrong." "How?" She asked, the thumping in her head worsening as she thought of Qui-Gon Jinn. "By not getting caught!" He grinned suddenly and jumped up along side her on the bed. An-Paj and Ferdi Xadaani hovered just outside of the screen. They traded coded looks. //Ready?// An-Paj smirked. She nodded. //One…two…three!// The curtain flew back to reveal what appeared to be a very flustered and guilty looking padawan in an extremely compromising situation. "GOT YOU!" An-Paj roared happily. Jemmiah nearly bit her own tongue in shock, and Obi-Wan fell off the bed in surprise. "Caught in the act, as it were!" An-Paj gloated, clearly enjoying the whole farce. "We didn’t get that far." Jemmiah glared at him. "Nor are we ever likely to, at this rate." "That is a misuse of Temple facilities." Ferdi sternly indicated the bed. "It’s more comfortable than the floor, and more private than the Bacta tank in the regeneration unit." Jemmy said hotly. Kenobi blushed crimson once more, and An-Paj threw his head back and howled with laughter. "An-Paj!" Frowned Ferdi Xadaani. "I thought this was supposed to be a lecture." "Oh. Yes." He remembered. "Sorry." He turned to face the young couple. "Are you wearing lip-gloss again, Kenobi?" He asked. Obi-Wan put his hand up to his face and wiped his lips, frowning as it came away covered in "Brandysnap" colored oil."I should of course refer this little matter to your Master." He looked at Obi-Wan, who swallowed visibly."But I won’t. On one condition." The guilty pair looked at each other. "What?" They asked in unison. "I want to know- the truth mind- if that’s a love bite that you’re girlfriend is trying so very unsuccessfully to cover up. Jemmiah closed her eyes. "No, sir. That’s not a love bite." "It’s not?" An-Paj folded his arms. "No. It’s more of a nibble." ***** Qui-Gon Jinn opened the door to find two startled padawans. "Oh...Master Jinn... we were looking for Obi-Wan, to ah, tell him about ah... Jemmiah..." Simeon's voice came out in surprised gulps. They hadn't expected to find Qui-Gon home already and his formidable appearance at the door produced an almost automatic flight response in young Cates. "He already knows Simeon, I'm sure he's at her side at this very moment." the large Jedi said gruffly. "Master Jinn, I want to apologize for the accident." Dimallie stated softly, her voice trembling " It was my fault. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." "That's why they're called accidents" Qui-Gon's manner softened, sensing the girl's apprehension. It was one thing to command an air of respect and authority but the look of fright on the faces of the two padawans illustrated a severe perception they had of him. "I'm not the one to apologize to Dimallie" he said kindly, "Jemmiah's the one stuck in the infirmary for the next day. I suggest its there your plead your case. She'll need all the cheering she can get inasmuch as she'll miss out on the cantina-crawl That was an understatement to be sure. Qui-Gon was fairly sure it would take nothing less than restraints to keep her from that particular event. "But she might be better by..." Simeon suddenly found his courage. Qui-Gon held a staying hand up "Master An-Paj made it perfectly clear that was out of the question." "Yes, Master Jinn." Simeon answered dutifully, with downcast eyes. "I'll let Obi-Wan know you’re looking for him. Good day Dimallie, Simeon." Qui-Gon ended the conversation, closing the door behind him. "Do you really think you want to risk that man's wrath?" Dimallie asked as they headed back toward the infirmary. "Have you every seen Jemmiah in one of her Corellian tantrums? I'll take my chances with the big guy." Simeon answered drolly. "I suppose it doesn't matter what we do now, someone's bound to come out of this in trouble." Dimallie bemoaned. "I can't believe I coerced my master into doing this. I am so going to get." Simeon looked quizzedly at her. "Whataya mean?" he asked confused. "Oh, never mind." Dimallie huffed in disgust; "some guys are just so blind." This was slowly turning into the biggest mistake of her life. Leona desperately wished she could just quietly back out of the entire event now. Its not like anyone would even know she was missing, at least that would have been the case until her padawan had decided to make Jemmiah Gleshan the latest victim of her perpetual bad luck. Now she had agreed to participate in a scheme that at the least might result in an official reprimand and at the worst could cause greater injury to a patient.She couldn't believe how things could take such a turn for the worse. Why hadn’t she been content to just admire from afar, she thought, making her way to check on Jemmiah? ***** An-Paj smiled as he withdrew the curtains from round Jemmiah’s bed. He’d gone out of his way not to show how thoroughly amused he had been, especially regarding Obi-Wan’s bright red face, but it had been impossible in the end. "I think visiting time is over, young man." An-Paj put a guiding hand on the Padawan’s shoulder and waved his other in the direction of the door. "May I also suggest the next time you fancy "nibbling" something you go for lunch in the refectory. Not as appealing, I grant you." He just about covered his mirth. "May I come and visit her again?" Obi-Wan looked completely abashed, and the healer almost felt sorry for him. Youth and hormones were a dangerous and explosive combination. Explosive in this case should Qui-Gon find out what his padawan had just been attempting… "Of course." An-Paj nodded. "Just make sure the curtains are open this time." "So you can check up on us." Kenobi muttered. "No, so I can have a good laugh!" An-Paj replied before walking off. Great, thought Kenobi. Just great. Now he had to find Simeon to retrieve Jemmiah’s present. Handing THAT over in plain sight of everyone was going to be hysterical… As Kenobi and An-Paj left the ward, Leona slunk up towards Jemmiah’s bed. She looks really terrible, Leona told herself. How on Coruscant could she be a party to this? Yet her feet propelled her forwards when her every instinct was to run. Too late. Jemmiah opened a tired eye and regarded the petite healer like a cannoid eyeing a vrelt. "Another visitor." She mumbled sourly. "People can’t seem to keep away from me at the moment." "I take it from that remark, An-Paj has stopped by to give you another painkiller." Leona found her stride and slotted naturally back into her professional routine. "Unfortunately, yes." Pouting, Jemmiah shuddered. "There’s nothing like an injection to ruin your love life, if you know what I mean?" Leona didn’t know, and didn’t particularly want to, either. "And how’s padawan Dimwit?" Jemmiah feigned concern. "Knocked any other innocent passers by on the head? Drugged a few padawans in the last day or so?" "That’s a little unfair." Leona frowned. "I admit that she does have a tendency to be slightly accident-prone, but…" "Most people have their accidents before they arrive here," Jemmiah grumbled, "They don’t expect to be mowed down when they’re safely inside!" She tried to shift slightly against her pillow, and only succeeded in aggravating the pain in her head. "Sith, that hurts!" She yelped. "Damn." Leona muttered. "That makes what I am about to say even more difficult." Jemmiah continued to eye her, weighing her up. "This isn’t about our little conversation earlier? About Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and how head over heals in love you are with him?" "I am not." Hissed Leona, trying to get Jemmiah to quiet her already hushed voice. "Yes you are." Jemmy sighed. "It’s written, plain as the nose on your face." "Do…do you think I’m plain, then?" Leona felt crestfallen. "Noooo!" Jemmiah reassured her. "Not a bit of it. There’s plenty of men would be falling over themselves to ask you out." She paused. "If you’d let them." She added. "I…I don’t know what sort of …women Qui-Gon likes." She blushed. "A good brain. He likes someone who can hold an intelligent conversation. Just don’t get bogged down with all the gory details of the afternoon surgery, or how Master Quirida-Xac’s piles are doing. He’s seen an awful lot of this place over the years." She grimaced. "We all have." "What about how look?" She persisted. "Well, I wouldn’t overdo the make-up. Nothing too garish, you know? I’ve seen the way he glares at me when I’m wearing "Supernova Red" lip-gloss. Especially when it ends up all over his padawan." "And hair?" She asked hesitantly. "He likes long hair. " She looked at Leona’s own hair, tied back and neat. "Wear it loose. Let him see a new side to you." She risked a smile. "I could help you, if I wasn’t in this bed." The eyes that unblinkingly fixed themselves on Leona were screaming at her to help her out. "Oh, yes. That’s what I came to say. Simeon and Dimallie are working on a plan to get you out of here." Leona looked away from her. "Excuse me?" Jemmiah blinked. "Did I just hear right? You and the incompetent twins are going to help me escape from the house of horrors?" "I didn’t want any part in this." Leona confessed. "You’re not well, and…" "Qui-Gon wouldn’t be happy with you if he found out that you’d helped to engineer my bid for freedom." Jemmiah supplied. Damn! She’d done it again; Leona was furious with herself. Could everyone read her so easily or was it just this Corellian minx? "It’s just me." Jemmiah said smugly. "Don’t worry about it. I’ve always been able to second-guess people. Comes in very handy in matters of blackmail…" She let her words tail off. Healer Leona got the message. "I don’t know what the others have got planned. I’m just the distraction. It’s down to your young man to get you away from the wrath of An-Paj." And very much risking the wrath of Qui-Gon Jinn, thought Jemmiah. "You know, this could be fun." Jemmiah smiled. "Fun? I am shaking like a leaf." Leona complained. "Well, you know what the cure for the shakes is? A night out on the town. There’s this very special little Cantina that I know of, called the "Hell’s Chance." It serves a house drink that’ll knock years off your life!" "I remember." Leona shook her head. "I treated Obi-Wan’s rash, remember?" She suddenly spotted the red, circular mark on the side of the girl’s neck. "Don’t worry. I’m not infectious." Jemmiah said uncomfortably. "Where did you get that?" She looked shocked. "I don’t know. I just kinda…er, appeared." She lied. "That’s a LOVE BITE!" She gasped. "I wish people would stop saying that." Jemmy corrected her. "It’s hardly a graze." "Was this Obi-Wan?" Leona stood up. "Qui-Gon will go mad when he sees that! And it happened on my shift, too!" "Turn a blind eye to it. I did." She smirked. "I’m surprised he didn’t leave his teeth in there." Leona scolded. "What do you think you were doing?" "Not as much as we’d have liked." Jemmy admitted. "The big boss man caught us." Leona couldn’t believe it. "That looks enflamed." She pointed at the mark. "I’m afraid that’s the effect I have on Obi-Wan." She deadpanned. "Teeth are covered with bacteria, didn’t you know?" "Yes," An-Paj replied, suddenly reappearing and causing both of them to jump in the air slightly, "That’s why I’ve brought this young lady my special anti-"nibble" kit." he whipped a cloth off a metal bowl containing a hypodermic. Jemmiah’s eyes rounded, and she grabbed hold of Leona’s hand. "GET ME OUT OF HERE" She mouthed. An-Paj viewed the exchange and said nothing. Something was afoot, in these very wards. And he was determined to find out exactly what it was. Sith! Leona thought, as she rolled up Jemmiah’s clothing from her arm. If Qui-Gon finds out that I am helping Simeon and Obi-Wan, he will never speak to me as long as I live… ***** "This is getting ridiculous." Qui Gon fumed. "Tell me about it." Arya Galina rolled her eyes. "I found out about Sybelle's extra curricular activities. You know who her boyfriend is? Griff Rendar! God knows what else she's hiding from me." "This has all gone too far." Qui Gon admitted. "What do you suggest we do. Ground them?" Adi asked, raising her eyebrows. "It would be a shame after all the hard work they've put into this." "It's the only way to teach them a lesson." Qui Gon said decisively. "HE DID WHAT?" Jemmiah almost screamed. "Sorry." Obi-Wan said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "It's all your fault." Sybelle muttered sulkily. "If you'd been able to control your masculine urges none of us would have got into this mess." "You have to help us." Jemmiah turned to Leona. "Sneak me out, then Obi Wan, Sybelle and I will meet up with you later once the masters are too drunk to realize we're there." "That'll only take half an hour." Sybelle said sarcastically. Leona groaned inwardly. This was going to take a lot of planning. ***** Captain Demodae of the light freighter Scorpion sat nursing her drink. It was only her first one, but she wanted to make sure she could last the whole evening with her friend. Krelo Rei'ch, newly knighted Jedi and fellow carouser, could hold her liquor like no one else the well traveled captain had ever met. Probably uses some sort of Jedi Force technique to keep from getting drunk, she thought. There's no other explanation. Lilith was a big woman, 6'1" and a lean well-muscled 88 kilos, and she could down the drinks with the best of them, but the red-haired woman by her side was an inhuman drinking machine. "So, what's the news from the temple?" "Hmmmph," Krelo snorted irreverently. "The annual fund raiser for the infirmary is going to be a singing thingy again." The knight downed her shot of Corellian whiskey and hissed through her teeth at the way it burned so pleasantly down her throat. "Three guesses why I asked you to meet me here tonight? There's no way, this side of getting tossed out of the Temple that I'm going to be subjected to that little green troll singing "H-A-P-P-Y, I am.' Not again, at any rate." "Please," Lilith held up a hand to forestall the coming tirade. "I heard all about it last year. I don't blame you for sneaking out." "Well, it might not have been as bad as I imagine. There were rumors of something else going on beforehand, but I didn't stick around long enough to find out. I wasn't going to risk being drafted to help organize the artistic travesty." "No one who can carry a tune in a bucket would," Lilith reminded the hot-tempered Knight. "You forget, I was at the last one, and I heard what passes for singing among the lesser talented of the Temple's denizens. That's not an experience I wish to repeat. Once was more than enough for me." Demodae sipped at her Alderaanian Screwdriver and sighed. Maybe she could convince her droid to sing for them later. M1-CK had a very nice singing voice and she had programmed his repertoire herself. "Well, at least we won't be subjected to padawans and knights attempting to sing tonight," Krelo muttered. "You won't find many Jedi in bars on a fund raiser night!" ***** THE EVENING OF THE BIG EVENT HAD ARRIVED. "Have you got my things?" Hissed Jemmiah to Sybelle. The dark haired girl nodded in response, holding up a canvas shoulder bag into Jemmy’s view. "I think I’ve got everything. Dress. Boots. Make-up. Hair clasp. Perfume. Moisturizer. Mini holo-cam. Jewelry. Wrist-chrono…headache pills." She delved around in the bag with her left hand. "Something we probably shouldn’t mention in front of Healer Leona." She grinned. "Just hang on a moment," Leona’s eyes almost popped out as Sybelle’s meaning began to ring warning bells. "Just what sort of night had you two girls got planned? "Dunno." Sybelle giggled. "What sort of night did you have planned with Master Jinn?" Leona looked scandalized. "I had no such thing planned! And you certainly shouldn’t either." She glared at Jemmiah. "Yesterday you were flat on your back!" "You got to hand it to that Kenobi, he’s a fast worker." Sybelle laughed as Jemmiah blushed faintly. "I suppose we should be grateful that you were conscious at the time!" Jemmy’s hand went up to the raw bite mark on her neck. She’d have to cover it with a silken scarf or something, at least when Qui-Gon was around. Not that she was in a hurry to meet up with him. "You were awake, weren’t you?" Leona swallowed. "There are laws against…you know, interfering with the patients." "Healer Leona," Jemmiah answered her with a small, rueful smile, "Let me assure you that the interference was more than welcome." "Good." Leona sighed with relief. Hang on. She didn’t quite mean that. "Interference is about all I can hope for, anyway." She paused dramatically. "Master Jinn has the apartment patrolled by three vicious Farfalaks with electrocuted fences and search lights. And if his padawan even smiles at me my force sensitized chastity belt gives me a reminder I’ll never forget." "Qui-Gon is not like that." Leona muttered. "You’re kidding!" Jemmy grinned a lazy, lop sided grin. "It’s all work and no play at Camp Qui-Gon." "Don’t worry about a thing," Soothed Sybelle. "All relationships have some teething problems." "Only in your case it’s in the neck." Leona complained, motioning to the rather obvious love bite. "There’s no way Qui-Gon won’t notice that. Even if he is drunk." Jemmiah glanced surreptitiously around her and snatched the bag away from Sybelle. "Thanks." She winked. "What’s the plan?" "Obi-Wan is going to pay you a little visit in about five minutes. When you’re ready, you can get changed behind the privacy screen into your dress. Then we’ll sneak you out. We’ll leave the screens closed so that they won’t realize you’ve gone for a bit." Sybelle looked at Leona. "If An-Paj or Ferdi or any of the other masters arrive, Leona here will think of some cunning way to distract them." "I will?" Leona didn’t look hopeful. "Sure you will." cheered Jemmiah. "What about the others?" "Simeon is waiting outside with Tanni Welasa, Ocen-Bai Talz, Kryztan Harkley, Jay Abran, Kylenn and a few others. Letina’s going to help you with your hair and make-up while we travel down there. Oh," She looked warily at Jemmiah. "Bad news." "What?" Jemmy frowned. "Ambianca’s turning up, too." "But that means that…" "Sal-Fina is going. Correct." Leona shook her head. "Sal-Fina? Refresh my memory…" "Blonde. Tall. Gorgeous. Legs up to her ear lobes. Need I say more?" Jemmiah was most unhappy by this turn of events. This could wreck her whole evening. Qui-Gon and Sal-Fina had been lovers some time ago, although he was a little older than she was. Nobody had known why they had split up, except that they had argued every day since, for the last thirty-five years. Jemmiah had her own theory that this was the reason for his severe disapproval of her own relationship with his padawan, in that it mimicked their own doomed affair, even down to the age difference. They always spat at each other and rubbed each other up the wrong way. And if Jemmiah was right, they both still fancied the pants off each other. Jemmiah looked at the petite healer. Hers was a different type of beauty, but the Corellian girl felt sure that she was in for some stiff competition if she wanted to capture Master Jinn’ s heart. No need to tell her that. Not yet. "Let’s get ready to party!" Jemmiah forced a grin, and clapped her hands together. She tried to stand up to quickly and felt the ground swim about her in an alarming manner. Sybelle steadied her. "Any dizziness?" Leona asked, pulling the curtains with a swift motion. "N-no." She lied, wondering how she was going to last the night if she was like this before she got molassed. "Not too bad." She shot Sybelle a warning glance to keep quiet. Sybelle pulled out Jemmiah’s black dress. "I hope you realize there’s a treble bet going on." Sybelle grinned at her companions. "No?" Jemmy said, spilling her array of accessories onto the bed. Her head was really painful, but she couldn’t afford to show it, not with Leona staring at her so anxiously. The Bacta patch was off, and the wound had healed, but her skull still felt as if it had been placed in a vice. "Yes." The raven-haired girl brushed out a crease from the velveteen fabric. "Firstly, that we get out of here without being caught. Secondly that if we do get out of here, that you can stay on your feet for the whole night." She snickered, considering her next remark. "And thirdly, that you and Obi-wan manage to sneak away for a night of passion at some point in proceedings." She winked. Leona’s mouth fell wide open. "I’ll try and do my best on all counts." Jemmy shrugged with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Sybelle shrugged her shoulders. "You won’t do it." She smirked. "I’ll bet you anything you want that you won’t end up in bed with Kenobi after tonight. Your both too scared of being caught by Mr. Iced-Jinn." "Done." Jemmiah shook on the bet. "Stop this at ONCE!" Leona lectured. "Have you two got no morals at all?" "Not me," Sybelle smiled, placing some scarlet lip-gloss on her pursed mouth as she stared into Jemmiah’s compact. "She’s the one with the morals. For the moment." "Ah, the art of corruption." Sighed Jemmy, enjoying the look on Leona’s face. If only she knew that the whole bet thing had been a wind up! "Psst!" Came a quiet noise as Obi-Wan tried to get their attention. "Ah, lover boy has arrived in time to sweep his fair lady off her feet." Sybelle fluttered her eyelashes. "You’d better get out there and make sure the coast is clear." She nodded to Leona. The healer found herself wondering for about the fiftieth time that evening what on Coruscant she had gotten involved in. But it was too late to back out now. She had to think of Qui-Gon. "OK." She mumbled. "If you’re sure you are up to this." "It’s not the only thing she’ll be up to." Sybelle added cheekily as Leona exited. "Come in, Kenobi." She called. "Are you decent?" He replied, unsure. "Yes." "Oh. Then I’m staying outside!" "Funny boy! Get your rear in here and give Jemmiah that present you were telling me about!" Sybelle chortled. Please don’t let them be the striped ones, thought Jemmiah desperately. "Well, I’ll leave you two love birds to it." She giggled. "I’m going on sentry." Obi-Wan glanced at her. "How are you?" He asked. "Sick." She sighed. "Sick of this place!" Her gaze settled upon him. "Sick of Master Jinn treating me like I were still ten. I’m sixteen, for Sith’s sake!" "I know." He answered in his polished accent. His smile suddenly spread. "I got you a present. Something that will definitely not make you feel you’re being treated as a ten year old." Jemmiah held her breath as he handed her the package. Her hands fumbled with the fastening, wondering what hideous creation he had insisted on buying her. Obi-Wan watched her quietly as he saw her eyes round in shock, and then complete delight. "Ben, this is brilliant!" She yelled, then quieted her voice. "It’s the black, see-through ones with the ties!" "Eh?" Kenobi frowned. "I mean, just the sort of things I would have chosen. Had I been there. Which I wasn’t." "You like it, then?" He asked, puzzled by her reaction. "Shoozer, yes!" She smiled happily. "How did you know my size." "Calculated guess." He whistled. "Big was all I had to go on." She hit him. "So, do I get to stay for the costume parade." He smirked. "No." "What about the grand unveiling?" "Cheeky devil!" She pouted. "Clear off, handsome. I’ve gotta get changed!" |
 |
|
|
| A Night to (almost) Remember |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |