| ***** Simeon and Dimallie paced the corridor outside the ward where Jemmiah’s bed was. Simeon had made sure his boots were extra-sparkling and polished. Not that it would do any good. The last time he’d been on one of these Cantina trips, he’d been sick all over them. "Come on." He hissed, looking at his chrono. "Where are they?" "It’s Healer Xadaani!" Dimallie gasped, looking through the plast-glass door. "She’s heading in their direction." "Sith!" Cates swore. "Now what do we do?" "Go back to Jay Abran and the others. Tell them we’ll be coming as soon as we can." "What about you?" Simeon frowned. "Don’t worry." She held her head up high. "It’s a far, far better thing that I do…" she said before grabbing a trolley with a container of disinfectant on it, and walking over towards Ferdi Xadaani. Simeon stared as he saw Dimallie deliberately steer the trolley right into Healer Xadaani, and contrive to upturn the container of disinfectant all over her. She wasn’t as stupid as she looked. Ferdi was having a more difficult time believing that. A few choice words were being leveled at the beleaguered padawan, before the drenched healer exited the way she came, the closed privacy curtains forgotten for the time being. "That’s my girl." Smiled Simeon, before realizing what he’d said. Kenobi gestured to Jemmiah. "Come on! We’ve got to go!" "Ok, ok!" She moaned. "Give a girl a chance." "What do you need all that make-up for, anyway?" He asked her. "You look beautiful enough as it is." "Crawler." She shot back. "You just want to see me in my underwear." "Seriously, we have to get going before An-Paj spots us." "I’m coming!" She stepped out from the curtain. "I’m just pleased I’m at the bed near the wall." She gave a quick twirl. "Will I do?" Kenobi swallowed. The dress was perhaps a little longer than she normally wore, but the effect with the knee length boots was still striking. Her long, chestnut hair was tied back with a jeweled clasp in the shape of a butterfly, giving her an altogether more classy appearance. Doxy am I, she thought? I’ll show Sybelle who’s the doxy. "I’ve never seen anything lovelier in Kruskan-skinned boots." Obi-Wan smiled. "Except perhaps that naked mannequin in the department store I saw yesterday." She hit him again. "I’m not sure what you’re going to do with that." He pointed at the circular mark on her neck. "I’m showing that off. It’s my trophy." "I’m an endangered species. At least the amount of time I’ve spent with the healers should qualify me for that title." "You will be if Master Jinn catches up with us." She shouldered her jacket. Simeon was waving to them like someone possessed. "Right. Ready?" Obi-Wan hissed. "GO!" He bundled her along towards the corridor, and when she nearly slipped it occurred to Obi-Wan that risking her health in a silly stunt like this evenings might not have been the most sensible of ideas. But she would never back down. "Where’s Leona?" He asked as they made it safely to the door. "Engaging An-Paj in some pointless conversation a bout the weather, I think." Sybelle muttered. "Let’s catch up with Jay Abran." An-Paj was a naturally suspicious person. It helped him to become the top-flight master healer he was. That was why when he saw Simeon and Dimallie loitering outside in the corridor he guessed that something strange was going on. When Dimallie looked pleased at having caused some damage to Healer Xadaani instead of her usual doleful expression he became even more convinced that something was wrong. Then, when a clearly nervous Leona had entrapped him in a pointless conversation about the weather, the importance of hospital corners for bed linen, and his six wives, he knew without a shadow of a doubt. They were covering for someone. Jemmiah. It had to be. Ever since she had been admitted to the ward there had been a distinct feeling off bliss and tranquillity flying completely out of the window… When Leona had eventually left him, looking somewhat relieved it had to be said, An-Paj had made it his first priority to check up on Jemmiah, and when he had arrived it was a familiar sight that met his eyes. The privacy curtains were pulled. Again. An-Paj sighed. He’d gone easy on them before, but he really couldn’t overlook it this time. Deciding that there was little point to subterfuge on this occasion, he stormed over to the bed. "Ok, you’ve had your fun." He growled warningly, pulling the curtain back. Only to be met with… Nothing. The bed was empty. And his patient was gone. "Blast!" Swore An-Paj. ***** Leona walked to her apartment after leaving An-Paj and the infirmary. A myriad of thoughts circled her mind. Landing then taking flight again like a flock of restless birds each one adding worry to her already overwrought conscience. Heaviest among the concerns was Jemmiah. The girl was a regular Corellian pain. Disrespectful, devious and thoroughly hedonistic, the girl seemed to have no regards for authority of any kind. Still, she had been a patient and it had been Leona's responsibility as a healer and an adult to take care of her, even if it meant saving her from herself. And what did she do? Not only allow her to leave but aide in the process as well. Palming the door open, the healer was pleased to see that her padawan and already left for the night's big event. There was another point against her, she thought. What kind of example was she setting for her apprentice? With hanging shoulders she trudged to her bedroom feeling very much like a woman about to be thrown to the Rancor. Except she thought that even a Rancor might be a more painless punishment then what ever the Jedi High Council might devise. It was a hopeless situation. She was a doomed woman. The best she could hope for was to salvage what would be left of her reputation by trying to make sure that Jemmiah didn't injure herself further. With that one, small comforting thought she decided a spot of meditation would be a good idea. Releasing her fears into the Force she began to feel somewhat better. Since there was no choice for her in going she rummaged through her closet for something appropriate to wear. Most of the space in there was occupied by her daily worn loose tunics and green healers robes. There was nothing to speak of in the way of nightwear. That feeling of hopelessness began to creep in again when a sudden spark came to mind. If she was so sure that the conclusion of this night was already set in stone then there was no reason to fret endlessly about it. If she was going to go down then she might as well go down with a bang. A small satisfied smile crept over her face. That's right, if this was going to be her last night she'd better make the most of it. Digging in the back of the closet she pulled out a dust-covered garment bag. Carefully opening it she removed a mid-length dress given to her by her Master at the time of her knighting she had considered the dress an amusing joke. Master Truson had gone and picked out something that was so alien to her she had actually laughed when he presented it to her. "You never know when the desire to not be yourself should come up." he had told her seriously. Now almost two decades later she was confronted by such a desire. Slipping on the dress she stood before the mirror almost in shock. Yep, that is certainly not me, she thought looking at the reflection. Everything about the dress screamed not Leona. Accustomed to the long, loose robes that she could hide in, she didn't even mind that they made her look rather chunky. This dress hid nothing. Silver gray, it was made of lightweight Alderaani velvet that gently clung to her body accentuating her ample curves. Though a contrasting color it highlighted her auburn hair and brown eyes in a pleasing way. Any jewelry worn would only cheapen the look and as much as she wanted to brush out her hair out she liked the way it waved when air-dried. Applying a minimal amount of make-up she completed her transformation. She even had a matching purse big enough to put the small medpac An-Paj had given her. Charcoal gray pumps finished the look though she would have to remember to slow her normally brisk stride in them. Stepping back she surveyed herself. Not half bad she thought with a gleam in her eye. No, not bad at all. ***** The pilgrimage to the first cantina, The Smuggler’s Way, had started with a hover-bus journey from the temple. Not a particularly long trip, but allowing enough time for the girls to preen themselves into shape whilst the male padawans had looked on with a mixture of disparaging fascination. Kryztan admired himself, looking in a mirror he'd borrowed from Kylenn. Obi-Wan was sitting down on the padded seat, Jemmiah leaning heavily against his side, warm and comfortable. Kenobi smiled. He could get used to this. If his master let him. As for Jemmiah herself, she was starting to feel the effects of the day before. Her head felt dangerously light and so she decided to use Obi-Wan as a substitute cushion for the remainder of the journey. One way or another things would never quite be the same once the evening was over: somehow she just knew it. It was rare enough for the padawans to be allowed to go out on mass into the heart of darkest Coruscant but for the masters to follow on after them....it was almost unheard of. Things would be said and done that they would all regret the morning after: if they could remember anything at all of the previous evening's revels. And then there was the little matter of staying out of Qui-Gon's way, yet trying to do something about the little Healer lady's Jinn-related fixation. Such quiet and long-standing devotion deserved to be recognised after so much time, surely? Wouldn't it be wonderful if somehow the force, aided by a little Corellian cunning, saw fit to bring the two hapless individuals together? It would be a tactical battle, just like a game of chess. The two sides might battle it out but eventually, no matter how hard Qui-Gon tried to dodge his destiny, Jemmiah would prove victorious. Before she knew it, she found herself dreaming of many devious and varied schemes for matchmaking her own dear Quiggy to the shy but determined Healer Leona… "Wake up." Obi-Wan nudged Jemmy with his arm. "Is she alright?" Simeon frowned. "She’s been hit on the head. No, she’s not alright." Kenobi muttered. "Does that mean I’ve won my bet?" Jay Abran rubbed his hands together. "Oh, good." "Bet?" "That was a joke." Sybelle shot back. "What bet?" Kenobi asked doggedly. Sybelle held up her hands. "Trust me, Obi. You do NOT wish to know." For the last five minutes Jemmiah had rested her head against Obi-Wan’s shoulder and been worryingly oblivious to everything that was said around her. Kenobi began to feel very concerned. "Jemmy." Obi-Wan snapped his fingers in front of her to get a response. "Come on." "Hmmm?" Came a distant reply. "I don’t know what planet she’s on at the moment but it sure as Sith isn’t Coruscant." Kenobi glanced worriedly at Simeon Cates. "Can’t you do something?" "Me?" The voice queried his friend’s sanity just a little. "What do you want me to do?" "You’re a healer, aren’t you?" he asked. "If we should run into my master and she’s in this state he’ll have every one of us boiled in oil." Dimallie looked uncomfortable. "I think he’s going to do that anyway. An-Paj will tell him, even if he doesn’t find out by himself. Which he will." "I’M the one who’s going to get it in the neck." Kenobi answered. "It looks as if someone already has!" Letina laughed, pointing to Jemmiah’s red bite mark. "Oh, you ARE an animal! And I always thought you were so quiet and reserved." "Not really." Smiled Simeon Cates. "Did you ever hear of those truth or dare games that used to get played in the temple a few years back?" "Was that the time when a certain female padawan of our acquaintance dared him to post pictures of Master Windu all around the temple?" Kylenn smiled. "What was wrong with that?" Jay Abran asked. "He’d doctored them so that they had funny hairstyles. Pink spiky hair. Nose rings. Hooped earrings. Trailing moustaches. Eye patches." Kylenn stopped briefly, watching Obi-Wan squirm. "Cute little hair ribbons." "I liked that one." Simeon smiled. "And, just to make matters worse, he had lettering underneath the posters saying: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN? WANTED FOR BIGAMY, FRAUD AND NUMEROUS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY." "Mace was not a happy gundark." Grinned Letina Sorrell. "Especially when he saw that one telling him that he hadn’t paid his wife maintenance for their sixteen starving children in over twenty years, and that if anyone saw him to contact the number at the bottom of the caption!" "That was young Jemmiah’s idea." Simeon nodded at the sleeping figure. "She gave Meri that one. Just to see the look on your face when Master Jinn found out, she said." "DID SHE?" Obi-Wan assumed a mock-severe expression. "Well, it’s just as well my Master found the whole thing highly amusing." "Really?" Kylenn asked. "He nearly split his side with laughter." Kenobi confessed. "And to make matters worse for Mace, so did An-Paj!" He looked back down at Jemmiah. "I’ll buy you a drink of Corelli-"Fire Scorch" if you wake up." He shook her gently. "Come on, sleepy. We’re nearly there." "No more chess." She replied, eyes still shut. "What?" Obi-Wan frowned. "Matchmaking." She murmured. "Bad idea." Kenobi gulped. "This is going to go spectacularly wrong." He stated. "You wanted her to come with us." Jay Abran challenged, shrugging. "If she collapses it’ll be all your fault." He looked at Dimallie. "On second thoughts, it’ll be all her fault." "But I didn’t mean to…" started Dimallie in dismay. "Don’t worry. He’s just stirring." Kryztan moved towards Jemmiah, and took her head in his hands. Whether it had been intended as a provocative move or not, Kenobi bristled at the somewhat intimate gesture. "Jemmiah?" Harkley tried to peer into her eyes. "Can you hear me?" The others exchanged glances. "Sweetheart? You OK?" He continued, feeling Obi-Wan’s cold, ice blue stare upon his face. He gave her a couple of small taps in the face. "What do you think you’re doing?" Kenobi glared at him. Kryztan looked surprised. "I’m trying to wake her up." "Well, don’t." Obi-Wan snapped. Harkley backed down and returned to stand beside Tanni Welasa, who was leaning against the wall, scratching his silver-striped fur. "What did you do that for?" Welasa growled in his feline voice. "You really want to start a war, tonight of all nights?" Kryztan said nothing, but continued to watch the pair of them. Jemmiah’s eyes fluttered open. "Where are we?" She asked groggily. "At last." Obi-Wan breathed. "I was beginning to get worried." "I kept dreaming about chess. And Master Jinn and Healer Leona." She put a hand up to her head. The room was not spinning, but was a tiny bit blurred, as if in soft focus. "How’s the head?" Sybelle asked gruffly. "Ok." Jemmy blinked, trying to sharpen the picture she was getting. "Pass me a headache pill, would ‘ya?" "Already?" Simeon looked edgy. "They’re strong." "That’s so they work." Jemmy replied, popping the small, white tablet into her mouth. Simeon shook his head at Obi-Wan. "They’ll help me stay on my feet." Jemmiah caught the silent exchange. "No point in my falling flat on my face before I’ve had a drink or two." "What’s the routine, then?" Sybelle asked. "I know we start off at the Smuggler’s Way, where we meet up with the others. Then where?" Jemmiah fished out a crumpled flimsy-sheet with a long list of names scrawled upon it as the others crowded round to read. SMUGGLER’S WAY THE ANGEL FLIGHT ONE FOR THE ROAD HARI’S TAVERN LUCKY STRIKE CANTINA THE PIONEER DAWN ‘TIL DUSK HELL’S CHANCE CORELLIA SPIRIT WANDERING STAR THE FREETRADER CORUSCANT JEWEL SCRUFFY DIRK’S THE SALAMANDER JUMPIN’ JAX THE MONASTRY BLAST-AND-RUN FINE N’ DANDY CANTINA HELL’S CHANCE "All these?" Kylenn’s eyebrows turned summersaults. "How did you set this up?" "I know one or two people in the trade." Jemmiah smiled slowly. "What trade?" Simeon asked. "The drinking trade." She replied flatly. "Big purses and no livers to speak of. Fellow imbibers." "Alcoholics." Muttered Obi-Wan. "If you like." Jemmiah said. "But it’s free drinks all the way." "There’s a mistake." Simeon pointed to the list. "The Hell’s Chance is mentioned twice." "No mistake." Jemmiah met his stare. "It all ends back at the Hell’s Chance. The landlord said he could do with a laugh. He wants to see how many of us are left at the end." "Does he also want to be cleaning vomit off the floor at three in the morning?" Kenobi asked, amazed. "I had no idea we were talking so many cantinas!" "There’s a different game to be played in each separate establishment." Jemmiah explained. "In the Smuggler's Way, it’s the Corellian Rules Drinking Deathmatch." "The what?" asked Kylenn warily. "I’ll explain later. Trust me, you’re gonna love it." She saw Dimallie and Letina looking unconvinced. "Trust me!" She repeated. "Then what?" Kryztan asked. "Strip Sabacc in the Angel Flight." "What?" screamed Simeon. "That shouldn’t bother you." Jemmiah pouted. "I remember you and Ben at my sixteenth birthday party with those feather…" "Yes, yes. Alright." Cates waved her on, embarrassed. "What else?" "In honor of Meri and company, a small but subtly deadly game of truth or dare. WITH the masters." "NO!" Obi-Wan was horrified. "Afraid so." Jemmy said. "I’m sure Master Windu won’t be looking for revenge. Maybe." "Blast!" swore Kenobi. "Then an embarrassing story telling session in The Wandering Star. Where everyone gets to dish the dirt on everyone else." "Oh, bother." Jay Abran looked uncomfortable. "Something you want to admit now, is there?" Jemmiah chewed her bottom lip, pretending to look distraught. "No." Mumbled Jay, eyes cast down. This should be good, thought Jemmiah. "And a soul-baring session in The Salamander. We all get a piece of flimsy-plast and write down everything we do and don’t like about the person you are sitting next to. Then you read it out loud." "Let’s hope I’m sitting next to you, then." Harkley flirted with her. Obi-Wan glared again. Not if I can help it, he thought darkly. "You should see what I’ve got planned for the Masters." Jemmiah grinned. "I’ve persuaded the landlords to give them doubles at each drinking establishment." "They’ll be plastered!" Abran crowed, delighted. "Why do you think Sybelle and my good self have brought the mini holo-cam?" Jemmy winked. "You are a genius!" Kenobi laughed. "I know." Jemmy agreed. She looked thoughtfully at Obi-Wan. "Do you think dreams can come true?" Her voice was serious. "Yes." He considered it for a bit. "Sometimes, why?" "No reason." Let’s just say that Master Jinn is in BIG trouble if mine turns out to be prophetic, she smiled to herself. As the craft prepared to halt close to their destination, Jemmiah had but one thought. Go get him, Healer Leona! We’ll all be there,cheering you on. Recording it! |
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| A Night to (almost) Remember |
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