| "Obi-Wan." No answer. "Padawan, I really think we should discuss this further." Qui-Gon said quietly. "I've made such a fool of myself, haven't I?" Obi-Wan mumbled into the cup of hot chocolate he held tightly in his grasp, not caring particularly if he did hurt his hands. Feeling physical pain would take his mind off the mixture of embarrassment and heavy heartedness that he felt right now. Had felt, for the past two months. "In what way?" Qui-Gon asked, sitting alongside the miserable apprentice on the couch in their living quarters. Obi-Wan stared briefly into his cup, remembering that hot chocolate had always been her favorite drink, torn between placing the drink on the table and pushing it aside or hug it even tighter in his hands. "I shouldn't have told you." Obi-Wan said honestly, regarding Qui-Gon in an open and frank manner. "You're going to spend the rest of your days thinking what an idiot you have been saddled with for a padawan." "Is that really what you think?" Qui-Gon asked. "Or are you feeling sorry for yourself?" "I don't know." Obi-Wan considered. "Both perhaps. I'm beginning to wonder if I like tormenting myself. I have to get on and put it behind me. That much I know. It's just that I haven't managed it at all well. Infact if anything it's got worse." Qui-Gon looked at the young man sadly. "I know what it's like padawan. I've been there." "I'm still an idiot. Why should I think she'd want to marry me?" "For what it's worth I think the issue is not about you, I think it's to do with what's going on inside Jemmiah's head." Obi-Wan snorted, refraining from making the obvious remark. "Why don't you talk to her?" "I can't." Obi-Wan said definitely. "It's still too painful." "Rejection is never pleasant, no matter when it happens." Qui-Gon smiled thinly. "I would tell you about the time Sal-Fina and I got engaged but I think it would just make you cry into your cocoa." Kenobi blinked. "You and…Sal-Fina?" he said in disbelief. "It was a non-event. We got engaged in the morning and by the evening it was broken off." Jinn sighed. "We are talking about the engagement here." Obi-Wan snickered. "Padawan!" Qui-Gon rebuked, although he was pleased to see the young man with some life to him at last. "Well, at least you got engaged. I didn't even get as far as that." "You miss her." Qui-Gon stated. Obi-Wan half shrugged as if ashamed. "I feel so foolish." He confessed. "When I was asleep last night I thought she was there with me. And when I realized she wasn't I felt so…" "What?" "Alone." Obi-Wan replied. "I felt alone. I've got used to her being there. I've got used to her teasing and her occasional temper tantrums. I've got used to her terrible pinching fingers…" "I'm not sure I want to hear this part." Qui-Gon interjected. "And I've become used to helping her cope with her nightmares. I find myself wondering how she's coping on her own, and then I get angry at myself for caring." Qui-Gon drummed his fingers on the side of his cup. "Padawan, it seems to me that however bad you think your relationship with Jemmiah my have sunk on past occasions, you always found a way of sorting things out. You had much more honesty between the pair of you than I ever had with Sal-Fina. You have to decide what you want and then you have to decide how you're going to achieve it." He placed a large hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Maybe you should go and have a think about that." Obi-Wan nodded, standing up with his hands still round the mug. "Thanks." He smiled slightly at his master before retreating to his room. "I will." "I'm telling you, someone's been watching us." Rela hissed as they finally made the sanctuary of the infirmary. Dimallie looked at them in surprise, and nearly walked into a door. Nothing's changed that much in two months, Jemmy grimaced. "You have got the biggest imagination I have ever come across." Jemmy said, not looking as if she believed her words terribly much. "When am I ever wrong?" "Last weekend. You bet me that Corellia wouldn't win the Republic song contest again." "You know what I mean." "Listen, a few minutes of your neighbours worried rantings have turned your brain to custard." Jemmy hobbled forwards with Rela's arm carefully round her waist, trying to help her. "In matters of stealth I am unmatched round these places, even if I say so myself. I know when to start worrying and when not to. And I am telling you that there was definitely someone following us. And Mrs K said there are a lot of girls going missing. Being snatched off the streets." "I know, I heard." Jemmy said quietly. "It was on the holo news. But that was halfway across the planet." "It's some weirdo stalker. Probably catches the girls and then sells them on as…oh, sithspit!" Rela cursed. "Little Miss Tactful strikes again. I'm really sorry." She watched Jemmy's somewhat distant expression and an unpleasant thought occurred to her. "You don't think it's him, do you?" she asked carefully. "Who?" "Merdan?" The name seemed to snap her out of whatever daydream or memory she was indulging in. "Wouldn't surprise me. But he's fairly high profile. Someone who shoots a Chancellors daughter with a blaster isn't exactly on his birthday honors list. If he has anything to do with it he'll get someone else to do his work for him. That's what makes him so tricky to deal with. Merdan won't dirty his hands unless he has to." They both sat down in the waiting room chairs, Jemmy taking an age to lower herself. "That's it, Rel. I've seized up." She groaned. "Do you reckon they'll keep you in for long? Just a day or do I Have to go back to your place and grab some night clothes and things?" she shivered, not relishing the idea of setting foot outside in the rain with some prowler on the loose. "All night?!?!" Jemmy's voice cracked in horror. "Don't say things like that! It's only bruising. I'll be healed and out of here in no time." She suddenly caught sight of a very familiar face. Leona eyed the pair of them, looking as startled as a baby Nerf in the path of a speeder. Her first reaction to seeing Rela and the somewhat worse for wear Jemmiah was 'What have they done now' followed swiftly by 'Jemmiah…here?' Rela watched the whole thought process play out on Leona's face, but then the professional mask slipped firmly into place giving no further clues to her thoughts. "What seems to be the matter?" Leona walked over to both of them. Instinctively, through using her eyes and her force enhanced intuition she could see that the problem did not lie with Rela and she addressed the question to the Corellian girl instead. Jemmiah looked unhappy, unnerved and many other words that began with un. "I…had a bit of an accident." Jemmiah replied warily. "I see," Leona looked the girl up and down. She could tell just by the way the young lady was sitting that something was very uncomfortable. "What kind of an accident?" "I fell." Jemmy mumbled. Leona raised an eyebrow. "You're going to have to tell me a little more than that if I can make a proper assessment. How did you fall? And where?" Jemmiah became aware of the presence of An-Paj trying his best not to loiter in the background. An-Paj was always busy. He never had time to loiter. The fact that he was lingering just within earshot set of warning bells inside Jemmy's head. This mustn't get back to Qui-Gon… "I stumbled down some steps." Jemmy remarked. "Probably had too much to drink last night, you know?" He's bound to believe that! Jemmiah thought, pleased with her answer. Out the corner of her eye she saw Rela shake her head in annoyance and knew that her denial hadn't pleased her at all. But had Leona seen it also? "Sounds nasty." Leona said calmly, her face again giving nothing away. "I'd best take a look at you and make sure you haven't done any serious harm." "I'll wait here." Rela grinned far to brightly for Jemmy's liking. "Rel…" warned Jemmiah with a growl. "Look, It's not like I've got anything else to do. I'll wait for you. There must be lots and lots of wonderful data chips I can study to while away the time. Like this one for example." Rela squinted up at one of the more recent additions to the waiting room holochips. "It looks highly educational. Quilt designs: an A-Z in the latest fashion in bed coverings." Rela frowned. "Who cares about that stuff? I would have thought it was what went on underneath the covers that was more important than what went on top, eh Leona?" "Wha-what?" Leona looked confused. "Nevermind. What's this one? The best guide to wine tasting." Rela shoved the chip back in the stack. "Done it." She said dismissively." Ah, this looks promising. How to scratch your own ass in three easy steps when you've got nothing else to do and are dying from chronic boredom." "It does not say that." Leona frowned. "Oh, it gets better! Flower arranging made simple. Haven't you got anything more exciting? No Rex Victory holos? No Lyfar Darrington flics?" "We are not here to get the patients excited." Leona replied thinly, just as Gethin Territ walked past and rewarded the three of them with a suggestive wink. Rela fanned her face. "Could have fooled me." She sighed turning her attention back to the chip collection. "Oh, the icing on the cake! Knitting for beginners. Knit your baby a bobble hat for the long winter days…" Rela let her voice trail off. "Oh, sorry Jemmy. I didn't think about… I mean I didn't…" "Doesn't matter." She shrugged indifferently, if a little painfully. "You can read it and let me know what thrills I missed out on. NOT." She added dryly. Leona gently helped her out of the chair. "You sure you can manage?" she asked. "You don't need me to fetch a repulsar lift trolley or a…" "What, no wheel chair?" Jemmy bantered. "I hope you haven't thrown it away. I have many fond memories of that chair with the squeaky wheel." "I wish my padawan could say the same." Leona observed the girl as she walked, trying to make a further assessment. "Come on then. You know the way to the examination cubicles." "Yeah." Jemmy said out the corner of her mouth. "Sadly, only too well…" As soon as Leona and Jemmiah were out of sight, Rela high-tailed it down the hallway. This was too good a chance to pass up. She quickly reached her destination and skidded to a halt. Her continuous knocking was quickly answered, but by the wrong person. "What are you up to?" "Why hello Master Jinn, I’m doing very well today thank you for asking. I was wondering if your Padawan was at home?" Qui-Gon stood in the doorway eyeing Rela skeptically. "Just make sure that no one gets hurt." He begged. "I wouldn’t dream of it." Rela answered seriously. "He’s in his room." "Thank you." Rela hastily made her way to Obi-Wan’s room and was not happy about what she saw. He was sitting, or more accurately hunched over, at his workstation with his fingers raked through his hair staring down at nothing. I’m so sorry Obi-Wan, but I’ll do my best to change it. "Hey S-B!" Rela shouted snapping him out of his brooding. "Oh, hi Rel. What are you doing here? I thought you were working today." "I took a mental health day. You look like you could use some cheering up. Wanna go laugh at those unfortunate ones that are being tortured by An-Paj?" "Not really." Rela harrumphed and crossed her arms. This was going to be harder than she thought. Then again knowing Obi-Wan aversion to the Healers was she really surprised? "Not even to see Jay getting a blood test done by Dimallie?" At the thought of the sight, Obi-Wan let a small snicker escape. "I heard that!" Rela laughed. "C’mon it’ll be a good show." "On one condition. Do not mention her name." Obi-Wan said seriously. "Whose name?" "Rela." He warned. "S-B, I swear on my mother’s grave that I won’t." "Rela your mother’s not dead." "Well if I’m lying I’ll kill her." She told him seriously while tugging him to follow her. "Coming from you that still doesn’t mean much." He muttered while he reluctantly followed her to the Healers. "Can you lie along the bed?" Leona asked. "No...not really." Jemmy said in a hoarse whisper. "I'd rather not try." Leona said nothing, merely indicating that Jemmiah should loosen her clothing to allow her to see whatever damage might be lurking underneath. "Careful." Jemmy warned, closing her eyes and awaiting the inevitable cold fingers against her flesh. They never came. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me how you really did this." Leona broke the silence. "I told you…" "That you'd fallen? Yes you did. Now I'm asking for something a little more honest." Leona watched the girl' chagrined expression fade to one of reluctant acceptance. "You knew." She growled. "Yes, I did. But I also knew you must have a reason for your falsehoods and so I said nothing. I would, however, like to be able to do my job properly and for that I am going to have to extract the truth from you." "I did fall." Jemmiah said in a small voice. Leona coughed pointedly. "I fell from my swoop." The eyes fell to the floor again. "Luckily, I never damaged anything too important." "I'll be the judge of that." Leona remarked. "A bit of tinkering will put everything to rights." "It could have been very serious!" Leona examined the now blackening bruises all over the girl's side. "Just a quick patch up job and nobody will be any the wiser there's been a mishap." "Wasn't there a course doctor or something on hand?" "What good would that do? They don't understand where everything goes when bits go flying off. Or how to reattach it." "Bits? How dangerous is this swoop racing?" Leona demanded. "Only twelve or so fatalities in a standard year. That's not bad." The healer looked stunned. "Anyhow, there's no cause for alarm. I admit the old body work doesn't look so hot at the moment but a quick touch up and a hard rub down with an oily rag will prove most beneficial." "What sort of things do you swoop riders get up to?" she said in a horrified tone of voice. "Eh?" Jemmy frowned. "I mean, I know that some sports stars have some strange ways of celebrating victories but that is downright perverted!" "Leona, what are you talking about?" "What are you talking about?" Leona asked carefully, hoping she'd got the wrong end of the stick. "My swoop of course! It got all scraped and it's going to need sorting before the weekend when I'm supposed to compete in the big race." Leona sighed. "Well, that's a relief." She said. "No it's not! I'll have to pay for the damage. I don't come into my inheritance until my twenty first birthday and I have virtually no money of my own. What I do get in the way of an allowance from my uncle just about covers the rent charge for my apartment." She sighed mockingly. "It's dreadful. I'm down to my last bottle of nail varnish." "I'm sorry to hear that." Leona placed a hand gently on the girl's side. "It's not like I'm asking much. I'm not after his money: I just want what's mine. It's my mother and father's money and estate that I'm talking about." "And what would you do with it?" The healer asked conversationally as she assessed the damage with the force. "Sell the estate for a start. Get rid of it. Should be worth a fair bit. My uncle's maintained it very well." "What else?" "I'm not sure. Anyway, it's pointless dreaming about it seeing as how it's a long way from ever becoming reality." Leona straightened up. "You must have been going at a fair speed." Leona looked her straight in the eye. "If you'll forgive the sarcasm, that is the whole point of swoop racing." Jemmy covered herself slowly again with her clothing. "What's the prognosis?" "You are very badly bruised, internally and externally. Fortunately, nothing seems to be torn or actively bleeding…" she smiled sadly at her. "We have to be careful on that score, as you'll appreciate." "Yeah." Jemmy looked away. "And so I'm going to offer you a choice." Jemmiah knew she wasn't going to like the result either way. "You can either spend the next two days in here recuperating with a combination of total rest and Bacta bandages, or you can go for a little dip in the Bacta tank, which I would suggest is your best choice for a swift recovery." "What?!?" Jemmy exclaimed. "Because of the internal bruising and your past medical history I am going to recommend the latter." "I hate the tank." Jemmy groaned. "I really hate it. And Rela hates it too." "I'm not asking Rela to get in there with you." Leona said sweetly. "Seriously, it's your best chance of being able to go out there quickly. You'll soon be fit enough to damage yourself all over again." "Leona, the tank's scary." Jemmy admitted. "Your choice." Leona said honestly. Jemmiah considered it briefly; knowing it was no choice at all. It wasn't pleasant to be coughing and sneezing Bacta for the best part of a day after they fished you out of the pink, liquid goo or to have the sticky sensation on your skin and the smell in your nostrils, but as Leona said it was the speediest way of getting things sorted out. And she did NOT want to be stuck in the infirmary any longer than she had to. That way, Qui-Gon was bound to find out… "Please, please make sure I'm fully sedated." Jemmiah begged. "I hate that stuff." "Yes, I know. Not many people do like it." Leona agreed. "I'll have to inform An-Paj that you…" "Master Jinn doesn't find out." Jemmiah demanded. "Someone is bound to tell him" Countered the healer. "And then he's going to ask me why I withheld that information from him." "I am not a child any more. I am a patient with a right to confidentiality. It's really none of his business what I do." Leona knew the girl had a point but remained torn between her affection for Qui-Gon and respecting Jemmiah's wishes. "If you can't promise me that you won't tell him I'm here then I will go to one of the other hospitals." "Don't be silly." Leona took in the obstinate face. "I mean it. The last thing I need is to run into Obi-Wan and I don't want Master Jinn to know I'm here. Please." She added. Pausing briefly, Leona acquiesced. Jemmiah was right: she was an adult now. Treating her like a child would only help to worsen an already tricky situation. "Very well." Leona agreed. "But I will still have to inform An-Paj that you're going into the tank." Jemmiah closed her eyes again. The tank. That was all she needed. "Come on." She smiled. "I'll take you through and we can get you organized. OK?" OK? How can this get any worse? she wondered as she hauled her body reluctantly after Leona. "So," Rela said airily, head held high and eyes to the front as she strolled alongside the silent Obi-Wan, "how are you?" Obi-Wan's squirmed ever so slightly. It was a straightforward enough question and yet with Rela the simplest statements frequently had a double meaning. He waited edgily for her real motive to make itself known. "Fine." Obi-Wan replied quietly. "That why you were staring down at your workstation with a vacant expression? I've seen more life in a down and out's vest!" "I had a headache." Obi-Wan said in a clipped voice. "Yeah? Well, we're going to the right place to see about that." Rela grinned at his discomfort. She looked at him for a good long while. It left Obi-Wan feeling like a parasitic creature under a microscope. "So, it was just the headache, was it?" she asked casually. "Not anything else?" "What do you mean?" the alarms started to sound once again in his mind. "Well," Rela shrugged, "I thought it might be something entirely. Like a broken heart?" "I do not have a broken heart." Obi-Wan snapped. "Certainly looked that way." The redhead sniffed. "You just won't admit it." "There's nothing wrong with me. I don't know what the matter is with everyone. Suddenly the only topic people want to discuss is Jemmiah." Kenobi glared back. Rela winked at him. "I never mentioned Jemmiah. You did. I just said it looked like you had a broken heart. But now that you have mentioned her…" "Stop right there." Obi-Wan planted himself in the middle of the corridor. "I told you not to say her name." "You said it first!" "That's not the point. I don't want to have this conversation so kindly desist in mentioning it." "Mentioning what?" "Jemmy's name!" "So it's Jemmy is it now?" Rela was warming to her task. "Just back off." "OK, OK! I won't mention her name." "Good." Obi-Wan replied stiffly. Pause. "So, you're still madly in love with the person whose name begins with a J and I'm not allowed to mention?" "Rela!" Obi-Wan was beginning to get angry, what was more he didn't care. "Why don't you learn to mind your own business for a change?" "Because if everything was left to you nothing would get done." Rela snapped. "Don't get any ideas… Jemmy and I are over. Finished. History." "You mentioned her name again." Rela crowed. Obi-Wan's face became unnaturally thunderous. Rela caught the change and could have cursed him for his ingratitude. She was trying to help him! Why couldn't he see that? "You are the most selfish Sith I have ever come across!" Rela hissed. "Yesterday I would have said it was your ex-girlfriend but guess what? You've just notched up the top rating. I am busting a gut to make you try and see some sense! It's obvious to anyone with half a brain cell that you are still besotted with her." "I am not!" Obi-Wan huffed. "You're also a poor liar. And if you're going to behave like this then it's probably just as well that she isn't seeing you anymore. Maybe she'll do better next time round." Rela thought he couldn't have looked more stunned if someone had used a Nerf prodder and zapped him on the rear with the highest setting. She could see the thought beginning to sink in. Jemmiah with someone else. Jemmiah not with him. On someone else's' arm. Or even worse… "I'm sorry if I shouted." Obi-Wan said finally, although he still wore something very much akin to a scowl. "That's better. You are an idiot. How on Coruscant do you expect to win her back if you act like this all the time?" "I don't want her back." Kenobi said stubbornly. "She left me. I'm not the guilty party." "Will you quit trying to throw mud and point fingers? I don't care what you say. You are still in love with her." "You can think that if you want." Obi-Wan muttered. "It's a free galaxy." Rela waited for him to start moving forwards a few paces again. "She's still in love with you." She said simply. The same incredulous look reappeared on his face. "Do you have to wear that expression?" Rela asked. "The one that looks like a constipated Bantha?" "What do you mean, she's still in love with me?" Obi-Wan demanded. "She told me so." "Jemmiah said that?" "Not in so many words…" Rela watched his eyes narrow. "But when I challenged her she didn't deny it. Well, not much anyhow." Obi-Wan remained silent. "It's too late." He replied after a while. "It's never too late. Why don't you get that into your thick skull? Do you really want to see her end up with somebody else?" "I can't stop her." Obi-Wan shrugged, although his body posture gave away his dislike of the idea. "Yes you can." Rela persisted. "Go talk to her. Be friends with her again. You're not the only one who's being hurt here. What about Qui-Gon? How do you think he feels?" The padawan closed his eyes. Tried to imagine being Jemmiah's friend. They'd been friends in the past, many moons ago when they were children growing up. They'd been brother and sister. They'd teased and argued and fought as siblings did. Then they were something more… He didn't think he would be able to go back to being just good friends. It wasn't enough. "I can't do it." He shook his head. "I'm sorry." Rela frowned. "Not as sorry as you will be when she's gone from your life for good. Then you'll look back on this conversation and you will want to die." She smiled falsely at him. The rest of the journey to the infirmary was made in almost total silence. Rela was thinking over her words, wondering if they'd have any affect at all on the sullen young man beside her whilst Obi-Wan mulled over Rela's speech. Wondering if he could ever bring himself to speak to Jemmiah again…and what would happen thereafter if he did. "It would be good if you did speak to her." Rela butted into his thoughts. "She can do with all the sympathy she can get right now." That got his attention, thought Rela. "How?" Obi-Wan frowned. "She came off her swoop. Busted herself up whilst she was practising for the big race at the weekend." "Is she okay?" Obi-Wan's face betrayed his real feelings much to Rela's delight. "Why don't you ask her for yourself?" Rela nodded towards the little party at the doorway. Obi-Wan stared straight ahead and to his utter horror and disbelief he saw himself glaring into the eyes of Jemmiah, who glared right back at him. Jemmiah swallowed. Obi-Wan thought he was going to expire. Rela watched in astonishment, as the two seemed to assess one another for a full ten seconds without a single word being spoken. She could read them both like a book. They went from shock, to disbelief, to uncertainty, to downright belligerence all without one syllable being uttered and Rela suddenly knew she'd made a huge mistake. "What are you doing here?" Obi-Wan folded his arms. "Couldn't keep away from the place, or perhaps the attentions of Healer Territ are to your liking?" "You're the one who's always at the healers." Jemmy replied sweetly. "Maybe you should address that question to yourself." Obi-Wan took a few swift steps forward and Jemmy did the same, alarming Rela. "I'm surprised you've got the nerve to show your face in here." He retorted. "I've got just as much right to be in the infirmary as you have." She growled. "I am a patient here so back off and leave me alone!" "With the greatest pleasure. What is it? Something contagious no doubt." Jemmy took his meaning and suddenly lunged out at him. If she'd slapped his face before it was nothing as to the punch she landed on his eye. If she hadn't been bruised all along her side and hip she might have aimed for a more tempting target… She watched him stagger away, hand to his face. "You can go to hell." She hissed. "You need locking up." Obi-Wan shouted. "You are completely unstable! There isn't a head doctor on Coruscant that could cope with you." "I obviously didn't hit you hard enough!" Jemmiah yelled at him, preparing to take another swing. Leona appeared at the doorway and made a grab for Jemmiah, careful not to hurt the girl any further. "What the hell's going on here!" she said in a raised voice, surprising Rela with her stern words. " This isn't a Gabali game! This is a place for sick people!" "Then she's come to the right place." Obi-Wan said quickly, stepping back to avoid a kick from Jemmiah's undamaged leg. She tried to hit out at him again but Leona's grip was solid. "What were you going to do?" he taunted. "Hit my other eye?" Leona stared up at the already swollen tissue round the padawan's eye socket. "No, it would have been something you value even higher than that." Jemmiah spat back. "Not that it was ever up to much anyhow." "CUT THAT OUT RIGHT NOW!" Leona pulled Jemmiah back with an amazing amount of strength. "I don't know why we ever brought you back." Obi-Wan replied. "You're a waste of space! You've been nothing but trouble ever since." Rela knew he'd blown his chances by that point. She could tell that by looking at the gutted look on Jemmy's face. One look at Obi-Wan told her he knew it too. "That's enough!" Leona was shocked at the callousness of the padawan's statement. "Jemmiah, wait for me outside." "Forget it." Jemmy shook her head. "I'm obviously such a waste of space and nothing but trouble that any treatment would be pointless." "You're making an irrational decision." Leona replied. "That's because I need locking up." Jemmy bit back. "I'm going home." "Jemmiah…" Leona protested. "We've got the tank all set up." "Well, you'll just have to un-set it. Won't you?" With that, the Corellian turned and limped off towards the waiting room, wanting only to be by herself. "Jem, wait up!" Rela made as if to follow her. Jemmiah spun round and fixed her with a blazing look. The tone may have been quiet but the words were delivered with a knife-edged sharpness. "Go away, Rela." She said, before walking out the door. Obi-Wan held his eye, not believing he'd actually said half of those things. Hoping he hadn't… He spotted Rela out the corner of his good eye. 'YOU IDIOT' Rela mouthed, before deciding she'd had enough. Leona approached Obi-Wan with a restrained civility borne out of years of dealing with difficult patients. "I suppose we'd better have a look at that eye, hadn't we?" She wasn't smiling. |
| Someone to Watch Over Me By Jemmiah & Mouse |
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