Padao

by Nightsister (sop2nd@yahoo.com)

Archive: M/A

Category: AU, Non Q/O, Preslash

Rating: G

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of Lucasfilm or Scholastic Paperbacks. The author makes no money from this.

Summary: The Way, Life, and Everything. A prequel to The Returning Chamber.

Feedback: sop2nd@yahoo.com

Thanks to: La Comtesse and majilique for the wonderful support and beta.

Note: Here are the stories in order so far:
A World Made of Two
May the Force Be With You, Padawan Jinn
Long Walk to Forever
What's Apparent?
Padao
The Padawan's Crusade

Xanatos squinted at his datapad, trying to make sense of what he was reading:

"Followers of the Padao (formerly Pa'Dao, see Chapter 3) were originally known as the Padai, but after the inclusion of the Chadrilla contingent in the latter half of 2561 (See Case History - the Chandrilan Water Calendar, Chapter 20)...

After the Civil War between the Norio and the Kotome...

The wording of Master Dur's treatise on the Way of the Lightness of Being..."

The ten-year-old scratched his head, switched off his 'pad, and sighed despondently. He was never going to get this.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

"Qui-Gon!" Xanatos threw down his 'pad and ran to the hallway, where the young knight stood waiting. The boy practically threw himself into his grinning padrin's waiting arms. "What're you doing here?"

"I just got back from Algrit," the man replied, warmly returning the hug. "And just what are you doing home? Shouldn't you be in class?"

Xanatos grinned. "Padawan Th'ko caught the Lower Level Pox and classes were cancelled for four days to make sure nobody else catches it," he said excitedly. "Masters are in session, but Master Yoda said I was old enough to stay by myself for a few hours." His face fell. "I still have homework, though." He brightened as a thought came to him. "But I'm not alone anymore! And you can help me with my homework!"

Qui-Gon tried mightily to keep a straight face. "Uh, the Lower Level Pox?" he said as nonchalantly as possible. "Well, uh, ahem, of course I'll help you with your homework. Come on then." He turned around, allowing his padrin to clamber up onto his back, and carried the boy back to the main room, where he unceremoniously dumped him on the couch. "So, what're you studying?"

"History," Xanatos answered piteously. "And I don't understand it."

Ah -- a much safer topic than the Lower Level Pox. "Let's see." Qui-Gon joined his padrin on the couch and picked up the 'pad. "Oh, it's the history of the Jedi. What don't you understand?"

"Mostly why the old Jedi changed their name. Why did the Padai become the Jedi?"

Qui-Gon smiled. "That's a good question. A lot of things change, and it's not hard to figure out why if you remember one basic thing," he explained gently. "We're biocultural organisms. Words change slowly, through cultural drift, or they change quickly, intentionally. In the case of the word 'Padai,' when Chandrila joined the Republic, a huge number of them were found to be Force-sensitive, and they were invited to join the Order. Unfortunately, the word 'padai' was similar to a Chandrilan word meaning, 'refuse-'"

"Like garbage?"

"Yes, like garbage." Qui-Gon nodded, smiling again. "So the ancient Jedi changed the name deliberately. In Middle Aurebesh," he entered some letters into the keypad, "Padai can be translated to Jedi. Do you understand?"

Xanatos nodded. "Why is it easy when you explain it?" he wanted to know. "I've been reading this chapter for an hour now. What does the Chandrilan Water Calendar have to do with the Jedi? And why did you make that funny face when I told you about Padawan Th'ko and the Lower Level Pox? Is it deadly?" He seemed excited at this last thought.

Qui-Gon tried yet again to keep a straight face. "No, it's not deadly... but it's not pleasant, either," he said. "Padawan Th'ko is a senior padawan, right?"

"Almost a knight. He's going on his Final Mission in a few months." Xanatos became thoughtful. "He might have to postpone that now, because he got the pox." The young boy shuddered with relish and looked up at his padrin. "What'll happen to Padawan Damy? She probably has it now, too, right? Qui-Gon? Qui-Gon?" Then, "Are you okay?"

Xanatos pounded on Qui-Gon's back, since the knight was having a coughing fit. The boy wondered if his padrin was getting sick as well. His eyes were all shiny, like he was going to cry, and that cough didn't sound good. "You don't have the pox, do you?" he asked, suddenly worried.

Qui-Gon, taking deep calming breaths, stared at his padrin. "No! No, I'm fine. Why would you ask that? And why did you ask about Padawan Damy?"

"Because she and Padawan Th'ko are having sex," Xanatos explained patiently. "The Lower Level Pox is a sexually transmitted disease, or at least that's what Ghani said. And you and Knight Garis are also having sex." His eyes became wide. "You don't have it, right? They wouldn't explain exactly what the pox was in class. Ghani had to go online."

Qui-Gon stared at the boy. Had he known about sex and disease at Xanatos' age? "What makes you think Calluna and I are having sex?" he asked carefully.

Xanatos rolled his eyes. "Oh, please," he said, as if his padrin were exceptionally dense. "When you were here for dinner two nights ago, she kept making those eyes at you. And you get that... that 'face' when you talk to her. All goo-goo eyed." He added emphatically, "Something's going on."

Qui-Gon didn't know whether to laugh or be horrified. Was he that transparent to his padrin? Or, oh no, to his master as well? "My relationship with Knight Garis is private," he said slowly, not wanting to hurt Xanatos' feelings.

"Oh, that's okay," Xanatos said breezily. "I like her, she's funny. Hopefully I'll find someone like her when I'm your age. Or maybe even sooner." His voice dropped, and he frowned. "Except-" He shook his head. "Never mind."

Qui-Gon had the strangest feeling that he'd just missed something important.

END