Series: Simple Questions
Pairing: Q/O
Category: Humor, Romance
Rating: Mostly G [g]
Archive: MA and Padders Messy Room. Anyone else, just
ask!
Summary: Obi-Wan needs help with a tricky assignment.
Feedback: Yes, please. Always and any kind!
Disclaimer: These characters belong to George Lucas, who makes
the money. I am just playing, George!
Note: Obi-Wan is sixteen.
Qui-Gon sat back with a sigh and closed his eyes. The
margachair was his favorite: big, soft, and almost as
comfortable as his custom- made bed. And he needed the comfort
just now. Seven lectures. In five and a half hours. With
several of the Masters on leave, he'd elected to fill in, which
in the longrun was no problem, as he now had no asignments for
the next two days. Two days with no bothers, no worries,
no...nothing. Just peace.
Half asleep, he caught the sound of the door. Ah, Padawan's
return. No problem there, Obi-Wan knew very well how to be
almost absurdly quiet when necessary. With a sigh, Qui-Gon
settled deeper in the chair and let the Temple, the world slip
away.
"Master?"
Qui-Gon felt a gentle tug on his sleeve and, with a small
sigh, opened his eyes. "Padawan?"
"Master, do you have a few minutes? I have this assignment
from Master Guush." He shrugged an apology. "I can see you're
tired, but it's due tomorrow. It's a report on Master Kassnoh
'Vah and his Knights." Obi-Wan grinned at the look on Qui-Gon's
face. Which he entirely misread. "Yeah, I know. That's really
old stuff, but you know Master Guush."
Yes. Qui-Gon knew Master Guush. Ghods. Kassnoh 'Vah. And his
Knights of the Fine Linens.
Obi-Wan sat on the arm of the chair. "I'm not supposed to read
about it, because Master Guush said that a lot that's been
written about them is socially biased and literarily suspect."
One eye squinted almost shut. "At least, I think that's what he
said."
Qui-Gon blinked. Kassnoh 'Vah. And the Arbiters of the Inner
Dictums.
"Anyway, Master Guush said you would provide great insight..."
He smiled brightly. "...and I should ask you to help me. I
think he likes you."
Qui-Gon glared. "Master Guush? Like me?
Obi-Wan laughed. "Well... He was smiling the whole time."
I'll just bet he was. Kassnoh 'Vah. And the Keepers of the
Soft Flannels. Qui-Gon figured Master Guush ought to stick it
somewhere in his multi-partitioned anatomy, but forebore to
enlighten Obi-Wan on past encounters with Spezatia Guush. They
were not pretty.
"I'll get my Notepadd, Master. It's pretty simple, isn't it?
He said it didn't have to be long, so you can just give me the
bare bones." Obi-Wan dashed back to his studybag.
Ghods. Simple. Qui-Gon clenched one fist and looked at it,
willing the Force to provide a handy event of such spectacular
proportions, the entire Temple would be required to rise up
and, and... Ghods. With a silent groan, he stood and headed for
the table. How did one explain...? Hands grasping air, Qui-Gon
looked frantically around, hoping for inspiration. Ah! A
drawing pad, just the thing. He pulled it to him, grabbed a
stylus and hovered, brows furrowed. Out of the corner of his
eye, he saw Obi-Wan, Notepadd in hand, pull a chair up to the
table. Okay. Yes. Simple...
"Padawan. This story is...ah, an old one, but, um, a special
one, in that... Well, here." Bending over the tablet, Qui-Gon
drew a line with two little arms and two little legs, adding a
head with tiny features last. "This is Master Kassnoh 'Vah...
This isn't funny, Obi-Wan. Pay attention." He tried to draw
another little figure kneeling next to the first one. But
realized in mid-kneel that he could never draw the little...
With a spasm of his fingers, the second head seemed to grow a
double-length nose. What? Control, Jinn, come on. Hands a
little less steady now, he tried another figure. This one
looked suspiciously like a Bantha. And Obi-Wan seemed to be
having a fit.
Damn. His hands were shaking now and wiggly stick figures
would not create the best impression. With a frantic jerk,
Qui-Gon popped upright, turned on his heel and scurried into
Obi-Wan's room. In mere moments, he scurried back, hands full
of his Padawan's collection of 12-inch Galaxia Action Figures,
with movable parts. Dumping the lot on the table and ungritting
his teeth, Qui-Gon focused both eyes on a surprised Obi-Wan.
"Okay. Pay close attention, because I'm going through this only
once." Obi-Wan nodded, looking far more interested.
With a little cough, Qui-Gon picked up Measureman, Hero of the
Quad- Core. "This will be Kassnoh 'Vah, Ancient Master of,
of..." Damn. "...of.... Adventurous Ardor."
Obi-Wan looked at Measureman, then at his Master. Nodded okay.
Fine. Qui-Gon picked up Tupelo of Target Five, Mighty Squirt
and Barrel Hubbler. "This will be Knight Beebi, The Master's
right, eh, right hand..." Damn. "...man..." With a thunk,
Beebee joined Kassnoh 'Vah.
Obi-Wan looked at the two figures sitting innocently on the
table, looked back at his Master, pursed his lips, and nodded
again.
Great. Next up was The Birge, Giant Defender of Mighty Tackle.
"This will be Knight Eskeevi, The Master's left...hand..." He
sighed. "...man..." Thunk. Hello, my Master...
Obi-Wan's fingers were hovering over the Notepadd as he took
in the tableau on the table. Lips pursing slowly left and
right, he looked up. And waited.
Taking a deep breath and wishing Master Guush a plethora of
pupa in his spoon bread, Qui-Gon picked up Leggy Mwipo,
Seasoned Campaigner of the Surrogate Guards. "This will be
Knight Gert-Mi..." There was no way Spezatia Guush was getting
away with this. "...The Master's, The Master's..." He
swallowed. "...his...rear man." Plunk. Bugger.
Obi-Wan leaned in for a closer look, then sat back and slowly
kneaded his lower lip between his teeth. "There's one you
haven't used yet, Master." His face had grown a bit thoughtful.
Qui-Gon looked down at Humo Sploz, the Great and Powerful,
blinked several times and slowly picked him up. "This will
be...Knight Olvita..." Damn. "...The Master's, eh..." He
blanked out for a moment, the image in his mind taking over for
a second. Whoa. "...The Master's Re..." His tongue seened
frozen, the words coming slowly from between his lips. "...The
Master's Receptacle." Ghods.
Knight Olvita was slowly lowered to sit with "Master Kassnoh
'Vah" and, to Qui-Gon's numbed senses, he appeared to have a
happy, even eager look about him.
Obi-Wan leaned in again, closer, and opened his mouth. Looked
up. Closed his mouth. And waited, eyes wide.
Waving his hand vaguely above the waiting figures, Qui-Gon
spoke.
"Eh... So. Once upon a time, nearly seven hundred years ago,
the Jedi were not as...progressive...as we are now. Master
Kassnoh 'Vah was one of the greatest of that time, a man who
saw that, if left unremarked, the
somewhat...closeted...behaviour of many of the Knights and
Padawans would lead eventually to the Dark Side." Gently taking
hold of Measureman, he let him kneel, his long legs spread
slightly apart. "So. He gathered about himself several Knights
whose, eh, help...he could count on."
Fingers remarkably steady, Qui-Gon picked up Tupelo of Target
Five, minus the barrels, but perhaps not the squirts, and
placed him kneeling to the right of Measureman. His little hand
was placed carefully in the "Master's" lap. "First was Knight
Beebi, he of the...snug grip." Fingers still blessedly steady,
Qui-Gon picked up The Birge, wondering if the plastic tunic hid
some remarkable tackle, and set him kneeling to the left. "Then
came Knight Eskeevi..." A broad plastic hand was gently rested
below Knight Beebi's. "...he of the...unbreakable grip."
Notepadd forgotten, Obi-Wan leaned both arms on the table,
face wrapt, eyes glued to the Galaxian tableau in front of him.
Taking an inner glance at a personal image of Master Guush
with three of his arms tied around the other one, Qui-Gon
picked up Leggy Mwipo, knelt him snug up to Measureman's back
and slipped his little arms around the slender "Master's"
chest. "Next was Knight Gert-Mi, who...who operated from,
from...the rear." He glared at "Gert-Mi". Damned plastic face
looked damned smug. Grabbing Humo Sploz, Qui-Gon quickly bent
his knees and shoved him backwards, snug up to Measureman's
lap, the little plastic butt ready, ready for... "Next!"
Obi-Wan jumped. "Sorry, Padawan." Shoving his feelings into the
Force, Qui-Gon patted Sploz's little bald head. "Next...was
Knight Olvita..." He thought he might need a lever to unclench
his teeth. "...he of...of the tight, tight..." Qui-Gon gripped
the edge of the table. "...posterior! Eh...posterior deltoids!"
How in the Seven Hells of Kedeem did Galaxian Toymakers get
those particular expressions on these figures...
Ghods. Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan!" What was he staring at? "Obi-Wan?
Your notes..."
Head cocked to one side, the young face held a pensive look.
"Oh, I think I'll remember, Master. What happened then?"
"Well, lots of things, lots of...physical...things. Which,
which allowed...the freer expression of, of
certain...physical...expressions. So to speak." Almost done.
Please. "Master Kassnoh 'Vah was a remarkably pursuasive man.
He unkinked the Force in many a hidebound Master with his
dedication to the...wider view of love, in all of its many
combinations. In fact, his diaries portray an individual of
extraordinary..." Uh oh...
"Diaries, Master?"
"Uh, yes. Perhaps...another day, Obi-Wan." Perhaps another
year.
Chin in hand, Obi-Wan touched "Knight Olvita" with the tip of
one finger. "Master? Um, nowadays... Well, what Master Kassnoh
'Vah had four knights for, couldn't there be just...one? You
know. One really, um, dedicated knight, who..." He blinked,
mouth working a little. "...who was, um, really...dedicated?"
Qui-Gon looked at the extremely smug men of Galaxia and felt a
small surge in the Force. Well, well. "I suspect, Padawan..."
Patience, my intrepid Galaxians. Your carry case is just one
room away. "Yes, I expect there could be...just one." He looked
at Obi-Wan, realized once more the amazing young bud that was
developing there. "Knighthood is, after all, a time of wonder.
And exploration. And..." His smile came softly. "...And
dedication."
Obi-Wan's cheeks looked a tad pink. "Would you like some hot
tea, Master?"
"Yes, I would indeed." He watched the eager figure slip into
the kitchen, then turned back to the table. "Well, Measureman
and friends, it's time to go home. I wonder... Does Galaxia
give you every detail...?" Qui-Gon slipped his fingers around
Measureman and reached for the coat buttons.
"Master? Cream or sorbo milk?"
"Uh, cream, cream will do fine, Obi-Wan." Watchout,
Measureman. And with a wry smile, Qui-Gon scooped up the
Galaxian Heroes and carried them away to a comfortable case
and, perhaps, greater things.
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