Like You Mean It

Epilogue

Even Piell entered the lift at the south spire's base, waving the doors closed with a brusque gesture. He had half a mind to do it.

Why not?

It was extremely irregular for an active Council member to take on a new Padawan; those with students now had been elevated after the apprenticeship was well under way. And it was perhaps inadvisable for a master so prone to accept dangerous espionage missions to drag a youngster into his affairs. These were important considerations on the con side of his internal debate. On the pro side was simply the undeniable charm and intelligence of the initiate in question. Somebody had to train that boy. It would be a colossal waste of talent otherwise.

And Master Piell was a firm believer in never delegating to somebody else what one could do oneself.

He exited the lift only ten minutes late for Council, and ignored Yoda's trollish glare as he took his customary place in the circle.

"Generous of you, to grace us with your presence," the old one grunted sardonically.

"Tink nothing of it," Even responded, crossing his squat legs. "Vat's first on the agenda?"

Mace Windu sighed, a rumbling and wordless imprecation. "Jinn," he replied, succinctly.

"Vell, lets get it over vit."

The outer doors issued the tall maverick into the chamber a moment later. Qui- Gon Jinn strode the center of the inlaid floor and made a curt bow to the gathered Councilors. "My masters," he began. "At your request I have spent a week here in Temple, and I have observed all the initiates currently eligible for apprenticeship. The conditions of your command being thus fulfilled, I request re-assignment on a mission at the first possible convenience."

"A new student you have not selected," Yoda chuffed.

"No, and I shall not, master, as I have told you many times."

Even snorted audibly.

"You do not trust my judgment?" Jinn demanded, turning to the Lannik with a thunderous expression. Though roughly a third the tall man's stature, the senior master did not bat an eyelash.

"You don't say dat like you mean it," he placidly replied. "So no."

A very terse bow met this pronouncement.

"Very well, " Windu growled. "You have conformed with the letter if not the spirit of our dictate. We will summon you for a mission briefing within two planetary rotations. There are several situations brewing in the Rims which will require a skilled hand to be resolved peacefully."

"Thank you." Jinn made a deeper bow and swept out, proud head held high, blue eyes alight with a stubborn resolve.

Even watched him go, piqued by the man's sheer obstinacy and self-confidence.

And then a thought struck him – one sent straight from the Force. The image that flashed before his inner eye was so perfectly obvious and so elegant a solution to both Jinn's and his own indecision that he slammed his broad hands down upon his seat's armrests.

"Vell. I'll be damned," he said aloud, causing a ripple of surprise to pass round the chamber.

"Indeed," Ki Adi Mudi agreed, misunderstanding the tenor of his thoughts. "Qui-Gon can be quite intractable at times. I begin to believe that he will never teach again, and that we should desist in our efforts to force the issue."

"Not to vorry," Master Piell responded. "That old barve underestimates the Force. He's in for a royal vipping."

Even old Yoda's eyes narrowed humorously at this suggestion.

But it was true: rant and rave against the notion as he might, Qui-Gon Jinn was going down - and Obi-Wan would eventually get the teacher he so richly deserved. Because the Force itself was a firm proponent of Even Piell's adage: whether doling out lessons - in control, insight, or humility - always do it like you mean it.

THE END