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The sight of Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, roaming through Jedi Temple halls, was kind of like snow on Tattoine.
Legend says someone once saw it but it was most likely a hallucination.
Then either all Jedi at the Temple were hallucinating.
Or he was actually here.
(The former was more believable, though…).
Quinlan Vos was a free spirit to put it lightly.
He didn’t like the Temple life. It was uptight, full of unnecessarry rules and grumps with lightsabers shoved up their asses (everyone got off on something, he supposed…).
But when he DID come here, he always had two things to do:
One - torment Kenobi. It was FUN. And he was such an easy target.
Two - visit Aayla. He always made sure to visit his former Padawan.
He looked up and saw his first target:
“Yo! Kenobi!”
The other Jedi groaned.
”Vos. What a pleasure to see you.”
”It’s Master Vos to you, Knight Kenobi,” said Quinlan with a cheeky grin.
”You’ll brag to the rest of your life that you got the rank of Master before me, won’t you?”
”Only to the rest of my life? You wound me Kenobi!”
Obi-Wan looked at him, not amused.
”Alright, alright. I’d love to stay and chat some more but I gotta visit Aayla. You know where she is?”
”Probably training with her Padawan.”
Quinlan’s eyes widened.
”She has a Padawan?”
”You didn’t know?” It was Obi-Wan’s turn to smirk. “It was quite the scandal…”
“Well, I’m not interested in the latest Temple gossip, unlike some people. And what do you mean ‘scandal’ ?”
”The boy is… unique” answered Obi-Wan, trying to somehow voice his thoughts about the boy’s resemblance to his Master’s murderer. “The Council, mostly Master Windu, didn’t want her to train him. And she basically ripped into him.”
Quinlan laughed.
”That’s my girl!”
Obi-Wan sighed.
”Of course you would think that.”
——————————————
“Concentrate, Danas!”
Danas Drak was currently training with his Master Aayla Secura. The Twi’lek Jedi had him blindfold his eyes and deflect the shots from the training droids, with his lightsaber.
The Zabrak was doing really well. His double-bladed lightsaber basically turned into a yellow flurry.
Aayla smirked mischievously. She decided to make things harder for her Padawan.
She got two more training droids running, of course without telling him.
Soon, the room was filled with her Padawan’s yelps. The blasts didn’t hurt (they were more like a slight slap than a sting), so they were more of a surprise yelps than that of pain.
Aayla laughed and turned all the droids off.
Danas took off his blindfold.
”That was a cheap shot, Master!”
”The world won’t play fair, Danas,” said Aayla. “You need to be prepared.”
“Of course, Master” he nodded. “It still was a cheap shot!”
“I see you’re applying my lessons, Aayla!” came a new voice.
The Twi’lek Jedi turned to its source to see her former Master.
“Master Vos!”
“Stop with ‘the Master’, Aayla! It's Quin to you!”
“Of course, Quin” she replied sarcastically.
The Kiffar Jedi Master laughed.
“You haven’t changed a bit!” His face then became more serious. “But why am I only hearing about my Grandpadawan from Kenobi?”
“Danas is my Padawan just 2 weeks. There wasn't time to tell you.”
Quinlan looked at the young Zabrak.
“Come closer, lad! Lemme get a good look at you!”
Danas clipped his lightsaber to his hip and walked up to Master Vos. He bowed.
“Master Vos, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Master Secura told me a lot about you.”
“All bad things I hope.”
Secure rolled her eyes. Then she turned to her Padawan.
“Danas. Go get cleaned and join us at the dinner.”
“Of course Master.”
The young Zabrak left.
“I like him.” said the Kiffar. “I heard that you ripped Windu a new one. Don’t get me wrong I’m proud of you, but you were always so respectful towards the Council. What changed?”
Aayla sighed. She then proceeded to tell her former Master all about the boy. How everyone ostracized him, how she met him and how the Council didn’t want her to train him.
Vos was speechless. And that didn’t happen very often.
-------------------------
Danas was in his quarters. The training with Master Secura left him sweaty and smelly. After taking a quick shower he changed into a new set of robes.
He left his quarters and almost crashed into his best friend.
“Sorry!”
“Something’s on your mind” said Barriss casually. She was used to Danas’s clumsiness by now.
“Master Vos came to visit. He seems nice but I’m still kinda nervous. It’s not every day you meet your Grandmaster for the first time, after all.”
Barriss smiled.
“I wouldn’t worry so much if I were you. From what I heard Master Vos is the most laid-back Jedi you’ll ever meet.”
“I know. Master Secura told me as much. But you know I get stressed by everything.”
“Jedi are supposed to remain calm and collected.”
“Mhm. Calm and collected my ass.”
“Language!”
------------------
Quinlan and Aayla sat at the table in the Temple dining hall.
“The only thing I’ve ever liked about the Temple is food. Jedi in the Temple have lightsabers shoved up their asses. But the food is delicious.”
“Master!”
Master Koth who happened to be passing by, shot the Kiffar Jedi a strange look but didn’t say anything.
“What? You know me Aayla. I never liked the Temple life. I don’t think I’ll like it more after what you told me.”
The Twi’lek Jedi was about to respond but she was cut off.
“Sorry for being late, Master! I bumped into Barriss on my way here. Literally” said Danas, as he sat at the table.
Aayla handed him a a plate full of Nerf steak stew and a glass of GoldFruit juice.
Danas started eating. Quinlan Vos looked at his former Padawan.
“Two weeks and you already know what he likes?”
Danas looked up from his meal.
“I’m not picky, Master Vos.”
“Yes, I already know what he likes. We’ve met way before I picked him as my Padawan. I know for example he has a huge sweet tooth.”
Danas blushed.
“Can you really blame me? We didn’t have many of that on Dathomir.”
“Do you remember anything else about your old home?” asked Quinlan.
“Maybe I don't remember at all. Or maybe I don't want to remember. It’s all foggy.”
Aayla and Quinlan looked at each other, not really sure what to say.
Danas noticed their uncomfortable looks, so he decided to change the topic.
“How long are you going to be here, Master Vos?”
“I have to report something to the Council and I’ll stick around for a week or so. As much as I enjoy your company, I don’t like the Temple life.”
“You’ve been saying that a lot today, Master” said Aayla. “I think we got it.”
The Kiffar Jedi looked at his Grandpadawan and lowered his voice.
“Aayla told me about all the kriff you’ve been through.”
The Zabrak stopped eating, while the Twi’lek was appalled at his choice of words.
“It’s okay. There are a few people that make it harder for me but I ignore it most of the time. Let them have their opinions. It’s their problem, not mine.”
“Who makes it harder for you?”
Danas hesitated.
“I don’t want to cause any trouble...”
“Danas.” Vos’s voice was firm.
“Skywalker’s an arrogant ass but at least he’s upfront about it. Master Kenobi fakes being polite but I feel how uncomfortable he is around me.”
Quinlan sighed.
“Don’t worry about Kenobi. He went through hard stuff, true. But he shouldn’t project it onto you. It’s not your fault. Remember.”
“I will Master.”
-------------------
Quinlan just left the Council Chamber. While giving his report of his last mission, he made sure to give Windu a piece of his mind about how he treated Danas. And he used all of the vulgar words he knew.
The Master of the Order was boiling with anger, everyone could feel it. To give him some credit, he still kept a poker face through it all.
When Vos was leaving, he swore he felt a wave of approval from Master Ti.
Now he needed to find... Oh. There he was.
“Yo, Kenobi!”
Obi-Wan heard Vos the first time. But he tried ignoring him. Maybe the problem will go away.
“Kenobi, I know you can hear me you little piece of kriff! Stop! I need to talk to you!”
Obi-Wan sighed.
“What do you want, Vos?”
“I heard you’re giving my Grandpadawan a hard time.”
“I have no idea what...”
“Cut the kark, you know exactly what I’m talking about” hissed Quinlan. “What happened to Master Jinn was awful, I won't deny it. But Danas isn’t Maul. Stop treating him like he is. And tell your Padawan to cut the kriff as well while you're at it.”
Obi-Wan was speechless. He lowered his head.
“I know that. But everytime I look at him...”
“Then stop. He already has more than enough kark to deal with. He doesn’t need you adding to it” growled Vos. “I mean it. Stop it. You and Skywalker. If you don't, there won't be a place in this galaxy where you could hide from me.”
With that, the Kiffar Master left.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, one Jedi who wielded a purple lightsaber heard their entire conversation. And knew what to do to knock two annoying and arrogant Padawans a few pegs.
------------------------
“Thank you for everything Master Vos. Especially for all the stories about your old adventures with Master Secura!“
“You could’ve left off some details, though...” commented Aayla.
“Oh, come on! That little princess called you beautiful!”
“That didn’t stop her from vomiting all over me...”
Danas was rolling with laughter.
Over the previous week he got a first-hand experience of his Master’s and Grandmaster’s relationship. They were crazy.
But in a good way.
“Take care, lad” said Vos handing Danas a book about Dathomir.
“How did you get this, Master?” asked the Zabrak in a hushed tone. “Master Nu said this stuff is forbidden for the Padawans, Knights and even some of the Masters!”
“I have my ways. And what Master Nu won’t know, won’t hurt her” he winked.
“You breaking the Code is one thing” said Aayla. “But corrupting my Padawan?”
“I'm not breaking the Code. I'm just... bending the rules” answered Vos casually. “And I’m his Grandmaster. I'm supposed to spoil him!”
Aayla just rolled her eyes. Introducing these two was a mistake. Honestly, they'll be the death of her.
But she wouldn't have it any other way.
------------------------
“Tomorrow you’re starting your session with Master Drallig.”
“Do I have to? Can't you walk me through lightsaber forms?”
“You need to know all of them, Danas” answered Aayla. “I specialize in Form IV and Form V, while Master Drallig will teach you about all of them. You'll have to find your own way. Besides, you won't be alone. I heard you'll have sessions with one of the older Padawans. Something about cooperating and needing to review the lightsaber forms...”
----------------
Danas didn't know what to expect. Master Drallig was a bit hard to read. The thirteen-year-old Zabrak didn't like it when he couldn't read someone.
Then he walked into the training area.
And saw who he’ll be training with.
Anakin-kriffing-Skywalker.
Somewhere in the Temple, Mace Windu sipped his tea, very pleased with himself.