Chapter Five

"Can this be accomodated?" Qui-Gon leaned forward in the viewscreen, hoping that the closer contact would make his position more appealing.

"Dome Jinn, we realize the unusual circumstances of the whole familial situation and sympathize, but I might want to tell you that this is tradition you are breaking, not a law." The Prime Minister of Plumera leaned back in his chair, his weather-worn face shown signs of strain.

"So in this one instance, tradition can be have an exception made?" pressed Qui-Gon, wanting a straight answer.

The Prime Minister ran a hand down his face. "One other family about 400 years ago had circumstances not disimilar to your own, only the Dome Hin-Kan was considered criminally insane and his successor was a distant cousin of no true blood relation. However, if you feel that Mai-Lin Jinn would be an adequate proxy in your stead, then we can't really say anything against it."

"There's a 'but' in there, Prime Minister," Qui-Gon remarked.

"But we ask that you take into consideration that you are not criminally insane and that you are the last of the male Jinn line. If you disssolve the family, it will merely be sooner than later."

"Meaning?" Qui-Gon frowned.

"Meaning, upon your death, the family will dissolve anyway. Females cannot pass along family names and titles on Plumera. You're just delaying the inevitable." The Prime Minister grimaced as he said the words, as if they were distasteful. "Plumera is losing many of it's great families in this way, Dome Jinn. It is a sad testament of our time that so much is being lost." The Prime Minister gave a half-smile. "I don't suppose you will ever children?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "Jedi do not normally have families, Prime Minister, and those that do rarely see their offspring. Our lives are hard and well-traveled."

The Prime Minister gave a warm smile. "And truly blessed, I'm sure. I'm sorry I could not have been more of a help, Dome Jinn, and for what it is worth, you have my backing in whatever steps you may take."

Qui-Gon bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, and I wish you well also." He hit the switch on the monitor, cutting off the signal to his homeplanet.

Things were becoming complicated, more than they already were, and like his master before him, Qui-Gon hated it when things were complicated.

Clea wandered in, saw the deeply pensive look on her master's face and tried to retreat back out the door. Qui-Gon waylaid her. "Padawan."

Clea sighed and came back into the room. "Yes, Master?", hoping whatever assignment she was going to be given had nothing to do with his bothersome cousin or the equally exasperrating master, Ashanti Vende.

"Can you think of any way to pass along a family line and name by using the female side?" Clea blinked at him stupidly for a moment, not following his train of thought. Qui-Gon clarified, relating his conversation with the Prime Minister and the Jinn family's lack of a male line, himself excluded.

Clea sat down across from her master and meditated on the problem. After a bit she shook her head negatively. "Not really," she admitted, "but maybe you should talk to this Mai-Lin Jinn. She will have better knowledge of the family than Ashanti or the Prime Minister. She might have an idea herself."

Qui-Gon nodded thoughtfully and put through the call to Mai-Lin Jinn of Plumera.

Ashanti piloted the transport not to a nearby space port, but the nearest empty planet she could find. Heine IV was a small colony planet whose main means of trade was triangular gemstones and several precious metals. It was a mining colony, rough yet loyal to the Republic.

After a quick talk with the leader of the colony, Ashanti ascertained that she had the use of one brig cell within the colony's security building and hoped that Yoda, and Qui-Gon, didn't kill her for her next hair-brained move. She'd given up talking, pleading, debating and trying to outmaneuver the bureaucrats on-board over the trade route dispute. At her wits end, something Qui-Gon would have muttered was a short trip, Ashanti decided to take the only course someone of her unpredictable standards could use as a last recourse.

Threatening to leave the stuffy, snobbish diplomats at the mercy of miners whose only redeeming features were that they knew where to find gems worthy of royalty and that they bathed once a month.

She set the transport in orbit and on autopilot, ordering Qui-Gon's apprentice to come up and babysit the bridge. Qui-Gon had agreed, sending a reluctant Clea Tari to the bridge to sit and moan over her pitiful lot in life. Ashanti politely knocked on the door of the first diplomat, entering her chambers when summoned.

By the fourth diplomat, Ashanti was sure that Yoda was going to not only kick her out of the Jedi Order, but probably kill her as well. However, three of the four she had spoken to so far were agreeing, one after being transported planetside for two hours, being leered at by various alien miners.

By the sixth and last diplomat, excluding the rather loony Ishati Jinn, Ashanti was feeling good about her plan. All five were agreeing on allowing the Trade Federation to regulate the trading lanes and excluding the use of taxation and tolls.

The sixth was a shoe-in and Ashanti relaxed. She loved it when a good plan came together. It was just too easy sometimes.

Mai-Lin Jinn, Qui-Gon surmised, was even more surprised to hear from him than the Prime Minister had been. When his face showed up on her viewscreen, she about fell out of her seat.

"Greetings, I am Qui-Gon Jinn," he began.

"No," corrected the woman whom he surmised was just a couple years younger than he, "you are the Dome Jinn."

He bowed his head to honor the correction. "I need to speak to you."

"I take it Ishati's there, causing mischief?" Mai-Lin was blunt, he had to give her that.

"Yes."

"Damn him, I knew he'd try to pull some stunt to get the title. You didn't give it to him, did you?" She seemed angered at the thought.

"No, that is what I wish to speak to you about. Are there any other male Jinns that could take over the line, no matter how distant and non-blood related?" Qui-Gon leaned back in his chair when the woman began shaking her head. "Then the line dies with me?"

Mai-Lin sighed. "Traditionally, yes, but there may be another way, though I hesitate to mention it. It will make me seem power hungry."

"Ashanti Vende has already sung your praises, Mai-Lin. I was going to ask you to be proxy in my stead until my death. Nothing you could say with Ashanti's recommendation could make you seem power hungry." Qui-Gon gave a smile at the mere thought and the outraged look Ashanti would be sporting right now if she knew.

"I'm going to be blunt with this, to save you time and grief. Dealing with our cousin can be a pain in the ass. Trust me, I know. The more time you save will be one more step ahead of his game that you'll be." Mai-Lin stopped and then blushed bright red. "I'm pregnant and won't be marrying. Technically my child will carry my last name of Jinn."

Qui-Gon stared at her. "Has the child's sex been determined?"

She nodded. "I'm having a son, so he will bear my last name."

Qui-Gon's face broke into a slow smile. "Excellent."

"I've been hesitating in attempting to contact you, considering the regulations you live under as a Jedi. I knew, though, that this problem would come up eventually and you'd have to deal with it whether you and the Jedi wanted you too." He nodded, a smile still plastered across his face.

Mai-Lin's hand went protectively over her stomach where the babe now grew within her. "May I make a suggestion, Dome Jinn?"

"Please," Qui-Gon spread his hands out placatingly. "I have no idea what I'm doing here."

"Set up someone as proxy in your stead, naming my son as your heir. That way Ishati can't use the fact that I'm female against your heir and I can train my son to do the family duty without any difficulties from the traditional sects and Ishati both." She gave him a sly look. "I would suggest Ashanti Vende. She keeps abreast of our world's politics and the family Jinn in particular. I've spoken with her many times." Mai-Lin blushed red again. "She's kept up with things in your stead so far. She might as well keep doing it."

Qui-Gon laughed. "Is that a polite way of saying Ashanti stuck her tail where it didn't belong?"

Mai-Lin laughed with him. "Your parents seemed to have meant a lot to her and her affection for them and you has transferred to the whole family. Did you know she's organized three family reunions in the past ten years?" Qui-Gon shook his head, amazed at his former master's involvement in his family. "She has been one of us for many years. She kept the family up-to-date with your progress as a student, apprentice and Jedi." Mai-Lin gave him a warm smile. "You have honored the family by being a Jedi, Dome Jinn, a great Jedi. The loss of our family head is nothing in comparison for what you have done for the family just by being who you are."

Qui-Gon blushed as he bowed his head at the compliment. "I hope to bring the family further honor by staying alive and continuing my path, Mai-Lin. I agree with your plan. What documents and other legal work have to been taken care of?" The two lapsed into a discussion of legalities that lasted a good half an hour.