Part Two

Ashanti concealed herself using her race's natural camouflage and magnetic attachment abilities to a high corner in the student dining room moments before the students came in, noisily chattering and laughing as children were wont to do. Qui-Gon entered the room with a group of younger, misfit or smaller students. She approved of his protective attitude and quiet, attentive demeanor. She had heard many a tutor complain that he was too quiet or had brought in too many strays looking for food, shelter and medical attention. He didn't seem to differentiate between animal or human. Though his now lanky frame was gangly, she knew he would fill out to be a powerfully built man, perfect for fighting, like his father. She grinned to herself. Too bad he had the heart of a monk, she mused, though she did note the glances between Qui-Gon and the willowy female in the party with the scarred features. He'd break hearts and heads someday.

"Hey, Qui-Gon, I heard Ashanti isn't going to take you after all!" A huge Drolian towered over the table Qui-Gon and his "charges" were seated at. "Changed her mind, eh?" consoled the Drolian, draping a meaty arm across Qui-Gon broad shoulders. The huge alien's tusks shone in the artificial lighting. "Maybe he isn't tough enough for a knight like Ashanti, you think?" the Drolian asked the assembled students that constituted his brute squad.

"If that's the case, Trudell, then you won't be her next choice either. You haven't beaten me in the arena yet." Qui-Gon's quiet comment held a veiled insult and the whole room knew it. Ashanti chuckled to herself and silently cheered the human boy on.

"Maybe not," agreed Trudell with a growl, "but I rest easy knowing a great knight like her will not be wasting her time on a puny human like you."

Ashanti stopped from revealing herself to reprimand the Drolian for his assumption of her actions. The mere idea that someone would assume anything about her was a peeve. She worked hard to be unpredictable. The minute flinch from Qui-Gon, however, stopped her action before it began and caused her to ponder her previous thoughts on the boy. She settled her nerves down, and as the students finished their meals and filtered away for more studies or entertainments she contemplated her actions concerning the human boy she had taken responsibility for those long years ago.

She had sworn to Qui-Gon's parents that their newborn son would be well cared for and would have the life they wished for him. On her most sacred vows she swore this and fought against the Council's reticence to ensure the boy's safe keeping within the Temple at such an early age. She knew that the boy would be perhaps too sheltered but could see no other way around it.

Many thought her actions questionable while others thoughts her actions borderline lunatic. Her already questionable reputation was in threads from recent missions where she had skimmed the line yet again, and Ashanti knew many of the knights and masters thought she would not be the best choice in being the master to a promising Jedi knight like Qui-Gon Jinn. Something within, though, told her that she would be the best thing for the boy. Yoda informed her often since her announcement to take Qui-Gon as her padawan learner that the boy would be the best thing for her too.

When the last student left the dining room and the cleanup droids had come in, Ashanti disengaged herself from her corner of the ceiling and departed as well. One month, two tops, would be the length of time Qui-Gon would need to consider his actions in the practice arena and garner the skills she requested Yoda to teach him. She had great faith and no doubts that Yoda would do as she asked, because despite their wrangling from time to time, Yoda knew she had a purpose to everything she did, and would never break the Code, without good cause. He knew his former padawan well.

The mission took priority in her mind as soon as she left the Temple for her transport ship. Qui-Gon watched her go through his classroom window, disappointment still swirling through him and he turned back to the pieces of a light dagger that Yoda had set before him. He idly wondered if she was really going to come back for him in one year.