Coruscant: Jedi Temple-- Master Jinn's Quarters
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Since waking up, Nick had been having a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something wasn't quite right with his body, but had been too preoccupied with the overwhelming pain and terror to pay much attention to it. Even when the pain had reduced to a dull stinging, his fear of the demons had held his main attention. But now, alone in the presence of this angel and the mirror he finally took stock of himself.

He was little. Either that or everyone else besides that green gnome was abnormally tall. It was hard to tell not having anything certain to compare himsef to, but he just had a strong feeling that he was indeed considerably smaller than his remembered height of six feet. At least the body was well proportioned--- lithe and lean like some sort of professional swimmer. Except that this swimmer's physique was covered in hair. Or maybe 'fur' might be the better term. Shoulder length and shaggy on his head, the dark blonde filaments shortened considerably along his entire backside, and even more so along his front, where it became a creamy white There it was just somewhat longer at the throat, and a small tuft on the right side of his shoulder where it near where it joined his neck. Where the two hues gradually blended together ran dark spots of chocolate brown ranging from thumbprint size to mere speckling. Sort of like a haphazard snow lepard's print, Nick thought bemusedly. He even had tiny beige and black tinted claws at the ends of his fingers and toes; not feline-looking ones though, shorter and blunt. More like a dogs. Or an otter's. Yes-- that was the best description. He was now some sort of cross between a human and an otter! A tail less otter. No... not tailess. Nick's eyes widened slightly as he felt the stubby flat disk on his backside. It felt very plush. Refusing to look behind himself just yet, he finished inspecting his frontside. Apparently his first impression of being a swimmer was correct. With residual webbing between his digits and an oily coat and liquid eyes of dark purple with speckles of blue and forest green within their depths. They fairly sparkled--- like jewel-toned sand--- in the creamy, feathery down setting of his new face. All in all, Nick considered, unable to keep a small grin from coming to thin lips which were nearly obscured by a small but thick blonde moustache, the form was rather beautiful once he got past the shock of it. Nat might even pronounce him as 'cute'. Which kind of went against his idea of being a resident of Hell or even Purgatory--- no sacred writings he had ever read had once described the those damned as 'cute'. So just what had happened to him?

Sometime during his self-inspection, the other angel had come into the room bearing a bundle of light beige clothes. He cocked an eyebrow at his taller fellow.

"Master?" Obi-Wan quieried in a neutral voice, unsure of just what was going on. Qui-Gon shushed him with a gesture, eyes on their 'guest' who looked like he was struggling to ask something. Obi-Wan sighed inwardly and hoped that the Council would decide to convene soon.

"Qui-Gon.."

"Yes?"

"Who am I?"

"Yourself." he answered with calm reassurance.

"I don't feel like myself. I don't look like myself. I don't even *sound* like myself." Nick half-heartedly ran his fingers through the plush, silky-soft hairs on his throat. The feeling was luxurious, but he'd have gladly traded it for a return to normalcy.

"And how should you feel and look and sound?"

{{ Definitely not like this. }}

"Perhaps if you dressed first, we can discuss both our questions at leisure and find the answers to them, " came the sage advice.

For the first time since waking to this nightmare, Nick genuinely smiled. "I would like that very much. Thank you."

Leaving him to dress in private, Jinn and Kenobi sat down in the elder's spartan living room. Qui-Gon could tell his apprentice was just bursting to say something. The Jedi Master loved his charge dearly, but the man did have an unfortunate tendency to prejudge others before waiting to garner the facts. Patience, he told himself. {{He is yet young and has much to learn for all his physical prowess; but he will learn. He will learn...}}

"He's *not* Ayar, Master." Obi-Wan asserted in an accusing voice.

{{ *Someday*.}}

He answered in his best wearily-patient voice."So you keep asserting, my padawan."

"Inav would never have allowed anyone to look upon him like that."

"He's confused and disoriented. Reasonable explanations for abberant behavior."

"I know what I saw." the dark eyes flashed defiantly

Qui-Gon nodded. "I don't dispute it. I believe I saw something similar."

"You don't? You did!" Kenobi's eyebrows lifted nearly to his spiky short hair at that admission. He had expected a long argument to get Qui-Gon to accept what he had seen. "Then why are you harboring a potential menace in your quarters?!"

The older Jedi smiled. "If you recall, Master Yoda asked me to."

"You could have refused."

"I saw no reason to do so."

"You saw no reas... " Obi-Wan slowly blew out his breath and let the Force take away his rising frustration. Really! Sometimes his Master could act so *dense*! He distastefully recalled the time his master had insisted he care for the Dantooine rat with the broken leg even though the nasty little creature kept trying to nip his finger off. "Okay. Okay... this is another of those 'be mindful of the Living Force' lessons of yours, isn't it?"

"Well, at least you're learning to recognize them on your own without my having to point them out to you. Congratulations, Padawan," Qui-Gon chuckled, patting him on the back, "you'll make Knight yet."

"Make me what?"

They both turned their heads at the questioning voice.

Nick nervously adjusted the sash belt that he had wrapped around the light colored tunics that covered his upper torso and arms. Leggings and soft leather boots completed the ensemble. Fortunately, his fingers seemed to be more familiar with the clothing than his mind was and he had been able to dress fairly quickly. He was very anxious to find answers to his current situation.

"Nicholas." Qui-Gon indicated with a nod a low chair that he could sit on. "Please make yourself comfortable."

Nick accepted the invitation. They sat looking at each other for several minutes before Jinn cleared his throat.

"Perhaps it would be best to start as if this was truly our first encounter. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and the scowling young man with me is my padawan learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi." Kenobi snorted softly.

Nervous, Nick gave each a weak smile. "And I am Nicholas de Brabant, recently deceased. I think. However, since waking up I seem to have aquired the name and physical appearance of someone called Ayar--- a personage I have no knowledge of. In fact... I seem to have no knowledge of anything about me--- especially *this*." He indicated his form. "Could you elaborate on what you've just told me?"

"Certaintly." Qui-Gon assured him. "I will start with you. You are.. or at least you outwardly appear to be... Inav Ayar born on the planet Anara--"

"Excuse me... did you say *planet*?!"

"Yes."

"But there isn't any life on... " Nick forced himself to relax. "I'm sorry. Please go on."

"One of the Jedi Knights on duty at Ayar's home world discovered you as a toddler and tested your midi-chlorian count. Finding it to be high, you were brought to Coruscant."

"Coruscant? Who is that?"

"Coruscant is the planet we are currently on."

Another alien-life holding planet. Carl Sagan would have loved this. "Oh. So this Ayar was what--- kidnapped from his home?"

"No. He was.. purchased."

"A slave?" Nick thought uncomfortabley of the time he had been captured by the Saracens and held for over a year. And then there was that unfortunate black man and his son in America during the 1800's. He held no love for slavery or slavers.

"More of an experiment. You see, Anara III has two intelligent species native to it: the Anar and the Kievet. Normally the two are... not in association with each other; however, one of the Anaran scientists was curious to see if he could create a hybrid of the two. He was successful, but his work would not have been appreciated by the people outside of his own circuit so he needed to eventually terminate your existence to hide his wrongdoing.. or so he insisted as his reason for not wanting to let you... I mean Ayar... go. Fortunately the Jedi Knight was able to subvert the man's reasons for not giving you up by appealing to his greed." Qui-Gon scowled at the memory of his confrontation and subsequent bargaining with the Science Director. The man had been blind to all but his own ambitions.

"So this Ayar is regarded as some sort of freak of nature?" Nick asked feeling subdued. Even in this place he was to be treated as an outsider. First 800 years as a bloodsucker--- and now a lab created monster. Somebody or something really hated him.

Sensing the direction of his guest's thoughts, Qui-Gon hastened to reassure him. "Only by the Anaran populace if they learned of your existence. Here with the Jedi, you are considered a promising student who is about to take his Trials for Knighthood."

The former Crusader knight rubbed his aching temple. "Let me get this straight. I'm an outlawed alien, adopted by a people called Jedi from an entirely different planet?" Nick groaned. "This is more confusing than ever."

He didn't know the half of it.

Qui-Gon patiently explained a brief history of the Republic, the Jedi, and non-allied worlds while Obi-Wan went into the kitchen to fix them all a snack. Nick struggled to take it all in. Really, other than the fact that it all sounded like some science fiction movie, he wasn't having too much trouble: he had lived through something similar as a mortal. These Jedi Knights were not dissimilar to the various Knight Orders of medieval Europe, and some of the teachings smacked of the Eastern philosphies he had learned while traveling the Orient with LaCroix.

"All right. I think I've got a handle on it. Are you my Master, then?"

Jinn held up one finger. "No. A Master may only take one padawan at a time."

"Monsieur Kenobi."

"Correct. Your Master was Ta'okin, a Correlian native who was very fond of you."

Nick frowned. "Was? Did I.. this Ayar do something to get himself kicked out?"

"Master Ta'okin was killed by an assassin just before we found you." Qui-Gon gently explained. "Don't you remember?"

"No. I'm sorry. I knew nothing of this universe of yours before waking up in that fish tank."

"I see." So Ayar was truly gone. Jinn silently grieved for the quiet, little being he had rescued all those years ago. "Perhaps it is time for you to elaborate on *your* perceived memories then."

"Sure."

Nicholas accepted a glass of water and a bread roll before beginning his life story and was pleasantly surprised to find that he could consume both with no problem at all. He slowly savored each as he ordered his many memories into relevent and concise bites.

It still took a several hours to tell.

"...so after 'living' nearly 800 years of this curse of mine, I gave in to Natalie's wish to try my vampire sister's cure. It was a mistake--- I couldn't control the Beast within me and took too much. She died in my arms and I wanted--- I want--- nothing more than to join her in Heaven."

"Heaven?" Obi-Wan asked, enthralled by the strange tale despite himself.

"A place of great happiness with God. I suppose you would see it as a place of Oneness with this Force of yours."

"I see. And that is where you fully expected to be, " Qui-Gon nodded. "Please continue."

"Well... not fully-- but I certaintly hoped. My vampire father tried to talk me into going with him instead and starting yet another life, but I was tired and Natalie was waiting for me. He finally acquiesced to my entreaty and staked me in the heart. At least I believe he did--- the pain was certainly excruciating enough. But when I left my body I felt myself getting dragged by some powerful force like an underwater eddy. It was dark and cold. When I woke up and saw those alien Healers of yours, I assumed I had been sent to Hell because my soul is still too riddled with sin." Staring morosely at his empty glass he let out his breath in a soft hiss. "I failed to redeem myself, and am left as empty as this. Worse.. I failed Natalie." He choked back a sob at the thought. "Well... now we've both told two conflicting realities. Which do I believe?"

Qui-Gon considered. "It seems the choices are these: You didn't die and are currently dreaming. You died and are in this Purgatory state of yours. You died and are in Hell. Or... you died and your soul transmigrated to another plane of existence: one that Obi-Wan and I have simply known as our reality. I admit that I have never considered that there might be multiple realities beyond my own and the Force itself. It is an intriguing idea--- and, I think, the one that rings the truest."

"It sure beats being considered a figment of some blood drinker's imagination." Obi-Wan quipped dryly." Now that he knew what it was they were facing his anxiety was lessening. Though the tale of this 'Beast' was troubling, de Brabant seemed intelligent and civilized enough... He would give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Exactly." Qui-Gon gave his padawan an amused smirk, pleased to feel his apprentice's aura lighten up. "All in favor of adopting it as a working hypothesis until something better comes along, raise your lightsaber." He lifted up his own, quirking a questioning eyebrow at Kenobi who shook his head in quiet mirth and did likewise. Azure energy sputtered against green. They waited expectantly.

Nick sighed. Which was it? Dream, hallucination... or reality? Did it matter? His senses--- or this Ayar's at any rate--- declared what was happening to him now to be the truth. Perhaps it would be wise to do as Qui-Gon suggested and just go with it until something else refuted it? What choice did he really have anyway? Reaching for the copper and pewter toned cylinder he had unconsciously clipped to his own leather belt, he mimicked their example and switched it on. Though unfamiliar to his mind, the round handle felt comfortable in his palm. Purple blade touched blue and green. "I.. uh.. I accept your invitation to join your reality, monsieurs. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to be seeking another occupation in it. Nicholas de Brabant was trained as a 'Crusader', not 'Jedi' Kni--" the green blade suddenly left its communion with the others and swerved in a graceful arc towards his midsection. Without time to think Nick's blocked it and felt himself whirling backwards to land in a swordsmen's 'defense' position. He blinked. The counter movements had all taken place with near vampiric speed.

"What.. ?"

Qui-Gon's eyes were twinkling at him. Obi-Wan's looked surprised, but amused. "Cellular memory, Master?"

"Why not? That is still Ayar's body; still his midi-chlorians speaking with the Force. And from what our new friend says he has some experience with swordplay. What say you, Nicholas? Will you consider staying on at the Temple?"

Nick laughed. "Why not? After having worked as a Catholic warrior, a Chicago uniform, and a Toronto homicide detective, I suppose I can accept employment as a Galactic Policeman!" He sobered. "Assuming your Government will hire me."

"Ah... you mean the Council."

"I gather that that might be a problem, seeing as I've been labeled as potential Dark Force fodder as it is."

Obi-Wan coughed. "I apologize for that. And I assure you I will retract my earlier accusations before the Council itself."

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to playing the part of pariah. In fact, if it wasn't for LaCroix and Janette's considerable influence in powerful circles, I'm sure some annoyed elder vampire would have done me in before my 700th year. Heck-- I'm supposed to *already* be doubly dead!"

"No." Qui-Gon stared hard at him, making Nick's neck hairs stand on end. "Obi-Wan is correct. We will both vouch for you before the Council. Falling into the Dark Side invokes the death penalty: for letting such a Jedi continue with such power would be too dangerous."

Nick sobered at that. "Oh. I see. So there is more at sta--- um.. it's not just procuring a decent job referral that I have to worry about then. So when do I have to prove to this Council that I'm just a simple, mis-filed soul?" Nick asked tiredly, feeling his stomach twinge. Why couldn't the universe... check that... *universes* leave him alone?

"They will summon us when they are ready." Qui-Gon rose from his seat. "In the meantime, Nicholas, perhaps it is time you got some rest." The young Anaran looked exhausted.

"Wait! What about these other things you mentioned? The image of my Beast and the odd blood readings? I don't wish to sound paranoid, but... what if it was more than just *me* who got snagged on this Magical Mystery Tour?"

Qui-Gon drew in a deep breath. "The vampire? I honestly don't know. If your Lady Natalie was correct in that it was just a retrovirus attached to your cells, then I would imagine it died when your body did."

"And if not?"

The Jedi Master considered. "I will admit that there is an odd darkness about you. However, that could simply be the peculiar 'scent' of a soul born of this other reality and not true darkness at all."

"This is as much a new experience for us as it is for you," Kenobi added. Raised eyebrows.
"Well... maybe not *quite* as much," Obi-Wan amended.
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End of Part 5