by Julia

They don't know that some days I like to stand at the windows in my office and watch them.

Simply observe.

Watch as they go about their day-to-day lives.

They credit my insight into their activities to my being Jedi. It gives me an inside edge, but I've found that observation is usually adequate over any Jedi ability.

Smiling softly, I cross my arms and watch as a group of grrls walks out on the lawns and sets up an impromtu party. One of them directs one of those hulking brutes hanging about lately to set down a wading pool and fills it with water. She pats the huge man's arm, smiles and sends him on his way.

It's just them, the sunshine, the lawnchairs, and margeritas as they all stick their feet in the wading pool.

I could listen to what they are saying if I wanted. Enhance my hearing to eavesdrop.

Truth is, it's more enjoyable to remain ignorant of the goings-on around here at times. I watch my sunbathing grrls and tuck that picture away as another keepsake.

Checking my schedule, I see I have a block of free time.

It's probably a grrls only party, but maybe they won't mind a black-clad General simply walking past them. A University President saying good afternoon to staff and students.

A man admiring them for their wits and beauty.

It's a beautiful day.

~*~

by Emmy

Day's end always finds me with any number of entertaining activities. For all their attitude and all their show, my girls never cease to amaze and flatter me with their efforts to cheer me, love me....or even set me straight when necessary.

Tonight is one of my favorites, not purely for selfish reasons, but because it is one of the few activities where their love and friendship for each other is most often revealed.

Tonight is movie night.

As I enter the room, they are already assembled. And while they engage in their own conversations - some sitting on the floor, some lounging on the furniture - their appreciative glances are not lost on me.

And I truly can't think of what I have done in my life to deserve such attention.

I take my spot on the floor in front of the sofa, leaning my back against it. And then, as if on cue, they all gather around. Two of them sit down on either side of me. One reclined on the sofa behind me. One in my embrace, leaning back against my chest. A few others surrounding us, each shifting positions at pre-appointed intervals.

It brings warm laughter to me, imagining my girls calculating the precise amount of time each one sits in what place based on their number and the running time of each film.

And it is not the films themselves that I preserve in my memory. It is the laughter, their teasing of each other and me, the way they shush me when I argue technical details, the hands entwined with mine, the heads resting on my shoulders, the delicate fingers tracing my knee, the arm that wraps around my neck and the face buried in my hair during scary movies.

I particularly enjoy the scary movies.

And sometimes we spend the entire night there. A slumber party, they call it. Although 'slumber' is a bit of a misnomer until the hour is so late that it is almost time to start the new day.

And while they drift off to sleep, I lie awake, enjoying the calm and savoring this overwhelming sense of comfort as they rest against me.

Because, as much as I love them and as much as I know they love each other, I am all too familiar with the mayhem that daybreak will inevitably bring.

~*~

by Julia

A loud crash begs investigation and leads me to the kitchen, where I find several grrls. "Is there a problem?"

"Nope." One grrl looks up and smiles at me. I wonder if she realizes she has grey goop in her hair, and spattered all over her face?

Where before I was only mildly curious, now I am concerned. I know that expression. The "nothing is wrong here, we're fine...we're all fine here...how are you?" look that begs me not to notice something.

As if mixing cement in the campus kitchen is an everyday occurrence.

This is the decision I face every day -- at least a dozen times. Do I look deeper to see what is truly happening, or remain ignorant and hope for the best?

If anything is seriously wrong, they will find me.

Until then, I leave it to my grrls to handle anything that comes their way. Force knows they can certainly deal with most problems themselves.

I nod, and smile slowly...just so they realize I am not completely ignorant of their deception. "I'll leave you to carry on then." I lean down to whisper, "You should wash that out of your hair before it sets."

With another smile and bow, I turn and leave them to their machinations.

No doubt time will reveal what they're doing with the cement.

~*~

by Judy

I can't believe how long it's been since I practiced with my lightsaber. Some of my grrls snickered at me when I mentioned this, but they knew what I meant. They asked if they could watch me work out, but in truth, I had to disappoint them and say no.

Connecting with the Force...it's such a private thing for me.

And I didn't realize how much I'd missed it.

I take my place on the mat. When I begin, I always get this initial rush of adrenaline followed by a peaceful `zone' -- it's difficult to describe -- where I can feel the Force singing through me. My body becomes an extension of the Force, the lightsaber an extension of my body as I move, whirl, leap, and turn through movements and routines that are completely second nature to me now.

This time, I am a bit stiff at first, having to work through some kinks. But soon I feel my movements flowing as they should, my muscles cooperating to lead me in a traditional dance of the Jedi. The buzzing of the lightsaber calms me as it always has as the pale blue light creates patterns in the air. My feet whisper softly on the mat, even as I execute difficult turns and leaps. I haven't felt this close to the Force in so long.

I feel so peaceful, so light. I finish my exercise, power down my `saber, and bow to my invisible opponent. I sense some of my grrls waiting outside the gym, curiosity running rampant among them.

I smile.

Perhaps next time I will be able to share. Perhaps.

~*~

by Kymira

The sound of laughter filters through the dark night, interrupting my meditation. My grrls think it amusing that I still meditate, but the nature of my life here demands some peaceful time spent in reflection. Another raucous round of laughter pulls my attention to the window. Curious, my feet follow. I feel the smile spread across my face as I gaze out of my bedroom window. Four of my grrls splash in the pool, unaware that they are being watched. It's so refreshing seeing them let their guard down at times like this. All these women in my life are intense and fiery, and full of mischief. Especially these four. At times, I wonder if all sanity as fled my brain. Then, one of these beautiful stars that adorn my sky smiles at me and I am lost.

The four giggle as they repeatedly dunk each other, each rising from the water, sputtering and vowing revenge. I have no desire to know why they're there. And I have even less desire to know why they're in the pool in their pajamas. I'm sure they could come up with an amusing story between the four of them, but it would ruin the image of them all enjoying themselves so completely. I would join them, and I know they would welcome me with open arms, but I am hesitant to spoil their fun. Well, mostly...

A scream of protest rises from the pool as all four grrls disappear under the surface of the water, helped by an invisible hand. Spitting water, they emerge to hear rich masculine laughter on the breeze....

~*~

by Julia

HSU is an active campus.

During the day, the campus is insane with motion and noise. A cacophony of women's voices, tigers roaring, the miners waking up...

Have you ever wondered what it was like to share a building with over forty women?

Be sure to have at least that many bathrooms.

Late at night, things begin to quiet a bit. Not much, but it does get more subdued. Some grrls disappear to places I don't ask and don't want to know.

Early morning. The time I despised as a Padawan. I was obedient and rose, but swore that as a Knight I wouldn't be up at dawn to meditate. I would wait until a more...civilized hour. Yet now,...it is one of my favorite times of day. Very few of the grrls wake early and so I am allowed the luxury of walking around the building, checking in on those I know I won't rudely surprise, just to watch them sleep.

So innocent.

So enticing.

I reach out to caress loose hair back from a sleep-flushed face. She sighs, a smile curving her lips just...slightly.

They don't have to do a thing to attract me.

Asleep, completely unaware, and she draws me like a magnet. Invites me to run my fingers through sleep-tousled hair, stroke the warm flesh of limbs supple and relaxed. Kiss her lips as she softly sighs again.  

I sit back and just watch. Watch as her eyes move as she dreams.

It is so rarely I can indulge in this. So rarely do they let me see the unguarded side of them.

Shucking my boots, I stealthily settle on the bed and carefully pull her into my embrace.

They're so seldom quiet enough for me to snuggle with them. To just enjoy the peace of listening to a heartbeat and resting in one another's arms.

She dreams, and I watch, ever the enraptured audience.

~*~

by Kymira

The feel of her arms around my waist is exhilirating as the Triumph speeds away from campus. Several minutes pass like that, her arms encircling me as does her love and affection. The familiar is far behind us as I bring the bike to a stop. Before I can turn she nuzzles her head into the back of my shoulder, resting. I hear a deep sigh, and in my minds eye, her light dims momentarily. Concerned, I ask if she is well. Silence meets my question, so I turn to her.

I see it now. Signs of wear and life. Light circles, and barely there lines. Her eyes meet mine, then she looks away, as if uncomfortable with my attention. One quiet word, and her eyes swing back to mine, shining once again.

"Beautiful. So very beautiful..."

~*~

by Julia

Even as they bait and deride one another, there is affection in the laughter of the grrls that fills the campus.

The laughter has become part of what makes this place so magical to me.

And yet...through it all, I hear something soft and broken. Something that doesn't wish to have attention called to it, seeks to hide.

A wounded, hurting soul.

My Master was always bringing home wounded animals. Small creatures that couldn't help themselves. Needed care and help to mend so they could return to the wild again. They weren't always grateful at being tended to. Some of them bit and scratched, glaring with mute fury as Qui-Gon calmly did whatever was necessary to help them be healthy again.

I never had as much empathy for them as he. At times the pathetic things were an annoyance, intruding upon the already overfull schedule of my life. Adding one more thing to a list already far too long for one mere human apprentice to accomplish.

Quietly, unobtrusively, I seek her out.

It is so hard for some of them, the more willful ones, to admit to weakness. An almost impossible chasm for them to breach, to simply reach out and ask another for help.

Pride is a weakness I well understand.

Jedi Knight, General, but still...just a man.

I do not have all the answers.

No words need to be said as I enfold her in my arms, wait for the stiff, unspoken rejection to relax. I'm not leaving, not going anywhere. I am the tree in the storm, bending but not breaking in the storm that rages in her.

Offering shelter until she is strong enough.

Released to be wild and free....beautiful and strong once again.

~*~

by Laure

A new semester is upon us, and I can feel the excitement in the air. My grrls are preparing for new students and sorting out their new jobs and room assignments. Bickering, of course, but laughing and playing, too.

I so love to watch them play. They can turn the most mundane chore into play.

Currently a group of them are racing around tearing down all the 'Hestia State' banners and stickers. They're laughing, their faces flushed from exertion, their eyes sparkling with joy. One of them sticks a sticker onto the head of an ewok and they all laugh so hard I'm afraid they'll fall over.

And, then they do.

As I meander across campus, I come another cluster sunbathing, their beautiful bodies barely covered by colorful bikinis. They're discussing the Fall classes and debating over which physical education course to take. I catch my name as I pass, and hear giggles as they discuss the merits of sword-fighting.

I grin, knowing full well they aren't discussing steel.

Reaching the paddock, I watch the horses trot in the sunshine, their coats gleaming. A few of my grrls are luring them over with sugar cubes and I watch two beautiful black geldings turn to mush under the stroking hands of my grrls.

They have a way with males of all species.

As I cross the great lawn, I stop to watch a few of my staff playing croquet. One of them swings the mallet and strikes the ball, then jumps up and down, trying to urge the ball through the hoop. As it goes wide, the others laugh, and the usual death threats are spouted.

I know it's all in fun. My grrls love each other as much as they love me. It's just their way of expressing themselves and releasing tension. The anger quickly turns to laughter, and another ball is whacked, as the game continues.

I continue up the drive to the administration building and, as I climb the few marble steps, I turn and look over the lush lawns and gardens, full of beautiful grrls enjoying life to the fullest. Pride fills me and I smile.

We built this, a place of happiness and pleasure. It is our sanctuary, our home.

And soon, we will have new arrivals to welcome, and there will be new grrls playing on the lawn and riding the horses and yelling and arguing and laughing and loving.

I can't wait.

~*~

by Judy

I hate it when one of my grrls is sad.

I always feel so helpless. It's my nature to take immediate action when there is trouble. If there is an outside enemy or problem, I can help fight it, can help protect my grrls from harm, but this...I let out a quiet sigh in frustration.

We all have our bad days, of course, where everything goes wrong, or gets too overwhelming. I know I've had my fair share. Or perhaps there is a problem with family or friends.

And although it has been, at times, difficult for me to quiet my urge to "do" something, I have learned that often the best course of action is just being there. Being a friendly, comforting presence. So my grrls know someone loves them, cares for them, is there for them, no matter what.

I look over at her where she sits on the couch. A book rests in her lap, opened, but she's not reading it. She is staring out the window at figures unseen, except to her. Sadness ghosts over her face.

And I can't stand it.

I slip quietly over to her, but she doesn't register my presence at first. Kneeling down, I gently pull her face towards mine. There are tears welling in her eyes and I react instinctively. I must protect her! I pull her gently into my arms, wrapping her up tight in my embrace. I feel her shudder against me and I know she's crying.

"What's wrong?" I whisper. But she just shakes her head and clings ever tighter to me.

I sit back and pull her onto my lap, still holding her tight. I will continue to watch over her, to protect her, be there for as long as she needs me.

I hate it when one of my grrls is sad.

~*~

by Darry

I glance at the woman sitting beside me by the podium. She is all smiles as she looks up at me, liking me in this role as University President, suitably attired and be-speckled. She ensures that I say just the right things, stand just the right way to draw the audience's attention to myself and the school I represent.

If I could lecture about the school the way I wish I could, rather than extolling the virtues of HSU, I would instead, extol the qualities of its staff and students in less-than-traditional academic language.

~*~

Ladies and Gentlemen, You have asked me to tell you about some of the features at HSU. As President, I feel this centre for higher education has much to offer your daughters, about which I could speak all day. But let me instead speak about what it offers me...

DIVERSITY:

The women here are as diverse in their tastes as they are in their looks, styles and temperment. It is a joy to celebrate this diversity, as it brings out the best in myself and keeps me constantly adapting- something even Master Yoda was not able to impart. I am constantly reinventing myself to keep up with them. It is wonderful to be able to express these varied sides of my personality in such a pleasurable manner.

For instance, I know that my glasses make her swoon. And she prefers me in my padawan tunic and robes. This one likes to meet me in her bar. Still another has a side to her one rarely sees, but I'm the one that holds her while she cries. These two like to spend time with me out-doors. This one enjoys her toys. Another two like to be sneaky. This one likes to knit.

The list is endless and just when I think I've learned what makes these women tick, they change the rules on me and we begin the dance anew.

COMMUNICATION

The hours I spend with these women are rich in shared information. It is amazing what one can say with a look, a touch, a smile. I've learned this well, and appreciate how it effects my grrls, but what they don't know is that I'm just as susceptible to the stances and looks that they display, even when they're not aware I see them.

We may spend our hour talking, laughing, crying, or making love. For me the time is immeasurably joyous, whatever we do. We speak volumes with our voices and bodies and it is time I relish and look forward to.

I cannot promise you that your daughter will never be misunderstood or hurt, but she will be able to be herself and that, ladies and gentlemen, is worth more than any Ivy League pedigree.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

The staff and students have much to offer each other. Each one excels at different things, and through interaction, your daughters can learn a lot. How many schools can boast sword-fighting, grape- feeding, and Wench-baiting in their curricula? HSU tries hard to match incoming freshmen with an advisor who we think will be a good mentor for whatever educational and personal development your daughter wishes to undertake.

And through this all, there is a support system that we feel rivals no other. I know. I've used it. I need them as much as they need me. This is a school of true symbiosis, and I cannot think of a better place to learn. They are the teachers, the professionals, the administration. Spend time with them. Spend time together. Spend time with me. Spend time alone. What I have learned from this experience is more valuable than even my Knight title.

It is truth, about the lives of women, about their personalities and thoughts that provide me with knowledge and wonderment.

~*~

"...and so ladies and gentlemen," I adopt The Stance, and my audience is suitably impressed. "Hestia State offers the finest education for the young woman looking to excel in any number of careers."

There is applause, and smiles and I glance over at the woman next to the podium. She has heard this speech a number of times and once as I gave it to her and her family. And maybe that is why she is here with me now. Maybe not. But she knows herself, and that is all that matters. That is why we are all at HSU. To be ourselves-for me, for them- my friends, my lovers, my Ho's.

~*~

by Kymira

The subject of my thoughts is a light one. One simple word, yet it describes something so vast. He is there with me as I contemplate, chiding me for being mealncholy. How wrong he is, making assumptions. I know the look on my face now, a smirk probably, and he answers my expression with one of his own.

"Where are you, love? What has your mind so occupied today?"

I smile a soft inviting smile and answer him.

"Just one simple word. Nothing more."

His eyes show his confusion.

"All that thought for one simple word? I think not..."

I raise my eyebrows, daring him to challenge me further.

"All right, dear. Will you at least tell me what that word is?"

Before I can answer, the sound of the door opening fills my ears. I look up and see the person I was waiting for. In one swift move, I cross the room and wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"What's this for?" she asks.

I pull her into a hug.

"Nothing, roomie. Just wanted to say thanks..."

I pull back and pad to my bedroom, giving my time with the man I love to her. As I shut the door, I hear a soft, dulcet vioce in my head.

::Are you ever going to tell me what the word was?::

Chucking, I answer him as silently.

::Friendship... that's all::

Roomie mine, thank you! {{{{Jen}}}}

Much Love, Kymira HSU Resident Advisor

~*~

by Sere & Julia

A lifetime of rising early has me awake just before dawn. Morning is a time to clear my mind, meditate and hone mind, soul and body for the day to come.

When I was a Padawan my Master would vary the schedule so I never knew what the day would bring. Sometimes we would be up far before the dawn, out of the Temple, and halfway across Coruscant before the sun rose.

Qui-Gon never allowed me to fall into a routine or rut. He knew how dangerous such things could be to a Jedi.

Always expect the unexpected. Always be prepared for life to change at any moment, without warning.

It wasn't enough for him to tell me these things. He showed me through a living example.

Nothing is guaranteed in a Jedi's life. The Force is our only constant. You learn to rely on yourself, on the Force, and precious else.

Doubtless Qui-Gon now finds it amusing that those very lessons, the preparing for every day to be different, is partly what keeps me sane here at HSU.

Little is constant, except for my grrls regard and affection. Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing holds any of them here, apart from their own will.

Nothing guarantees that I will be here tomorrow. I will be, if it is within my limited power to do so.  This is where I will choose to remain, however I am not so arrogant to think I can dictate to the force how to direct my life.

Life is uncertain. Unknown.

The future is always in motion...elusive.

Leathers on, helmet secured, sunglasses in place. I revv the Triumph, allowing a small smile of pleasure to curl my lips at the deep growl of the engine.

Find pleasures where you may, while you may.

Another lesson Qui-Gon taught me.

It is fitting that he and I have come full-circle and now reside in the same place again. No longer master and apprentice.

I am not a reflection of my master, nor was I meant to be. He gave me the tools I needed to become a Jedi. Showed me, the best he could, how to walk through life aware of the beauty around me.

Looking across the campus, the morning light painting the brick buildings with a gilded gleam, I am thankful.

I see beauty everywhere I look.

Perhaps now I can share with him what life has taught me.

I ride past my master's new cottage, slowing as I see a lone figure out front, slowly, gracefully going through the intricate movements of a kata.

He looks up as I stop and a warm smile of welcome spreads across his face. "Obi-Wan." He strides over and looks at the bike. "A fine piece of machinery. I see you have not lost your love of piloting fast things."

"No Mahstah." I have to grin. Double-entendre? One never knows with Qui-Gon.

I see real interest in his eyes and go with the moment. Cut the engine and slip off the bike. "Would you like to take her out for a ride?"

Surprise flits across his face, chased right after by pleasure. His eyes warm to a dark blue as they meet mine as though seeking validation. I nod and he offers a crooked smile.

Leaning against a tree, I chuckle as I watch my former master learn how to handle the motorcycle. He is cautious, handling her with respect for the power and speed the Triumph is capable of.

Learning still. Open to new challenges.

I am my own man, made who and what I am by my own experiences...but I cannot forget the past I came from.

Nor would I.

There is still much I have to learn.

~*~

by Emmy

"What are you, blind?"

"I think it looks nice."

"Yeah, if I lived in a bordello."

Scoffing laugh. "Well, don't you?"

"Shut up."

I turn down another aisle, pretending not to hear the bickering and focus instead on the task at hand. Eyeing the array of desks with feigned interest, I hear the other petty squabbles around me as I walk through the large furniture store, having brought everyone here in an effort to make up for the fire damage.

Well, they brought me here.

I catch another pair glaring at each other out of the corner of my eye and make another change in direction.

Yes, it is exhausting at times. That I said as much to one of them - meaning all of them at this point - is something I sorely regret. I *know* better than to lose my temper.

But my grrls.....well, I enjoy the delusion that they are mine.....

There *is* passion, no matter what they taught us at the Temple. And my grrls inspire mine, both to the height of pleasure and, sometimes, to the height of frustration.

If only I'd had the wherewithal in that moment of frustration to realize and to explain that my exhaustion is borne of wonder, concern, and, most importantly, love.

I turn my head as laughter erupts from a corner of the room. I pause mid-stride. That I missed the punchline is of little consequence to me as I watch them laugh, leaning against each other as the happiest tears spring out of the corners of their eyes. The Force glows vibrantly around them as their sudden joyful energy sends sparks throughout the room, something that they are completely oblivious to but that brightens even the darkest corner of this place.

Perhaps they will be the death of me yet. But to touch this beautiful fire that burns within each of them is my most treasured privilege.

I smile as they look my way, savoring the moment's harmony as it radiates through the Force before it is replaced by the next inevitable point of dischord.

Exhausting.

And truly wonderful.

~*~

by Kymira

Stress.

Such a small word for such a big issue.

I feel a sense of relaxation from her that I haven't felt in days. A weight still rests heavily on her mind, but it seems lighter today, as she sits and stares into the distance. What a sight she makes, perched on a large rock, her chin on her knees, cool wind teasing her hair. The colors of autumn surround her, accenting her beauty. In my mind, I file the memory away, knowing that peace like this doesn't visit this campus often.

The gentle silence is broken by a shrill ring. Scowling, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a phone. After listening for a moment, she mutters something.

"It's not my department....I can't DO anything about it.... STOP calling me! It's not my responsibility, dammit!"

She viciously slams the phone shut. This time she sinks her forehead to her knees as her shoulders slump, the weight having returned tenfold. Another ring, this time her head doesn't move. She presses the phone to her ear, sighing heavily. Silence for a second, then...

"What? That. Little. Prick.... I'm gonna...."

I cross to where she is curled up, and lay my hand on her shoulder. She looks up, startled, then she smiles gratefully.

"do absolutely nothing about it. You're a big grrl. Deal with it."

She clicks the phone closed and hands it to me. I easily toss it over my shoulder.

"Now. About that language..."

An impudent grin crosses her face.

"What? You gonna punish me?"

*****

By Laure

She's depressed. I can always tell. Her smile disappears. Her smile that lights up my world. It comes in a variety of styles. Sensual, playful, quirky, happy.

She's not smiling today.

It's not a clinical depression she suffers from, but she gets the blues sometimes. I can always tell.

Her eyes are sad. They droop a bit. She doesn't focus well on anything. She doesn't look at me, doesn't meet my eyes.

She's still lovely, of course, but without that smile, without that sparkle in her eyes, there's something missing.

Something I want to give back to her.

So, I ask her. I wrap my arms around her from behind, press a gentle kiss to her cheek, feel her sink into my embrace, and I ask, "Is there anything that I can do?"

And she responds, as she always does, "No. It'll be fine tomorrow. Everything will be fine. I just have to go through this sometimes."

She never cries, but I always think that she's just on the verge. The sorrow in her eyes, the drooping of her shoulders, the slight frown, as if the muscles around her lips don't have the energy to lift upwards, all betray her mood.

I want her to be happy. But, in my many years, I've learned that women are moody creatures. She'd probably string me up if she heard me say that, but it's so obviously true.

I want her to be happy. I try to make her happy. But, sometimes, some little thing will set her off. I don't know what it is this time. I never know, and she will never tell me. But, I don't really need to know.

I just want to help her get through this.

If all I can do is hold her and comfort her, and hope that the depression will fade, that's what I'll do.

I'll be there for her.

As she's always there for me.

End

*****

By Julia

I never would have thought it would be this way.

Who could have predicted that my former Mastah would end up here with me on this campus, now a married man and a father?

Certainly I didn't.

Qui-Gon was my mentor, my guide through many difficult missions, my shelter when I wasn't yet strong enough to stand alone. The one I looked to show me the way a Jedi lived.

I find it comforting that he is now under my protection here at HSU. Oh, he is still very able to take care of himself, but...he doesn't have to. He can relax. Just be.

I know that is something he is enjoying.

He does have to defend himself occasionally from the grrls, but I believe he enjoys the verbal sparring. He always was good at using words to sway someone to his point of view.

Qui-Gon can be very persuasive.

Until he tries to persuade the wrong person. Then the sparks fly.

Oh, I know he does it purposely. I see that tell-tale glimmer of devilment in his eyes as he wades in where angels and wiser men fear to tread.

He is still very much a Jedi, even if he claims to be retired. Qui-Gon is the first one to go bail any of the grrls out of jail. He knows all of what goes on around campus, mostly through Dande, but much of the time it is from observing. From listening.

All of it covered up by an attitude of tough Alpha male.

But I have seen him in the quiet moments. Watched him hold Cara and stroke her cheek as she sleeps, resting against his chest. Nestle her tiny hand in his and stare at the difference wonderingly. Watched him patiently comb out the snarls and tangles in her hair, all the while talking to her in that lilting voice that so fascinates her mother.

Cara, not even as big as his forearm, gurgles happily, staring at him with adoration.

She melts him. Already. Only several months old and she has him wrapped firmly around every last finger.

Dande knows. Knows he would defend this place down to the very last blade of grass to keep it the safe haven it is. Knows he could tell you what each grrl is doing on any given evening, where they're going, whom they're going with.

Those eyes that have seen so much fighting and hatred. So much of the ugliness of the galaxy.

Now he looks upon beauty and peace. Beholds the results that love brought forth in Cara...and is at peace.

No, he is not a perfect man. Qui-Gon can still be far too opinionated, dominant and unwilling to see what is right before his nose at times.

But he is a man, and only too human.

The wheel turns, my Mastah. Turns and leads us down paths we would never have foreseen even if we had double the years Yoda does.

Here you have someone wholly devoted to you. She fusses and bustles around making sure we're all fine, especially you, pokes and prods at everyone until she knows all that goes on, dispenses love and advice in equal amounts and manages to laugh through it all.

You did find a treasure, Mastah.

And, unlike some of the former loves of your life, Dande doesn't treat me like a child. Or an interloper. If anathing, she is something of a mother to me...which is quite odd considering that we are of an age.

Perhaps a sister?

Keep her, Qui-Gon. This once, follow *my* advice, and keep her.

Ah..the peace of HSU nevah lasts long. I hear yelling and laughter, mostly the latter.

The sounds of home.

~*~

finis

By Julia

~*~

He forgets sometimes. Forgets how large he is, how intimidating that can be to strangers. Tall, deep voice, soft spoken. Eyes so dark a blue that at times they appear brown. Deep-set over a nose too large for his face, and a tad bent from some youthful mishap. Beard to cover the chin he is not fond of, and, I think, to stroke when he is thinking.

He would not admit to it.

Qui-Gon forgets when he looms over others that very few people in this world are like my Grrls. They have no fear of him, standing up to him, laughing at him, with him. To the Ho's Qui-Gon Jinn is just another man, and he had better to be prepared to prove himself worthy and step up to bat just like the rest of us.

Though I truly have no clue what bats have to do with it. My Grrls use some terminology at times that still quite confounds me. I suppose it has to do with the efficiency in which they wield bats. They've proven this more than several times when going to 'war' against some nefarious enemy.

Ewoks. How in the worlds did our campus end up with Ewoks?

This University has withstood numerous attacks. Some from within, most from outside, seeking to tear down what we have built here.

The buildings have crumbled more than once. Been torched, flooded, sank, washed away, bought out and won back again.

HSU is more than the buildings that comprise the campus. Those are shelter only, crude wood, brick, mortar and nails.

The real campus, the true soul of Hestia's Daughters, is in every single one of my Grrls. They are the flame that keeps burning no matter how hard anyone comes against it, attempting to douse them.

And I? I am the flame keeper, I suppose. The one who guards the light, feeds it fuel, keeps it burning brightly.

I couldn't do so without them. Wouldn't want to do so.

I once told the Gungans they formed a symbiont circle with the Naboo. The same is true of my Grrls and myself. We end and begin with one another.

I don't know how it works, truly I do not. Some days I walk the campus, listening to them. Seeking to understand how it is that this works. Jedi are trained to see patterns, to analyze and piece a complete picture together from what we observe.

Perhaps it is too large for me to see.

Perhaps I have become too much a part of it.

I am no longer simply an observer. I haven't been for a very long time.

How could I observe the life around me and not want to participate? Even Qui-Gon found this an acceptable paradise to settle in...though I have no doubts he calls upon his serenity quite often to see him through days.

It is not idyllic.

I would not have it so. Though no longer a General of the Republic Navy, no longer truly a Knight of the Jedi Temple, I face crisis after crisis weekly.

Sometimes daily.

You haven't lived through dire straights until you've faced down thirty Ho's bent on getting an answer out of you.

Not now....

YESTERDAY.

Qui-Gon understands. General Maximus also. I suspect even Xanatos understands, though his handling of such an event certainly would be quite different.

It's odd to realize we all ended up here. Qui-Gon, who trained Xanatos and myself. Anakin is just down the highway.

I'm surprised I have not yet awakened to find Mace Windu beating down the door, though he is a frequent visitor.

I watch Qui-Gon as he walks through the campus rose garden, his daughter cradled in one arm. He speaks to her in the same low, soft tones that I recall hearing as a child when he knew I was tired and near despair. Bends to show her a sunny, yellow rose, careful to keep her chubby baby fingers from the thorns. Watches, smiling as she pats the petals with an infant's lack of grace and abundance of enthusiasm. Cuddles her as she coos happily.

I never thought he would make it here. Never dreamed he would be able to walk peacefully through the campus, surrounded on all sides by Ho's.

He does, with all the grace gained in his decades of living. I have no doubt there are days he calls on every ounce of negotiating skill, every trick he ever learned sitting at a table to mediate disputes. This is not a simple life, even for a man who lives in a cottage in the middle of a rose garden.

It is appropriate. Qui-Gon is a sea of serenity surrounded by beauty and thorns.

He continues. He is content.

HSU is an extraordinary place. If that is due to the people, the place, the time... I could not say. Sometimes I lay in bed and wonder if I will wake up and discover it was all a dream, or some magical place that only appears for a short time every hundred years.  

I think not. HSU is what we make it, every minute, every day.

A circle, where one end is just another beginning.

~*~

By Julia

~~*~~

You were darting out the door, heading for something that sounded intriguing, and almost ran right into him.

He smiled, the same wry, lopsided grin that still made your knees weak, and sent the heart marching double-time. The sandy light brown hair, several locks of it falling endearingly into his face, glints with gold and red highlights in the sun, and his eyes... Obi-Wan's eyes have always mesmerized you, drawn you in.

You weren't about to rush off and leave this behind!

"Hello, love."

Rich timbered voice that makes even the most boring of subjects fascinating and slides down your spine, causing delicious frissions that wreak havoc with your mental processes.

"Helloooo," you say, waggling your eyebrows at him in a way that earns you a deep chuckle....and he accepts your invitation, moving closer to you. Close enough to feel the heat from his body through the black slacks and shirt. Close enough to catch the scent of his skin that is so uniquely his...and always evokes a response from you.

"Going somewhere?"

That drawling way of speaking that is both elegant and naughty at the same time.

"Depends." You lean forward, close enough for your bodies to touch. "What brings you around this time of day?" Usually you see him in the morning or evening. His days are spent with the many duties that occupy a president of a university.

Not to mention the thousand and thirteen emergencies that pop up every day.

He sighs, reaching around to rub the back of his neck, smile tilting wryly. "Would you believe I was feeling nostalgic?"

"Yes." You comb the hair off his forehead with your fingers, letting your smile show how very much you care for this man. Even more when the warrior allows you to see the sentimental side of the man he sometimes hides.

Leaning your forehead against his, you bat your eyelashes, knowing they'll tickle. "You want to look at some photo albums?"

He nods, grinning almost like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Come on." You take his hand and lead him back inside, destinations and plans willingly dropped to spend time with him.

And you have albums. Years of them. From the beginnings of HSU through the present. They should go to the Library, but...

You really want them whole and not burned or water-damaged. So you keep them...though anyone can certainly look through the numerous albums.

Hours pass as you lay on the floor together, flipping through page after page of memories and moments that you recall as though yesterday. Shoulder to shoulder, laughing as he points out different photos of absolute insane moments from campus history. Everything from fires to floods, invasions, numerous attacks from chickens and wacks....

He arches an eyebrow as he opens one fat, black, leather-bound volume that is solely pictures of him. The album is well-worn. Many hands have looked at the photos. Many copies of the photos have been made, passed out and shared. It is by far the most beloved and looked at of the albums.

You nod and scootch closer, arm across his back, half-resting atop him as you look over his shoulder. "We do still love you, you know. Even when we're not here all the time."

Obi-Wan sighs. "I tell myself I'm being foolish, but..."

Leaning forward, you press a long kiss to the skin behind and just below his ear, smiling as you feel a shudder pass through his body.

He rolls to face you, wrapping his arms around you to pull you closer. "I would never hold any of you back from perusing what you desire." Sighing, he caresses the curve of your face. "But I find I miss you when you are not here. I miss the laughter, the bantering, the bright presence that is all of my grrls."

It has always melted you. Undone you to be told by this man that he wants you with him. This man who is Jedi and General; gentle and fierce warrior in one. A man who could do and be anything, but chose to come here to the university so he could be with the ones he loved. So he could both preserve and protect what he cherished.

Feeling an ultimate goober, you blink back tears and wind your arms around his neck, pressing yourself against him. "Obi-Wan," you sigh in a voice that cracks and catches. The depth of feeling you have for him will never be replaced by another - *could* never be replaced. He is ...so many things to you. Even when some other bright thing comes into your life and you wander away like a child chasing a butterfly, you return. Always return. "There is no one in my life who could replace you in my affections." You open your eyes to gaze deep into the chameleon depths of the man you love. "At the risk of being trite....you do complete me. You are my all, my ideal."

You open that part of yourself always kept tightly controlled, hidden. The inner you that only your dearest friends and loved ones ever see. Know that he can sense the depth of your emotions, how very much you mean them.

"I suppose I feel there will be a time when..." He sighs, resting a lightly stubbled cheek against your face. "When no one will come back from chasing butterflies."

Drawing back, you cup his face in your hands to gaze deeply at him. Letting him in completely. No walls, no barriers. "Never."

He can tell. The conviction in your voice is undeniable.

Obi-Wan's smile is like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, warming you from the tips of your toes to your soul. He slips a hand behind your neck, cradling your head as he rolls you and straddles your body. Slowly closes the gap between you, melting any coherency you had left as his mouth falls to slowly explore the softness of your lips.

You smile as he pulls back for a moment.

This has always been a safe, magical place.

This is home.