Chapter 3, here we go! I'm on a roll here! Just as an FYI, we're having a time-jump to the arrival in Coruscant, and Embo's awake now! Marrok comes into the picture, and we meet the other four younglings! We also get to see the Council… not as fun as kids, but still cool! We're also going to hear about Embo's problems…

Hope you guys aren't mad at me for all these spoilers!

DISCLAIMERS!

The Author does not own SWCW, only the plot, OCs, etc!

"Normal Speech", 'Thoughts', :comm messaging:, "Embo's Language", ~Written Text~

"The wisest words come out of the most damaged mouths."

~Matt Baker

"Extraordinary people survive

Under the most terrible circumstances

And they become even more extraordinary

Because of it."

~Robertson Davies

"It is never too late to be who you might have been."

~George Elliot

When the fleet finally returned to Coruscant, Obi-Wan was glad to see Ahsoka assisting Embo down the loading ramp of the Resolute. The five children had been missing the Kyuzo, as had Embo's pet anooba, Marrok.

"Embo, it's good to see you feeling better," the Jedi Master said, smiling. The Kyuzo nodded wearily.

"I hope the younglings weren't too troublesome for you…" he said, but Obi-Wan just chuckled.

"They're well behaved, but they missed you. The only problem was when little Miia clocked Fives in the nose with her rubber ball on accident." As Kenobi was talking, the three clones came out of the Guillotine, carrying boxes containing the younglings' personal belongings.

Behind them, the five younglings followed happily, Miia riding on Marrok's back. The four older younglings each looked to be about five years old; three girls and a boy. One of the girls looked like a Korun human: dark skin, black hair, and amber eyes. The second girl was an aquatic Nautolan; green-skinned with dark red eyes, as well as a dazzling smile. The last two children looked Togrutan; rich orange skin with white markings on their faces and their royal blue lekku and montrals; however, their eyes were strangely jet black.

"Master Embo! You're here!" the little Nautolan girl cried, running over and hugging the Kyuzo around the knees, beaming up at him happily. Embo chuckled.

"I'm happy to see you as well, Kitara," he said, obviously smiling behind his mask. Then, another voice distracted them all.

"Welcome back, Master Kenobi, Padawan Tano." It was Aayla Secura, the blue-skinned Twi-lek Jedi Knight. "I see you've brought some friends with you."

"Indeed. Five younglings, and one…" Obi-Wan paused, glancing at Embo, "undetermined."

"I… see," Aayla sad, thought she was obviously confused. "We should bring them before the Council, they're calling a meeting now."

"Lead the way."

Soon, the six newcomers (seven, counting Marrok) were standing before the Jedi Council, Ahsoka with them to help Embo stay on his feet. At the same time, the Kyuzo was sizing up all the Council members. Old habits die hard.

"Your name's Embo, Correct?" Mace Windu asked, frowning. The Kyuzo nodded.

"That is correct."

"Why did you come here, Bounty Hunter?" Embo winced slightly at the venomous tone, now uncertain.

"I came to deliver these five younglings to the Jedi, Master Windu. And before you ask, no, I'm not getting paid for this." Mace looked surprised, but stayed silent. Then, Yoda spoke.

"Delivered younglings, you have. So why, still here, you are?" At this, Embo looked down, as if ashamed. Then, he looked straight into Yoda's eyes.

"Do you remember, nearly thirty years ago, when the first Force-sensitive Kyuzo in recorded history was born?"

"Remember this well, I do," Yoda said sadly. "Months later, lost, he was, to the Force. A tragedy, it was."

"And traumatic for the child." Everyone was suddenly looking at Embo in confusion, as he elaborated. "Imagine being a seven-month-old child, hearing the whispers of the Force since birth, but the whispers suddenly fall silent, leaving a cold, empty void behind."

"That's… horrible," Kit Firsto whispered, his usual grin replaced by an expression of horror. Embo nodded, his voice falling to a whisper.

"I still have nightmares about it, all these years later…" The Council stared at him. Then, Obi-Wan stood up, seeing how weary the Kyuzo looked.

"Embo, sit down, please. I can stand." Embo nodded gratefully, and Ahsoka helped him over to the chair. Then, once the Kyuzo was seated, Plo-Koon spoke.

"Embo, do you mean to say that the child was you?"

"Yes, Master Plo-Koon. After the Force was stripped away from me, I grew up feeling like there was something missing… that I was destined for something more." Embo wrapped his arms around himself with a shudder, remembering the cold, empty feeling he once lived with. "There were times, after I left Phatrong, that I thought I could hear the whispers again, usually when a Jedi or another Force-user was nearby. One of the times it was strongest was on… Felucia."

"You mean when we helped protect those farmers?" Anakin asked, surprised Embo nodded.

"Yes. It was then, fighting alongside the three of you, that I felt I had discovered my true purpose… And then Hondo shot me with a tank."

"Well, guess he killed the moment," Ahsoka said, earning chuckles from some of the others.

"Yes, well…" Embo hesitated, feeling uncertain, "A few months later, I was about to return to Tattooine after a bounty, when my hyperdrive malfunctioned, sending me deep into uncharted space. By the time I managed to shut it down, my ship's systems had started shorting out, and I was on a collision course with one of two planets orbiting each other. When I crashed… I lost consciousness for a time."

"What happened next?" Ahsoka asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the Kyuzo, the younglings clustered around her. Even the adult Jedi were enthralled by the tale.

"When I awoke, I was lying in a spring of glowing water, surrounded by tiny glowing beings with gossamer wings. They were no taller than twelve inches, save for their queen, who was three feet tall," Embo found himself relaxing now, the words coming more easily, as a great weight was being lifted from him. "They called themselves Forcelings, physical manifestations of the Force itself. The Forcelings had pulled me from the wreckage of my ship, and put me in what they called the 'Healing Springs,' which mended my wounds.

"After I was allowed out of the spring, they took me to a circular clearing in their glowing forest, where a crystal structure resembling a… well, for lack of a better term, a baby basket, grew in the very center. The Forcelings told me that I was to sleep in it… the moment I laid down on the cushions in the bowl of the structure, the cold void in me was filled with warmth and the whispers of the Force. And I was filled with such joy, like a part of me had been set free."

"I suppose, in a way, that was exactly what happened," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, absorbing the information. "If, as you say, you could just barely sense the Force again when near a Force-user, then I think that the Force wasn't stripped from you… it was locked away, suppressed, but when you were near a Force-user, they acted as a focal point, and their powers temporarily loosened the bindings just enough for you to just barely sense the Force again."

"An interesting theory, Kenobi," Mace said, resting a hand on his chin as he mulled over the idea. Then, he turned his attention back to the Kyuzo. "Embo, could you describe the times when you could get a stronger sense of the Force?"

"Of course, Master Windu," Embo said, wracking his memory, "One time, as I've already told you, was on Felucia. Kenobi, Skywalker, and Padawan Tano were there. Each of them are powerful in the Force. Another time, I was in Jabba's Palace… I guess one of the cloaked people was a Jedi. The third time, I was about twenty, and I found an orphaned Zabrak boy who was quite strong with the Force, and I brought him to the Temple."

"Hmm…" Mace looked contemplative, as he said, "it seems like the 'bind' on you loosened when around powerful or numerous Force signatures, which makes sense. If you would allow us, could we have a few of the Order work with you, so we can try to figure out how this happened? I want to be able to prevent it from ever happening again."

Embo looked uncertain. The Jedi couldn't blame him; his past was a horrific one, and he wasn't comfortable with showing weakness to people he didn't know. Then, he nodded slowly.

"I… I'll do it. I don't want it to happen again. Once was bad enough…"

"I understand… There is an unoccupied set of living quarters next to Master Fisto's; you can stay there." Mace truly felt sorry for the Kyuzo, and berated himself for his earlier harshness. "We need you close, so we can help you when needed."

"Thank you…"

And that's a wrap! Third chapter is finished! Next up: the Jedi Council finds out just how deeply affected Embo is by is traumatizing experience as a very small child, and need to figure out how to help him! STAY TUNED! R&R, please!