Chapter 3

"I guessed that this is where she would be," An-Paj said as he walked down the hallway with Zavian.

"She is trying to get as close as possible to her Master," Zavian observed softly as they stopped outside a Master/Padawan apartment. Nodding to the healer who had taken guard at the door, An-Paj and Zavian quietly entered the apartment.

Shortly after the search team had been sent out, they had found Meri in her Master's quarters holding on to one of Ariana's old robes and acting as though she would never let go. This was the same scene An-Paj walked in on, as he entered Ariana's old bedroom. Meri sat huddled against a wall holding onto the robe, her face buried in the brown garment. Zavian paused in the doorway, his face frozen in sorrow as he felt the waves of pain and grief rolling off the young girl.

"Meri?" An-Paj asked gently as he knelt in front of her.

To his surprise, he heard a whimper, then a heart-wrenching sob.

The small girl's shoulders shook as the tears fell thicker and faster.

"Master?!" The whispered cry was a desperate plea, but An-Paj knew she wasn't calling him. She was oblivious to his presence, calling out for the one who had left such a massive void in her life. An-Paj could see she was working herself into hysteria as her sobs grew louder, and she started crying out repeatedly for her Master.

With the lightest of touches, An-Paj sent a Force suggestion of sleep to Meri, and wasn't surprised when her body readily accepted the suggestion, and the tears subsided. Picking her up, he frowned when he felt her weight. Just five days had changed a bright and healthy girl into only a shadow of her former self. Gently he placed her on her Master's bed, and then covered her with the brown robe, his heart heavy.

Turning, he saw Zavian standing in the doorway, his gray eyes wet. Neither of them spoke until they were back in the main room.

"It is good she finally cried. Are you going to leave her here?" Zavian asked softly.

An-Paj nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, she needs to stay here until a new Master is found. It is familiar to her, the smells and sights."

"A new Master so soon?" the younger healer asked in surprise.

"As soon as possible. If she won't let me in, she won't let a mind-healer in. The only person she is going to let in is her Master. She doesn't know how to cope without that bond, there is no one there for her. A new Master and bond certainly won't make it exactly as it was, but it will help her learn how to start dealing with this."

"Do you think she'll accept a new Master?"

"I think she will, but we have to find her the right one first. Not many Knights are going to be willing to take this on," An-Paj said grimly.

"Where are you going to start?" Zavian asked.

"I'm going to speak with Master Yoda."

**

It was late afternoon by the time An-Paj met with Yoda. He had already told the Master about Meri's problem, and Yoda had agreed with the healer; Meri had held a life long bond with Ariana. The venerable Jedi Master had sent word for An-Paj to meet him in the main training room. An-Paj was curious as to why Yoda had chosen such a busy place to meet, but he had learned long ago if you started trying to figure out Master Yodas reasoning you'd be "figuring" for a long time.

Stepping into the training room, the blue healer looked around for Master Yoda, and saw him standing in the corner of the large room, watching two Knights sparring. A few other pairs of Jedi were spread throughout the room, some Masters training their padawans, and some simply Jedi Knights practicing.

As An-Paj approached Yoda, the elder Jedi turned to face him.

"Master Yoda," the healer greeted with a bow.

"Hmm," Yoda nodded back. "Something to say?"

"Yes Master, about Meri Irhanah," An-Paj said, glancing at the two Knights sparring near by. A loud THUMP was heard as one Knight threw the other across the mat.

"Hmmm, a great loss was Master Caer. Strong was the bond they held, hard it will be for her padawan," the small Master said softly.

"Yes, Master Yoda. Concerning what has happened I think it best for Padawan Irhanah to have a new Master as soon as possible. I was hoping you would have someone in mind who would be willing and qualified enough to take her on." An-Paj waited expectantly for the older Jedi to answer him, but Yoda instead had turned and was watching the sparring Knights with renewed interest.

An-Paj glanced at the Knights and then back at Yoda. The battle between the two Knights was increasing in intensity, and An-Paj looked closer at the two fighters. One was older, at least 28, his hair a fiery red. Unlike his opponent, the redhead was short and stocky. In contrast the other was very young, no more than 22 An-Paj would guess; he was also much taller than the other was. His hair was a midnight black, and just growing out of a padawan cut, evidence that he had only recently passed his trials.

With a quick move the younger Jedi disarmed the older Knight and stood holding his deep blue blade pointed at his opponent's neck. An-Paj blinked in surprise, he hadn't even seen the move, so fast was it executed.

Shaking his head, he turned back to Yoda and back to the business at hand. "Master Yoda?" he finally questioned the small Master.

Without turning his gaze from the Knights who were turning to leave, Yoda spoke. "Have someone in mind I do."

An-Paj followed his gaze to the black haired Knight and had to bite back the protest that immediately sprang to mind. This hadn't been at all what he'd expected.

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Zavian was reading a report when the door to the office swung open and An- Paj strode in. Having known the older healer since he himself was a young padawan, Zavian could easily see that the meeting with Master Yoda hadn't gone well, or at least not as An-Paj had planned.

An amused grin tilting his lips, Zavian shook his head. "That bad, huh? Who is it?"

An-Paj shot the young man an exasperated look. "You'll never guess, I promise you that."

"Oh, come on. It can't be all that bad."

An-Paj was silent for a moment then looked over at Zavian who was looking at him expectantly. "He was only knighted six months ago," the words dropped like a bomb, and for a moment Zavian was too astounded to speak.

"How old is he?" the younger healer finally asked in disbelief.

"I thought he was 22, but I was wrong." The blue healer's face was impassive, but one of his antennas jerked sporadically.

"Ohh, well, that's good. I would think that's a little too you..,"

"He just turned 21." The words from An-Paj stopped Zavian cold. Dead silence invaded the room as Zavian took this in.

"Okay, what is it about this Knight that makes Master Yoda think he can handle this." Zavian's curiosity had taken over the shock.

An-Paj sighed and rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. "Well, you know how Master Yoda asked me to meet him in the training rooms?"

Zavian nodded.

"Well, it seems that the reason he did so, was so that I could see this Knight in action."

"Fighting?" Zavian questioned, perplexed.

An-Paj half nodded. "That, and something else. It seems this Alex Arieh has a special gift with children. Training them. In fact, Master Yoda told me that he helped younger padawans with their studies when he was only a padawan himself. He is very talented, and not just in helping others, it seems. We watched him teach a class today."

Zavian's brow wrinkled in thought. "What did you think?"

An-Paj let out another measured sigh. "He's good. The children adored him," the healer paused. "But Meri Irhanah is no child. She's a *teenager*. A troubled *female* teenager," he emphasized.

They younger healer barely managed to hide his smirk at An-Paj's words.

Zavian knew it wasn't supposed to be funny, but the implication An-Paj was making about human female teens in general amused him.

"And a responsibility held a few times a week, and a responsibility that must be carried out daily, hourly, is much different," the blue healer continued.

"That is true," Zavian admitted. "Perhaps he would surprise us. Youth does not always mean irresponsibility," he winked. "Just look at me."

An-Paj snorted. "That's not all that bothers me, though. They're only seven years apart for sith's sake, and barely that!"

"She's *only* fourteen, Master. I don't think what you're thinking could happen." Zavian was beginning to warm to Master Yoda's idea.

"And he's only twenty-one," An-Paj countered.

"So you've said," the healer murmured. Zavian's voice suddenly dropped into a serious tone. "I don't think it fair to judge a man I've never met, Master. Therefore, I can not judge him on his code of honor. Surely Master Yoda has already thought of these concerns, and if he suggested him, he must have a great deal of confidence in this Knight."

"He did more than suggest him," An-Paj sighed. "But you're right. I trust Yoda's judgment, but let it be known now. I have my doubts. I just don't want Meri hurt further by an act of the inexperienced. At this point I don't think she could handle it."

"They are fair concerns, Master, but I think the two should meet. And something tells me that Master Yoda knows more about why these two should be a pair than he's letting on."

For the first time since An-Paj had entered the office, he smiled.

"Well, I was no where near as shocked as Alex Arieh will be when they tell him this."