A/N: Again, I apologize for the lack of updates. For the past five months, I've been undergoing chemo treatments for breast cancer and it has been rough! I finished my last chemo treatment March 2nd and I'll have surgery sometime in April, then radiation treatments. Been enjoying reading the different fan fiction stories others have written and that has kept my spirits up. In this chapter, the rebels will search or the elusive alien creatures and the Predators hunting them. I'm pleased that so many of you have been reading the story and I hope to update when I can.

Chapter 17 Alien Search

Kanan Jarrus sat on the ground meditating, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. The past few days, he along with other members of the GHOST crew, were searching for some creatures that Ezra and Leka happened upon. Kanan was relieved to have some time to clear his mind of distractions and hoped Leka would join him in meditation. Leka...well...the young Lasat Jedi was as jumpy as a Loth-cat on steroids. Kanan wished at that moment that Ezra were there with him. He could use the young Jedi's help with Leka. Ezra along with Sabine, had stayed behind at the rebel base in case there would be any trouble from the alien hunters or worse.

Kanan turned to Leka and smiled, seeing the Lasat biting on his lower lip, not unlike that of Zeb.

"Leka," Kanan said as he put a hand on the taller student's arm, "Come sit and meditate. You need to clear your mind."

"I'm...sorry...Master," Leka answered his green eyes reflecting fear.

"I know you're worried about Ele, but she's safe back at the base. Ezra and Sabine will take care of her and so will the other rebels. Reach out through the Force and feel her presense. She is thinking about you and how much she loves you."

Leka felt his eyes burn with tears that he quickly blinked away before they could fall. Kanan put a fatherly arm around the young Lasat's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Relax and close your eyes. Clear your mind. Reach out and feel Ele's presense and let that calm you."

The young Lasat Padawan sat down legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. He reached out with the Force and touched the mind of his beloved bondmate. A gentle smile crossed his furry face and Kanan knew that his newest student had reached a state of calm.

Kanan closed his eyes and reached out to touch Ezra feeling the young man's calm demeanor that had a bit of impatience thrown in. That was Ezra's biggest obstacle, his impatience...and fear for his family. He reached out and touched Ezra feeling the younger Jedi's mind calm making him feel better. He wasn't worried about Ezra as much as he was about Sabine. The young Mandalorian could be trouble when she let her emotions get in the way, not unlike that of a certain former Lasan Honor Guard who was like her big brother. He opened his eyes and glanced over at Zeb helping Rex and Kallus load some grenades into a launcher that Sabine had just built recently. A smile crossed his face as he felt through the Force the brotherly bond between the three males. He closed his eyes and reached out to feel Hera's calming presence and to his surprise, he felt the stirrings of a new life inside her. He was going to be a father! That made him want to return to her alive more than ever.

The rebels made camp in a part of the jungle that offered shelter from the rains that were coming and hoped the alien creatures wouldn't attack while they rested. Kanan took first watch followed by Zeb, Kallus then Rex. The rest of them sat not talking each in their own thoughts of the upcoming battle that could be the end of them and the rebel base.

"Captain Orrelios?" Leka asked as he sat down next to his older fellow Lasat.

"What's on your mind, kid?" Zeb asked as he chewed on a piece of jerky that Rex had made several days ago.

"If something happens to me...will you be sure that Ele and the baby are taken care of?"

"Hey, what kind of talk is that?" Zeb asked seeing the fear in the younger Lasat's eyes, "You're going to make it. You're a Lasat and being a Lasat, the word quit isn't in your vocabulary. Now, don't let me hear you talking about quitting, okay?"

"Uh...Okay," came Leka's response as he looked away before Zeb saw his teary eyes.

"I promise you, I'll take care of all of you," Zeb answered putting an arm around his younger friend who was starting to feel more like a son to him, "After all, I'm old enough to be your father and Ele's as well."

"You got that right!" came a sarcastic response from Rex.

"Shut up you old geezer!" Zeb said giving the old clone a playful punch to the shoulder, "You're old enough to be Leka's grandfather!"

Kallus sat doubled over with laughter at his friends playful banter. His laughter got Leka smiling then laughing which made Zeb feel better.

The next morning the group of rebels continued with their search for the elusive aliens...

Back at the base, Ayessa sat in the quarters that she now shared with her bondmate and prayed for the safe return of Zeb. The past few months she couldn't get enough of spending time with her beloved Lasat bondmate and he with her. The two of them seemed to be connected at the hip! When she thought she had lost him to the alien hunters, she thought her heart would break into a million pieces! Now she had him back and they were expecting their first child together and she could be losing him all over again.

"Garazeb, please...take care of yourself. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you! I want you to see our son when he is born. Please...sycha...come home..."

She closed her golden eyes and telepathically reached out to Zeb and felt his strong presence laced with a bit of uncertainty...

Zeb shivered as he felt Ayessa's telepathic touch. Rex saw his discomfort.

"You okay, big guy?" he asked laying a hand on the Lasat's arm.

"Yeah," Zeb answered, "I felt Ayessa reach out to me with her mind. It feels a bit strange and a little...erotic."

"Erotic?" Rex asked, "Sounds kinky, Zeb. Care to let Kallus and I in on what she told you?"

"Karabast!" Zeb cried out giving his two friends a scathing look, "It was...private."

"Oh, one of those conversations," Kallus answered as he winked at Rex.

"Hey you three!" Kanan called to his three friends who had fallen behind, "Keep up!"

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" Zeb, Rex and Kallus called out smiles on their faces. Kanan just shook his head.

Back at the rebel base, Ele and Ayessa worried about their Lasat bondmates. Ezra sensed their unease and he along with Sabine, tried to keep their spirits up. It didn't help that everyone was nervous about the idea of vicious alien creatures running around out in the jungles ready to attack. The base was put on a high alert and everyone was armed with weapons even Ayessa and Ele.

Later that day, Ayessa was contacted by Zeb and she began to cry hearing his deep voice. Leka also talked to Ele and she burst into tears at the sound of her bondmate's voice. Kanan, Kallus, and Rex talked to everyone else making them less worried.

"Ayessa Orrelios!" the base's com system announced, "You are needed in the medical area!"

"The baby...," the Barrelian woman whispered thinking something was wrong.

She ran to the medical facility with Ezra and Sabine following her which was hard due to her height. In tears, Ayessa stood shivering as she gazed into the incubator seeing that the infant was thrashing around. He seemed to be having trouble breathing.

"Get him out!" she cried half hysterical.

"Easy...Easy," one of the medics said as he lifted the top off of the incubator and opened the cocoon. The baby was lifted out and cleaned of the cocoon fluids and then wrapped in a warm towel. Ayessa was still crying and held out her arms for her baby.

"Let us check him out and then you can hold him," the medic said taking the baby Lasat/Barrelian over for a medical checkup. The tiny infant showed he had a good set of lungs in the crying that he was doing. The sound was similar to a human infant's. A smile crossed the medic's face as he got the results of the medical scan. He brought over the now clean baby and handed him to Ayessa who was making cooing sounds like a female Barrelian would do to her baby.

"He's so tiny," Sabine said as she looked down at the newborn. Ezra stood by grinning like an idiot. Ele who was getting a checkup heard the commotion and came into the nursery. A big smile crossed her face when she saw Ayessa holding her newborn son. Tears burned her eyes as she hoped that Leka would return to see their daughter born.

Ayessa nuzzled her face to the baby's furry one and with her telepathic abilities reached out to tell Zeb that their child had been born...

As the rebel team ventured through the jungle, Zeb caught Ayessa's telepathic touch and a big toothy grin crossed his face. Rex saw it.

"Hey, what's got you grinning so big about?" the old clone asked.

"My...son was just born," the Lasat said his voice quivering with emotion, "I should be there with Ayessa...not here!"

Kanan sensed his close friend's frustration and layed a hand on Zeb's shoulder. The Lasat smiled feeling the hand on his shoulder and looked down at the shorter Jedi seeing in the teal-colored eyes the warmth and friendship.

"Hey, Zeb!" Rex said as he gave the Lasat a slap to his shoulder, "Congratulations! When we get back, Kallus and I are buying you all the drinks you want!"

"We are?" Kallus added, "Whose going to pay for them?"

Leka and Kanan looked over at each other and shook their heads. Leka went over and patted Zeb on the back, the older Lasat's smile getting bigger.

"C'mon guys," Kanan said trying to get their minds back on the mission at hand, "We have some aliens to hunt down."

For the next couple of days, the small band of rebels searched for the alien creatures but none showed up. Kanan decided that it would be fine to return to the rebel base and fill in the leaders about not finding any sign of the aliens. They returned to the base and were welcomed back by their spouses or family. Zeb couldn't wait to see his newborn son. Ayessa nearly kissed Zeb's face away in her loving greeting to him. Ele was just as bad to Leka! The Dathomirian woman had gotten bigger in her pregnancy and more uncomfortable. Zeb and Ayessa took over watching the younger female since she was becoming moody and much to their surprise she had a ring of purple fur growing around her neck.

"I look so ugly!" Ele said to Ayessa as the Barrelian female soothed her through another crying spell.

"Nonsense!" Ayessa answered, "You are pregnant and things have changed in your body. Ele, you look beautiful and Leka thinks so too."

"This fur on my neck!"

"Oh...child," Ayessa said as she hugged her close, "It will disappear once you give birth. Garazeb told me that Lasat females get thick fur rings around their necks when expecting. Remember I had one around my neck for awhile and it's disappearing. It is a sign of the miracle of life."

Ele hugged the taller woman tighter feeling more affection for her. Ayessa was like the mother she had lost so long ago when she left Dathomir.

Leka also was at a loss at Ele's mood swings. Zeb took him aside and reassured him that everything was going fine with Ele even with her Lasat-like fur ring around her neck.

"Kid," the older Lasat said as he put an arm around the younger one's shoulders, "Ele will be fine. All females are a bit...grouchy when they're pregnant. Be patient with her and show her how much you care about her. Both of you will get through this and remember Ayessa and I are here for you."

Zeb's answer came in a spine crushing hug from the young Lasat.

"Easy, kid, only have one spine!"

Several more months passed and regular patrols were sent out to check on any sightings of the strange aliens. There were signs of them being on Yavin IV, but it was from a great distance not near the base. Still, everyone was on alert. Zeb was the most nervous at the alien beings coming close to the base and his immediate family.

The day came for Ele's delivery and she was showing that something was wrong. The Dathomirian woman was rushed to the medical facility and a group of medics experienced at childbirth, would oversee the birth.

"Ele, relax and take deep breaths," one of the medics said. He was a male Duros and well-experienced at childbirth.

"Oh...Karabast!" she cried out as a labor pain hit.

At her request, Hera and Ayessa were there in the delivery room with her. Both women held her hands and murmured comforting words to her. For several hours Ele cried out, cursed in both Dathomirian and Lasani, burst into tears, and nearly crushed Hera's and Ayessa's hands.

Towards nightfall, Ele gave birth to a perfectly healthy Lasat/Dathomirian girl. The young mother reached for her child even before the umbilical cord was cut. She began to cry seeing the newborn with grayish fur and tiny pointed ears. The baby was cleaned off and handed to Ele and then Leka was brought in to see his newborn daughter. Much to everyone's surprise, the young Lasat began to cry. Zeb lead Kanan, Sabine, Ezra, Kallus and Rex in to see the baby. Much to Ezra's amusement, Zeb had tears in his eyes.

"What should we name her?" Ele asked as she held the newborn to her breast for her first feeding.

"I...I don't know," Leka answered as he ran a clawed finger over the baby's head of gray/purple fur.

"Let's name her...Burley...after my adopted father. I know it's more of a masculine name but it fits her. She will be a living testimony to Father."

"Sounds good to me. Hey little Burley, I'm your daddy," Leka said a big smile crossing his face.

The new parents were left to have time with their baby and the others went out to relax in the dining hall. Ayessa had picked up little Garazeb Junior from two rebels who loved to take care of the little ones. They were a human couple of advanced years. Ayessa had insisted on naming her and Zeb's baby after him and he was honored. Everyone called the baby Gari so not to mix him up with his father. Life seemed to be calm for awhile and everyone felt they could relax for awhile. Little did they realize that not far from the rebel base, several of the strange alien creatures were observing the rebels with a keen interest that bordered on hunger...