The Lost Ones
Rating: PG
Synopsis: Problems arise when a group of crechlings have a field trip to the zoo.
Notes: This is a general sequel to The Cry.
Disclaimer: All canon characters are property of the Great Flanneled One and now Disney. I make no money off this endeavor.
Timeline 54 BBY

Speech: " "
Training bond communication: /
Internal thoughts: italics

Chapter Four

Obi-Wan looked around with wide eyes. What started out as an excitement of actually being able to explore became the thing he was most scared about. His dreams were bad enough, but now he couldn't find Master Numa. With the last animals he saw, he felt something was missing, and it confused him. Reeft, who he always had fun with, was crying.

He opened his mouth to call out her name, but stopped. What if she left already and went back home? He'd be stuck here forever.

After wandering around for what felt like a long time he found a small space he could squeeze into. There, he drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs then began to rock back and forth. Tears fell from his eyes and splashed onto his cheeks. "Master Numa," he muttered. He froze when he heard footsteps.

Not knowing who or what it was, he cowered deeper into the shadows. Someone with dark skin entered the room while fiddling with something in his hands and talking. He stopped and turned back to the door and leaned out while saying something. He disappeared out the door and eventually returned dragging a body who looked a lot like his friend Reeft. Releasing the hands, they flopped to the floor and landed with a soft thud.

Obi-Wan wished with all his might that he not be found, especially since he didn't know this person before him.

The dark man rifled through pockets and tossed out things.

Obi-Wan wanted to believe the man on the floor was asleep. He had to be asleep. I want to go home, he thought while wiping the tears from his eyes once again.

Not knowing how long he remained in his hiding place, he watched as the dark-skinned man went in and out of the room.

Hearing something, Obi-Wan looked towards the door again. He almost missed the man running out with something in his hand. Whatever it was didn't look like what Master Numa had hanging on her belt when they traveled outside their home. He turned his attention back to the form on the ground. Wake up, he wished his hardest to the still form. The bad man is coming back.

Instead of the still form sitting up, someone else came into the room. Her skin was about as dark as the bad man's, but had something on her head. Not knowing who she was, Obi-Wan pushed deeper into the shadows when she looked at him. In her hand was a long cylinder. Lightsaber. She has a lightsaber.

Before Obi-Wan could say anything, the bad man came back into the room.

"Who are you?" she asked while holding her lightsaber at the ready, but not ignited.

He snarled and raised his weapon to point at her.

With one move, she ignited the lightsaber and brought it up and cut what he held in half. As soon as he realized it was gone, he dropped what he was holding and turned to run from the room. He never made it.

Hearing a snap/hiss of another lightsaber, but from outside the room, the man backed away from the door with his hands raised in apparent supplication. On the other side was Master Numa with her own lightsaber in hand, and with a hard look on her face appeared through the entrance. Master!

"Where is he?"

He gave Master Numa a harsh laugh. "Dead, didn't L'Hon tell you?"

Numa narrowed her eyes and glanced towards the woman behind the man.

"You killed a child? He was only three standard," the dark skinned woman came around, her weapon also extended.

"Child? There is no child,"

"Then you know where he is." Master Numa took a step forward and raised her hand.

The man froze while the woman raised her wrist and spoke into it, "We have Kais in custody."

A burst of static and then an answer, "Good. What about the child."

She looked towards the body. With a few steps she approached the prone form and knelt down. "We haven't found the youngling yet. There is a body, though. He's a Dresseling."

"Dresseling...Dresseling...Dresseling," the voice on the other end muttered. "Ah, I see now. The only Dresseling on the payroll was the manager. He along with your youngling were the only souls unaccounted for."

"I see." She looked up to Numa who shook her head.

Numa raised her wrist. "Qui-Gon. Come to my position. I'll leave my comm on. When you get here we can work on looking for Obi-Wan."

"On my way," another voice answered.

Several minutes later both uniformed men and another one in a cream tunic appeared in the room. Obi-Wan's eyes grew wide at the familiarity of the tall man in light colored clothing. For the first time now thinking that everything would be okay, he rushed from his hiding place in the duct work and latched onto a leg.

"Obi-Wan?" Numa's soft voice was right behind him, while a hand settled onto his head. "Were you here the whole time?"

With his face buried in Qui-Gon's leggings Obi-Wan first shook his head, but then nodded.

"Here," he heard her voice as she wrapped her hands around his body. Obi-Wan didn't want that. He didn't want to be picked up by Master Numa and he tightened his hold on the leg in front of him.

"Don't worry, you're safe."

Obi-Wan sniffed. "No."

"Let me try Numa." The leg Obi-Wan was holding onto bent and soon the tall man was crouching in front of him. "Hello little one," he had a kind smile.

Without thinking, Obi-Wan opened his arms and tried to climb into his lap. Arms wrapped around him and he felt he was being picked up.

Now exhausted he rested his head on the big Jedi's shoulder as they left the room. With his free arm he wrapped it around the neck. Obi-Wan paid no attention to where they were going, and at this point in time he really didn't care. A hand pressed on his back in a comforting feeling. It was almost as if this had happened before, but he couldn't remember when.

"Come little one, lets go home," the kind voice spoke again.

It didn't take that long to get back to the Temple. Obi-Wan was so tired, that the next thing he knew he was being settled into his bed. "Sleep," the big Jedi said while cupping his face with a large hand.

Qui-Gon shook his head as he took the lift back up to the High Council chambers. The doors opened onto one of the residential levels and Numa stepped into the chamber. They glanced to each other for a moment as the doors closed and the lift began moving once again.

"How is Obi-Wan?" He heard that the youngling rarely left the Twi'lek's side after his frightening adventure.

She gave him a humorless smile. "Better. It's nap time, or I wouldn't be able to come without him holding onto me. He keeps asking for you, though."

The two lapsed into silence for the rest of the trip. Eventually the doors opened up revealing the council antechamber with two guards on either side of doors on the far wall.

They stepped out of the lift and walked towards the doors.

Instead of a full council, it was truncated by half. The two masters stood in the middle of the council chamber with frowns on their faces.

"Pleased we are of both of you finding the youngling," Yoda nodded.

"Yes Masters," Numa nodded.

"Yet…," Sinube gave the Twi'lek a knowing look. "How did young Obi-Wan slip away?"

Numa pressed her lips together. "Normally, Masters, I make sure that all my charges imprint upon me, that way I always know where they are at any given time, and they also know where I am and will stay close by. I'm not sure about Obi-Wan…," she shook her head. "I've always had problems with him when it comes to knowing where he's at. He also hid his Force signature. That is very impressive for a human child of three standard. They don't begin learning how to do that until they're at least six."

Sifo-Dyas cocked his head to the side. "He never imprinted upon you?"

"No, Master. I believe it could have been his mother, which isn't that surprising."

Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes.

Sifo-Dyas continued, "What have you to say about this, Master Qui-Gon?"

"I'm not sure," Qui-Gon shrugged, "but I knew where he was hiding when I stepped into the room."

"Interesting."

"Masters," Numa gave them a pensive look. "I asked for help before the field trip, but was denied, I was told that everything would be fine. I respectfully ask, or request for any type of trip outside the Temple with younglings, that there be at least four masters present. I don't wish for this to happen to any of the other crechling masters, or the younglings."

The six councilors glanced amongst themselves for several minutes.

"Think on this, we will," Yoda answered, his ears twitching. "And deliberate on this, we must."

"Thank you, Master Yoda." Numa nodded before leaving the council chamber.

Qui-Gon waited for a few more minutes until he received the nod that he too was dismissed. As soon as he was back within his own chambers. He removed his cloak and let it drop on the closest chair then went over to the small couch and sat down with a groan.

Qui-Gon still had to talk to the council about Xanatos, but at least this particular youngling was safe. He leaned forward and rubbed his face with his hand. He could still hear Obi-Wan's voice in his head when he laid him down for him to rest and for him to recover from his ordeal.

Don't leave me….

finis