12

"I, too, was chosen at an early age," he told the boy. "I left my family and went to the Jedi Temple. It was a great honor. But I missed my family very much, even though I couldn't really remember them."

The boy and the pale man walked along the path between the golden fronds. They were quite interesting to the boy as they swayed back and forth in the wind. He liked them, but he couldn't think of an adequate word to describe them. The boy was starting to think real hard. The large pale man seemed shocked that there was nothing before. He was not only shocked, but the boy also sensed fear. He still wondered what the large pale man had to be afraid of. Could the things that he himself was afraid of be afraid too?

Perhaps the boy had a before. His name must have been in the before just as his parents must have been. The pale man seemed certain that he had them. Though if there really was a before then everyone had a before and so should he. Everyone else seemed to know their before. Why couldn't he? Was there something wrong with him?

"Father!" Another pale man called out.

This man was the same height as the large Galacian, but his frame was much skinnier. He was well toned but not as bulky as the one that the boy walked next to. The large Galacian's face broke out into a smile.

"Tiku!" He greeted.

"You are back so soon." Tiku commented.

The large Galacian nodded towards the boy beside him. He was looking at Tiku with confusion, but also the slightest bit of recognition. He remembered the large Galacian mentioning Tiku. He remembered!

"Who is this?' Tiku asked and smiled at the boy.

The boy evaluated Tiku for a second and decided that he liked him too. He was like the large Galacian.

"I don't know." Tiku's father answered sheepishly.

"You don't know…" Tiku restated skeptically.

"I found him on the street. He…"

Before the Galacian could finish Tiku interrupted him with a bright gleam in his eye.

"Now this is what I've been trying to explain to you! Prammi claims that she will put into effect social reforms that will keep more orphans off of the street obviously to counter the monarchy's inefficiency in dealing with the problem. She believes that a large government can solve this problem. Of course Brun has already tried to discredit her by saying that she spouts off theories that the people want to hear. She won't do as she promised. She will only focus on her re-election. What he fails to mention is that he wants a government that doesn't support the lower class as much as Prammi. He wants larger businesses and less government. "

Tiku's father waited patiently with his eyes slightly glazed over. He stole a look down on the young boy and burst out laughing as he saw the same blank expression he knew was mirrored on his own face. He patted the boy on the shoulder and chuckled again.

"What?" Tiku asked. "This is very important! Especially to young… What did you say his name was again?"

"I didn't say."

Tiku muttered something and waited for something that would not come. Finally he became impatient and threw his hands into the air.

"All right! What is his name?"

"I don't know."

The large Galacian was obviously amused by how he had finally flustered his intelligent son. His smile grew larger.

"You don't know? You don't know?" Tiku practically screamed.

The boy took a step back in fear at the change in tone but looked up at the large Galacian. He was not scared. In fact he looked happy.

"Do you?" The large Galacian asked.

Tiku started making strange gestures and his face was turning an interesting red color. The boy was afraid, but also intrigued. Could he change the color of his face as well? Before the boy could find out, two more pale beings stepped out of the house. One was shorter than the other and had pale blonde hair that went to her shoulders. The other had cropped brown hair and had his hand on the shorter one's shoulder.

The boy looked back at the large Galacian. His face was not happy anymore. The boy couldn't describe it, but he knew something wasn't right. He looked back at the tall Galacian with brown hair. As with most things he was confused. There was something strange about the brown haired one and he couldn't explain it to himself or anyone else.

"Tiku!" Keta exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"What isgoing on!" Tiku asked shrilly. "I have no idea what is going on!"

The Large Galacian's eyes narrowed as he looked at the tall man with brown hair and his lips became tighter. Deep lines developed on his forehead. The brown haired man looked back and tilted his head a little to the left. The Large Galacian's lip twitched slightly. The exchange was only seen by the boy who did not know what it meant.

"Father?" Keta asked.

The Large Galacian looked down at the girl and his face softened again. He smiled and the boy was glad once again.

"Yes Keta?" He asked.

"Why is Tiku throwing a fit? Did you insult his political efficacy again?"

"Effica-what?" The Galacian butchered the word.

"His lack of efficacy insults me." Tiku said haughtily.

"What is this… Fickasee?

The boy listened intently. He didn't know what 'Fickasee' was either.

"You know what efficacy is! I've explained it to you at least a hundred times!"

"That's for sure!" Tiku's father stated. "I don't know how many Fickasee lectures I've been through. Fickasee this! Fickasee that! Why can't you have more Fickasee?"

"EFFICACY!" Tiku shouted, threw his hands up, and walked into the house muttering.

The Large Galacian burst out laughing and the blonde girl Keta started giggling as well. The brown-haired man did not seem so amused. He turned his attention to the lost boy and his pale blue eyes narrowed in confusion. The boy did not like the brown-haired man to look at him so he hid behind the Large Galacian. Keta's eyes looked at the movement. She looked questioningly at her father.

"I found him in the market today. He lost his parents and he doesn't remember much so I think we should take care of him until we can find his parents." The Large Galacian explained.

"What's his name?" Keta asked.

"He doesn't remember."

"Oh."

"So you just brought him here?" The brown haired man asked in mocking incredulity.

The Large Galacian's face turned into a scowl.

"Yes, Kiban." He muttered.

"And did you really think that was the wisest course of action?"

"Yes." The Large Galacian said unhesitatingly.

"Do you know what the punishment is for kidnapping a child?" The tutor asked again.

"I didn't kidnap him." He snapped back in irritation.

"Do you think they're going to see a difference? Considering your record? When is the last time you did anything altruistic?"

"And when is the last time you found a job you could keep?" The Large Galacian threatened.

Kiban became silent. He took a deep breath and calmed his voice and tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"All I am saying is that someone might misinterpret your actions."

"And they might not. Either way I'm not leaving the boy out on the streets. Tomorrow I will go back into town and see if anyone lost their child."

The Large Galacian reached out for the boy's hand and led him into the house. He took one last look at Keta before the door closed.

"Why do you do that?" Keta asked Kiban.

Kiban looked down at Keta and smiled.

"Adults should be challenged Keta. How many times have I told you that? Your father's opinion isn't always right. His rules aren't always fair. We would all be slaves if no one ever stood up for what they thought was right."

Keta made a weird squinting action as if pondering what her tutor said.

"But isn't what he doing right? I mean, who knows what could have happened to the little boy if my father hadn't brought him here."

Kiban smiled again. It was a smile he reserved only for Keta.

"We'll see."

"Avlo!" Came a loud screech from somewhere inside of the house.

The Large Galacian cringed slightly. He knew he was in trouble now. He thought of trying to sneak past the bearer of the voice, but knew it was futile.

"Avlo! You explain this NOW!"

The Large Galacian whom the boy assumed had the name Avlo looked down at him. The boy was a little shocked to find fear on the man's face. It was a different kind of fear. Once again he was at a loss to explain.

"Yes dear!" Avlo called out.

Avlo wrung his hands and started pacing around.

"All right. All right. Here's what we'll do," He said to the boy. "I'll be charming and you'll try to be adorable."

"A-door-a-bull." The boy lengthened the word to try and understand it.

"That's perfect!" Avlo exclaimed.

The boy still did not know what adorable was, but had no time to ponder it because Avlo was ushering him through the house. The boy looked around at the ceiling of the house and at all the objects inside. He did not know what they were and what function they served, but he figured that they weren't dangerous. The two entered a tiled room with sunlight streaming through it. A long counter ran from one wall to the next and a little counter island was in the middle of the tiled floor. The boy looked at the counter top and traced his fingers in the little tiny crevices that made up an intricate mosaic. He liked the way it felt on his fingers.

"Avlo!" A voice exclaimed.

The boy looked up from the counter and saw the owner of the voice. She was a short handsome woman with stocky legs and golden blonde hair. Her skin glowed slightly in the sunlight and her hair was plaited into a tight braid. Several strands had come out and her face was flushed. The boy didn't know if he liked her or not. Avlo seemed to be afraid of her so there must be something bad about her.

"I sent you into town to get something. What was it again?" She asked with an odd tilt to her voice.

"I believe it was…"

"I gave you a list." The woman cut Avlo off.

Avlo searched through his clothing and then produced a small datapad.

"This list?" He asked innocently.

The woman glared and took the datapad from Avlo.

"Yes. That list."

"It's a good list." Avlo stated. "I think it was well thought out and…"

"Stop trying to be charming!" The woman interjected.

Avlo frowned, but he wasn't completely out of ideas on how to get out of his wife's wrath.

"Well. The thing was I was going to…"

"How many times have I heard this story?" She asked peevishly.

"This one is different! Now let me explain. I was going to get the items you so humbly requested but as I was walking into Galu I came upon something quite strange."

Avlo raised his eyebrows and smirked. The woman sighed in exasperation.

"What was so strange?" She asked unenthusiastically.

"Well!" Avlo said. "I was jumped by a young boy."

The woman looked skeptically at her husband but then her eyes trailed to the boy beside him. Her lip twitched slightly.

"I'm sure…"

"After beating the crap out of me he blackmailed me into taking him here so we can feed him."

"He did?"

Avlo smiled down at the confused boy. The boy felt an empty place in his stomach and it hurt but did not hurt. He took a deep breath and strange aromas assaulted his nose. He did not know what they were but the pain in his stomach got sharper. The woman watched the boy curiously and then her face softened. Avlo sighed surreptitiously in relief. The woman approached the young boy and stood in front of him.

"What's your name dear?" She asked in a soft voice.

The boy was again at a loss to answer. He didn't know his name. He looked away from the woman and at the ground. Avlo's wife looked back at her husband in question.

"He doesn't remember his name, his parents, where he is from…" Avlo trailed off.

The woman sighed and put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. She smiled at him and the boy smiled back. Despite the fact that Avlo feared the woman the boy still got a good feeling from her. She would not hurt him. It was another one of those things he couldn't understand. Maybe Avlo saw that about him and so that's why he took him home.

"Don't worry, just give it time. You'll remember eventually."

The boy liked the woman's smile. It made him feel safe and secure. It was like Avlo's laugh. The boy briefly thought back to the three beings that had hurt him. They were not like this. He hoped they never came back. He didn't like them.

"Really?" The boy asked.

"Oh definitely." The woman reassured. "But in the meantime, are you hungry?"

"I'm hungry!" Avlo boomed.

The woman completely ignored her husband. The boy was confused. He didn't know what 'hungry' was. How did he know if he was hungry or not? Were they hungry? Was hungry a good or bad thing? He felt the ache deep in his stomach and wondered what that was as well. The woman's eyes were kind as well and she patted the boy on the head.

"I bet you are. I'll just give you a snack until dinner. Okay sweetie? Just don't tell –"

Before Avlo's wife could finish her sentence another small boy came hurtling through the room. He was yelling something inarticulate. The lost boy's eyes widened in fear and he hid behind Avlo. He peered at the active smaller boy in fear.

"Shiko." Avlo's wife finished with a sigh.

"Moommmmmy!" The boy whined. "Did you say snack?"

Before the woman could answer Shiko was chasing the lost boy around Avlo's legs. The two boys weaved in and out of the large Galacian's legs and Avlo sighed. He picked both boy's up by the collar. Shiko's legs dangled in the air and he was still trying to get at the lost boy. The lost boy looked as if a pack of Mali were chasing him.

"Wheeeee!" Shiko screeched.

"Shiko! Behave! We have a guest." Avlo's wife reprimanded.

"Really? Where?"

Avlo sighed and put both boys down. Shiko was completely dwarfed by the lost boy's height, but that did not intimidate him.

"What's your name?" Shiko asked the boy.

"I don't—"

"My name is Shiko." Shiko interrupted him. "I like birds. I'm going to be one soon. My dad says."

"What's a bird?" The boy asked.

"I'll show you!" Shiko exclaimed.

Shiko grabbed the lost boy's hand and ran out of the house with him. The lost boy didn't know what to do so he went along. Shiko stopped suddenly in front of a large object that the lost boy could barely describe. It was thin and bare until it reached about his height and then it branched off and became a different color.

"See?" Shiko asked.

"That's a bird?" The boy asked.

"Yep!" Shiko affirmed pointing to a small bird sitting in the tree.

"Wow." The lost boy said.

Once again the boy was astounded. Shiko was going to turn into a 'bird'. The boy wondered how Shiko (who was small) was going to turn into a huge 'bird'. The 'bird' was taller than he was! Questions raced through the boy's mind. How? Why? Could he do it too? Was he going to become a 'bird' too?

"Do you want to be one too?" Shiko asked.

"I don't—"

"Here I'll show you! Do this!"

Shiko spread his arms out and the lost boy copied him. The boy had to admit that he kind of looked like a 'bird'. Maybe if Shiko had more arms he could really be a 'bird'. Maybe Shiko was going to grow more arms! Shiko began to wave his arms up and down. The lost boy looked in confusion at Shiko and then back at the 'bird'. It certainly wasn't waving its arms. It stood there. It sort of waved back and forth.

"Come on! You've got to do it too!"

Shiko started running circles around the stationary lost boy and making strange noises. The lost boy experimented with waving his arms slowly.

"Faster!" Shiko shrieked.

The lost boy continued to wave his arms slowly like the 'bird'. He smiled. Maybe he really could be a 'bird' someday. Shiko would be a bird too; his dad said. Shiko stopped waving his arms back and forth and the boy continued. Shiko ran up to the boy and dragged him away again.

"Come on! I'll show you around!" Shiko exclaimed.

The two boys started romping around the land. Several workers watched them and shook their heads. Shrieks of laughter could be heard all around.

"Look! See that?" Shiko asked, pointing to a large boulder. "My dad moved that with his bare hands."

"Wow!" The boy exclaimed.

The rock was enormous and the boy knew the word for it now.

"My dad is the strongest man on Gala!" Shiko said with pride.

"Really?" The boy asked.

"Yeah! What about your dad?"

The boy frowned and looked away. His eyes became clouded with confusion once again as he tried to remember. He didn't remember anything about his dad. He didn't even know if he had one. If Shiko had one then maybe he had one. Everyone seemed to think he had parents so he most likely did.

"I don't know." The boy said forlornly.

Shiko was confused.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'? Don't you know your own dad?"

"I don't remember."

"Oh." Shiko said.

For a very long and strange second the normally hyperactive boy was silent. The second passed.

"Come on! I'll show you the river."

Shiko grabbed the boy's hand and they were off again. They stopped right at the bank of the river. It was a small river that you could swim across if you want and it flowed slowly along. It was clear and smooth rocks lay along the edge. The lost boy looked down into the slow moving water and saw the boy that was in the black lens of the probot. He stared at the boy in the water and the boy in the water stared back at him. So the boy hadn't been destroyed! When Avlo hit the black floating object he had been released and now he was in the river. The lost boy smiled and the boy in the water smiled back.

"What are you looking at?" Shiko asked. "Do you see a fish?"

The lost boy smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Shiko! Dinner time!" A loud voice called from the house.

Shiko's eyes lit up.

"Come on!" He urged and the boys ran to the house.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. School, work, and Cross Country have been hell. At least it wasn't six months like last year! You guys rock like Obi-Wan's rock! Don't ask me about the next update because I have no idea when… Cross Country is ending soon so maybe I'll have time to write.