I haven't said this yet: I have the entire story written. Some parts still may need work, so I can't guarantee it, but I'm trying to post every Friday evening.

The four-year-olds exhausted me yesterday. I slept very well, but I am not prepared to do that again.

Fang, Master Sual, and I have a quiet breakfast. I drag myself through morning classes, but I work extra hard at lightsaber practice to make up for yesterday.

After my afternoon classes, I go to the crèche again. I decide to go to the seven-year-olds this time. It seems a good age.

The caretakers don't recognize me right away, but when I tell them my name, they nod and tell the younglings that I am here to play with them. There are only two caretakers in this group, which is probably a good sign.

The younglings ask me hundreds of questions. The difference here is that they understand what death is, so I tell them that my master is dead, and they ask if I'll get another.

If?

I tell them that of course I will, but not quite yet.

"So you're our master for now," an alien with fuzzy black fur says happily.

"Maybe," I laugh. He has a point.

They don't just throw around toys like the younger ones. They actually play games, and I teach them a few new ones. But they still have the cute randomness of most younglings. One little girl comes up to me in the middle of a game and says, "I like your horns."

I am completely taken aback. "Well, thank you," I say. Since she is a Twi'lek, and she has commented on the defining aspect of my species, Zabrak, I add, "I like your lekku."

"Thanks." She grins. "Wanna trade?"

"No! I like my horns, too!" I laugh.

"Oh. Okay." She walks away. I have to wonder if she really thinks we could switch horns for lekku, head-tails.

When I leave, one of the caretakers asks, "Will you come back tomorrow? They really enjoyed having an older kid to play with."

"I hope so," I say. But later, I find a message on my comm unit. "Will you please come back tomorrow? The younglings were asking where you were today. They adore you." It was from a caretaker from the four-year-olds.

So I tell the older younglings' caretakers that I will be back the day after tomorrow and brace myself for another day of wild little younglings.

It's worth it. When I walk in, one of the younglings shouts, "It's 'Kite!" They start chanting my name until it sounds like, "Kitty, kitty, kitty." I shout, "My name is Ah-kee-tay!"

They dutifully repeat it and then start shouting, "Come play with me, Akitty!"

I laugh. Yoda is right. Younglings are good for you. I start looking forward to them all day. They keep my mind off other things. I realize that my leg has stopped hurting.

It has been three weeks since the Battle of Geonosis. I am chasing a few four-year-old younglings. I hear a more adult voice yelling, "Akite!"

Fang dashes into the room and yells again, "Akite!" I stand and stare at him with astonishment. Fang never yells and never runs. I can't imagine what is happening.

He stands in the doorway and gasps, "Sorry… Masters, may I please… speak to Akite… Chairu?"

The caretaker in charge nods. I escape from the younglings, who want to keep me forever, and we close the door behind us. My feet are bare because of all the little feet and hands, and the floor of the hallway is cold, but Fang's face is filled with joy.

"Akite, Zefel – Zefel is alive!"

The cold floor drops out from under me. I'm swimming in air. "What?"

"She's alive! The Council got a ransom offer for two knights and Zefel yesterday! Master Sual told me. She's alive!"

I float far away from my body. This is beyond hope. I'm not sure how my words reach my mouth, but they do. "Are they sure it's not a trap?"

"Yes, yes, they spoke to the prisoners! And they think there might be more, too. They'll pay the money, and Zefel will come home!"

I'm in my body again. "Yes!" I shout. "Yes! Yes!"

We jump up and down, laughing and screaming, "Yes!" I never thought I would ever see Fang so happy. I never thought I would see him laughing and cheering. And, for the first time in three weeks, I feel that the Force is good.

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