"Eli, perhaps you and I should occupy ourselves in my study." Thrawn picked up his son, eyeing the piles of tulle and ribbon strewn across the Sitting Room.

Thara arched a blue-black eyebrow, smiling coyly. "Not until you help me hang all this."

"If I must."

"Here." She handed him a banner. "This is for the back wall."

As Thrawn carefully placed Eli back on the rug, the door comm dinged. Thara opened the door for Lorana and Thrass.

"He's just here to carry things." Lorana explained. "I have my hands full."

She showed Thara the bundle in her arms.

Thara gasped. "She's precious!"

"Her name's Vah'nya. She's an orphan. I was working at the Center when they brought her in." Lorana gently hugged the baby girl.

"We think she has Third and Second Sight," Thrass added in a conspiratorial whisper. "Lorana can sense her abilities. I guess she'll join the Skywalker program when she's old enough."

"But for now, she's mine." Lorana smiled and corrected herself. "I mean, ours. Eli, would you like to meet her?"

Thara glanced over her shoulder. Her little boy sat on the rug with a half-finished magnetic block pattern, staring intently.

Eli's Lorana was holding a funny looking blanket. A blanket named Vah'nya, from a center. Lorana wanted Eli to meet the blanket.

"Eli coming." He stood and walked to Mommy and Lorana. Daddy came, too. Lorana sat down on the couch and moved the blanket.

"Can you say 'hi' to her? She's a little baby- not big enough to talk like you."

A baby looked up at him. A blue baby with red eyes and black hair. Just like Daddy and Mommy.

"Baby bwue. Pwetty baby."

"Blue is very pretty," Lorana agreed, winking at Thrass. "Her name is Vah'nya. Can you say 'Vah'nya'?"

"Hi, Baby Bah'nya." Eli touched her hair. "Soft baby."

"She is a lovely child." Daddy let the baby hold his finger. "Perhaps the Springhawk will be in need of a Navigator when she is ready."

"We'd like that." Uncle Thrass carried two big food trays and a big bowl into the kitchen. "Anything else I need to bring in?"

"Don't forget the present!" Lorana held out the baby to Eli's Daddy. "Would you like to hold her while we get the decorations and food ready?"

Thrawn took the baby, nestling her in one arm and holding up the banner with his free hand. "I would be glad to look after her, if Thara will release me from my own decorating duties."

"I need you to reach the high spots," Thara insisted. She thought for a moment. "I'll get Eli's playpen for her, if that's all right with you, Lorana."

The playpen sat, unused, in Eli's room. Thara smiled as she lifted it. Her big boy no longer needed the safety of its confinement. Carefully, she carried it back to the Sitting Room. "Here we are."

Thrawn gently placed the baby inside and she waved her hands happily.

Eli hopped over to the play pen, blocks in hand."Eli too big for pen."

"Yes, you are, so we're going to share it with baby Vah'nya." Thrawn found the wall adhesive as Eli sat and began showing Vah'nya his blocks.

"Look, Baby Bah'nya - Eli make Agains!"

The baby clapped and cooed.

Thara pulled three tablecloths from another pile. "Here, Thrass. Make yourself useful and put these on the tables."

She picked up a roll of ribbon and moved to help Lorana tie bows on the chairs. "You're welcome to borrow the playpen, if you like. What other baby things do you need?"

"I just brought her home last night." Lorana smiled sheepishly. "I called Thrass and he helped me do some quick shopping- blankets, some clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles, formula. I'm sure there's a lot I haven't even thought of."

"And you're getting married in two weeks," Thrawn pointed out. "Perhaps Thara and I should take care of her until you are married and settled in your new home."

"I don't know." Lorana paused in her bow tying to kiss the baby's head. "I think I would miss her too much."

The door flew open and Che'ri raced in."Hi! We're early!"

"Indeed you are," Thrawn chuckled,"but as the event is being held in Thalias' honor, I think it will be all right."

"Che'ri has been so excited all morning,"Thalias explained as Samakro carried her in,"I just didn't think I could make her wait any longer."

"We're glad you're here,"Thara assured her, "but are you not feeling well? We can reschedule."

"I'm fine." Thalias patted Samakro's cheek. "My husband is just a little bit paranoid."

"She's been having dizzy spells for the past three days." Samakro hugged Thalias closer. "Her physician says it's nothing to worry about, but I don't think it's nothing. What if she falls?"

"She will be safe with us." Thrawn stepped to his first officer's side and indicated an ornately decorated conforming chair. "I believe Thara has designated this chair for her use."

Samakro tenderly settled her in the chair, kissing her repeatedly. "I'll be back soon. You comm me right away if you need anything or you don't feel well."

"I will." Thalias kissed him in return.

"Thalias, look!" Che'ri knelt beside the playpen, beaming at the baby inside. "Isn't she beautiful? Is this what ours will look like?"

"Something like that, I guess. Except ours is a boy." Thalias patted her middle. "And ours will be smaller at first."

"She's my new foster baby." Lorana finished tying her last bow. "Her name is Vah'nya. She's about six months old, we think."

"She's going to be a Skywalker, isn't she?" Che'ri asked.

"I think so. That's why I get to take care of her," Lorana said.

"Can I hold her?"

"Of course." Lorana scooped up the baby and eased her into Che'ri's arms.

Eli watched his Lorana give the Baby Vah'nya to his Che'ri. Eli's Baby Vah'nya. Not anymore. Che'ri had the Baby Vah'nya now.

He looked around the busy, noisy room. Mommy was giving fluffy balls to Daddy and telling him where to hang them. They were both smiling at the baby Vah'nya. Uncle Thrass was flopping crinkly covers on squeaky tables, while Lorana and Che'ri were talking to the Baby Vah'nya and giggling. Samakro was telling Thalias to put her feet up on a stool. Thalias was rubbing the baby in her belly and laughing.

No one needed a Baby Eli.

He would go to a quiet place until someone needed him. Picking up his magnetic blocks, he tiptoed to Daddy's office. He could still hear the noise. Daddy's storage room was quiet. He would play in there and make a big, tall Again.

He walked inside and dumped his blocks on the floor. The big door closed behind him. Eli looked at the door. He didn't know how to open it, but he knew Daddy would get him out when he needed him.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Samakro snuggled Thalias against his shoulder with another kiss.

"I'm fine. You need to get to that officer training." Thalias flopped back in her chair. "I want to hold the baby."

"You don't have to leave her, Samakro," Thrawn suggested, as an idea struck him. "I'm leading the training after all. I would be glad to have you participate in person."

"That would great." Samakro finally released Thalias. "Thank you, sir."

"You're quite welcome. Come, Eli. Bring your blocks." Thrawn turned to look at his son.

Eli was gone.

"Eli! Eli, where are you?"

Thara dropped the flowers she was holding. "Eli!"

"He's not far." Holding Vah'nya, Lorana closed her eyes. "I can sense him. He's in your office, Thrawn."

Without a word, Thrawn bolted for his office, followed by Thara, Thrass, Lorana and Che'ri. Samakro hovered between the Sitting Room and the office.

"There!" Lorana motioned to the small storage room.

"Eli!" Thrawn called again.

"Daddy," a little voice replied faintly. "Does Daddy need a Baby Eli now?"

"I always need you, my Eli."Realization washed over Thrawn. Realization, and a stab of guilt.

He reached to press the handle and embrace his precious boy. The door refused to budge.

He pulled harder. The door had no locking mechanism. Eli wasn't tall enough yet to reach the handle, so he shouldn't even have been able to close it. Something had gone wrong with the door's inner mechanisms.

Eli was trapped.

Thrawn drew a deep breath, seeking calm. The storage room was small. He could not risk harming Eli by cutting through the door or wall. He could attempt to remove mechanically. That would take time, time Eli might not have. At the moment, he had no other option.

"Samakro, use my comm to inform the other officers that our training will be delayed," he instructed. "Tell them I must first retrieve my son from a nearly airtight storage room."

For a moment, no one spoke.

"Thrawn,"Thara gripped his arm, "how long does he have?"

"Eli is using oxygen faster than it is being replaced through the narrow space under the door. I estimate we have thirty minutes, at most."

"Then we need to act quickly." Thrass inspected the door. "Perhaps we should make an air hole."

"Only as a last resort. Any cutting or drilling could harm him." Thrawn knelt by the door. "I have a tool kit in the bottom drawer of my cabinet. Would you bring it here, please?"

As Thrass hurried to find the tools, Thrawn bent down and spoke soothingly. "Eli, I need you to lie down and be very still and quiet while we get the door open."

"Here are the tools," Thrass murmured.

Thrawn and Thrass tried several ways to remove the door. Both the hinges and the handle refused to yield to Thrawn's wide selection of tools. How could I have overlooked such a serious safety issue? Thrawn wondered.

"You need to look inside." Thalias stood in the doorway.

"You're supposed to be resting!" Samakro rushed to her side and picked her up.

"I was sitting on a block," she pouted, holding up the offending toy. "As I was saying, if we could see inside, we could find out if the problem is on that side."

"Are you suggesting that Che'ri should use her Second Sight?" Thara asked.

Thalias nodded. "At least let her try."

"Che'ri?" Thrawn invited.

Che'ri squatted down by the door, pressing her hand against it. "Eli, it's me, Che'ri. I need you to relax. Put your hand on the door and look around you."

A soft thud pulled Thrawn's attention briefly from the door.

"Sorry," Thalias whispered, indicating the block. "I dropped it."

Lorana picked up the block. Little Vah'nya grabbed it.

"I can only get a fuzzy picture. Not enough to see anything."Che'ri scrunched her nose."Maybe it's because he's not a Skywalker."

Thrawn gently squeezed her shoulder. "Keep trying. Any information you can provide may prove useful."

Lorana gasped."I've got it."

"What is it?" Thrawn leaped to his feet.

"Look at the way Vah'nya is holding Eli's block. I just stroked her hair and I got a glimpse of the storage room."

Che'ri jumped up and grabbed Lorana's free hand, tugging her towards the door. "We can do it together."

Che'ri and Lorana knelt by the door with Vah'nya. Closing her eyes, Che'ri placed one hand on Vah'nya's head and one hand on the door. The baby cooed softly.

"It's the blocks!" Che'ri squealed in triumph. "Eli's magnet blocks are right under the door handle."

Of course. Eli had been making stacked patterns all week. He had built one underneath the door handle and the massive magnetic pull was interfering with the door's proper function. Quite probably the magnets had drawn the door closed behind Eli as well.

Thrawn leaned down to speak to Eli.

"Eli, I need you to take all of your blocks and move them to the very back of the room, as far from the door as you can. Tell me when you finish."

"Yes, Daddy."

Thrawn waited, barely breathing, trying to hear Eli's movements.

"All done, Daddy."

On his knees, Thrawn pressed the handle. The door opened. Eli stumbled out, rubbing his eyes.

"Eli sweepy."

Releasing the breath he had been holding, Thrawn held out his arms. Eli fell into his embrace.

"Take big, slow breaths, my Eli." Thrawn cuddled him close, rubbing his back.

Thara joined the embrace, half crying, half laughing as she kissed their son. "I told you a baby Human is a lot of work. But he's worth it."

"Without a doubt."

Eli breathed easily now, his head resting on Thrawn's shoulder. Closing the door, Thrawn rose and turned to the gathered group.

"Ladies, I believe your guests will be arriving shortly. Samakro, if you'll return Thalias to her seat of honor, we will begin the training discussion."

Thara gave Eli another kiss and hug. "We need to do something about that door."

"We will,"Thrawn promised.

Eli lifted his head. "Fanks, Che'ri. Fanks, Baby Bah'nya. Fanks for helping Eli."

Vah'nya cooed a response. Lorana held her up for Eli to pat. "I think you two are going to be good friends."

The women trailed back into the sitting room, followed by Samakro, who had reluctantly released Thalias but still had his arm wrapped protectively around her.

With Thalias safely in her chair, Che'ri playing with baby Vah'nya, and Thara and Lorana welcoming their guests, Samakro rejoined Thrawn and Thrass.

"Are you going to tell the other officers what happened?" Samakro asked.

"Of course." Thrawn settled Eli in his lap as he prepared to begin the holo-feed. "After all, our topic of discussion is the value of teamwork."

Author's Note: I started to out to write a sweet, fluffy story, but my brain keeps telling me that a good story should have a problem somewhere. The problem was supposed to involve Eli being jealous of the new babies. That didn't quite fit and somehow Eli wound up trapped in a storage room. Then I decided to limit the oxygen supply to raise the stakes. At least I got in some good cuddles and kisses. And an overprotective Samakro- he's a lot of fun to write.

I don't think I can let Thrass and Lorana actually adopt Vah'nya. If she and Eli are adoptive cousins, I would have a bit of a problem with my Ship in the future.

The next story will probably be about Thrass and Lorana's wedding. I'm not sure how Chiss do it, so we'll see how it goes!

Thanks for reading and God bless you!