List in hand, Thara opened the box. Going down her list, she checked off each item she found.

Plates, cups, napkins, all decorated with a large number "3". Check.

Colorful tablecloths. Check.

Small party hats in Mitth burgundy. Check.

Party favors. Check.

Eli's gifts were nestled under the party supplies. A counting book, a soft patterned blanket and a set of magnetic number blocks. Almost everything.

She checked again. Eli's number puzzle was not in the box. It was the only present he had requested for his birthday. He had seen it in a shop window while out with Thrawn.

"Numbers, Daddy! For Eli's bir'day, pwease?"

When Thrawn had gone inside to purchase the puzzle, the saleslady had explained that they had none in stock, but she would gladly place an order. The number puzzle should have been shipped to the Springhawk with the rest of the birthday order.

Thara found her husband on the bridge.

"Thrawn, we have a problem." She glanced at the Navigator's station, where Skywalker Che'ri played with Eli.

"You inventoried the birthday box?" Thrawn asked.

"Yes. Everything is there, except the number puzzle."

"His one request." Thrawn frowned. "I shall endeavor to contact a sales person immediately."

He motioned for her to follow as he approached the Navigator's station. "And we need to speak with the Vantos. We should be near enough to Lysatra."

They reached the console. Thrawn inclined his head in greeting to Che'ri and her Caregiver.

"Caregiver Thalias, could we presume upon you to watch Eli while Thara and I make an important comm call?"

The young woman ruffled Eli's hair. "We would love to. We'll take him to our suite, if that's okay."

"Eli pway wif snaps?" Eli bounced in Che'ri's lap.

The little girl hugged him tightly. "Sure, Baby Eli."

Che'ri plopped Eli down on the rug in her room and dumped a pile of snap builders in front of him. He clapped.

"Eli make agains."

He scooped up a handful of snaps, sorting them to make a pattern. Che'ri considered getting out her new modeling plastoid and paint set, but she didn't feel like making art right now. Instead, she sat on the rug with Baby Eli.

From down the hall, she heard Thalias in the kitchen, cheerfully singing as she prepared a meal. Apparently, her Momish hadn't been listening to Senior Captain Thrawn and Thara. Che'ri couldn't understand. Why were Eli's parents giving him back? He never caused trouble and always obeyed. And he was so adorable and sweet.

The ship would be a sad place without him. She couldn't let him leave.

An idea formed in her mind. Tiptoeing to the door, she peered out. Sounds of dishes clinking and Thalias singing floated to her. Her Momish would be busy for a while.

Returning to the rug, she crouched down. "How would you like to play with the snap builders in my secret place?"

"Yes, pwease!" Eli put the snap builders back in their bucket. Che'ri helped him.

Carefully fastening the lid, she perched Eli on her hip and slipped into the hall. She held her breath as she hurried past the kitchen, pausing at the door of the suite to listen. To her Skywalker senses, the corridor outside felt clear.

She eased the door open. No one.

Two corridors away, she found the maintenance hatchway and ducked inside.

"We're going to climb." She pointed to a tall ladder. "Are you ready?"

Eli nodded. She boosted him up onto the bottom rung.

"Reach up to the next rung with your hands, then step up with your feet."

"Okay. Eli try."

Eli climbed up and Che'ri climbed up behind him. When they reached the top, she helped him hop off onto the floor. Down one more corridor, she brought Eli to a secluded corner.

"This is it. My secret place. Nobody else knows about it -just you and me."

"A secret?" Eli stared, wide-eyed.

"Yeah." Che'ri lifted a wall panel, revealing a dark nook. "I'll turn on the light."

After finding the hideaway for the first time, Che'ri had brought a small light, blankets, pillows, her sketchpad, and some snacks. She led Eli into the little space and replaced the panel, then settled Eli on a blanket with the snap builders.

"Eli like secret." He smiled. "Eli like Che'ri."

"I like you, too." She kissed his soft baby cheek. "I don't want you to leave us."

"Eli stay wif Daddy-Mommy always." He hugged her tightly and returned to the snaps.

"Gween, bwue, wed, lellow. Again."

Che'ri watched him, a lump in her throat. Why was Captain Thrawn sending him away? What if he was sick and needed to go to a Human hospital?

Picking up her sketchpad and graph markers, she drew the happy little boy playing on the blanket. Would he like living on Lysatra with other Humans?Or would he cry for his Daddy and Mommy?

"Eli hungwy. Snack, pwease?"

Che'ri couldn't help smiling at those big, brown eyes.

"Sure, Baby Eli."

"I see. Do you know of any other retailers who might have one?" Thrawn asked into his comm.

"It appears to be a manufacturer's issue, " the salesman explained. "But I suppose you could check. I know your little boy had his heart set on it."

"What about the display puzzle?" Thara leaned over Thrawn's shoulder to speak into the comm.

"We were going to send it, but it was defective and broke as we were packing it."

Thrawn thanked the salesman and ended the call.

Thara patted his arm. "I'm going to check on Eli while you finish your calls. It's time for his midday medicine. "

Thrawn nodded, studying a list of retailers on his questis. Picking the most promising one, he placed his call, only to find the retailer did not have the puzzle either. He called a second store with the same result. Choosing a third store, he dialed the number.

"Thrawn! Eli is gone!"

Thara burst into his office, followed closely by Thalias.

Thrawn dropped the comm. "What happened?"

Thalias rubbed her tear-streaked face and drew a ragged breath. "He ... he was playing in Che'ri's room. I was ... making them a meal. I... I went ... to... to tell them it was ready ... They were gone!"

Gone. For a moment, Thrawn's mind refused to process the information. Eli is gone.

No.He is not gone. He was somewhere on board the ship. And his father would find him.

"He and Che'ri are both missing?"

Thalias nodded. "You ... you know Che'ri. She gets ideas."

With a calming breath of his own, Thrawn retrieved his commlink and strode to a nearby computer. Punching in his passcode, he selected holo-vid feeds from all cameras near the Skywalker Suite and motioned Thara and Thalias over.

"I have set the feeds for thirty minutes ago, at double speed. Thara, you take this one; Thalias, this one."

He tapped play. An empty hall appeared on his screen. Five minutes crept by. He resisted the urge to speed up the video.

There. He paused his feed. Che'ri balanced Eli on her hip, coming from the suite.

"I've got them. You should see them momentarily, Thara. Thalias, take the camera at the next intersection."

He keyed up additional feeds, tracking Che'ri and Eli until they disappeared into a maintenance shaft. He frowned.

"The camera is not functioning."

Some people believed surveillance in seldom-used places was unnecessary. Thrawn disagreed.

Thara squeezed his shoulders. "At least we know where to start looking."

Eli rubbed his eyes. "Bwue, wed, pink, bwown. Good..." -He interrupted himself with a big yawn-"...again. Daddy-Mommy, Eli."

A sleepy Baby Eli was even more precious than usual, making Che'ri's heart squeeze. She picked up a blanket.

"I think you need a nap. Come on."

"Eli tired. Eli clean up."

"You're such a good boy. But you're so sleepy. I'll clean up."

Che'ri scooped the snaps into the bucket, then held out her arms. Baby Eli crawled into her lap and she wrapped the blanket snuggly around him.

"Goodnight, Che'ri." He laid his soft head on her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Baby Eli."

When I grow up, I'm going to adopt a baby Human.

Resting her cheek on his whisper-soft hair, she closed her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, she wondered how long they would have to hide. She couldn't let him go back. She couldn't.

Thrawn stepped off the ladder and reached down to help Thara and Thalias. The corridor was empty. Pulling out his questis, he tried again to bring up a holo-vid feed from any of the cameras. He found one grainy holo-vid of a small form hurrying down the hall.

"They came here. Let's find out if they are still here."

"There are a lot of supply closets up here." Thara surveyed the hall. "Maybe they're hiding in one of them."

"Che'ri could be anywhere." Thalias checked the closest closet. "She loves hiding places. No, not in here."

"Eli needs his medicine." Thrawn's eyes narrowed in thought. "Thalias, would you help me test a theory?"

Thara touched his arm. "We don't have time. Eli-"

Thrawn lifted his hand. "I believe Skywalkers retain a vestige of their abilities throughout life."

"I ... I don't know." Thalias bit her lip.

"Will you try to sense Che'ri? You and she share a special bond."

Thalias drew a deep breath. She nodded. She closed her eyes, stilling her body.

Thrawn waited.

Thalias opened her eyes. "This way, I think."

She led the way down the corridor to the right. Coming to another closet, she checked inside. No Eli or Che'ri.

"I'm sorry." Her face scrunched. "I thought I felt something."

"If Che'ri doesn't want to be found, she wouldn't hide in a closet." Thara looked at Thrawn. "So where is she?"

Thrawn squeezed his wife's hand. "Perhaps Thalias is correct." He tapped the wall softly with his free hand. Hollow. "Precisely where is the sensation coming from, Caregiver?"

Thalias closed her eyes again. Reaching out, she stepped forward with her eyes still shut.

"Here." Her fingers brushed the wall.

Kneeling, Thrawn inspected the area and found a loose panel. He carefully lifted it away.

"Eli!" Thara gasped.

"Che'ri!" Thalias sagged in visible relief.

Both children were curled up, sound asleep. Thrawn stroked Eli's hair and kissed his forehead. Passing Eli to Thara, he lifted Che'ri into his arms. The little Skywalker stirred as they reached the ladder. Her eyes widened when she saw Thrawn.

"Senior Captain Thrawn! No! No, no, you can't! Please don't!"

"What is you don't wish me to do?" Thrawn gently set her on her feet and knelt, facing her.

"Please don't give Baby Eli back! I want him to stay! He's such a good boy."

"Give him back? Why do you think we are giving Eli away?"

Che'ri choked out a sob. "I heard you talking about calling his first parents. You said we were close enough. Is ... is he sick? Is that why you're sending him away?"

"My child, you misunderstood. Eli's birth parents want to wish him a happy birthday over the comm."

"But you wanted us to take him." Che'ri wiped her tears. "You didn't want him to hear."

"Oh, Sweetheart!" Thara shifted Eli in her arms, freeing one hand to pat Che'ri. "We didn't want him to know his number puzzle didn't come in the birthday box. It was the one thing he really wanted and we were calling the store."

"You weren't calling his first parents to give him back?"Che'ri sniffled.

"Of course not." Thrawn brushed his fingertips across his sleeping son's cheek. "We will never let him go."

"Good." Che'ri sighed. "I love Baby Eli so much."

Thara kissed Eli's cheek. "We love him, too."

"Happy birthday, Eli!" The crew members gathered in the Forward Visual Triangulation Site Number One cheered as Thrawn and Thara brought their son into the small room.

"Baby Eli!" Che'ri ran to them and threw her arms around Eli. A cluster of young Skywalkers from other ships followed her.

Eli returned the hug and waved to the children. Thara watched him with a smile.

"Cake, pwease?" Eli pointed the birthday cake adorned with a large number three.

Thara laughed. "Of course! Let's put on the party hats, too"

Soon Eli and his little guests were busy giggling and getting icing all over their faces. Che'ri sat beside Eli, occasionally petting his hair. Thrawn approached the table with a comm in his hand.

"Someone else would like to wish you a happy birthday, my Eli." He placed the comm on the table. Daniel and Lydia Vanto appeared above it.

"Happy birthday, Eli!"

"Lysat Mommy-Daddy!" Eli waved. "Eli in space!"

"Yes," Lydia smiled. "Do you like being on a starship?"

Eli nodded. "So fun."

"We sent you something. Did you get it?" Daniel glanced questioningly at Thrawn and Thara.

In answer, Thara handed Eli a wrapped box. A soft, plush bear lay inside, with an embroidered design on its stomach.

"I embroidered Aurabesh numbers on it," Lydia said. "I didn't know what Chiss numbers look like."

"Numbers!" Eli traced the numbers with his finger after Thrawn translated and explained. "Number puzzle, pwease?"

Thara picked him up and hugged him. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. The number puzzle didn't come. Would you like to open your other presents?"

Eli's lips quivered. A single tear slid down his cheek. He slumped, clutching his teddy. "Yes, Mommy."

"Oh, Eli." Thara kissed him and ruffled his hair under his party hat. "I know you want the puzzle. We're going to get you one, but we don't have it right now.

Thrawn patted Eli's back. "You can help us find it."

Eli nodded but his lips still trembled.

Thara hugged him again. "Che'ri, will you help me with Eli's presents?"

Che'ri's seat was empty.

Thalias sighed. "Not again. I'll go find her."

As Thalias left, Thara handed Eli to Thrawn and brought the presents to the table. Eli snuggled the blanket, counted the numbers on his magnet blocks and turned the pages of his book.

"Fanks, Daddy-Mommy. Eli like pwesents." His little shoulders drooped but he bravely held his smile.

Thrass and Lorana joined them. Thrass held out a wrapped box.

"Happy birthday, Eli. Lorana helped me pick it out. I hope you like it."

"Fanks, Uncle Frass." Eli unwrapped the package, revealing a music box with numbered buttons. "Numbers. Eli love numbers."

He hugged Thrass and Lorana. Rubbing his eyes, he sniffed softly. "Numbers."

Thrawn patted Eli's back, holding him close. Thara stroked his hair. Che'ri was right. He was such a good boy, patiently and politely opening his presents, despite his disappointment.

"Wait, Baby Eli! Don't be sad!" Che'ri bounded into the room followed by Thalias. "I have something for you!"

She placed a small, lumpy package on the table in front of him. A graph marker sketch of of a happily playing Eli smiled from the paper.

"This part is for your parents." Che'ri carefully removed the drawing and gave it to Thara, revealing the present underneath.

Eli squealed. "Number puzzle!"

Thara gasped at the beautifully painted puzzle. "Did you make this, Che'ri?"

Che'ri nodded. "With my new modeling plastoid set. I had to wait for it to dry."

Eli jumped from his father's lap into Che'ri's arms. "Eli love Che'ri's number puzzle. Eli love Che'ri."

He reached out and touched a piece of the puzzle. "It's just perpect."

"Sweet Baby Eli." Che'ri kissed his hair and gave him back to Thrawn. "You're just perfect."

Author's Note: Eli is three! Is Thrawn ready to start letting him be a big boy? Probably not.

I have a two year old nephew who loves numbers and toys with numbers. Since Eli is so good with numbers in the Thrawn books, I think he probably liked number toys when he was little. My three year old niece says "just perpect", so I thought Eli should say it, too.

I hope you enjoyed Che'ri and "Baby Eli". I may add a few more stories to this collection. Thanks for reading and God bless you!