"Pway dough!" Eli cheered.
Thara laughed as she placed a mixing bowl on the kitchen table. "I hope your friends love homemade play dough as much as you do. What color should we make?"
Eli inspected the bottles of food coloring thoughtfully. "Let's make bwue."
The door comm dinged. Thara opened the door to Thrass and Lorana.
"Can Vah'nya stay with you again, just for a couple of hours?" Lorana held the baby out to Thara. "We have…an errand."
"Of course. She's always welcome." Thara took the baby. "She can help us make play dough."
Carrying Vah'nya into the kitchen, she fastened her in Eli's highchair. From the cabinet, she took out the floor, oil and salt. Eli held up the measuring cups.
"I ready! You ready, Baby Bah'nya?"
Vah'nya clapped her hands. As Thara poured flour into the measuring cup, the door comm dinged again.
Che'ri pranced inside, followed by Samakro and Saalias.
"Thara, would you be able to watch the children again while we finish preparing for the naming ceremony?" Saalias asked.
"Of course. Eli and Vah'nya are in the kitchen, Che'ri." Thara took the baby in her arms.
Still holding the baby, Thara explained the next steps to Che'ri. "We have flour, now we need the salt."
Che'ri poured the salt under Thara's guidance. The door comm dinged yet again.
"Hi, Thara! I know we're early. I hope you don't mind." Ziinda- now Apinda since her marriage and official name change- plopped her twin toddlers onto the rug in the entryway. "I'll be back soon, Angels. I've got to go- Apros is waiting in the car."
Thara stared after her. When she had invited her friends and their children for a playdate, she had assumed the mothers would be staying with them.
"Oh good, we're not too early." Roscu led her little boy and girl to the door. "Raamas and I really appreciate this, Thara. We'll be back soon!"
"You're welcome," Thara managed. Next time, she would make sure the other mothers understood the concept of a playdate.
"Come on, children. We're making play dough in the kitchen."
Thara herded the Csap twins and the two Clarr children into the kitchen. She watched as Che'ri mixed in the water and oil.
Baby Boy started to fuss.
"I hope you're not hungry." Thara rocked her body back and forth in a soothing motion. "I'm afraid I can't help you there anymore."
"He's always hungry." Che'ri patted a temperature-controlled bag. "He has a couple bottles of milk in here, but you know he doesn't much like them."
Thara knew. She wished she hadn't given away all her baby-wearing wraps. Perhaps she could get Eli's baby swing out of storage. The baby wailed louder. Thara glanced at the clock. Thrawn wouldn't be back for at least another half-hour.
"Che'ri, can you hold him for a few minutes while I find something to soothe him?"
"The only thing that soothes him is Saalias and her milk," Che'ri said, taking the baby.
Thara hurried into the storage room. Eli's swing sat in a corner, neatly folded. Picking it up, Thara returned to the kitchen.
In the door, she froze.
"What happened?"
The room, the table and six children were covered in flour. The liquid play dough mixture dripped onto the floor in great globs of goo. Baby Boy's clothes lay in the middle of one of the globs.
"Eli make pway dough," Eli murmured penitently. "Eli sowwy."
"It's my fault." Che'ri brushed flour out of the baby's hair. "Baby Boy made a diaper while you were gone. I thought I could change it by myself. And I did. But I wasn't watching Eli. He and Vah'nya got the bowl and then the twins climbed on the table and knocked off the flour and it sort of exploded. And the Clarr kids ran off somewhere."
Thara sighed. "It's okay, Honey. You get Baby dressed and in the swing and I'll find them and clean up this mess."
Thara followed floured footprints to Thrawn's office. Roscu's little boy and girl had climbed onto Thrawn's desk and were rifling through his art. Boosting them down, she moved the children to the Family room. She turned on the music player, hoping it would entertain them for a few minutes. Play dough would just have to wait.
As she mopped flour from the floor, Thara wondered how she had ended up running an informal home daycare, while everyone else went about their business. And it had been nothing but a disaster.
At least Thrawn would be home soon.
"I say it can still be a victory. Thrawn admits Saalias gave birth on the bridge with proper equipment or medication. The power was even out!" Zistalmu's angry voice came over Thurfian's comm.
"I agree that it should look bad for him, but somehow his supporters have made the hero of the whole incident." Thurfian lowered his voice conspiratorially. "But there may still be a way to salvage this mess."
"I'm listening."
"I was on my way back from an appointment when I spotted Samakro and Saalias in a tube car. I had a little time, so I followed them. Where do you think they left both the Skywalker and the new baby?"
Zistalmu drew a deep breath."Was he at home?"
"Unfortunately, he has a debriefing this morning." Thurfian peered out his tube car window. "If it stays on schedule, he should arrive home soon."
"And the children are still there?"
"I've been watching the house from a discrete distance. Thara has the foster baby, the Csap twins and those Clarr kids with her, too.The place must be pure chaos- seven little ones plus Che'ri. They're only used to caring for one little Human."
"Perhaps Nana and I should pay them a visit," Zistalmu chuckled.
Thurfian arched a blue-black eyebrow. "Indeed. It won't look good for Thrawn, will it?"
The door comm dinged again just as Thara finished wiping up the last of the goo. She considered not answering. What if another mother wanted to drop off her children? Grabbing Vah'nya just before she could toddle onto the freshly mopped floor, Thara reluctantly opened the door.
"Sorry, I'm late. Did I miss the other girls?" Thara's good friend Wutroow flounced through the door with her little girl on her hip.
She peeked into the Family room. "I see. Well, that just gives us more time to chat. Come on."
"I'm afraid it's a little…chaotic." Thara put Vah'nya on the rug next to Eli and removed Roscu's little girl from the top of the baby swing.
"It's a lot of kids. I take it the play dough didn't happen?"
"It happened- all over the kitchen floor."
"Well, they look like they're having fun anyway." Wutroow nodded to the dancing children. "And everyone's still in one piece. I'd call it a definite success."
"Mommy!" Eli danced over and hugged her legs. "We make bwue pway dough now?"
Thara looked around. Che'ri wiggled in time to the music with Vah'nya on her hip. The Csap twins marched around the edge of the rug, stomping and clapping. The little Clarr boy waved one of Eli's colorful dancing scarves and the little girl had found Eli's giant foam blocks to climb. Baby Boy Ufsa cooed happily in the swing.
Maybe Wutroow was right. This morning wasn't such a disaster after all.
Thara picked up her sweet boy. "Yes, my Eli. We'll make blue play dough just as soon as the floor dries."
Thrawn found Thara and Wutroow in the kitchen with a flock of children.
"Look, Daddy!" Eli bounced up in his chair. "Mommy maked bwue pway dough for Eli!"
"Indeed. Are you having fun with ... all your friends?"
"Their mothers will be back soon." Thara brushed flour from her tunic and kissed her husband.
"I should hope so. Baby Ufsa has a naming ceremony this evening."
"Apparently, there was a bit of confusion about what a playdate means," Wutroow offered. "But nothing Thara couldn't handle."
"Of course," Thrawn agreed. "She is quite capable."
Scooping up Eli, Thrawn joined the children at the table. He watched as the younger children squeezed and pounded the soft dough. Che'ri was carefully shaping her lump into a remarkable likeness of the Springhawk.
"Che'ri, your sculpture is quite good."
She grinned at him. "Thanks. If this was real clay, I could make the inside too."
"Well, perhaps we should get you some 'real clay', in that case."
Baby Ufsa began to fuss in his swing. Che'ri jumped up. "I'm coming, Baby Boy."
"I'll take him," Thrawn said.
Che'ri hesitated, cradling the baby. "He's hungry. I've got to try to get him to take a bottle. He doesn't like it."
"Why not let me try? Then you can get back to your art."
Thara and Wutroow looked at each other. Opening the bag, Thara pulled out a warm bottle and handed it to Thrawn.
"Let's see how you get along."
Thrawn put Eli back in the chair and took the baby and the bottle.
"Eli's Daddy!" Eli protested. "Not Baby Boy's Daddy!"
"Of course I am your father," Thrawn soothed. "I'm just going to help look after the baby until his parents return."
Eli poked his play dough, pouting. "Otay."
Thrawn nestled Baby Ufsa in the crook of his arm, remembering when his Eli had been so small. "Now, young man, if you are hungry, you must accept the only form of nourishment we have to offer you."
With a squeaky whimper, the baby accepted the bottle and began to drink.
"I can't believe that actually worked." Thara lifted a drooping Vah'nya from the high chair.
"Neither can I," Thrawn agreed. "His parents certainly don't follow unwelcome orders so easily."
"I think we have another baby in need of a bottle and bed." Thara shifted Vah'nya to one arm, searched Lorana's bag for a bottle with her free hand.
Che'ri leaned over to help. "Here it is!" She placed the bottle on the table. "Can I give it to her?"
"She my Baby Bah'nya!" Eli tried to grab the bottle.
"Go to the Family room with Che'ri and you can both feed Baby Vah'nya." Thara slipped the baby into Che'ri's arms.
"You carry the bottle and her burp cloth," Che'ri told Eli.
Thrawn watched Eli hurry after Che'ri, bottle and burp cloth clutched tightly in his chubby fists. The door comm dinged.
"I don't think I know anyone else with small children." Thara looked apprehensively towards the door, then at Thrawn. "Do you?"
"None who would simply drop off their children without asking first." Thrawn rose, carefully keeping the bottle tilted. "Let's find out."
Briefly setting the bottle aside, Thrawn opened the door to Thurfian, Zistalmu and Zistalmu's wife.
"Welcome. Won't you come in?" Thrawn reclaimed the bottle for Baby Ufsa just as another tube car pulled up.
"Samakro, look!" Saalias climbed out of the car, pointed to Thrawn and the baby.
"I don't believe it!" Samakro's eyes widened. "How did you do it, sir? He hates taking bottles."
"It was quite simple. Won't you come in?"
Thara greeted them in the Sitting room, most of the play dough cleaned from her hands. "Syndic Thurfian, Syndic Zistalmu, how nice to see you. And…Nana, too. Please, sit down. May I offer you a drink?"
"No, thank you. We can only stay a moment. You do seem rather busy and we only wanted to meet this young man here." Thurfian peered through the door into the kitchen. "He had quite a welcome into this world, from what I hear."
"Yes, he did," Saalias said stiffly. She smiled at Thrawn. " But we're both fine, thanks to Thrawn. Thara, I didn't know you were watching all these children today or wouldn't have asked you to keep mine."
"They're no trouble," Thara assured her.
"As you can see, Thara has the situation under control." Thrawn added.
"Sure looks that way." Samakro put his arm around his wife. "Saalias and I really appreciate everything you've both done for us."
"Mommy-Daddy, Uncle Frass and Lorana here!" Holding a toddling Vah'nya tightly by the hands, Eli led his uncle and aunt into the room.
"It looks like everyone's been busy around here," Lorana said, surveying the full room."Thank you for watching Lorana. We've got news!"
"We were at the midwife's office." Thrass squeezed Lorana's hand.
Thara gasped.
Lorana nodded."I'm eight weeks pregnant with a beautiful baby girl!"
"Anofer baby?" Eli guided Vah'nya to Lorana. "For Eli?"
"She's your cousin," Thrawn explained. He handed Baby Ufsa to Saalias, clasped Thrass's forearm. "Congratulations to both of you."
"We'd like to use part of Thara's name in the baby's name." Lorana smiled shyly. "If that's all right. Mitth'eowyn'alani."
"Theowyna.That's a lovely name." Thara blinked back sudden tears.
"Speaking of names, we finally settled on one for Baby Boy." Saalias kissed her baby's forehead.
"I'm glad to hear it." Thrawn lifted Eli and Vah'nya in his arms. "Especially since his naming ceremony is this evening."
"We're naming him after you, Senior Captain Thrawn." Saalias smirked, cutting her eyes toward the syndics.
"After me?"
"Yes, sir." Samakro slipped a finger into his son's tiny hand. "After all, where would any of us be without you? Ufsa'raw'ro- that's his name."
"Samakro, Saalias, I am deeply honored." Thrawn dipped his head.
Che'ri clapped her hands. "Sarawro! That's such a cute name!"
The door comm dinged.
"We thought we'd stay for a bit, if that's okay," Apinda said as she and Roscu entered with their husbands. "Thank you so much for watching the kids."
Roscu picked up her daughter, who had run to meet her. "It looks like they've had fun!"
Thurfian looked from the happy children playing on the Family room rug to the two peacefully sleeping babies, then at the group of laughing parents. There would be no victory over Thrawn today.
"Zistalmu, I think it's time we took our leave."
Zistalmu nodded slowly. "Yes, it would seem so."
He offered his arm to Nana.
"Thank you for dropping by." Thara offered her most gracious smile.
Thrawn showed them to the door. Returning to the family room, he knelt down beside Eli.
"Eli have a lot of friends." Eli hugged Thrawn. "Daddy-Mommy have a lot friends, too."
Thrawn and Thara shared a smile. Thrawn stroked Eli's hair. "Yes, my Eli. We do, indeed, have many friends."
Author's Note:
Special thanks to @FossilQueen1984 for the baby name inspiration for Thrass and Lorana's new baby! (I love the Tolkien reference.)
This chapter is a little silly, but I thought the last one needed a bit of a follow up. Of course, Thurfian and Zistalmu weren't going to give up too easily when they saw a second chance to get Thrawn! Also, making homemade play dough is fun. (If you want Thara's recipe, send me a PM!)
We have a bit of a character dump here, with multiple Ascendency trilogy characters making an appearance. Of course, I had to pair off a couple of couples. I'm not sure who Wutroow's husband is but I thought she should show up and be a supportive friend for Thara. They may or may not reappear in later vignettes, we'll see!
I'm thinking the next chapter should be more Eli-centric- maybe a family vacation story or a story where Eli spends the night with Thrass and Lorana or Samakro and Saalias.
Thanks for reading and God bless you!