Bel-San quickly crossed the apartment at the chime of the door. He slid it open to reveal Slade who stood in the hallway looking slightly uncertain. The boy held a collection of data chips in his hands and glanced around Bel-San into the apartment of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. He gave the boy a slight smile. "Hello, Slade."

"Hello, Teacher Bel-San. I, I have Obi-Wan's homework from his classes. He hasn't been in for a couple of days and I thought I could come by and maybe drop it off. Can, can I see him?" Slade shifted from one foot to the other and watched Bel-San with nervous violet eyes.

"I'll check to see if he's up to it right now, okay?" Bel-San said as he took the data chips from the boy and turned back to the apartment. He crossed the room, leaving Slade standing just inside the doorway to Qui-Gon's bedroom. He knocked lightly on the door as he entered, finding Obi-Wan sitting cross-legged on Qui-Gon's bed listening to the Jedi Master read.

"And then, the giant Mersulpal jumped from the water, catching Quinn by surprise." Qui-Gon read with all the proper inflection expected in a child's story. He paused when Bel-San entered, a slight smile crossing his face.

"Sorry to interrupt. Obi-Wan, Slade is here and he wanted to know if he could stay for a bit. He would really like to see you."

Obi-Wan looked up at him briefly before turning a worried gaze on his master. The young padawan had been reluctant to leave Qui-Gon's presence for the past few days, and frankly Bel-San did not blame him.

Qui-Gon reached out and smoothed a hand over the boy's head in a gesture Bel-San had come to recognize from his friend as a gesture of both comfort given and received. "I'm not going anywhere, Obi-Wan. If you want to play with Slade I promise not to run off anywhere without telling you." Although his words were serious, Bel-San could see the humor in his friend's eyes, though he doubted Obi-Wan could.

"Okay." Obi-Wan cast one last look at his master before hopping off the bed and running out to the common room.

Bel-San smiled after the boy and sat on the edge of Qui-Gon's bed. Turing his attention back to Qui-Gon he offered a sympathetic look. "What are you going to do now that your entertainment's gone?" He asked as he tossed the data chips to the other man. After the incident the previous day he and Payter had made Qui-Gon promise them he would spend the day resting.

"Oh, I don't know you're pretty amusing all on your own." He set the data chips aside without looking at them, running a hand through his hair. With the departure of his padawan, the strain of the recent events showed more clearly on Qui-Gon's face. "Have you heard anything?"

"From the last time you asked me half an hour ago, surprisingly no. This is going to take some time, Qui-Gon. Even with all the people we have working on this, it will take some time. The Council is trying to keep this inside the Temple for right now until we have some more answers, so no one in the government has been notified. Which means we have none of their support at the moment, that's slowing things down." He'd gone over this with Qui-Gon before, but the other man didn't seem to want to listen. Bel-San could understand how he felt. He remembered vaguely how he had been after Sy-Mon had died and the support Qui-Gon had given him then. He could do nothing more now that return the favor.

Qui-Gon drew a breath and Bel-San could see the signs of another speech coming. He was quite familiar with what that look meant on his friend's face and knew the best way to deal with it was to just let the other man run himself down.

"How do they think that is helping anything? Do they honestly believe this sort of information won't leek out of the Temple? I'm surprised the whole planet doesn't know by now. It will soon, no matter what they think. I don't see what's stopping them from telling the government and taking their help." Qui-Gon sat forward and looked as though he would stand.

"Ah, I don't think so. You can sit right there and rant all you like, but you promised you would rest today." Bel-San said, laying a hand against Qui-Gon's chest. He knew the other man could easily overpower him if he chose, Bel-San just hoped his friend would realize he was only trying to help.

"Rant? I don't rant." He looked offended but he sat back.

"Yes, you do. You do it very well in fact, I believe they run courses on it here called Rhetoric."

"Well, there you go, I use the art of rhetoric." Qui-Gon nodded in approval.

Bel-San smiled. "Which is just a pretty name for ranting."

Qui-Gon offered a light smile before sighing deeply. He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes, sitting in silence for a long moment. "I miss him." He said quietly.

"I know. I miss him as well, I know it isn't the same, but I do share in your pain." Qui-Gon nodded but did not open his eyes. "Are you hungry?"

The other man shrugged indifferently.

"I'll take that as a yes. I imagine the boys probably are as well. I'll fix something for you." He stood and waited for Qui-Gon to open his eyes and look at him. "If you're very good, I'll let you come sit out in the kitchen with me."

"Oh, could I pay for the privilege at a fair price?"

"I said only if you're good. Come on, we should make sure Obi-Wan and Slade haven't torn the place apart."

***

Obi-Wan sat on the edge of his bed, swinging his legs. They didn't reach the ground yet. Slade was next to him, turning in his hands one of the models he and his master had put together.

"And then Finn jumped up to get it before it hit the ceiling, but he couldn't get it so it crashed against the wall. Nifan was so mad she pulled the head off his stuffed wookie. Then Master Dermin came in and separated us and made us meditate." Slade sighed. "I can't wait till I have a master and I have my own room. Finn and Nifan are great, but they fight a lot and I end up in trouble with them."

"Yeah, um the other kids I lived with in the Cr�che always were together and got in trouble a lot, but um I wasn't friends with them." He shrugged. He missed Heri sometimes, but he liked living with his master much better.

"So, it was weird not having you in class the last couple days. I didn't have anyone to laugh at our Teacher with. Teacher Bel-San was much better, Teacher Yil isn't as much fun, and she always picks on me when I don't know the answer."

Obi-Wan looked up at the older boy. "You missed me?" He asked. He hadn't really thought about anyone besides his master and master Yoda since everything started happening.

Slade shrugged. "Well yeah. I was kind of worried too, I didn't know if you were okay."

"Oh. Sorry, everything's just been really bad." Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He hadn't been able to really talk with anyone about the things he had been seeing. Even Teacher La'Re didn't seem to understand. He was also afraid she would tell his master what he had seen. But he trusted Slade; maybe the older boy would know what to do. "I've been seeing things." He admitted quietly, glancing at Slade for his reaction.

Slade nodded. "Like how?"

"Sometimes in my dreams, but sometimes during the day too. Teacher La'Re says it's okay and I'll learn how it works, but it's scary. I don't like what I see."

Slade looked thoughtfully at the model in his hands. "Have you talked to your master about what you saw?"

"I can't! Some of the things I saw were about him, and um--" Obi-Wan stopped. "I just can't."

"Could you tell me, maybe I could help you figure something out."

Obi-Wan swallowed and looked at his friend. "I don't know." He wanted someone to help him, but he didn't know if he could.

"If you don't want to, that's okay, I just thought I might be able to help." Slade shrugged again.

"No, I think I should."

***

"How long have they been talking?" Bel-San asked as he cleared the table.

Qui-Gon sat back with a slight smile watching Bel-San work. If the other man insisted that he rest, he was not going to help with the clean up. "I think since Slade got here. Obi-Wan should probably eat soon, but I'm reluctant to interrupt them. Obi-Wan really hasn't been able to talk to anyone about what's going on and I think this might be a little more important. He won't talk to me and he's reluctant to speak with La'Re again. Whatever happened during their last meeting upset him quite a bit. I was really worried that he would try and keep everything inside, and we all know that doesn't work."

"Some of us know better than others." Bel-San commented, raising an eyebrow.

Qui-Gon sat silently for a moment, wondering which of the two of them the other man meant. It was probably both. Shaking his head he followed his friend into the common room and sat on the couch. "It still amazes me how well they get along, they are very different boys and I would have thought the difference in age would have been a problem. That you put them together still gets me."

Bel-San shrugged. "Well you know, we all get these little Force nudges every once in a while. It just happens that most of mine happen to come along in regards to the children. More than one friendship in this Temple in the younger crowd has been facilitated by my intervention. I don't ask questions, I just do what I'm told." He shook his head, leaning back. "I think it might have something to do with the way we became friends, you remember. It was a nice bit of luck, that meeting. I think I just happen to be a little more open to those chance meetings on occasion."

"Yeah, who would have thought we both would have picked the same night to do that on? And at the same time, the chances are a million to one." Qui-Gon smiled slightly and looked in the direction of his padawan's room. He hoped the boy would be as fortunate in his choice of friends as he himself had been.

"Master?" Obi-Wan called as he walked into the common room. He looked quite a bit better, more relaxed. Qui-Gon could sense the boy was more settled within himself and the Force.

"Did you need something, Padawan?" He asked as Obi-Wan came to stand in front of him his small hand resting lightly on Qui-Gon's leg. Obi-Wan had been much more given to touching him since everything had started, and oddly enough Qui-Gon did find a measure of comfort in the small gestures.

"I got hungry." He said, his head turning slight to look at Slade who was standing behind him. "Can we have lunch?"

Standing, Qui-Gon walked back to the kitchen, ignoring the looks he was receiving from Bel-San. "Of course, Obi-Wan. Hello, Slade. How are you?" The boy looked as though he were uncertain as to what he should do.

"I'm good, Master Jinn. How are you?" The boys followed him into the kitchen and Qui-Gon gave them both a brief smile.

"I'm doing well, Slade. Thank you for coming by and bringing Obi-Wan's work from class. I know he would be upset if he fell behind. What did you two want?"

Obi-Wan looked thoughtful. "Um, I don't know." He turned to the other boy. "What do you want?"

Slade shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"Maybe, um we could have..." Obi-Wan stood in the middle of the kitchen staring at the floor obviously thinking very hard.

"Why don't I make you some sandwiches, and Qui-Gon can get you some juice?" Bel-San said, coming to the rescue of the indecisive boys.

Qui-Gon shot his friend a look, he was more than capable of making sandwiches. "What kind of juice do you want?" It would do him no good to argue with the other Jedi, not when he was in full protective mode. He did have an image to uphold with his padawan.

"Um, the blue kind." Obi-Wan said immediately.

"Not kufruit juice?"

"No, I don't like that kind anymore. I want the blue juice." Obi-Wan insisted. Slade was not looking quite as happy about the prospect of blue juice.

"What would you like, Slade?" He asked kindly. His padawan had some strange tastes on occasion and he didn't think it was fair to inflict them on the other children.

"Kufruit is good. Thank you."

Qui-Gon and Bel-San worked together quickly to get the boys set up for lunch. The easy and mindless task and the comfortable familiarity of the kitchen soothed Qui-Gon in a way he could not explain. The ache of the loss of his master was still there, and very close to the surface, but surrounded by this group of people everything seemed a little better, a little more tolerable.

As the boys finished, the group moved out into the common room. Apparently Obi-Wan had finished whatever conversation he had been having with Slade and was once again reluctant to be out of the presence of his master. Qui-Gon was worried for his padawan, but didn't know how to help him. La'Re had been his best hope, but whatever had happened between them had greatly disturbed Obi-Wan. It seemed since he had met Obi-Wan the boy's life had reeled from one disaster to another. It couldn't be good for such a young child to be exposed to the things Obi-Wan had had to endure over the past few years.

At the chime of the door, Qui-Gon looked up as Obi-Wan hopped to his feet and ran to the comm unit at the wall.

"Who is it?" He asked, his young voice serious. Qui-Gon had no doubt that if the young boy felt the visitor was unwanted he would turn the individual away.

"It's Payter and Padawan." Came the amused voice of his friend.

Obi-Wan looked over his shoulder at Qui-Gon, waiting for instructions.

"You can let him in, Obi-Wan. I think it's safe." He smiled, touched by Obi-Wan's protective streak.

Obi-Wan punched the key to open the door and stepped back to allow the pair to enter the apartment. Payter walked in and offered Obi-Wan a smile as he ruffled the boy's hair in passing.

"I'm so very glad I was able to pass your security check point, Qui-Gon. It's quite effective to have the boy turn away visitors." Payter took a seat across from Qui-Gon and Bel-San, turning serious. "How are you doing, Qui-Gon."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I'm well enough." Qui-Gon noted with some interest as Slade and Obi-Wan put their heads together and whispered to each other for a few seconds before waving over Kerge. The three boys then left the room, their heads close together. When they were out of sight, Qui-Gon turned to the other two. "Why do I get the feeling they are plotting something?"

"Probably because they are." Payter said, looking at the hallway his own padawan had disappeared down. "Listen, there's another reason I came by. That isn't to say I'm not concerned with how you're doing, but I figure Bel-San is more than capable of keeping you out of trouble." He paused and pointed a finger at Qui-Gon. "But let me tell you right now, if I have to carry you to bed again for any reason other than alcohol poisoning again, we're going to have words. You really need to take better care of yourself." He drew a breath and continued. "Anyway, the point is I was watching the newsfeed just now and I saw something I thought you should know about. Apparently security isn't as tight around here as they like to think, word leaked and it's all over the press. Coruscant knows what happened to Yoda and it's only a matter of time before the whole Republic is informed."

Qui-Gon blew out a breath. "I knew it, I told you, didn't I tell you?" He looked at Bel-San. "Now maybe they can get something done."

"Well I think for that to happen first the Temple will have to confirm the rumor." Payter said. "Last I heard they were still playing the 'no comment' game."

"Well, you know the best way to find out is to actually turn on the newsfeed and see if anything is new." Bel-San said. "There's no point in getting worked up over something that may not even be true anymore."

Qui-Gon nodded and flicked on the screen, linking to the continual newsfeed station, hoping that the news would be good.

***

"Listen, Kerge, we want to let you in on something but you have to promise not to tell your master, or any of the other adults. It has to be between us." Slade said as the three entered Obi-Wan's room and closed the door behind them.

"I don't know. Is it something bad? I don't want to get in trouble with my Master, I'm still in trouble for what I did at the Choosing Day." Kerge said as he sat on Obi-Wan's bed.

Obi-Wan sat quietly and watched the two boys talk. He wanted as much help as he could get, and he hoped they would be able to convince Kerge. If anyone could do it though, it would be Slade.

"You're not going to get in trouble, or at least I don't think so. But it's really important as we would like your help." Slade said, pacing in front of Kerge.

The oldest boy sat quietly for a moment, and Obi-Wan was sure he wouldn't agree. Finally he nodded. "Okay, I promise. What do you want me to do?"

"So, Obi-Wan has been having dreams, and visions of what might happen. The adults say it's okay and that someday he'll learn to figure it out, but right now no one knows if what he's seen is real or not." Slade explained quickly.

Kerge looked at Obi-Wan, half in awe and half in surprise. "Really?"

Obi-Wan simply nodded.

"Anyway, he had a bunch of dreams the other night and he doesn't know if they were regular dreams or some kind of warning from the Force. We think it's better not to take the chance."

"What did you see, Obi-Wan?" Kerge asked cautiously. The older boy seemed concerned and sympathetic at the same time.

Obi-Wan swallowed hard. "It was my master, he was, he was..." He couldn't even finish the statement.

Kerge laid a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "It's okay, Obi-Wan. I get the idea." He turned to Slade. "What can I do to help?"

"Well, I thought it might be a good idea to set up kind of a watch or something over Obi-Wan's master. You know, so we could make sure nothing bad happens. I know I can get Finn and Nifan to help out and Obi-Wan thinks Bant will be willing and if we could get you too then I think we might have a good chance at making sure everything is okay. We'll have to be really careful about it, we don't want the adults to know what we're doing, but now with you I think it will work."

Kerge nodded slowly. "I think it could work. There are enough of us and we are all around here a lot anyway." He turned to Obi-Wan. "Don't worry Obi-Wan. We'll make sure your master is safe."

Obi-Wan gave the two boys a slight smile. "Thanks, I think um-" He stopped, something was wrong. Hopping off the bed, he ran out of the room to his master.

His master, Teacher Bel-San and Master Payter were all sitting in the common room watching a newsfeed. The screen was filled with a picture of Master Yoda and a voice was talking in the background.

"To repeat: Rumors that Jedi Master Yoda has died are circulating through Coruscant. The Jedi Master has been an integral part of the Jedi Order for the past eight hundred years and his many accomplishments include mediating the peace treaty between Obilnar and Rigel III as well as helping to end the war on Mironr. The Jedi Master will be sorry missed. Early reports on the incident indicate that the Jedi Master has been poisoned, though the Jedi Temple has refused to comment on the situation. A radical, anti-Republic group from the outer rim however, is claiming responsibility for the action. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available."

TBC