4/6/2011 Hey all! :D AldabaranFox here! This story was initially published a long, long time ago. In a galaxy- now that's going a bit far I think :P But anyway- it's three years on- time really flies- and my writing style has very much changed (and improved I hope) so I've decided to re-write a lot of this story. Hopefully as the chapters are already written it will not take very long.

I hope you enjoy reading this as there is a lot of new content being added, things being changed and tweaked. Most of it will be subtle differences but I hope overall it is a better, more exciting read that will match the other three stories I now have added to my Star Wars collection (they can be seen on my profile).

I may even add chapters as I see fit so please read and enjoy again!

Enjoy!

Lost and Found

Chapter 1- Lost on the Lower Levels

Coruscant

"Come along children, don't wonder off," Master Vena Kaa called to the row of small children. A group of little children looked up eagerly at the Jedi Temple's experienced Crèche Master, all different species, of about 4 to 5 standard years old.

They were all standing on one of the raised walkway platforms above one of the main streets of Coruscant. It was the youngsters' first time out of the Jedi Temple and the masters were taking every precaution to make sure their charges were safe, hence the small group of initiates and the large number of older padawans and masters looking after each small child. Recognized instantly on Coruscant with their familiar robes, other people were giving the Jedi a wide berth; aware of the Jedi's power in Coruscant they kept their distance.

The young initiates and the Masters were walking slowly on, the Masters showing the little ones the amazing city. The children looked wide eyed at the city, peering cautiously over the railings, well aware of the height they were at. Below were the bars, shops, restaurants and people, all bustling around, carrying on with their daily lives.

The steel platforms were supported and attached to the lower streets on great steel pillars and provided another level for people to walk around on, to avoid the crushes. Metal railings were in place to stop people falling off, though they had slatted gaps to allow smaller beings to see out and down to the first ground level. All around them there was noise, the thrumming of the many traffic lines above them, the shouting of street venders below them, the motorized, mechanic droids whirring about on various errands or duties. For the small children, it was probably overwhelming to the quiet Jedi hallways.

The venerable and proficient Master Vena Kaa was a very striking Jedi as she led her charges onward. She was tall and had a slender build, with smooth pale greenish-blue skin and her eyes were cerulean blue. Her long hair was combed into many intricate blonde braids falling down past her shoulders with many colored beads decorating the braids. Outwardly there was no sign of her age, though she had been Crèche Master for over forty years now and she was extremely protective of all the children she looked after and she had looked after a very large amount of Jedi.

"Come on now, there we go," Vena said, giving one of the children a small encouraging push forward. She did a quick head count, checking that all her charges were there, and realized she was one child short. Her heart almost skipped a beat. How had he managed to evade her senses again?

She knew immediately which child she was missing, not just because she could sense who it was, but because if anything happened the source was usually this child. Vena passed on her other charge to a senior padawan beside her and turned around immediately, spotting the child, a human boy standing a little way off from the group behind her.

Sighing slightly, the Jedi Master mentally told the other two masters of her position and went back. The young boy was standing quite still, near the edge of the platform, holding onto the bars and looking up at the sky as the space ships flew over head.

"Initiate Kenobi, what are you doing?" Vena asked, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy jumped slightly, and looked round to see the person who had startled him. He bit his lip slightly.

"Master Kaa." The four-year-old acknowledged the Crèche Master, blinking his very large, very endearing blue eyes at her innocently.

"Yes Ben. Now, what are you doing?" she asked firmly, steeling herself against the little boy's charms. "Why are you not with the rest of the group?"

Ben looked up at the tall Master. "I was looking at the ships Master," he answered truthfully, and then looked down at his shoes, looking very worried and slightly pale.

Vena Kaa raised an eyebrow. It was almost impossible to be cross with such a lovable child. Very few initiates at the crèche had ever been able to wrap themselves around the Master's finger. Ben had her entirely from the day he had be brought in. He seemed to have that effect on most people.

"Ben, what did I tell you about keeping up with the group?" Vena repeated, easing her tone a little.

Ben looked up at her again with his amazing eyes. "You said we have to stay with the others, so that we do not get lost," he answered simply.

Vena nodded. Ben listened well and was attentive, excellent in classes, but his mind seemed to wonder a lot as he absorbed information more quickly than his fellows. Vena had been planning on moving him to some more advanced classes for his age. "And what are you doing?" she asked.

From a very young age, Jedi Initiates were taught to respect the masters and answer truthfully.

Ben looked sad, his face falling. "I didn't keep up. I'm sorry. But I was looking at the ships Master Kaa and they were very big and I have never seen…" he trailed off. "I'm sorry," he offered again.

Using the Force, Vena traced the boy's emotions. He seemed nervous of what punishment he might receive, but also a great sense of awe at watching the ships. His presence in the Force was also very remarkable.

Vena hid a smile. "The ships are very interesting Little One, and there is plenty of time to learn about them later. As you said, you need to listen to what you're told to do." She told him. "If you had wanted to stop and look, you could have asked."

Ben nodded, still looking a bit nervous. Vena Kaa held out her hand. "Come on then, let's rejoin the group. We still have a great many things to see."

The Initiate nodded happily, taking the hand of the Crèche Master, eager to see more of what the city world could offer. The two of them struck up a leisurely walk, the Crèche Master tailoring her usual quick stride to match the boy's short steps so he could easily keep up with her. Ahead, she could see that the group had already crossed to another platform. They would wait for the two of them to catch up.

"Look Ben, can you see that big round building over there?" Vena asked, pointing to a large dome like building through the gap in the skyscrapers around them. Standing on his tiptoes, Ben craned his neck to try and get a glimpse of the incredible building. Laughing slightly, Vena picked him up gently so he was above the crowd and could see, resting him securely against her shoulder and keep a firm arm around his body in case he slipped.

"That's where many important things happen to help the galaxy," Vena told Ben. "It's a very famous building."

Ben's eyes were wide as he stared at the building. "More famous than the Temple?" he asked. Nothing could be more famous than the Jedi Temple. That's were all the best Jedi in the galaxy lived and that's where he lived too. Ben very much wanted to become one of the best Jedi. He would travel to all the stars and save many people.

Vena smiled, "I don't know about that Little One," she laughed at the affronted look on the initiate's face. To the youngest Jedi, the Temple was their world. She stroked his hair back soothingly and gently set him back on the ground. "Now let's go catch up the rest of the group shall we?" she asked. Ben nodded and they began walking again, and Ben slipped his little hand into the Jedi Master's slim warm hand.

They were just turning onto a new boulevard when suddenly, Vena Kaa stopped short. The Force was whispering around her, something was not right. Keeping her senses alert, she continued, gently guiding Ben with her.

Ben too, stiffened, feeling something in the Force- even with his little knowledge and ability to manipulate the Force, he could sense something too. He shrank against the Master's side, confused as to this new Force feeling. In the Temple everything was safe. The Force never felt strange or different as it did now. It frightened him.

All at once there was a loud, deafening shriek of grinding metal, a roar and a colossal blast as something exploded above them. The shockwaves rippled through the air and the metal boulevard shook violently, sending people sprawling to the ground, screaming in terror and alarm.

Vena Kaa easily kept her balance with her Jedi skills and wiped around, her long braids flying, looking for the source of the explosion. Just as the detonation had occurred, she had swept Ben closer towards her body, to keep him safe, just as the whole platform shook and trembled.

Ben cried out in terror as the ground moved beneath his feet and he felt the Force crying too. It was disconcerting and frightening for the child as the world suddenly became a very scary place. Vena drew him closer to her body, comforting him as she scanned the area quickly.

People were beginning to scream and Vena immediately realized why. A space craft, its cockpit ablaze was hurtling out of the sky towards the ground out of the many lines of traffic. Air craft were swerving out of its way, trying to avoid each other and the flaming wreck. Thank the Force there were no other accidents.

Grabbing her comm. Link from her belt, Master Vena thumbed it on, immediately patching through to the Jedi Temple. "This is Crèche Master Vena Kaa," she explained quickly. "Requesting immediate transportation for six masters and padawans and eight initiates," she relayed the co-ordinates of their position and the reason why as she watched the ship falling.

The voice on the other end promised it would be done and to alert medical teams in case and that a craft would be with them within a few minutes.

Before anyone could move, the flaming space ship hit on of the skyscrapers, spinning violently, one of its wings ripping off and plunging down towards the platform. At once Vena's attention was to the safety of the children.

"Move Ben- come on!" she shouted above the noise, arms scooping up the terrified child to her chest as she began to run from the danger, slipping her comm. back into her belt. The others were with the other masters and padawans ahead and at safety, away from the danger, having spotted the space ship and hurrying the children away. Ben was with her. She had to move him to safety.

Behind them, there was silence for a moment as everybody ran. Ben looked behind the Master, over her shoulder. It was as though everything was in slow motion and sound was muted as he saw aliens racing slowly by, terrified and attempting to escape. Then the silence was broken abruptly and time resumed at its normal pace.

There was a colossal outburst of sound and light as the wing of the space ship smashed right into the platform. Instantly, the supports holding up the platform buckled sending everyone lurching. People screamed as the platform swung wildly, rocking on the few supporting metal beams that had not collapsed. People below the platform pointed in terror as the great steel boulevard swung above them.

Ben felt the space craft crash, and saw the huge explosion. Through the small Force link that he had he sensed the surrounding terror and pain. Metal shredded metal, shrieking loudly, and sending shock waves through the platform. People were shouting and rushing past him.

Suddenly, he felt Master Vena stumble as something hit her in the back and they were both tumbling to the ground. He was released from the safe, warm hold of the Crèche Master and went tumbling away, looking up in horror as many beings shoved past him, unaware of the human child on the floor. He cried out in terror for the. "Master Vena!" he screamed. All he could feel was confusion and terror as figures ran about. Aliens were sprinting past him, huge beings towering above the little boy.

Pushing himself to his feet, remarkably unscathed, he looked around wildly for the master; she must have realized that he was gone. Another blast shook the platform and Ben stumbled. An alien, desperately trying to get out of the way, ran into the boy, sending him flying, not even looking back in its blind panic.

Ben felt himself slam into the metal railing, his head snapping back and connecting with the metal. He felt dizzy and sick as his head throbbed painfully, tears already falling down his face. "Master Vena!" he screamed again. He just wanted to be home, home and safe with his friends in the Jedi Temple.

The platform shook for a second time as the rest of the craft impacted with the platform. Three of the supporting metal pillars, already damaged by the first wave of debris crumpled immediately, sending the walkway careening sideways and down, many people still stuck on it sliding sideways as it titled violently, falling against the lower side railing.

As more bodies impacted it, Ben felt himself thrown by the movement, unable to stand upright. He hit the lowered barrier again as the shockwave threw the small boy backwards and he fell against the metal railing again. This time, his body arced against it as he and a few other unlucky aliens tumbled over the side. He was falling and could not contain the wild scream of panic and desperation as he fell over the edge of the platform.

As Vena saw the flaming craft crash into the skyscraper she immediately picked up Ben. They would be able to move faster if she picked him up. The Force was a swirling mass of confusion, crying out in warning. As she scooped the initiate up she could feel the terrified tremors wracking his body as she began to hurry towards safety.

The Force then screamed out a warning, coiling and writhing around her as she felt the first explosion ripple through the walkway as the wing of the craft collided with the platform they were on. All around her there was confusion, panic and terror; the screams were deafening, as metal shook and screeched, mothers wailed for their children and friends called out to one another in fright.

So muddled were the emotions and the Force around her, Vena did not notice until it was too late and she was unable to move. Something impacted with her back, a piece of debris thrown up from the crash and it sent her tumbling forwards as she was jostled from all sides by other beings. As she fell, she realized in horror that Ben had tumbled away from her.

"Ben!" she cried out, reaching for him as the platform rocked perilously again. She heard him scream her name in terror as he was bowled further away from her by the hordes of beings passing them, trying to get to safety. Horrified, she bent down to scoop him up in her arms, but a tall and lanky alien barged past her, pushing her backwards. She was forced back a few steps and couldn't see any sign of Ben.

"Ben?" she shouted. Using the scattered Force as a seasoned Master, she pinpointed him just a few meters away on her left.

Battling towards his position she suddenly heard a scream, a terrified human boy: Ben's. A second shockwave ripped through the platform, sending it tilting violently to the side as the rest of the craft hit the platform and she stumbled sideways. Heart pounding she leapt forward, just in time to watch Ben plunge off the platform along with several other screaming aliens.

"No! No Ben!" She screamed, her emotions of surging as her eyes fixed on her charge, the memory of his terrified face, his wide disbelieving eyes imprinting in her mind forever. She harnessed the Force, gathering as much its scattered, confused energy as she could, feeling its power flooding through her veins and spread out her hands to stop his descent when she was thrown to her knees as the boulevard shook violently again. Her concentration wrecked her control of the Force fizzled out.

Suddenly she felt something heavy and metallic collide with her. A lump of stone had been thrown up by the explosion and had hit the Jedi. Vena felt everything going black and swooned, bitterly cursing her lack of attention. As everything went black there was only one thought in her mind- that screamed through her body.

Ben.

Hope you enjoyed! Reviews make my day :D

AldabaranFox