#hey tenel ka

[jacentenelka]

⟿  Happy Star Wars Day!

⠀⠀A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away lol sorry i always gotta, there was a Jacen Solo & Tenel Ka Djo fanart shared on DeviantArt called Lovers by saith100. We were both absolutely in love with it and wanted to do a photo inspired by it for our original J/TK photo set (which later spiraled out of control and turned into the full-fledged multimedia project this journal covers). Then life got in the way. :P

⠀⠀Recently, saith100 did an updated version of this art and we realized that we had never done the photo we planned/wanted to do! We reached out to him to ask if it was okay and he gave us the go-ahead and we used what we could to create something inspired by the art we fell in love with years ago!

⠀⠀(We say inspired by cause we changed some things — hex Does Not like her profile so Tenel Ka is more face-on to the camera, we thought it being more dusky vs. the middle of day fit the vibe of a photo version better... also, hey, Hapan nights aren't that dark so maybe it's actual night, hehe. This was a lot of fun to try/do though!)

[ofpolitics]

“plots please” / either Mon Mon, Padme, Breha, Tenel Ka or anyone we've yet to write with

𝙼 𝙾 𝙽 / listen, this may be obvious, but i would very very much like a plot surrounding the fact that orson and mon knew each other starting either during the clone wars or just after the rise of the empire. please, i want to write her being the gracious, smiling hostess at her husband's parties when she would much rather be anywhere else. i want to write her confronting orson for trying to convince perrin to divorce her, deeply upset because she still cares about her husband even if he doesn't feel the same for her. could be that it was a rumor, could be that her husband told her, could be that she overheard it herself. just let me write mon being deeply unhappy with her situation and those who are only making it worse... while still having to hold back. make us all wonder why would mon ever let orson defect to the alliance!

𝙱 𝚁 𝙴 𝙷 𝙰 / i know we've talked a bit about if both breha and orson survive, but how about a plot where mon thinks there's nothing more fitting than at least part of the time orson needs to help breha in her quest to reunite and protect the survivors of the disaster. orson can be his bitter, angry post-scarif self as breha struggles with losing her world and her husband all while watching her daughter spiral with the same grief. they can try to duck imperials as she insists on working however close to the 'front line', they can argue... and hey, as you so often want, breha might even slap him. it could be something to break up his time under satine or something else entirely but yes, please, let's have fun with this.

𝚃 𝙴 𝙽 𝙴 𝙻 𝙺 𝙰 / let's have some diplomacy... either in the new canon timeline or one where she actually becomes queen mother during the reign of the empire, i think it would be quite fun to have a plot where orson gets to know tenel ka through the attempt of getting hapes to do something... whether it is because they have a resource he needs or because one of their outmost ports could be useful as a safe stop on a shipping route/he needs safe passage for them through the notoriously pirate filled edges of the mists. there can be meetings, parties, potentially some unplesantness too!

plots please ›› accepting

[magnetarbeam]

If I Make It (WIP 1)

[Jaina and Mirta becoming girlfriends post-Invincible, is the intent]

Jaina hesitated outside the door.

She took a deep breath, noticing the way her heart beat faster at the thought of the person inside, and consciously choosing to let herself recognize the feeling for what it was.

With effort, Jaina banished her nerves to the Force, and knocked on the door. Almost instantly, the rusty hiss of Uroro Station's long-neglected environment seals heralded its opening, and Jaina was met with a pair of wide brown eyes. Mirta was silent just long enough for Jaina's heart to skip a beat.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised, Jetii," the other woman quipped with a smile of genuine relief, and stood aside to let Jaina enter.

Jaina stood awkwardly just inside the threshold as the door closed. "Hey," she said lamely, avoiding Mirta's eyes. "Sorry."

The rest of the words caught in her throat. <em>Sorry I was drowning in my tears instead of coming back for you. Sorry you had to go days without knowing what happened.</em>

Mirta's smile turned bittersweet, but she shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't have been very good company anyway."

<em>Company.</em> Of course that word made Jaina's brain short-circuit.

Regaining her wits, Jaina nodded to portray acceptance of Mirta's forgiveness, and sat down on the bed, since no chair was available. She was surprised when Mirta sat next to her. "So," the Mandalorian woman asked, her tone colored by the shared pitch of hope and fear, "What's next for you?"

"Good question," Jaina admitted. "Uncle Luke's not letting me take any missions until I get therapy, and my parents agree with him. Jag left for Bastion last night. Zekk's still officially MIA."

(That was a bit misleading, but the other end of their bond had asked her to keep secret the mission he was going on with Tenel Ka's agents, and Jaina was too drained to argue.)

"Tahiri's probably more of a mess than I am," Jaina figured, although the last time they had seen each other, her younger sister had presumably been hiding that turmoil in the privacy of her Yuuzhan Vong brain cells, a technique that had kept Caedus from suspecting a thing as Tahiri fed information to the Jedi from right under his nose. "Tenel Ka's back to herding her nobles."

Mirta loosed a brief laugh at that turn of phrase, and Jaina's stomach did a stupid flip.

[bloomingrcsesx]

Dany’s week had been absolute garbage. No sugar-coating it, it could only get worse if an asteroid literally fell over her... okay, that was exaggerated. But the basic point was that... she was supposed to talk to the mayor and she’d had emergencies pop up each time she tried to even lift her phone.

But now... now she finally had time to go there personally, to the town hall, clearly looking like she’d snap at the next person who pissed her off. And she intended to get this over with, so she didn’t even wait until she finally came across Mayor Amidala’s assistant... nice.

“Oh, hi! I have to talk with the Mayor, is she... is she there? I was supposed to talk to her since last week and... okay, I really need to go in there-“ her hand was already in the door handle, and she wasn’t even hesitanting about just bursting through the door.

@stvrcrosscd

[atamascolily]

Hey, remember when Luke and Tenel Ka went to a sketchy bar on Borgo Prime as a field trip for Very Important Plot Reasons in Shadow Academy?

“I would like a Random Yellow Plague,” Tenel Ka said without hesitation. “Chilled. Make it a double.”

“And I would like a Remote Terminator,” Luke said.

The covering membranes of the bartender’s multifaceted eyes nictated twice in surprise. “Not often requesssted. A ssstrong drink, iss it not?” He seemed flustered for a moment, then made a gurgling buzz deep in his thorax that Tenel Ka could only interpret as a laugh. “Will that be preprogrammed or randomizzzed?”

“Randomized, of course,” Luke replied.

“Ah, a rissssk taker,” Shanko said, tapping two forelegs on the bartop in approval.

Then his arms became a blur of motion as he pulled levers and pushed buttons, filling cups and vials, mixing their drinks in less time than it had taken to order them.

“There is no profit without risk,” Luke said, accepting his drink from one of Shanko’s many hands.

But just in case you were worried, Luke is in fact the responsible one and doesn’t actually let his underage students drink:

When the Hutt bent to confer with his Ranat assistant for a moment, Luke took the opportunity to whisper, “That drink could knock you from here to the Outer Rim.”

“Ah,” Tenel Ka said. “Aha.” She set the drink down with a small thunk.

Later:

As they spoke, Luke continued to sip his drink and Tenel Ka cast about for a way to dispose of hers. When the Ranat returned and conferred again with the Hutt, Tenel Ka reached over to the planter beside her chair and dumped half of her drink into it.

It was only after the stalk began to shudder violently and the leaves curled up that Tenel Ka realized that the shrub was not a decoration but a plant-alien customer! She whispered an apology and turned back just as the Ranat hurried off with the Hutt’s datapad and a new assignment.

I’m vaguely disappointed Luke’s drink wasn’t more dramatic, but I guess that would clash with the All-Knowing Jedi Master Vibe, so we can’t have that. Even so, I had completely forgotten this entire sequence and I love everything about it.

BONUS: their informant refers to Tamith Kai as “a lady of the evenin’” which is a hilariously way to refer to a Nightsister and I 100% missed the joke when I was in middle school. 

[wvsteria]

{ closed starter for @mischiefxmuses ; tenel ka djo & aware!jacen solo }

it was strange waking up that morning with those memories in his head. he knew he was still missing pieces but what mattered was that he knew who they were. it felt like destiny to him, that he didn’t know her but still found himself falling for tenel. he couldn’t wait to tell her. he knocked on the door to her place, anxiously, excitedly waiting for her to answer. “hey, tenel you here? i gotta tell you something.”

[forcesung]

Jacen waited for his father to say something, but Han wouldn’t even turn around. Jacen went to the hatch to board the vessel they’d flown to the RV point and expected Han to relent and say something, but he didn’t.

I can’t just end it like this. I’ll make him speak to me. I have to. Why can’t he understand?

“Did you really kill Thrackan, Dad?”

Han turned and looked him in the eye, but there was no spark of recognition. “Hey, maybe it runs in the family. If I can kill in cold blood, so can my boy. I’m glad we understand each other.”

Jacen went to take his father’s arm. “Dad, don’t do this—”

Han shook it off. “Get away from me.”

“Dad—”

“I don’t know who you are, but you aren’t my son anymore. My Jacen would never do the kind of stuff you do. Get out. I don’t want to know any more.”

Jacen’s last sight of his parents was his father turning his back and his mother standing by the hatch as the doors closed, staring at him as if she was about to burst into tears.

Dad’s right. What am I?

He shook off the misery and shame as one of those weaknesses of the old Jacen Solo and reminded himself that his life wasn’t his own now. His destiny was Sith. He turned the battered vessel toward the blockade and allowed himself the brief luxury of reaching out in the Force to Tenel Ka and Allana while he was still far, far from Lumiya.

—Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines, Karen Traviss

[rai-knightshade-art]

I started a new sketchbook the other day and it feels fitting that the first full page I've filled is just. A bunch of Young Jedi Knights fanart 😂 mostly Jaina/Zekk but there's a wild Jacen cameo in there--WITH a crystal snake cause i know what I'm about--plus the Test Tube Babies (which i know @lizartgurl will appreciate).

Brief description of each scene plus close ups below the cut, image IDs in the alt text as always!

The Scenes:

Starting from the top, and going from left to right-

1. Remember how Zekk actually went a lil darkside for a bit early on (it was very emotionally fraught and Jaina had to pull a "i know you're in there somewhere" speech and a Luke-esque move of throwing away her lightsaber cause "i know you'd never hurt me, you're my friend 🥺". Luckily for her she was right Zekk would never hurt her.)? This... is not that scene, this is acknowledging that Zekk-as-The-Darkest-Knight (HOW is that his actual title btw that's SO funny) looks like Baby's First Emo/Evil OC and Jaina will not take his Banthashit. Also this is definitely meant to remind of the "you're going to the X!" SpongeBob meme 😂 she may be 4'9" but she can still manhandle you Zekk!

2. What's the point of a dad who has long luxurious hair if you can't style it a lil? (Headcanon that while Zekk was the street rat and Jaina grew up privileged, Jaina gives zero fucks about her hair but Zekk takes meticulous care of his. Both of them are very "a lil engine grease never hurt nobody" tho). Aunt Tenel Ka taught Jasa some Dathomiri braiding techniques that she's eager to try out, and, well, while Jaina and Ani are off learning to fly, Zekk is a willing participant in his daughter's tests (beats having to chase her around the temple anyways).

3. An interlude from the other side of the family, in which Jacen (Prince Consort of Hapes btw because i fully know what I'm about and it's furthering my "au where jacen and Tenel Ka were HAPPY" agenda) has to field some... Interesting questions, from his son. Y'all know this meme.

Bail: Hey dad, can i ask you a question?

Jacen: sure kid, anything!

Bail: why does Mom call you "babygirl"?

Jacen: Except that, actually, how about we stop talking for a little while--

4. Been listening to Starlight (Taylor's Version) and I've decided it's a Jaina/Zekk song (in place of Love Story which only half fits their vibes), so now you get Jaina and Zekk in formal wear, judging us all and maybe kissing out on the balcony a lil as is their right. Partially inspired by one of Lizart's fics in which Jaina and Zekk wore capes, something i have always been about, tho the outfits aren't the exact same.

The Close Ups:

[tragcdysewn]

closed starter for tenel ka djo!! ( @mischiefmuses​ )

“hey mom.” admittedly, it was weird calling her that in public, with how often she was suddenly needing to call leia her mother lately. she didn’t like the facade, and she was awful at it, but she understood the necessity. “you free right now? i could use a chill day.”

[fictionkinfessions]

Hey mod party cat! Could you please let me know if you have a confession from a tenel ka in the queue? Tumblr's been eating my asks in general and I just wanted to see if it actually went through lol

Yes we got it! Its on the queue here!

. https://fictionkinfessions.tumblr.com/private/695438370051096576/tumblr_ri8m346gky1ycnrdc

Mod Party Cat!

[jacentenelka]

Hey, it's that one day years ago when we went out to take Young Jedi Knights photos and Nate forgot his YJK Jacen belt so he had to keep crouching down in photos so his pants wouldn't look REALLY AWKWARD. 🙃

P.S. Jacen, Tenel Ka doesn't care what kind of leaf that is RAYNAR IS BEING RAYNAR OVER THERE AND SOMEONE MIGHT NEED TO GO YELL @ HIM.

[ thanks to @chaosbria for these photos! <333 ]

[sesskagarchive]

Hey!! Hope you're doing great admin! Any Star Wars AU for sesskag?

Hi Anon,

Thank you for the ask. We were able to find two Star Wars fics.The third is a space western fic that is a similar genre. Credit for that one goes to Chie who thought you might want to take a look.

Happy reading! - Admin Sage

A Leap of Faith by Chie (Chierafied)

Posted on: A03 Rating: G Summary:  The Jedi temple was under attack, their own clones  turned against them and killing everyone, making no difference between  trained Jedi warriors or younglings. Death was everywhere, and each life extinguished tugged at Kagome’s heartstrings. Status: One Shot

Just Living My Complicated Life by Dolly Dolphin

Posted on: Dokuga Rating: MA Summary: Things for the heroine have always been tough and no one could tell her what was right or wrong. Her supposed adopted siblings left her after their training ended other than Ben Skywalker. Her biological mother died when she was only a baby so she went to live with her mom’s friend instead of Uncle who is still alive while she trains. Her adoptive mother only lived until she was 10 and was killed by bad guys. Since then she has trained under Luke Skywalker but has been captured a few times. Her love life isn’t much better as well. She has had only one serious boyfriend until he cheated on her, which was a horrible break up for them. She is dedicating herself to herself in order not to get hurt more especially since the main guy has been raping her under his watch. So what else is she to do? But a guy is determined to break that out of her since they have been friends before. How will this affect her? Can she just live her life even if she is half demon & half Jedi? Will she ever find her place? Or will she always be tortured about her life? Find out. Star Wars Original Triolgy © George Lucas • Lucasfilm owns Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2, and C3P0 Young Jedi Knights Series © Kevin J. Anderson • Rebbecca Moesta • Boulevard • Berkley Jam • Lucasfilm LTD owns Tenel Ka, Raynar Thul, Jaina & Jacen Solo, Lewbacca New Jedi Order Series © R.A. Salvatore et al • Del Ray • Lucasfilm LTD owns Ben and Mara Jade Skywalker Status: Abandoned

Reach for the Stars! by ForgettableFox

Posted on: A03, Dokuga, FF.net Rating: MA Summary: Nominated for Q2 2021 Feudal Connection Awards under Best Oneshot. When Captain Kagome and her crew of lovable rogues are hired to steal – ahem – appropriate the Shikon no Tama jewel from a race of aliens called Inudaiyoukai... Well, let’s just say things get interesting. Status: One Shot

[yjk-imagines]

Jungle Flower (Jacen Solo x Reader)

“I’ve got you. Breathe, okay? I’ve got you.”

Requests are open for the Young Jedi Knights! Romantic, platonic, group, or otherwise!

You wrapped your hands around the sticky vine as you peered over the edge. The branch of the stone-colored Massassi tree provided a sure foundation that you weren't ready to leap off of quite yet.

The ridiculous grin of Jacen Solo, however, didn't seem to understand your fear. Of course he didn't. A Jedi wasn't supposed to feel fear. They ate fear for breakfast.

"Well, friend (Y/N), are you ready?" Tenel Ka interrupted your self-pep-talk.

"Um, maybe not?" You said, "I think I might join Lusa on the ground."

Jaina, Jacen's twin, shrugged. She held out her arm to Tenel Ka, who shrugged, and wrapped her one good arm through Jaina's. In unison, they promptly stepped off the edge of the branch.

"Did they grab the vine?" You asked, terrified.

Lowbacca barked a negative, you knew enough shriiwook to interpret that without the help of the translator droid. The rest of you looked over the edge to see the two girls sliding down the vine to a spot where several clusters of vines were growing.

"Good one Jaina!" Jacen called into the jungle.

You shook your head. Solos were just as crazy as the holos said they were.

Lowie leaped for another branch, leaving Jacen pulling down a fresh vine.

"You sure you don't want a turn?" he spread his legs, searching for his target landing a few branches away.

"I'm fine. Besides, Jaina took my vine," You shrugged.

"Pfft," Jacen made a noise like one of his monkey spiders when they were full. "If one vine can hold Jaina and TK, one vine can hold you and me."

You flushed at the idea, clinging to Jacen for dear life in the humid, sweaty jungle a thousand feet above the ground?

There was merit in the idea, but only a little bit.

"Okay fine," You sighed.

Jacen grinned that Solo grin that made half of the sentients at the Academy melt into the floor, and you found your hands once more around the vine, and Jacen's soothing voice in your ear.

“I’ve got you. Breathe, okay? I’ve got you.”

Typically, his voice was full of mischief that made you think several times before implicitly trusting him, but at this moment, his voice was full of sincerity. He could definitely sense your fear.

One of Jacen's arms wrapped tightly around your waist, and the other just above yours on the vine. He gave it a quick tug.

"Alright, that should be steady. You ready?"

"Yes," You said, not wanting to give away any more of your emotions than you already had.

Jacen grinned again, and pushed off the branch.

All at once, you were flying through the air. The wind blew past your face, taking flashes of greens and yellows with it. You couldn't even tell where the ground was. There was only your death grip on the vine, and Jacen's arm around you.

All at once you came in contact with the next branch, tripping over your feet as you struggled to land, and then Jacen was on top of you.

Jacen himself hardly seemed to notice, as he was shaking with laughter. "That was awesome, (Y/N)! Didn't I tell you it would be great?"

You laughed shakily. "Yeah, yeah, I guess it was great!"

Jacen pushed himself up on his feet, "Come on, let's find the next vine!"

You sat up, trying to catch your breath while Jacen tried to find another, more suitable vine. Below, there was the rustling of leaves as Jaina and Tenel Ka raced each other through the trees. Up ahead, Lowie bellowed a challenge, and you had to laugh.

"Hey, (Y/N)! Come see what I found!" Jacen called you over to the corner where your branch met the trunk of the tree.

You sighed, and pushed yourself up to your feet. Your arms were terribly sore from carrying your bodyweight and part of Jacen's.

"Jacen, if it's another creature, I am not helping you carry a mudhopper back to the temple-"

There, at Jacen's feet, grew a bright, yellow flower, on a bed of the tree's leaves.

Jacen carefully snapped off the bud and inhaled the pungent scent. "This is incredible!" He sighed happily.

"What's it called?" You asked.

Jacen shrugged. "I dunno, but I can find out back at the temple!"

He patted down his jumpsuit, but failed to find a pocket that wasn't already bursting with rocks, dirt, or other curious flora.

Jacen frowned. He was cute when he frowned.

And then he did something even cuter, and slipped the flower behind your ear.

He grinned again. "It brings out the gold in your eyes!"

You flushed again, and it didn't help that somewhere below you, Jaina was calling for her idiot brother.

"We're coming, Jaya!" He shouted, yanking down another vine.

"You ready, (Y/N)?" He held out his hand, and without waiting for you to reply, he leaped off the branch, and the two of you plummeted into the forest below.

[lxstheroes]

If you find my ben, do a better job of looking out for him this time, yeah? Luke’s voice resounds in his head, and he wanted nothing for it to have been nothing more than a nightmare. Yet, it wasn’t. It felt like yesterday when he heard his uncle, his mentor telling him that, looking at him the way Luke had. Jacen  knew he disappointed a lot of people, that he hurt them, but he’s lost track of who he’s hurt the most. Tenel Ka and Allana? His parents? His uncle and Ben? Jaina? Too much guilt kept weighing him down and he’s surprised he’s made it this far. It was hard to face his uncle again, but he knew he had to eventually. Maybe they could finish that conversation, so that Jacen could apologize again, and whether or not those apologies fall on deaf ears depends entirely on Luke. “Hey uncle.” @dcpravities​ ( luke skywalker )

[userpoe]

... Wondering what books you recommend or what are some of your favorite?

Have you read the Star Wars novelizations for eps 7-9?

Hey Nonnie! I'm not sure if you meant Star Wars books in the first half of the message or not, so here's some non-Star Wars ones I recommend and a few Star Wars ones I do: the Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater, To All The Boys Trilogy by Jenny Han, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (god someone bls read this book and yell with me about it), and the Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo (I'm still reading this one but the prose...dear god the prose).

Star Wars faves definitely include Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland, Before the Awakening by Gregg Rucka, and A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller. EU wise, I also love the Thrawn trilogy by Timothy Zhan, and the Young Jedi Knights series (Tenel-Ka my love).

I read the Force Awakens Novelization when it came out, and I've skimmed the Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker novelizations. The only one I really properly enjoyed myself was the TFA novelization, but the other two are really insightful and worth giving a shot too!

[ooops-i-arted]

Ok. How about a fic where The Mandalorian takes The Child to Luke Skywalker at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4?

Alrighty here’s what I came up with.

Notes: 1. Kept timelines/characters present at the Praxeum vague because I do what I want. 2. Din got the baby into speech therapy for his language delay and he talks now.

-

The Razor Crest dropped out of hyperspace and the looming orange gas giant of Yavin immediately filled the viewscreen.  “Here we are,” said Din to the little green child in his lap.  “Yavin.”

“Abbin,” repeated the child.

“Yes, Yavin.  And we’re headed to Yavin IV.  To the Jedi… Praxeum.”  Din had never heard the word before, though the context he’d picked up from his call with Skywalker indicated it was a school of some sort.

“Pak-sum,” said the kid.

Din angled the Razor Crest towards the tiny green moon.  He’d barely heard of it, though Cara had told him all about how it was the site of the vital Battle of Yavin, where the Death Star had been destroyed by Skywalker himself.  Later, Skywalker had decided to establish his school there.  Cara didn’t know much about that, but she had been able to tell him a school for potential Jetii did exist and where to attempt contact.  Skywalker himself had answered the holo and eagerly invited him and the kid to come visit.

“Abbin!” said the kid, pointing out the viewfinder.  He tried to climb up the dashboard, but Din pulled him back into his lap.  He might be nervous about visiting the school, and Din didn’t want him to be nervous, and holding the kid always calmed him down.

The Praxeum sent him landing coordinates and he guided the ship down.  The kid squealed excitedly as they descended through the lush greenery.  “Bwee, bwee, gween!”

“Buir,” corrected Din automatically.  “And yes, it’s all green.”

“I wan fwog.”

“We can look for frogs later.”  Din had already checked the Holonet and the amphibian species on this planet were not poisonous.  “First we’re meeting Skywalker.”

The ship settled onto the ground on a duracrete pad that had been set up in a cleared area of the jungle.  Din could see the huge pyramid of the Praxeum nearby.  He was so busy looking he barely noticed that his kid had run ahead and was already sliding down the ladder and heading for the door.

“Hey!”  Din ran after in time to see the kid already raising his hand to try and move the door with the Force.  He scooped him up before he could succeed; disrupting his concentration was about the only strategy Din had left when the kid got stubborn.  “Bwee,” whined the kid.

“Hey, listen.”  Din held him so that he could see his kid’s face.  “Listen, there’s no reason to be nervous.  We’re just here to look.  If you don’t like it, just say so, and we’ll leave, okay?”

The kid scowled.  “Bwee, Abbin,” he said, pointing insistently at the door.

“Okay, okay.”  Din reached for the control panel and opened the door.

The humidity and smell of the Yavin jungle immediately hit them full force.  The kid squealed, kicking his feet, demanding, “Bwee, down!  Wan down!”

“Not yet,” said Din.  After all, the kid might still be nervous.  No need to let go of him yet.

As soon as Din stepped off the ship he saw Skywalker walking towards him, dressed in long Jedi robes; a woman with red-gold hair and the confident stance of a trained killer accompanied him.  Din tensed.  A bodyguard?

Skywalker was all smiles as he walked towards them.  “Hello!” he called.  “Did you find it all right?”

“Yes,” said Din.

“Then welcome,” said Skywalker, still beaming.  “Both of you, welcome.  We’re glad you’re here.”  He gestured to the woman.  “This is my wife, Mara.”

Mara smiled, but she was definitely getting the measure of him in case he tried anything, and Din didn’t need to know her past to know she was someone who would be a difficult opponent.

They were interrupted by a lot of shouting, and suddenly a gaggle of teens was pointing and running up to them.  “They’re here!  They’re here!” they shouted, and Din found himself and the kid surrounded by a quartet of humans and a Wookiee.

“Hi, hi,” said the kid, giggling, and the five eagerly greeted him.  Three of the humans appeared to be siblings, sharing similar features and brown hair; the other was a redhead with one arm cut off above the elbow.

“Some of my students,” said Luke, gesturing to each of them in turn.  “Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin are my sister’s children.  This is Tenel Ka, and this is Lowbacca.”

“Hello,” said the kid, demanding attention again and waving at the visitors.

“We can show him around, Uncle Luke,” said Jacen eagerly.  “Can we?”

“Bwee, I go,” pleaded the kid, but Din wasn’t convinced.  Not in new territory with people he didn’t know like this.  He didn’t want the kid to get worried over a separation.  “He stays with me.”

“They’ve just arrived.  Give them some space,” said Mara.  “Go continue your drills.  I’ll be testing you personally later.”

The students chorused agreement and ran off.  Mara watched them go.  “I’ll keep an eye on the students, keep them out of your hair.”  She leaned over and kissed Skywalker on the cheek.  “Don’t be too long, farmboy.”  She gave Din another measuring look that he didn’t respond to.  He knew a warning when he saw one.

“Mara is very protective of the students here,” said Skywalker.  “This place is very quiet, though.  We have good communications of course, and defenses, but we’re out of the way and isolated enough it’s a good place for young Force-users to train.”  He looked at the child.  “What sort of things do you do, little one?”

The big ears drooped.  “I bweak it.”

Skywalker’s brow furrowed.  “You… broke something?”

“Bwee say no bweak.”  The kid squirmed in Din’s arms.  “I bweaked it.”

“We were in a firefight.  He tried to knock the other ship out of the sky.  He almost breached the hull of my ship.”  Din didn’t like to linger on the memory.  Life as a Mandalorian was full of dangers, but nearly being sucked out into the vacuum of space because his own kid decided to use sorcery on a TIE fighter had been the moment he finally had to stop denying that the kid needed a teacher, a real teacher.  “He needs to learn to control it.  That magic he does, he doesn’t know how to really use it.  It’s just guesswork.  And I…”  Din swallowed, but forced the words out.  “I can’t teach it to him.”

Skywalker smiled.  “He sounds very strong in the Force.”  He must have sensed Din’s confusion the same way the kid could always pick up on what he was feeling, because he added, “The magic, as you called it.  It’s called the Force.”  He shrugged apologetically.  “I tried to look up the word in Mando’a, but I don’t think there is one.”

“I looked up the Jetii too,” said Din.  “I read plenty about you.”  His arms tightened around his child.  “I came to see what you’re about and what you can do.  But this is my son.  I’m not giving him up, I’m not going to let you take him, and if you try -”

Skywalker held up a hand.  “I understand,” he said seriously.  “I am not going to take your child from you.”  He sighed, folding his hands in front of him, and looked out into the jungle.  “You’re not the first I’ve talked to about this,” he said quietly.  “When the Emperor destroyed the Jedi, he did so from every angle.  There had always been rumors of taken children, but with Imperial propaganda, they transformed almost into common knowledge.  I can’t be sure that it never happened, but from what records I recovered, the Jedi only took children whose parents were willing.”  He looked back at Din, his gaze steady.  “I do not take children at this school without their parents’ consent, and theirs.”

The silence between them only lasted until the kid said, “Bwee, I down.”

Skywalker gave a rueful smile as he watched the squirming child.  “Truthfully, I’m not sure how much I can help you, Mandalorian,” he said.  “I’ve never had a student this young.”

“He can do so much already,” said Din.  “He needs to know how to control it, so he doesn’t hurt himself, or anyone else.”

Skywalker nodded.  “Learning to listen to the Force is always the start.  From there, control will come.  First not using it unwillingly, and then being able to let it flow through you.”

Din blinked, but admitted, “That makes no sense to me.  But maybe you can explain it to him.”

“That’s the purpose of this Praxeum.  To learn about the Force.”  Skywalker reached out for the child, playing with the tiny fingers that grasped at his hand.  “Like I said, I’ve never taught someone this young.  But I’m certain we could work on some sort of arrangement.  You’re welcome to stay here with him while he has lessons, or bring him here periodically, or let him stay for some time while you continue with your, uh, line of work.”  Skywalker patted the child’s head.  “Whatever you feel would be best for him.”

“I’m… not sure yet,” said Din.

“That’s understandable,” said Skywalker.  He gestured to the large stone pyramid ahead.  “Can I show you around?”

“Bwee, I go,” said the kid, kicking and trying to get out of Din’s arms again.

“Sure, let’s go,” said Din, and he set the kid down and followed Skywalker onto the Praxeum grounds.