Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was obvious that the two men in Reelat’s office were not born mandose. It wasn’t obvious by their race or appearance: Both were humanoids wearing mando clothing. Reelat could see it in the way they stuck together looking at everything around them with a mixture of curiosity and worry.

Recently integrated from outside the Mando System, Reelat thought to himself. He got a lot of those recently. With the Mandalorian Empire ever expanding, more and more former warriors of the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire were put into the Integration program. There was no honor in murdering a warrior if you could turn them to your side.

If Reelat had to guess he would say those two were from the Republic. He had a sixth sense for stuff like that.

“New in the city?” He greeted the strangers.

The older of the two with strawberry blond hair and beard chuckled and gave a helpless shrug. “That obvious?”

His mando’a was good if accented.

“What did you come all the way from Kalevala for?” Reelat asked curiously.

“Kalevala…?” The other man frowned for a moment then his eyes lit up. “Oh you mean my accent?” He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “I have to admit I have never been on Kalevala in my life, my mando’a instructor was been born there though.”

Reelat rolled his eyes. “It’s what I always say: Too many integration camps and not enough skilled teachers there anymore. And I have to find them a job after their half-assed education.”
For the first time the younger man spoke up with a sly grin. “That is your job though, isn’t it? It says job centre at the door.” His accent was very different from his companion. Not very mando at all even if he did use the correct words and grammar.

“You’re from the Outer Rim?” Reelat asked.

“Tatooine.” The man answered. “Didn’t have to teach me much language after ending up on Mandalor. Mando bounty hunters are quite abundant back there.”

“I thought Tatooine is still in Sith possession at the moment.” Reelat frowned. “You seem republican to me.”

The other man shrugged. “Who would stay on Tatooine on their own free will if they had a choice? I left as a child when it was still neutral.”

Reelat huffed. “Fair. What’s your names anyway?”

“Oh, I do apologize.” The older man took over again. His language sounded more posh with every word out of his mouth. His language teacher must have grown up rich or noble. “We haven’t introduced ourselves, have we? My name is Ben and that is my ad Skylar.” Skylar frowned at being introduced. Probably disliked still being treated as a child.

Reelat nodded and started typing into his computer. “Right where is your clan member or case worker?” After the integration was completed, if you were lucky, you were adopted by an already established family or clan and slowly introduced to the world outside of the integration centre, you spend the last months in. Unfortunately, with the influx of integrators more and more of the ones considered to be no flight-risk had just been released without family connections and instead were assigned case worker. Or they were SUPPOSED to be...

“We have none.” Ben shrugged. “As you said too many centers not enough teachers…”

Reelate scowled. “Remind me to write a complaint to the responsible authorities. Fine,” He was not getting paid enough for this job. “What are your relevant skills?”
“I’m a mechanic.” Skylar immediately boasted. Ben pushed his elbow into his ribs with an angry glare.

Reelat just ignored the family scrabble. “’You any good?”

“Good enough.” Skylar pressed out as he rubbed his ribs.

“That’s what they all say.” Reelat mumbled. “Ever worked on a droid before?”

“Yes. I build a protocol droid in my free time.”

Reelat’s eyebrows shot up. That… was actually better than he had expected. Mechanics were always needed in the private as well as the military sector. “What about star ships?”
“I can keep them running after a fight.” Skylar answered.

“What about armor?”

He smirked. “Didn’t have a lot of chances to touch a mando one but I’m sure I can make do.” His father rolled his eyes.

“All right then. Here.” Reelat threw a chip towards Skylar who caught it with unusual grace. “This is your assignment. You start the day after tomorrow. I hope for your sake that you haven’t lied about what you can do because they will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t know what you’re doing.” Skylar just grinned. “Now to your buir…”

“No big talents with me I fear.” Ben smiled shyly. “Honestly I will take whatever you have that’s still free. I don’t mind exhausting physical work.”

Reelat looked him up and down. “You don’t sound like one for mindless work.”

“How do I sound?”

“Like you were raised with a silver spoon in your mouth.” Reelat answered. “Haven’t heard that posh of an accent outside of the palace or the university often.”

Ben just shrugged. “I just like to read.”

“Read, eh?” Reelat said. “There is a position at a library that they just can’t seem to keep filled.”

“A library?” Ben’s eyes lit up but then he frowned. “Why ever would it be hard to keep such a position filled?”

“You said you would take any job.”

“I… yes but…”

Reelat threw the chip at Ben and for a moment he thought the man would not react in time. As Ben stretched his arm out the chip seemed already too close to the ground for him to grab it but Reelat blinked and suddenly Ben was holding securely unto it.

“Many thanks for your efforts.” Ben nodded his head in thanks making it look like a short bow. “We will not take more of your time then.”

Somewhere in Reelat’s brain alarm bells were ringing. Of course he had also grown up listening to the same horror stories as a child as all mandose did but even the thought was childish:

Who would let two Jedi just roam around after integration?

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan Kenobi had to admit if there was an ideal Jedi to get stranded on Mandalor it was probably him. Sadly the situation was anything but ideal. It was truly his luck to get captured by mandalorians while barely getting close to their system. Anakin, Ahsoka and him were only giving safe passage to Padme on her way to discuss a possible political alliance and their ship had not even planned to enter mandalorian territory before the pirates attacked. At least the Force seemed to try to balance their bad luck by helping them make sure no one found out that they were Jedi as they were captured. Escaping the integration center afterwards was easy. Escaping the planet after the alarm was rung on the other hand… The entire city of Keldabe (of course they would be kept close to the capitol of Mandalore) was still in shut down only letting people enter and leave under strict control. Leaving would require patience and money. Which was why he was here.

“You must be the new guy!” A young Togruta girl was jumping up and down in front of him in excitement. Her face was a lilac color and her montrals and lekku had dark violet stripes. She reminded him of Ahsoka. “My name is Linjes, I am so excited there is a new part of this team!”

“Ehhh…” Obi-Wan wasn’t quit sure to answer her enthusiasm and his mando’a was failing him. “Vor entye?“ Thank you.

“Linjes let the poor man breathe!” An older gentleman joined them. He was a humanoid with long graying hair and beard. He reminded Obi-Wan a bit of his old master.

“Sorry Silas.” Linjes replied.

“How about you go sorting through the new pile of data sets while I give the new guy a tour?”

“But…?” She started protesting but under his gaze she bit her lip. “Sure Silas.” And she was gone between the shelves.

Silas turned to Obi-Wan. “Excuse her she can get a bit over-excited but she means only well. As you have probably heard my name is Silas, he/him.” He held out his hand for Obi-Wan to shake.

Obi-Wan took it. “Ben also he/him.”

“Ben.” Silas inclined his head. “I heard you are fresh from the Integration program.”

“Guilty.” Obi-Wan admitted freely trying to avoid Silas’s eyes as if shy. “Everything is still very new to me.”

Silas raised an eyebrow. “Your mando’a doesn’t sound like it.”

Obi-Wan forced his smile not to waver. It was difficult to figure out how he good he was supposed to be at speaking the language after just leaving integration. Since he learned mando’a as a child, he didn't remember how not knowing the language even sounded like. “Thank you, I am really trying.”

“No doubt.” Silas smiled back but there was something else in his eyes. “I am surprised that someone with such a comprehensive grasp of our language ended up in this job.”

“This is the second time I am hearing about trouble in this job.” Obi-Wan frowned. “Surely a librarian’s job includes a comprehensive understanding of the language and an enjoyment in books, does it not?”

Silas chuckled. “So you weren’t told why people keep away from this job as if it has the bubonic plague?”

Obi-Wan shook his head.

“Please follow me.” Silas instructed and kept talking as they walking in between the shelves full of data pads and even – Obi-Wan’s mouth fell open as he saw them – some paper books hidden in a corner. “To be honest librarian is only one part of your job description.”

“A part?” Obi-Wan repeated. “What more could you possibly expect from someone working in a library?”

“The education of the next generation.” Silas opened a door hidden at the back of the library and held it open for Obi-Wan. “After you.”

Obi-Wan entered a room that reminded him of his dormitories in the Jedi temple when he was young. On the ground there were several bean bags and other comfortable seating arrangements as well as mats to lie down on. On the shelves lining the walls were toys for different age groups as well as several colorful books.

“I am supposed to read to the ade?” Obi-Wan guessed and raised an eyebrow. “I still don’t quite understand the problem.”

“Well…” Silas sighed. “As the biggest and most prestigious library of the capital city we have been given the honor to watch and guide the next generation of leaders while their guardians are keeping the country running.”

Obi-Wan’s eyebrows had reached his hair.

Silas sighed again. “Kriff it, all the entitled brats from the higher-ups in the government get send here after school and you are supposed to make them read books and stuff. The problem is that they all want to become great warriors like daddy and mommy so they want to run around and hit each other with sticks instead of listening to a stuffy librarian.”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “Sounds like normal children behavior to me.”

“Oh you haven’t met mandalorian ade yet.” Silas rolled his eyes. “I had three people quit last month and one of them is still in the hospital with his injuries. I hope you stick around a bit longer because if you quit we have to take over the job again and Linjes cried three times already this week. Good luck I guess.”

And he left Obi-Wan alone in the room. The Jedi let his eyes wander over the equipment he had access to. Silas was right he never had to deal with a group of mandarlorian children before but honestly… at least the furniture in the room would not start hovering whenever they had a tantrum. This would be child’s play.

Jango Fett was hurrying through the streets of Keldabe to the city library. He cursed himself for not having taken a hovercraft but the palace was close enough to the library that it seemed silly. Now he started feeling the anxiety building up the longer he took.

He wasn’t late picking Boba up from the child care group – if anything he was early – but Silas had told him the day before that they had a new employee taking over the children and that always spelled out disaster. Jango was already planning out in his head what Boba might have broken this time and what excuses he might need to come up with. It wasn’t that his ad was a bad ad he was just… spirited. Gods knew Jango hadn’t been much better at his age. But sometimes being a single father and the son of the Mandalor could be exhausting.

He hurried inside the main portal of the library and ran into Silas. “How bad is it?”

Silas immediately understood what he meant. “So far I have heard less screaming and crashing then expected.” He answered calmly.

Jango let out a breath. Silas was one of the old generals that had served under his father until his retirement from active duties. He didn’t tend to panic but he usually assessed difficult situations accurately.

“Let’s check up on them then, shall we?” Jango followed Silas to the end of the hall and kept his ears open for any undue noise but it was unusually quiet. Maybe the children had passed out from rampaging?

Jango opened the door to the playroom as quietly as he could to not wake the sleeping Sarlacc. His gaze was met with fifteen ade… sitting in a circle working on something small in their hands. Meanwhile a smooth voice was reading out a dialogue from a popular Mandalorian play.

“It may help to understand human affairs,” You could hear that the man reading had not been born on Mandalor from his accent. It gave his voice a fascinating, nearly musical, rhythm. From the door Jango could only see his profile. A strong face framed by strawberry blond hair and a well-kept beard. The body was lean but muscular. Jango guessed, he had been some kind of fighter before he was caught by the Empire. “to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused, not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people.”

Suddenly one of the little girls jumped in triumph holding up something silver and glittery. “I SOLVED IT, I SOLVED IT!” She ran up to where the man was sitting and proudly showed off the two pieces of metal in her tiny hands.

He took it from her with a bright smile. “You did, really? Wow, I didn’t think anyone could solve that puzzle this quickly.” He held up the pieces of metal with an exaggerated surprised look. The girl was preening under the attention. “You must be very clever. Here you can have this piece of chocolate as a reward.” The girl squealed in delight as she took the small piece. “Also, since you seem to be such a good puzzle solver, how about you help me with this?” The man took a small wooden box from the floor next to him and gave it to her. The girl nodded solemnly and returned to the cushion she had been sitting on before and immediately started working on the wooden box. The man looked at her with a smile and then turned back to the book. “So where was I…?”

“This is STUPID!” A voice interrupted him and Jango winced as he recognized Boba standing up with crossed arms.

The new librarian didn’t seem faced in the slightest. “Yes?”

“This is stupid!” Boba repeated. “You can’t get this die to have only one color on each side, it’s impossible. You just want to give us busy work!”

“Oh?” The man’s tone was perfectly polite. “Can I take a look?”

Boba stamped over with the rubix cube in hand and nearly threw it at the man. Jango was just about to walk into the room and scold his ad but Silas’s hand on his shoulder held him back. “Give the man a chance!”

Jango hesitated.

Meanwhile the new employee had taken the cube and held it up against the light turning it this way and that way thoughtfully. Then he turned back to Boba. “You don’t think this can be solved?”

Boba huffed.

The man smiled. “Well I assure you I would not set you up to fail. Sometimes you just have to have some…” And he started to twist the cube in his hand. “patience…” more twisting to the left… “tenacity…” now to the right… “and the right view to solve things.” He held the cube up with all sides showing only one color then he gave it back to Boba. “You can’t always just crash with your head first through any wall.”

Boba looked first at the cube then at the man with an open mouth. “Are you a wizard?”

The man laughed. Jango noticed how he threw his head back as he laughed exposing a long neckline. “No, I fear I’m not. I just have more experience at solving puzzles.”

Boba was still looking at him as if he hung up the moon.

The man’s neck reddened under the attention and he picked the book back up from his lab. “Should I continue the story? It was just getting interesting.”

Jango thought he might be in love.

Chapter Text

“Honey, I’m home!” Anakin threw open the door with a swagger and pressed a kiss to the top of Padme’s head before he pulled off his jacket and closed the door behind him. This was all possible with only a few steps, even though Padme was sitting at the living room table, because the apartment they were living in was tiny.

Padme let out a frustrated sigh. If Anakin hadn’t greeted her with those mandalorian words ever day, as soon as he came home she wouldn’t have understood what he said. Curse foreign languages and their double meanings.

Anakin let his eyes wander over the data pads and half-started holovids strewn over the table and raised an eyebrow. He told her in basic this time: “You know you cannot force yourself to learn an entire language in a day.”

“I don’t have to learn an entire language in a day.” Padme told him. “I already know the basics. And since everyone here is convinced my mando’a is too bad for me to find a job without raising suspicion…”

Obi-Wan’s voice came from the kitchen. “You know being a housewife is a socially accepted and important position.”

“I cleaned this flat THREE TIMES since you left for work today!” Padme shouted back. “If I don’t get to put my energy into something stimulating I will let myself be put back into the Integration program on my own free will. At least I get to discuss mandalorian politics there.”

Anakin ruffled her hair affectionately and laughed when she batted him off. He was allowed to do this now. Their cover story was that they were a married couple after all. Not that Obi-Wan or Ashoka knew it was more than just a cover.

Speaking about their supposedly adopted child…

“How was school, Snips?” Anakin asked the teenager who had taken over the (tiny) couch in a big sulk. Sometimes Padme forgot that - padawan or not - Ahsoka was still a teenager.

The student glared at her master. “Why do I have to go to school?”

Anakin hesitated, thought about it for a moment, and then continued in a very earnest voice: “So you learn the stuff you need to get by in the galaxy.” He seemed very proud that he managed to sound like such a well educated adult. Padme couldn’t help the corners of her mouth rising.

“I have learned how to get by in the galaxy perfectly well without school the last few years!” Ahsoka protested.

“To be fair,” Obi-Wan had come into the living room carrying all four plates they owned as well as cutlery. “I have to admit, we might have kept you from the temple education for a bit too long. While being raised on a battlefield may hone some skills, it dreadfully neglects others. Padme could you be a dear and clear the table? We are about to eat.”

“Sure,” Padme answered clearing off the language course materials she had gathered on the table.

“School is stupid,” Ahsoka continued complaining. “I have to sit still for hours on end and write stupid essays about stupid stuff no one cares about and my class mates think I’m stupid, because I don’t understand what they’re saying all the time, because they only speak stupid mando’a, but I am not allowed to tell them that I don’t understand mando’a, because then we might get captured and…”

“By the force, little one, take a breath…” Obi-Wan sounded slightly amused but also compassionate. “I understand this is not an easy situation for you, but surely school is not all bad.”

Ahsoka let herself fall in one of the empty chairs at the table and crossed her arms with a huff.

“I brought some Uj cake for dessert,” Obi-Wan tried cheering her up.

“Uhhh, Uj cake,” Anakin rushed to the kitchen.

“For DESSERT, ANAKIN!” Obi-Wan shouted after him.

“Not going for the cake, old man!” Anakin shouted back. “I’ve got to season the food properly.”

“I seasoned the food just fine!” Obi-Wan complained and walked towards the kitchen. “Just because you think nothing is properly seasoned if you don’t burn your mouth with it…”

“That’s how mandalorian food is supposed to taste, master!”

“Not everyone here was born on Tatooine!”

Padme glanced over to Ahsoka who seemed to fight a smile despite her bad mood and gave her a playful wink.

Whoever invented school, Ahsoka had decided a long time ago, did it to torture innocent children and should be brought to justice by the Jedi. Preferably by her. Because she really wanted to punch that person.

The history teacher at the front of the class was drowning on and on about a famine Obi-Wan or Padme had probably mentioned to Ahsoka before, in some context or another, but she had forgotten about it. It wasn’t even a war why should she care about a famine from a hundred years ago? What tactics could she learn from it? Not even speaking about the fact that her mando’a was bad enough she barely got every second word. Maybe she should have tried harder when Skyguy and Obi-Wan had tried teaching her the language when she was younger, but back then she doubted it would be that valuable to learn. Now she was stuck on this stupid planet with this stupid language and stupid teachers…

“Soka? I asked you a question.”

Ahsoka jumped up from her daydreams to see the whole class staring at her. Soka was the name she choose as a cover since it was a nickname several of her friends used back at home, but it still took some getting used to hear it from teachers.

“Eh… N'eparavu takisit,“ Ahsoka mumbled the first words that came to her mind. “Nakar'mir.“ I don’t know.

The girls sitting on her right side whispered to each other and started giggling and Ahsoka didn’t need the force to tell her it was about her. She let her head hang in shame.

The teacher sighed. “Please come talk to me in the break.”

The children around Ahsoka started loudly ohhing and whistling.

„Uur!“ The teacher demanded and the class quieted down.

Ahsoka sank even deeper down in her chair.

“Soka, you are…" something... "from the integration program, correct?”

“Lek.” Yes.

The woman looked down at Ahsoka who sat sunken into her chair staring at her teacher with an angry glare. “And you were born in the republic?”

“Lek.”

“Which planet?”

Ahsoka shrugged. “We traveled a lot.”

Her teacher sighed. “I worry about you. You seem to struggle with...” Several words Asoka didn’t understand. ”… to the lessons. You also seem to have trouble...” Again something incomprehensible.”… with your class mates.”

Why did teachers have to use such complicated words? Ahsoka realized that her foot had started tapping nervously on the ground and she tried to keep it still.

Then she noticed the teacher had started speaking again. “I have also realized you don’t eat lunch in the cafeteria.”

Ahsoka shrugged. “Lunch’s expensive.” And Anakin and Obi-Wan would only get paid at the end of the month. The deposit to the crappy flat had taken most of the money they managed to steal while fleeing the integration center and they couldn’t afford stealing again with the heightened security.

The teacher raised an eyebrow. “Does your family...” Something. ”… with money?”

Ashoka could guess what the question was and shrugged as an answer. “Just got out of integration.”

“All of you?” She seemed surprised. “I was informed you live with three people and they all got out at the exact same time?”

“We got in at the same time.”

“Usually children tend to learn a new language and culture much quicker than adults.”

Ahsoka shrugged again. “Maybe I’m just stupid.”

“I would like to talk to your guardians,” the teacher started writing something down on a flimsi. “I will give you a note to take home and I hope we can arrange something quickly.”

Ahsoka swallowed hard. She was in trouble.

Chapter Text

“You’re leaving early today?”

Obi-Wan turned around to Silas while putting on his jacket. “Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience but it cannot be avoided. I already talked to Linjes to take over the children for the last half hour.”

“Where’s the fire?” Silas asked his smile proving he was only teasing.

“My bu'ad is having trouble in school.” Obi-Wan explained about Ahsoka. “And my ad can’t get off work without a few days warning.” Anakin was also the last person anyone should ask about school in his opinion considering he never really went to one. Padme was much more knowledgeable about education, but with the language barrier she needed some assistance.

“You of all people are having trouble with your bu'ad?” Silas chuckled. “I thought you were a miracle worker with ade.”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “Struggling to study is hardly a problem just something to work together to overcome.”

“Kriff, I understand why the ade love you.” Silas smiled. “Jango will be disappointed he won’t get to speak to you again though.”

“Jango?” Obi-Wan frowned. The name was rather common on Mandalor but he couldn’t remember meeting someone with the name in the library before.

“Boba’s buir.” Silas explained. “You exchanged three words when he got his ad yesterday but you got distract by Lila’s tantrum.”

“Oh.” Obi-Wan shrugged. “What would he want to talk to me about? Does he have a problem with my teaching style?”

Silas threw his head back and laughed. “Do you remember what Mandose value most according to the Resol'nare?”

The Resol'nare was the sacred law to the Mandalorians. Once Obi-Wan had started regular negotiations with Mandalorians he had made sure to study it extensively. Successful negotations were based on knowing what to offer your enemy to get what you want in the end (Peace, all Obi-Wan had wanted for a long time was peace. He never achieved. No matter how many cease fires he achieved there was always the next battle coming).

“Rallying around the Mandalor, wearing the beskar'gam, speaking the language, defending yourself and your aliit, contributing to the clan’s welfare and raising your children as mandalorians.” Obi-Wan answered easily.

Silas walked past Obi-Wan and patted his shoulder. “In matters of the heart it is always best to trust the fundamentals of you beliefs.”

Obi-Wan watched him walk away in confusion. He remembered Satine trying and failing to teach him mandalorian philosophie. It seems they were still riddles beyond his comprehension.

The woman sitting at the teacher’s desk was tall with dark skin and hair that reached her waist. She reminded Obi-Wan of one of the navigation teachers he had as a youngling. Maybe all teachers, no matter the planet or culture, had a certain air around them. “Su’cuy, you are Soka’s buire?”

That seemed to be his cue. Obi-Wan stepped forward with a winning smile hiding Padme behind him. “Su’cuy, sadly one of Soka’s buire could not come due to his work. I am her ba'buir (grandfather).“

„Ba'buir?“ The woman asked. „You don’t seem that old.“

“You flatter,” he responded. “You look quite young for a teacher as well.”

She laughed and he saw her cheeks slightly redden. Hopefully that would distract her from the obvious suspicious circumstances of their family. “My name is Irenalis Kitbenn. Please have a seat.“
Obi-Wan pulled up two chairs for him and Padme and they settled down.

“To come to the point,” Irenalis started. “I think Ahsoka might suffer from a learning disorder.”

“Learning disorder.” Obi-Wan repeated the words. “I fear I am not overly familiar with that term.”

Irenalis nodded. “There might still be a bit of a language barrier even if you seem to grasp mando’a rather well. I’ll try to describe what I mean: Soka seems to have a lot of energy she doesn’t know what to do with. She struggles sitting still, daydreams in class and seems to sometimes forget what the topic of conversation was.”

A lot of those signs could be explained by Ahsoka’s lack of knowledge about mando’a but now that Irenalis was describing it… Obi-Wan remembered that Ahsoka did struggle sitting still in the temple as well.

Irenalis continued. “I am not expert, but I would probably say she has what we call ADHD: Attention Hyperactivity Disorder.”

“You have a name for that?” Obi-Wan exclaimed.

Irenalis frowned. “The Republic… does not?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “The Republic may, but I grew up a bit… sheltered. Where I come from we do not diagnose our children with problems.”

“Being able to describe the struggle of neurodivergent children is a big step in helping them live a good life in a society that isn’t always build for them.”

“All children have their struggles.” Obi-Wan answered back. “Putting them into neat little boxes and expecting them to just function the same is the problem. If we took the needs of every child into consideration there would be no need for such labels.”

Irenalis eyes softened. “That is rarely how this universe works.”

“If Ahsoka… has ADHD.” Padme spoke up for the first time speaking slowly and choosing each word carefully to not give away her lacking knowledge of the language. “What do you propose as a solution?”

Irenalis nodded, took a pad from her table and held it out to Obi-Wan who took it. “This is all important information we give out for family members with children struggling with ADHD. We recommend more regular movement so Ahsoka can release some energy as well as trying to limit distractions in her environment and some technological assistance in staying organized and concentration. If you could try to give her as much positive encouragement as possible that would be a great help. Many people don’t realize how much harder studying can be for ADHD children.”

Obi-Wan skimmed the first page of the pad. “I did most of these things with her buir when he was younger.”

Irenalis cocked her head. “Your ad… had ADHD?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “From what your describing… probably. I mostly taught him one-on-one since he started his schooling belated so I assume it was much easier for me to keep his attention on me than it would be in a full class room.”

“You sound like a good buir.”

Obi-Wan frowned and then shrugged. “I tried my best. I was… young and inexperienced.”

“We all just try for our ade, don’t we?” Irenalis smiled. “There isn’t really a manual around for parenting.”

“My riduur would like that.” Padme grumbled about Anaki making the teacher laugh.

“I can see you got this covered between the three of you.” Irenalis already seemed far more relaxed than at the beginning of the conversation. “I put the information of an extracurricular class on the pad that I recommend to Ahsoka. It will replace her first hour of schooling with a PE class that will make her burn some energy.”

Obi-Wan scrolled down the pad and frowned. “It says here that it is a preparation class for joining the military.”

“I understand as someone from another culture this might sound weird.” Irenalis nodded. “But I assure you this class is not meant to force anyone to become a soldier, it’s more of a preparation. Many parents prefer sending their children to classes that will teach tenacity and hard work. It is also a mandalorian conviction that everyone should know how to defend oneself if the situation ever occurs.”

“I think Soka has seen enough war for a lifetime.” Obi-Wan answered stiffly.

“And she will not see more of it by you putting her in PE.” The teacher responded.

Obi-Wan looked back down at the pad and sighed. “I will propose it to her.”

“That is all that I am asking.” Irenalis tapped with her pen on the table. “There is another thing I have to ask about: I now see that you are clearly trying your best but… I have to admit I am worried you might be denying Soka the proper nutrition that she needs.”

Obi-Wan immediately realized what she was talking about. He had skipped eating lunch with his new colleagues ever day so far, not wanting to explain he had no lunch to eat. He already noticed Silas getting suspicious of his excuses. “I have packed something for her lunch every day.”

“It is not enough food.” Irenalis responded and Obi-Wan closed his eyes in shame. The woman was right after all. “I understand struggling with money, I really do. But if this situation doesn’t clear up I might need to get the social services involved. If nothing else they will provide you with contact to a food kitchen.”

After they checked their papers naturally - something they couldn’t let happen without getting discovered.

“Is there no other way?” Padme spoke up. “Can’t the school help… giving out lunch?” She was clearly frustrated she was missing the eloquent words she was used to.

“The Parent Teacher Association has been discussing making lunch free for the children.” Irenalis explained. “But they have not gotten to a satisfying conclusion yet.”

Padme frowned. “Why shouldn’t lunch be free for children? They are children, they deserve to eat!”

“Padme!” Obi-Wan mumbled in warning.

“I agree.” Irenalis answered. “But not everyone in the PTA do as well. They argue the cost is too high.”

“What price do you put on starving children?” Padme stood up.

Obi-Wan buried his head in his hands. “Padme please!”

“If you want to influence the discussion you could join the PTA.” Irenalis said. “They are voting for a new president in a few days so a lot can change soon.”

“Maybe I will.” Padme exclaimed.

Obi-Wan tried to stop the avalanche, even though he already knew he lost. “Padme is now really the right moment for this?”

“What about the children?” Padme had switched to basic. “Someone has to do something!”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan answered back in basic. “But do you have to be that person?” He turned back to Irenalis with a smile and switched back to Mando’a. “My apologies I know people don’t like us using another language…”

Irenalis waved him off. “I more than understand that going back to your mothertongue while emotional is natural, no need to apologize.” She turned to Padme. “And as a mother in the PTA myself, I have to say your passionate defense of the children would be most welcome. Could you join our meeting in two days time? I think you would be of great value to our association.”

Obi-Wan knew when it was time to retreat from a fight.

Chapter Text

“Skylar!”

Anakin only barely stopped himself from grimacing as he looked up from the droid he was buried arm-deep in. He really disliked his codename but Anakin Skywalker was just to well known even though he and Obi-Wan barely came into contact with mandalorian territory. Sith were their specialty after all. “Lek?”

His supervisor was standing in front of his workbench together with a man Anakin had never seen before. Anakin’s supervisor wasn’t small by any means but the Mandalorian that had followed him was at least half a head taller with their full armor on and wider as well.

“You do good work.” Anakin’s supervisor said. “You know your way around droids.”

Anakin smiled back. “I know.”

His supervisor just nodded. Anakin appreciated the straightforwardness of Mandalorians. No need for false humility.

The Mandalorian in armor spoke up. “Ever worked on besker’gam before?”

Anakin shrugged. “Once or twice. Not that easy to get my hands on. Mandalorians really hate to part with it.”

“Did you kill anyone for it?” The Mandalorian’s voice didn’t betray what he thought about the idea.

“No,” Anakin admitted. “Just stole some. If the mandalorian died it was not my doing.” He emitted the part of an especially delighted mandalorian diplomat who let him play with their buy'ce (the helmet of besker'gam) when Obi-Wan brought him along to peace negotiations as a child.

„Fair,“ the mandalorian nodded. „Come along.“

Both of Anakin’s eyebrows rose. „Like this?“ He looked down at the half-pulled apart droid underneath him and his oily hands.

„Leave it,“ the Mandalorian ordered. „They can repair it without you.“

„Lek, Jatne vod.“ Anakin pulled his hands out of the droid and rested them on his hips instead. His overal was covered in oil already anyway. When the Mandalorian left he started following along growing more curious by the minute. „Can I get your name?“

„Right sorry,“ the Mandalorian pulled his buy'ce off and clipped it to his belt before turning his head and smiling at Anakin. He was a light-skinned humanoid with striking blue eyes and a mob of blond hair. „Name’s Myles, he/him. I’m part of the palace guard.“

Anakin felt himself grow more nervous as they left the mechanic shop and stepped onto the busy street. “And what does the palace guard want with me?”

“The palace guard needs repair on our beskar'gam,“ Myles answered jovially. „And sadly our mechanics are dramatically understaffed.”

“I… I could repair real mandalorian armor?” Anakin asked growing excited. “Palace armor?”

Myles shrugged. “If you’re good enough. We have orders in every big mechanic shop to contact us if they have a promising candidate, but everyone has to go through a test before.”

“What’s the test?”

“We give you broken beskar'gam,“ Myles explained. „And see how badly you kriff it up.“

„Ben?“ Obi-Wan looked up from the book he was reading to see Silas poking his head into the playroom.

Several children complained loudly about the interruption of their story and Obi-Wan threw them a placating smile. “Just a minute, little ones. If you can be patient I’ll help you build up the tower even higher.”

That seemed to placate the little monsters. Today Obi-Wan had let the children choose their activity themselves and they pulled several boxes full of little bricks from somewhere that you could connect to each other and build upon. It seemed to be their aim to build up the tower as high as their little arms could reach. Through teamwork they had reached an impressive height and Obi-Wan had made sure to tell them several times, how proud he was about it. Each time a parent had come in to get their child he made sure to show them their child’s work. He barely had to prompt even the most busy parent to congratulate their child on the grant tower. Mandalorians really tended to appreciate their children.

With only a handful of his children left Obi-Wan leaned out of the door to speak with Silas. “Is something wrong?”

“I need a favor.” Silas explained rubbing his tired eyes with a hand. “One of the buire just called, he can’t make the usual pick-up time. He’s an old friend and usually I would watch the ad but I really needed to finish this report yesterday…”

“I don’t mind,” Obi-Wan immediately responded. “I can watch the ad.”

Silas smiled brightly. “You are a life-saver.”

“It’s no problem.” Obi-Wan responded. “Who am I watching longer?”

“Boba,” Silas answered. “Jango will come about an hour late. Thank you again.” And he rushed off.

Obi-Wan stood in the door frame for a bit longer frowning. Jango… wasn’t that the guy Silas had talked about before? The one who wanted to meet him?

“Beeeeeeen…!” A small voice complained at him. “You wanted to help with the tower!”

No rest for the wicked and the ones with children in their care.

Jango was late once again and cursed himself under his breath. It was an emergency meeting about the building threat of the death watch. The organization was fighting tooth and nail to keep Mandalore “pure” by attacking integration centers and he couldn’t have left his father alone with it, but still… a small voice at the back of his head asked if his son shouldn’t be more important? Being a single father pulled apart between duty and family was definitively not easy. He wondered how Jaster had managed with him.

He walked at double his usual speed as he entered the library, through the big halls until he reached the playroom. Boba’s laughter could be heard through the wooden door and Jango felt himself relax slightly. At least his son didn’t seemed to have suffered under his neglect.

When he pushed the door open he was met with the sight of Boba being held up at shoulder height by Ben -the new employee with the pretty face- who was helping Jango’s ad put one of the building blocks mando ade were fond of on top of a tower that that was higher than Boba was tall. Boba squealed in delight when he put the block down. “Look, look, it’s the biggest defense tower of Mandalore!”

“I see.” Ben sounded impressed. “With you at the reign the planet is clearly much safer. Maybe they could hire you at the palace.”

“We could see about that,” Jango commented.

Boba gasped and squirmed out of Ben’s grip. “Buir!” He rushed over to Jango to hug him forcefully enough to push the air out of his lungs.

“Ugh, I missed you too buddy.” He closed his arms around Boba and relished in the feeling of his ad safe and sound in his arms. Then he looked up to see Ben smile at them fondly. The smile made his face seem softer somehow. “Thank you a lot for staying. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all,” Ben started a movement that seemed to lead into a bow before he thought better of it and knocked his hand against his chest in a mando greeting. Curiously his speech was very proper for an integrated, but some of mannerisms still were clearly republican.

“Here you are,” Jango turned around to Silas who had stepped into the room behind him. “I have just finished my paperwork and was wondering when you would show up, Jango. Everything okay?”

Silas raised an eyebrow as a clear indication he knew about the emergency meeting. He had served under Jaster even before Jango's father had taken up the mantle of the Mand’alor and he had been there at Jango’s first battles as well. By now he had retired but the soldier never quite left the Mandalorian.

“Everything is good,” Jango responded easily. “I was just thanking Ben here for staying longer.” He turned back to Ben. “I must make it up to you somehow.”

Ben shook his head. “That is unneeded, it was really no...”

“Ben hasn’t eaten lunch today,” Silas interrupted.

Jango raised an eyebrow at Silas but the man only gave him a knowing smirk back. “Really?”

“I have just been busy.” Ben defended himself.

“You should invite him to dinner,” Silas pointed out. “For his troubles. I know after a late day you always order out at the best restaurant in town. Just order a meal more.”

“That is completely unnecessary!” Ben protested raising his hands up in defense. “My aliit is waiting for me at home…”

“Your ad and his riduur can takeover the childcare for once.” Silas waved him off. “Just leave them a message that you will come home late today, you deserve a break.”

“I don’t…”

Jango interrupted. “I insist.”

Boba looked up at Ben with wide tooka-eyes. “Pleaaaaase, I want you to eat with us. I can show you the space ship I build with the building blocks at home.”

“I…” Ben looked in between the three of them before his shoulders finally slumped. “Fine, I guess I could stay for a few hours.”

Ben turned out to be a pleasant conversationalist. They talked about Boba and the books Ben was planning to read to his group of ade and the strategies he used to keep the ade calm. His smile only slipped once when he saw the direction Jango was leading them. “You live… in the palace?” He seemed nervous at the idea.

Jango blinked in surprise. “You don’t know who I am?”

“Should I?” Ben turned to look Jango up and down. “I apologize I have not been outside of the integration center long and know most people far up in the hierarchy only from holopictures usually in their beskar'gam.“

Jango was about to tell Benn who was he was before hesitating. How many people could he have a conversation with that didn’t know he was the Mand’alor’s son? Should he really just throw the opportunity away just like that?

„I am… really not that important,“ Jango told Ben. “Nothing for you to worry about.” As Ben continued to frown, Jango changed the topic. “What would you like to eat today? You’re my guest after all.”

Ben tried insisting several times to just take the cheapest option on the menu but Jango argued there were no prices on the menu and once they finally reached his and Boba’s rooms he had convinced Ben to just tell him his preferences. The one thing he didn’t have to fight for Ben to tell him was that he would prefer tea if they had it.

“Nothing against a good Shig,” Ben told them after Jango successfully wrangled the plates and cutlery from Ben’s grip as he tried to set the table in Jango’s living room. “but I do miss the tea leaves made on Serenno. I fear nothing in the Mandalorian Empire is quite like it.” He smiled sheepishly which Jango found incredibly cute. “I apologize if that is slander in your eyes.”

Jango shrugged. “I was never much into tea culture I have to admit. Maybe you can introduce me to the good ones sometime.”

“I’m always happy to teach a novice the fundamentals of good tea.” Ben brightened up before his face fell back into a more polite mask. “Although, I am sure you can find someone who has more knowledge about the topic than I do. It’s only a hobby.”

“Nonsense,” Jango waved him off. “I think it’s always interesting to hear about the things, people are passionate about.”

Ben avoided his gaze with a meek smile. “I am not that interesting.”

They were interrupted by the intercom system to the flat ringing.

“I’ll get it!” Boba insisted running past them to the door.

The food was great as always but Jango found himself far more invested in his son teasing Ben who needed to take a sip of milk or a bite of bread after every second bite of his food.

“It’s not that spicy!” Boba insisted incredulously.

“Maybe to you, little one,” Ben’s face had heated up and Jango followed the blush down to where Ben’s collar hid the rest of it. He wondered how far down it went. “But I didn’t grow up with this kind of food. It’s quite spicy to me.”

“Don’t they spice the food in the Republic at all?” Boba asked.

“They do but with other condiments.” Ben explained.

“Weird.”

Ben smiled. “You would get on well with my… ad.”

“Silas mentioned a riduur and childcare.” Jango remembered. “So they are married with children?”

“He is.”

“Excuse my question but you don’t seem old enough to be a ba'buir.” Jango commented.

“I see that as a compliment,” the cocky smile Ben gave probably managed to get him access to a lot of beds if he asked. “But yes, I admit I am a bit young. I adopted my ad when I was 19 and he was 9 and then he adopted his ad when he was 20 as well and she was 11.”

Jango’s eyebrows rose. “Unconventional.”

“We are an unconventional family.” Ben didn’t comment further about his family during dinner.

Boba had insisted on staying up longer because Ben was visiting but when he fell asleep with his head on the table Jango carried him to bed. When he returned Ben was rinsing off the dishes and putting them into the dish washer.

Jango put his hands on his hips and sighed. “What about 《you are my guest》 do you not understand?”

Ben gave him an impish smile. “I was told I am bad at following orders.”

“Are you?” Jango raised an eyebrow. “Give me that plate!” He held out his hand for the last plate Ben had not rinsed off yet.

Ben held the plate to his chest. “I should help with the clean up since you paid for dinner.”

“As a thank you for you doing me a favor!” Jango replied. “Give me the plate!”

“I really don’t think…”

Jango made a grab for the plate but Ben’s reflexes were faster than he expected and suddenly the plate was above their heads held up by Ben. Jango grabbed for it again and Ben moved his arm so the plate was behind his back. Jango felt a smile tug at his lips as he grabbed for it again Ben sidestepping him with ease. Well, two could play this game!

Jango rushed him this time ignoring the plate and grabbing both of Ben’s arms to twist them behind his back, turn him around and push him against the counter. “Yield!” He told him.

“I could have avoided being grabbed like that if I had not been worried about breaking your plate.” Ben claimed underneath him. For the first time Jango realized they were both breathing a bit heavier than before. He also realized his front was pressed against Ben’s ass. He had a really nice ass. It didn’t seem to be the only part where he was well equipped if Jango’s glance down the front of Ben’s pants didn’t betray him.

“I thank you for your consideration of my porcelain.” Jango responded and praying he wasn’t misinterpreting the signs, he bent down further to whisper in Ben’s ear. “Now do you yield to me?”

The man turned his head with another impish smile. “This is a bad idea.”

“We are two consenting adults.”

“Boba is next door.”

“Boba is asleep.”

“We don’t know each other.”

“We know each other enough.” Jango twisted Ben’s arm a little further pushing him down more. “Are you interested or not? Say the word and I will help you out of the door so we can never mention this again.”

Ben remained silent for a few moments.

“Do. You. Yield?” Jango asked one more time.

Ben smirked back at him. “Make. Me!”

Jango more or less threw the plate into the sink and pulled Ben towards his bedroom.

Chapter Text

Padme was biting her lip nervously as she entered the school building once again on her own. She had prepared as thoroughly as she could looking up the mandalorian vocabulary for everything she could think of that could be useful but she still felt woefully at a disadvantage. Sadly when she wanted to ask Obi-Wan for some last helpful tips the man needed to stay longer at his job so it seemed that she needed to do this on her own. In the end it was her decisions that led her here so she had to manage this on her own.

“You made it!” The voice next to her sounded excited.

Padme turned to see Ahsoka’s history teacher - Irenalis if she remembered correctly – smiling at her. Padme nodded as a greeting: “Su cuy'gar Irenalis.“

Irenalis gave a nod back. „Are you nervous?“

„A little bit,“ Padme admitted. „I am…“ Then she frowned when she realized that she didn’t know how to translate the sentence she wanted to use. With a sigh she decided to use the simpler terms she had learned. „I still sometimes have some problems with mando’a.“

Irenalis cocked her head and when she spoke next she seemed to choose her words with care. „In our last meeting I noticed you let Ben take the lead in the conversation and when you spoke up you made some… mistakes that are typical for beginner level mando’a.“ Irenalis gaze seemed to bore itself into Padme. “Unusual for someone who was allowed to graduate the Integration program.”

Padme felt her stomach sink through the floor but this wasn’t the first time someone was trying to nail her down on a lie. She had been the Queen of Naboo for a big part of her formative years and the Queen of Naboo was not caught unaware that easily. Instead she gave Irenalis a sheepish smile. “Do you want the honest truth about that?”

The teacher raised an eyebrow. “My curiosity is killing me.”

Padme looked left then right as if to check no one was nearby to hear her (and to buy herself time to come up with a convincing lie) then whispered to Irenalis. “I cheated on the final mando’a test.”

“You CHEATED!” Irenalis exclaimed.

“Hush!” Padme demanded and pressed a finger to her lips. “Not so loud.”

“What in manda’s starfilled galaxies brought you to the idea to cheat on your language test?” Irenalis hissed back her voice a lot quieter but no less insistent.

“My riduur,” Padme suddenly knew how to spin this story.

“Your riduur?” Irenalis repeated not sounding convinced.

“Yes. You know we were not captured by the Mandose at the same time.” Padme nodded and felt the idea materialize more and more as she spoke. “I had gone on an important mission away from my aliit and when I returned and heard what happened I tried to free them. I was captured and put into Integration, but I was put in another center and when I finally managed to tell them who my riduur was I could only see him and our ad every few weeks. They were further along than I was in the program so I struggled to catch up especially because he already knew some mando'a before he was captured. I managed to get far enough to nearly be released at the same time the only thing was that I was…” Padme didn’t know the word but didn’t let that stop her passionate speech. “...I only needed to finish my mando’a class! So yes I cheated. I was just missing my riduur and ad.” She didn’t even have to struggle much to put on the act of the scared and lonely wife – she knew how it felt to be kept apart from Anakin by duty and circumstance. “Please you have to understand.” She reached out to take Irenalis hand in hers. She remembered the woman mentioning having an ad and was hopeful she could tuck on her heart strings with her sobstory.

Irenalis looked down at their joined hands, up at Padme and sighed. “This is going against every protocol.”

“I am not hurting anyone.” Padme pointed out. “I am learning the language on my own as fast as I can, I am doing the housework for my riduur, helping my ad in school: I am integrating!” She realized with an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach that that was actually very true. “Please don’t take them away from me again!”

She knew that she had won the argument the moment Irenalis’ eyes softened. “Of course not. Although I do hope it has really only been this one time that you cheated.”

“Ask me anything about the politics or history of Mandalore and I will answer without hesitation!” Padme assured her. As Senator of Naboo and good friend of Obi-Wan Kenobi she had negotiated in several diplomatic missions with the Mandalorian Empire. Her knowledge in that area was impeccable, she was just used to have Obi-Wan or C-3PO translate for her.

“I’ll take you by your word.” Irenalis looked at the clock fastened to the front of the school. “We should go in. They will be waiting.” As she pulled open the door to the building she looked at Padme one more time. “You know your mando’a is pretty good if you let your passion guide you. I assume your self-doubts are standing in your way if you have the time to think about your words. A bit more confidence would do your language skills wonders.”

And then she entered the school leaving Padme behind to hurry after her.

Padme soon realized that the PTA meeting was not so different from the Senate conversing: There was a lot of talk about taking action without much action being taken, everyone wanted to feel important without taking on the responsibility that came with it and she wanted to strangle half of the people there after barely an hour.

“We cannot just make school lunches free,” a rodian man insisted. “We have to think about the costs!”

“How much is a child not going hungry worth to you then?” Padme asked for what must be the fifth time by now.

“We have to teach our children how the real world works,” the rodian’s female friend pointed out. “They won’t get any hand-outs out of school either.”

“With people like you around that is unlikely, yes.” Padme replied. “But maybe if we raise them to be compassionate beings we can change that.”

“We are at war!” The rodian woman insisted. “We don’t have money to spend on luxuries.”

“Faw,” Irenalis stepped in. “Surely you must realize that underfed and badly educated children make bad soldiers.”

Faw huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “If their parents don’t have the money to feed their ade then they should be taken away.”

“FAW!” Irenalis reprimanded.

“I only want what is best for these children!” Faw continued. “And parents who can’t even afford to give them enough to eat is clearly not it. I would rather starve myself than deny my children food.”
Padme was fuming. “The fact that you never had to starve yourself is a sign of your privilege. If you never had to sacrifice it is easy for you to talk about… about…” She was missing the word!

“Self-abandonment?” Irenalis suggested.

“Starvation so your children can eat?” Another person proposed.

“How about pointless heroics?” Someone at the back threw in. “Since buire who don’t eat so their children can will probably collapse at some point and make the entire situation worse.”

“Yes,” Faw got out between her gritted teeth. “I think we get it now, thank you. But do we really want to listen to the republican ideas of an aruetii about how we should raise our ad? She can barely speak our language!“

Padme scoffed. „Caring for our ade is literally in the Resol'nare. You know the sacred law of Mandalore.“

„I do not need to listen to someone who had not read the Resol'nare a few months ago about the interpretation of our sacred law, you heathen!“

„This is quite enough!“ Irenalis interrupted. “There is no need for personal insults here. I don’t think discussion will bring us any further. I propose we vote about the issue.”

“We can’t vote,” a humanoid in the back pointed out. “We still have not elected a new president since Porro left.”

Irenalis declined her head. “That is true, Vilao. But since we have been discussing this issue for months now and never came to a conclusion under Porro I suggest we make our vote depended on the sides of the argument. Whoever gets voted as president will be allowed to decide about the issue of paid lunches.”

“Teachers are not allowed to be voted as PTA president,” Faw pointed out to Irenalis with a smirk.

“That is true.” Irenalis agreed. “Therefore I nominate Padme as president.”

Padme froze. “Me?”

“You argued for your oppinion with such…,” a word Padme did not know, ”...passion.” Irenalis explained. “You seem to put a lot of effort into fighting for what is important to you and the well-being of the children is clearly one of those things. Who would be better suited for president?”

“She has not even been here for a full PTA session yet!” Faw exclaimed. “You cannot be serious!”

“I am,” Irenalis answered politely. “I assume you nominate yourself?”

“Of course I do,” Faw bit back. “I have been here every meeting for years and I clearly understand better how to help mando ade than…” She starred at Padme in disgust. “...her! My riduur is a general in the most important division of the armed forces!”

Padme saw someone behind Faw roll their eyes and mouth along to her words about her husband as if she had heard them a hundred times before.

“Thank you Faw I think everyone in this room knows about your riduur’s accomplishments already.” Irenalis answered. “Is there anyone else someone wants to nominate?” There were a few seconds of silence. “Well then, everyone in favor of Faw please raise your hands.” A good part of the hands went up in the air but it was clearly not half of all present. Faw glared at anyone who kept their hands down. “And now everyone who wants Padme to become our new president please raise your hands.”

Padme didn’t need to count to know that she had won.

Obi-Wan woke with a groan as something next to him beeped insistently. He stretched an arm out to quiet his alarm but his arm met something soft and fleshy instead.

“Morning Ben.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes flew open and he sat up in bed.

“Manda, someone is up quickly.” Jango commented as he slowly pushed himself up. “Don’t tell me you are an early bird.”

“No,” Obi-Wan responded as he realized what had happened. “It’s just been awhile that I slept over at someone else’s place.” And he had spoken mando'a the moment he woke up without thinking about it. When did that happen?

“Really?” Jango grinned and bent over to press a quick kiss to Obi-Wan’s lips. “I would have imagined someone as gorgeous as you to have free choice of partner. Your bedhead is adorable by the way, cyare.”

Obi-Wan immediately tried to push his hair down, which made Jango chuckle even more. It was a nice chuckle admittedly. Jango was an attractive man, no doubt about it, and if Obi-Wan had been in any other situation he wouldn’t have minded ending up in his bed, but right now really had not been good timing. Sadly, Obi-Wan had the tendency to sleep with people as stress relief exactly when it was not the right time. At some point one of his partners would slit his throat at night and it would have been his own fault.

Obi-Wan was grumbling to himself as he stood up searching for his com. “I have to call home, my ad will go up the walls because I haven’t come home last night.”

“Sorry for that,” Jango did not look sorry at all. He looked like the proverbial tooka that got the cream.

Obi-Wan gave him an unimpressed look he usually reserved for very unruly younglings and nodded to the still beeping com link next to Jango that had woken him up. “Don’t you have to get that?”

“I am enjoying the view.” Jango told him looking pointedly at Obi-Wan’s ass as he bent over to pick up his shirt.

Obi-Wan picked up a cushion that had fallen from the bed as well and threw it at Jango’s head. “Get the com before I do it and explain why you aren’t answering.”

Jango looked like he was thinking about taking the risk but finally took his com from his night side table and answered. “Lek?”

“Finally,” A female voice answered him. “How deep do you sleep? The emergency from yesterday has gotten worse, you are needed in the council room like yesterday!”

All of the languid teasing had left Jango’s body. He rushed over to the wardrobe and started pulling clothing out. “Do I have time for a shower?”

“You don’t have time to breath,” he got as an answer. “Jaster is being pulled apart between crisis. We need the Ad’alor here.” Obi-Wan froze.

“I’m coming, ETA in 5 minutes!” Jango had already stepped into his trousers as he ended the call and turned to Obi-Wan as he pulled his shirt over his head. “Sorry, I have to run. There is breakfast in the fridge if you want and one of my man will get Boba to school so just pull the door close behind you once you leave.” And he rushed out of the room.

Alor was the formal address of the Mand’alor the one true ruler of the planet Mandalore as well as the Mandalorian Empire. The woman calling Jango Ad’alor would mean…

Obi-Wan let himself sink to the floor of the bedroom of the man he just slept with and buried his head in his hands. He had slept with the Mandalor’s son.

Anakin would never let him live this one down.

Chapter Text

Ahsoka nervously pulled on her sports outfit that she had put on before going to the training halls. Mandalorian sports wear included tight black leggings and a shirt that wasn’t loose but did not hug her in the same way her Jedi clothes did. When Anakin went second hand clothes shopping with her for it and she eyed a tube top similar to what she first wore as a Padawan, he let her know no Mandalorian would let a child go into battle that un-shielded. Apparently mandalorian fighting techniques included taking damage head on instead of avoiding it. That just seemed stupid in Ahsoka’s eyes considering she was smaller and slighter than most her opponents. Oh well, boring black shirt it was.

She had not been aware that the course would be in the palace before agreeing to it and Irenalis gave her instructions where to turn up for the first hour of classes. The palace was a confusing maze not that dissimilar to the Senate chambers or the Jedi temple but Ahsoka couldn’t remember ever feeling so lost in either. She had arrived very early but in the end had to ask someone for further instructions to get to the training halls making her nearly late when she arrived.

The other students were already there standing in small groups and talking among each other. Ahsoka immediately felt excluded so she pressed herself into a corner of the room and waited for the teacher.

“Su cuy'gar,“ Ahsoka looked up to see a humanoid boy around her age with brown hair and eyes and sharp features speaking to her. „My name is Lux Bonteri, he/him. Are you new?“

„Lek,“ Ahsoka mumbled. „Soka Jinn, she/her.“

„Who did you annoy to end up here?“ He gave her an impish smile and she couldn’t help but relax a bit.

„Apparently I have ADHD and don’t pay enough attention in class.“

“That’s all?” He laughed and leaned on the wall next to her. “I bit one of my Integration teachers in the hand a few years ago and they said I really needed to have a place to let my aggression out. This was the only thing I was allowed to leave the center for.”

“You have been integrated as well?” Ahsoka asked.

“Sure,” he shrugged. “My buir and I were plugged right out of the Sith Empire when we were on a diplomatic mission.”

Ahsoka froze. “You’re from the Sith Empire?” In contrast to the mandalorian diplomatic missions she had been on she had only ever met battle-hardened warriors or sadists coming from the Sith Empire.

“You’ve been born in the Republic then.” He huffed. “I guess that…” A few words she didn’t understand. “...with you being a Togruta.”

Ahsoka was so tired of not understanding words she just blurted out: “You guess that what?”

He repeated the word but when she just continued staring at him in clear bewilderment he repeated in Basic. “I guess that makes sense with you being a Togruta. Their territory is in the Republic after all.” He cocked his head. “You still have trouble with mando’a then?”

“Yeah,” Ahsoka crossed her arms in front of her. “I guess I am just stupid like that.”

He waved her off. “I heard ADHD makes it really hard learning words without context, don’t worry about it. I aced my mando’a final exam before leaving the Kntegration center and I swear I could only understand half of what was going on in school afterwards.” He gave her a bright smile again and she couldn’t help smiling back this time.

“I guess.” She rubbed at the back of her neck. “I think all of my classmates think that I’m stupid though.”

“Don’t mind them,” Lux replied. “You’ll like this class far more. Kal - our teacher - is not much of a man for many words he prefers action. Do you have any combat experience?”

“Some.” Ahsoka admitted even though Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme had warned her repeatedly that she could not reveal how well she could fight in this class without rousing suspicion.

“You’ll get on swimmingly then.” The door flew open and a tall, brought humanoid with a strict face walked in. He was not wearing the traditional mandalorian armor but his shirt was decorated by one of the clan symbols. Immediately the other students went to stand in front of him in two rows that were clearly planned beforehand with the taller people in the back. Ahsoka didn’t see a free space in the rows so she just stood next to the last person in the front row.

“Su cuy'gar,“ Kal greeted them.

„Su cuy'gar,“ all students responded at once.

Kal’s eyes fell on Ahsoka. „I see we have a new student.“

“Lek,” she just answered.

He raised an eyebrow. “Clearly not raised by a military family.” Ahsoka bit her lip to not answer flippantly. “I assume you only have unstructured fighting experience then if at all.”

Ahsoka scoffed. “You assume wrong.”

“Do I? Come to the front then.” He waved her to step forward into a training mat. She obeyed with her chin raised high. “Let’s see what you can do then. K'akaani!”

She cocked her head at him. “Just like that?”

He raised his arms. “Just like that.”

“Are there rules?”

“You seem to be hesitating a lot for someone with experience. Would you do the same in a real fight?”

“In a real fight I would know the rules,” Ahsoka responded. “but only a fool runs into a fight without establishing what the boundaries are. I doubt this school class fights to the death so I assume we try to avoid major injuries. How do I tap out if I need to?”

Kal smiled at her looking at least slightly impressed. “You say Veh and I stop.”

“Alright then!” Ahsoka jumped forward. She was both much smaller and weighed probably around a third of Kal and she could not use the force in any obvious way without betraying herself so speed and agility were her allies. Just before she reached Kal she let herself fall, slid past him and pushed her leg out to make him stumble. He jumped out of the way but not quite fast enough and her foot grazed him making him take a step back. Ahsoka jumped up behind him and on his back and tried to get an arm around his throat. His grabbed her arm and used her momentum to threw her over his head. She spun while falling making her land in a roll forwards and coming up standing. She whirled around to face him but he had already grabbed her arms from behind, trying to twist them behind her. She growled and threw her head back to hit his face but only connected with the strong resistance of his collar bone. Kriff, he was tall. Instead she let herself be pulled backwards by her arms just to stamp down her foot on his at the same time as she threw her elbow back to hit his solar plexus. He let out a pained gasp but instead of letting her go he pushed himself on her with all his weight bringing them both down and keeping her pinned to the ground with a knee on her back and her arms twisted back.

“I have to admit,” she heard Kal’s breathing was more labored than before. “I underestimated your fighting spirit.”

“Did you?” Ahsoka asked still trying to squirm her way out of his grip but without using the force she had little chance.

“You were doing clearly trained by someone who knew what they were doing. With the way you fight I would actually think you have some experience with real battles,” he responded. “Is the Republic desperate enough to send ade to war now?”

“My family are beroyase,” Ahsoka spit out their cover story. Bounty hunter.

“Beroyase,” Kal repeated thoughtfully. “Not exactly the best place to raise an ad.”

“Would slavery be more to your taste?” Ahsoka hissed back still trying to find a weakness in his grip as he was distracted.

He looked down at her. “Do beroyase teach their ad when it is time to accept defeat?”

Ahsoka sighed and finally gave up trying to find an escape. “Veh.”

Kal pulled her to her feet as he stood up. “Kandosii r'akaani!“

„Vor entye.“ Ahsoka just kept herself from bowing. Obi-Wan had repeatedly reminded her since she was a child that Mandalorians considered bowing as an insult as you presented your neck to a potential enemy.

“Back into the line with you then,” Kal nodded to the other students that were still standing in two rows. Lux gave Ahsoka a quick thumbs up that made her smile when Kal wasn’t looking. “The place where you just stood has already been taken by another student who will be here a bit later today so for now go to the back row. Maybe we have to…”

The door to the room opened and a young mirialan entered nodding at Kal. “I apologize for my tardiness.”

He waved her off. “Your buir has already told me that you would come later and why. In line with you.”

She nodded again and then her gaze fell on Ahsoka and she froze.

Barriss Offee – Ahsoka’s padawan friend that had fallen in a battle for mandalorian territory and presumed dead by everyone – stood in the door frame.

This might turn out to be a problem.

The entire hour of training Ahsoka tried sneaking glances at Barriss or get closer to her but her former friend seemed to do everything to avoid her. Ahsoka didn’t even have to fake being worse at fighting than she actually was because her constant distraction got her beaten more than she would have liked to admit.

Kal was clearly not happy with her. “If there is one thing I cannot let slide in this class,” he told them looming down on them after another training round that ended with half the students failing their tasks. “...is someone not giving this their all. I understand everyone here is starting from a different point but that is no excuse about holding back.” Ahsoka felt his eyes on her.

Finally the training was over and Ahsoka followed the other students to the changing rooms.

“Soka?” Ahsoka turned to Lux who gave her a small wave. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow…” something “...at the same time.”

Ahsoka waved back before she entered the changing chambers. She put her bag down next to Barriss and opened her mouth but the former padawan shook her head without looking up. “Du'carishya.” Later.

Ahsoka had to admit that waiting might be wise, surrounded by mandalorians as they were. Both girls took their time to change their clothing until all others had left the chambers.

“Can we talk now?” Ahsoka asked in Basic.

Barriss finally looked up from her bag her eyes filled with sadness. “What are you doing here Ahsoka?” She spoke in Basic but it sounded weird. She had a mandalorian accent.

Ahsoka tried for “The same as you I guess.”

“You have not been captured by the Mandose,“ Barriss said with a sigh.

„How would you know?“

„All of Manda'yaim would have known if they captured a jetti’ad.“ A jetti'ad was the most common mandalorian name for Padawan. Barriss had used the mandalorian word.

Ahsoka felt her shoulders sink in disappointment. „You integrated, didn’t you? You think this whole kriffed up system is good.”

Barriss closed her eyes in pain. “And you have what… been sent as a spy? How did you infiltrate Manda'yaim without anyone noticing?”

“Trust me,” Ahsoka noticed herself getting louder. “I DON’T want to be here. Give me a chance out and I’ll be gone.”

“Ahsoka, there is no way out.”

“They also say there is no way for a jetti to infiltrate Mandalor and see where I am.”

“Clearly you have not tried to infiltrate Manda'yaim.” Barriss patience seemed to falter. “Considering you have not even bothered to learn our language properly!”

“OUR language?” Ahsoka shouted. “You’re a jedi padawan.”

“I am a Mandalorian,” Barriss shouted back. For a moment the two starred at each other breathing heavily and filled with emotion then Barriss shoulder slumped. “And you will be one soon as well.”

“Barriss, you can’t tell anyone who I am!” Ahsoka implored.

“I am supposed to lie,” Barriss asked. “To my buir, to my aliit?”

“Please,” Ahsoka took her hand in hers. “Please if our friendship ever meant anything to you. I just want to go home. You must understand how I feel – surely you felt the same at least at some point…”

Ahsoka felt the sadness mixed with confusion and anger coming off her former friend but felt helpless to do anything about it. If Barriss decided to tell on her – on them – it was over. They would properly be put in the integration system and Ahsoka would either die or… end up like Barriss.

“You will not escape Manda'yaim,” Barris said quietly. “There is no way for you to escape.” Ahsoka felt her heart sink at the words. “But… I will not tell anyone about you.”

“Thank you, Barriss, thank you so much.”

Barriss pulled her hand from Ahsoka’s grasp. “Don’t thank me. I will do you this one favor for old friendship’s sake but if that is the path you want to take I cannot follow you. Don’t try to ask for anything from me again!” And she took her bag and rushed out the door.

“You have no idea what kind of day I just had!” Anakin proclaimed as he rushed into the flat. “I just…”

He looked at the living room table where Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme had already gathered, all with worry etched into their faces. There was food waiting on the table, but none of them had touched it.
“By the force, you look like the Chancellor decided to somersault of the Senate,” Anakin remarked looking in between them.

“Barriss Offee is one of Ahsoka’s new classmates.” Obi-Wan finally explained.

Anakin felt his heart drop. “Is she…?”

“...integrated?” Ahsoka finished hisquestion. “Yes but she still promised she wouldn’t tell on us being here.”

“Could she be lying?” Anakin asked.

“Sure,” Ahsoka shrugged helplessly. “But what could we do about it?”

Anakin didn’t know an answer.

“I don’t think she would lie.” Obi-Wan pointed out. “Where would be the sense in that?”

“To give us a sense of security before attacking us from the shadows,” Anakin suggested.

“Anakin, the Mandalorians don’t need to attack us from the shadows.” Obi-Wan pointed out. “We are literally surrounded by them!”

“Fair point,” Anakin agreed. “So we are safe for now?”

“Ahsoka has to go to the palace every day for an hour to meet a former Padadwan,” Obi-Wan answered. “I would hardly call that safe!”

“Well at least I can take her to school from now on,” Anakin answered.

Padme looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Anni… what is that supposed to mean?”

“I got promoted,” Anakin tried to hide his enthusiasm under the dark glare of his wife. “I am now allowed to work on beskar'gam for the palace guard.”

“You work IN the palace?” Padme exclaimed.

“I could hardly say no without raising suspicion!” Anakin pointed out.

“And you wanted the chance to take a closer look at their beskar'gam,” Obi-Wan saw through his flimsy excuses as always. Must be his secret buir-powers.

“Do you know how highly advanced that technology is?!”

“ANAKIN!”

Padme rubbed at her eyes with a sigh and then looked up again. “Well talking about promotions… I guess I am now the president of the parent teacher association of Ahsoka's school.”

“Padme not you too,” Obi-Wan exclaimed.

“I didn’t ask to be nominated!”

Ahsoka couldn’t help but laugh. “How do you accidentally become the president of the PTA?”

“I don’t know,” Padme replied burying her head in her hands.

Obi-Wan sighed. “How did every single one of us managed to make our situation even worse than it already was?”

Anakin looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Every single one of us?”

Obi-Wan paled. “Well, there might have been… a slight… misunderstanding… on my part… concerning.” His silver tongue seemed to have left him.

“Obi-Wan, what did you do?”

“So you see, I… there was a parent that…” Obi-Wan closed his eyes, took a deep breath and answered. “I slept with the Mand’alor’s son.”

“YOU DID WHAT?”