Shattered Stars (TCW)

Chapter 5 -- Younglings

After a harrowing experience in battle alongside Padawan Yen Shila, Taska Rokanh has been assigned to furlough, along with her troops, on Coruscant. The Jedi Council agree that the war has been hard to handle, and wish for those on the front lines to have adequate time to stay close to the light side of the Force.

“Hello, Master Yoda,” Taska greeted, sitting across from the aged Jedi at a low table. “Thank you for inviting me to have tea with you.”

“Good for me to spend time with young ones, it is,” he replied. “If young, your friends are, old you never will be, hm?”

Taska smiled as she took a sip. “No, I don’t suppose so.”

“Good for you to spend time with young ones, it would be as well,” Yoda stated. “If overwhelmed, you are, in a child’s simple heart, comfort you will find.”

The smile dropped from her face. “Yes, Master Yoda. I—” she wanted to deny she felt overwhelmed, but a Jedi did not lie, and how could she deny what had happened just a few days ago? “A break is welcome.”

“A special student to watch over for you, I have,” he continued. “Of my kind, he is.”

Taska’s eyes widened. “Your kind? I’ve never seen another like you, Master Yoda.”

“Of my kind, he is,” he repeated. “Intimidated, at times he is, by others. Smaller, he is, and faster than him, the others grow. Scared, he may become, but strong with the force, he is.”

She listened intently. “I can understand that. What’s his name?”

“Grogu, his name is,” Yoda told her. “After completed, my teaching periods are, to the creché, I want you to come. Introduce you, I will.”

“Yes, Master Yoda,” Taska said. They spent the rest of their time in the courtyard in comfortable silence, watching the older younglings practice their lightsaber forms.

* * *

Taska came straight from sparring to Master Yoda’s classroom. As she neared the door, she pulled her hair into a bun. Nothing to pull, she thought to herself.

“Ah, young one, right on time, you are,” Yoda greeted kindly. “Here Grogu is.”

She looked to Yoda’s left to see a miniature version of him, with no hair and large, curious brown eyes.
She forced herself not to aw at the sight of him. Instead, she gave a large smile, dropping to her knees.

“Hello, Grogu,” she said softly. “My name is Taska.”

“Be not alarmed,” Yoda warned her. “Speak yet, he cannot. Too young, he is.”

Grogu gurgled and tilted his head at her.

“Oh,” she said. “But he still takes classes with the rest?”

“For the past couple of years, yes,” he said. “Often, sits in on the same classes, he does. Sometimes, the best way to learn, repetition is.”

“I see. What do you need me to do, then?”

“For a few days, watch over him. Good for both of you, it will be. Tired of my company, he grows at times. Walk around the temple, you can. Read to him, you can. Anything you find to do, come with you, he can,” Yoda informed.

Taska nodded. “And I’ll just bring him back to the creché when it’s time to sleep.”

Yoda nodded back.

“That sounds like fun,” she smiled. “May I pick you up?” she asked, turning to Grogu. He made a small huff and shuffled towards her.

Picking up the baby, she gave a look to Master Yoda. “Thank you, Master.”