Chapter 20 – Why Yoda Wishes he Stayed on Dagobah

Anakin and Obi-Wan met in one of the Community Center's smaller rooms to meditate. There was a Jedi Council meeting, which neither of them suspected would bear any major news.

"Separated, we Jedi have been. First, because of Sidious. Then because our own differing strategies. While separate, our order will not win. Select Jedi, I propose we do. From one clan to another, they can go. Learn and teach each other's clan's ways, they will. For this, now is the time, I hope." Yoda stood in the center of the circle and made his preposition.

"But… No." Tel-Mac shook his head. "Maris convinced me to give this more time, but I'm still not convinced it won't end in disaster. I have younglings in my care. I will not be exposing them to such hypocrisy. Breaking the code, no less by Jedi Masters!"

"Well, I don't have any problem with it," said Master Coleman. "I wouldn't mind being the first to exchange a few members. And I am excited to learn and incorporate some new ways."

Obi-Wan shared a glance with Anakin and put forward, "We don't have any objections either."

To this Yoda smiled. "Good. Prepare for an exchange, we will. New business, no one has? Then leave, we will."

"Mmm-hmm." Maris cleared her throat and rose her hand. "A-actually I have news to report."

Tel-Mac looked to her in surprise, then jumped up on his feet. "Yes, we might as well tell you now. We're pregnant."

With that news dropped, so did the chins of several in the mental-scape.

"You're what!" Anakin exclaimed. He eyed Maris who nodded in confirmation.

"The force stop surprising me, when will?" Yoda shook his head.

"It seemed, since we are short on knights, and since the precedent has been set that we are adding new members…" Tel-Mac cleared his throat. "The old fashioned way now." He paused and several Jedi glanced unconsciously towards the two fathers. Obi-Wan blushed, but Anakin's chin stuck out defiantly. "It would only be a proper experiment if we had similar conditions on either side. Our youngling however, will be raised the Jedi way. Without attachments and in line with the code that has stood for over a thousand years."

In his mind, Anakin had a nasty retort planned to throw at Tel-Mac. Obi-Wan seemed to sense his emotions bubbling over, and gave him a look filled with sympathy, but with a touch of warning at the end. I understand, but don't, was communicated wordlessly.

Yoda spoke first, however. "Hmm. Given us much to think about, you have. Done for today, we are. With you all, may the force be." Then quietly to himself he muttered, "On Dagobah, I should have stayed."


"Can you believe him! He throws a fit over me being on the council. He even tries to leave the order saying we're not Jedi anymore. Then he does this!" When Anakin finished his meditation to leave the mental-scape he was anything but tranquil.

"Yes, it is odd behavior for him," Obi-Wan noted.

"And now he thinks, because he's a proper Jedi, he's going to raise his own kid without any attachments and they'd be the perfect Jedi. We'll see how long that lasts! When his own child is crying all night long. We'll see how long he can stay detached."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Maybe, but it's going to be a tough lesson." He sighed.

"What is it?" Anakin asked.

"You know I wouldn't wish Ella-Reese away. Not for a whole galaxy! But, if it weren't for… This wouldn't be happening."

"You think you alone are the reason Maris is pregnant?"

"Like he said, a precedent was set. And everyone rightfully looked at us, because we are the ones who set it."

"They looked at us, because we did what was right, even when a thousand year old code said otherwise. We chose love. They want to look at who 'set the precedent,' they should be looking at themselves."


Later that week, Yoda and Obi-Wan approached Anakin.

"A family dinner, we will have. Come, you will." Announced Yoda.

Anakin blinked. "What?"

"Yoda and I want to invite you, Padme, and the Lars's over to my apartment tomorrow night. We're having a family dinner. I've already invited Cliegg and your mother."

Anakin smiled. "That sounds like fun. We'll be there. So, who'll be cooking?"

"Well, your mom offered to bring the food, but…"

"Better accept. I've had your cooking before." Anakin gave Obi-Wan a friendly slap on the back.

"And I've had yours before. Tok nut butter, Muja sauce, and Frag Snack crisps do not make a good flavor combination!" Obi-Wan gawked.

"Hey, it was an experiment. And I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't burnt the Nerf Steaks."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth as if preparing to argue back, but then closed his mouth and thought a second. "Alright, I'll accept her offer. For everyone's best interest."

Beside him Yoda smiled. "Good, good, good. Your mother's cooking, I like."


During the Family Dinner, Padme and the Lars's were in Obi-Wan's kitchen setting up food. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Yoda had gathered in the dining room to discuss business.

Yoda began. "Members to go to the Melren clan, have you chosen?"

"Yes, we have a group of volunteers that are excited to participate in this exchange." Anakin answered.

"Have you heard any more news from the Ilum clan? Is Tel-Mac still refusing to participate in our exchange?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Meditating on things, I have been. The force cautioning me, I hear. Your visions enforce this, I believe. Participate in the exchange, Ilum will not."

"My visions? But what does my vision have to do with this?" Anakin sputtered.

"Yoda believes there was a message hidden in your visions." Obi-Wan explained.

"Heard crying and grunting from a woman, you did. Heard this before, you have," said Yoda.

"Wha-?" Anakin squinted in confusion.

"When Leo was born." Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulders. "The walls were thin."

"But I told you. It wasn't Padme. I'd recognize her screams anywhere," Anakin professed.

"Maris!" Obi-Wan's mouth opened in awe.

Yoda nodded. "Then drowned out by another, the sounds of her labor were."

"The pacing footsteps," said Anakin.

"Yes. Follow this birth, a threat does. Away from the youngling, your attention is drawn. A clue, this is. Follow, perhaps more news will," Yoda declared. "The Tatooine clan's location, The Ilum Clan shall not learn. Agrees with me, Master Coleman does."

"They don't know where we are?" Anakin asked.

"It hasn't exactly come up. And Tel-Mac had been so appalled by the attachment thing, that he didn't bother to ask where our third clan was going. I'd be surprised if he even knows we're on Tatooine."

"And alarmed at his resolve, I was. Kept the exact location need to know, I have," said Yoda. "Communication between knights in the mental-scape, I have had knights monitoring. Between members of the different clans, there hasn't been a lot of talk. Why I wanted to do this exchange, this is. This clan's planet, only those here, and Master Coleman know.

"That is safer. Thank you," breathed Anakin.

"Best interest of the order, this is," Yoda hummed.

"Yes, Anakin's right. We all thank you," Cliegg pipped up.

The group of Jedi looked around realizing that their conversation was no longer private. Shmi placed a steaming dish on the table, and Beru passed them plates and silverware from the cupboard.

"You've been doing a lot since you've come here, but I think we'll all agree that we want to stay out of the empire's cross-hairs," Cliegg went on.

"I didn't realize Jedi business was so full of politics. Here, you all seem so agreeable," said Owen.

Obi-Wan choked on the comparison of Jedi business to Politics. "Well, lately we've had some disagreements in the council."

Anakin coughed out, "Hypocrites!" Obi-Wan gave him a stern look. "What! They are. So they say no attachments and throw a hissy fit when we have our families. Then what do they announce? They're pregnant."

"Worried, I am. Spread thin, I already am. Know how to prepare for a youngling, they do not."

"I do wish I had been more prepared when the twins arrived," Padme shared. "If I wasn't so worried about people finding out about us, I'd have signed us both up for parenting classes on Coruscant. If it wasn't for Shmi, Cliegg, Beru, and Owen, I don't think we'd have gotten through the first month with the twins."

"And I can say the same about all of you. You've been good teachers of the art of parenting," added Obi-Wan.

"Hmm," Yoda hummed.

Padme laughed. "And I am doubly appreciative of the birthing lessons Shmi coached me in before Leo came."

"Birthing lessons?" Obi-Wan inquired.

Anakin's face went red. "I'll tell you later," he whispered.

"Hmm," Yoda hummed again.

"I just feel bad. We had help, but these two Jedi don't have anyone whose been through this before."

"Mmm-hmm! Lessons, they must have," Yoda declared.

"Are you going to go teach them, Master Yoda?" Beru asked.

"Me, no. You are." Everyone's eyes opened wider in surprise. "Two Jedi students, you have already taught. Difficult learners, they are." Yoda coughed while Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a What's he talking about look. "Padme, Shmi, Cliegg, Owen, and Beru to Ilum, Anakin will take. Lessons in birthing and parenting, you will give."

Shmi and Cliegg looked at each other contemplating this. After a moment they nodded and said, "We're in."

"Well, I've never had a baby, but I'll help too," said Beru.

"Yeah, It'll be interesting to meet more Jedi," Owen added.

"You'll be a great help," Padme rubbed Beru's hand and smiled at her. "You'll be a mother soon, and one of the best."

"That's great. But we're leaving out one thing…" Anakin pointed out. "If you guys are coming with us, whose babysitting?" There was a long pause where everyone around the table looked at eachother.

"We will!" said Yoda, offering up himself and Obi-Wan.

"You're gonna babysit the twins, and Leo." Anakin's mouth dropped open.

"I'm sure we can manage," said Obi-Wan.

"Other Jedi's help too, we have," added Yoda.

Anakin smiled. "As long as you know what you're getting yourselves into."


Hello Everyone,

This chapter features a big surprise for you. The Maris Brood + Tel-Mac pairing and pregnancy was something I had planned from the beginning, and I have a reason for it. Coming up next I will be splitting between two stories: Anakin and company's trip to the Ilum space station where Tel-Mac and Maris are, and Obi-Wan and Yoda babysitting the twins. Now, I haven't written it yet, so I don't know if these will be both in one chapter or split in two.