Private The Youngling Herd

[Gem-in-Trash]

"Gem-in-Trash? You got Gem-in-Trash to teach a class?"

"She volunteered."

"It's Gem-in-Trash."

"She's a top student!"

"The first time I ever met her, she bit me!"

"She was a baby!"

"She bit me last year, too!"

"That was two years ago."

"Well what is it that she's doing?"

The two Knights discussing the class looked at the pile of supplies that the Cathar, along with the Huttlet Jobbi Chantin and the Wookiee cub Kuhbee , were starting to gather in a surprisingly well organized little depot. They had lots of planks of wood, little flags, nails, bolts, and tools. Whatever it was that Gem-in-Trash seemed intent on building, it could only mean more trouble for the Jedi Order. Given the arc that the Cathar girl seemed to be on lately, however, she seemed intent on finding exactly the line and dancing on it, usually to some end that nobody could find objectionable.

"I have no idea. Let's keep an eye on them."

"Okay," Gem put her hands on her hips, inspecting their work, "We've got the flags, we've got the wood, the tools, the bolts...The rods...Shovels...Glue...Younglings love glue, so I brought extra. There's one last thing, but that's a surprise for later. So the only thing we're missing are the Younglings. Would you go and get the herd, while I finish up here?"

A few months ago, before the move to Tython, Gem had gotten permission from the Grandmaster to construct a few Skimboard obstacles for the Younglings and Padawans. She'd been making arrangements, but when the Order moved to Tython, she'd had to make changes, much of which were still in the works. In the meantime, though, she would make do with what they had, and get the Younglings in on the action for free labor to teach them lessons on working together and learning to use tools.

What Jobbi and Kuhbee didn't realize was that Gem had a legendary reputation among Younglings as a prankster with a devil-may-care attitude, and Gem had seen to it that they would be wound up with the rumors they were going to be taught by the notorious troublemaker.

Today, nothing was going to be as expected. Gem had made sure of that.

 

[A Wookie Cub]

TAG: Gem-in-Trash Jobbi Chantin

The sun was hot and evenhotter underfoot, though Kuhbee had the thick fur to protect him—mostly. The young Wookiee grunted softly, squinting as he adjusted a large piece of wood on the half-built structure. What was this thing? A training hall? A meditation dome? Maybe a hangar? No one had really explained it, and Kuhbee had been too shy—or too polite—to ask.


He glanced sideways at his companion, the lithe Cathar padawan named Gem. She was quick, agile, and always a little too eager to improvise.
Kuhbee gave a low, thoughtful growl, half to himself. He wasn't sure about her. There was something in her eyes—mischief, maybe. Or something deeper. Trouble, perhaps. Still, she worked hard, but she also seemed to have a rebellious streak and he wasn't sure he should get mixed up in that. Kuhbee didn't want to get in trouble. Not that he'd ever admit that.

He tightened a bolt, then leaned back and looked at their progress. It didn't look like much. But it felt like something important. Or dangerous.


Kuhbee growled again, this time with a hint of concern.

 

[Jobbi Chantin]

Pet (hair): Fuzzy (Sha'rellian toop)

There was a low rumble. Not from the earth… but from the giggling, stomping, scurrying sound of barefoot stampede.

And at the head of it—like the slowest, most awkward shepherd in Jedi history—slithered Jobbi.

Her brow was furrowed in concentration, not from leading the rowdy Younglings behind her (though that was its own battlefield), but from the pile of planks, glue, and ramps she spotted ahead.

She squinted at it.

"
..Dis nopa peetchka artu an parchee..." she murmured to herself. “This is a skate park. She’s building a skate park. A Jedi skimboard park.”

The Hutt Padawan looked down at the wide-eyed five-year-old clutching her tail like a security blanket. [ABBR ='“You’re all going to die,”']"Mikiyuna koona nee choo."[/ABBR] Jobbi added under her breath. Then, louder: “Okay, little ones! Stay behind me. And no chewing on the sandbags! Kip, I saw that.”

The Younglings tumbled along behind her like leaves in a storm—laughing, shouting, a few already picking up boards with the casual confidence of kids with no sense of fear or physics.

Jobbi approached Gem and Kuhbee at the edge of the cleared space and gave a resigned shrug, shifting her bulk to let two more Younglings slide off her back.

“You said volunteer, not coral a feral tide of tiny Jedi,” she said shyly. “I probably should’ve asked more questions before agreeing.”

Then, despite herself, she smiled. Wide and crooked and a little tired.

“…Alright, what's the plan?”

Gem-in-Trash Kuhbee​

 

[Gem-in-Trash]

Gem couldn't help but beam at the chaos that Jobbi Chantin had brought with her. Ranging from the youngest Younglings at around five - at least those Younglings that had molted, grown, or pupated large enough by that stage - to near-Padawans at the age of twelve, who could almost be trusted to work unsupervised. Gem remembered what she was like at eleven. She'd bitten one of her Padawan handlers when he'd tried taking one of the tools she'd been using.

He really shouldn't have put his hand that close to her mouth, honestly.

"Okay, little ones. We're doing a special project today. We're gonna build a skating park. Everything here is enough for us to get started. It won't be fancy, but it doesn't have to be - just good enough for us to have fun! But we won't be able to play with it until it's done. We're gonna start with some basic ramps. Not boring exactly, but certainly essential. Without them, there's only so much you can shred. These are really easy to build, and we have plenty of surplus to work with. I'll start by teaching the most experienced Younglings first, and you will teach the other Younglings from there. We'll keep building until all the supplies for the ramps are done, and then we'll move onto the railings, and then we'll have one more thing to do before we're done, and then I have a surprise for all of you.

"Why don't you all line up by experience? Some of you are too young for hammers, even if you are technically older or even bigger."

A few of the Younglings were pretty obvious - they were older Younglings, nearly Padawans, who had been with the Order all their lives. A few were technically younger but matured quickly. Most already knew their role in the hierarchy. Sorting out the grey bits was easy enough, really; they would just go after the obvious ones.

"Excellent work! Now, I've printed out the instructions, but I'm also going to show you how it's done. Jobbi, Kuhbee , take a close look."

Gem picked up a spanner and knelt to start assembling parts, before stopping.

"Actually, I should have asked. Jobbi, Kuhbee, how long were you Younglings for? Because if I recall correctly, you came directly here as Padawans, right?"

She gave them a wicked, toothy grin, "What do you think, Younglings? Should they have to line up, too?"

The cheers of the children made it clear: The Hutt and the Wookiee didn't stand a chance.