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Loving 5: Quarterly Reports
by Ornery
"She did what?" Mace asked incredulously of the Creche Master as the other man made his Initiate Report for the Quarter.
"Volunteered to help in the creche with several of the more obnoxiously behaving children. They are those we were sure would never be acceptable as padawans because of their tempers. She stomped in, chewed out the teachers, explained that proper behavior is learned, not instinctive, then took over that bunch. And she's straightened them out, too. She actually explained why such behavior was wrong, what the results would be to each kid if that child continued acting like he or she was acting, and then asked if each student wanted her help in correcting his or her thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors." The Creche Master shrugged. "The understood her, understood the Threat of Darkness that hung over them, and said so. And they accepted her assistance."
He smiled at the stunned Councilor. "I'm so very glad she's here. She can understand and change the most stubborn child, by giving the child reasons to want to change. Positive reinforcement for good behavior and for bad she administers either some socially offensive chore, a scolding that lands a major guilt trip on the offender, or in extreme cases, corporal punishment. Whatever is done is suited to the child's age, the offense that was committed and done in front of the entire creche. Always in front of witnesses!" It works amazingly well." The Creche Master smiled. "Of course, as she pointed out, she has raised two sons to manhood already, and as helped rear numerous youngsters that had been traumatized by full scale planet wide war. She does know what she's doing, Councilor." The Creche Master said repressively.
"Force! I guess she does. She treated the entire Council to a taste of one of her 'scoldings' shortly after she got here, and I know for a fact that we've been working our tails off trying to figure out when we started acting like we were politicians instead of Jedi."
"She told you that? To your face?"
"All of our faces, in the Council Chambers. And she was right." Winchu muttered. "I don't know how we got so far off track. And I still haven't got the right mindset back yet."
"She tells the children that a Jedi is a Warrior Class, not datapad punchers. She explains in very simple terms just exactly what a Jedi is and is not, what we're supposed to be and what "Our Kind" as she calls it, is under no circumstances supposed to tolerate. Anything that causes distress or pain of any kind, to any living thing without just cause, is one of the things to avoid. Power plays for the "Hell of it" is included in that. She teaches them to stand up for themselves in that regard." He smiled. "And she has her husband and their son teaching them self-defense already. Three hours a day, every day, and Qui is to alert unpaired masters when a child reaches a point when that child needs personalized instruction. Five masters have taken padawans under the new system, right when the children needed them. And those new padawans are doing wonderfully."
"She's re-arranging Temple Policy, isn't she?" Mace sighed in resignation.
"Right and left. Also, for the better."
Mace Winchu winced. "She gives no warning to the Council at all. We keep finding out about training or disciplinary changes after the change has been in affect for several weeks. And by that time, the fact that her ideas work several times better than traditional methods has been made rather obvious."
The Creche Master only chuckled. "If she assumes you are politicians, she likely also assumes you don't have the least idea of how to handle children. If that's the case, it makes since that she herself takes over child-rearing. She's quite good at it. She's even devised a menagerie so that every child can have a pet, if they want one, as long as said pet is of a breed compatible to indoor living and of a species bred specifically for pets."
The Master grinned, chuckling aloud. "And if someone brings home a non-pet, she has had *all* of the cleaning droids programmed to remove the animal to a holding area with zoo-vets on staff. If an animal is injured or ill, they tend it until it is well, then send it to a proper zoological park. Otherwise, it is sent to a zoo immediately. She's already removed at least forty animals and/or carnivorous plants from students, knights and masters alike."
"Oh, and I bet that went over *real* well. How did the knights and masters react?"
She told the complaining adults that they should be setting a good example for the children, and that they were all role-models whether they had a padawan or not. The complainers were then set to minding padawan-age Initiates. She told them all that if they had the leisure to *bitch*, then they should *also* have the energy to do something useful."
The Master's tone was a study in satisfaction and Mace grinned. "Does this have anything to do with the rash of Masters and Knights that have recently obtained padawan friendly quarters?"
"Yes, it does. Actually, it's why this year's count of newly paired padawans is up to thirty. And there are likely to be more. She supports and aids the order, you know. She just won't tolerate any crap from anyone, that's all." He grinned. "I think it's a refreshing change. It's certainly fun to watch when she nails someone."
"Is there anything else to add to this quarter's report?"
"Possibly, but if there is, I don't know about it yet."
"She's a very busy woman, isn't she?" Mace sighed.
"Yes, rather sneaky, too. But more youngsters are padawan quality, and at younger ages than ever before, so it's a Lightsided, useful sort of Force Guided sneaky."
"I feel like I've been run over by a herd of stampeding banthas." Mace told the Creche Master with feeling. "Okay, I guess that's it, then. I'll make the report to the Council, who will argue it to
death, and no matter what is decided, she'll just keep right on making improvements. She seems to take a positive *glee* in ignoring us."
"That, and she never pays heed to anyone she figures for a pompous ass." The Master said as he departed. "Which is exactly as it should be. This morning, she told one of the Order's finest masters that she figures that at some point he used to be a "real, live Jedi" and she wished to hell that he'd remember how. He actually slunk out of there with a padawan in tow!"
Winchu was torn between laughing and cursing at the sheer depth of the insult. And the result...."I think I'm going to try to stay on her good side. Even if it means taking a padawan."
"You'd have to resign your Seat on the Council."
"Yeah, but that would at least get me out of the direct line of fire, wouldn't it?"
"True."
"Who'd she say that to?" Mace whispered, not at all sure he really wanted to know the answer.
"Yoda."
END