#and this is how he cooked up the idea of being kyr'tsad mandalorians

[clipperandhisadike]

The  perils of raising Jetti’ade when you are as force-sensitive as a brick.

Raising three force sensitive empaths, Clipper realized, was a lot more difficult than life as an assistant creche-master had made it out to be. He was starting to respect Crechemaster Leeta's eternal optimism and ability to handle anything thrown at xem, and xir ability to deal with... Well. Three force sensitive empaths. Except xey had had over twenty force sensitive empaths to take care of, and a minimum of staff to help because of the war. All xey had had was a crippled clone trooper who should have been decommed, four nanny droids - what Clipper wouldn't give for one of those right now - and the Temple guardians, all of whom had come to the infant creche between shifts to cuddle the babies and spot Leeta long enough for xem to take a nap and hop in the fresher.

Clipper had exactly zero help on that front, severe battle shock, a janky leg that barely held up in his broken brace most days, and debilitating migraines.

And the kids had picked up on his misery already and were all wailing in unison. It was going to be a long day.

He picked up the oldest, a little Dathomiran Zabrak he'd named Yuula - he wasn't sure if that was actually a Dathomirian name or even a Zabraki name, but he'd done his best so sue him - and cuddled her - them? How did natborns even pick a gender anyways if they weren't assigned one? - to his chest until Yuula stopped crying and snuffled into his chest, sucking her - their? his? Kriffing natborn banthashit - thumb. That meant it was safe to put Yuula back in the crate he was using as a large cradle, and Hero had to be picked up next because otherwise Leeti would start screeching, the little menace.

Yuula knew what to do, though, and flopped onto her belly to crawl over to Leeti to cuddle him while Clipper soothed Hero. Leeti was a valiant little protector for Hero, and Clipper hated to admit it, but Hero was the one most in danger, even if Clipper could teach all three of them to hide their Force signatures - however the sith hells he was supposed to do that - and not use their abilities where an Imp could see them. Twi'lek were regarded as too attractive by the galaxy at large for anyone to leave a Twi'lek ad'ika alone. Kark.

He was going to need to teach Hero how to fight to get away as soon as the little Twi'lek could stand up and toddle around.

Hero went limp in sleep and Clipper sighed, kissing his ad'ika between the stubby little lekku before putting the baby back in the cradle and finally, finally picking Leeti up. Leeti flopped against his chest and clung like a tooka kit, content to be held while Clipper hummed an old drinking song they'd always used at 79s. ...Kriff. His brothers.

 His brothers, who were the reason he was looking after three orphaned jetti'ade. What had happened? And more importantly, how did he protect his ik'aad when he couldn't even tell if he would soon be marching far away while his body continued on without him?

New order of business, he decided as he put Leeti back down with his siblings for their third nap of the day. He'd have to find some way to hide them, and preferably within a group that was known for taking on small children at the slightest hint that they might be free to a good home.

Well. Buir - Prime - had been a Mandalorian, even if he was a shabuir to the end....