Disclaimer: All credit goes to George Lucas the creator of Star Wars

Summary: Anakin was captured by pirates after winning a pod race at the age of seven and has spent the last seven years in their care. He won his freedom at the age of ten by making a deal with Hondo that he would stay if he could be free and this would be ensured when Hondo made himself Anakins guardian. Anakin is turning out to be quite a fiesty assasin, even though he cannot bring himself to kill. They go to the Jedi temple at the request of the Jedi council to make sure that they are all being legal, when they take an intrest in the teenage boy being picked on by the other pirates. They realise that Hondo does not want a boy who cannot kill and take Anakin into their care, but something dark is looming on the horizon, Anakin takes a shine to one Senator Amidala.

Chapter 9

Anakin was kept up all night by his thoughts on Padme. Being with her. Holding her. Making her feel safe. Protecting her. If he hadnt gained some self control from becoming a Jedi he might have just gone over to see her now, another after effect of being a pirate. Anakin just lay there for the whole night with his little friend Iego. The council had decided to give him to Anakin to care for, seeing as he was about as arrogant as any pirate still. Anakin knew that they hoped he would lose this arrogance by taking care of him, but it would not work. Anakin honestly did not care what he was going to be doing for the council right now, his thoughts were of Padme.

The way she fit perfectly into the curve of his body, how soft her skin was and how lovingly gentle she had been. Anakin smiled as he remembered how he had kissed her forehead and she had frozen slightly before relaxing into his embrace. It was dawn when threepio turned himself on, the protocal droid was as infuriating as ever when he started up. Beeping as he always did. Anakin had no idea why he had given threepio a protocal droid form six years ago, but he did not regret it. Threepio had been even more annoying then than he was now, Anakin would often tinker with his circuits so that he could be alone with his thoughts for a few hours at a time.

It was an hour past dawn when Obi-Wan came into Anakin's room, simply delighted that Anakin flinched at the light hitting his eyes. "Kriff, Obi-Wan, you could have given me some warning." Anakin complained, shielding his eyes. Obi-Wan smirked.

"Good morning to you too sunshine, I come with good news for you." Obi-Wan said mockingly.

"You're going to close the door?"

"No. The council has given us both a two week meditational retreat, which I am sure you will not attend as you never do. Have fun with whatever you plan to do."

"That is good news." Anakin replied, his thoughts travelling to Padme in an instant. "Maybe you can see your girlfriend." Anakin mocked.

"She is not my girlfriend Anakin! Maybe you should go and see Senator Amidala."

Anakins eyes snapped open. "How the kriff do you know about that."

"Clovis came to Qui-Gon and accused you of stealing his woman and trying to kill him. Since you had already explained about the lightsaber part to me, he could not press charges there. As for Senator Amidala, Qui-Gon was helpful enough to remind Clovis that you are a grey Jedi and openly defy the council. He also pointed out that you are allowed to have a relationship with the senator, Clovis was smart enough to back off."

"I need to thank Qui-Gon big time."

"Yes you do, expect a lecture from him, so tell me about Senator Amidala." Obi-Wan demanded sitting on Anakin's bed. "What do you think? I have another reason to taunt you."

"Shut up Obi-Wan, I am serious about her."

"Oh my, the first thing you've ever been serious about in your life. Do go on, does she know you were a pirate?"

"No, not yet. I plan to visit her soon, meditational retreats are not for me."

"They do help you clear your mind, but since yours is empty I suppose you dont need to do so."

"Shut up. If you say anything to Padme I'll tell Satine that you love her."

"I do not, and your on a first name basis with her I see."

"Oh quit your mocking, Obi-Wan. Either help me find a way to talk to her or go and sit with your legs crossed for hours, I hear that its murder on your thighs."

"Never a serious moment, huh Anakin?"

"Not unless it involves humiliating a politician or being with Padme."

"I might have a certain senator for you to humiliate soon enough, now dress smart if you want her to like you. See you around pirate."

"See you around Jedi."

Obi-Wan left the room and Anakin could not help but smirk. Those were the names they both had, the pirate and the Jedi, the daring duo that won every battle they had ever fought in the clone wars. Anakin got up and dressed in his normal clothes, white shirt black trousers and boots. Now that he was going to be out of the temple, he saw no need to wear his Jedi tunic, no matter how sacred it was.

Threepio moaned words of protest when Anakin told him to watch Iego. "Look threepio, dont tell anyone except Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan but I am going on a date. I think. I need to see how this plays out, I will most likely be gone for two weeks so feed Iego whatever the medi-droid brings for me. He can digest it easily, I checked myself. Now be good for once in your circuitry." Anakin ordered threepio before leaving the room, determined to see Padme again.


Padme sighed as she stepped out of the senate hall and proceeded to make her way to her office. Today had not exactly been a good day. Clovis had not once stopped glaring at her and one of her handmaidens had overheard him speaking with a bounty hunter about her. Even Captain Thytho was unsteady today, he always valued Padme's safety above all else.

But what she did not expect to see when she entered her office was a certain grey Jedi standing by her desk, waiting for her. "Padme, how are you today?" He greeted in such an uncharacteristic fashion. She smiled and knew that he was better when he was being himself.

"I would be feeling a lot better if you stopped acting so formal, Master Jedi." Padme told him. To her surprise (a good surprise) he smirked and ruffled his hair back to its usual place.

"Sorry, sort of an idea of Obi-Wan's. Trust him to say something that dosent work well." Anakin mocked. Padme giggled slightly, making him blush noticabley. "How was your meeting in the senate?"

"Not very good, Clovis kept making me uneasy. One of my handmaidens overheard him talking with a bounty hunter about me." Padme informed him. To her complete shock, Anakin walked forwards and brought her into his embrace for the second time since they had met.

"I wont let him hurt you, Angel." He assured her. "No bounty hunter will even try to harm you as long as I'm around."

Padme smiled. "As reassuring as that is, bountty hunters arent intimidated by everyone."

"Actually, I dont intimidate them." He took in a deep breath. "I am friends with every last one of them."

"What? But, how? That's impossible."

"No, its not. Padme, before the Jedi found me, I was a pirate. Still am in fact, thats why me and Obi-Wan are reffered to as the pirate and the Jedi. I go and have drinks with them now and then and meet every new bounty hunter there is, I dont turn them in and they dont hurt anyone I love."

Padme tensed up for a moment. "You-you love me?" She stuttered.

"Always, Padme. From the moment I first met you." Padme pulled away slightly to look him in the eye.

"You cant love me after a day, it hasnt even been a day yet!"

"I can and I do, believe me Padme. I love you so much already, please say that you feel the same?"

"I-I think of you as a friend." Padme noticed his face fall. "No, no. I think of you as a really good friend, a better friend than even Bail Organa. But for me to love someone, I would need to see them on a regular basis and talk with them and know more about them. Do you understand?" She hoped that he did.

"Completely. When is your next senate meeting?"

"Not for a week."

"Are you doing anything in that time?"

"Well, no actually. The next session is a discussion, this session was a descision."

"Good. Would you like to go to lunch?"

"When?"

"Now. And tommorrow, and every other day." Anakin grinned at her. "So you can get to know me more."

Padme blushed. "I suppose I would enjoy that."

Anakin smiled widely and gestured to the door. "Ladies first."

"Stop acting like a gentleman, I know that isnt what your used to."

"Would you rather I was a daring pirate who stole anything he could?"

"No, but a mixture of both wouldnt hurt."

"Good thing that I am just that then."


Qui-Gon entered the room looking for Anakin, but he was gone. Of course Qui-Gon knew exactly where he had gone to, but decided to ask threepio just to make sure.

"Master Anakin informed me that he is going on a date, sort of. He said that he would see how things played out and probably not be back for the rest of the week, leaving me to look after Iego." Threepio gestured to the cub.

"Those animals can run amuck threepio, you'd better watch him closely."

"Certainly master Jinn, I shall-" Iego ran off through the opened door. "Oh no."


Anakin sat with Padme in a small but nice cafe in the center of Coruscant. It was not crowded, so they would not be watched by holonet reporters, and had excellent service. They already had their meals at their tables.

"So what do you do in the clone wars?" Padme asked.

"Well, since I'm a grey Jedi I do things as I see them, not how the council sees them. Me and Obi-Wan often resort to aggresive negotiations."

"Aggresive negotiations? Whats that?"

"Negotiations with a lightsaber." Anakin explained. Padme giggled slightly.

Anakin began to smile to, but that smile faded when he sensed something dangerous coming towards them. Anakin stood up and yanked Padme towards him so that the blaster bolt intended for her missed and hit the floor instead. Anakin saw Jango Fett fly down on his jetpack and freeze when he saw Anakin there.

"Ani, this is surprising. I never imagined you would be one for politicians." Jango commented.

"Neither did I Jango, who sent you?"

"The viceroy of the trade federation, he seeks vengance against her for something that happened on Naboo years ago. He is in league with the separatists, you need to run Ani. An assassin droid will be here soon, I will not tell them of your location."

"Understood, I'll meet you on Kamino in a days time. What do you say to drinks?" Jango laughed at it.

"As always I welcome a pint, bring the senator, she will be safe in the cloning facility."

"Cloning what? Hang on now, the republic has been using troops from each separate planet to defend itself, what are the clones for?"

"I will explain later, there is a ship docked a few blocks away, hurry. You owe me for this one, Ani."

"As I recall you owed me five for that buisness or Hoth, this makes three. I have two left."

"Fine, but dont keep me waiting or I'll take one of them away." Jango flew away leaving Padme speechless.

"You were telling the truth, you know every bounty hunter in the galaxy." She said breathlessly.

"I know, come on, we have to go now!" Anakin took her hand and ran through the back exit of the cafe, towing her along as he went. Within a minute they reached the ship and Anakin dragged her onboard. After getting the ship to take off, Anakin set it to auto pilot and contacted Qui-Gon.

"Anakin? The comlink says that you are calling from an unknown ship, what is going on?" Qui-Gon asked.

"The viceroy of the trade federation tried to make an attempt on Senator Amidala's life. He sent a bounty hunter to kill her."

"But you know every bounty hunter in the galaxy and he did not even try to kill her. So why are you running?"

"He sent an assassin droid after her and more could be on the way, Jango Fett told me of a cloning facility on Kamino. Thats where I'm taking her."

"A cloning facility on Kamino? What is Kamino?"

"Your not serious, its the planet of the cloners. They clone people. How can you not know?"

"It is not in the archives, you will have to send your location to us. Are you certain that the bounty hunter is named Jango Fett?"

"Positive, I've had a drink with him more than fifty times over the course of a year. He was the one that I helped on Hoth."

"Oh yes, I remember that mess. I will tell the council of this, make sure that the senator is safe."

"I will master, Skywalker out."