Chapter 26
Tatooine
As he waited for the mining team to arrive, Anakin headed into Mos Espa. It had been years since he'd been there, and a rush of memories hit him as he entered the slave quarters. Some of the memories were happy: memories of home, of his mother. Others were painful and degrading: memories of beatings, of being patronized and humiliated, of hearing his mother cry herself to sleep. No one will ever feel like that again when I'm finished, he vowed. No one will ever suffer as she did.
"What do you want?" Watto asked in Huttese as Anakin stepped up to his storefront.
Anakin smiled. "Don't you recognize me, Watto?" Anakin asked in Huttese.
Watto scowled up at his face, then gave a start. "Ani?" he asked.
"Yeah, Ani," Anakin said. "I want to talk business with you. Can we go inside?"
Watto was curious, but cautious. He'd heard stories about Anakin Skywalker, stories of horrible deeds, horrible acts of violence. And yet, here he was back on Tatooine.
"What you want, Ani?" Watto asked. "Why are you back here?"
"You don't need to know that," Anakin said. "I'm not here to get reacquainted with you, Watto," he said coldly. "I'm here to buy something from you."
Watto's eyes widened. "You want to buy something?" he asked. "Parts? Machines? Engines? What? What you wanna buy?"
"Slaves," Anakin said. "I want to buy slaves."
Devastator
"You're in excellent health, Padmé," one of the ship's doctor's told her. "How have you been feeling?"
"I feel okay," Padmé said. "It's still early though; I didn't start feeling badly until I was about two months along."
The medic nodded. "And how far along to you estimate you are now?"
"About six weeks," Padmé said.
"Let's verify that," the doctor said. "I understand you're living on the planet Tatooine right now," she said as she commenced her examination.
"Yes, for a little while, anyway," Padmé said.
"You do realize that the medical facilities there are quite primitive by imperial standards?" the doctor asked.
"I suppose so," Padmé replied.
"And the climate is very unforgiving," the doctor added. "Excessive heat can create a number of health issues in pregnant women that you need to be aware of."
Padmé grew uneasy. "Like what?" she asked.
"Dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion," the doctor said. "All serious concern at any time, but particularly during pregnancy."
Padmé sighed. "What are you suggesting?" she said. "Just tell me what you think I should do."
"I think you should think long and hard about relocating to Tatooine," the doctor said.
Padmé frowned, the doctor's words unsettling her. "Anakin needs me," she said. "I can't abandon him."
"I understand that," the doctor said. "But I would be remiss if I didn't give you my medical opinion."
"I know," Padmé said. "What if we had an air conditioning unit installed in our home? I wouldn't feel the heat as much, and would be less prone to those conditions."
"I suppose that would help," the doctor said. "So long as you limit your time spent outside. What about water? Do you have a source of water down there? You'll need to drink a lot of it."
"We have moisture vaporators," Padmé said. "They collect moisture from the air."
The doctor frowned. "Think about this long and hard, Padmé," she said. "I know you want to support your husband, but you need to think about the well being of your baby. Anakin would agree, I'm sure."
Padmé nodded. "I'll talk to him," she said. "Thank you, doctor."
Padmé left the medical wing, fighting the tears that filled her eyes.
Tatooine
Watto stared at Anakin, part of him scared, part of him intrigued. "What you mean, you wanna buy slaves? What for? Why you need slaves?"
Anakin's eyes narrowed. "I have a big job that I need help with," he said.
"You expect me to believe that you'd be okay owning slaves?" Watto said. He laughed. "Gimme a break, Ani. I'm not that stupid."
Watto's laughter sent a cascade of memories through Anakin's mind, memories of the Toydarian laughing at him, at his mother, and he reached out his hand and put a small amount of pressure on Watto's larynx.
"Stop laughing," Anakin said slowly.
Watto only laughed harder. But as he did so, the pressure on his windpipe increased. His hands went to his throat as he realized what was happening. He looked at Anakin with terror-filled eyes as he realized that Anakin was causing him to choke.
"Better," Anakin said, and released him. Watto sputtered and coughed as he fought to regain his breathing. "I'll be back tomorrow. I expect you'll have some good news for me. Do we have an understanding?"
Watto nodded, and then watched in fear as Anakin turned and left his dirty little shop.
Anakin returned to the homestead and stopped in his tracks when he saw the huge machines that now sat on his property. He'd authorized the mining operation to begin, but had not considered just how noisy and obtrusive it would be. Padmé and the children can't stay here, he thought with a frown. It's noisy and smelly...not to mention the chemicals...
"Things are well under way," Obi-Wan said as he joined Anakin in the homestead. He watched as Anakin packed a small overnight bag.
"So I see," Anakin said. "I'm going up to spend the night with Padmé and the kids," he said. "Is there a shuttle available?"
"Yes, come with me," Obi-Wan said. "I need to check in anyway."
Padmé was just setting the table for dinner when Anakin arrived. Luke and Leia ran to their father at once and he picked them up in his arms and kissed them.
"Ani?" Padmé said, poking her head into the living room. "What are you doing here?"
Anakin looked at her. "Does a man need a reason to come visit his family?" he asked.
Padmé smiled. "No, of course not," he said. "You're just in time for dinner."
"Smells great," Anakin said. "Come on kids, let's go wash our hands."
"So how are things going?" Padmé asked as they ate dinner. "Are they anywhere near completing the docking bay?"
"Well, there's been a bit of a new development," Anakin said. "When they were digging, they hit a vein of platinum."
"Really?" Padmé said. "That's amazing! So what now?"
"Now we mine the platinum," Anakin said. "In fact, that's going on right now."
"I guess we'll be staying on the ship for while then," Padmé said. "That's just as well, actually."
"What do you mean?" Anakin asked.
"I saw a doctor today for a prenatal check up," Padmé said. "And she expressed some serious concerns about me living on Tatooine."
Anakin frowned. "What concerns?" he asked.
Padmé sighed. "Medical facilities there are not terribly modern," she said. "The climate is very inhospitable and can cause dehydration, heat stroke...she painted a pretty grim picture."
Anakin nodded. "And now there's the noise and stink of a mining operation," he said. "I don't think you and the kids should go down to the planet at all while that's going on."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I need to be down there to put my plans into effect," he said. "I've already started putting things in motion. I saw Watto today."
"Did he agree to help you?" Padmé asked.
"I managed to convince him," Anakin said. His words gave Padmé pause. What did he mean, convince him? What happened down there? But she said nothing about her concerns.
"I hate this," Padmé said. "I hate that we're going to be apart."
Anakin reached over and took her hand. "So long as the ship is here we won't be," he said.
"And when the ship leaves?" she asked.
Anakin didn't know what to say to make her feel better. In truth, he felt as badly as she did. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," he said.
Padmé frowned. "How did I know you were going to say that?"
After dinner, Anakin and Padmé gave the twins a bath while Threepio cleaned up the dinner dishes. After changing Luke and Leia into their pajamas, Anakin sat down on the carpet to make puzzles with his children. Padmé watched, loving how much Anakin enjoyed spending time with their children.
"Are you tired, Leia?" Anakin asked as she came and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"No," she said and made herself comfortable. Anakin smiled and looked at Padmé.
"She'll be asleep in minutes," Padmé predicted.
Anakin nodded. "No doubt," he said. "Try this piece, Luke," he said, handing him a puzzle piece.
Luke tried the suggested piece, and smiled as it fit. He looked up at his father with a smile that made Anakin's heart melt. "Thanks, Daddy," Luke said.
Anakin smiled. "You're welcome," he said. He looked at Padmé. "Is she out?" he asked, turning so Padmé could see Leia's face.
"Like a light," Padmé said.
"Right on schedule," Anakin said as he carefully stood up with his sleeping daughter in his arms. He carried her into the small bedroom that she shared with her twin and gently placed her in her crib. "Goodnight princess," he said, kissing her cheek. He pulled up the quilt to cover her, and then stood and watched her sleep for a few moments. The love he bore his children staggered him. It seemed inconceivable to him that not so very long ago he didn't have them in his life. And now he couldn't imagine how he existed without them.
"I'm not tired," Luke complained as Padmé brought him into the room.
Padmé smiled. "I know, but it's time for bed anyway," she said. "Look, Leia's already sleeping."
Luke yawned as his mother placed him in his crib. "I'm not tired," he said again, rubbing his eyes. Padmé bent and kissed him. "Sweet dreams," she said.
Luke couldn't fight any longer, and gave in to sleep within minutes. Anakin smiled and gave his son a kiss before he and Padmé left the room.
Later that night
The floor of the small shop is in disarray, pieces of junk and machinery little the floor. It's as though an invisible hand has swiped every item from the shelves and thrown them across the room. Smashed pieces of metal cover the counter top, and then I see that there is a body in their midst. I recognize the blue creature that Anakin had called Watto. He is dead, lying on top of the counter, his eyes bulging as his hands grasp at his throat. Lifeless, he stares at the ceiling. It is an image I know I will not forget. And then Anakin enters the room.
"What has happened?" I ask him. He does not looked shocked by the grisly sight before him, and simply looks at me with an impassive expression.
"He made a mistake in crossing me," Anakin says. "He needed to be taught a lesson."
HIs words horrify me, and I feel ill. I lean on the counter for support.
"Anakin, what have you done?" I ask, fighting not to lose my composure.
Anakin narrows his eyes as he looks at me, and his expression gives me chills. "I just told you," he said. "I did what had to be done."
"Anakin, please!" I cry, unable to hold back my tears. "You're heading in the wrong direction! You've come so far, don't do this!"
"I'm not doing anything wrong," Anakin replies, anger in his tone. "Why do you question me all the time? Why don't you trust me?"
"I do trust you, you know I do! But I'm afraid for you, Ani. I'm afraid that you're heading down a dark path again. I try to reach you, but you've closed your mind. You won't listen to me!"
"This was something I had to do, Padmé, can't you see that? Can't you try and understand? "
"I am trying!"
"NO you're NOT trying!" he shouts. "Don't lie! You don't believe me!"
"Anakin please!"
"Padmé, wake up!"
Padmé's eyes snapped open, her heart racing. She looked up into Anakin's face, which bore an expression of concern.
"You were shouting my name in your sleep," Anakin told her. "Are you okay?"
Padmé nodded, and then sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. Anakin could feel her trembling, and frowned.
"What were you dreaming?" He asked.
Padmé shook her head, not wanting to tell him. So Anakin didn't press the issue, and simply held her as she slowly calmed down.
"Are you okay?" He asked, as Padmé finally released him.
"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry I woke you up."
Anakin stroked her face. "Don't apologize! God knows I've woken you up with my nightmares enough times. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
Padmé nodded. "I'm sure," she said, forcing herself to smile. "Just hold me until I fall asleep, please."
"I can do that," he said with a smile. And he did so, unable to shake an uneasy feeling inside of him.