PART 2: RAXUS GAMBIT

CHAPTER 7: HOLOCRON HEIST

If Mon had not been told about the mechanics of her rescue she would have thought there was no way they could jump that close to another ship without hitting it.

"We'll touch down on Zurth," Asajj said to the senators, "and you can find transport to wherever from there."

Obi-Wan went into the back of Starkiller to find Padmé's droid, the protocol droid had not been seen since entering onto the ship in their made getaway. He found it in one of the pirate rooms, the droid was speaking with the little blue and white R2 unit.

"Really, well my own experience was much worse, left behind and on a pirate ship of all things." The little Astro-mech beeped and whistled a response.

"Well I know this is a pirate ship too, but they are not exactly like other pirates."

Whatever the R2 unit's response was it sent the golden droid into a tizzy. "How dare you, Master Ani is not a common pirate. I'd never have been created by a common pirate, you can just be quiet you little blob of tin!".

"Come along then," Obi-Wan said, breaking up the conversation. Paused as he turned to leave Obi-Wan felt something in the force. A faint blue glow was coming from a compartment. Opening the drawer Obi-Wan found a holo cron in the possession of the pirates. Being slightly stunned Obi-Wan tucked it into his belt pouch.

"We expect that payment to be wired soon, or we'll come and collect," Asajj was telling Bail now that they had landed on Zurth.

"You'll have your money, and damages will be paid too." Bail reassured her in a dray voice.

Anakin stood near Asajj holding his injured wrist, Padmé wanted to go over to him, to say something. He'd helped her when she had needed it most twice now and she could still see the little boy he'd been when she'd first needed his help all those years ago during the Naboo crisis. Only now he was not so little and there was something sad about him. Padmé's attention was caught by the golden droid that Anakin had bilt. She'd put the new covers on it from the old mismatched covers that had been on the droid before. 3PO was still Anakin's she supposed even though she'd picked up on Coruscant .

"Ani?" Padmé asked, his sharp blue eyes pulled the focus from his thoughts and turned to her.

"What?" Anakin asked.

"You had said you wanted your droid back." Padmé gestured to C-3PO. After everything the pirates had done for them she figured she could buy a new droid. Anakin's eyes flicked to the droid then back to Padmé.

Anakin felt a sentimental attachment to the droid, he'd made it to help his mom. Now when he looked at it all he felt and remembered was that he'd not been able to save his mom. Then, like now, he'd not been strong enough to save the ones he loved. Glancing to the woman who had transformed from a peasant to a senator Anakin said. "How about a trade, you keep 3PO and I'll keep R2. An astro-mech is much more useful on a ship than a protocol droid," Anakin said.

"Alright, that seems fair," Padmé said.

Anakin remembered Padmé, Qui-Gon, and even Obi-Wan, the three of them had come to his home work in trouble and he'd helped them trick Watto into giving them the parts they needed. They were not the first or last off-worlders to show him kindness but they'd impacted his life more. Anakin had never forgotten them.

After the senatorial passengers had disembarked the Starkiller limped back into the sky and headed for home.

Obi-Wan sat in his cell at the temple confusion and disbelief radiating through his mind as he watched the message on the holocron again. Qui-Gon's small blue image repeating the recording again.

"I've discovered a convergence in the force."

Obi-Wan could hardly believe what Qui-Gon was suggesting.

"Anakin is the chosen one from the prophecy, the dark side clouds everything, and though he is too old to be brought to the temple I intend to train Anakin as best I can. Should anything happen to me, Obi-Wan I charge you with completing the boys training, he must become a Jedi, he is the chosen one," The holo Qui-Gon urged.

Obi-Wan had a bad feeling about it; it was as if Qui-Gon was reaching out through the force to guard him into another crazier mission. Sighing Obi-Wan rubbed his face; he needed to show the holocron to the council, he'd do that in the morning, he had a feeling things were about to get complicated.