"Look at him go!", Danil exclaimed happily by Palpatine's side, her hands patting his gleefully as if she was his pet, clamoring for attention. She had made sure to follow him down to the Desert World. Taa's other guests recoiled at the thought of making a stop over Tatooine. Between the local criminals, the hostile climate, fauna and the planet's reputation for its connection to the Hutt Cartel there were plenty of reasons for staying on the cruise ship. It suited Palpatine just fine, giving him plenty of room to maneuver. Save for the Zeltron, there were no prying eyes to see what would transpire.

"He is marvelous. A force of nature", he commented, transfixed by the skill that the little boy exhibited. Even if the race wasn't competitive, simply an exhibition of his skills set up by the boy's owner, a stinking, revolting Toydarian named Watto, the child's ability to navigate the course's pitfalls was in full display. If there was any remaining doubt of Anakin's, that was the boys name according to Watto, aptitude with the Force, his aura would dispel them. In his mind's eye the boy was a beacon, an uncut gem of pure, raw power that only had to be forged into a potent weapon that would serve his plans. "He merely had the misfortune of being born a slave. If he was born on Kuat or Corelia, he would have been a millionaire already." Or in the custody of the Jedi. The robed, ever meditating fools would have snatched him from his mother as quickly as possible but thankfully they were rarely seen in these parts of the Galaxy. The Republic had a lot of clout in the Core, allowing the Jedi to piggyback onto the healthcare institutions of the area to find their future pupils. Out here though concepts such as healthcare or even the Republic itself held no sway. The first thing Watto had told him was that Republic credits won't get him very far here.

"You must do something, Senator. Anything is better than leaving him out here", Danil pleaded dramatically as if she was the boy's mother. The pink skinned woman's manners were starting to irritate him but her words made some sense. He had been working on the best method of extracting the boy ever since he met his owner. A brute force solution would have been the most straightforward and frankly satisfying approach, the image of the Toydarian's broken and mangled neck, his nasal voice and lazy flapping of his wings silenced forever, made him involuntarily crack a smile. Yet he erred on the side of caution. While not as satisfying, a more delicate touch would bring infinitely more rewards, if he played his cards just right. And Palpatine always played his cards right.

Tatooine's twin suns had almost disappeared on the horizon as night fell on the Desert World. Palpatine walked through the dirt streets of Mos Espa alone. Danil had been defeated by the prospect of the extreme cold for which Tatooinian nights were known for and retreated to the Ishtetdona, where Senator Taa was throwing a hastily arranged party for his guests. As he walked through the hovels of the city that was barely worthy of the designation, Palpatine could feel his step quicken. And why wouldn't it quicken? I am about to meet the future. It had taken him only a few hours to arrange the specific conditions of Anakin's release from Watto's service and he was now moving to collect his new prize. His new apprentice.

As he arrived at the hovel that was under the name of Shmi Skywalker, Palpatine pulled back his hood and straightened his black tunic before knocking on the door. He could hear a flurry of quick, small steps and then the door slid open. His breath caught in his throat as Anakin looked up at him. He looked back, stunned but smiling in a warm manner.

"I knew you were coming", said the boy.

"Of course you did"

Both of them remained unmoving as their minds touched as only two beings strong in the Force could. Palpatine could feel the boy's eyes studying him, more curious than afraid. Images of travels to the stars and surprisingly, Jedi, emanated from his future apprentice. Feeling trapped and greedy for more, aren't we?, thought Palpatine. He knew the feeling well for he was in his position years ago, albeit without a slave's chuckle. It was a fortuitous sign for a hungry mind made for a good Sith.

"Anakin, let the good gentleman come inside. He is expected." Shmi Skywalker walked out of the hovel's little kitchenette bringing with her whatever she could prepare for her guest. It was not much but Palpatine surmised that Watto had let her know about their agreement. The relatively heavy dinner was as much for him as for her son. She had to know that it would be their last meal together. Anakin heeded his mother and moved towards the table, taking a seat.

"Thank you Madam", Palpatine said graciously, moving inside the small domicile.

He watched from afar as mother and son exchanged their goodbyes. Anakin seemed sad but trying to hide his sadness for his mother's sake. Shmi kept an equally strong face which, to Palpatine's surprise was mirrored by her thoughts. Her mind was filled with bitter happiness at the prospect of a better life for her boy than that of a slave. During their private conversation as Anakin excused himself to tinker with his machines, she had revealed many things about her son. His predictive abilities, his miraculous birth, his aptitude with machines at an age when most kids can't read. Palpatine heard everything with a smile and assured her that he was meant for great things and he would help her son achieve them. You have no idea, you poor thing

After their goodbyes were exchanged, Anakin put the bag containing his meager belongings over his shoulder and began walking towards Palpatine. Anticipation soared in his heart with every little step that the little boy took. Extending his right hand, Palpetine offered it gently to him. Anakin took it without resistance and they left.

"Will I be your slave?", the boy meekly asked

"Of course not, son!," Palpatine almost protested, his voice brimming with indignation. He stopped on his tracks, taking a knee in front of Anakin and held the boy's shoulders. "If you listen to me carefully and diligently, there will be no shackles or slave collars in your future. You will be a powerful warrior just like those Jedi you dream of"

"Are you a Jedi?", the boy's eyes widened with surprise.

Palpatine chuckled. "Of a sort. I possess a…", he paused, looking for the correct word. "...larger view of the Force. I know that you too feel the Force, Anakin. And I also know your dreams are far bigger than that of your peers. I will help you become wiser and more powerful than any of them could ever be. And when that happens, who knows? You may even be able to save your mother from this wretched place. Do you understand?" The boy's thoughts answered his question. Palpatine saw him as he saw himself now. A tall figure, draped in black armor, breaking the chains of slaves all around Mos Espa and then later the whole of Tatooine.

"I think so, sir. Thank you, sir", Anakin said while nodding at him with a determination uncharacteristic of a child. He is committed, ready to do anything to make the images in his head a reality.

Palpatine let go off Anakin's shoulders and straightened up, touching his hair in a fatherly manner. The games between them had already began even if the boy didn't realize it yet. Just as he had called him son earlier, this gesture was only done in order to provide for the boy the parental figure that he missed. I'll have you eating out of my hand soon enough

"Do you live on Coruscant? I've heard spacers talk about it. The city-planet. I always wanted to go there", Anakin asked as he placed his hand in Palpatine's far more willingly than before.

"I do. That's where you'll live too", he explained as they pushed forward towards the spaceport and the future.

Author's notes: I will be skiping forward to the events of the Phantom Menace in the next few chapters. If there is any interest for Anakin's earlier training, I could post some one-shots in the future.