This story begins on a night like any other, when a little pegasus filly named Sapphire wandered into an air vent that led into the workshop of an inventor by the name of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Qui-Gon could build just about anything. Droids, mechanical appliances, and all kinds of great toys. That last one was especially good because he had a child who loved to test them out. His only daughter Kara.
Qui-Gon loved his daughter very much and they were very close. He was also very successful in his job. Kids everywhere loved his toys, parents loved the inventions he built that made life so much easier, and lots of schools, hospitals, and other places turned to him for inventions that benefitted their systems.
He wasn't alone either. In the lab, Dr. Jinn had his lab assistant Obi-Wan Kenobi, who'd been like a son to Qui-Gon since he fostered him after his parents died. And, their astromech droid R2-D2.
Qui-Gon made so many people so happy, and yet he was sad. You see, he had a beautiful wife once. Kara's mother Tahl. Sadly, they'd lost her in a terrible accident when Kara was only two years old. Since then, Qui-Gon kept his daughter by his side.
Of course, he kept her in a specially made play area so she could watch him work, but also be out of the way of all the dangerous equipment. He couldn't very well have a seven-year-old in the lab, especially unsupervised.
But, Dr. Jinn knew he couldn't keep his daughter there forever. Yes, he'd invented a lot of great schooling equipment that worked for kids of all ages, including homeschooled kids, but Kara was beginning to ask a lot of questions about the outside world.
Kara wanted to play with other kids outside, go to school, and see the world.
"Kara is growing up," said Obi-Wan. "Perhaps it is time to allow her into the outside world."
"Obi-Wan, you know how I feel about leaving Kara alone."
Obi-Wan took out a tablet and said, "Just hear me out. R2 and I have done extensive research and discovered a number of great schools in the area. And these three have top-notch security systems that would certainly keep Kara safe."
Qui-Gon took a look at them. He didn't trust the security systems at those schools.
"The security system at Harrison Academy once mistook a group of students for intruders, the one at Naboo Prep has not been updated in three years, and the one at Mandalore Academy works too well." Qui-Gon listed.
"Well, perhaps since you are a great inventor, you can fix those problems."
"I don't need an entire building watching Kara's every move." Qui-Gon said. "I only need someone who can watch her and ensure her safety."
Nothing Qui-Gon invented could prevent her from wanting to see the world.
That is why Qui-Gon got to work creating something he believed would put his troubles to sleep.
Qui-Gon got out his tools and did some modifications to the wiring and circuitry of a couple of human-shaped robo-skeletons he'd been working on for the last three years, and finally they were almost perfect.
Obi-Wan, as per Qui-Gon's instructions, uploaded the proper data and kept an eye on Kara. Kara always liked watching her father at work, but he of course prioritized her safety.
R2 beeped curiously about Qui-Gon's latest project.
"This, R2, is the Gemini project." Qui-Gon explained. "These two will be Kara's protectors in the outside world."
"Are you sure it's wise to rely on machines to watch over Kara?" Obi-Wan said, amid R2's beeping. "No offense, R2."
"These are no ordinary machines." Qui-Gon said. "This is a new project I started before Kara was born. Bio-mechanical androids. With this technology, I can give Kara specially trained guardians ready to fight for her at any time. And once I place them into their coverings, they will blend in with her no matter where they are."
Qui-Gon added a couple of micro-chip drives to the computer, where he had R2 download data on all forms of martial arts, childcare, emergency procedures, and data on probability of risks in any environment.
As soon as it was all loaded into the androids' heads, they were ready for the next step.
Qui-Gon also programmed the two androids with data on the typical interests of nine-year-old kids, as those were the appearances that he planned to give them so they would appear young enough to be close to Kara without making anyone suspicious.
Kara wore some special protective glasses her father had her wear while she was watching.
"What are these things you're building, Daddy?" A now ten-year-old Kara asked.
"These are called androids, Darling." Qui-Gon said. "They're robots that are built to look like humans. Right now, they look like this because I haven't given them their skin or hair yet."
"Will I get to play with them?"
"Sure. They'll also be your protectors. You can also think of them as your little brothers."
"What are their names?"
"We can name them once they are completed."
"Are they almost done?"
That was when the computer beeped, indicating the androids were ready for the next step of procedure.
Qui-Gon typed a command into his computer for the next step to commence.
"Almost..."
And the two android skeletons were placed in two cylinder-shaped chambers, where inside a bunch of sounds came about and lights flashed.
Sapphire covered her face with her wings to protect her vision.
And within two minutes, the process was complete.
The chambers opened, revealing the androids now complete.
"Aww..." Sapphire admired the two little droids.
The new androids were absolutely adorable. They looked just like two human boys with sandy blonde hair, except one had it reaching down to his shoulders, and the other one's barely reached to his neck. And when they opened their optics, they were revealed to be a lovely shade of blue.
Qui-Gon looked at the one with shorter hair.
"Your name is Anakin." Qui-Gon said.
Kara looked at the other and said, "Carmine. His name is Carmine."
The two androids looked at their master and his daughter and scanned them.
"Scanning complete." The twins said.
"Anakin, Carmine." Qui-Gon said to get the twins' attention. "Do you understand your prime directive?"
"Protect Kara Jinn from any and all dangers." Anakin said.
"While inconspicuously blending into society as ordinary nine-year-old twins." Carmine finished.
"Do they even know how to be kids?" Kara asked.
"Of course." Obi-Wan said. "Like their hairstyles and outfits made to help us differentiate between them, each has been programmed with different features."
And it was true.
Anakin was programmed to understand over ten thousand mechanical procedures, knowledge of how to pilot any vehicle, and learn and remember any fact he is taught.
Carmine, on the other hand, was programmed with vast knowledge of music and dance, including dance fighting.
Each android was also programmed with vast knowledge of martial arts, safety precautions, medical procedures, and popular games and social activities by kids of all ages. They were also programmed with attack modes that automatically went off if anyone tried to harm Kara in any way.
"Now, boys. Kara is your big sister now," Qui-Gon told the twins. "but you will be in charge of protecting her, and she will care for you and teach you how to adapt into society."
"Yes, Dr. Jinn." The twins said.
"And part of adapting into this home, you shall address me as Dad or Father. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Dad." the twins said.
"Good. Now we must perform some tests."
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan performed various tests to see just how well the new androids worked.
Kara brought out some of her puzzles, starting with a couple twenty-piece puzzles.
The twins were timed, and both completed the puzzles in under a minute. Then, Kara brought out puzzles with more pieces. One hundred piece, two hundred piece, five hundred piece, two thousand piece! All of them done in a matter of minutes.
Then, the twins were tested on how much weight they could lift. Each of them could lift up to five tons.
Then, they were each put on treadmills that slowly sped up to test how quickly they could get to Kara if she was ever in danger, as they'd also been programmed with super hearing and internet and GPS connectivity which would be connected to some GPS tracker chips Qui-Gon created for Kara, himself, Obi-Wan, and R2.
They were also built to be indestructible. Waterproof, fireproof, and they had three different power sources: solar, electric, and static electricity.
"Such strong little boys, aren't they?" Sapphire said to herself from her hiding spot.
Qui-Gon placed a necklace with the tracker chip onto Kara.
"You will be well protected, my child." Qui-Gon said.
Kara looked at the twins as Obi-Wan ran a few more tests on the data each android had on his hard drive.
"Can I play with them now?" Kara asked.
"Of course." Qui-Gon chuckled. "Obi-Wan. Time to test how well the twins are at being children."
And so, Kara took the twins to the special play area her father had for her and showed them all the great toys there were to play with.
Anakin looked curiously at a toy starfighter.
"ARC-170. A multi-purpose ship decorated with advanced weaponry for intense battle, while also designed for long deep-space missions and containing intense hyperdrive. Piloted by a pilot, co-pilot, tail gunner, as well as an astromech droid."
"Wow." said Kara. "Daddy programmed you really well, didn't he?"
"Dad programmed us with very advanced intelligence." Carmine said, strumming on a guitar. "And he programmed me to understand scales, arpeggios, and all finger positions for various instruments."
"He also programmed you to act like kids." Kara said. "And most kids don't use big words like that."
"That is true, Kara Jinn." Anakin said. "But we are not human kids. We are androids, robots designed to resemble humans."
"He did, however, program us to adapt to society," said Carmine. "Therefore, spending time around human children may allow us proper means of learning."
"Many studies show that various students learn in a variety of ways, including visual, audial, physical, and some musical. The most effective, however, experience."
That was when Qui-Gon came in.
"Kara, it's past your bedtime."
"Daddy, do I have to?" Kara whined.
"You start school tomorrow." Qui-Gon said. "You need to be well-rested."
Kara got into her pajamas as Qui-Gon got her bed ready.
Kara thought a lot about her new brothers. She liked them fine now, but how nice would it be if they were real boys?
He hadn't told Kara yet, but he wished the twins could be real boys too. After losing Tahl, Qui-Gon never had the courage to meet other women in part because he feared losing love again, but also because he feared Kara wouldn't like any of them. But he also felt that it would be nice to have more children and give Kara siblings to play with.
Obi-Wan was good with her whenever Qui-Gon was too busy, but Kara needed more than a lab assistant and an astromech to spend time with.
"Ready for bed, Darling?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Yes, Daddy." Kara said, looking out the window. "Daddy, look!"
Qui-Gon looked outside and spotted... "The wishing star."
Qui-Gon and Kara both looked at that star and wished with all their hearts for what they wanted more than anything else. That Anakin and Carmine would be real boys.
Kara then climbed into bed as her father tucked her in and kissed her goodnight, then went to bed himself.
Obi-Wan went to bed also, and R2 and the twins were powered down for the night.
Sapphire, meanwhile, crawled out of her hiding space and made herself comfortable on a chair in the lab and went to sleep.
Sometime during the night, a magical blue light appeared outside Qui-Gon's bedroom window.
And beside Qui-Gon's bed appeared a woman by the name of Shmi Skywalker, known here as the Blue Fairy.
"Qui-Gon Jinn. Tonight, you and your daughter have shared a desire for a special wish. You have brought so much happiness to others that you deserve to have your wish granted." said Shmi.
Shmi approached the twin androids and with a wave of her wand, cast a little spell.
"Little androids, awake. The gift of life and free will is set upon the two of you."
Sapphire woke up and watched the magic happen with astonishment.
Anakin and Carmine suddenly started powering up. Then they opened their eyes and looked around.
"I'm... awake on my own?" Anakin said.
"So am I!" Carmine said.
Anakin scratched his head and walked out of his charging chamber.
"Hey, I didn't need to be commanded to get out of my chamber."
"I feel like doing things myself too." Carmine said, getting out of his chamber.
Shmi chuckled and said, "Yes, boys. I have given you both life and free will of your own."
"Why?" the twins asked.
"Because tonight, Qui-Gon and your big sister Kara have made a very special wish. But it will be up to you to make that wish come true."
The twins were confused, which felt strange, seeing as that was not part of their programming. It appeared Shmi had given them human emotions too.
"How do we do that?" Carmine asked.
"Yeah, how?" Anakin asked.
"Prove yourselves brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday you will be real boys. You must listen to your conscience."
"Our conscience?" the twins said.
"Your conscience," said Sapphire, stepping up. "Is that little voice too many people won't listen to. It teaches you right from wrong."
"Are you a conscience?" Carmine said.
"No, I'm a pegasus."
"Would you like to be the twins' conscience?" Shmi asked the little pegasus.
Sapphire thought about it and said, "If it means I can help them, I'd be delighted."
"What is your name?"
"Sapphire Beauty, ma'am."
"Kneel, young filly."
Sapphire knelt to the floor as best she could, and Shmi waved her wand over the blue pegasus, and she began to change. Silver streaks appeared in her mane, her wings were more sparkly, and she even got a little sapphire jewel in the center of her forehead.
"I hereby declare you, Sapphire Beauty, guide and protector to these boys. Teacher of right and wrong, guide against temptations."
Sapphire took a look at herself and liked how she looked. She liked it very much.
"Remember boys, always let your conscience be your guide." Shmi told the twins.
And in a plethora of sparkles, she was gone.
Sapphire was now alone with the twins.
"Okay, Carmine and Anakin." Sapphire said. "Take a seat, please."
The twins sat on the floor as Sapphire spoke.
"In the world, there these things called temptations."
Anakin froze and zoned for a moment, "Temptation: a cause or occasion of enticement." He said.
Carmine zoned out too. "Synonyms include allurement, bait, lure, turn-on, and enticement."
"Yes, that's right." said Sapphire. "Now, can either of you name any examples without consulting the internet?"
The twins froze and felt themselves glitching... until Sapphire kicked them back into place.
"Okay, boys. That is why I'm here." Sapphire said. "Real boys don't have computers in their heads. Therefore, you'll need to learn how to figure out how to solve problems without consulting the internet all the time and simply stop and think. You have free will now. You just need to learn to use it properly."
"How will we know what's right and wrong, though?" Carmine asked.
"Well, whenever you need your conscience, just whistle." Sapphire said. "Can either of you do that?"
The boys both looked up how to whistle, and both managed to do it.
"That's it!" Sapphire said. "What do you say we make a song out of it?"
Sapphire: When you get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong,
Give a little whistle!
Carmine practiced his whistle
Give a little whistle!
Anakin practiced his.
When you meet temptation and the urge is very strong,
Give a little whistle!
Give a little whistle!
Not just a little squeak,
Pucker up and blow.
And if your whistle's weak, yell "Sapphire Beauty!"
Take the straight and narrow path
And if you start to slide,
Give a little whistle!
Give a little whistle!
And always let your conscience be your guide!
Twins: And always let your conscience be your guide!
And that was when Carmine and Anakin, spinning around in a dance together, knocked over some tools and equipment, making a loud CRASH!
That loud crash woke up everyone in the house.
Qui-Gon was the first to exit his room, and he carried a lightsaber he'd built as a weapon of self-defense.
"Qui-Gon." another voice whispered.
Qui-Gon jumped and was relieved to see it was just Obi-Wan.
"Shh." Qui-Gon hushed. "That came from the lab."
Kara peeked out from her room and crawled across the floor behind her father and honorary uncle as they headed to the lab, weapons at the ready.
They quietly entered the lab and looked around, seeing no one in there.
"Dad?" said some familiar voices.
That startled everyone, however.
Kara turned on the lights. And everyone was relieved to see it was just the androids.
"What are Carmine and Anakin doing out of their charging chambers?" Obi-Wan said.
"They must have glitched." said Qui-Gon.
"We didn't glitch." said Carmine.
"Yeah, we walked out ourselves." Anakin said.
"I see that." said Qui-Gon, but then he realized something. "Wait. Neither of you ever speak unless spoken to."
"Because we're alive now."
Everyone was shocked.
"This must be a dream." Qui-Gon said.
"A dream all of us are having at the same time?" Kara pointed out.
"It must be an odd glitch." Obi-Wan said, and he slapped both androids on the back of their heads.
"OW!" The twins exclaimed, rubbing their heads in pain.
That shocked everyone again.
"How is this possible?" Qui-Gon said, looking at the twins.
"The blue fairy came, Dad." said Anakin.
"And we got a conscience." Carmine added.
"And someday we're gonna be real boys."
It was just as Qui-Gon and Kara wished. Qui-Gon picked up his boys and hugged them.
"Is this part of the real boy experience?" Anakin said, talking more like a robot now.
"The Blue Fairy said we'd still have qualities like machines, particularly following our programming." Carmine said. "However we have free will, which shall be fully ours once we become real boys and no longer have literal computers for brains."
Qui-Gon chuckled and said, "Well, since you are going to be real boys, you first need to be well-rested for school tomorrow."
Qui-Gon got the two of them back to their charging chambers to have their batteries already charged up and ready for a new day.
"Remember boys, while you may be gifted with vast intelligence and extraordinary abilities, you both still have much to learn."
"And you'll learn a lot of stuff with me at school." Kara said.
"Goodnight, boys." Qui-Gon said, powering down the androids and then taking his daughter back to bed.