When Anakin awoke he found that he couldn't sit up. His arms and legs were bound adn there was a gag in his mouth. As he struggled with his ropes, a strange man, whom Anakin guessed was about six feet tall, walked in and roughly removed his gag. Anakin looked at him and calmly asked, "Where am I?" The man grabbed Anakin by his collar. "I'll ask the questions, not you." He cut the ropes around Anakin's ankles. "Now get up and follow me." Anakin followed the strange man into the next room. As they stepped into the light, he became aware of his massive headache and the vibrations beneath his feet. He pushed the headache aside as he realized he was on a ship. Then his eyes fell on the man who sat before him. He was a large man who wore black clothes and a mask that covered most of his face. As Anakin studied him, his eyes fell on the lightsaber that hung at his side. 'He must be a Jedi,' Anakin thought in surprise. 'But I don't think he's good.' Before Anakin could say anything, the man spoke. "Well, young Anakin, I hope you enjoyed your rest," he said pleasantly. "Not really ," Anakin said, "considering I was bound and gagged." "Hah! I see you have a sense of humor. Now, let's see how strong the force is in you." Pointing to the chair across from him, he said, "Using the force, I want you to lift that chair and throw it as hard and far as you can." "What if I refuse?" Anakin said cooly. "What if I can't?" "You'll do what I tell you to do or you"ll be sorry," the man said, dropping all pretenses of being friendly. "Now, do it!" "No!" Anakin replied. This caused the man to whirl around, striking Anakin on the cheek. Anakin stumbled backward a few steps. The next minute the other man grabbed him and pushed him back into the cargo hold. He rebound Anakin's ankles, and as Anakin struggled, pushed a needle into the back of his neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered as Anakin struggled. "I have no choice." Anakin struggled for another minute, then everything went black and he remembered nothing else.
In the 'Shadow Chaser' the three Jedi worked to restore the ship's engines and shields. The comlink crackled and Zekk's voice came over. "Are you all right? How bad's the damage?" "Everyone's okay, but the engines aren't so good," Jacen said. "And I think R2 is trying to get the shields up and running." "Jaina and I will be over in a few minutes and we'll see what we can do. Lowie's fixing out shields, but otherwise the 'Rock Dragon' is fine," Zekk replied. "Got it." Jacen shut off the comlink and went back to work as he waited for Jaina and Zekk.
The next time Anakin awoke, he was aware of the harsh throbbing of his cheek. He felt it and guessed that it was probably swollen and bruised. He noticed that the ropes that had bound his hands and feet were gone. As he stood up, he became very dizzy and had to sit down again. Just then, the door opened and the tall man, whose name was Jasper, came in and set a tray down in fron of him. "Here's your breakfast," he said. "Eat, then come with me." As Anakin ate the stale bread and runny poridge, he studied Jasper. "Why do you do what he wants?" he asked. Jaspered starred at him for a moment. "I have no choice. I am bound to do his bidding." Anakin noticed the hard edge to his voice and he could sense his hate. "Why are you bound to him?" Jasper smiled wryly. "I owe my life to him. I am bound by the customs and traditions of my people to serve him in repayment for his saving me." By now, Anakin had finished eating. "Come one," Jasper said. Anakin stood up and followed him out of the room. "I trust you slept well," said the man with the mask. "No," Anakin replied. "And by the way, who are you?" The man scowled. "You will call me master. You do not need my name. Is that understood?" "Yes, but I still want to know who you are," Anakin answered calmly. "And what you want with me." The man raised his hand to strike, but stopped and said, "Jasper, bring him, and watch him carefully." As they left the ship, Anakin slowed down, then, as Jasper turned to make him move faster, he broke into a run. Just as he was about to enter a shop, some one grabbed him by the collar. "I know every person on Borgo Prime who is important. Even if you escape, you cannot hide for long. Is that clear?" When Anakin made no reply, he said in an angry voice, "Anakin! I said, is the clear?" "Yes, sir," Anakin answered, starring past his broad shoulder. "It's clear, but it doesn't mean I won't try."
The 'Slave IV' came out of hyperspace right above Borgo Prime. He landed, then headed toward Shanko's Hive. He entered, and went to the back of the cantina, where a man stood waiting for him. "What information do you have? And this better be good or you will regret it." "Don't worry," the man said. "It's well worth your time." He stopped to take a long drink from his tankard. "Yesterday a ship landed here and three men got off. The first two men were tall, and the one wore a mask over his face. The third was a young boy, about fourteen. The man called him 'Anakin.'"
In the 'Shadow Chaser' the three Jedi worked to restore the ship's engines and shields. The comlink crackled and Zekk's voice came over. "Are you all right? How bad's the damage?" "Everyone's okay, but the engines aren't so good," Jacen said. "And I think R2 is trying to get the shields up and running." "Jaina and I will be over in a few minutes and we'll see what we can do. Lowie's fixing out shields, but otherwise the 'Rock Dragon' is fine," Zekk replied. "Got it." Jacen shut off the comlink and went back to work as he waited for Jaina and Zekk.
The next time Anakin awoke, he was aware of the harsh throbbing of his cheek. He felt it and guessed that it was probably swollen and bruised. He noticed that the ropes that had bound his hands and feet were gone. As he stood up, he became very dizzy and had to sit down again. Just then, the door opened and the tall man, whose name was Jasper, came in and set a tray down in fron of him. "Here's your breakfast," he said. "Eat, then come with me." As Anakin ate the stale bread and runny poridge, he studied Jasper. "Why do you do what he wants?" he asked. Jaspered starred at him for a moment. "I have no choice. I am bound to do his bidding." Anakin noticed the hard edge to his voice and he could sense his hate. "Why are you bound to him?" Jasper smiled wryly. "I owe my life to him. I am bound by the customs and traditions of my people to serve him in repayment for his saving me." By now, Anakin had finished eating. "Come one," Jasper said. Anakin stood up and followed him out of the room. "I trust you slept well," said the man with the mask. "No," Anakin replied. "And by the way, who are you?" The man scowled. "You will call me master. You do not need my name. Is that understood?" "Yes, but I still want to know who you are," Anakin answered calmly. "And what you want with me." The man raised his hand to strike, but stopped and said, "Jasper, bring him, and watch him carefully." As they left the ship, Anakin slowed down, then, as Jasper turned to make him move faster, he broke into a run. Just as he was about to enter a shop, some one grabbed him by the collar. "I know every person on Borgo Prime who is important. Even if you escape, you cannot hide for long. Is that clear?" When Anakin made no reply, he said in an angry voice, "Anakin! I said, is the clear?" "Yes, sir," Anakin answered, starring past his broad shoulder. "It's clear, but it doesn't mean I won't try."
The 'Slave IV' came out of hyperspace right above Borgo Prime. He landed, then headed toward Shanko's Hive. He entered, and went to the back of the cantina, where a man stood waiting for him. "What information do you have? And this better be good or you will regret it." "Don't worry," the man said. "It's well worth your time." He stopped to take a long drink from his tankard. "Yesterday a ship landed here and three men got off. The first two men were tall, and the one wore a mask over his face. The third was a young boy, about fourteen. The man called him 'Anakin.'"