Place: Planet of Tatooine, the town of Mos Espa
Mechanic's shop
I have been sold again. But in a most unusual fashion. This morning, I was cleaning the hyperdrives and making sure of things before the shop opened when Master Banoba finally showed up. He had been sleeping in, again, leaving me to make sure the shop was in good order. It was foolish and disrespectful of me, but I told him that if Dubaks slept as long as he did, the Tusken Raiders would have shot him, eaten him, and his bones would be bleaching in the heat of the twin suns!
He stared really hard at me and due to the fact that he was, rather a chubby man, not only his face, but all of the folds of his skin hanging off of it began to turn red. In my horror at my impudence, I still had to hold in my laughter. Then the master spoke, quite cooly. "It is a good thing that I am getting rid of you today. Otherwise, I would've turned you over to Jabba."
Then he walked over and tied my hands with a long piece of black cord. I was so astonished at what he had said, that I didn't even bother struggling. I was just turning it over and over in my mind at what my master had said, till it came to me. He was taking me to an auction block!
By the time my brain had processed this and it came to my mind to struggle, Master Banoba was already walking out the door, cord and purse in one hand and a fierce looking whip in the other. As we walked down the sandy streets, I began to stumble over the rocks in the road. Because we were traveling so fast, not all of the stumbles were intentional, but most were quite real.
Then I stumbled on quite a large rock and fell down. Master Banoba had put up with most of my stumbles, but now he was really angry. He threw down his purse and the cord and began to prepare himself to strike me as hard as he could with the whip. I was used to being hit and slapped, but non of my masters had ever gone so far as to whip me! I started to crawl away, for as you can imagine, I was terrified. Master Banoba laughed harshly and stepped on the cord.
I was trapped. By this time, many of the passersby began to laugh and cheer! I was so afraid, that I didn't even notice them. Then, I closed my eyes and willed the whip to do my bidding. When I opened my eyes, the whip had flown from Master Banoba's grasp, and he was lying on the ground, dazed. I comprehended quickly what I had done, then slipped out of the cord. I began to run as fast as I could, my slave necklace flying up and hitting me in the face.
Then I heard a grunt behind me. I began to run backwards so as to get a better look at my pursuer. I saw Master Banoba running after me, whip in hand. His chubby face was red and damp with perspiration. I began to twist back around so I could run faster, when I stumbled and fell. I expected sand to fall in to my face as I fell, but instead I fell into, hands. I slipped on the sand and saw very large boots standing in front of me.
I looked up and saw a man. He was tall, broad-shouldered and looked athletic-like in appearence. He had shoulder-length brown-gray hair that framed his kind face. He offered me a hand as I began to apologize over and over again. "Don't be afraid, I offer you protection." He said while looking at Master Banoba, puffing towards me. I took his offer gladly, and dashed behind his back, where I found myself face to face with a queer, orange, retilian like creature. The creature didn't say anything, but just stared with his bright yellow eyes.
Then I looked out from behind my protector's shoulder , to see my master standing in front of him panting hard. "The slave is mine!" He squeaked to the man between breaths. The man nodded, speaking to him in a deep, but gentle voice, "I will buy her from you sir." My master looked at him bug-eyed. I knew exactly how hie felt. I couldn't believe my ears. This man was a stranger to me and my master, just someone in the streets. For all we know he could be a space pirate, though I sincerely doubted it.
"Buy her!" Master Banoba squeeked. "You can have her! She's not worth any kind of money!" With that, my former master gave me a wilting glance and stormed away as my new master bowed respectfully to his retreating form. "Now," The man said as he drew me out from behind his back. "What is your name my friend?" I stared him in the face, as I had done when all my masters asked me this question, only usually 'my friend' was not part of the sentence! "My name is Elaina Solo, master. I am 16 years old, and I thank you from the botom of my heart for rescuing me!" I had add this in quickly, because it was true! Sometimes I had said similar things to previous masters, but I meant not a word of it!
My new master smiled genuinly. "You are very welcome Elaina. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn and these are my companions. Padme Naberrie." As he said this Qui-Gon motioned to the young girl who looked about my age, standing beside him. She was quite a pretty thing, with long chestnut hair done in braids and twinkling brown eyes that looked with me with admiration. "R2-D2 and Jar Jar Binks." Qui-Gon motioned to the silver and blue astromech droid who beeped in reply, the other I assumed was Jar Jar. The creature Qui-Gon had motioned to was a reptillian creature, with orange skin and bright yellow eyes, the thing I had stood beside during my master's arguement with Qui-Gon.
Jar Jar grinned and said happily, "Hi de Ho! Mesa glad that yousa weren't crunched!" At that he shuddered. "Mesa haten' crunchin'!" Qui-Gon smiled slightly and turned. "We should be going now Elaina." I gladly stepped in pace with my new master and new friends. But I had a feeling deep inside of me, that Qui-Gon was not who he appeared to be. As we walked down the street, I noticed that the Jar Jar creature was ambling around the street, stopping occasionally to see what the vendors were selling. I glanced at Qui-Gon, and he seemed not to mind what Jar Jar did, just as long as he didn't get into trouble.
We didn't have long to wait. I suddenly heard a commotion behind us and I turned around. I groaned at what I saw. Jar Jar was pinned to the ground by an ugly, but all too familiar Dug, named Sebulba, popular in the podraces and cheating at them as well! If Jar Jar hated "crunchin'" so terribly, he was certainly going to get one he would never forget. But all my worries were put to rest when a young boy with sandy hair walked up to the Dug, and spoke a few words to him in Huttese. Sebulba retorted, then retreated.
"Hi!" Anakin Skywalker said amiably as we approached. "Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug, a dangerous Dug named Sebulba." He remarked. "Mesa hatin' crunchin'!" Jar Jar repeated. "Thats the last thing mesa wantin'!" "Still you were getting into trouble." Qui-Gon said, eyeing Jar Jar meaningfully. "Thanks my young friend." Then as Anakin observed Qui-Gon's party, he noticed me and grinned. "Hi Elaina!" He said joyfully. "Hello Ani." I had known Anakin since he was 6. We had played together and shared our dreams of what we would do when we grew up and how we would get away from here. Strangely, we both wanted to be Jedi Knights. My father and brother had both been Jedi and Anakin and I both had abilities to use the Force. Before my brother died, he had taught me small ways in which to use the Force, and I had developed it over the years.
Qui-Gon then began to walk away and Anakin followed us, he and I chattering all the while. We walked until we came to a dear friend of both mine and Ani's, Jira's stall. Anakin payed for palaes, and all of us had one, even Qui-Gon. Remember when I said that I didn't think that Qui-Gon was who he appeared to be? I'm sure now. For when Anakin gave him his palae, he lifted up his cloak to put it in his pocket and we both saw a lightsaber hanging from his belt. Anakin and I looked at each other meaningfully, telling each other secretly who Qui-Gon really was.
"Oh, storms comin' up Ani! You better get home quick." Jira said worriedly, as she patted Anakin's hand. Then she began to pack up her stall as the wind began to blow harsh sand and grit into our faces. "Do you have a place to stay?" Anakin asked, looking concerned. Qui-Gon nodded. "We'll go to our ship." Anakin frowned. "Is it far?" Padme smiled, but even she too looked concerned. "Its on the outskirts." The outskirts. I knew that we wouldn't get far before the sand would sweep up into our faces and blink us before we even got out of Mos Espa! Apparently Anakin was thinking the same thing. "You'll never make it in time! Sandstorms are very, very, dangerous! C'mon, I'll take you to my place!" Anakin then grabbed Padme's hand and began to lead us towards his home. As we struggled through the storm and I glanced at Anakin holding Padme's hand rather protectively against him, I realized that they must have met at some point in time. Really I wasn't surprised. Anakin bonded with everyone who didn't oppose him and he always loved people who would listen to him.
Mechanic's shop
I have been sold again. But in a most unusual fashion. This morning, I was cleaning the hyperdrives and making sure of things before the shop opened when Master Banoba finally showed up. He had been sleeping in, again, leaving me to make sure the shop was in good order. It was foolish and disrespectful of me, but I told him that if Dubaks slept as long as he did, the Tusken Raiders would have shot him, eaten him, and his bones would be bleaching in the heat of the twin suns!
He stared really hard at me and due to the fact that he was, rather a chubby man, not only his face, but all of the folds of his skin hanging off of it began to turn red. In my horror at my impudence, I still had to hold in my laughter. Then the master spoke, quite cooly. "It is a good thing that I am getting rid of you today. Otherwise, I would've turned you over to Jabba."
Then he walked over and tied my hands with a long piece of black cord. I was so astonished at what he had said, that I didn't even bother struggling. I was just turning it over and over in my mind at what my master had said, till it came to me. He was taking me to an auction block!
By the time my brain had processed this and it came to my mind to struggle, Master Banoba was already walking out the door, cord and purse in one hand and a fierce looking whip in the other. As we walked down the sandy streets, I began to stumble over the rocks in the road. Because we were traveling so fast, not all of the stumbles were intentional, but most were quite real.
Then I stumbled on quite a large rock and fell down. Master Banoba had put up with most of my stumbles, but now he was really angry. He threw down his purse and the cord and began to prepare himself to strike me as hard as he could with the whip. I was used to being hit and slapped, but non of my masters had ever gone so far as to whip me! I started to crawl away, for as you can imagine, I was terrified. Master Banoba laughed harshly and stepped on the cord.
I was trapped. By this time, many of the passersby began to laugh and cheer! I was so afraid, that I didn't even notice them. Then, I closed my eyes and willed the whip to do my bidding. When I opened my eyes, the whip had flown from Master Banoba's grasp, and he was lying on the ground, dazed. I comprehended quickly what I had done, then slipped out of the cord. I began to run as fast as I could, my slave necklace flying up and hitting me in the face.
Then I heard a grunt behind me. I began to run backwards so as to get a better look at my pursuer. I saw Master Banoba running after me, whip in hand. His chubby face was red and damp with perspiration. I began to twist back around so I could run faster, when I stumbled and fell. I expected sand to fall in to my face as I fell, but instead I fell into, hands. I slipped on the sand and saw very large boots standing in front of me.
I looked up and saw a man. He was tall, broad-shouldered and looked athletic-like in appearence. He had shoulder-length brown-gray hair that framed his kind face. He offered me a hand as I began to apologize over and over again. "Don't be afraid, I offer you protection." He said while looking at Master Banoba, puffing towards me. I took his offer gladly, and dashed behind his back, where I found myself face to face with a queer, orange, retilian like creature. The creature didn't say anything, but just stared with his bright yellow eyes.
Then I looked out from behind my protector's shoulder , to see my master standing in front of him panting hard. "The slave is mine!" He squeaked to the man between breaths. The man nodded, speaking to him in a deep, but gentle voice, "I will buy her from you sir." My master looked at him bug-eyed. I knew exactly how hie felt. I couldn't believe my ears. This man was a stranger to me and my master, just someone in the streets. For all we know he could be a space pirate, though I sincerely doubted it.
"Buy her!" Master Banoba squeeked. "You can have her! She's not worth any kind of money!" With that, my former master gave me a wilting glance and stormed away as my new master bowed respectfully to his retreating form. "Now," The man said as he drew me out from behind his back. "What is your name my friend?" I stared him in the face, as I had done when all my masters asked me this question, only usually 'my friend' was not part of the sentence! "My name is Elaina Solo, master. I am 16 years old, and I thank you from the botom of my heart for rescuing me!" I had add this in quickly, because it was true! Sometimes I had said similar things to previous masters, but I meant not a word of it!
My new master smiled genuinly. "You are very welcome Elaina. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn and these are my companions. Padme Naberrie." As he said this Qui-Gon motioned to the young girl who looked about my age, standing beside him. She was quite a pretty thing, with long chestnut hair done in braids and twinkling brown eyes that looked with me with admiration. "R2-D2 and Jar Jar Binks." Qui-Gon motioned to the silver and blue astromech droid who beeped in reply, the other I assumed was Jar Jar. The creature Qui-Gon had motioned to was a reptillian creature, with orange skin and bright yellow eyes, the thing I had stood beside during my master's arguement with Qui-Gon.
Jar Jar grinned and said happily, "Hi de Ho! Mesa glad that yousa weren't crunched!" At that he shuddered. "Mesa haten' crunchin'!" Qui-Gon smiled slightly and turned. "We should be going now Elaina." I gladly stepped in pace with my new master and new friends. But I had a feeling deep inside of me, that Qui-Gon was not who he appeared to be. As we walked down the street, I noticed that the Jar Jar creature was ambling around the street, stopping occasionally to see what the vendors were selling. I glanced at Qui-Gon, and he seemed not to mind what Jar Jar did, just as long as he didn't get into trouble.
We didn't have long to wait. I suddenly heard a commotion behind us and I turned around. I groaned at what I saw. Jar Jar was pinned to the ground by an ugly, but all too familiar Dug, named Sebulba, popular in the podraces and cheating at them as well! If Jar Jar hated "crunchin'" so terribly, he was certainly going to get one he would never forget. But all my worries were put to rest when a young boy with sandy hair walked up to the Dug, and spoke a few words to him in Huttese. Sebulba retorted, then retreated.
"Hi!" Anakin Skywalker said amiably as we approached. "Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug, a dangerous Dug named Sebulba." He remarked. "Mesa hatin' crunchin'!" Jar Jar repeated. "Thats the last thing mesa wantin'!" "Still you were getting into trouble." Qui-Gon said, eyeing Jar Jar meaningfully. "Thanks my young friend." Then as Anakin observed Qui-Gon's party, he noticed me and grinned. "Hi Elaina!" He said joyfully. "Hello Ani." I had known Anakin since he was 6. We had played together and shared our dreams of what we would do when we grew up and how we would get away from here. Strangely, we both wanted to be Jedi Knights. My father and brother had both been Jedi and Anakin and I both had abilities to use the Force. Before my brother died, he had taught me small ways in which to use the Force, and I had developed it over the years.
Qui-Gon then began to walk away and Anakin followed us, he and I chattering all the while. We walked until we came to a dear friend of both mine and Ani's, Jira's stall. Anakin payed for palaes, and all of us had one, even Qui-Gon. Remember when I said that I didn't think that Qui-Gon was who he appeared to be? I'm sure now. For when Anakin gave him his palae, he lifted up his cloak to put it in his pocket and we both saw a lightsaber hanging from his belt. Anakin and I looked at each other meaningfully, telling each other secretly who Qui-Gon really was.
"Oh, storms comin' up Ani! You better get home quick." Jira said worriedly, as she patted Anakin's hand. Then she began to pack up her stall as the wind began to blow harsh sand and grit into our faces. "Do you have a place to stay?" Anakin asked, looking concerned. Qui-Gon nodded. "We'll go to our ship." Anakin frowned. "Is it far?" Padme smiled, but even she too looked concerned. "Its on the outskirts." The outskirts. I knew that we wouldn't get far before the sand would sweep up into our faces and blink us before we even got out of Mos Espa! Apparently Anakin was thinking the same thing. "You'll never make it in time! Sandstorms are very, very, dangerous! C'mon, I'll take you to my place!" Anakin then grabbed Padme's hand and began to lead us towards his home. As we struggled through the storm and I glanced at Anakin holding Padme's hand rather protectively against him, I realized that they must have met at some point in time. Really I wasn't surprised. Anakin bonded with everyone who didn't oppose him and he always loved people who would listen to him.