****Chapter Three****
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Anakin watched as Padme struggled with a broken pit-droid in the center of the shop. He had worked on pit-droids since he was the age of six and probably could fix them in his sleep, but for Padme it was a different story.
Padme touched the wrong power-fuse and yelped as the tips of her fingers were burned. She yanked her hand out of the open insides of the droid and sucked on her fingers. It wasn't bad enough that her former master had bid her in on a bet, but he must have exaggerated on her mechanical talents to a certain degree also. She glanced up at Anakin, who had a tight smile on his face. "Stop laughing!" She insisted. "It's NOT funny!"
Anakin stopped tinkering with a moisture-vaporator engine and walked over and kneeled down next to her on the hard cement floor. "With these ones the problem is usually because they get sand in their power-grids."
Padme watched as he popped open another compartment in the droid's back. Taking out the power-grid with one hand he shook it, and dirt and dust fell out of the small compartments easily. Quickly, he put the grid back in and shut the compartment door. "How did you know that?" She asked.
"It's usually the stuff that you wouldn't think of is the problem with these droids." He punched the nose on the droid and it sprung to life. "They're just so blasted efficient that the simple stuff is what breaks down. And you wouldn't suspect it."
"Yeah." Padme answered. She looked into his blue eyes, seeing someone who was strong and friendly. Someone who would be her friend forever, and someone who believed in the impossible. People say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and at that moment Padme wouldn't even doubt it. She felt so...safe in his gaze. Not like he could see through her- at least anymore.
"I-I'm sure you'll get used to it." He said, referring to the hearty droids of Tattoine. Anakin saw that she was being drawn into his gaze, and didn't let her go from it. He leaned in closer, and hesitated when he realized what he was doing- but she didn't draw away. He brushed his lips over hers in a light kiss, and it would have gotten a lot deeper, if-
"What tis dis!" An agitated Watto asked as he flew in from the front part of the shop. "Dis no break, get back to work!"
Anakin got up and went back to the damaged moisture-vaporator. Taking up the oil-rag he had left draped over it and began to clean the piece of farming equipment. Noticing that his winged master hovered over next to him.
"I don't know whata you been tinking," Watto said, his trunk-like nose moving constantly. "But I not in the mood for this batha foddor." He hovered next to Anakin's face, making it quite clear he wasn't kidding. "I don't want any more of dis. I can easily sell her to buy another you know. I don't want anymore. Do you understand?"
Anakin glared at his master. Not something that was very wise to do, but he did answer. "I understand." It was more of a growl than anything else, but that was all.
"Heh." Watto grunted, turning away from his prize slave. Then he looked over at Padme. "Di same ting goes for you. No funny business." Padme nodded, and watched as Watto flew back into the front part of the shop. It wasn't until the junk-dealer was gone and completely out of hearing range Padme turned back to Anakin. "I will never 'get used' to this." She stated. Then went out the back to get another pit-droid Anakin had recommended for her to start working on.
Anakin watched her leave, then turned back to where Watto had left to go to the other part of the shop. He clenched and unclenched his fists uncontrollably, anger radiating from his being. Padme was right. They couldn't remain slaves forever. Soon he'd free them, and then he'd free everyone else. His plans could not wait any longer. Even though his life, the life he had in Watto's shop depended if he successfully carried out the plan or not. If he was caught, he would untamedly be sold. Watto was smart, he knew not to have a stealing slave in his business.
*LATER*
"Padme."
Padme looked up from where she was trying to fix yet another pit-droid. It was late in the afternoon, and she had proudly fixed three by herself. Anakin had helped with the other fifteen. "What?"
Anakin motioned that she follow him into the back of the shop.
Padme got up and followed him into the back. "What is it?"
"It's on the counter." Anakin whispered.
"What's on the counter?"
"Watto's electric note-pad." Anakin glanced back inside.
"What's so important with that?"
"The last time he took it off was three years ago." Anakin whispered.
"But-"
"We need to get it, Padme. I'll distract him, you get it."
Padme paused for a minute, but then just nodded. "Alright." She followed Anakin back inside, and then up to where Watto hovered near the front door.
"You just sold the 8-50 engine, right?" Anakin asked Watto, taking his attention away from where Padme snuck up behind the hovering Trydarian and picking up the note pad.
"Yes Ani, dat's right. And they are paying right for it I tell you that." Watto replied. "Well," Anakin said, "There's a problem."
Watto frowned. "What's dat?"
"I fixed it three weeks ago, but last week I tried to start it up, and I think it's infested with mertis." Anakin shrugged.
Watto's eyes widened. "Well dis is a disaster! You gotta fix it! Take...er...Whatever her name is. She'll help you. I promised it to be ready by tomorrow morning!"
Anakin nodded. "Right." He stood there for a moment.
"Well get moving!" Watto said, "Get to work!"
Anakin nodded. "Yes sir." He looked over at Padme and motioned for her to get into the back yard where the twin engines rested happily in the dirt.
Anakin watched as Padme walked out into the shadows, the electric pad carefully concealed in the many folds of his mother's dress. He followed her, and smiled.
***Later***
Anakin lay out in the sand under one of the large engines, and proceeded to change the oil. There was a light next to him and it lit up the underside of the engine. It was nearly midnight now, they had been working without rest, and it was lucky that they weren't really working. He opened the tank and oil dripped onto his face, but he quickly moved away and put a pan under it.
Anakin crawled out from under the engine, wiping the oil off his face.
Padme sat in the sand next to him. "What are mertis anyway?"
"A mettle termite that comes from the sand. They live off rusted mettle."
Padme laughed. "I would think that they'd be good."
"Not really. They eat all of the mettle."
"And these engines aren't infected are they?" Padme asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No." Anakin replied. "But you can kill them off with just pouring poison on them. And luckily for these engines I got to them just in time."
***LATER***
Anakin shook Padme's shoulder. "Wake up." Padme groaned. She had fallen asleep on a large tarp that had been laid out to put tools on and such. "Wha-huh?"
"It's time to go home."
Padme rubbed her eyes. "Already?"
Anakin held out his hand and she took it. "I should have taken you home earlier." Quite to Anakin's knowledge, it's not safe late in the streets of Mos Espa.
They walked out of Watto's junk shop in the shadowy moonlight. The twin moons cast the streets into willowy shadows of pale light and creepy darkness. Along the streets that crawled with slime and villainy.
Anakin walked along the streets, watching every shadow a little more than he used to. Fifth block and seven felt very hostile tonight. He glanced over at Padme, who was still quite sleepy. And stopped. She nearly walked past him.
"What is it?" Padme asked.
"Shhh." Anakin whispered. Something tingled up his spine, and he reached inside of his jacket. Then he saw them. "If it isn't my lucky night."
"I sorta thought you'd react like that."
Padme jumped, suddenly seeing the shadows around them dissolve into moving figures. Unknowingly, she grabbed Anakin's arm. A dark shadow emerged into the moonlight, and Padme immediately recognized it as a Nikto. Hideous with a scaley face framed in horns with huge black un-blinking eyes. It gazed at her, and made Padme shrink even further back behind Anakin. Years ago she would have never backed away and shown how brave she was. It wasn't a matter of fearing anymore though. It was a matter of survival.
The Nikto looked back up at Anakin. "A pretty one ya have."
"Yes." Anakin replied, "Very pretty." He got strait to business. "What do you want?" He watched as more and more thugs emerged from the shadows, quietly counting each one.
"We need you for a job." The nikto said.
Padme could feel Anakin tense.
"I told you I don't do that anymore." Anakin replied, ice in his tone. "You know I wont."
The nikto sauntered around Anakin and Padme. "You do know," He said, smiling in a weird carnivore's way. "I know where you live."
Anakin smiled right back, in the same grueling way. "And I know where you live...Shanzo."
"There's ten of us and only two of you." Shanzo threatened.
"There was fifteen of you last time." Anakin replied.
TO BE CONTINUED! (A.N. I got a review that sorta bothered me 'cause they got the wrong idea. I don't do funky stuff. Gross stuff, (besides ya know, the usual hard action scene) The people who read my other stuff would understand. So.no worries! SOME ADVENTURE AHEAD!
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Anakin watched as Padme struggled with a broken pit-droid in the center of the shop. He had worked on pit-droids since he was the age of six and probably could fix them in his sleep, but for Padme it was a different story.
Padme touched the wrong power-fuse and yelped as the tips of her fingers were burned. She yanked her hand out of the open insides of the droid and sucked on her fingers. It wasn't bad enough that her former master had bid her in on a bet, but he must have exaggerated on her mechanical talents to a certain degree also. She glanced up at Anakin, who had a tight smile on his face. "Stop laughing!" She insisted. "It's NOT funny!"
Anakin stopped tinkering with a moisture-vaporator engine and walked over and kneeled down next to her on the hard cement floor. "With these ones the problem is usually because they get sand in their power-grids."
Padme watched as he popped open another compartment in the droid's back. Taking out the power-grid with one hand he shook it, and dirt and dust fell out of the small compartments easily. Quickly, he put the grid back in and shut the compartment door. "How did you know that?" She asked.
"It's usually the stuff that you wouldn't think of is the problem with these droids." He punched the nose on the droid and it sprung to life. "They're just so blasted efficient that the simple stuff is what breaks down. And you wouldn't suspect it."
"Yeah." Padme answered. She looked into his blue eyes, seeing someone who was strong and friendly. Someone who would be her friend forever, and someone who believed in the impossible. People say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and at that moment Padme wouldn't even doubt it. She felt so...safe in his gaze. Not like he could see through her- at least anymore.
"I-I'm sure you'll get used to it." He said, referring to the hearty droids of Tattoine. Anakin saw that she was being drawn into his gaze, and didn't let her go from it. He leaned in closer, and hesitated when he realized what he was doing- but she didn't draw away. He brushed his lips over hers in a light kiss, and it would have gotten a lot deeper, if-
"What tis dis!" An agitated Watto asked as he flew in from the front part of the shop. "Dis no break, get back to work!"
Anakin got up and went back to the damaged moisture-vaporator. Taking up the oil-rag he had left draped over it and began to clean the piece of farming equipment. Noticing that his winged master hovered over next to him.
"I don't know whata you been tinking," Watto said, his trunk-like nose moving constantly. "But I not in the mood for this batha foddor." He hovered next to Anakin's face, making it quite clear he wasn't kidding. "I don't want any more of dis. I can easily sell her to buy another you know. I don't want anymore. Do you understand?"
Anakin glared at his master. Not something that was very wise to do, but he did answer. "I understand." It was more of a growl than anything else, but that was all.
"Heh." Watto grunted, turning away from his prize slave. Then he looked over at Padme. "Di same ting goes for you. No funny business." Padme nodded, and watched as Watto flew back into the front part of the shop. It wasn't until the junk-dealer was gone and completely out of hearing range Padme turned back to Anakin. "I will never 'get used' to this." She stated. Then went out the back to get another pit-droid Anakin had recommended for her to start working on.
Anakin watched her leave, then turned back to where Watto had left to go to the other part of the shop. He clenched and unclenched his fists uncontrollably, anger radiating from his being. Padme was right. They couldn't remain slaves forever. Soon he'd free them, and then he'd free everyone else. His plans could not wait any longer. Even though his life, the life he had in Watto's shop depended if he successfully carried out the plan or not. If he was caught, he would untamedly be sold. Watto was smart, he knew not to have a stealing slave in his business.
*LATER*
"Padme."
Padme looked up from where she was trying to fix yet another pit-droid. It was late in the afternoon, and she had proudly fixed three by herself. Anakin had helped with the other fifteen. "What?"
Anakin motioned that she follow him into the back of the shop.
Padme got up and followed him into the back. "What is it?"
"It's on the counter." Anakin whispered.
"What's on the counter?"
"Watto's electric note-pad." Anakin glanced back inside.
"What's so important with that?"
"The last time he took it off was three years ago." Anakin whispered.
"But-"
"We need to get it, Padme. I'll distract him, you get it."
Padme paused for a minute, but then just nodded. "Alright." She followed Anakin back inside, and then up to where Watto hovered near the front door.
"You just sold the 8-50 engine, right?" Anakin asked Watto, taking his attention away from where Padme snuck up behind the hovering Trydarian and picking up the note pad.
"Yes Ani, dat's right. And they are paying right for it I tell you that." Watto replied. "Well," Anakin said, "There's a problem."
Watto frowned. "What's dat?"
"I fixed it three weeks ago, but last week I tried to start it up, and I think it's infested with mertis." Anakin shrugged.
Watto's eyes widened. "Well dis is a disaster! You gotta fix it! Take...er...Whatever her name is. She'll help you. I promised it to be ready by tomorrow morning!"
Anakin nodded. "Right." He stood there for a moment.
"Well get moving!" Watto said, "Get to work!"
Anakin nodded. "Yes sir." He looked over at Padme and motioned for her to get into the back yard where the twin engines rested happily in the dirt.
Anakin watched as Padme walked out into the shadows, the electric pad carefully concealed in the many folds of his mother's dress. He followed her, and smiled.
***Later***
Anakin lay out in the sand under one of the large engines, and proceeded to change the oil. There was a light next to him and it lit up the underside of the engine. It was nearly midnight now, they had been working without rest, and it was lucky that they weren't really working. He opened the tank and oil dripped onto his face, but he quickly moved away and put a pan under it.
Anakin crawled out from under the engine, wiping the oil off his face.
Padme sat in the sand next to him. "What are mertis anyway?"
"A mettle termite that comes from the sand. They live off rusted mettle."
Padme laughed. "I would think that they'd be good."
"Not really. They eat all of the mettle."
"And these engines aren't infected are they?" Padme asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No." Anakin replied. "But you can kill them off with just pouring poison on them. And luckily for these engines I got to them just in time."
***LATER***
Anakin shook Padme's shoulder. "Wake up." Padme groaned. She had fallen asleep on a large tarp that had been laid out to put tools on and such. "Wha-huh?"
"It's time to go home."
Padme rubbed her eyes. "Already?"
Anakin held out his hand and she took it. "I should have taken you home earlier." Quite to Anakin's knowledge, it's not safe late in the streets of Mos Espa.
They walked out of Watto's junk shop in the shadowy moonlight. The twin moons cast the streets into willowy shadows of pale light and creepy darkness. Along the streets that crawled with slime and villainy.
Anakin walked along the streets, watching every shadow a little more than he used to. Fifth block and seven felt very hostile tonight. He glanced over at Padme, who was still quite sleepy. And stopped. She nearly walked past him.
"What is it?" Padme asked.
"Shhh." Anakin whispered. Something tingled up his spine, and he reached inside of his jacket. Then he saw them. "If it isn't my lucky night."
"I sorta thought you'd react like that."
Padme jumped, suddenly seeing the shadows around them dissolve into moving figures. Unknowingly, she grabbed Anakin's arm. A dark shadow emerged into the moonlight, and Padme immediately recognized it as a Nikto. Hideous with a scaley face framed in horns with huge black un-blinking eyes. It gazed at her, and made Padme shrink even further back behind Anakin. Years ago she would have never backed away and shown how brave she was. It wasn't a matter of fearing anymore though. It was a matter of survival.
The Nikto looked back up at Anakin. "A pretty one ya have."
"Yes." Anakin replied, "Very pretty." He got strait to business. "What do you want?" He watched as more and more thugs emerged from the shadows, quietly counting each one.
"We need you for a job." The nikto said.
Padme could feel Anakin tense.
"I told you I don't do that anymore." Anakin replied, ice in his tone. "You know I wont."
The nikto sauntered around Anakin and Padme. "You do know," He said, smiling in a weird carnivore's way. "I know where you live."
Anakin smiled right back, in the same grueling way. "And I know where you live...Shanzo."
"There's ten of us and only two of you." Shanzo threatened.
"There was fifteen of you last time." Anakin replied.
TO BE CONTINUED! (A.N. I got a review that sorta bothered me 'cause they got the wrong idea. I don't do funky stuff. Gross stuff, (besides ya know, the usual hard action scene) The people who read my other stuff would understand. So.no worries! SOME ADVENTURE AHEAD!