CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: I am so glad you are enjoying my story. I am sorry about your mother; truth is I don't know how I would handle it if my mom was dying. All I know is that it would tear me apart. My prayers are with you and your mother.

~*~

They stood at a stall. Rae paid the woman for some muja fruit and handed it to the others. Then Ani went up and began to talk to the woman then paid for some pallies.

Rae noticed that Qui-Gon was looking around distractedly. Then she felt it too, the feeling of something changing, it drowned out everything else. Though she was very deep in thought she was able to bring herself to the present when Anakin handed her some pallies. He turned to Qui-Gon to give him some.

"Here," he said tapping Qui-Gon. "Here."

Rae reached out and gripped his arm. "Qui-Gon."

Qui-Gon came to.

"Here you'll like these pallies." Anakin handed him the pallies. Qui-Gon lifted up his poncho and slipped them into his belt. Rae had looked away not really thinking about anything.

Then the woman told Anakin that a sand storm was coming and that he should get home quick. Rae wrinkled her nose; she remembered sand storms quite vividly. She didn't mind them, as long as she was inside.

"Do you have shelter?" Anakin asked.

"Our ship is on the outskirts."

"You'll never make it!"

Rae bit her lip. "He's right. Sand storms come up quickly and can last for days. You can't see a thing during one."

Anakin nodded. "Come on I'll take you to my place."

They all headed off, Anakin and Padmé in front, Rae right behind them, Jar Jar and R2 and Qui-Gon bringing up the rear, Qui-Gon making sure that Jar Jar didn't get lost.

They finally reached the Skywalker home, it was just as Rae had remembered it.

"Mom! Mom! I'm home!"

Shmi came in, the smile that had been on her face faded when she saw all the visitors.

"These are my friends Mom."

Rae smiled. "It is good to see you again, Shmi."

Shmi glanced over at Rae and her smile returned. "Rae."

She and Rae hugged each other.

Shmi smiled gently down at Rae. "How is your mother?"

It was Rae's turn for her smile to fade. "She died over a week ago."

Shmi's face became one of sadness and concern. "Oh Rae I am so sorry."

Rae managed a sad smile.

Anakin seeing that things needed an uplift looked at Padmé and Rae and asked, "Do ya wanna see 3-PO?"

Padmé nodded and Anakin grabbed her hand. "Come on." R2 trundled after them.

"Anakin!" Shmi called after her son, futilely. She shook her head.

"There's a sand storm," Rae explained.

Shmi cocked her head and listened then nodded.

"I'm sorry about my son's manners," she told Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon smiled back. "It's alright. He was quite kind to offer us shelter. I am Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Shmi Skywalker."

Rae jerked her head in Jar Jar's direction. "The thing over there is referred to as Jar Jar Binks."

Qui-Gon looked at Rae, an eyebrow lifted, his face clearly saying that that was unnecessary. Rae stared back her expression saying it may have been unnecessary but it had been fun.

Shmi smiled, she had missed Rae's sarcastic, blunt comments.

Rae turned back to Shmi. "The girl that Anakin lead off is Padmé and the droid is R2-D2."

Shmi smiled her thanks for the introductions. "Why don't you go see Anakin's droid or he will come in here begging you to go in."

Rae grinned and ran off.

"I'm not entirely sure this ground is stable." C3P0 was walking around then he saw Rae. "I do not believe we have been introduced."

Rae gave an amused smile. "I'm Rachel Hennel, but I am mostly called Rae."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mistress Rae. I am-"

R2 interrupted him with a beep.

"Oh! I am sorry! What is you name?"

R2 gave a few beeps.

"R2-D2, a pleasure to meet you! I am C3P0, human cyborg relations."

R2 gave some more beeps and warbles.

"I beg your pardon. But what do you mean 'naked'?"

R2 gave a response.

"My parts are showing! My goodness!"

Rae had to laugh at that.

~*~

They sat around the table; Shmi and Anakin were talking about the life of slaves.

"Any attempt to escape..."

"And they blow you up! POOF!"

Rae gave a tight lipped smile.

"I can't believe that there is still slavery in the galaxy. The Republic's antislavery laws-"

"The Republic doesn't exist out here. We must survive on our own."

Rae nodded, knowingly.

"Has anyone seen a podrace?"

Rae immediately looked over at Shmi, seeing the older woman tense. Rae gritted her teeth, and became suddenly very interested in the food on her plate.

Jar Jar's tongue shot out to the fruit bowl, grabbing one of the fruit.

Rae, who was sitting across from him, and Qui-Gon, who was sitting next to him, both shot him warning glances. Jar Jar ducked his head.

"They have podracing on Malastare. Very fast, very dangerous."

"I'm the only human who can do it."

Rae bit her lip, she knew this all too well, she had seen Ani race many, many times and most of those times come within a nanosecond of being killed. She began staring at her food again.

"You must have Jedi reflexes if you race Pods."

Jar Jar's tongue shot out again, but this time Qui-Gon was waiting. He caught the Gungan's tongue between his thumb and forefinger. The fruit that Jar Jar had nabbed flew straight at Rae's face. She caught it without looking up. When she did look up she lifted her head slowly, held the fruit in both hands, running her fingers over its smooth skin. There was amusement in her eyes as she watched Qui-Gon and Jar Jar.

Qui-Gon looked over at Jar Jar. "Don't do that again," Qui-Gon advised an edge to his soft voice.

Jar Jar tried to say something, but they couldn't make it out. Qui-Gon pulled his tongue the tiniest bit further then released it. Rae smirked.

Anakin looked down at his food then asked, "You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?"

Rae had been about to take a bite of the fruit but she stopped, closed her mouth and looked over at Qui-Gon.

"What makes you think that?"

"I saw your laser sword. Only Jedi Knights carry that kind of weapon."

Qui-Gon sat back in his chair and smiled, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Perhaps I killed a Jedi and took it from him."

"I don't think so. No one can kill a Jedi."

Qui-Gon's eyes darted to Rae, who had looked away, pain recognizable in her eyes.

Qui-Gon looked back at Anakin and gave him a tight smile. "I wish that were so."

Anakin went on to describe his dreams of being a Jedi, he had told them to Rae several times. Rae and her mother had known his great Force potential, but had been unable to do anything, since they had always been poor and unable to by Anakin and his mother their freedom.

Anakin asked Qui-Gon if they were there to free the slaves. Qui-Gon told him no, but Anakin persisted.

"I can see that there's no fooling you, Anakin. We're on our way to Coruscant, the central system of the Republic, on a very important mission."

"How did you end up out here on the Outer Rim?"

"Our ship was damaged. We're stranded here until we can repair it."

"I can help! I can fix anything!"

Rae looked up and grinned at Anakin, he was still the little boy wanting to help everyone that she had always known.

"I believe you can, but we need to acquire the parts we need."

"Wit no nuttn mula to trade."

'That is the first intelligent thing I have heard come out of his mouth.'

Qui-Gon sent Rae a sharp look. She pretended not to notice.

"These junk dealers must have some weakness," Padmé asserted.

"Gambling," Rae and Shmi said at the same time.

"Everything revolves around those awful races," Shmi continued.

"Podracing. Greed can be a powerful ally."

Anakin told them about the Pod that he was building. Rae remembered that quite well, she had spent hours with Ani out back of the slave quarters working on the Pod. Actually it was more like Rae would acquire the parts and Anakin would do most of the work. Rae was no good at mechanics.

What ensued was a huge debate. Rae listened with half an ear.

Finally Anakin made his winning argument, and the fact was that he truly wanted to help them because the needed it. Shmi finally agreed. Rae knew that it was very reluctantly. Rae felt the same reluctance and fear. 'Oh Ani, please keep safe, even though you end up alright in the movie I hope my being here doesn't change that.'

~*~

Rae, Padmé and Jar Jar followed Qui-Gon to Watto's shop.

"Are you sure about this? Trusting our fate to a boy we hardly know. The Queen will not approve."

"The Queen doesn't need to know."

'She does,' Rae thought, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Well I don't approve." Padmé sat down angrily.

Rae went over and sat next to her. "It's alright, Padmé."

Padmé looked over at her. "Please don't take offence, I know he is your friend, but..."

Rae nodded her head understandingly and lowered her voice to a whisper. "You have to think about your people."

Padmé gave her a grim smile and nodded. "What if he loses we'll be stuck here."

"We'll be stuck here if we don't do this."

Padmé nodded, conceding to that point, but she still, obviously didn't like this.

~*~

Rae stood up on one of the balconies next to Qui-Gon as he spoke to Obi- Wan.

"What if this plan of yours fails Master? We could be stuck here a very long time."

"We don't have much of a choice...and...there's something about this boy."

Qui-Gon glanced at Rae, she looked away uncomfortably. He had a feeling that she knew something that she wasn't telling.

Just then Shmi came out.

~*~

Rae listened as the two adults conversed.

"Who was his father?"

Rae bit her lip. Shmi looked over at her, their eyes met, conversing silently. They both knew the secret, but Shmi wasn't exactly sure what to tell Qui-Gon. Rae nodded her head.

"There was no father."

She listened to the rest of the conversation.

Soon after she and Qui-Gon headed down.

~*~

"How do you know it will even run?" Kitster asked.

"It will," Anakin replied confidently.

"It is about time we see. Here use this power pack. Watto has less need for it than we do."

Anakin looked up at the Jedi Master who looked amused and a touch embarrassed. Rae, who was standing next to Qui-Gon, on the other hand looked embarrassed, amused and slightly satisfied. This lead him to be positive that it was Rae who snagged the power pack, but, as always, he had no idea how she had secured it from under Watto's nose, nor did he want to know.

He grinned and said, "Yes Sir!"

~*~

Rae felt joy rush through her when the Pod started, but there was also sadness. She glanced up at Shmi and saw her watching them with a sad smile on her face.

~*~

Qui-Gon entered the small dwelling. He had a bone to pick with a certain 13- year-old-not-yet-a-Padawan-Jedi. He had just finished speaking with Obi-Wan and gotten the results of Ani's midichlorian count. Rae had been there when he took the blood sample and he could tell that she knew exactly what he was going to do. There had been an odd look on her face and she had gotten up and left the balcony when Qui-Gon had contacted Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon now was pretty sure he knew what that look meant, she had known. He found her sitting on the railing of the steps, sketchbook and pencil in hand.

"You knew." His voice was quiet with a slight edge to it.

Rae paused then sighed and closed up her book and, still sitting on the railing, turned around and faced him, her hands in her lap. "What do you want me to say, Qui-Gon? Yes I knew Ani's midichlorian count; it is in fact around 24000, if you want a little more accurate number. Yes I knew he had the Force, I saw him race more times than I can count and there is no way any normal human could survive those races. Yes I knew that he had no father, Shmi told my mother and I. No my mother and I didn't do anything really, we couldn't. We had no money; the council would never have taken him on anyway. But my mother did allow me to teach him some things, like how to do Jedi calming techniques, how to let go of his anger, fear and aggression and a few other things. But we couldn't do anything more than that."

Qui-Gon stared at the young girl. "Why did you not tell me this sooner?"

"It was not my place. Either Shmi had to tell you or you had to find it out for yourself. It is called loyalty; excuse me for following my own code of it." Rae immediately regretted her words. "I am sorry that was uncalled for and very rude." She hung her head.

Qui-Gon felt slightly amused. "You are a strange on indeed." His expression softened. "It is alright." He paused. "I know that you are still grieving your mother, this is just your way of handling it."

Rae gave him a tight smile and fiddled with her necklace. "Thank you."

Qui-Gon smiled back then his demeanor changed and he said, "Well we had best get to bed. Tomorrow is a long day."

Rae grinned and hopped down. They walked back inside, Qui-Gon turning over these new revelations. She shocked him with something new everyday. She always told them enough, but never everything. That wasn't all that unusual, but what she held back was constantly surprising them and making things very...interesting.

"So is there anything else you would like to tell me about Anakin?"

Rae looked up at him, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Watch your back."

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows; Rae just went to bed leaving the big Jedi to turn that over in his mind.

~*~

Like anybody?