See first chap for disclaimers

Elf Wench: Thanks for the review! As requested, here is your update!

Heidi M: Yep, he's going back. Hopefully, you'll see some good family discord umm I mean interaction.

Chelsey the Elfish Jedi Lady: (My, that's a long name ;) Not that I can say anything) Glad you liked the story. I do tend to get profound (and sometimes confusing) when I'm writing in the middle of the night.

Cammy: Ah, sleep I suppose everyone needs it. You might have to do without an Ani fix for a couple of chapters, but we'll see if my muse decides to write a little shot "Back at the Ranch."

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  Anakin Solo shook the sleep out of his eyes. Donning his long, black, short sleeved coat, he walked up to the bridge for his piloting shift.

   His master had taken him shopping before he left on his trip to the core worlds. Qui-Gon had said that Anakin should look his best when he had such an important message to carry. He had been incredibly surprised when his master suggested black as his main color.

     Thick black Nerf hide boots came up his shins, black pants followed, then two black coats (One short sleeved one long) and a black jacket, and several different pairs of Black gloves. The only non-black part was his shirt. Those he had gotten in white, dark green and… black.

    He grabbed a pair of Gauntlet style gloves off his dresser on his way out of his room. He had found out they were not just for fashion. Dragl'er's piloting control's on his ship could become slightly temperamental. After one encounter with it showering his hands with sparks, Anakin had decided to always wear gloves.

    He frowned in remembrance. Qui-Gon had gotten him this job. Dragl'er was a jolly, green skinned Twi'lek who was missing one of his head tails. His normal pilot was off visiting her family and he had needed a replacement. Qui-Gon had offered him Anakin.

    They had done business in the past, and Dragl'er was one of the more honest crooks they knew. All Qui-Gon had to tell him was that Anakin needed to see the inner worlds now that he was older. Dragl'er was more than happy to take one of the infamous "Silent" as a crew member.

    Apparently, they had quite the reputation for being perfect. You couldn't win against them. Anakin wished that was true.

  "Ahhh, Chogare, always on time for your shift." Dragl'er's voiced boomed as Anakin reached the bridge.

   Chogare Osol had been his chosen name for years when dealing with others. Somehow, telling people you're Anakin Solo didn't quite help business.

    Anakin merely nodded and took the helm position. This was going to be his last stop. He would pick up the other pilot and get a ride to Yavin IV with the money Dragl'er had been paying him.

   A deep scowl crossed his face. "These coordinates are in a totally opposite direction from our flight plan."

    It was worse than that. They were heading further towards the rim of Republic space, not closer to the center.

"Yesss, You see our last buyer cannot afford the publicity of dealing with people like me."

  "But the cargo you have is legal. It was obtained in a legal fashion."

"That iss true, but our buyer cannot afford the nasty publicity that buying from a tradesman such as myself would bring him. But, I have the best price, and he is a good businessman, so we find ways around the press."

   Anakin simply nodded and turned back to his consol. There was nothing he could do. He would have to convince his Uncle now. He would only be able to afford a ticket to Yavin IV, not one back.

   To add to his bad mood was the fact that he wouldn't spend his birthday with his Master, Qui-Gon or Ani. He would be alone. Tomorrow would be the first time he'd never had some sort of family around him on his birthday.

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    Anakin was jarred out of his mind numbing boredom when he felt a jolt in the ship. They had just come out of hyperspace, so they could dock at the space station. Another jolt rocked the ship.

"The main Stabilizers BLOWN!"

Anakin felt the panic of the crew through the Force. The ship's path was incredibly wobbly, the controls nearly unresponsive. They were going to hit the station they were to dock at.

   Calming himself, Anakin touched the Force. Thankfully, he was in close contact with the Living side at the moment.

"Captain! Radio the station. Tell them to turn on their tractor beams full strength for their docking port."

"You're crazy," the first officer cried, "we're moving too fast. It'll rip us apart and the station."

"Do it or we will die anyway."

Dragl'er nodded his head, and the station turned its beams on.

Increasing speed, Anakin flew in nose first at the station, then cut power and turned on the right side repulsors and then cut power. The ship groaned and creaked and slammed into the docking port. Perfectly docked with the station.*

 A round of applause echoed through the ship. Anakin blushed in embarrassment. He was a hero. He never thought he'd be one, now, he sort of wished he wasn't.

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    A few hours later, the Captian called him to the bridge. "Chogare, my business partner wishes to meet the pilot who saved us today. He would be most honored if you agreed to stay at one of his rooms before you are on your way."

Anakin nodded his assent. While he could stay for free on Dragl'er's ship until they left, he would much rather stay in a free room on a space station. The station looked new. Dragl'er's ship was not.

   With his bag slung over his shoulder, Anakin went to meet the station owner."

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Lando grinned as he went to meet Dragl'er's pilot. He hadn't seen that kind of piloting since the rebellion. There were only three people he knew that could pilot like that: Han, Chewie, and Luke. Now, he was going to add a fourth name to his list.

He had to admit, he was surprised when he saw a tall young human step out behind Dragl'er. The boy was about Han's height, with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and funny braid hanging down from behind one ear. Kid's these days. He would have to ask Han when changing the color of the end of a braid became popular.

"Lando Calrissian, Chogare Olos."

Looking into the kid's eyes, Lando felt a sense of déjà vu. It was almost like he'd seen him before. He was a bit surprised at the shock that shone in them. Smugglers usually didn't have that reaction, even when meeting a "star."

"Glad to meet you." Lando said smoothly.

"It is an honor." Anakin's voice lilted as he inclined his head towards Lando.

Lando was even more intrigued. The boy had a deep accent, very close to the "Empire" accent, only it seemed more organic. His mannerisms were also formal, as from the Empire, but they were like the painting a print is made from. Truly original and more gracious than its mass produced counter part.

Lando knew he had to know more. "That was quite some flying you did today kid. Would you like to join me for dinner?"

All Anakin really wanted to do was find somewhere that he could hyperventilate in. Seeing Lando was a great shock to him. He heard himself accept Lando's offer, and the following instructions to be there in twenty minutes. All he had to do now was make sure he didn't lose his dinner after he ate it.

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*Okay for those of you wondering, I mixed a little bit of science with this. First, flying directly into a powerful wave (such as a tractor beam) actually lessens the potential damage done to a ship because it is impacting with the most arrow dynamic part. Secondly, the faster your are going, the more drastic your rotation will be from a force(ie the aft repulsors turning on had a greater impact than they would have at a slower speed.) The rest well its partially based on fact, some it was just the "Force." That's why they call it Science fiction.