Chapter 3

As they approached Watto's shop, the two listians stopped short. The unmistakable voice of Qui-Gon Jinn was speaking as well as the gravelly voice they knew from the movie to belong to Watto, who seemed to be objecting to the fact that Qui-Gon had won Anakin.

They listened transfixed until Qui-Gon threatened to take the matter to the Hutts and Watto conceded.

Lonespirit's skin began to crawl. She spun around behind her and wound up staring straight at a strange looking… 'A probe droid! Aimed at us!' something in her cried. "Afton!" she whispered.

"I don't think it's looking for the Jedi," Afton said not understanding her own certainty. "I think we better move before whoever sent that gets its message." She heard footsteps nearing the doorway of Watto's shop. 'Qui-Gon's leaving…'

An involountary yelp was torn from her throat as the probe droid blasted at them almost nailing her.

Without hesitation both girls took off at a dead run. Lonespirit saw the blaster fire hitting the ground beside her, and tried to run faster. She shoved her hair out of her face as she rounded a corner, breathing hard, looking frantically for the nearest escape. And found herself facing a dead end. "Of all the luck…" she broke off and shrieked as a shot flew by her right arm. She spun to face the probe. Its blaster was about to fire.

She swallowed, not seeing any possible weapons, and wondered what would happen if she died here... Suddenly a green bar of light swung out and cut the thing in half.

Sighing, she almost sank to the ground in relief. She wasn't going to die in George Lucas's dream! But something was wrong… She frowned, trying to remember what that might be, and then it hit her: Afton wasn't with her. She looked around frantically, not even noticing the presence of the tall Jedi Master beside her.

Qui-Gon looked at her with concern. "Are you all right?" he asked. Lonespirit nodded absently, not truly registering his words.

"Afton!" she called as loudly as she could. If anything had happened to her friend, Darth Tights was going to be sorry… Lonespirit brushed past an astonished Jedi Master as a limping Afton appeared around the corner. Her tank top was ripped, and her khaki capris were singed on her right knee, which she was trying not to put her weight on, and her ponytail was falling out.

"Are you okay?" Lonespirit asked worriedly. Afton gave a short, half-hearted laugh.

"Oh yeah. I feel like I just woke up the morning after a huge sleeping party. What happened to our new playmate?"

Qui-Gon approached the two teenagers slowly, but frowned at the burn on the younger girl's leg. Lonespirit grinned. "Oh, well, recess got canceled."

She looked at the Jedi Master, "Thanks, Mister. You saved my life."

"Both of our lives," Afton added, and swayed slightly on her feet. "Um, not to be whiny but I think I have a slightly bad reaction to blaster burns…"

Qui-Gon stepped forward in time to catch her as she passed out. "Where are you girls' parents?" he asked. Lonespirit's eyes widened in surprise. How could she explain?

"Um… well, they aren't here… they're…" she looked up at him sheepishly. "You could kinda say they're gone. For a while."

"Where do you live?" Lonespirit followed him back into the street where Anakin met them looking worried. She shrugged at the Jedi's question.

"Actually we don't live here…"

Qui-Gon nodded. There was no way he could leave two unarmed, unprotected young girls, one of them injured, here on Tatooine… Especially not when someone wanted them badly enough to send probe droids after them. He looked down at Anakin, the older girl, and the girl in his arms. "I'll take you to our ship," he said and would have laughed at the absolute shock from theother girl if there hadn't been so much relief mixed in with it.

Jeanna cursed as the probe droid's signal was cut off. Damn the Jedi for interfering. But at least one of the brats was down so she'd be easy to take. At least Silver had arrived. Let Silver Hair take care of the mess.

That was why Lord Jareth had sent her, anyway.

Silver Songstress's blue eyes swept the landscape and she nodded as Jeanna gave her the orders. Pulling her black hood over her silver hair , she took off on the landspeeder.

They were almost to the ship when Qui-Gon felt the disturbance in the Force. Danger. Headed right at them. "Drop!" he yelled back at Anakin and the other girl. He dropped to the ground, turning so the girl he was carrying landed safely.

The other two were already heading for the ship, the girl half carrying Anakin who was too little to run very fast. "Tell them to take off!" he called.

He jumped to his feet as the cloaked figure approached, pulling his lightsaber out and igniting the green blade. The figure ignited a blade the color of blood and advanced.

"Quick!" Anakin yelled as soon as his feet touched the ramp. "Mr. Qui-Gon's in trouble! He said to take off!"

Obi-Wan flung himself into the pilot seat before Anakin could finish. Within moments the ship was in the air. Through the cockpit windows he saw the dust cloud of the fight. He flew low barely a meter over the dunes, hoping his Master would see the open entry ramp.

As they passed the battle he felt a sudden surge in the Force and released a breath he had been unconcious of holding. Setting the course he went back to the main cabin as the ship departed Tatooine.

Afton groaned as she lay back onto the cool floor of the ship. She knew for a fact she was going to be unconscious again. But at least she'd managed to get herself and the Jedi pushed onto the ramp. Bright lady, but her leg was killing her! A very fuzzy picture of Lonespirit came briefly across her vision before the soothing darkness thankfully blocked everything out.