Chapter One: Fate

It had been nine years since Shmi had given Aniya up. The young girl continued to flourish in the Merrell household. Alexandra had mentioned to Shmi that the young girl showed some unusual traits. Her reflexes were superior to most children, with the exception of Anakin. She showed eerie skills as her twin had within the years that passed.

Alan had explained it might be best that the twins' powers be kept secret. The children were instructed to do so. They both had kept the secret that Shmi was Aniya's mother and that Anakin was Aniya's twin. All the adults involved regretted putting such a heavy burden on the pair, but they did not want to keep them apart. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to separate the two when the time came for them to go their own way. It generally resulted in one or the other having to stay the night at the other's house. It was quickly becoming an issue, as Anakin was not able to stay at the Merrell's house as much as he wanted, seeing as how he and his mother had been lost in a bet, to a new master, a Toydarian named Watto. The Toydarian was not so keen to let the boy be a child, as he generally had him in his repair shop during the day.

Anakin was gifted in his mechanical abilities and quickly became knowledgeable in the art of pod racing. It was during this time period that Alan began to notice that the twins' unusual talents were perhaps something more.

"They have the traits of the Jedi", he stated one night after the twins had fallen asleep. He and Alexandra had come over to visit with Shmi when it became clear that Aniya refused to come home that night so that she may be with Anakin. He had lost a pod race earlier in the day and destroyed the racer that Watto had provided. The boy had taken it extremely hard and sought solace in his twin.

"The Jedi?" Alexandra gasped, "Are you sure, Love?" She knew that if it was found out that the twins had the traits of the Jedi they might be taken away.

"I had an older brother who was taken. I never knew him. Once he started to show the traits and they informed the Jedi, they came to collect him, to train him to become a Jedi Knight. He never returned and it pained my mother…" the man recollected. There was a sadness in his voice. Alexandra grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it to reassure him that whatever had happened in the past, he was free to share it with her and their friend. "I don't even recall his name. My parents refused to speak of him after he had been taken. They were heartbroken to lose him."

"There is something I need to tell the both of you", Alexandra quietly muttered, "Aniya…. She became upset that Watto had screamed at Anakin about losing the race and the pod racer…"

"It's only natural", Shmi smiled, "They are almost in tune with one another…what one feels, the other shows…"

"Yes, but… it was different this time", the brunette whispered, "She… she began shouting and then the next thing I know… the… the vase that I said had somehow fallen over…"

"It broke because of her anger?" Alan quickly deduced. "What makes you think it was her?"

"She realized it had flown across the room and smashed into pieces… right next to me… she began crying apologizing that she didn't mean for it to come so close to me….", Alexandra began to sob, "I should have told you sooner but she begged me not to tell you, Alan."

"She was afraid she would be in trouble", Shmi quietly stated. She looked towards the room that held the twins. "What do we do?"

"As we have always done. These are OUR children", Alan quickly proclaimed, "They belong to the US and they belong TOGETHER."

"Agreed", both mothers stated in unison. The three grimly smiled at each other and began to correlate a story in case something were to ever come up about the twins, their relationship, their special abilities, and anything else that the trio felt needed an explanation. They all agreed that the twins should not be separated if it could be helped and also began working on a plan for Alan to buy Shmi and Anakin from Watto.

The Merrells said their goodbyes late in the evening to Shmi and promised to come get Aniya in the morning. However, when the morning came, neither of them showed up. When noon came, Shmi knew something had to be wrong. One of them would have been to collect her daughter by now. She went over to their house to find that the Huts were crawling all over the place. Interrogating anyone who stood too long in front of their home. Shmi casually walked by but as she pretended to be shopping in the marketplace she overheard what had happened to them in varying degrees… but they all had the same conclusion…. Alan and Alexandra Merrell were dead.

"Yeah apparently that Alan Merrell owed a lot of debt to some rival faction since he had already maxed out his credits with the Hutts"

"I heard that ex-slave wife of his was messing with one of big wigs in the Hutts and got pregnant. He found out and killed her and then killed himself"

"Heard Alan owed Jabba a LOT of money. So to set an example he had Alan and the wife killed"

"Didn't they have a daughter?"

"Yeah where is the little girl?

"I heard she was kidnapped"

"I heard she was buried somewhere else"

Shmi quickly made her way back to her hovel to make sure that Aniya was sleeping. She was surprised to find the twins making breakfast together. They were making a mess as usual… getting into a flour fight and some of the grease and egg matter was on the floor.

"STOP RIGHT NOW!" Shmi admonished them. She flinched at the severity of her own voice and was not surprised to find them drop everything they were holding onto the ground. They stood in shock at her tone, she hardly raised her voice to them ever.

"Mom, are you okay?" Anakin asked. He noticed that his mother was crying. Tears were running down her face. "Mom?" Aniya gently called to her as she slowly approached her. Shmi immediately hit the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably. The only people on this entire SHIT planet that she could count on were dead and she didn't even know why. Not to mention she was solely responsible for her innocent daughter yet again and this could turn bad quickly. Her mind began to race with all the bad scenarios she had in her mind over nine years ago. She couldn't let her daughter be traded off by Watto, but he wouldn't let a child stay in her home for free. He had ignored it for a time due to the fact that Alan was in the higher ranks of the Hutt syndicate.

"Mom", the twins' voices finally pierced through the fog of emotions and chaos that had been swirling around in her head. She picked herself up from the dirt floor and began wiping her eyes. Once she was composed, Shmi pulled her daughter to her. "Aniya…. Alan and Alexandra…. Well… there is no easy way to put this…", the slave woman began.

"Dead… I know", the young girl quietly admitted. "Daddy said that there were some people asking about me and Ani. He said they were like dark Jedi. He told Mama that he was afraid they were going to get us, but not to say anything to you, or us."

"He didn't want us to worry…", the woman sadly smiled, "We need to figure something out… you are not safe with me and Ani. We are slaves and have no right to protect ourselves, let alone you."

"Tell her the WHOLE story, Niya…", Ani warned his sister. He knew that their mother had to make a quick decision but she needed to know all of the facts. He had learned this trait from Alan. Observe and weigh the options, then make the decision. It was like a motto in their family.

"What are you not telling me Aniya Skywalker Merrell?" Shmi was beginning to lose her patience with her daughter. IF there was something the child was keeping from her but not her twin… that was a problem. Secrets were what held them together, but there were supposed to be none between them… only around them.

"Daddy has a friend that is supposed to take care of us. He is supposed to get in contact with us soon. He had someone leave a note here while you were gone…", Aniya whispered as she pulled out a small parchment from her pocket. "Ani and I call him 'Uncle'. He used to come by the house often when he was on one of his bounty hunts."

"I am afraid there are going to be many coming forward claiming to be friends of Alan's…", their mother mumbled as she began reading the letter.

Aniya,

As you well know, your father and mother are dead. I am contacting you to let you know that I am the man your father should have already told you about, in case anything happened to him or your mother. I am aware of your past in detail. I will come for you soon.

Uncle

As Shmi read the note, her heart sank into her stomach. The man made no mention of Anakin nor her in his note. From all appearances, it seemed he looked to take only Aniya. The fact that this man was never brought up before annoyed her a bit. Alan had been very clear about who all was to know of the situation in question. So why would this Uncle come up now?

"How long has this 'Uncle' been coming around?" Shmi questioned as she handed the note back to her daughter.

"He's always been around… ever since I can remember…", the young girl answered honestly. She could tell her mother never knew of this "uncle" before.

"I thought you knew him", Anakin quickly interjected, "I remember him for a long time too… ever since we were younger."

"Alan never told me of such a man that he allowed you two to call 'Uncle', although I have no say on who he claimed as family for Aniya", she added. The slave woman began pacing back and forth trying to weigh her options and decided to speak what was on her mind. She had always been fairly honest with the twins, but then again, they were always able to tell if she wasn't saying the whole truth about something. "The note that your 'uncle' left… he makes no mention of me or Ani… I believe he is only going to take you, Aniya…and to be honest, I don't feel comfortable with that since I do not know this man. I know that for all intents and purposes you were Alan and Alexandra's daughter… but you really are mine and I am not going to let you go off with a man I do not know… "

"Come now Shmi… I know it's been some years… but surely you haven't forgotten me?" a male voice came from the doorway. He was dressed in the fashion of a Mandalorian.

Shmi's heart caught in her throat. She KNEW that voice… she knew it as well as her own soul.

"...Jango?..." her world immediately became black with the faint familiar touch of her former lover and her children crying out for her.