Chapter 7 Anakin

Jesse, JarJar, and Qui-Gon emerged from the ship and started across the sand toward the town.

"Dis sun doen murder tada skin." JarJar muttered, looking up at the two bright circles. "Mesa noee wanna even come."

"Wait!" Panaka chased after them with a handmaiden that Jesse recognized as Padme.

"Her Highness commands you to take her handmaiden with you. She wishes for her to observe the local..."

"No more commands from Her Highness today, Captain." Qui-Gon interrupted, "This spaceport is not going to be pleasant."

"The Queen wishes it. She is curious about this planet." Panaka insisted. "Don't make me go back and tell her you refuse."

Jesse could not believe Panaka had the nerve to argue with Qui-Gon. Still, he hoped Padme would be able to come too.

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes, letting a tiny bitof frustration show, "I don't have time to argue. But this is not a good idea. Stay close to me." He said, shooting a stern look at Padme, which she ignored.

Jesse fell in step beside Padme, giving her a conspiratorial grin. She smiled back, but it was only a faint grin. Jesse rolled his eyes. Girls.

When they reached Mos Espa Jesse and Padme were both amazed at all the different creatures and sights.

"Dissen berry berry bad." JarJar looked around as if expecting something to dart out from the shadows. "Ooooh...icky...icky...goo." he squealed when he stepped in some slime.

"So watch where you're going instead of looking for imagined enemies." Jesse told him.

"Mesa berry scared." JarJar whimpered. Jesse rolled his eyes.

Qui-Gon steered them toward a junk shop, "We'll try one of the smaller dealers."

Padme stiffened, but followed. Jesse wondered why she was acting so strange.

A weird blue creature with wings that kept him a few feet above the ground greeted them as they entered, "Hi chuba da naga?"

"Huh?" Jesse whispered to Padme. She giggled.

Qui-Gon was undaunted by the language barrier, "I need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian." He told the owner.

"Ah yes, ah yes. Nubian." The owner switched to basic, "We have lots of that. What kinda junk?" he turned and shouted out back, "Peedenkel! Naba dee unko"

"My droid here has a readout of what I need." Qui-Gon told him.

A boy a little younger than Jesse with dirty, tousled blonde hair came to the front.

"Coona tee-tocky malia?" the owner demanded angrily.

"Mel tassa cho-passa..." the boy answered.

"Chut-Chut! Ganda doe wallya. Me dwana no bata." He turned back to Qui-Gon, "Soooo, let me take youout back. Ni you'll find what you need."

Qui-Gon followed. "Don't touch anything." He said to JarJar, giving Jesse a wink.

JarJar pretended to be insulted and stuck out his long tongue at Qui-Gon. Jesse and Padme giggled.

The boy stared at them both. Jesse and Padme looked awkwardly at their feet.

"Are you an angel?" he finally asked.

"Me or her?" Jesse joked.

"Her." The boy nodded toward Padme.

"A what?" Padme asked.

"An angel. I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the Moons of Iego I think. They are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they make even the most hardened spice pirate cry." The boy explained.

"My brother's a deep space pilot. I'll ask him next time I see him." Jesse said.

"I don't think I'm an angel. " Padme said.

"You must be one. Maybe you just don't know it." The boy insisted.

"You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?" Padme smiled warmly at him.

"I listen to people talk. Since I was very little, three, I think. My Mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but he lost us, betting on the Podraces, to Watto, who's a lot better master than Gardulla, I think."

"You're a slave?" Padme seemed surprised.

"I am a person! My name is Anakin." Anakin lifted his chin defiantly.

"I'm sorry. I don't fully understand. This is a strange world to me."

"Me too. I'm used to Coruscant." Jesse said before he realized what he was saying. Padme gave him a look.

"You're from Coruscant? What's it like there?" Anakin asked eagerly.

"It's… JarJar!" For once, Jesse was grateful for the clumsy Gungan as he accidentally turned on a droid and was now trying to turn it off before it knocked anything else over.

"Hit the nose!" Anakin told him. The droid shut down, and the three kids laughed. Just then, Qui-Gon entered.

"We're leaving." He said shortly.

Padme and Jesse exchanged looks and followed with JarJar in tow.

"Bye." Jesse said.

Padme waved, "I'm glad I met you, ah..."

"Anakin Skywalker."

"Padme Naberrie." She said.

"Jesse Ryenae." Jesse added his name as the door shut.

"Did you get the parts?" he asked Qui-Gon.

"No."

"So now what?" Padme demanded.

"Now, we try again." Qui-Gon pulled out his comlink. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Master?"

"Obi-Wan, you're sure there isn't anything of value left on board?"

"A few containers of supplies, the Queen's wardrobe, maybe. Not enough for you to barter with. Not in the amount you're talking about." Came the answer.

"Not that anyone would want to wear those stuffy robes, especially in this heat." Jesse muttered.

Padme shot him an indignant look, though Jesse couldn't imagine why.

"All right. Another solution will present itself. I'll check back." Qui-Gon shut off the comlink and made his way back into the street.

JarJar hung back, "Noah gain...da beings hereabouts cawazy. Wesa be robbed un crunched."

"Who would want to rob us? We don't have anything worth stealing." Padme raised a superior eyebrow at the Gungan before walking off.

"That's the problem." Jesse joined in. "So be quiet." He brushed past him and followed Qui-Gon and Padme.

JarJar whimpered and followed, keeping close to Jesse and almost making him trip.

"Hey watch it! JarJar?" Jesse caught sight of the Gungan with a frog in his mouth. Only Jesse saw something that JarJar didn't: the frog was tied to the display. "JarJar let go of the frog. It's…" Jesse ducked as the frog went flying over his head and landed in a bowl of soup.

"Nice, JarJar. Let's go."

Suddenly, the path was blocked by a particularly ugly creature.

"Chuba!" he pointed a long bony finger at JarJar.

"Who, mesa?" JarJar shrank back.

"Ni chuba na?" he growled.

Jesse didn't understand the language, but he understood the meaning. His first impulse was to reach for his lightsaber, but he stopped just in time. Without his lightsaber and the Force he didn't stand much of a chance against the creature, but he stepped between him and JarJar anyway.

"I wouldn't do that." He said.

"Do what?" the creature switched to a rough form of English that sounded like fingernails on metal.

"Bully my friend." Jesse tried to sound tough, even if this was a losing battle.

"Ha!" The creature pushed Jesse aside roughly.

Jesse came back swinging. His fist met his mark right on the creatures left eye.

The creature grabbed Jesse's wrist.

"Chess ko, Sebulba...Coo wolpa tooney rana." A voice came from out of nowhere. Anakin Skywalker made his way over to them.

"Tooney rana nu pratta dunko, shag." The creature spat.

"Oh da Hutt...cha porko ootman geesa...me teesa rodda co pana pee choppa chawa." Anakin said nonchalantly.

The creature let go of Jesse and glared at Anakin, who met his gaze unflinchingly, "Neek me chowa, wermo, mo killee ma klounkee." He growled, then turned and slunk off.

"Eh, chee bana do mullee ra." Anakin called after him.

Just then, Qui-Gon, R2, and Padme arrived.

"Hi! Your buddies here were about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug. An especially dangerous Dug called Sebulba." Anakin said.

"I didn't pick a fight." Jesse rubbed his wrist and glared at JarJar. He didn't exactly appreciate having to be rescued by a boy younger than him either.

"Nosir, nosir. Mesa hate crunchen. Dat's da last ting mesa wanten." JarJar protested.

"Nevertheless, the boy is right; you were heading for trouble. Thank you, my young friend." Qui-Gon smiled warmly at Anakin, and Jesse fought back a feeling of jealousy.

"Mesa doen nutten!" JarJar whined.

"Fear attracts the fearful. He was trying to overcome his fear by squashing you. Be less afraid." Anakin advised.

"And that works for you?" Padme asked, looking a little too admiringly at Anakin.

"To a point."

Jesse shrugged off his un-Jedi-like feelings. "Well, it worked back there. Thanks." He added. After all, he figured, if you can't beat them join them.

Qui-Gon nodded approvingly. "Come on. We'd better be getting back."

"Wait." Anakin called after them, "Can I show you something first?"

Qui-Gon hesitated, and then shrugged. "Why not?"

"Come on." Anakin led the way down the dusty street to a fruit stand. "This is Jira. Jira, this is Padme, Jesse, and, um…"

"Qui-Gon, JarJar, and R2." Qui-Gon supplied.

"Right. So, how are you feeling today?" he asked.

"The heat's never been kind to me, you know, Annie!" Jira smiled at him.

"Guess what?" Anakin asked excitedly, "I've found that cooling unit I've been searching for. It's pretty beat up, but I'll have it fixed up for you in no time, I promise."

"You're a fine boy, Annie."

Anakin ducked his head. "I'll take four pallies today." He handed a fruit to Padme. "You'll like these."

The wind picked up, and Jira looked anxiously at the sky. "Gracious, my bones are aching. Storm's coming on, Annie. You'd better get home quick."

Anakin looked at his new friends worriedly, "Do you have shelter?"

"We'll head back to our ship." Qui-Gon assured him.

"Is it far?"

"On the outskirts." Padme said, starting to look worried.

Anakin shook his head. "You'll never reach the outskirts in time. Sandstorms are very, very dangerous. Come with me. Hurry!"

Anakin dashed down the street and led the way to a small house.

"Mom! Mom! I'm home." He called.

"Dissen cozy." JarJar remarked.

"Just don't touch anything." Jesse warned.

JarJar raised his chin indignantly as a woman entered the room. She looked shocked to see all the people, not to mention a swamp creature.

"Oh, my! Annie, what's this?"

"These are my friends, Mom. This is Padme, Qui-Gon, R2, Jesse, and JarJar. This is my mom, Shmi Skywalker."

Shmi raised her eyebrows, waiting for a further explanation.

Anakin missed the look completely. "I'm building a droid. You wanna see?"

"Anakin!" Shmi broke in, "Why are they here?"

"A sandstorm, Mom. Listen."

"Your son was kind enough to offer us shelter." Qui-Gon tried to help.

Anakin turned back to Padme. "Come on! Let me show you Threepio!"

Anakin rushed off without waiting for an answer. His mom smiled. "He never walks." She said.

"You too Jesse!" Anakin called.

Jesse grinned and followed the sound of Anakin's voice. For a minute there he'd been feeling positively left out.

"He's not finished yet." Anakin was saying as Jesse entered his cluttered room.

"He's wonderful!" Padme said.

"Protocol, right?" Jesse asked, staring at the shut off droid.

"Right, to help mom. You really like him? Watch!" he flipped a switch, and the droid came to life.

"How do you do, I am See-Threepio, Human Cyborg Relations. How might I serve you?"

"He's perfect." Padme said.

"Well, at least someone agrees with me."

The three laughed.

"He's got a little work left." Anakin said, "When the storm is over, you can see my racer. I'm building a Podracer!"

"What's that?" Padme asked.

"It's a thing for podracing." Jesse broke in. "I've read about it. Do you…"

"Annie! Supper!"

"Come on!" Anakin jumped off the bed. "Race you!"

Jesse grinned and ran after him, using only the tiniest bit of the Force to make sure he won.

Hi chuba da naga?- What do you want?

Peedenkel! Naba dee unko!- Boy, get in here! Now!

Coona tee-tocky malia?- What took you so long?

Mel tassa cho-passa...- I was cleaning the bin like you...

Chut-Chut! Ganda doe wallya. Me dwana no bata.- Never mind! Watch the store! I've got some selling to do here.

Chuba!- You!

Ni chuba na?- Is this yours?

Chess ko, wolpa tooney rana.- Careful, Sebulba...This one's very connected.

Tooney rana nu pratta dunko, shag?- Connected? Whada you mean, slave?

Oh da Hutt. Cha porko ootman geesa. Me teesa rodda co pana pee choppa chawa.- As in Hutt. Big time outlander, this one. I'd hate to see you diced before we race again.

Neek me chowa, wermo, mo killee ma klounkee. Una noto wo shag, me wompity du pom pom.- Next time we race, wermo, it will be the end of you! If you weren't a slave, I'd squash you right now.

Eh, chee bana do mullee ra.- Yeah, it'd be a pity if you had to pay for me.