A/N Yoda is actually about 880 years old. I didn't know how old he was, and figured Jesse wouldn't know the exact number either. Thanks to WizardJedifor clearing that up.

Chapter 9 The Deal

Jesse knew he had slept late the minute he woke.

"Great." he muttered rolling to his feet and hurrying to the kitchen.

"Good morning." Shmi said brightly.

"Morning. Sorry I slept late."

Shmi laughed. "Padme and JarJar are still sleeping."

"Oh." Jesse said, relieved. "Where's Qui-Gon?"

"Talking with his apprentice. Obi-Wan?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Jesse said as she put a plate of food on the table in front of him. "Where's Anakin?"

"He already left for Watto's. He always leaves early." Shmi frowned.

"I bet it's rough." Jesse said sympathetically.

Shmi nodded. "I do not mind so much myself; I've always been a slave, but Anakin deserves better."

Jesse nodded silently, swallowing some fruit juice. He wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Fortunately, Padme and Qui-Gon came in, and the conversation ended.

"When are we going to Watto's?" Jesse asked.

"As soon as JarJar gets out of bed." Qui-Gon answered.

Jesse grinned. That could take all morning. "Do you want me to wake him up?"

"Go ahead."

Jesse left the room and headed toward where JarJar was sleeping, pausing outside the door to peek in. A loud, high-pitched snoring came from within. Cautiously, Jesse opened the door and slipped through. Reaching out, he plugged the Gungan's large nose.

"Whasa! Help! Mesa needen help!" JarJar screamed.

Jesse laughed.

"Mesa dink dat notso nice." JarJar pouted.

"Well, you oughta be up anyway. Breakfast is almost over." Jesse didn't mention that he'd only just gotten up himself. Instead he chucked a pillow at JarJar and shut the door behind him.

"Jesse what was the screaming about?" Qui-Gon asked when he re-entered the kitchen.

"Nothing. JarJar was just startled, that's all." Jesse said innocently.

"Uh-huh." Qui-Gon looked like he didn't believe him, but let it go. "Hurry up and eat JarJar, we're leaving for Watto's soon."

"Mesa no like earlyup." the Gungan slumped at the table.

"Get used to it." Jesse said, a little roughly.

"You know you could be a little nice to him." Padme said when they went outside while waiting for JarJar to finish eating.

"Oh yeah? Who are you to talk? At least I treat him like a semi-intelligent being."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Padme asked defensively.

"You know what I mean. You Naboo think they're just animals."

Padme lifted her chin. "If we treat them like they're less intelligent than us, then it is because they are." she said loftily.

"So there's no room for other cultures?"

"What culture is there in living in a swamp?" Padme demanded.

Jesse thought back to the underwater city. "There's a lot more than you think." he said, then turned and went back inside.

Padme steadily ignored him on the way to Watto's. Jesse knew he should apologize, after all, Padme hadn't treated JarJar at all badly, and she'd just been defending her people. He would say he was sorry- later.

"Here goes nothing." he muttered outside the junk shop.

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

"The queen does not need to know." Qui-Gon said simply.

Jesse raised his eyebrows.

Padme straightened and looked him in the eye. "Well I don't approve."

"And?" Jesse muttered.

Padme shot him a look fit to kill and followed Qui-Gon into the shop.

Jesse flinched. He really hadn't meant for Padme to hear that.

"I just keep getting deeper in, don't I?" he muttered to no one in particular.

"The boy tells me you wanta sponsor him in the race. You can't afford parts. How can you do this? Not on Republic credits, I think." Watto was saying as Jesse entered.

"My ship will be the entry fee." Qui-Gon showed a small holo-image of the ship.

Beside Jesse, Padme stiffened. "My ship." she muttered.

Jesse frowned. Didn't she mean the queen's ship? Maybe she meant the Naboo's ship.

Watto studied the ship. "Not bad... not bad... a Nubian."

"It's in good order, except for the parts we need." Qui-Gon told him.

"But what would the boy ride?" Watto objected. "He smashed up my Pod in the last race. It will take some time to fix it."

Anakin flushed. "It wasn't my fault really. Sebulba flashed me with his vent ports. I actually saved the Pod- mostly."

Watto laughed. "That you did. The boy is good, no doubts there."

"I have acquired a Pod in a game of chance." Qui-Gon continued. "'The fastest ever built.'"

Anakin grinned from behind Watto.

Watto kept laughing his rusty laugh. "I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it. So, you supply the Pod and the entry fee; I supply the boy. We split the winnings fifty-fifty, I think."

"Fifty-fifty?" Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows. "If it's going to be fifty-fifty, I suggest you front the
cash for the entry. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts I need. If we lose, you keep my ship."

Padme glanced anxiously at Qui-Gon. Jesse really couldn't blame her. It wasn't really Qui-Gon's ship to gamble with.

Watto scratched his chin, thinking.

"Either way, you win." Qui-Gon added slyly.

Watto nodded. "Deal!"

"Good. I'll be in touch." Qui-Gon said and left.