" DESERT SAND "
The heat from the twin suns of Tatooine was almost too much for young Padmé to bear. This was the first time she'd been exposed to an atmosphere, to extreme temperatures such at these. It made her double think her actions as she trotted through the sand, trying her best to keep up with the Jedi Master that led the way into the settlement they'd landed on the outskirts of. If it weren't for the damage the ship had sustained while leaving Naboo, they'd already be halfway to Coruscant by now. And this matter would be over with, which was all the flustered young girl wanted at the moment.
Wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, she'd stop of a moment, holding her hands to her knees as she bent over to take a deep breath, watching as her braided hair fell over her head and onto the sand beneath her feet. She'd stay like that for a moment, eyes focused on the pattern the tips of her braids were drawing in the sand, until a hand was laid upon her bowed shoulder.
"Perhaps you should go back to the ship," the calm, collected voice of Qui-Gon Jinn suggested.
Padmé rose back up, barely coming close to reaching the Jedi Master's shoulder, even when standing straight up. "I'm alright," she said. "I'm just not used to degrees of warm weather such as this. I'll be fine."
Qui-Gon eyed her for a moment, and Padmé knew that he still wasn't happy with the fact that she was tagging along, before he let out a sigh and turned heel towards the settlement. "We're delaying time. Let's continue."
Casting a glance towards the ever clueless Gungan that had mysteriously landed himself within their graces, Padmé'd continue trudging along through the sand, following in Qui-Gon's wake. What seemed like a longer span of time than it actually was, they reached the settlement that Qui-Gon named as Mos Espa.
The settlement and it's sand-colored shops were very dull-looking to Padmé, who was used to seeing buildings painted and decorated in a variety of colors and patterns. All the structures here seemed to blend in with the sand, and she found it difficult to distinguish where one shop started and another ended. Sure, she'd been to planets far less glamorous than hers, and it wasn't like she was looking down upon these people, it was just that these new surroundings were so strange to her. Never had she seen anything so sandy. Anything so warm.
"Here," Qui-Gon said, pointing towards a shop to his left and entering.
Padmé listened into what the Jedi Master was saying for a few moments, noting that he was trying to gain parts, and turned her attention towards the vast display of strange mechanical parts that lined the floors and walls of the room. Jar Jar's curious and clumsy feats went unnoticed to her, as an odd looking object caught her attention. She moved to brush her fingers upon it, when a voice cast in her direction drew away her attention.
"Are you an angel?"
She turned, her eyes falling upon the form of a boy, seated upon a counter-top. Briefly, she cast her eyes to the part he held in his hands, then looked back up, a bit unused to being asked such a question. "A what?"
"An angel," the boy repeated, eyes locked onto her. "I hear the deep space pilots talk about them. They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They live on the moons of Iego, I think."
Perhaps if this boy had been someone her age, she would've flushed at such a well-worded compliment, but all she could do in response was smile in slight amusement. She was not one for vanity, but she was well aware of her beauty, and to have such a boy take notice of it, and voice his notice, caught her off-guard. "You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"
"I listen to all the traders and star-pilots who come through here. I'm a pilot, you know. And someday, I'm going to fly away from this place."
The was an edge of determination lacing the boy's voice, one that made Padmé certain that he would accomplish this goal. Was he a pilot or just longing to be one? She didn't want to offend the boy by phrasing her curiosity wrong, so she asked carefully, "You're a pilot?"
"All my life," he answered, without so much as missing the beat.
Padmé studied him for a moment. He didn't look any older than ten. And granted, Padmé was barely fourteen herself, but the things she had accomplished during her short period on this plane of existence, the title she held, it classified her in an area that surpassed her young age. She'd heard of pilots starting their training when young, but not this young. Maybe things were done differently here on Tatooine.
"How long have you been here?" She asked, allowing her curiosity to continue to wield her words.
"Since I was very little...three, I think. My mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us betting on the Podraces."
"You're a slave?" Now that, was unexpected. Slavery was outlawed where she hailed. She'd never encountered a slave. And this boy, he was just...a boy. Someone still young and innocent, so undeserving of the life of a slave.
Her gaze softened in his direction, almost pitifully, and she guessed he took notice, for the next sentence he uttered was edged, his blue eyes slightly narrowed.
"I'm a person and my name is Anakin!"
"I'm sorry... I don't fully understand." And she didn't. She had to constantly remind herself that this planet wasn't under Republic law, that customs that were consider taboo there were practiced freely here. "This is a strange place to me."
An uneasy silence fell between the two then, and Padmé watched him continue to tinker with the part in his hands. But soon, Qui-Gon returned from the back, looking displeased. Padmé assumed that his hunt for parts for their ship had been unsuccessful. She frowned, moving to follow Qui-Gon out the door, casting a quick glance to Jar Jar, then fixing her gaze on the interesting young boy with those bright, blue eyes.
"I'm glad to have met you, Anakin," she said to him with a smile, moving fully out of the doorway to follow in the Jedi Master's wake.
"I was glad to meet you, too!" She heard his voice call out from behind her, she smiled to herself, but did not turn to give him a second look. After all, she had work to do. She needed to stay at Qui-Gon's side and supervise his motives, without allowing him to clue into the fact she was doing so. She wouldn't allow her curiosity to guide her back to that blue-eyed young boy.
Padmé didn't have time for indulgence of curiosity. Her position didn't allow it.
Though, she had the odd suspicion that this wouldn't be the last she saw of that boy. If Anakin was as determined as he had appeared to her, he would make it off this planet, just as he said he would. Perhaps when that time came, they would cross paths once more.
Someday.
But of course, this was only the beginning.
END.
"Star Wars" is © George Lucas.
03.17.2006, edited 05.03.2007