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There were pounding footsteps all around him. People were screaming and there was blood everywhere. And then he saw her face, smeared with her own blood and unconscious. The cracks in the glass were growing longer, and he could hear the grinding sound as the cracks spread. He had to reach her before the glass shattered. He had to reach her before this became a horrible reality.
Anakin woke up with a start. He was drenched in sweat and was breathing so heavily it felt as though his ribs were cracking. He hung his head in his hands as he tried to catch his breath. The nightmare had felt so real.
He looked at the chrono and saw that the sun would be rising soon. He decided to meditate with the sunrise. He stood with his legs slightly spread, hands clasped behind his back, when he felt a presence behind him, as silent and stealth as a ghost. He looked over at Sarah, and without even asking he knew that she had felt his fear, try as he might to control it.
"She's in pain, Sarah," he said, his voice not much more than a whisper.
"Your mother?"
He nodded. He looked straight into her eyes. "I know that we have a mission here. But I can't just leave her in pain. I have to go."
He caught a small change in her eyes and before he could figure out what it was, she said, "I won't you go alone."
He gave her a grateful smile. "What about Padme? We are supposed to be protecting her."
Sarah sighed, "Do you think that we could leave her under Captain Typho's protection?"
Anakin thought for a moment. It wasn't his first choice, but he did trust the other man, he nodded.
She turned to leave, but before she did, Anakin said quietly, "Sarah?"
When she looked back at him, in barely more than a whisper, he said, "Thanks."
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Obi-Wan walked with Taun We and Lama Su, inspecting the clones in all stages of their development. He tried to work through the mystery in his head, but it was getting him nowhere. The Kaminoans were obviously proud of their clones.
Lama Su's voice was thick with pleasure as he showed Obi-Wan to the parade where the fully grown clones were ready for battle. Obi-Wan turned to Lama-Su, "I would very much like to meet the original host."
Taun We nodded, "I will arrange it immediately," and she walked away, leaving Lama Su and Obi-Wan staring out at the marching clones.
Lama Su breathed in, "Magnificent, aren't they?"
Obi-Wan swallowed, all he could do was nod in response. He did not trust himself to speak.
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Padme had been less than enthusiastic when the Jedi told her that they would be leaving her. "Padme, Tatooine is a dangerous place. I do not want you to be harmed," Anakin said tenderly.
Though she protested wildly, she had finally agreed that she would stay on Naboo. When Sarah left to prepare the ship, Padme had grabbed Anakin's arm and whispered to him quietly, "Be safe, Ani," and she had given him a light kiss on the cheek.
Before midday, Anakin and Sarah were already well on their way to Tatooine.
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When they landed and stepped outside, the searing heat hit their skin immediately. The sand blew in Anakin's eyes, and scratched his skin. He did not want to be back here. "I hate sand," he muttered. They had used mind tricks to get permission to land, and they were walking briskly through the streets of the crowded spaceport, looking for Anakin's former Master.
Sarah glanced at him once when they were walking, and his face was set in grim determination. They found the dusty shop and a bell tinkled somewhere in the background. The little blue Watto came flying around the corner, eyeing the Jedi suspiciously, particularilly the lightsabers that hung from their belts.
"Jedi, eh? Listen to me, if someone is making trouble, I never did anything, they are always trying to scam me in some way or another."
"I'm looking for Shmi Skywalker," Anakin said, ignoring Watto's previous comment.
"Shmi? What do you want with Shmi?" Suddenly, a look of understanding dawned on the Toydarian's face as he watched Anakin pick up a broken pit droid and repair it in moments. "Ani? Little Ani?"
Anakin gave Watto a fierce glare, "Where is my mother, Watto?"
Watto gulped, "Listen, Ani. Business is business, eh? Sometimes you gotta do what you need to do. The galaxy's a rough place, eh?"
Anger flashed in Anakin's eyes. "Where is my mother?"
"Eh...I sold Shmi...I'm sorry little Jedi Ani, but it was a good deal."
"Who did you sell her to? Where is she?"
Watto looked visibly afraid, "I sold her to a man named Lars...a moisture farmer who lives on the outskirts of town. I get her information, eh? Wait here." The Toydarian flew to the back of the shop.
Anakin hung his head, there was a new emotion mixed with his anger now...fear. Sarah put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Watto returned. He gave the Jedi the information that they needed. "Listen, Ani, I just got ripped off by some scheming dug a while ago. Do you think that you could, eh...flash that light thing at them and get them to pay me my money?"
It took every ounce of Jedi-reserve for Anakin not to rage and strangle Watto. Instead he threw the repaired droid onto the floor at Watto's feet, where it shattered, metal parts flying everywhere. He walked quickly out of the shop, Sarah not far behind.
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Obi-Wan stood outside Jango Fett's door, waiting to be let in. He had a bad feeling about meeting this man, but he knew that it would be a necessity. Finally, a young boy slid open the door and let Obi-Wan in, but not without first eyeing him suspiciously.
Obi-Wan strode in and glimpsed some beaten-up blue armor lying on the floor. That sealed Obi-Wan's suspicion. This man must be the bounty hunter assigned to kill Padme. He must have been the one that fired the toxic dart.
"Your clones are most impressive," Obi-Wan said, trying to summon the Force around him.
Jango was apparently not intimidated, and he replied nonchalantly. "They'll do their job well."
"Have you recently been off-planet?" Obi-Wan asked, deciding against subtlety.
"Possibly," the man replied.
Obi-Wan took the small pause to observe Jango. The man was strong and well-built, and Obi-Wan did not doubt that he was good at what he did.
"If you don't mind me asking, when was the last time that you spoke to Count Dooku?"
Jango gave Obi-Wan an intense look. "I don't know a Count Dooku. I was recruited by a man named Tyranus."
Obi-Wan could not sense a lie coming from the man, but he was obviously skilled at concealment. "I see," said Obi-Wan curtly. "Thank you for your time, Jango."
"Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi," The bounty hunter replied.
Obi-Wan gave a small bow and left the apartment with Taun We. He knew that even though he could not pick up lies from the bounty hunter, Obi-Wan was certain that the man was full of deception. He needed to contact the Council immediately.
Inside the apartment, Jango spoke to his son, "Get your things Boba. We're leaving."
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On Tatooine, two Jedi approached a small moisture farm. Anakin gulped. After all of these years, he was finally going to see his mother. He only hoped that everything was allright.
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A/N: Sorry it was a little bit short...but as the infinite wisdom of Master Yoda goes, "Size matters not!" In any case, more to come soon, and feedback is always most appreciated!