Chapter 6: Home

For the first time in this world, just when she thought she had some control of her future, fate had to throw her another surprise. A siren! In her house no less on its own willingness just when she given up thought of magical sentiments on this planet.

"Mum!" Her son's voice brought her back to hand.

She watched him bounced up several steps; if she had not known him better she would have purely stated that as a child's naive joy, but no. She had seen his eyes away from any others behind him.

Siren, magic, discover, Jedi.

Those were the words he had sent to her before he broke contact turning back to the strangers.

"Mum, I met these people nearby, they needed shelter! I did something good today!" Anakin stated.

The statement in itself was silly from Annie 's mouth but then again Anakin was still a child. That could easily be excused as a child's naive.

"Anakin! Why?" She asked and indeed she was curious herself, perhaps when she looked back later she would notice how stupid it was to ask when the answer was so obvious.

He looked at her, confused. Huh? "There's a sandstorm, Mom. Listen."

She looked out of the window, feeling the gust of sand scrap another layer of the exterior walls. It was tempting to just keep slamming her head into the wall regardless of any rational thoughts she had. Her nerves were frayed and a migraine was arriving, everything was just wrong. Why couldn't she just have a normal day!

Wringing her hands outward she couldn't stop her son from leaving with one of the strangers, missing much conversation due to her previous debate within herself.

"Your son was kind enough to offer us shelter from the sandstorm," The human man explained as if he had sense her internal conflict. "We met at the shop where he works."

Roping in the rest of her confusion careful not to think about it in detail yet, she absorbed the information the man gave her giving him the once glance. Tall built, with hidden muscles under that sack of his signaling a steady man who exercised often gaining at least some degree of discipline. His outline wasn't of the burly sort or the lithe figure she knew before- his was of an average fighter with no visible strength shown yet, someone whom she should be wary of.

No tattoos could be seen from his arms or face, now he must be someone a high standard of living, with a strict set of morals or rules he followed, or his elders or whoever he was living with must be the type to disdain barbaric methods. His hair was of the ordinary brown not uncommon here, saved for his skin. It wasn't as tanned as any inhabitants here would be after a certain period of time. This being, either had skin that couldn't be darkened any further or he had only just arrived. Between the two, she was leaning on the later as she could not believe any skin was strong enough to resist the kiss of Tatoonie's twin suns.

Yet that wasn't what concerned her, but for the fact that she could discern the swirling colors of his aura around him. Blue like the oceans, she was sure she would drown in those endless pits of water she had glimpsed hurriedly. This mortal man was a siren in disguise for sure.

"I'm Shimi Skywalker," she said, holding out her hand. "Anakin and I are pleased to have you as our guests, Sir..."

'Take things step by step, Joe' she told herself quietly.

"Qui-Gon Jinn, just Qui-Gon if you will, no sir."

"If you must insist Qui-Gon, then perhaps you would be willing to name your companions on their behalf?"

"My wife" Qui-Gon gestured to the room where she could hear both her son and the other stranger's voice. "Padme." He gestured to the Gungan, "Jar Jar Binks, a helper of mine and our robot."

The man must have already appraised the suppose 'situation' with a good eye thus determining what was needed, before reaching under his poncho to pull out five small capsules from a pouch in his belt.

"I know this is unexpected. Take these. There's enough food for a meal."

Shimi accepted the capsules surprise of his quick thinking and the lack of haughtiness that was said to come from all sirens since birth.

"Thank you." Her eyes lifted and lowered again, remembering to avoid his eyes.

"Thank you very much. I'm sorry if I was abrupt. I'll never get used to Anakin's surprises, I guess."

"He's a very special boy," Qui-Gon offered.

This time she stared at him hard in the eye before glancing away as if confused by something.

"Yes," She said softly, "I know."


The sandstorm raged all day, Shimi was sure this one was the mediocre type that would last for at least a day (the longest had lasted an entire month), instead of those fierce and fast ones. That would also mean more time for her to understand the situation she was landed in.

Anakin had brought these strangers home, claming to be a good deed, that she was incline to believe. But she was sure from his body movements that there was also an ulterior motive present. That man, Qui-Gon, he had the aura of a wild yet tame siren. It wasn't hidden at all, but glowing brightly as if well-controlled. Yet he seemed to not know that he was one, for a siren could spot any magical creature including wizards and witches unless he wasn't one.

But his aura?

"Mum! How do you explain that thing inside us to stop any plans to escape?" Anakin asked his mouth munching the already mush food.

Not missing a beat she replied.

"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies and that acts as a sensor that is linked to the amount of land we cover on foot each day."

"Measure? You mean they restrict your steps by counting the number of steps you take each day?" Padme asked, rather engrossed in learning new things.

Now she was definitely a Ravenclaw, although she was leaning towards Slytherin. Her eye movements leaked out her thoughts as if verbally broadcasting it, it took some use to, keeping her mind from over listening to such.

"Yes, for example Annie here is working in the shop and if he takes more than a certain amount of steps like maybe five million or so, the transmitted will react."

"BOOM!" Anakin added waving his hand out wildly startling the houses greediest creature, Jar Jar.

GAHHhhh!

Jar Jar coughed out, one webbed hand soothing his throat.

Anakin whom hadn't meant to cause such an outbreak felt sorry and immediately tried to help out, or not.

He pounded as hard as he could on the Gungan's back.

Padme ignored the interruption continuing. "But that's so restricting. I mean, I never expected the republic anti-slavery laws to be disobeyed here"

"The republic doesn't exist here; this is Tatoonie, desert land, not one speck of metallic skyscraper in sight." Shimi snapped irritated that the girl wasn't getting the fact that survival of the fittest rule was the only rule that mattered here.

Self-awe of some government when she had already seen just how 'wide' its righteous influence ran was something she didn't enjoy. In fact this very scene reminded her just how fearful she was when it came to dealing with any lovesick fan club people she cross.

"Have you ever seen a Podrace?" Anakin asked when it seemed as if the awkward silence was turning potent.

Padme shook her head probably not daring to speak out from the previous tension she had created. 'A smart move' Shimi thought.

"I have", the siren- no! It was Qui-Gon, who answered. All present at the table stared at him, not for lack of trying but his presence had almost been forgotten due to his brooding quiet self before.

"You have? Where?" Anakin blurted out.

"Malastare, they organize the event rather often earning a reputation for being the fastest and most dangerous game known."

"Malastare?" Shimi voiced out unsurprised when her son too replied the same in a union of voices.

"It's a hot planet on another system covered with volcanoes and molten lava." He told them, leaving it there.

With an understanding nod Shimi gestured Annie too quiet, knowing how hard it was to explain about a planet without some other form of tools of a map.

At the same time, a move was made rather swiftly and unexpectedly that both mother and son turned shocked to witness the Gungan's punishment, not that everyone else attention wasn't riveted to him then.

Qui-Gon it seems had been so irritated by Jar Jar's rude and noisy trials to plucking out morsels from other bowls like a toad would to his prey, that he had secured the responsible tongue with his thumb and forefinger.

"Don't do that again," He advised, an edge in his voice revealing his limited patience for disorder and rudeness.

He let go, scoping up a spoonful of his meal as if nothing out of the ordinary had happen.

"Wow!" Anakin started before realizing that he had just said it out aloud, ducking his head slightly to hide of his blush.

Qui-Gon raised an eye brow slightly, looking amused at Anakin's outburst.

"Yes?"

Anakin's face lifted to the older man's, and his voice wavered slightly before replying.

"That was very fast! I mean the way you just duck your hand out and-"

"Yes, if one focus and with good reflex, it is achievable."

"Yeah but-"

Shimi looked up, the conversation was already straying so often to a dangerous course but she herself was admittedly curious.

"You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" Annie finally blurted out.

'Darn!' Shimi cursed silently, that was why she was always so wary of Anakin when he dealt with people. He was just so Gryffindor, not an ounce of tact in him, and Jedi? Was that what he had meant when he sent to her the word Jedi?

'It would make sense, that he is a Jedi, not a siren so he would actually offer charity and his magic, they call it the force'

"What makes you think so?" Qui-Gon replied.

'Oh smart move, not to seem like agreeing but getting the answer out so you can eliminate the problem too.' Shimi thought.


Now he was in a fix. On one hand he really didn't want to reveal anything but in this situation, there wasn't really much choice.

"I saw your lightsaber when you helped Jar Jar up." Anakin replied, well conscious of the relief on his mother's face when she realize that he wasn't going to give up their secret.

Distracted by the creak of the chair, he moved his focus back to the Jedi who had leaned back with a smile on his face.

'What's wrong with him, smiling like that?' Anakin thought. Seriously it had frightened him slightly.

"Well there's always the fact that I killed a Jedi and took his lightsaber." The man went on but Anakin cut in hotly.

"No! Jedi's don't fall that easily! I've never seen one defeated!"

A side glance from his mother showed her calmness still but he knew that was going to change soon. Oh he seriously hoped she wasn't going to kill him when she knew the details.

"I wish that were so." Qui-Gon replied but yet again, he was interrupted by Anakin who was reining all his courage to say the next step.

"I had a dream, I was a Jedi and I freed everyone from slavery here and, and are you the one who is going to free us?"

"Annie?" His mum called slightly, a frown adorning her face now.

"You are aren't you? Why else would you be here!" there, he had added the final spice, a hidden trap subtly- as his mother had always wanted. A counter-attack to the previous question by the Jedi.

"I'm sorry Anakin, but, No, I'm not here to free anyone." Qui-Gon replied.

"Then why?" He pressed, as if this was according to his plan.

The Jedi sighed, before leaning forward conspiratorially. Already, he could see that the Jedi had obviously decided to take a chance. This man wasn't going to last a single minute as a politician.

"I see that there's no fooling you, but what I'm about to tell you must be kept as a secret, hidden from any others alright?"

Qui-Gon glanced towards both himself and his mother.

"Yes?" He asked again, an tone surrounding it, as ironic as it had sounded. Their promise was word to their lives and should this secret he is in on affect them in any way.

"I'll not speak of it to anyone if your secret does not go beyond the boundaries of trouble involving the Hutts." Mother spoke out, her eyes held straight and true to the Master Jedi's eyes. Truth held out there, but he had to squash a smirk on his face when he found the obvious loopholes.

"I promise on that too."

Qui-Gon smiled.

Perhaps this wasn't worth the promise, most especially when he didn't seem to take the 'secret' of his seriously.

"We're on our way to Coruscant, the central system in the Republic, on a very important mission."

His mother's eyes widened. "Coruscant? Coruscant isn't anywhere near here at all! Why are you here if Coruscant is your supposed destination?"

"Our ship was damaged," Padme answered her. "We're stranded here until we can repair it, and that involves getting parts we need."

"Parts? You can just trade it with something you have."

'That's right! Any mission they go on should have some funding since it was a sure thing that they needed to use such, any mission that is approved anyway.' Anakin though suspiciously.

"Wit nutten ta trade but 'publicans credits," Jar Jar answered out sourly.

"I can help!" Anakin announced quickly, playing the part of being anxious to be of service to them.

"Qui-Gon smiled at the enthusiasm." I believe you can, but our first task, as you know from our visit to Watto's shop, is to acquire the parts we need."

"I know that! I mean if you need the parts then why not use the upcoming race to get the parts you need?" Anakin answered defensively.

Both Qui-Gon and Padme was looking at him questioningly.

"What my son means is that if you're desperate and with nothing to lose, you could gamble and bet on the Boonta Podrace which is coming up soon for the parts you need."

Raising her hands all around her, she told him.

"Everything around here, Tatoonie, revolves around those Podraces, Gambling- that's the only weakness they have in common."

"I see." Qui-Gon replied.

Padme was looking at Qui-Gon speculatively, but that was nothing he, Anakin could do to prevent that. He wanted the Jedi off to Coruscant as soon as possible.


A/N: Tried to get this up as soon as possible! Hope it doesn't feel rushed or confusing. Also, Credits must really be given to my beta Laura, who actually managed to finish checking through this chapter in 24 hours or less after I sent her! WOOH! That's a record.

Also when i tried to upload this chapter onto the website, it was rejected... don't really know what's going on but anyway please review!