The drive back to Mos Espa went uneventful and silent.
The clones kept eyeing Anakin, wondering why their little Jedi was so different and submissive in Jabba's palace.
"I don't like this… this…" Hardcase began wondering about a fitting word for Jabba.
"Slug," Anakin offered.
"Yes, slug is good," Jesse said, "I can't believe the Republic negotiates with such a criminal."
"Jabba controls the most important trade routes of the outer rim. They are also essential for the republic, especially in this war," Anakin replied.
"We would lose foot in the outer rim, when we lose these routes. The most of the outer rim would fall to the separatists," Rex explained.

At Mos Espa, Anakin took the clones to a shop to get some ponchos for the clones. The time for to get all the attention was over, and Anakin was glad. "Why are we getting these now?" Jesse asked, looking at the poncho he wore. "Because when you search someone here, you don't want anybody else to notice," Anakin explained.

Normally, attraction was one of the last thing you wanted at Tatooine.
"You know this city pretty well, al'verd'ika," Jesse commented as they walked to the streets, looking for the man with Jabba's goods. They had seen a holo of him, but didn't know which goods he was transporting. At least Anakin had an idea.
"I used to live here, before the Jedi found me," Anakin answered dry.
"You are from this dust bowl? No wonder the Jedi found you so late," Hardcase said.
Anakin looked at him questioning, wondering why he knew that.
"The General told us, that you came late to the Jedi, but not more," Rex answered, sensing, that this was a sensitive topic for Anakin. Anakin just nodded in response and guided them to the edges of the town.

The clones changed looks. They were sure Anakin already behaved older than a child his age should, but how he acted on this mission was something else. How he had planned all this and went through this plan without faltering. Even the General followed his words in this mission.

They were near some kind of warehouse as Anakin stopped and closed his eyes, feeling the force.
"In this building is something we are searching," he said and opened his eyes pointing at the warehouse.
"Be cautious and don't make any rash movements," he ordered, opened the door and went in.

The warehouse wasn't big. In there were only some boxes.

Between these boxes were five people. Two human male, one with long hair, the other had no hair. Then there were also three Twi'lek female. One had white skin color, the other two were purple, but one had four lekku instead of two. Three of them were holding of the white Twi'leks down, while the long haired cut with a knife in the Twi'lek's tight.

They stopped immediately as Anakin and the clones entered. The next second a pistol was pointing at them and the other hold the knife in front of himself, ready to protect the ones behind him.

"Leave, or you be dead!" the Twi'lek with four lekku hissed.
The clones were about to their guns, but Anakin shook his head and got his hands up.
Then he made a sign with his hand. A sign the clones didn't know, butt the five strangers in the room looked surprised to Anakin. Then one of them made another sign and Anakin, who seemed to understand this, answered with another hand sign. After that the weapons were laid back down and after Anakin's nod, the one with the knife turned again to the Twi'lek.
The four lekkued Twi'lek was still skeptical and kept a close eye on the clones and Anakin.
"Tematta nel utta*," she mumbled cynically.
The clones who didn't understand anything that happened there were astounded to see, how their little Commander looked at the ground, seemingly hurt by this comment. But then he looked up at the Twi'lek and pointed at himself.
"Vikka-terak**," he said bitterly.
"Let it be," one of the man said to the Twi'lek looking pitifully at Anakin.
"It would be better if you leave Vikka-terak," he then said to Anakin.

Before Anakin could say something, the door was kicked open.
The human male Anakin, and the clones were searching, stood in the door, scanning the scenery. His eyes went wide as he saw the one with the knife was about to get something out of the tight.
Anakin saw it too and then looked at the intruder again. He got a gun in his one hand and some devices hanged at his belt.
"Tooska chai mani***," he cried in huttese and activated one of the devices.

"Nobata****!" Anakin cried and did one of the first things he had learned to do with the force, as he was still a slave. Pulling.
But in his panic, he pulled too strong.

A tiny chip flew out of the tight wound in Anakin's hand, then it exploded. Everything happened in a second.

Anakin cried out in pain, as his right hand exploded. The clones reacted swiftly, seeing this as an attack on their Commander, and shot the intruder.

The next second, the man laid dead in the dirt, and Anakin fell to his knees.
He was holding a bloody stump to his chest.
"Al'verd'ika!" the clones exclaimed, rushing to his side.
"Jesse, take all devices the man had, it must be five, then get these people to our ship and let Kix take their chips out. Take the speeder, you must, make haste," Anakin pressed through his gritted teeth.

"Al'verd'ika, you have to get to Kix, too," Jesse argued.
"Too far… Will bleed out… Know where to go," Anakin answered, strained, and got up. Rex was instantly at his side, supporting him. Rex's eyes went wide as he saw, that his little Commander's right hand was gone. Swiftly, he took Anakin's robe and pressed it against the wound.

"Let me carry you, Commander. We will bring you, where you lead us," he said. Anakin nodded and let Rex pick him up.
"Jesse, go!" Anakin ordered, after seeing that Jesse still stared at him.
That got the clone out pf his rigid. "Yes sir!" he saluted and then added, "stay alive."

Anakin nodded, and was carried out of the room, followed by Hardcase.

*Tematta nel utta - a bitter saying from slaves meaning "help from the Core," which really means help that is either never coming, or in fact only makes things worse (From fialleril's Tatooine slave culture)

**Vikka-terak - literally means "a child of the desert," and therefore in once sense means any member of Tatooine slave culture. But it's also used idiomatically to refer to someone who has achieved their freedom and is now alone, without family or chosen kin ties (From fialleril's Tatooine slave culture)

***Tooska chai mani - A curse involving the insulted person's mother and a Tusken Raider's chief (Huttese)

****Nobata - No (Huttese)