Mos Espa was slow in the early morning as the group walked through the streets. The motley assortment of species coming to life to sell wares and go about their business. Callera raises her hand in a gentle motion, bringing the group to a halt near a small group of stalls. A few probing questions and the stall operator pointed down a street, giving them a name and goal. "Watto's." Leaving a portion of their water rations in acknowledgement for the help, she nods to the shopkeeper in thanks and the group moves off.
Based on the Force and the pieces of the saga of the Skywalkers she knew, it probably should have been a giveaway on where to go. There was a powerful presence in the Force in the direction they had been pointed to; and glancing at Qui-Gon, he sensed it too. Giving him a quick head nod in confirmation, they made their way to the location.
'Watto's a Toydarian. That's important, but why?' Racking her brain she tries to remember why the stories referenced Anakin's owners species so specifically. 'Obi wan in his journal and one of Anakin's friends told Leia…" Shaking her head softly trying to focus her thoughts draws the attention of Qui-Gon.
"Is everything alright Callera?"
"Everything's fine, just random thoughts."
"Important thoughts?"
"I don't know. The moment I do, I'll let you know."
Walking into the junkshop was a moment of temporary blindness, from the twin suns to the sparsely windowed hut left the group slightly stunned. The flaps of rapid wings cause all of them to turn towards the motions. "Welcome to my humble shop! What can Watto do for customers today?"
Before Callera can speak, Qui-gon steps forward and speaks, "Our ship was damaged in transit, and we were told you had the best parts in town. My R2 unit has a list of parts we need." He motions towards the astromech as R2-D2 rolls forward with an affirming warble.
"Good, Good. They were right to send you my way. Come in the back with me and we can get you what you need." The small flying alien motioning for Qui-Gon to follow.
"Wait here you three, this shouldn't take long." Qui-Gon tilts his head slightly towards Jar Jar as his eyes lock on Callera.
Nodding in acceptance, knowing any verbal protests would disrupt the image they were trying to portray, she slides over next to Jar Jar hoping to keep his hands off anything 'delicate.'
Minutes go by as Callera continues to ponder on Watto's importance, trying to tune out that presence nearby. Wanting to let the Force playout as it wants..
"Are you an angel?" A young boy's voice comes from near the door to the back area, his eyes locked on the young lady close to him.
"What?!" Padme's stunned squawk causes Callera to bite back a chuckle.
"I heard a few spacers talking about them, they come from Rhy'loth or the moons of Arandis, I think."
Callera's laughter pours out, absolutely pure and melodious, yet near hysterical in intensity. 'That's…how…they met?!' Trying to bring her laughter under control she looks at the two. Anakin, the small boy who would grow to reshape the galaxy, does look like he's 'seen an angel' and Padme's confusion makes Callera long for a pictrecorder to save the image. "I think you're about ten years too young to be making comments like that kid and its Ryloth, but an A effort." The sandy haired boy turns from his staring at Padme to take in Callera, and his jaw drops again.
Padme's blush at the realizations and Anakin's head tilt as he tries to puzzle it all out and keeps gazing between the two women not knowing who to look at, just makes Callera laugh more. 'So the strong-willed Queen is still a teenager at heart. Strong-Willed… Sithspit! Toydarians are resistant to..' Callera's laugh stops cold as she realizes the implications, and she starts to reach out to Qui-Gon, to warn him…just as she feels the Force flow from the Jedi Master towards the Junk dealer. 'Poodoo'
"Are you okay Callera?" Padme's concerned voice breaking through to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just realizing how difficult everything is going to be. I don't think your 'father' is going to get us the deal we need."
"Why?"
"His negotiating style is useless here."
Anakin and Jar Jar watching the byplay of the two women silently trying to process Callera's words.
"He's too used to negotiating from a position of power, but he has no power over Watto."
As she finishes the statement the two being talked about, come out from the back area with Artoo slowly trundling behind them. Watto's gravel tinted voice echoes in the room, "Don't come back unless you have something trade, in full for what you want! There is no one, NO ONE, else on this planet who has a hyperdrive like this for sale. Now get out of my shop…Jedi."
Callera's eyes widen at the dealer's last word, and then they narrow. Bowing lightly to Watto, she leads the way out of the junk shop. Guiding them into a quiet alley, she wheels on Qui-Gon. "You kriffing idiot! I thought that it would be Jar Jar that would bring attention down on us," glancing towards Jar Jar, "and I'm sorry about that." Looking back at Qui-Gon his eyes slightly wide at the rebuke he's receiving, "But no," point at Qui-Gon with a stiff finger shaking with frustration, "it's the vaunted Jedi Master trying to mind trick a trader who is resistant to mind tricks! It's stuff like that, that makes people hate Jedi! Makes it harder to work with people when they think we might be changing their minds at the drop of a hat!"
Breathing heavily Callera reaches into the Force trying to calm herself down, but sensing a few presences seeming to near the alley from both sides. Looking fully into Qui-Gon's eyes she knows he feels them too. "No matter what. No lightsaber injuries; and either they all leave or none leave." Nodding in understanding with accepting eyes he moves to place Jar Jar and Padme between him and Callera with the two Force users looking towards different ends of the alley.
"Hey Newbies!" A well-tanned human, a Twe'lek, and a Rodian walking from one side of the alley as three humans in patchwork leathers and blasters on their hips block the other. "A sandworm told me that we had a few visitors to our lovely town haven't paid their parking fees yet."
Callera calls back. "That's because we didn't park, we walked all the way here."
"In that case we'll need your water fee while you're here. And we know you've got plenty of water, we saw you give some to Ikta earlier. You can choose to pay in water, what's in your backpack, or…" he looks Callera up and down eyes clear, "you and the young lady can spend the day with me and the boys." Callera's frustration goes cold, Qui-Gon unable to not look back as the chill resonates in the Force. "You'll be returned to your travel companion's intact tomorrow, Sand Rats always keep their word."
"I have a counter-proposal." Callera's voice toneless, as she unshoulders the backpack and lets it drop to the floor. "You leave right now, and you're able to keep what you like to have 'fun' with.
The now named Sand Rats all draw their pistols. "I don't think you understand the position you're in girl."
"No, I do." As she says this a sickly green serpent starts wrapping around her right forearm, the gangers looking on stunned as the tail sticks out from over her wrist, flat and sharp. The Rodian fires first, and she takes the shot on the green snake, twisting her wrist to turn the motion to send the bolt back, right between his eyes.
The stunned silence in the alley lingers for a second, and then she pounces. Leaping towards the speaker as a familiar snap-hiss is heard behind her, her bladed snake sliding right between his ribs. The Twi'lek starts running, instead of leaping after him, Callera dismisses her blade and summons a dagger, launching it into his back. Falling down in the sidestreet with a skidding thud. Turning around she sees Jar Jar and Padme's stunned looks, and three gangers dispatched by Qui-Gon; two dead by their own blasters the other's status unknown.
Moving to pull the fallen ganger back into the cover of the alley, Callera finds Anakin already trying to move the body. "Why are you doing that kid?"
"I heard what they wanted to do, and that's wrong."
"Thanks kid" Ruffling his sandy hair, she hauls the Twi'lek back into the alley and out of sight. Not paying attention to the boy following her. Once all the gangers are in the alley, she starts ruffling through their pockets.
"What are you doing?" Padme's voice tinged with outrage.
"Checking for credits and tradable items. They're not going to need them anymore."
"That's desecrating the dead Callera." Qui-Gon interjects.
"They tried to kill us and we're short on resources." Callera bites back as she tosses their blasters into the backpack along with a few gems and each gangers bottle of water.
"You really need help don't you?" Anakin's voice echoes in the alley.
'Yeah kid we're in some dire straits," Callera's serious and honest answer shocks her companions, "and we need to get back to our ship to make a new plan, dead gangers might make things tougher for us."
"Where's your ship?"
"On the outskirts." Padme rejoins the conversation.
"You'll never make it, there's a sandstorm coming." Anakin's certainty causes the offworlders to freeze briefly.
"Rancor Poodoo."
Anakin seems to ponder for a moment then nods, "You can come to my house to wait out the storm, my mom has always said we should help those in need."
Callera looks to the others and Qui-Gon nods in the positive, "Looks like you have a few houseguests. We'll give you some of our water or food rations for the imposition."
Anakin nods, "My house is this way, come on." Waving his hand to motion everyone in a direction.
Padme speaks up, "You haven't told us your name yet."
The boy smiles, "I'm Anakin, Anakin Skywalker. Now come on let's go!"