It was a melancholy Harry that walked beside Padme as they marched back into the settlement. R2-D2 was again trailing behind having requested to accompany Harry. Harry had impressed Padme and the Queen when he had cast colour changing charms on Padme's clothes so she wouldn't stand out. Her shirt and skirt now matched the colour of the sandstone buildings.
"You seem sad again." She said quietly as she moved closer for privacy.
"The dog. I made him after Sirius, my godfather. He could transform into a dog just like that." Harry explained. "And now I am millions of miles away from where I landed and from where I might have found clues to find him."
"As soon as it is safe to return to Naboo we will. The Queen will ensure you have all the help you could possibly need to find him." She promised.
Harry gave her a tired, wry smile. "Are you supposed to make promises for the Queen."
Padme just blushed.
When they reached the shop, Qui-Gon was surprised when Harry pushed past him and stood face to face with the hovering alien. "Show me the most expensive thing in your shop that is broken."
Qui-Gon shared a look with Padme, but she was clearly just as confused.
"Thee can'ta afford it boy." The Troydarian sneered.
"Yeah? How much is it?" Harry pressed.
"Fifteen hundred wupiupi."
"How much to buy the Skywalkers?"
The bug shot back a foot in shock.
"I don't have all day. How much?" Harry pressed.
"Ten hundred." The bug stuttered.
"Here's the deal, I'll fix your most expensive item and you will give me the Skywalkers in return. Take me to it."
Watto, the Troydarian, seemed to regain his senses and moved forward into Harry's space so they were nose to snout.
He was shocked when the human simply put a finger on his snout and pushed him back.
"Respect my personal space." Harry said simply. "Now, let's go."
"Wha'? No! What'a I get if thee fail?" Watto blustered.
"This isn't a bet, idiot. It's a business transaction." Harry snarled.
"Services for goods." Padme interjected confidently. "We are offering to help you make a healthy sum."
"For two slaves?" Watto sneered.
"The cost of which will be covered as you already stated their price and the price of the part we will repair for you. I'm sure you'll raise the cost of the part when you try to sell it." Padme rolled her eyes.
"The boy could make me millions. He fixa anything." Watto said as he floated higher smugly.
"Then why has he not fixed your most expensive part?" Qui-Gon entered the conversation. "However, perhaps you would be more agreeable if Harry fixed your two most expensive items. That would leave you with the option to purchase a droid more suited to the work than a child with clumsy fingers."
"And a terrible attitude." Harry griped. "What's broken in here?" He gestured to the shop counter and the junk strewn around the place.
"Here." He caught the object that Qui-Gon had tossed to him. It was a cube with wires hanging out.
Harry turned his back to the Troydarian and discreetly palmed his wand.
"What he doing?" Watto demanded.
"Qui-Gon, catch." Harry turned and tossed it back.
Qui-Gon inspected the device and it lit up with a low white light and a hum. "You now have a quality navigation core worth more than five thousand wupiupi ready to sell." He said as he handed it to Watto.
Harry and Qui-Gon moved to stand with Padme and R2 as they watched Watto take the device and plug it into a socket behind the counter. Watto was mumbling to himself in clear disbelief.
"A trick!" He eventually snarled at the group. "It must be."
"One way or another we are leaving with the Skywalkers." Harry glared back. "You get to decide if you get compensated or if you 'compensate' us."
"Thee threatening me?" Watto demanded as he flew up to Harry. "I take thee to the Hutts, maybe."
"And tell them what?" Qui-Gon asked calmly. "That you turned down a very profitable business proposal?"
"Who are the 'Hutts'?" Harry asked curiously.
"They control the majority of trade in this sector." Qui-Gon explained. "They are a very powerful crime syndicate. They specialise in slavery, smuggling and bounty hunting."
"So… if Mister Watto here went to them, they would probably kill him, take his business and slaves and then accept the same deal we made him?" Harry asked.
Qui-Gon was definitely amused by Harry's hypothesis. "It is a… possibility."
Of course it was more likely they would attempt to capture Harry and enslave him to use his powers for themselves. He kept silent about that though.
He was trying to learn as much as he could about the boy through his actions as he was unable to use the Force.
"Maybe I take thee to Hutts. Maybe I tell them what you can do. Maybe they pay me for bringing you." Watto smirked.
Qui-Gon sighed. He had hoped that the Troydarian didn't have that much intelligence.
Harry stood up straight. "Right, Padme, Qui-Gon, R2, if you will excuse Mister Watto and myself, we need to have a private conversation."
Harry quickly drew his wand and petrified the hovering alien. Watto fell to the floor with a thud. "We'll be back in a few." Harry informed them calmly as he levitated Watto to the junk yard out back.
Qui-Gon made to stop him but Padme held her arm out to her side, in front of him and R2-D2 zipped in front.
"I cannot stand by whilst he tortures someone." Qui-Gon scowled.
Padme looked bemused. "I do not believe Harry Potter would ever torture someone. I believe he merely intends to… 'persuade' him. Much like when you attempted use your powers to persuade Watto yesterday."
Qui-Gon didn't look happy. But he also knew he had no place to argue.
He was more than a little surprised when Harry marched back in and handed him a data card.
Non-plussed, he pulled out his reader and inserted it.
"This is a bill of sale for Shmi and Anakin." Qui-Gon's eyebrows were lost somewhere above his hairline.
"Great, so it's all legal?"
"So it seems." Qui-Gon frowned as he ran various tests, even sending a copy back to the ship for analysis.
"Cool! Let's go pack them up and we can get back to the ship. Hopefully Captain Panaka has found a new ship." Harry said as he marched out of the shop.
Qui-Gon was torn and confused. He wanted to know how the boy had managed to get a voluntarily signed deal with the stubborn Troydarian. Unfortunately, he couldn't ask Watto as Padme and R2 were pushing him out of the door.
Back out in the junkyard, Watto was pinned to the hull of an old shuttle by invisible bonds. He was torn between anger and greed as he surveyed the numerous expensive items the boy had repaired from his captive position.
He had no intention of trying to turn the human over to the Hutts. Not when it had promised to come back and kill him if he did. Even Watto had no intention of trying to double-cross the Invisible Assassin.
Harry was too efficient.
They hadn't been in the shop for more than twenty minutes so Panaka's men hadn't had a chance to find the right traders. This meant that Qui-Gon dragged Harry, Padme and R2-D2 along to collect the Skywalkers.
"What's a pod-racer?" Harry asked tiredly as he sat at the table waiting for Shmi to finish packing everything she wanted. She had a simple bag containing her three changes of clothes.
Anakin had been demanding that he get to take everything. Harry really didn't want to risk carting around stolen goods.
"It's a large speeder used in high speed races. I doubt there will be room on the ship." Qui-Gon explained.
"And I don't want him to have it at all." Shmi was not pleased.
"But I made it!" Anakin whined.
"Listen you little snot face." Harry stood up quickly and stalked towards Anakin. "Your mum's word is final. The only person who gets to override her is me. And that's just because I own your annoying little arse till we get out of this system.
"Now finish packing and keep your mouth shut before you get all of us in trouble."
"You're not the boss of me!"
Harry's wand whipped out and Anakin was suddenly as stiff as a board. Harry quickly stowed his wand before lifting the boy up and laying him down on the table.
"I'll consider releasing him when we get to the ship." Harry said grumpily. "R2, Padme, can you come and help me sort out the brat's room?"
The pair followed the sullen wizard into the next room leaving Shmi and Qui-Gon to stare and poke at the immobile, but clearly conscious Anakin.
"I don't know what help I can be, Harry." Padme frowned as she looked at all the junk in the room.
"You can translate for R2-D2." He said as he patted the droid. "R2, can you talk with Padme and decide what we should take?"
The droid whistled and turned to the handmaiden.
Padme just laughed as she read the translation. "He said 'everything'."
Harry picked a bolt off a nearby surface. "Everything?"
R2 gave a sad little whine.
"Get all the books, pictures, anything with information on it." Harry instructed.
R2 turned to Padme.
"He says we should take the protocol droid." Padme told Harry. "They are very useful."
"They look very heavy."
"Can you repair it? It can walk on its own then."
R2 whistled.
"He says there is a button on its chest just below the neck."
It took Padme's help but they eventually found the button and the humanoid droid, that looked like it had been flayed, sat up… with one glowing eye.
"How do you do? I am C-3PO. Human Cyborg Relations. How might I serve you?" It said somewhat stiltedly.
"I'm Harry, this is Padme and R2-D2. We are relocating so you need to stand up and get ready to move out."
The droid swivelled on the workbench stiffly and then stood up. It stood so straight, with its forearms out that Harry was worried it would keep tipping over.
"Oh dear... I seem to be missing one of my eyes."
There was a whistle and C-3PO looked down to see R2-D2 holding the missing item in small claw protruding from his body.
"Oh, thank you." He said as he popped the eye into its socket.
R2 started whistling and beeping a bit harshly at C-3PO.
"Naked? What do you –My goodness! My parts are showing! This is terrible!"
"Wait, you can understand R2?" Harry asked quickly.
"Of course, Sir. I am fluent in over six million languages and dialects." He said proudly.
Harry turned to Padme. "He's definitely coming."
Twenty minutes later and they were ready to move out. Anakin had been released by Harry… and then silenced as soon as the boy started to argue.
C-3PO was now wearing one of Shmi's cloaks to hide his 'nudity'.
Obi-Wan had called Qui-Gon and they were headed to the space port where Panaka's men had secured a decent ship.
"At least it doesn't stand out like the Queen's ship." Harry nodded approvingly as he looked at the grey metal ship. It had yellow highlights and a bit of red.
"A VCX-100 light freighter." Qui-Gon informed them. "Obi-Wan has informed me that this one has undergone some considerable modifications since it left the Corellian shipyards."
Harry noted that he seemed amused.
"Welcome aboard The Ghost." Captain Panaka greeted them at the loading ramp. "Now that you have returned with R2-D2 we can finally depart. R2, please head to the computer core. We need you to help run navigation and the hyperdrive."
The droid turned to Padme and Harry with a few beeps.
"R2 wishes to know if these orders are ok or do you need him?" C-3PO translated.
Harry shared a confused look with Padme. "I guess?"
"Go on R2. We will see you later." Padme smiled at the droid.
R2 spun on the spot and whizzed off into the ship.
"A colourful character, for a droid." Panaka mused. He then turned to Padme. "Her Majesty wishes to see you as soon as possible." He turned to Qui-Gon and Harry as Padme nodded to them and left. "Due to the limited quarters, we have billeted in the cargo hold. I trust you will impart the importance of not wandering the ship to your guests."
And with that he turned and left.
"Have fun." Harry said as he patted Qui-Gon's arm. "I will be with R2. 3PO, you should come with me."
"Of course, Sir."
Qui-Gon chuckled as the boy calmly walked into the ship with the droid following at a waddle. Then he turned to Shmi and Anakin and frowned.
Harry had forgotten to let Anakin speak again.
Harry was in the ship's computer core room with R2-D2 and C-3PO. He was being taught all about hyperspace and how the hyperdrive worked.
The Ghost had a Class 0.5 hyperdrive. Apparently this was quite fast. The larger the number of class the slower the drive. Large ships, like the ones blockading Naboo, had class 1 or higher. This made them slower than ships like The Ghost.
Under R2's guidance, Harry had brought the ship to peak efficiency by repairing a few worn parts.
A few hours later, Harry was called to a private meeting with the Queen and Padme. Harry was once again nervous at being stood in front of royalty.
Padme was once again in her reddish robes and the other handmaidens were arrayed around the throne. Padme was standing to the left of the throne.
"Harry, the gift you gave us has caused a bit of a problem." Padme began as she indicated the dog, still sitting happily to the right of the throne.
Harry turned red and grimaced. "I'm really sorry. I forgot to tell you, but back home dogs tend be taken on walks so they can… do their business?"
The ladies had no idea what he was talking about.
"Use the bathroom?" Harry tried again.
The girls blushed and giggled. They were silenced by a look from Padme.
"No Harry. That is not a problem. We have pets on Naboo and we take good care of them." Padme assured him. "The problem…" She trailed off, struggling to think of how to explain. In the end the Queen placed a hand on her arm. Padme just nodded.
The Queen stood smoothly. "I am not the Queen, Harry Potter." She said, her voice absent of the deep tones she had used before. "I am the Queen's bodyguard. I pose as the Queen to provide a decoy. Padme Naberrie is the true Queen Amidala."
That said she turned and knelt before Padme, the handmaidens following suit.
Harry looked at Padme. She seemed extremely worried.
"We didn't want to deceive you, Harry." She practically pleaded. "But it is just how we keep me safe from assassination."
Padme watched as Harry seemed to struggle between finding something to say and trying to figure things out.
"You're the Queen?"
Padme nodded.
"And you're the bodyguard?"
The 'Queen' stood and nodded.
"Ok… so whose idea was it to send the unarmed monarch of a planet into a town known as a place of criminals, slavery and all bad things?"
"I told you." Came the slight sneer from the black clad girl.
Padme just glared at her.
"How is Padfoot a problem?" Harry interrupted the glaring.
"What?" They both asked.
"Padfoot." Harry gestured to the dog.
"Is that his name?" The fake queen asked.
"Yeah… what's your name though?"
"This is Sabe." Padme smirked as her decoy rubbed the dog's head and cooed. "The problem is that Sabe can't continue to pretend to be me if we can't get… Padfoot, to follow me as well."
Harry scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "I suppose I could try and make a second dog... I just don't know if it will last as long as Padfoot. Even Padfoot shouldn't be here still- oh bollocks… I owe Captain Panaka a new hat!"
The girls all laughed at Harry's look of terror.
"I am sure we can find a new cap somewhere for him." Padme assured him.
"Alright… then I'll need something to create a new dog with. A cap would be preferable but I can try with something else."
Padme sent one of her handmaidens out to find a new cap. Harry gestured for Padme to a corner so he could speak privately.
"Am I going to be executed?"
"Whatever for?" She asked in surprise.
"Remember how we spent last night? In the past on my planet, I could be tortured and killed for less!"
Padme managed to blush and giggle at the same time. "That was perfectly innocent. If anything, you would be awarded a medal for protecting me."
"I know that, you know that. But what will your people say?" Harry pressed.
Padme stood up straighter and primly informed him: "It is none of their business. If they do find out they will be forced to reveal how they managed to commit treasonous acts by eavesdropping and spying."
She didn't give Harry a chance to respond as she turned away, ending the conversation.
Harry hoped she was right.
Twenty minutes later and there were two Padfoots in the room.
"You know, I've never been taught how to do this properly?" Harry sighed as he watched the girls shower the animals with affection. "I've seen it done, but I don't think I would have been taught it properly for a year or so."
"Can all your people do this?" One of the handmaidens asked.
"Most of the ones with magic, yes. But it is supposed to be difficult and require a lot of power. I've made small creatures before, but never something as big as those two."
The two Padfoots seemed to recognise each other. Harry figured they were probably brothers. Family was always on Harry's mind these days. He had been constantly worrying about Sirius since he broke out of Hogwarts to invade the Ministry.
"R2 says we will reach the planet Coruscant in two days." Harry said.
"Good. Hopefully we can bring our case to the senate quickly and free my people." Padme said fiercely.
"If you don't need me, I'll be going. I want to tell Shmi that she and Anakin are free."
"Oh, I'll come with you."
"Anakin will be there."
She balked. "I'll see if I can find Shmi alone later."
Due to the restrictions on the crew quarters and the fact that the cargo hold was likely to be crowded, Harry had opted to huddle in a corner of the computer core room and catch some sleep.
R2 had pretty much called Harry's reasoning 'bullshit'. He wasn't wrong, Harry just didn't want to deal with Anakin. He had managed to get Shmi alone and tell her that she and her son where now free people.
Harry had had to deal with a crying woman… he had not enjoyed it.
Fortunately, Qui-Gon had sensed the woman's emotional upheaval and rescued Harry from the horrors of damp shoulders.
"What are you doing down there?"
*bang*
"OW!" Harry nearly sobbed as he rubbed his sore head.
"That's what you get for sleeping in a small space like that."
Harry looked up blearily. "Who's there?"
R2 beeped a few times.
"Your glasses, Master Harry." C-3PO said as he bent down holding the offered items.
Harry put them on to see one of the handmaidens standing at the door to the room. He didn't recognise them. "Sabe?"
"How could you tell?" The girl asked with a frown.
"You aren't one of the others and you're the only one I haven't seen… not without all that make up… plus, you have a tell." He pointed at the dog next to her.
She just smirked. "I guess this means that Padme and I will have to spend a lot more time together until she steps down from the throne."
"Steps down? Why would she do that?" Harry asked as he backed up against the wall to sit.
"Usually it only happens if a new Queen is elected, there-"
"Elected? How do you elect a queen?" Harry was completely confused.
Sabe giggled. "In the usual manner. The people cast their vote. The monarch only serves two terms in office."
"I think we have a different definition of 'monarch'." Harry sighed. "Back home, my queen has been on the throne for over fifty years. When she dies her son will become king. The monarchy is… hereditary."
"There are many different types of governments in the galaxy." Sabe allowed. "Now, why were you sleeping under there?"
"Because I was tired."
Clearly Sabe was not impressed. "There are plenty of beds and Padme said you wanted a shower."
"I was told the crew quarters are off limits and there is no way I am sleeping in the same room as Anakin."
"Ah. I haven't met the young boy who is attempting to steal My Lady's heart." She grinned.
"Yeah… 'steal'." Harry snorted. "You might want to do inventory of the ship's stores before you let him off. He has sticky fingers."
Sabe didn't know the reference, but she understood the intent. "Anyway, Her Majesty has ordered one of the crew quarters be reserved for you. It comes with a fresher unit."
Harry didn't get the reference, but he understood the meaning. "Well… I'm really grateful, but, maybe you should offer it to Shmi? She is the only other female onboard."
"You should probably talk to Padme."
It turned out that Her Majesty, Queen Padme Amidala Naberrie, had no issues with Shmi taking one of the other cabins. As long as Anakin wasn't there. She didn't want to risk a repeat performance of the previous night. Especially as R2 would be stuck in the computer core for a while.
A meeting was arranged with Qui-Gon, Shmi and Padme to discuss the situation. A reluctant Harry was stood in a corner. He didn't want anything to do with the Skywalkers. It wasn't because he didn't like them, he just didn't want there to be any misunderstandings about their previous relationship as master and slaves. He still remembered Dobby jumping at every opportunity to help him.
Qui-Gon had offered to watch over Anakin so Shmi could enjoy the privacy of the cabin and Padme wouldn't have to worry about uninvited guests.
With that sorted, Harry gratefully slipped into the bed he had been assigned.
He was rudely awakened less than an hour later.
Alarms were blaring all over the ship.
He should have skipped his shower and just gone to bed.
Outside, two of the handmaidens were standing stiffly with blasters in hand. Panaka was storming out of the cockpit.
"Potter, with me." He barked.
Harry was a little peeved at being ordered around, but he followed anyway.
Panaka led him to the computer core where Qui-Gon was having an intense conversation with C-3PO and R2-D2 whilst Obi-Wan had a firm grip on a red-faced Anakin.
"Turn off the alarms." Panaka ordered. R2 quickly complied. "Master Jinn, report."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at being addressed so, but began. "We were awoken by the alarm and followed the Force to find R2-D2 attempting to fend off the boy."
Harry frowned as he saw the scowl Anakin sent the older man.
"He was attempting to sabotage the ship?" Panaka demanded.
"I was getting 3PO!" Anakin said defensively.
"You were told to stay in the assigned areas." Qui-Gon reminded him.
"Master Harry, if I may, R2 informed me that Mister Skywalker was attempting to access my processing core whilst I was powered down. R2 says that he doubts Mister Skywalker is telling the truth as my power switch is far more accessible than my processors.
"R2 has speculated that Mister Skywalker was attempting to reprogram my loyalty sub-routines away from you."
Harry stared at the tall 'naked' droid. "What?"
"He was attempting to steal the droid from you." Panaka stated, glaring at the boy.
"Erm… I own you?" Harry looked at 3PO.
"Of course. As part of the slave contract, Miss Skywalker informed me I was payment for their release from your service."
"No one told me."
Panaka pulled out a communicator and requested that someone bring Shmi to the cargo hold. In the meantime, everyone but R2 and 3PO relocated to the hold themselves.
What followed was Shmi quietly laying into Anakin. It ended with Shmi apologising to everyone else.
Harry escorted Shmi back to her cabin where she apologised for not explaining the situation with C-3PO earlier.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not comfortable with owning anybody." Harry said as he fidgeted in the cabin. "You aren't the first slaves I've rescued."
Shmi smiled softly at him. "Hardly surprising as a former slave yourself." Harry's face went blank. "When you've been a slave all your life you can recognise other slaves."
"I wasn't technically a slave." Harry said slowly.
"Oh?"
"I… nobody 'owned' me. I lived with relatives… I-"
"Come sit." She patted the bed. "Tell me your story. The least I can do for the man who gave me my freedom."
Harry reluctantly sat, but he told her everything. About his parents and Voldemort. His cupboard. The abuse. The work.
The only thing that really shocked Shmi, was Harry's age.
It was two hours later that Shmi backed out of her cabin, leaving the exhausted boy sleeping on her bed.
Harry was fairly embarrassed when he realised he had fallen asleep in Shmi's room. Shmi, had waved off his apologies and said he should come talk to her whenever he needed to.
Harry was dragged from the computer core by Sabe. She had relieved the pilot and said she was going to teach Harry to fly the ship as it would help him get a start on learning to read Galactic Basic.
Harry instantly discovered a terrifying truth. He was an idiot compared to the average person in this universe. They had an understanding of maths and space that he thought only the smartest people on Earth could achieve.
Sabe seemed to realise that Harry couldn't grasp the intricacies of how the hyperdrive and hyperspace worked, so she stuck to teaching him the ship's controls. He didn't have any trouble actually piloting the ship, but he would never be able to plot a course through hyperspace.