Hello once again my lovelies. Here's the next installment of Xan and Obi's adventures. Enjoy :)
Dinner at the Skywalker hovel wasn't what Xanatos, Obi-Wan and especially Padme were used to but neither of the three seemed to mind. While the Jedi were used to roughing it and simply grateful for anything Shmi had to offer, Padme was more involved with her people than the media knew and was accustomed to living off of the royal lifestyle. As the wind howled outside, the six people gathered around the dinner table engaged in conversation.
"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies somewhere" Shmi said in response to Obi-Wan's question about why they didn't just run away from Watto.
"I've been working on a scanner to try and locate them, but no luck so far" Anakin sighed, picking at his food. "Any attempt to escape they blow you up. Poof!" Anakin gestured grandly with his hands.
"I can't believe there is still slavery in the galaxy. The Republic's anti-slavery laws-"
"The Republic doesn't exist out here. We must survive on our own" Shmi cut off Padme's verbal pondering. The room fell into silence as each person wished there was something they could so to help the situation.
"Have you ever seen a Podrace?" Anakin asked in an attempt to break the ice. The remaining people in the room shook their heads no. Xanatos, out of the corner of his eye noticed the concern that came across Shmi's face at the mention of racing.
"Xanatos and I have seen a few between missions" Obi-Wan recalled.
"I wish I could try it. Watto says that maybe when I'm older he'll let me do it" Anakin said proudly. Shmi gave her son a disapproving look.
"What?" Anakin asked, before even looking at his mother's expression "I'm not bragging. It's true. Watto says he's never heard of a human doing it but he thinks I could."
"You must have Jedi reflexes if you can race Pods" Xanatos thought out loud. The sentence seemed to have set Anakin in deep thought as a moment later he spoke hesitantly, "I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back here and freed all the slaves. Have you come to free us?"
"I'm afraid not, pal" Xanatos clicked his teeth but followed it up with an encouraging smile, "But hey, it's not my place to free all the slaves, is it? That's your dream."
"Why are you here then?" Anakin asked in sudden suspicion.
"We are actually on our way to Coruscant on a very important mission" Xanatos sighed, expecting Anakin to know that he wasn't to tell another soul about younger furrowed his brows, "How did you end up here in the outer rim then?"
"Our ship was damaged, and we were forced to land it here," Padme spoke for the first time in a while, "And we don't have the parts to repair it either so we're stranded."
"We tried to pay Watto in Republic Credits but they're an invalid form of currency out here apparently" Xanatos picked up.
"Yes, but these junk dealers must have a weakness of some kind" Obi-Wan reasoned, refusing to accept the possibility of being stranded on such a dull planet for long.
"Gambling" Shmi was quick to state, "Everything here revolves around betting on those awful races."
"Watto has a racer!" Anakin brought up even faster, "There's a big race tomorrow, on Boonta Eve but he's having his stupid pilot race for him. I wish he'd let me pilot it for him instead. I can do it, I know I can! I could help you guys, you know, I could race and you can wager your parts on my win and then you can go on your way!"
As much as Xanatos would have liked to say yes on the spot, he looked to Shmi instead, who looked visibly upset by her son's suggestion. She didn't verbalize her concerns as she was clearly interested in helping the Jedi but Xanatos didn't wish to repay Shmi's hospitality by making her son do something she didn't want.
"No, Anakin, it would be far too risky" Xanatos shook his head despite how much of a risk taker he was by nature. "Is there anyone else around here friendly to the Republic who might be able to help us?" He asked to which Shmi immediately shook her head. "We have to help them, Mom. You said that the biggest problem in the universe is no one helps each other and-"
"Anakin, I'd hate to put you in any harm's way after your mother has shown us such kindness. We'll find another way, buddy" Xanatos offered the boy a small smile. Anakin opened his mouth to respond, but Xanatos beat him to it, "No, Anakin. You've got my final word; no." The younger finally settled down at the firm words and returned to picking at his food. Xanatos exchanged a low gaze with Shmi before doing the same, and the rest of dinner passed by in silence.
That night before everyone in the Skywalker hovel retired, Xanatos received a call on his comm unit from none other than Captain Panaka. The Captain had called with unfortunate news of a distressing transmission that had been sent to the ship from Naboo. After instructing Panaka to send no reply as the message was likely a sham, Xanatos explained that they would have to stay behind a few days longer than planned to acquire the necessary parts. An unsatisfied Captain hesitantly accepted the Jedi's decision and wished them luck.
"How exactly do you plan to attain those parts anyway?" Padme asked once the call had been disconnected.
"We wing it" Xanatos shrugged nonchalantly despite the handmaiden's genuinely concerned expression.
"We wing it? The Queen would not approve of that idea in the slightest" Padme frowned, the distress becoming more and more visible on her face.
"What the Queen does not know will not hurt her" Obi-Wan replied with a sly smile despite the fact that Padme had addressed his master. Xanatos gave Obi-Wan a rather amused look and Padme looked as though she wanted to say something, but instead looked away for a moment before standing up, "Well then I suppose I should retire."
"Good night to you" both Jedi murmured in unison, nodding their heads slightly. "Have fun bunking with our junior friend" Obi-Wan called after her, causing Xanatos to nearly choke on his sudden laugh. Anakin's seeming infatuation clearly hadn't gone unnoticed by the Jedi. Padme looked back at the two men with a sour expression before leaving their line of vision.
Xanatos chuckled and shook his head before kicking back and laying down on the couch that he was sitting on, "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."
Obi-Wan made a noise of agreement before laying down himself on the couch across from the elder Jedi. He closed his eyes to drift off to sleep, but a more than familiar voice had other ideas. "Obi-Wan...you sense Anakin's force presence as well, don't you?" Xanatos spoke low enough so just the two of them could hear.
"Of course. It's rather hard to miss, glowing like a beacon the way it does" Obi-Wan replied, recalling his previous conversation with Anakin, "When we first met he told me that we 'felt' different. That you and I were like glowing lights walking towards us when no one else was. He sensed us, master."
"Well he's force sensitive, that's for sure, but his presence is unusual-strong, much stronger than it should be in a child" Xanatos muttered, staring up at the cracked ceiling.
"What do you think it means?" Obi-Wan muttered tiredly.
Instead of replying Xanatos remained silent for a long moment. "I don't quite know, but can you imagine what a child of that magnitude could do? The power he'd be able to wield? That is assuming he's properly trained-which he'd need to stay in line. He's old but imagine training a child like that." Xanatos clicked his teeth and exhaled deeply, "Anyway, I'm going to call in. I'm beat."
He seemed oblivious, as he turned over on the couch and closed his eyes, to his apprentice who adapted not just a grim expression, but emotions as well at the mention of his master speaking of the training of another.
Chapter five for you lovelies. Things still haven't diverged very much aside from the small more Xanatos-like things altered here and there. I imagine that because of his emotional but maverick like nature Xanatos is a lot more sensitive to the feelings of the people around him whereas Qui-Gon seemed to plow through the entire ordeal on Tattoine focusing only on himself and Anakin. I also couldn't figure out for the life of me why Qui-Gon had brought Jar Jar along with them when going into town to buy parts for the first time so I figure Xanatos wouldn't do something that would hinder him that way. Instead he brought along Obi-Wan, who is more of a consultant, friend and brother to him rather than his apprentice.
Oops I rambled. What can I say, once I get started with Star Wars talk I just can't stop ;) Anywho, let me know what you thought, comments, questions, suggestions, constructive criticism anything of the kind, I love hearing from you guys.