Okay, I realize it's been a while and I do apologize. The good news is, it's Thanksgiving Break and I now have time to work on this story! The bad news is, it's crunch time at college and so I will probably not be updating for another week at least. I promise if you stick with me though I will not abandon the story.

And now, for a reply:

Skychaser: Thanks Sky for the review and support. I'm glad you enjoy the droids' conversation. The goal/plan/dream is to get through all six movies. I'm not setting a date for this completion though. I appreciate your patience in sticking with me!

And, as always, on with the show…

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, that is George Lucas' brainchild. Lucky, lucky guy.

4

Podracing and Midichlorian Counts

To make a long story shorter, the organics had dinner and managed to hatch a somewhat plausible plan without my interference, as I was powering up in a much-needed rest in the action. Even heroes need a break sometimes, ya know?

Unfortunately, Qui-Gon had now decided that he was in command.

I made you what you are fool. I can break you too! I threatened, but it was to no avail. I wasn't truly serious about breaking him, though I would like to mention that if I hadn't saved the Queen's ship he wouldn't be on Tatooine enamored of this slaveboy in the first place.

But anyway.

The plan was to enter the slaveboy into a podracing contest called the Boonta Eve, a formidable competition to be sure. If he won, we'd get the hyperdrive we needed and we could get off this rock.

Not bad. I had to commend Qui-Gon for managing to risk the life of slaveboy and not any of our party. For an organic.

After making the deal with Watto, we hastened to the hovel to help Anakin finish fixing up his pod.

What a piece of junk! I couldn't help but exclaim when I first saw it.

"I'm sure with the proper time and a few finishing touches Master Anakin's pod will look splendid indeed," sniffed See Threepio as he came over next to me.

Whatever you say pal. I responded as I tried to make sense of all the modifications that this slave kid had added to his pod.

Cripes. Has the kid ever heard of color coordinated wires? I groused as See Threepio, Anakin and I worked on the pod throughout the afternoon.

"Now Artoo, surely you can figure it out?" See Threepio asked calmly.

I swiveled my dome. Was he mocking me?

Of course. I just expected his mechanical genius to be able to know these things automatically. That's all.

"You certainly are a strange mechanic," Threepio finally commented just as some of Anakin's friends began to file into the area.

You don't know the half of it. I said as I continued to single handedly improve Anakin's pod myself.

"You know," Threepio confided sometime later as we finished wiring everything together. "I find that Jar Jar creature to be a bit odd."

I rotated my head over just in time to see Jar Jar stuck in one of the engines.

Cripes. You haven't truly seen him in action yet Threepio. I informed him sadly.

"Oh dear. Oh dear," muttered Threepio as we began to move off to the side so the brat could test his pod.

You said it bud. I sympathized.

I watched with some pride a short time later as Anakin powered up the engines and being ever Captain Obvious, cried enthusiastically, "It's working! It's working!"

Darn right it is kid. I made sure it'd work for you. I couldn't help but whistle happily along with everyone else.

Later that night, after I made sure that Threepio had been powered down correctly—the poor droid didn't even know how to make sure he'd stay in one piece at that point—I meandered over to see if I could help slaveboy's mom in the kitchen.

"Oh hello," she said kindly to me, instant recognition and respect in her eyes. They just don't make them like her anymore.

Heya hotcakes. I twittered back, in good fun. Need some help?

To show her what I meant, I extended a mechanical arm and picked up a fruit rind that the slovenly Jar Jar had left lying around.

"Oh thank you very much," Shmi said to me as she turned around and began to clean up other tasks. She turned and walked out to the door that led to the balcony. "Ani, it's time for bed I'm not going to tell you again!"

She then gave me a smile and headed off to check on something else.

Which left me to see slaveboy come by with a puzzled look on his face, rubbing his arm.

"He poked me," muttered the kid with some suspicion. "He said he was checking for infections, but that's the first I've heard of it."

He's probably getting your DNA to clone you. I suggested helpfully and futilely. Since he's fallen in love with you and all.

He shrugged cheerfully. "Oh well. Tomorrow's gonna be so wizard!"

And with what some would deem an irresistible smile on his face, slaveboy headed off to bed.

Dork. I rolled out closer to the door, wondering just what Qui-Gon was doing with this kid.

I couldn't believe what I overheard.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon instructed over a razor-shaped comlink. "Check this blood sample for a midichlorian count."

Midichlorians? If I were human I would have frowned. What in the heck were those?

"The reading's off the chart!" Obi-Wan's synthesized voice came over the com loud and clear. "Over twenty thousand! Even Master Yoda doesn't have a count that high!"

Interesting. I began to slowly inch away from the door, my sensors picking up the mother coming back to the doorway. Inching myself into a corner, I watched as the two humans shared a meaningful glance. I don't know what it meant, but Threepio would probably deem it as a love exchange. I'm pretty sure it wasn't that.

It all had to do with slaveboy.

What's the deal with you kid? I mused aloud before shutting down for the night.