Hello again. Well, now that the holiday season has died down a bit, here is the next chapter. I'm hoping to get through the first movie by year's end and hopefully posting will pick up shortly afterwards. Thanks for hanging in there and I hope you are having a relaxing vacation.

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to the one and only George Lucas. All hail mighty George!

6

Freedom and Snippets

Qui-Gon turned out to be a better gambler than I would have ever thought, as I found out soon after Anakin won the race. Not only did he win our hyperdrive, but he won his own freedom as well.

Now, I know droids aren't enslaved per se, but being a definite servant isn't all it's cracked up to be at times. Thus, when slaveboy was freed, through Qui-Gon's scheming, I had to admit that I was pretty happy for him.

He would be the first of many organics to worm their way into my internal motor—what humans would probably call their heart.

Yes? Ah the story…hold on to your robes, I'm getting there.

After the race, our trusty group made its way to Watto's shop and picked up the hyperdrive we needed, saying goodbye to Anakin and his mother. Padmé didn't even look back at her lover as we traveled to the ship with the parts.

I said my good-byes to Threepio with no true regrets, though I did admit to myself that I would have liked to help him get more adjusted to his world. He just didn't have all the advantages I had—talk about being marooned in the desert!

"I was very pleased to make your acquaintance, Artoo-Detoo," Threepio said as we headed out with the T-14 hyperdrive. "I do wish you well on your adventures and hope that space treats you well. I implore whatever divine…"

Yeah, yeah. Okay. I cut off whatever long and sad farewell Goldie had planned. It was nice to meet you too. Good luck out here in the middle of nowhere. So long.

And with that, we left.

Once we arrived at the ship, Jar Jar and Padmé immediately boarded the ship, leaving the dirty work to Qui-Gon and me.

Except of course, Qui-Gon had to go back and pick up slaveboy.

"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life form?" Obi-Wan mused when Qui-Gon informed him of his intentions.

No kidding. Though Anakin's not quite as bad as Jar Jar. At least he knows some grammar. I added as Qui-Gon left and I helped Obi-Wan get the hyperdrive into the ship.

It took most of the afternoon to install the darn thing, but Obi-Wan was an affable organic, even back then, and so the time passed fairly rapidly. He was in sort of a mood, due to the fact that his position was being usurped by slaveboy, but taking a cue from my practical work mode, he kept his focus clear.

No sooner had we installed the hyperdrive and rolled out to the cockpit then a disheveled and out-of-breath Anakin Skywalker appeared on our ship shouting that Qui-Gon was in trouble.

Well, I knew he was coming of course, but you should have seen the looks of shock on the others' faces when this small organic came bursting onto the scene.

I knew Qui-Gon wasn't ready! I bemoaned as Obi-Wan ordered the ship to fly low and head towards Qui-Gon, who we could now see was battling some monstrosity.

What have you gotten yourself into now, you crazy hippie? I asked as the ship approached Qui-Gon and we headed towards the ship bay to make sure the Jedi Master was still functional.

Qui-Gon was taxed, anyone could see that. He lay, panting for breath, as Obi-Wan, Anakin, and I rushed to his side.

Anything broken? I asked.

"What was that?" Obi-Wan asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure." Qui-Gon panted as Anakin and Obi-Wan looked anxiously on. "But it was well trained in the Jedi arts."

"What are we going to do?" Anakin asked, earning a closer scrutinizing look from Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon sighed. "We should be patient. Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Forgetting to introduce someone here eh Qui? I couldn't help say sarcastically as Anakin enthusiastically shook the Jedi apprentice's hand.

But it was no use; Qui-Gon had definitely let everything go to his head. After the cozy organic introductions he strode forward into the cockpit to prepare for our arrival on Coruscant, leaving me to make sure that the hyperdrive was going to really get us there. I wasn't going to trust Watto one hundred percent.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly for once and soon the organics deemed that we should rest before we reached Coruscant. I settled myself in the common room, where I had once shared mechanical schematics with Sparky and the like. Making sure that the light sedative I'd drugged Jar Jar with was in full effect, I powered down.

About halfway through my rest cycle, my databanks informed me that something was stirring in the room. Always alert to any sign of danger or ship malfunction, I instantly, but quietly, powered up and trained my optical sensors on everything.

I observed then, the Queen in her guise as Padmé, looking at a recording that I'd reviewed earlier. It was one of her petty lackeys pleading with her to return to Naboo, saying that people were dying. Whistling softly to myself, I prepared to leave the Queen alone to strategize and function alone, when I heard the sound of another organic in the room.

It was Anakin, and he was, my databanks informed me, shivering.

Padmé turned a second after my well-trained sensors picked up on Anakin's presence. She frowned and then proceeded to comfort the boy she barely knew.

"It's cold," he told her just before she covered him with a heavy blanket.

Something passed between them then that I had never seen before and which my databanks could not process. Realizing that my internal workings could not rationalize their gazes, actions and words, I immediately figured out that the two must have been forming what humans call a "bond."

Cripes. I whispered, suddenly imagining a thousand scenarios where this bond could cause trouble. Organics have to make everything so very complicated.

"I made this for you," Anakin said suddenly, giving the Queen some sort of trinket. "It's a japor snippet. It will bring you good fortune."

Made it my foot. I tooted softly as Padmé gazed lovingly at the necklace. I saw you swipe it from that stall vendor.

Padmé, gracious as ever, accepted the token. She then told him that she would always care for him.

Focus, both of you. I said half-heartedly. Despite myself, I couldn't muster the strength to scold either of them. It was odd, but I found myself accepting these organics as I had once looked on my droid brethren of the ship. They were obviously young, lost and confused.

It was up to me to protect them both, from the galaxy, from Gungans.

And most of all, from each other.

You guys don't know how lucky you have it. I muttered to myself, a new sense of purpose molding itself into my circuits as I powered down to prepare for the next day at the capital. It was going to be a long day, trying to figure out what importance slaveboy meant, what the new enemy Qui-Gon had faced was, and trying to single-handedly save Naboo.

Bring it on.