Podracing
The twin suns had just risen when Amara woke up. She slipped out of her bed carefully, not wanting to wake up Padmé, and gone down into the backyard to check on the racer. The podracer resembled a chariot, pulled by two souped-up engines. Anakin's pod was tiny, just enough to fit him in there. The engines were huge, twice the length of the podracer.
She watched R2 move around the droid, applying paint in broad strokes to the metal body. "I hope you're about finished." The droid gave a whistled that Amara presumed to mean 'yes'.
Amara patted the droid before turning her gaze to awning beside her. Underneath laid Anakin, who slept upright against a tool box, using his arm as a makeshift pillow. He looked so young and peaceful. And yet we're risking everything on him. She sighed and touched his cheek, brushing it softly. Anakin blinked awake and rubbed his eyes.
He stared up at Amara; at a face he found so beautiful it brought a tightness to his throat. "You both were in my dream." Anakin pointed behind Amara and she turned, seeing Padmé coming up to them. "You were leading a huge army into battle."
Padmé stared at him and smiled. "I hope not. I hate fighting."
Anakin's eyes shifted over to Amara. "And you were fighting against someone with a red lightsaber. You were using a green one too."
Amara felt a chill run down her spine. It's just a dream. It probably doesn't mean anything, she told herself. She dismissed it as just a figment of his imagination.
"Your mother wants you to come in and clean up. We have to leave soon," Padmé announced to them, heading back inside.
Anakin stood up, now fully awake. He waved at his friend, Kister, who was riding toward them one of the two animals he brought to help haul the podracer. "Hook them up, Kitster!" He looked back to Amara. "Where's Qui-Gon?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I think he and Jar Jar left already." Amara started to head back inside. I still don't like this idea… But it was too late, they were already committed.
Amara, Shmi, Padmé, and Anakin had arrived at the main hanger of the arena before noon. The hanger was a large building with a dozen or so podracers being readied for the race. There were other racers and their crew making last minute fixes before the race. Amara and Anakin were on one of the eopies that carried one of the engines. The second eopie carried Padmé and Kitster with the second engine. Shmi sat in the pod with R2 pulling it. Watto stopped by Amara and Anakin, jabbing a figure at Anakin.
"Better stop your friend's betting," the pudgy creature declared with an angry snort. "Or I'll end up owning him, too." He backed away and left, his wings beating madly.
Amara had gotten off of the eopie and went by Padmé. She could tell Padmé was equally as nervous as she and sighed. If Anakin loses, then we'll be stuck here for who knows how long. Then I won't get help…
"What did he mean by that?" Anakin asked as he walked over to Qui-Gon, glancing at the Watto.
Qui-Gon shrugged. "I'll tell you later."
"This is so wizard!" Kitster said cheerfully as he pulled up with the second engine. "I'm sure you'll do it this time, Ani."
Amara's gaze shifted from one to the other. "Do what?" she asked suspiciously.
Kister beamed. "Finish the race, of course?"
Amara paled. Her eyes widened as she met Padmé's worried ones. "You've never won a race?" This just added on to her nervousness.
Padmé turned to Anakin. "Not even finished?"
"Well… not exactly. But I will this time," Anakin stated, his voice filled with determination.
Qui-Gon came behind him. "Of course you will," he told him in a soothing voice. "Let's get this podrace together.
From the corner of Amara's eyes, she saw Padmé glaring at Qui-Gon. Amara tapped Padmé's shoulder and motioned for her to follow her. The signal came for the podracers to take their positions. Amara walked out into the open view and was mesmerized.
There had to be at least 100,000 beings there. Colorful canopies shaded some of the spectators. Vendors were selling barbecued creature parts and colorful drinks. The racecourse itself went into the desert and was out of Amara's view. She walked over to where Shmi was hugging her son.
"Be safe, Ani," his mother told him.
Anakin nodded, swallowing. "I will, Mom. I promise." He then turned his attention behind her and Shmi turned her head, seeing Amara walking up to them. She smiled at the girl before moving away. Shmi watched as Amara talked to her son, noting the sudden blush appearing on his face.
Amara bent down and placed her hand on both of his shoulders. "Please be careful. Good luck, Anakin."
Anakin's lower lip jutted out. "I won't let you down."
Just as she was about to reply, Sebulba came up to them. Amara scoffed at him and made her way back to the viewing platform where Padmé and Shmi were. It's up to Anakin now. Qui-Gon quickly followed right behind her, and soon the platform began to rise into the sky, so that they would be able to view some of the race from a far.
"Is he nervous?" Shmi asked, giving him worried look.
"He's fine."
Padmé marched up to Qui-Gon, shaking her head doubtfully. "You Jedi are far too reckless. The Queen― "
"―The Queen trusts my judgment, young handmaiden." Qui-Gon interrupted smoothly. "You should too."
Qui-Gon moved away from Amara and Padmé. "You assume too much." Amara heard Padmé whisper. She glanced at Padmé in confusion, wondering what she meant by that.
"Dissen ganna be messy!" Jar Jar covered his eyes in dismay.
The earth-pounding roar of the engines revving was deafening to Amara. Her heart was beating fast and her palms were sweaty. Amara looked to see a slug, who was in charge of this entire event, bite off the head of a frog and spit it at a gong, signaling the start of the race. On a bridge over the track, a great green light at the center flashed. The podracers shot forward with a high-pitches scream.
Anakin's engine flood and coughed then died out. All the other podracers except one swerved around him, disappearing down the track.
Something wasn't right. Amara bit her fingers anxiously as she watched Anakin struggle. "You can do this, Anakin."
"Oh...wait. Little Skywalker has stalled." The announcer yelled out.
Anakin's engines suddenly ignited. He zoomed away after the pack of competitors, leaving one racer still trying to get started.
"And there goes Skywalker... He'll be hard pressed to catch up with the leaders today."
As he rounded the first turn, Anakin caught a glimpse of a smoking fireball smeared across the base of a rock formation. Someone swung too wide and crashed. Gotta remember to watch that on the next lap. He sped smoothly through the series of stone arches. Without racers getting into his way, it was simple. A few podracers came into view. He worked on the controls, feeding power to the first engine, then the other.
Anakin was much faster than the back-end stragglers and passed them easily. One of the drivers wouldn't let Anakin by. He tried to pass him on one side and is cut off. He then tried to pass him on the other side and is cut off. As they come up on a cliff drop-off, Anakin backed off, then guns it as the racer goes over the cliff. Anakin accelerated so fast that he sails right over the top of him and speeds away. He looked to see all the warning lights still green.
At the canyon turn, Anakin saw another wreck ahead of him. He veered to the other side, but a shot bounced off the pod. He turned his head, seeing Tusken Raiders on top of the cliffs.
Soon he was passed all the stragglers.
It took most of the second lap to catch up to the leading podracers. Only five were ahead of him know. Anakin sped up and turned the corner, greeted by an enormous cloud of dust. As he came out of the dust, he saw that he had passed three racers. The only racer ahead of him was Sebubla.
Amara bit her lip as she watched Anakin on the viewing screen. Anakin was slightly behind Sebulba as they raced. It was the final lap, and whoever finished first was the winner. Anakin caught up to Sebulba and the creature crashed into his pod over and over again. Suddenly Anakin pushed forward and Sebulba crashed into a nearby statue.
"He's going to win!" Amara yelled, giddy with excitement.
The crowd started to cheer loudly. Amara jumped with joy as Anakin crossed the finish line. She hugged Padmé before making her way down to the track. The crowd instantly swarmed Anakin, and moments later, hoisted him up and carried him away, chanting and shouting his name.
Within an hour, the arena had emptied, the racers had been stored away, and the main hangar was almost deserted. The group had waited for the crowd to disappear before going over to Anakin. Qui-Gon walked over to him, ruffling the boy's unruly hair and helping him bind his injured arm. Anakin had slashed his arm on a jagged piece of metal during the battle with Sebulba.
Padmé smiled as she hugged Anakin, excited that she could finally leave Tatooine and head for Coruscant like she had planned to originally. "We owe you everything."
Amara nodded at Padmé's words and joined her, crouching down and pulling Anakin into a warm hug. "I knew you could do it Ani."
Anakin blushed scarlet. "I told you I wouldn't let you down," he replied, smiling back at her. Amara laughed and stood back up.
Shmi kissed her son's cheek and hugged him, checking him over carefully, touching his cheeks and forehead. "It's so wonderful, Ani. You have brought hope to those who have none. I'm so very proud of you..."
Qui-Gon had the two eopies at his side with containers full of parts. "Amara. Padme. Jar Jar, let's go," he ordered abruptly. "We've got to get these parts back to the ship."
The group moved over to the eopies, laughing and talking. Amara quickly gave Anakin one last hug before turning to his mother. "Thank you for letting us stay at your house. It was really nice to meet the both of you."
Shmi smiled. "You're welcome, Amara."
She smiled back at Shmi and climbed onto one of the eopies behind Padmé. Qui-Gon and Jar Jar were on the second animal. Good-byes were exchanged, but it was an awkward moment for Anakin. He moved up beside to the eopie carrying Padmé and Amara momentarily, staring at Amara expectantly. But all he could manage was a sad, confessed look.
Amara looked at him with sadness. This could be the last time she would ever see Anakin.
Slowly, the eopies began to move off, Anakin and his mother stood with C-3PO and waved.