Chapter 7: First Impressions Are SO Important

The girl merely glared at him for a moment before picking up a part container and hauling it onto the ship. Obi-Wan had really done it now; he made a complete fool out of himself. The look in her violet eyes only confirmed his idiocy. There was no possible response he could have made to her question without further solidifying her contempt for him; not that she had given him a chance to try and defend his remarks. Obi-Wan would not be surprised if she ignored him from now on – and he could not blame her. He had insulted her and her family.

He should have kept his smart remarks to himself. Obi-Wan had noticed the girl almost immediately upon her arrival from the city. Almost of its own accord his mind ran through different scenarios for introducing himself to the girl. Clearly that was not the first impression he had wanted to make. There was something about her wild black curls and the proud way she held herself that drew his attention. He watched her as she made her way back on to the ship hosting the latest crate of supplies. She seemed to be trying to go unnoticed but there was a quality about her that could not be ignored. He dearly wished that he could have a second chance at a first impression.

Muttering darkly under his breath irritated at himself Obi-Wan grabbed a crate of parts and hauled it onto the ship. He needed to get started on fixing the hyper drive so that everything was ready to go when Qui-Gon returned with the boy. He hoped the physical effort of repairing the hyper drive would help rid his mind of the image of those accusatory violet eyes.

After the race, Anakin was elated. Words could not describe how proud of himself he was for winning the race. He did not think that life could get any better. Everything was suddenly looking up and Anakin could not hide his happiness as he walked with Kitster back to his home. He should have known better.

He was so proud of what he had accomplished. Not only had he built that pod himself; but he had piloted it to a victory against Sebulba. It felt good to help Qui-Gon but it felt even better to be the center of attention. Now he knew how Lyyr felt after winning a fight. Elated and powerful, on top of the world; like he could do anything he wanted to now and no one would stop him. It was this new sense of power and entitlement that was partially responsible for encouraging him into a physical fight with a young Rodian that dared to accuse him a cheating.

"Cheeska!" (cheat) Someone shouted and Anakin stopped in his tracks to find the Rodian pointing an accusatory finger at his chest.

"Schutta," (shut it) Anakin yelled back not even thinking properly. He then launched himself at the obnoxious lying Rodian shoving him to the ground and then leaping on top of him. They began to scuffle in the dirt a circle of spectators forming and spurring them on. Anakin retained the upper hand and kept pummeling his squirming foe; he was going to teach the alien a lesson he would never forget. He did not let up until a strong grip on his upper arm pulled him off of the other youngster.

"What's this?" Qui-Gon asked his tone surprisingly neutral.

"He said I cheated!" Anakin declared hotly, hoping that Qui-Gon would share his feelings of self-righteous indignation at the insult.

"Did you?" The Jedi asked calmly folding his arms and waiting patiently for the boy's answer. Feeling cheated Anakin answered with a sullen;

"No."

"Ani, you know the truth and will have to tolerate other's opinions; fighting won't change their minds." Qui-Gon chastised the boy then turned away and walked off in the direction of the Skywalker's home. With one last hateful glare at the Rodian, Anakin followed.

Qui-Gon sensed the boy following sullenly behind him and elected to leave Anakin alone with his own thoughts. They made their way silently down the street for a while Qui-Gon monitoring Anakin's mood all the while. The boy clearly thought he had been just in defending himself but seemed to recognize that his had overreacted. Pleased at Anakin's conclusion, Qui-Gon decided to present him with the credits from the sale of the pod before reached the house.

"Here, we sold the Pod and these are yours." He told the lad handing him the pile of credits which must have looked like a small fortune to the boy.

"Yes!" Anakin exclaimed with joy, beaming up at the Jedi. He then hurried forward entering his mother's home before Qui-Gon. For his part, Qui-Gon was a little taken aback by the boy's instantaneous change from sulky to joyful and frowned at the capriciousness of the boy's moods. He quickly disregarded any concern or doubt it gave him, reasoning that once the boy was taught a Jedi's discipline such inconsistences would vanish.

With that thought in mind, Qui-Gon told Anakin and Shmi of the boy's new found freedom. He was concerned by the boy's obviously deep attachment to his mother but comfort himself with the thought that it too would pass.

Obi-Wan tried to concentrate on installing the new hyper drive generator but he was continuously distracted by thoughts of the girl. He continued to replay the awful first impression he had made and wished he could have taken it back but he had not seen the girl since. It took him longer to fix the hyper drive than it should have but once it was finished he was satisfied with his work.

He returned to the cockpit and checked on the newly installed generator. He wanted to make sure that when Qui-Gon returned and ordered the jump into hyperspace that this time they could make it. Obi-Wan did not relish the idea of explaining to his master why the ship couldn't make the jump because he was too busy woolgathering about a pair of violet eyes.

He had only been in the cockpit for a few minutes before Captain Panaka came barging in declaring that Qui-Gon was in trouble. Obi-Wan turned to the pilot, Ric Olie, and directed him to fly low towards a rising cloud of dust off in the distance. Obi-Wan did not notice the boy that hand come in with Panaka. He did not notice much of anything; focusing on the dust that obscured Qui-Gon and whomever he was fighting.

Olie maneuvered the spacecraft over the combatants with remarkable skill, leaving the ramp half open so Qui-Gon was able to jump to it and board the ship. As soon as he sensed that Qui-Gon was safely onboard the ship Obi-Wan barreled out of the cockpit, not noticing the boy who followed closely at his heels.

Qui- Gon was collapsed on the floor of the ship's main hallway. He was sprawled out on the floor in such a state of obvious exhaustion that it shocked Obi-Wan. He had seldom seen his master look winded let alone exhausted. Sudden movement in his peripheral vision distracted Obi-Wan just in time to see a small urchin rush to Qui-Gon's side.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked concern obvious in his voice. Obi-Wan stared at the child, trying to figure out where he came from. Qui-Gon took a moment to catch his breath before answering the boy's question.

Although Obi-Wan heard Qui-Gon's answer it did not register with the younger Jedi. For at that moment the girl had appeared seemingly out of thin air. She halted mid-step some distance down the hallway and watched the older Jedi with a look of what Obi-Wan thought was cautious fear. Puzzled by what could make her fear a Jedi; Obi-Wan found himself staring at her hoping to come across a reason. After a few moments she caught Obi-Wan's gaze and he looked away embarrassed by the intensity of those violet eyes.

"What was it?" Obi-Wan asked refocusing his attention back on his master and the unknown foe.

"I don't know..," Qui-Gon answered almost reluctantly, Obi-Wan wondered if his master really did known but was hesitant to say. "But he was well trained in the Jedi arts. My guess is he was after the Queen."

"What are we going to do about it?" The boy asked with a fresh faced eagerness. Obi-Wan turned to regard the boy with one raised eyebrow. They boy returned his look with one of boyish innocence. Obi-Wan sensed his master's amusement at the exchange of looks.

"We will be patient," Qui-Gon answered speaking in his teacher's voice; a tone that Obi-Wan was all too familiar with it. "Anakin Skywalker meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Pleased to meet you," the boy greeted Obi-wan enthusiastically shaking his hand. "Wow," he exclaimed upon seeing the light saber hanging from Obi-Wan's belt, "you're a Jedi too!"

Obi-Wan could only stare at the boy, smiling slightly in amazed disbelief. What in the blazes…, he thought astonished by the boy's natural enthusiasm. Qui-Gon actually chucked at it and he was not the only one to voice his amusement. At the sound of the girls laughter Anakin whipped around to look at her in slack-jawed astonishment. The surprise was followed by immediate joy and he leapt off the floor and rushed over to her.

"Lyyr, what are you doing here?" He asked her sounding dazed.

"The same thing you are Ani; traveling with Qui-Gon," she answered. Obi-Wan noticed that her voice was pleasant when it was not laced with scorn.

"Did Qui-Gon set you free too Lyyr," was Anakin's next question. She regarded him silently for a moment her face serious. She grabbed his small hand in her own and led him off to another area of the ship.

"Not exactly Ani, you see I bet Gardulla," Lyyr began her explanation as they walked away.

"You bet a Hutt!" The boy exclaimed and she laughed heartily.

Obi-Wan turned a raised eyebrow on his master only to have Qui-Gon clap him on the shoulder and say;

"Come Obi-Wan, let's go and see if this hyper drive works."