***Chapter 11***

Padmé and Jar Jar cheer for Anakin as their viewing platform slowly lowers to the ground. Qui-Gon and Shmi are the first to exit and make their way to Anakin, who is now surrounded by cheering fans. Qui-Gon lifts Anakin to his shoulder and the boy raises his arms in victory.

"Mom, I did it!" He yells. "Yeah!"

After a while of celebration, the group makes their way to the hangar, except for Qui-Gon. He heads over to Watto's box. As he arrives he passes several beings on their way out, counting their money and laughing. Qui-Gon stands in the doorway and waits.

When Watto notices Qui-Gon he flies up into his face angrily. "You! You swindled me! You knew the boy was going to win! Somehow you knew it! I lost everything."

"Whenever you gamble, my friend, eventually you'll lose," Qui-Gon replies. "Bring the parts to the main hangar. I'll come by your shop later on so you can release the boy."

"You can't have him! It wasn't a fair bet!"

"Would you like to discuss it with the Hutts? I'm sure they can settle this."

Watto sighs, knowing he will not win the argument, "Take him."

Qui-Gon nods slightly, then turns and walks away. Watto stares out at the raceway, dejected. One of Darth Maul's probes hovers nearby.


"What in the Force are you sketching?" Garen Muln asks Lexi.

"It's just…it's nothing." She tries to put her data pad away, but Garen grabs it from her.

"Nothing? That thing is hideous. Have you been reading horror stories instead of doing your studies?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Garen."

"How else would you come up with something so ugly? Oh, I know, you want to become a writer to pass time on those boring diplomatic missions. This is going to be your villain, right? Or you got in trouble with Master Windu again, and this is how you vision him?"

"Garen! Are you ever serious?"

"When I'm on a mission, sure," he laughs. "But you don't usually mind my teasing…something is wrong. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine. Really, everything is just fine."

"Well, that doesn't sound rehearsed at all. I 'm guessing you've said that a lot lately. Ok, I'll shut up…for now. But only because I know better than to mess with a redhead."

Lexi gives him a 'whatever' look and lightly smacks the back of his head. "You are so weird," she smiles.

"Ah, that's more like it. I knew I could get a smile out of you. Now, stop drawing creepy demon man and let's get going. Everyone is waiting at Dex's Diner."

"The younglings' tracking exercise! I totally forgot!" Lexi groans, smacking herself in the forehead.

"No worries. Bant is covering for you while I came to get you. No need to get Master Windu upset again," Garen teases.

"Let's not even go there." Lexi takes her data pad back from Garen, tucks it away, and then she and Garen quickly make their way to the diner.


Back in the main hangar, about an hour after his big win, Anakin is still being congratulated. Jar Jar gives him a giant, yank off the ground, hug. Padmé steps in and hugs him as well.

"We owe you everything, Annie," Padmé grins.

Shmi kneels down and kisses Anakin on the cheek. "It's so wonderful, Annie. You have brought hope to those who have none. I'm so very proud of you." She kisses him again and Anakin groans in embarrassment.

Qui-Gon enters the hangar with two eopies, harnessed to containers full of parts. "Padmé, Jar Jar, let's go. We've got to get these parts back to the ship."

The group walks over to Qui-Gon and the eopies. Padmé climbs on one eopie behind Qui-Gon and Jar Jar swings himself up on the second one, and then promptly falls off the other side. After another try, Jar Jar is seated comfortably on the eopie.

"I'll return the eopies by midday," Qui-Gon promises as they leave.

The group rides out of Mos Espa into the desert with R2 leading the way. The twin suns beat down on them, but they make it back to the transport quickly and without trouble.

Obi-Wan is waiting for them, rushing out of the ship as soon as they are in view. "Good to see all went well," he smiles.

Qui-Gon dismounts and helps Padmé off the eopie. "We have all the essential parts we need." He tells Obi-Wan.

The parts are off loaded from the antigrav repulsorsled and then Qui-Gon climbs back onto his eopie.

"I'm going back…some unfinished business. I won't be long."

Obi-Wan glances over at Jar Jar and then back to Qui-Gon, "Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life form?"

"It's the boy who's responsible for getting these parts. Get the hyperdrive generator installed."

Obi-Wan sighs, "Yes, Master. It shouldn't take long."

Obi-Wan heads back into the ship and begins working on the hyperdrive. He is thankful that the Queen is no longer seeking him out now that her favorite handmaiden has returned to the ship. Very strange how dependant the Queen is on that one particular handmaiden…but at least with her around I will have some peace to get this hyperdrive installed and working.

On a far away hill, overlooking the Naboo spacecraft, the Sith probe sends a transmission, and then speeds away.


Qui-Gon returns the eopies and sells Anakin's pod. He is on his way back to Anakin's hovel when he spots the boy fighting with a Rodian youngster. They are surrounded by other children who are cheering the fight on.

"What's this?" Qui-Gon asks.

"He said I cheated," Anakin replies angrily.

"Did you?"

"No!"

Qui-Gon turns to the Rodian. "Do you still think he cheated?"

"Yes," the youngster replies.

"Well, Annie, you know the truth. You will have to tolerate his opinion. Fighting won't change it." Qui-Gon moves down the street, continuing toward the hovel. Anakin quickly follows the Jedi Master.

As the duo near the hovel, Qui-Gon reaches beneath his poncho and pulls out a leather pouch filled with credits. "Hey, these are yours. I sold the pod to a particularly surly and rather insistent Dug."

Anakin cheers up quickly. "Yes!" He races into his home and runs up to his mom, who is busy cleaning.

"Mom, he sold the pod. Look at all the money we have!" He drops the pouch into her hands.

"Oh, my goodness! That's so wonderful, Annie."

"And he has been freed," Qui-Gon informs.

"What?" Anakin can hardly believe his ears.

"You're no longer a slave."

"Did you hear that, Mom?" Anakin says, overjoyed. Shmi is stunned and just stares at the Jedi for a moment, and then she turns her eyes to Anakin.

Now you can make your dreams come true, Annie. You're free." She looks up at Qui-Gon, "Will you take him with you? Is he to become a Jedi?"

Anakin wheels around to Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master takes a step into the room. "Yes, our meeting was not a coincidence. Nothing happens by accident."

Anakin's jaw drops. "You mean I get to come with you in your starship?"

Qui-Gon kneels down to the boy. "Anakin, training to be a Jedi is not an easy challenge. And if you succeed, it's a hard life."

"But I want to go! It's what I've always dreamed of doing." He turns to his mother, "Can I go, Mom?"

"Anakin, this path has been placed before you," she says softly. "The choice is yours alone."

Anakin thinks for a moment, looking at his mom and at Qui-Gon. "I want to do it."

"Then pack your things," Qui-Gon tells him. "We haven't much time."

Anakin cheers, hugs his mom, and then runs to pack. Qui-Gon and Shmi exchange a look when the boy stops and turns. He asks if his mom is free to come too.

"I tried to free your mother, Annie, but Watto wouldn't have it."

"But the money from the pod!" Anakin tries.

"It isn't nearly enough," Shmi says softly.

Anakin is torn. He doesn't want to leave his mother, but he wants desperately to be with Padmé and to be a Jedi. Shmi takes his hands and tells him that her future is on Tatooine and he needs to let her go.

"I don't want things to change," he says sadly.

"But you can't stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting." She tells him how much she loves him and then encourages him to hurry. Anakin takes a deep breath and once again runs to his room to pack.

"Thank you," Shmi says quietly, not able to face Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master places a hand on her shoulder.

"I will watch after him, you have my word. Will you be alright?"

Shmi does not reply.


Anakin quickly packs his things. He powers up 3PO to tell him he is leaving. The droid wishes him well, but tells him he would like it better if he were more complete. Anakin apologizes and tells 3PO that he will make sure his mom doesn't sell him.


He heads back to Qui-Gon and his mother and they all walk out of the hovel together. Shmi stands by the entrance watching them go. Anakin rushes back to her, telling her that he can't leave. Qui-Gon watches from a distance, letting them say goodbye in private. Shmi tells him they will see each other again and Anakin promises he will return to free her someday.

"Now be brave," Shmi says softly. "And don't look back…don't look back." She gives him a big hug, and then turns him toward Qui-Gon. Anakin walks off, following Qui-Gon and obeying his mother's admonition to not look back.

They stop by Watto's shop to secure Anakin's freedom and have the transmitter deactivated. Then they continue making their way through the streets of Mos Espa toward the outskirts and the awaiting Naboo cruiser. They walk in silence, Anakin lost in thought and Qui-Gon wary of a disturbance in the Force.

Anakin jumps when Qui-Gon suddenly swings about, lightsaber ignited, slicing a lurking probe droid in half. Qui-Gon powers down his saber, and then kneels to inspect the metal parts.

"What is it?" Anakin asks.

"Probe droid. Very unusual…not like anything I've seen before." He glances around. "Come on," he orders. The two begin running toward the starship.


One of the probe droids reaches Darth Maul. The studies its transmission, then jumps on his speeder bike and heads toward Mos Espa.