Chapter 10

Sorry for not updating in a while, but my school teachers gave me many assignments to do, and there were also two tests and a loss of inspiration due to the fact that I've started reading other books and going into other fandoms, so… sorry about that.

Before Anakin and Shmi Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth 'Luke' Vader moved out of the city, the youngest decided to do something. Everyone followed towards the fruit stand where they had bought Pallies the first time they met Anakin.

Vader glanced at the woman at the stand… Jira, who smiled and greeted Anakin, who greeted back. Anakin dropped a handful of coins onto Jira's table, who glanced at the amount, quite shocked. The time-traveller knew that the conversation would be slightly different due to the fact that Shmi Skywalker was freed, unlike the previous timeline. After a slight pause, it starts.

"Me and my mom have been freed, and we're about to go away. Buy yourself a cooling unit with this… otherwise I'll worry about you." Anakin politely said, as Vader tried not to smile at the amount of innocence in the voice.

Jira, astonished, stared at the coins, then at Anakin, then the coins again. Until she regains her voice, and says:

"Can I give you a hug?" The old lady asked

"Sure." Anakin answered innocently, making Vader frown a bit, from behind the four.

Anakin and Jira shared a small hug right after that, it lasts for a small while, until they both let go and moved away from the other, until they were standing only a few feet apart. Vader came forward and stood right behind the boy.

"I'll miss you, Ani… there isn't a kinder boy in the galaxy… you be careful." She advised, as Vader led Anakin away, as they meet up with Qui-Gon, who was already walking forward.

Vader, using his memories from the previous timeline, decided to change one thing. He needed to garner Anakin's support, and this would result in it…

Activating his red lightsaber, he lunged forward and swung accurately, cutting a Probe Droid in half. The bits of the formerly hovering robot lied on the ground, Vader looked up and was met with suspicious or angry looks.

"Nothing to see here. Get out if you don't want to be sliced." Vader threatened, using a bit of Force Persuasion to make sure everyone carried on with their business.

Looking down again, Vader inspected the Probe Droid, not that he needed to, he didn't, already knowing who was the owner of it.

"What is it?" Anakin asked, quite confused

"Probe Droid. Someone's onto us… we have to run!" Vader exclaimed, starting to run ahead, looking back once to make sure that everyone was following him, they were, before continuing his run

"Probe Droid? That is unusual." Qui-Gon informed Vader

"I know, but I had enough experience with these things to know what is going to happen. Keep running!" Vader instructed, as they all continued.

It was a few short minutes until they saw the Nubian ship that was standing on the bottom of a sand dune, as Vader used a trick he learned only a few year back in his timeline, to make the Force Power inside Shmi and Anakin Skywalker to make them have more energy to not get tired.

This is the first time he had used it, he learned it from a Jedi Knight who used the same power to make sure his non-force sensitive wife had chance to escape while he duelled the Sith Apprentice.

That Jedi had broken the Code after the Order was destroyed.

Vader heard a familiar humming, and without even looking at the others, he yelled, "Drop!"

Vader dropped to the ground, as everyone else did the same, all now lying flat, as a speeder sped across the four. A hooded figure hopped out of the speeder just as Vader and Qui-Gon both rose.

The figure, Maul, Vader knew, attacked Qui-Gon first, who had activated his green lightsaber. A duel was started, as Vader decided to stand by, as he knew that Qui-Gon would be able to hold his own, at least for a while before he got a bit of revenge for what Maul did.

"Shmi, Anakin, get to the ship and tell the people inside that we need to take off!" Vader ordered the two, who quickly nodded.

Shmi led Anakin into the ship's ramp as Vader watched the fight occur. Jedi and Sith were harshly exchanging blows… and apparently Maul hadn't activated the other side of his lightsaber.

When Qui-Gon moved a step behind, it was time, Maul swung his lightsaber at Qui-Gon, who defended the attack just as Vader punched the Zabrak in the face with a firm fist trained for many years during the Clone War and before that.

"Vader… what are you doing?" Qui-Gon confusedly asked

Vader activated their lightsaber, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The former-Sith went into a battle stance just as Maul marched up to him.

"I was supposed to catch two Jedi, you don't seem like one." The figure hissed, and Vader identified him as Maul.

"That's because I'm not one, you piece of…", Vader stopped his statement before he could swear, deciding that his mouth wasn't worth dirtying for the creature that stood before him. Maul and Vader crossed blades, starting a harsh duel.

Qui-Gon entered the duel, as Maul was outnumbered two by one, but he made sure to be intact, as two side slashes were aimed at the Zabrak, who moved backward just as the man who worked with the Jedi made a move which would have cut his arm.

While the three were duelling, Anakin and Shmi ran into the Nubian ship, where they saw Padmé in her handmaiden outfit along with several other handmaidens, and a… what seemed to be a pilot or an officer.

"Qui-Gon is in trouble, he says to take off!" Anakin exclaimed, earning a quizzical look from the officer

The man came forward and then asked, "Who are you?"

"He's a friend." A handmaiden, Padmé, told the officer, who nodded

"If you are truly a friend… then…"

"He is." Padmé confirmed

"Fine then, I shall alert the pilots immediately."

Anakin followed the officer, his mother and Padmé towards a door that slid open. They all went into the small room to see a pilot, and… a Jedi? Apparently checking the hyperdrive of the ship. The boy interestingly glanced at it, lingered for a few seconds before looking towards the officer speaking.

"Qui-Gon is in trouble, he says to take off!" The officer repeated Anakin's words, the pilot quizzically looked forward

"Take off." The Jedi told the pilot, who quickly did, "Over there, fly low", the Jedi told the pilot, who nodded and went forward, to see the clashing of two red and one green light.

Hearing a familiar hum, Vader knew it was the right time, aiming two consecutive slashes, Maul was forced to defend himself, then, dodging the two other lightsabers, Vader put his hand on Maul's arm.

"What are you…" Qui-Gon's query was stopped when a 'snap' sound was heard, and Maul grunted in pain

Vader then put his left foot up, kicking Maul at the chin, then the Former-Sith took out his lightsaber again, and slashed at the Zabrak's chest. Vader then punched Maul on the face… again. The Sith 'Apprentice' slumped to the ground, his eyes now closed.

"Is he dead?" Qui-Gon asked

"No. Unconscious." Vader decided to not kill the creature now, as much as he would have wanted to, but Obi-Wan being knighted was important for the timeline, despite how much Vader didn't want it to happen, if Obi-Wan wasn't knighted, then Anakin wouldn't be a Jedi and the Skywalkers would probably end up living poor in Coruscant based on what happened, and that was never a good thing.

The ship came, and the two jumped towards the ship using the Force to assist them. The sleek spacecraft quickly rocketed away from the desert planet of Tatooine, and, for almost everyone the third part of the adventure; and for Anakin, Vader and Shmi the first part of the adventure, ended.

The young Anakin and Obi-Wan ran over towards the hallway near the ramp, only to find Vader and Qui-Gon recovering, both breathing hardly, both slumped to the extra-polished floor of the ship. Both Former-Sith and Jedi Master were covered in dirt and sweating heavily. R2-D2 had also decided to look over the two, standing on one spot while giving off reassuring beeps.

Vader smiled at Obi-Wan, who nodded mannerly, before giving a concerned look towards his master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

"Are you alright?" Anakin concernedly asked, to both people, more towards Vader.

"Yeah… that was some fight." Vader told the boy

"It's a surprise we soon won't forget" Qui-Gon tiredly added

"What was it?" Obi-Wan asked

"Dark Jedi… probably." Vader answered, he wasn't really lying, Maul wasn't a true Sith… but the monster wasn't officially Dark Jedi.

"Dark Jedi? You mean…" Obi-Wan deadpanned

"I said probably… whoever it was had a red lightsaber and was well-trained in the arts of a lightsaber and the force, more trained than many." Vader told the Padawan, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you think he'll follow us?" Anakin asked, a bit scared

"We'll be safe enough once we're in hyperspace. I have no doubt he knows our destination." Qui-Gon answered

"What are we going to do about it?" Anakin asked

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin with a quizzical, 'who are you' look, which Anakin returned with an innocent stare of his own, Vader and Qui-Gon both stood up at that moment, the latter deciding to introduce the two.

"We will be patient." Qui-Gon answered, before doing the introducing, "Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Pleased to meet you." Anakin smiled, analysing the Padawan, and seeing his lightsaber, before exclaiming in an awe-filled tone, "Wow, you're a Jedi too?!"

Obi-Wan gave the boy a skeptical look, which made Vader laugh. Hard, despite everything that happened to him, it was too funny. Qui-Gon shut the Former-Sith up with one hard glance, which he did.

"Now, if you excuse us, me and our first new companion must talk about some things." Qui-Gon told Obi-Wan, the latter of whom respectfully nodded as Jedi Master and Former-Sith went into a lounge room that was to their right.

Right then, Vader knew that any history him and Qui-Gon had, even if short, would have no effect on the coming argument… he was screwed.

That was the end of the chapter, I promise to update sooner next time! I say sorry again and hopefully you enjoyed the chapter! Other then that, PEACE!