The vastness of space was dark with small glittering white lights from the stars the moment the ship got closer toward a circle planet that looked like a brown and yellow dust ball in the middle of all the blackness. Iris allowed her eyes to stay on the strange looking planet called; Tatooine.
"That's it," Kenobi explained to the pilot. "Tatooine."
All three Jedi had gathered in the cockpit of the ship. Iris looked at the screens to see where the ship could land. "There's a settlement...a spaceport, looks like."
Qui-Gon gave a nod and ordered the pilot, "Land near the outskirts. We don't want to attract any attention."
The ship heads toward the planet of Tatooine, and the Naboo spacecraft lands in the desert in a swirl of dust. The spaceport of Mos Espa is seen in the distance.
Iris turned her head toward the Jedi Master. "I'll go inform the Queen of our arrival."
Master Quinn gave a nod as Iris stood up from her seat and headed on out of the room. The female moved at a far paste toward the Queen's room and took notice of Padmé standing outside of a room nearby.
"Jedi Iris,"Padmé spoke, moving forward to walk with other.
"Hello, Padmé," Iris answered.
The female Jedi could understand why the two females were being careful around the ship. Only the handmaidens and Iris new that Padmé was the real Queen of Naboo and needed to keep it hidden from everyone else within the ship. If the knowledge was leaked, then a greater threat would be on Padmé's life.
Even though Iris felt terrible at not telling Kenobi or Jinn about the real plan created by the few must trusted to the actual Queen of Naboo. It was must safer that the less that know about the switch the better. The mission was to protect the Queen, but if anything happened to the handmaiden that was pretending to be the real Queen the mission wouldn't have failed thanks to Padmé being dressed as a handmaiden.
"I take it we have arrived," the real queen said.
Iris gave a brief nod. "Yes."
"Who will be going onto the planet?"
"I believe Master Jinn is going to get the pieces and supplies we will need."
"I want to go as well."
Why would Padmé want to go explore the planet? The ship was the safest place for the real Queen to be, plus no one would be looking for a handmaiden.
Iris raised an eyebrow at the female's words. "Why?"
"I'm curious about the planet."
The female Jedi just stared at Padmé because of the reason behind their conversation. She knew that the Queen of Naboo had been in training about government work since Padmé was young. But she couldn't see the reason why Padmé wanted to explore the planet.
"Why?"
"Because I've never been to this kind of planet before. Tatooine isn't in the republic and ruled by the Hutts." Padmé admits with a shake of her head. "This planet-if I learn more about it I could end up telling the senate and maybe the republic will finally be able to reach out here with some laws."
"But the mission," Iris insisted.
"We're stuck here until the ship is fixed. What if we can't get it fix than we'll be stuck here for a long time?"
"Okay," Iris admits. "I'll come along and keep you safe."
"Of course."
The female disliked this decided but she didn't feel like arguing with Padmé on matters both already understood. Getting the Queen of Naboo to the senate was the most important task, but they weren't going anywhere without the part. Plus, outside forces wouldn't be looking for Padmé because she wouldn't be dressed like the Queen and with barely anyone knowing about the switch between the real Queen and a handmaiden meant Padmé was as safe as she could be at the moment.
Staying on the ship and waiting to be attacked wouldn't be a good place for the young girl. So maybe leaving the ship would be better for the time being. Even though Iris was capable of protecting the young Queen.
Plus, Padmé wanted to help the people on this planet. Maybe they could do two things at once.
0o0o0o0
Obi-Wan was hoisting the hyperdrive out of a floor panel. The machine had failed completely as the Royal Starship had landed on the planet. The only good thing that most likely came from the will of the Force was that the hyperdrive didn't give out between star systems.
Jar Jar rushes up to him, falls to his knees and began to beg, "Obi-Wan, sire, pleeese, no mesa go!"
"Sorry, Qui-Gon's right. You'll make things less obvious." The Jedi Padawan admits because he couldn't watch the Gungan and make sure he didn't get into trouble.
Jar Jar walks back to Artoo in the hallway as Qui-Gon (dressed as a farmer) enters the main area.
"The Hyperdrive generator is gone," Kenobi admits to his Master. He tried to fix the machine and failed every time. "We will need a new one."
Qui-Gon moves closer to his padwan and spoke quietly; "Don't let them send ant transmissions. Be wary...I sense a disturbance in the Force."
"I feel it also, Master." Kenobi conformed.
Qui-Gon goes into the hallway to meet up with Artoo and Jar Jar. They head to the exit ramp and entered the desert and sandy world of Tatooine and start their trek across the desert toward the city of Mos Espa. In the distance, a strange looking caravan makes its way toward the spaceport.
"Dis sun doen murder tada skin," Jar Jar complained about the heat.
"Wait," a voice sounded from behind the group of them.
The three turned around and Qui-Gon saw a handmaiden, the captain of the queen's security, and the young female padawan walking toward them.
Iris was following behind Padmé and Panaka. She had changed out of the orange handmaiden robes, but kept the orange tan top of the outfit along with orange fingerless long gloves, with long brown pants and boots. Her hair was tied back in a lone braid.
Padmé had also changed as while. She was wearing her hair back in several braids and a blue shirt with dark gray sleeves with black pants and simple boots made for travel. She even had small gray wraps around her arms that was meant to prevent sand from getting into her clothes. The handmaiden was dressed like a rough peasant.
The older Jedi raised an eyebrow in the air with a confused look on his face and curiosity dancing within his blue eyes. Jinn clearly believed that it would be wise for Iris to stay with the Queen and protect her like the young Padawan's late Jedi Master would've wanted.
"Her Highness commands you to take her handmaiden and Jedi Iris with you. She wishes for them to observe the local..." the captain explained to the Jedi.
"No more commands from Her Highness today, Captain." Qui-Gon answered. "This space port is not going to be pleasant..."
"The Queen wishes it." The Captain insisted to the Jedi Master. When the Queen wishes something it meant this was a request but an order. "She is curious about this planet."
"I've been trained in defense... I can take care of myself," the handmaiden admits to Jedi.
Iris nods her head in agreement.
Qui-Gon eyed the young Handmaiden with narrowed eyes. This might be the Queen of Naboo's command, but he sensed that the original idea came from Padmé. Yet Iris was going along with the plan and not complaining about staying with the Queen. Either the handmaiden was spoiled or something else was going on.
"Don't make me go back and tell her you refuse."
"I don't have time to argue," the Jedi Master admits. "But this is not a good idea." Then he gave the two young females a glance and whispered, "Stay close to me."
He continues to give the two females a stern look but didn't say anything else on the subject.
0o0o0o0
The twin suns' heat hit the sand and the atmosphere like an open oven. Everything was very different from Naboo. The dry desert air, the endless yellow sand, and the lumpy buildings as the little group walks down the main street of Mos Espa. Iris would admit that walking on loose sand was tiring. Even in the city, most of the streets were unpaved, though the contract traffic of droids, aliens and humans on the busier streets had packed the sandy surface down like a yellow road. Even as they pass by dangerous looking citizens of all types. The female Jedi took a small glance toward Padmé and realized she was looking around in awe at this exotic environment.
"...moisture farms for the most part, but also a few indigenous tribes and scavengers. The few spaceports like this one are havens for those who do not wish to be found..." Qui-Gon Jinn explained to the group as they moved toward the town.
Padmé sent a sideways glance toward some travels before staring straight ahead. "...like us."
Jar Jar is in a constant state of panic, clearly not use to the planet due to be a creature born in the water. While Artoo whistles along, with perfect confidence-not even bothered by the sand getting into his gears.
"Dissen berry berry bad," Jar Jar spoke only to step in ooze. "Ooooh...icky...icky...goo."
Iris let out a small breath. This was either going to turn into a good idea or a terrible one, but she had to keep Padmé safe.
It didn't take them very long to come across a little plaza surrounded by several junk spaceship dealers.
"We'll try one of the smaller dealers."
They head for a little junk shop that has a huge pile of broken spaceships stacked up behind it. Then the group entered the dingy junk shop and are greeted by Watto, a pudgy blue alien who flies on short little wings like a hummingbird.
"What do you want?" The alien creature asked in an alien language. He was only half the size of Qui-Gon, but he hovered on those wings to be on the older Jedi's face level.
"I need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian." Qui-Gon replied in the basic language of the galaxy.
"Ah yes, ah yes. Nubian." Watto admits with a nod and stroke of his chin. "We have lots of that. What kinda junk?" Then he turned his head toward the junk yard and shouted in another alien language, "Boy, get in here! Now!"
"My droid here has a readout of what I need," Jinn explained.
A disheveled boy runs in from the junk yard. He is about nine years old, very dirty, and dressed in rags. Iris could tell right away that the kid had to have been a slave, especially when Watto raised a hand and the boy flinches.
"What took you so long?" Watto shouts in the Hutt language
"I was cleaning the bin like you..."
"Never mind! Watch the store." The alien creature ordered to boy before talking in the Hutt language once again; "I've got some selling to do here." Then he turned his attention to the Jedi Master. "Soooo, let me take- a thee out back. Ni you'll find what you need."
Artoo and Qui-Gon follow Watto toward the junk yard, leaving Jar Jar with Padmé, Iris, and the young boy. Jar Jar picks up a gizmo, trying to figure out its purpose. Qui-Gon takes the part out of his hand and puts it back.
"Don't touch anything," the Jedi warned the Gungan.
Jar Jar makes a rude face to Qui-Gon's back and sticks out his long tongue. While Iris rolled her eyes at the creatures childishness.
The young nine year old boy sits on the counter, pretending to clean a ship part, staring at Padmé and Iris.
They were the most beautiful creatures he has ever seen in his life. Padmé is a little embarrassed by his stare, but she musters up an amused smile.
"Are the two of you angels?" the young boy said after finding the courage to speak.
Iris turned and looked at the boy with an eyebrows raised at the moment. "Angels?"
The young boy gave a small nod. "Yeah. Angels." Then the kid paused for a moment with his head title as he thought for a moment. "I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the Moons of Iego I think." He paused once again and looked into Iris' brown eyes. "They are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they make even the most hardened spice pirate cry."
Iris gave the child a small smile. She was no angel but a Jedi Knight. She hated to disappoint the child, but she wasn't one of those creatures. "Sorry to disappoint you, kid. But I'm no angel. I'm not even sure they exist."
"But you must be one..." The nine year old boy insisted. "Maybe you just don't know it."
"You're a funny little boy." The female Jedi admits. "How do you know so much?"
"I listen to all the traders and pilots who come through here," the boy replied. He gave the Jedi woman a sidelong look, "I'm a pilot, you know. Someday I'm going to fly away from this place."
Iris couldn't blame the boy for wanting to leave the heat and dryness within the planet. Only for her brown eyes to land on his clothes and frowned. This boy might never leave Tatooine because he was a slave.
Unless he was freed.
But iris' mission was to protect the Queen of Naboo and get her to the senate, not free a young nine year old boy from slavery.
That was another mission for another time.
"You're a pilot?" she chose to ask the kid.
The boy gave a form nod, "All my life."
All his life? Which must mean he's been in ships or been allow to fly them. "How long have you been here?" the Jedi wondered because the kid seemed to have a small force presents which felt like a small light.
He might not have ever been in the republic and wouldn't have been tested for the possibility of becoming a Jedi, but due to his age and being a slave means it might be too late to become a Jedi if he did have the Force.
"Since I was very little, three, I think." The boy admits. "My Mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us, betting on the Podraces, to Watto, who's a lot better master than Gardulla, I think.
Padmé stared at the boy in shock. "You're...a slave?"
Iris looked at Padmé and then back at the boy. Slavery was a thing within the Outer Rim, especially on a planet ruled by the Hutts. Only the Republic had outlawed slaves being allowed on all Republic planets, but Tatooine was not a planet in the Republic which means their laws don't reach out here.
The boy was looks at Padmé defiantly and stuck out his chin, "I am a person! My name is Anakin."
Anakin? Iris thought. She was almost surprise that the young boy did have a name because of him being a slave. Most slaves weren't allow or given any name.
"I'm sorry," Padmé apologized. "I don't fully understand," she paused and looking around the junk store. "This is a strange world to me."
"You are a strange girl to me," the boy answered.
Jar Jar pushes the nose on what appears to be a little droid, and it instantly comes to life, grows legs and arms, and starts marching around, knocking over everything. Jar Jar hold on but can't stop it.
"Jar Jar," Iris scolded. "Qui-Gon said not to touch anything."
"Mesa sorry," the Gungan replied.
"Hit the nose!" Anakin ordered to the alien.
Jar Jar hits the nose, and the droid collapses back into its original state. Both Anakin and Padmé laughed at the scene. While Iris shook her head and hoped Master Jinn got the pieces they needed before Jar Jar broke anything within the shop.
0o0o0o0
Outside in the junk yard behind the shop, Watto reads a small portable monitor he is holding. He stands before a hyperdrive. "...Here it is...a T-14 hyperdrive generator! Thee in luck, I'm the only one here who has one...but thee might as well buy a new ship. It would be cheaper, I think...Saying of which, how's thee going to pay for all this?"
"I have 20,000 Republic dataries." Qui-Gon stated to the alien. He knew that was more than enough for the parts. Plus, finding the parts so quickly meant that they could install the new hyperdrive and get off the planet.
"Republic credits?!" Watto shirked with outrage. "Republic credits are no good out here." Republic money was not worth anything out in the Outer Rim. "I need something more real..."
"I don't have anything else." It was true all he had were the credits. He waved his hand, using a Jedi mind trick. "But credits will do fine," he repeated to the alien.
"No they won't," Watto replied to the Jedi firmly.
Qui-Gon made another attempt, using his mind power, waves his hand again. "Credits will do fine."
"No, they won't." the junk dealer said more loudly than before. "What you think you're some kinda Jedi, waving your hand around like that? I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don't a work on me-only money." Then he rugged two claws fingers together in the universal gesture for cash. "No money, no parts! No deal! And no one else has a T-14 hyperdrive, I promise you that."
Watto was probably telling the truth. Dealers kept track of one another, and if anyone else had a hyperdrive to sell, this fellow might not have been so stubborn about the credits. Well, perhaps they could trade something from the ship for a new drive.
But for now. They needed to leave and make a new plan as Jinn headed back into the Junk Shop as Jar Jar pulls a part out of a stack of parts to inspect it, and they all come tumbling down. He struggles to catch them, only to knock more down. While Anakin, Iris and Padmé are oblivious.
"...wouldn't have lasted long if I weren't so good at fixing things. I'm making my own droid..." Anakin explained to the females.
"A droid?" Iris wondered, eyebrow in the air.
"Yep," Anakin answered with a nod.
"You must be very skilled in mechanics if you can build a droid," the female Jedi admits.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Only before anything else can be said Qui-Gon hurries into the shop, followed by Artoo and said; "We're leaving."
Jar Jar was quick to follow Qui-Gon a look. Padmé gives a small wave before follow behind the Jedi Master.
Iris sent the boy a small smile as she started to follow after everyone, "I'm glad I met you ...ah..." What was his name again?
"...Anakin." he answered.
"Anakin." Iris repeated.
"Anakin Skywalker."
So he did have a full name. Iris realized. "Iris Eaton."
"I'm glad I met you too." Anakin yelled back as she started to exit the build before giving a small mumble, "Iris."
Watto enters the junk yard, shaking his head, grumbling, "Outlanders! They think because we live so far from the center, we don't know nothing."
Anakin shrugged his shoulders. They didn't seem that bad. Outlanders sure, but they were very kind. "They seemed nice to me."
"Clean the racks, then you can go home," Watto ordered the child.
Anakin leaped off his spot on the countertop and lets out a "Yipee" and runs out the back to complete the task.
.
.
.
Chapter 4 is complete.
Iris and Anakin have met and she thinks he might have the Force. (I tried to make their conversation slightly different from Anakin and Padmé's within the film.) But she's also focus on her mission to protect Padmé and will keep Anakin out of her mind for the time being. (Cause the Queen of Naboo is the number one thing she needs to focus on.)
Plus, Qui-Gon thinks something more is going on with Padmé, the Queen, and Iris. Because with Iris joining the group he knows something else is going on since she should be protecting the Queen, but the Queen gave an order to bring her along, he's not going to argue. (But it will be brought up later.)