Chapter 3 - The Tuskens

Anakin had done some dumb things before. In his haste of having fun with his friends, or trying to be adventurous. He always had common sense on what endangered his safety or his mother's. However when he went to the racetrack with Kitster on the intention of having a joyride in the pod racer before it was sold, it slipped from his mind the area where the Tusken Raiders had camped out on the track that morning. Because they were both in the cockpit and it was cramped they needed to go at a slower speed than was needed to avoid the gunfire. The right engine died immediately, and after the damage the left had sustained from the race the overload from it trying to pull the pod on its own was too much. It flared to life slightly but Anakin had no control over it. He managed to slow it down to stop the pod from smashing into the wall but it still hit with enough force to throw both him and Kit out of it. Anakin forced himself to his feet, but his whole body ached from the impact and he felt light headed. Kit was lying in the sand not moving. Anakin managed to get to him and verify he was still breathing, just knocked out. As he was thinking about how to get Kit out of the area a blaster shot hit the sand slightly to his right. He turned to see the three Tuskans standing behind him.

One holding a rifle and the other two gaffi sticks. They stated for a moment at each other before the one on the right moved forward with some rope and bound Anakin's hands together pulling him in a direction. The other checked on Kit before picking him up and throwing him over his right shoulder. The final one with the rifle seemed to be scanning the area looking for any other people in the area, looking like he didn't believe two kids were out here alone.

They began walking in the opposite direction of the city and Anakin tried to memorise the distance as he walked. However the heat of the sun started to overwhelm him and he started to lose track of his counting and he soon lost track of how far they were. He just memorised the suns, where they were in the sky so he could walk the opposite direction later.

Kit soon started twitching in his sleep waking up. When he woke up he started to panic and the Tusken threw him over its shoulder dropping Kit on his back. He twisted on around and took off not caring about his direction, before getting yanked backwards. The Tusken had tied a rope around his waist foreseeing this happening. As he was getting to his feet the Tusken walked over to him and slapped him over his face knocking him to the ground. The leader Tusken handed his rifle to the one holding Anakin's rope, taking his gaffi stick in its place. The leader approached the other striking the blunt end of the gaffi stick into his stomach and then slapping him in the same way he did to Kit. The leader growled at the other, and the one that was struck got to his own feet pulling his own gaffi stick from his shoulder. After a stare down between the two the other slung his gaffi stick over his shoulder again. The leader made some sounds in their tongue before retrieving his rifle from the other. The Tusken that was struck tied Kit's hand together similar to Anakin and threw the rope angrily to the third Tusken before they continued their walk.

"How long was I out?" Kit whispered to Anakin.

"An hour? Maybe just over." Anakin answered him. "After we crashed they bound my hands and we started walking west of the track. It's getting late now, the sun will set in another hour."

"Do you think we can run?"

"No. Even if we do get away we won't survive how cold the desert will get when the sun sets. We have to go with them, at least until the morning." Anakin answered him, his voice slightly croaked now from the heat and having no water.

"They could kill us tonight. And if we get back to their camp and there are more of them the odds of us escaping are even less."

"I don't think they'll harm us. They could have killed us at the track but didn't. Also when one of them hit you the leader there," he gestured to the one with the rifle. "Got angry enough to hit one of his own. Maybe they have a rule against harming children?"

"That's a big guess Ani. It's our lives if you're wrong."

"Just guessing, besides we don't have any options but to plan on what we-"he was cut off when the Tusken pulled their ropes harder making them stumble forward. He grunted in their language, although unknown the meaning was clear. 'Stop talking'.

The sky started to darken as what looked like a camp came into view, more Tuskens were gathered around the wood piled into the centre of the camp. The leader of their group hollered a few times as they approached the camp, a few more Tuskens moved forward to great them with a few massifs ran out to the group. The massif's started circling Kit and Anakin but pulled away when the leader howled a few light times before striking the butt of his rifle into the sand making them scurry back to the camp. Out of the largest tent emerged a Tusken that was undeniably the leader of this tribe, he had a few necklaces of an unknown material and his gaffi stick was decorated with what looked like animal skins from what must have been trophy kills. He approached the group of three and stopped in front of Anakin and Kit, looking like he was eying up and down the two evaluating them. The leader of their own group approached him speaking and seemingly signing at the same time, undoubtedly telling him how the two of them came to be in their custody. The tribe leader turned and signed back to him, after doing so he turned and returned back to his hut.

The two were pulled forward to the side of the campfire in the centre of the camp. Making them both sit down he the untied their hands and turned to leave. Just as Kit and Anakin shared a look debating whether they should run a massif growled at them before taking a seat in from of them both, making it clear they had no chance of running. After a few moments the leader Tusken brought back two black melons for the both of them. Kitster immediately broke his open and began chugging the water, Anakin punctured the side of his and began taking light sips from his own. The Tusken left again and this time returned with two rolled mats obviously bedding for both of them by the fire. Anakin's thoughts began on his mother and Qui Gon, wondering if they had already left the planet. The girl Padme and her Queen were on the planet and they had no reason to stay here when they had what they needed to leave. He had hoped that Padme might have been able to buy himself and his mother out of slavery and then he could go meet Qui Gon at the Jedi Temple. Qui Gon had told him that he himself was gifted and hinted that he would be able to become a Jedi. Anakin didn't know the restrictions on becoming one but he's pretty sure that he'd still be within the limits for becoming a Jedi. Anakin's thoughts then drifted to home and noticed that here seemed almost as calm, like people in the slave district that had finished working for the day and were winding down with their family. The exception was a few on the outside of the camp that were seemingly looking out in the distance for any threat as the suns were setting.

Kitster nudged Anakin as the massif moved away from them, as all the masssifs moved towards a part of the camp. "Now's a good time."

"Kitster, I said before we won't last in the cold of the night. It's not safe especially with the massif's being faster than us."

"They're eating now, I don't care I'll risk it."

"Kitster stop!" Anakin half whisper shouted. Trying not to let his voice give his friend away. Kitster jumped up and began sprinting out of the camp a few of the Tuskens looked up and noticed him running, one howled and a few massifs took off after Kitster. One caught up to him in no time at all and tackled him to the ground, the other got in front of started growling. One Tusken walked past Anakin towards Kitster and the two massifs, making some clicking sounds that were most likely commands to the massifs. Anakin, with the brief glance at the Tusken believed it to be the same Tusken that had struck Kitster earlier. The massifs got in front of Kitster and began herding Kitster back to the camp, another Tusken approached following the other. The first arrived in front on Kitster and raised his arm again in what look like a much stronger strike than the First one, only to have his arm caught by the Second. A stare down started between the two as if the first had to make a choice on what to do next. As Anakin watched someone stopped right beside him and looking it was the Chief of the tribe, not even paying attention to Anakin focused on the two. The Second Tusken spoke to the massif's guarding Kitster and began shepherding him back to the camp. The two Tuskens still staring at each other before finally the Second broke the look and turning towards the chief howled towards him.

The chief nodded towards the two before howling louder than any time Anakin had ever heard before, reaching up to cover his ears. Every Tusken in the camp froze for a moment before looking towards the two before all joining in howling with the chief. Suddenly they all ran towards the two forming a circle around them, the two in question left the circle moving back towards the camp seemingly picking out their respective gaffi sticks. The chief looked down towards Anakin motioning for him to join the group. He did as told and got up moving towards the circle. Walking with the chief as the got to Kitster the Chief grabbed him by the arm and dragged him towards the circle.

"Let go!" Kitster shouted struggling to get out of his grasp. The circle parted making room for the chief, and when they arrived he threw Kitster into the sand making him slightly inside the circle.

Every Tusken was howling and shouting making incredible noise. Anakin was beside the Chief and looked up towards him, and the Chief looked back down to him. He then looked at Kitster and back to Anakin before shaking his head. Anakin could tell now whatever was happening Kitster was now a part of it, and he was not allowed to interfere. The two arrived back and moved inside the circle now armed with gaffi sticks. Silence filled the group as the chief spoke a few words in his language, the two having a single response to him and everyone else present. Suddenly the two started fighting and the group began howling again, as the two struck and bashed one another. The fight was not friendly and was definitely to the death, neither were holding back in their strikes trying to overpower the other. Kitster got to his feet to try and get out of the circle only to get shoved back further into it. The First Tusken slid his gaffi stick down the other's and the blade catching part of his right arm in the process. The Second howled stepping back trying to make distance but the first following not giving him breathing space. Struggling to keep up the first pinned the Seconds gaffi stick on the ground, only for the Second to let got and punch the First right in the face. Stumbling back the first was stunned by the blow, and the Second used the chance to pick up his gaffi stick. The First regained his composure rushing forward with a new fury with the Second struggling to keep up with his injured arm. The First used this to overpower his right side before spinning his gaffi stick and striking him heavily on the right side of his head. The Second dropped to the ground not moving, the First letting out a howl of victory. The group still howling at the fight as the First Tusken turned to Kitster. Kitster began crawling backwards as the Tusken approached him with his gaffi stick the bladed end out in front. Anakin started to move forward but the Chief held a surprisingly gentle hand on his shoulder stopping him.

"I'm sorry, I won't run again." Kitster stammered out getting to the edge of the circle only to get thrown back forwards towards the Tusken advancing towards him landing at his knees.

The Tusken raised his gaffi stick high intending on stabbing Kitster only for the Second Tusken to appear behind the First sticking the blunt part of his gaffi stick in the first's ribs. The First howled in pain falling to his side, the second not wasting any time was already beside him striking him again this time in the head. The First stopped howling and collapsed flat of the ground. The Second stood above him and swung his club down another time on his head seeming crushing it on the spot. The Second Tusken stood victorious in the circle for a few moments before turning towards Kister himself.

"What now?! You won! It's over!" Kitster shouted to the Second as he himself approached him. The Second grabbed Kitster and threw him down in front of the First's now lifeless body. Kitster again tried to move away before the Second forcefully grabbed his head forcing him to look at the dead Tusken. The Chief howled to the group and they immediately moved back towards the camp with the Chief turning Anakin to go with the group, however himself staying put.

The Winning Tusken moved back to camp holding his injured arm not getting any help as the Chief stared down towards Kitster. His emotions unreadable the Chief turned and returned back into his camp leaving Kitster standing there alone with the dead Tusken.

After a few moments Kitster returned sheepishly to the camp as well, the eyes of a few Tuskens seemingly judging him but not acting in any way towards him. Taking a seat beside Anakin he was silent and not knowing what to say to his friend Anakin chose to remain silent as well.

Soon a Tusken approached Anakin with a strip of cooked meat handing it to him. Anakin hungrily bit into it finding the meat a bit tough but nice. After a few bites he realise none was being given to Kitster and began tearing his meat in half for him, holding it towards him.

The Second Tusken that was bandaging his arm stopped and gave a few grunts towards to the two stopping them in their tracks. He signed in his hands that Kitster was not to eat.

"He can have some of mine then." Anakin replied still holding the meat out to Kitster.

The Tusken motion to the sky in a wave like the sun, and pointed at Anakin then crossed both arms. Anakin believed that the translation was 'no extra food for himself.'

"I'm ok with that."

The Tusken seemingly satisfied with that answer resumed bandaging his arm.

Kitster took the meat and had a few bites before stoping. "Why did they do that?" He question Anakin.

"I think the First one wanted to hurt you for trying to escape. And because he'd already done that the Second challenged him for your life. The winner would choose if you lived or not."

"That's barbaric."

"They left you alone and aren't taking any precautions to keep you here. I think you can leave at any time and they won't care."

"So what I'm a pet?"

"More like we're children, and one that doesn't accept hospitality of their hosts that can't communicate with us but very clumsily."

"I didn't ask to be here!"

"No, but we are safer here that out there right now. And one of their own just killed another so you, an outsider could live."

Kister looked down knowing that was the truth of what happened. The First had intended to kill him there in that circle, his body still just outside the camp in the dark.