Chapter 7 - Tatooine after the Storm

Anakin stirred in his sleep. He was plagued with bad dreams in his state of unconsciousness but unable to wake up he was forced to endure them. He saw a dark monolith of a man commanding troops on all battlefields. Through swamps and forests. To crumbling cities and even deserts that resembled Tatooine. The fighting was brutal, with the leaders own troops resembling ghosts on the battlefield.

But he noticed the admiration and the leadership the leader covered in darkness had among his troops. When they were too scared to move or pinned down by an inferno of fire he was charging through the fire and helped his men regain their composure and run through the flames as well. All battlefields this army travelled with their leader was a victory to them.

Finally Anakin awoke from his slumber able to look around himself. All the sand parted away from him and no more were the body of his friend or the Tuskens around him. Looking around for any sign he spotted a small amount of rocks to his right. Not knowing where else to go and looking at the sky he notice it would be dark soon. As he approached he saw an opening for what seemed like a cave to the formation. After carefully checking inside the entrance he found that it was uninhabited and just as the suns were setting. Looking out he saw a shine in the distance. He realised that was Mos Eisly, but its distance was too far in the dark to travel to safely. He would need to wait for the morning. After what happened today even when he passed out he was still incredibly tired and needed to sleep. He found a corner of the cave that was out of sight and laying down he soon fell asleep.

Qui Gon stored in the sands as finally the storm passed. Only a few seconds of the wind blowing and his whole body felt numb on his impact with the ground. Pushing himself up he felt pain in his left wrist but not enough to stop him from completing the motion.

He looked around and could see the storm moving away from him far in the distance, the wall of sand blowing through Tatooine not knowing where it will stop. His speeder was completely smashed from being thrown in the storm and he was thankful he was thrown from it before it was smashed to pieces.

The force was still swirling on the planet and it was not something he had ever encountered before. This reinforced what he believed in the first place. Anakin was the chosen one, no being was capable of something like this even under the best of circumstances. He needed to immediately find him now, he doubted the Jedi would reject him due to this occurrence. But they might now be fearful of what Anakin was capable of provided he did this when he was only nine years old.

Qui Gon searched the area around where he crashed on foot for as long as he could before the sun began setting. Luckily he had supplies on the speeder in case he got stuck somewhere out here in the desert while searching for Anakin. He started a fire while the sun was setting, hopefully if Anakin was anywhere nearby he would see the fire and come to himself tonight.

The Jedi aboard the ship were murmuring to each other on their thoughts on what what they would find on Tatooine. A few had thoughts on what they would find and that the boy in question had no part on what happened, others that the boy was an apprentice of someone already and this was a trap for themselves.

The end result was that no one had any idea on what to expect, and they needed to be on high alert for anything.

"Everyone your attention please." Master Plo Koon got all the Jedi aboard the ship. "We will soon arrive on Tatooine in just over six hours. We have had no further information sent to us from the council so we will proceed with caution while there. Something Padowan Kennobi failed to mention on his initial debriefing is the world is mainly controlled by the Hutt clans."

"They are not going to be happy with Jedi being in the area master. Are we going in unarmed and in different robes?" A Padowan asked.

"Partly, I would like our lightsabers be kept hidden from sight. Our robes are close enough to a common dress for a desert planet, so those won't need to be changed. However I will break us up into two groups under myself and Master Koth to draw less attention and cover more ground in our search."

"What exactly is the mission Masters?"

"Our first priority is finding Master Qui Gon. After that it is finding the boy in question that he found. Finally find any clues to the whereabouts of the hostile person that attacked the Queen's ship. We don't know if the boy was the cause of the force being called to the planet but it is most likely. If the boy cannot be found then we are to evacuate Master Qui Gon back to Coruscant."

"Is it right to leave a potential threat out there if we cannot find any trace of them?" A knight asked.

"There are higher threats right now. Right now we have a planet that is under a foreign power and an unknown hostile working against their efforts to reclaim their planet. As unfortunate as it is we cannot go freeing every slave in sight on Tatooine." Master Koth answered him making a few of the Padowans and Knights exchange looks with each other.

Hours later the ship arrived on Tatooine and the Jedi departed. As planned they split into two groups with the two Master on the Council leading both groups. They had communication between the two but if things were to get hostile on the planet the plan was to get back to the ship. It was still a few hours before the sun rose and Master Koth had started his search on the Norther side of the city and Master Plo Koon began in the slave district.

The suns began to rise in the horizon and the groups seemed no closer to finding the boy or Master Qui Gon. After some searching they did find the boy's mother and she was not too happy by their presence, stating that this was the third day her son was missing and Jedi arriving had no information for her.

Master Plo Koon left one of the Padowans with the mother in case the boy returned while the rest continued their search. Later in the morning eventually they found Master Qui Gon.

"Master Koth." Qui Gon greeted him with a slight bow at their meeting.

"Master Jinn." He answered with a slight nod in return. "We have been dispatched by the council to investigate the force anomaly that occurred yesterday. We have reason to believe it was the boy in question that your Padowan Obi Wan reported on his arrival to the Council."

"I believe it was him as well Master. I have been searching for him for the past three days with little success. I found the transport he was on the day he went missing looking like it was attacked but he was nowhere to be found." Qui Gon answered. "At the time of the incident a sand storm also swept over the area and destroyed my transport I was on, I only managed to walk back to the city this morning."

"We also need information on the assailant that attacked the Queen's transport as well. An unknown being attacked your Padowan and the transport and they were forced to evacuate, we were told by Obi Wan that he believed it to be a Sith or Dark Jedi." A knight informed Qui Gon.

Qui Gon showed a bit of worry on his face. "I was aware that the Queen evacuated but didn't know the reason. I assumed it was raiders or maybe even a group that forced the Queen to evacuate immediately. How is my Padowan?"

"He's fine. Made his report to the council and informed us of what happened here. The Queen in on Coruscant now making her case to the Senate for aid. We were hoping you knew more about the assailant after the attack but he must have left the planet after his attack." Master Koth informed him. "We were told to assist you in finding the child but if no trace is to be found then we are to evacuate you and return to the Council."

"I know the council is eager for answers on what happened here but it is not an order I can follow master." Qui Gon answered with his irritation clear in his voice.

"This is a direct order from the Council."

"As a fellow Master I have the right to ignore that order even from the council. There is more at stake here than you think."

"Yes we know about the boy. The prophecy that you speak of holds no ground, especially with the Sith already being destroyed." Master Koth answered him. "We need to react to what is happening now, and right now you are needed off this planet."

"Feel free to return to the council and relay to them I will not return without Anakin. This bickering has already wasted time that could be used better." Qui Gon retorted bluntly walking past his fellow Jedi.

Anakin woke late morning from what he could tell by the place of the suns. He was desperate for something to drink but he knew he had to return to Mos Easly to get that. He set out from the caves to return home and began the long walk back home to his mother. After hours of walking he finally got to the edge of the city with a few people wandering around. He must have looked terrible because an elderly woman approached him asking if he was ok.

"I could use some water." He managed to get out from his dry throat.

She nodded and handed him a water flask she had slung over her shoulder. "Do you get caught out in that storm from yesterday?" She asked him.

Anakin hesitated for a moment. "Something like that. I managed to find some shelter for the night and just now walked back." He answered then taking a few mouthfuls of water.

"You're lucky then son. I've never seen a storm like that move that fast with no warning at all."

"Yes, thank you for the water." Anakin said handing it back to her. Looking around taking in the area he pointed in one direction. "It's that way back to the slave districts right?"

The old woman had a slight look of sadness on her face as she nodded. "Yes. Take care of yourself son."

Anakin began his walk in that direction hoping his mother wasn't too worried about him, and Watto wouldn't be too mad. Anakin began his walk back before a voice that sounded slightly synthetic stopped him in his tracks.

"You there boy." Anakin turned to see what looked like a Kel Dor dressed in Jedi robes approaching him. To his left was another human Jedi human male. Anakin a puzzled look at the alien as he nodded on his walk over to Anakin. "Yes you." He stated now in front of Anakin. Kneeling down to his eye level to put the boy slightly at ease. "Are you by chance Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes." He answered.

"I'm Jedi Master Plo Koon. My fellow Jedi and I were sent here after yourself and Master Qui Gon failed to meet up with your transport when it left."

"I thought Qui Gon left already why did he stay?"

"We are believe before leaving he was looking to purchase your own freedom and bringing you to see us."

Anakin was genuinely surprised at this notion. Most people on Tatooine didn't repay good fortune or repay kindness. "I've been away from home for three days now. Can I go home and see my mum?"

"Of course child." Plo Koon answered with a nod before standing up.

"Master." The Jedi next to him interrupted. "We have the boy with us now. If he is going to Coruscant is this really needed?"

"The boy should have the right to say goodbye to the parents that raised him. We need to meet up with Master Koth anyway let us meet outside his home."

The Knight nodded before pulling out his comm unit and telling the other team that they found Anakin and were taking him to see his parents.

"Mum!" Anakin called out as he entered his home with his mother looking up from the kitchen counter and rushing over to him and pulling him into a hug.

"Where were you?" She asked with the worry that was clear in her voice.

"It's a long story. But the pod was shot by Tuskens, me and…." Anakin started before remembering what happened to Kitster.

Sensing his uneasiness Shmi pulled him into a tighter of a hug.

The Jedi that was waiting with Shmi began moving outside and was about to call his Masters back to the residence before realising Master Plo Koon was outside.

"Mum they said they wanted to take me to the Jedi."

Shmi pulled away and looked at him in the eyes. "Yes. I know. Qui Gon told me just after you left that he wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to Coruscant with him."

"I can't go without Watto letting me go."

"Qui Gon managed to win your freedom from Watto." She replied with a slight smile on her face.

Anakin started to form a big smile on his face before it faded. "What about you? You're coming too, right Mum?"

"No Ani. My own freedom wasn't something Qui Gon could get."

Anakin eyes started to water at the realisation that his mother would have to stay here in slavery. "I don't want to leave without you Mum."

"Honey." Shmi spoke holding her hand up to Anakin's face. "The time would always come when you would leave home. You were always going to do great things and change things. It's just happening sooner than we both thought it would."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"What does your heart tell you?"

"Yes, I think it does."

"Then we will. Keep that in your heart and one day you'll make it happen."

"I will come back and free you mum. I promise."

"I know you will. We need to get you ready to leave with them now." She told him as she walked him to his room to help him pack.

Anakin walked out of his home with his backpack to see more Jedi and Qui Gon waiting for them outside.

"I'm beginning to see what your mother said about you having a habit of getting into trouble Anakin." Qui Gon stated looking at Anakin with the same look a parent gives a child that caused damage to the family's home.

"Sorry Qui Gon sir." Anakin answered looking slightly down.

"You are still young Anakin. You need to show maturity by owning up to your actions when you know they were wrong."

"Yes sir." Anakin said looking up to him.

"I assume your mother told you about what we have planned next?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll give you a moment to say goodbye."

"We've already done that Qui Gon. Thank you for staying and searching for my son." Shmi told him.

"Your welcome ma'am." Qui Gon answered her nodding.

"I need to make one more stop before we go." Anakin told Qui Gon.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for that son." Master Koth answered the boy as he stepped forward. "The rest of the Jedi Council is waiting for our arrival and wishes to see you."

"That can-"Master Qui Gon started.

"It is needed for us to know what that 'stop' is young one." Master Plo Koon interrupted knowing where Qui Gon was going with this. "If you have more business on this planet young one we need to know what it is."

Anakin nodded. "I had a friend that was with me before yesterday, I need to tell his father and mother what happened."

Qui Gon looked over to his fellow Jedi nodding in agreement. "I think we can spare a moment before our departure."

Master Koth knew even if this boy would not become a Jedi this would still be a valuable lesson for a child to learn from. He simply nodded in agreement, not wishing to say it out loud.