Chapter One: Discovering A Lost Soul.
A teenage boy sat in the middle of a large cave, his eyes shut and his body bare save his robed shorts. But that was all he wore.
Above him floated two golden crystals, glowing brightly as they turned in the crisp cool air.
Metal parts that had been placed on the floor next to the boy began to float around the crystals, like a small vortex, eventually taking the shape of two cylindrical objects.
The parts and crystals meshed together, creating two separate casings of Lightsabers.
The boy opened his eyes, their colour a crystal blue. And he smiled, glad to see he had succeeded in his task.
This was Anakin 'Anara' Visla. Brother of Pre Visla. He was a force sensitive Mandalorian that had been stolen by a hostile faction and hidden on Tattooine, eventually they sold him off to the Hutts. Thankfully though, he had been discovered and brought back to his rightful place.
But first, there are some things you should know.
When he was a captive of the Hutts, a young woman by the name of Shmi Skywalker took him in and cared for him as her own, giving him the name 'Anakin'. She loved him, and him her. that was until, they tried to make an escape.
Her sentence was to be thrown into the Pits, where she would thus be eaten by the Rancor, a horrible and slow death. One which at the time three year old Anakin was witness too.
It still haunts his nightmares...
Years later, Anakin grew up to be a well toned young boy. Where he was given to a Toydarian by the name of Watto, after his mistress (Gardulla) lost him in a bet.
Watto wasn't originally cruel, but he wasn't nice to the boy either. He caught on to Anakin's gift with machinery and used him to repair, customise and even build new systems for pod racers, droids and speeders. Allowing Watto to gain a vast wealth of credits, none of which he shared with the boy.
Due to his greed, Watto forced Anakin to work more and more, disciplining the boy with a whip when he grew too tired or took to long of a break.
Anakin knew his life was difficult, but it was all he knew...but one day, he snapped. Having enough.
Watto had hired a lovely young female dancer, one which looked strikingly similar to his late adoptive mother. Watto started to get a little too...friendly with the dancer, and she tried to warn him off. Watto slapped her and was going to force himself on her- Only for his neck to feel constrained.
His eyes bulged as oxygen failed to go to his lungs, his face turning pale as he glared at the woman before him.
Anakin had never felt such anger from within himself before, such power...such strength. And with a single clench of his fist, Watto's spine snapped.
Guilt and horror quickly overcame the boy, but he didn't waste any time.
Anakin quickly attended to the dancer, calming her down and offering her any medical assistance from Watto's abuse. She refused it and instead helped him find the slave control unit within the house, switch it off and then promised not to say anything before bidding him a goodbye. She was grateful he stopped Watto from...shaming her.
Now alone, Anakin feared what would happen should the authorities or other slave masters heard about Watto's death. So he took his fofmer master's speeder and buried the body out somewhere in the dune sea.
Afterwards he returned to the house and cleaned up the place, making it look more hospitable. He thought up a clever scheme.
Watto would be 'offworld' leaving Anakin to head the shop, he was a trustworthy slave and would do business in stead of his master.
It went well for three years, until a robed figure, an ugly alien and a young girl walked into the room.
"Hello, we'd like to have a look around if we could. We're looking for parts for a Nubian hyperdrive." The man told him, giving the boy a small, friendly smile.
"My master is away on business, he left me to conduct deals in his stead. I can help you, what specific parts do you need?" Anakin replied.
"Master.. you're a slave?" the girl exclaimed, pity and horror in his eyes.
Anakin frowned, turning to look at the slightly older girl with anger in his eyes. "I'm a person, my name is Anakin."
She apologised, looking away quickly so as to hide her shame.
The robed man on the other hand, took notice of the anger and markings on the boys wrist. He felt the coldness in the room...
This boy was force sensitive, but dark and twisted. Not fallen, just without a guide or teacher. He probably could only use his powers on instinct.
"We apologise Anakin, My name is Qui Gon Jinn, this is Padme and Jar Jar. Here is a list of the parts." The man said, giving the boy a metal data slip.
Anakin looked it over, nodding his head as he recognised the order.
"Hmm, sure thing. We got those out back. I can show you if you want to check before purchasing?" he offered, not to many people trusted a kid around here. But that was how it is.
"That's quite alright. I trust you." The man replied with a small smile.
Anakin shrugged and pulled up ghe bill. "That will be thirteen thousand credits for the hyperdrive parts, and with the extras you asked for that will be another fifteen hundred. But just because I like you, thirteen hundred."
"That's kind of you, here is your money." Qui Gon replied, holding the republic amount for him.
"Uhh, if you're using republic credits then I'm gonna have to up the price. Republic money isn't good around here, sorry but this is the best I can do." Anakin sighed, taking the bill back before adding the extra numbers.
They seemed nice, but he couldn't hand out freebies. He's got friends to feed, as well as himself.
"Twenty thousand?" Padme gasped, horrified by the price.
"Hey, I'm still giving you the discount lady. It would be 24 if you went anywhere else." Anakin shrugged.
"Thank you, we appreciate your kindness and hospitality. We're actually looking for a place to stay, we were told a sandstorm is coming in soon." Qui Gon interjected, calming them both. He then paid Anakin and a droid came in using a hover lift to deliver the parts.
"You can hang in here, water is free but food will be a credit or two. Its expensive." The boy replied with another shrug, going off to fetch a jug and some cups for his guests.
"You live alone Anakin?"
"I guess, I mean D7 and R3 are good card players but it can get lonely I suppose." He replies.
"Your master is away often?"
Anakin's hands clenched. "Yeah, he prefers the forest world's compared to all this...sand. its rough, irritating and gets everywhere." The boy shuddered, disdain evident in his tone.
"How long have you been in his...employment?" Qui Gon asked.
"Four, maybe five years. I was three when he won me off Gardulla the Hutt."
"The Hutts enslaved you?" Padme murmured, horrified by this.
"Yeah, you want the whole gruesome story princess?" Anakin sarcastically replied with a small glare. She was really getting on his nerves, too curious for her own good.
She looked away again, an embarrassed blush on her face.
"Is itsa just a meesa, or did it itsa get a colder in here?" Jar Jar laughed nervously, fingering his collar.
Anakin closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, and much to Qui Gon's shock the cold and dark feeling disappeared, replaced by a warm light.
"Sorry, I don't like talking about the past. I prefer to stay in the here and now." Anakin replied, his body becoming more relaxed.
"Maker, I have gathered some refreshments." A gold and silver plated protocol droid stated as it walked out from behind a door.
"Thank you C-3p0, put them on the table for our guests."
~ - ~
"No, I cannot leave here. It is all I know...its where my mother died." Anakin refused.
"I understand, but You can be trained to use the force, you will be well cared for and could become very powerful. Your mother wished a better life for you, did she not?" Qui Gon tried.
"I don't want power, I'm fine where I am. I help when I can, and for now that is good enough. I Don't need charity or help, besides you only want me for my gifts. You would not offer this to a regular person which makes you no better than a Slaver in my book." The boy replied, although he sounded unsure. Part of him didn't want to leave what he knew, while another part did. Yearning for adventure.
About to try and defend himself, Qui-Qon froze, understanding overtaking him.
"You don't have a master do you.." Qui-Qon realised. The boy was too confident, too self assured. He saw through certain things, he could not have still been under a harsh master's leash.
"I am my own master, don't test me Jedi. I have been hospitable, but you are pushing my patience." Anakin warned, his eyes narrowing.
He was still tempted, but he would not be found out by a stranger. No matter how good he seemed to be.
Qui-Qon felt a shiver go down his spine, and he swore he heard the sound of a respirator before it faded away. This child was not to be trifled with. He did not fear the boy, just what he could become.
If he was the chosen one, then his destiny would be left to the force. Either way there would be balance, should he interfere or not. Of that, he was confident.
"Very well, but a planet is in peril. With their citizens possibly on the brink of becoming slaves, would you not wish to stop this. Perhaps even help it from happening?" He asked Anakin, causing the boy to sigh.
Damn this Jedi and his reasoning!
"Fine...don't make me regret this." He muttered, closing up shop before following them out.
"Weesa going now? Oh, weesa is going now." Jar Jar blinked, having been distracted by the food.
Padme went up to say something, possibly an apology to Anakin. But at the last moment she turned around and walked out, too cowardly to talk to the boy as she did not wish to offend him or worse, embarrass herself once again.
~ - ~
"Dank Farrick! Are You kidding me? This hyperdrive is a mess" Anakin said, having taken apart the different 'fixes' Obi Wan had made while Qui-Qon and the others had gone.
"I did my best." The padawan muttered, annoyance in his tone.
He didn't like the boy, he was cold, stern and just seemed overall...dark.
"I'm sure you did, but you see that coupling there? It's plugged into the wrong output. Meaning the plasma converters will overcharge and burn out, long story short, this ship had a eighty seven percent chance of going kaboom after going into Hyperspace." Anakin deadpanned.
Obi Wan went pale, as did Padmé and the others.
Jar Jar fainted, causing one of the Naboo guards to sigh and pick him up before taking him out of the engine room. The Gungan was really starting to get on his nerves...
"Obi Wan, you assured me that you had been taking your engineering classes at the temple!" Qui-Qon chastised.
"I have master...I just may have missed one or two." The young man replied meekly.
Qui Gon sighed, pinching the top of his nose. "Don't miss anymore, and next time I'LL check on the Hyperdrive."
"Yes master." Obi Wan winced.
"I'll have it fixed up in no time, and because your letting me come with you, I'll even do it for free." Anakin smirked, getting back under the various engine parts.
"Why Is the boy coming with us?" The queen asked.
"My name is Anakin, Your highness. And I don't want to see your people end up as slaves, like me. So I've decided to help." He replied, not coming out from under the engine parts.
"What help could you provide, if I may ask?"
Anakin pushed himself from underneath the engine, raised an eyebrow, and then gestured to the hyperdrive and other damaged pieces of machinery.
"Besides your technical expertise, I mean." The queen said.
"I can slice almost anything, I blended C-3P0's personality matrix with the intelligence of a tactical droid and also added...other modifications." Anakin replied with a smirk, clicking the fingers on his free hand.
C-3P0 held up his arm, which unfolded to reveal some kind of modified blaster. It then folded back into a normal protocol droid arm.
Anakin decided to continue: "Not to mention Im good at sneaking into places and out again, I could scout for you, help rescue prisoners. Plus I'm...decent with a blade."
The boy patted his sides, where two dagger sheaths could be seen.
"Ah..." with a quick glance to Padmé, the Queen then nodded before saying: "We welcome the help then, Anakin."
(End of chapter one)
This was inspired by Courtesy Treffin's 'Ruin of Sands'. I loved the idea and got permission to write my take on that story, but as a full fanfiction, not a one-shot. :)