21 - What do you mean, mud?
"Dee-Jay?"
"Yes Anakin, you have a question?" I say.
Anakin stops, he looks at the drive flares in the sky, then back to me.
"What is going on?" he asks.
"The Outer Rim Squadron is launching today. They will patrol, interdict and capture Slave ships. Part of a campaign to free those who have been enslaved and make it difficult and expensive to continue the practice." I say. At considerable expense too. The fast cruisers Amidala ordered were not cheap. Then again, the various Systems who paid for them, feel that the dent in piracy will justify the expense.
Anakin looks back again.
"How can you be so calm?" he says.
"Because I am at peace. Because this is good." I say.
Anakin turns and grabs me by the shoulders.
"She's throwing herself into danger! It's all my fault!" he says.
"Grete? How is it all your fault?" I say.
Anakin looks at me blankly.
"What do you mean. If I hadn't yelled at her, said those things, she would be here, she would be safe!" he says.
"You may have spurred her to immediate action, but I think you will find that signing up was on her mind as something to do after schooling. If we asked her parents I think you will find out that she was considering it. Just, not right now." I say.
"But, but, what if she gets hurt? Or, or killed? Palpatine says..." says Anakin the sentence dying on his mouth.
"Palpatine? The Supreme Chancellor? What did he say?" I say. Rather redundantly, Anakin's unlikely to have been corresponding with Gustas Palpatine, local fruit grower.
Anakin looks away. Well, least you recognise now it was appalling advice.
"Nothing good. I see that now." he says.
"Did he tell you that Grete was trying to steal your affections? That she just wanted you as a trophy? To drive a wedge between you and Padme? That she didn't really care?" I say.
Anakin's wide eyes tell me I've been pretty accurate.
"How can you know that?" he says.
"I have some insight into the mind of the Chancellor. He has spent his life in pursuit of power and so finds it difficult to ascribe pure motives to others." I say. True too. "He was the one to suggest being rather forceful in rejecting her?"
"Yeah, it was. It seemed so good at the time." he says shaking his head.
"That was your jealousy and anger getting the better of you. He sought to use you, to trick you into harming those you love." I say.
"Why?"
"Palpatine, and those like him see things in only in terms of power, who is in control of who. Imagine if in the following weeks Grete was badly injured or killed in action. He would hold this against you, suggesting it was your fault. He would ask you to do other things using that guilt against you." I say.
"No. He's always been so helpful. He listens. He says he understands. He likes racers." says Anakin.
Palpy's a speed freak too? Really?
"And how was his first piece of real advice? Did it help? Or almost drive off a good friend?" I say.
"Grete hates me." grouses Anakin. Force save me from moody teenagers.
"Yes, she's angry with you. But I don't think she hates you. She only punched you in the gut. She could have aimed lower." I say.
Anakin grimaces, then nods.
"There is that. So, you don't think I should trust the Chancellor?" he says.
That's an understatement.
"I would question his motives. His advice almost ruined a good friendship. Why? Also, consider. That little war just before we met? Who did very well out of that again?" I say as we continue walking home.
----
"You're a fool." accuses Abby. Today's torture is, being strapped down to a bed?
"I get that. A lot. Which particular foolishness are we discussing today?"
"Do you truly think your toy will be safe from me? What are ships and troops to me?"
"It's not a question of safe. It's a question of growth. The experience will be good for her. Besides, your influence on the material is limited, without a champion or, a master."
I have been learning. A common theme regarding the most powerful dark side adepts through history is that they sought out a being of immense power. Abby, not always by name, but you learn the signs. Through her, they gain access to incredible power, but always at a price. Course, once you are powerful enough to summon Abby you've drunk way too much Kool-Aid already.
Abby's view of material life is thus rather skewed, and warped. Crazed lunatics, fanatics, psychopaths and victims are who she normally deals with. I may be one of the few relatively sane beings to have spoken at length to her.
"You know nothing!" she says as a glowing red whip extends from her hand.
Only relatively sane, since what I am attempting is both questionable and impossible. May as well change the charge of the electrons. After all, they post date her if I am right.
"I know you have suffered immense loss. Unbearable. Unfathomable. I can still help." I say.
Can I? Only one way to find out. Do, or do not.
"Why do you keep saying that?" she screams, lashing out.
"Because if you want to change you need someone to help." I say.
There is a brief pause, as if the being actually is considering my offer. Then it is back to the screaming, torture and mutilation.
Do I call this progress?
-----
The next day we have an early morning meditation and exercise class outside. I've heard that there are such classes across Naboo, even spreading to other systems. I would say they're little more than yoga classes, except that the Force is real. So something is going on. All I know is I don't have to lead the classes anymore. This morning it's a rather nervous looking couple who keep giving me nervous looks.
"It was a good session. I feel centred and ready for the challenges of the day." I say when they ask me afterwards.
"That's a relief. We're not real Jedi you know." says Kayne.
"Being a Jedi is not about power, but faith, heart and love." I say.
They nod.
"Which one is greatest?" says Danielle.
"Isn't it obvious? What binds you, surrounds you, holds you together? It is love."
Ol Saul and I may disagree on a great many things, but with this, he was on the money.
Not long after, Anakin and I are alone.
"What now Dee-Jay?" he asks.
"There are several options available to you. Corellia, Neforaan, Inva Mula or something else." I say.
Anakin looks pensive.
"Or maybe you feel we aid the Outer Rim Squadron?" I say.
"You don't think so?" says Anakin.
"We could. Make sure those we love are safe, protected?" I say.
"Well, yeah. What's wrong with that?" he says, a little confused.
"Should we protect those we love from all harm?"
"Yes. Of course."
"Even at the cost of their own growth, their own freedom?" I say.
"What, do you mean?" says Anakin.
"Imagine you saw someone drowning. Would you rescue them?" I say.
"Of course." says Anakin.
"Now if they were about to dive into a pool. Would you stop them? Even if you knew they were a poor swimmer?" I say.
"No?"
"Just so Anakin. Just so."
There is a pause as Anakin thinks this over.
"Shayla's not a good swimmer, is she?" he says.
"No. It is amazing what she is doing. I am happy at the choice she finally made. It wasn't an easy one." I say.
"Did you foresee it?" Anakin asks.
"Not in a precise sense. It was hard to miss the pamphlets or her emotions at any recruitment holo that played." I say.
"So you did know."
"Yes, but it was her decision, not mine. Just as where we go next is your decision." I say.
Anakin thinks on this as we walk.
"Can I have some advice?" he asks.
-----
In the end Anakin decides to visit the Jedi Terraforming Corps operating on Neforaan. I can't say I was entirely neutral in my decision. Improving and making a world habitable while low profile and looked down upon by those already having benefited from it sounds like one of those largely overlooked good things the Jedi do. As a non-stabby Force related activity I would have welcomed it even if it meant planting trees or tending algae farms for a year. As it turns out that's what they put on the brouchures. Neforaan is shrouded in cloud, it rains constantly and I spend days on end squelching through mud keeping goddamn smeeps alive and away from various machines. Two months in and I am tired, cold, miserable and I really miss Shayla. What was I thinking?
Anakin loves it.
I am not sure what Master Zhalen thought when we turned up announcing we would be helping for a year. A quick call to Coruscant confirmed that I was legit and also, not totally insane. Who chooses terraforming over all the high diplomacy and aggressive negotiating Jedi do? After a quick assessment of my technical skills, that is none, I was assigned to smeep herding. Smeep are, well my first thought was 'giant tribble' and that's not far off. As far as I can tell, they are furry, have eight limbs for crawling about and they spend their existence eating, mating, pooping and popping out more smeep. If they were not covered in mud and rain I would guess they look cute. Not that it matters. Smeep also make your average sheep look like Stephen Hawking. While they are here to breed fast, make tons of fertiliser and then die they are not supposed to die gummed in an atmo processor. Or fall into a borehole, wander off and die in an unformed area or any of the creative ways the most stupid creatures in the damn Galaxy can find to inconveniently off themselves. The stupid things can bang themselves to death, for example. Breaking up a smeep orgy is not, I repeat, not for the faint hearted.
Anakin on the other hand is a whizz at anything mechanical that got him on tending to the giant machines, the transport fleet and every other thing that breaks down. Which they did, a lot before we showed up. Anakin spends his days leading the tech crews on repair, maintenance and various upgrade projects. Evenings and days off are spent playing sports, meditating or with a group of the younger members being, well, teenagers.
"Anakin!" calls out Amelia as my charge approaches the shower block. One advantage of this place. Water is in abundance. No sonics here. I pause in trudging back to my room to watch one of the few sources of entertainment. The Anakin show. Watch Anakin hold various admirers off at arms length. If I wasn't from a very liberal and secular society I might find all this suffering and holding out noble or something. I might even have thought that were I not looking forward to another ten standard months of smeep wrangling. As it stands I am using all my stoic space knightness to not grin or laugh at the ongoing antics. Anakin vs Amelia, round three. Ding ding.
Anakin turns round to regard Amelia, a cute young terraformer whose excavation walker has recently come down with all manner of technical issues that apparently only Skywalker can see too. Not that any machine on this forsaken world doesn't need regular maintenance and I'm sure most of the glitches are real, just not urgent.
"Yes?" he says.
"Bunch of us are taking Crawler Four to monitor the Ion Storm on the Karga Flats. I could use your help with that." says Amelia.
"I, um, don't I have to review Terkali's Conciliation of the Ghazi?" says Anakin looking in my direction. Amelia looks my way too.
"No Anakin, I believe you're mistaken. That would be tomorrow night, or the one after possibly." I say.
"Dee-Jay!" says Anakin in surprise.
"What? You know, this sounds important. Perhaps Amelia needs your attentions. To aid in the observations of course." I say.
Amelia smiles and blushes at such agreement.
"But, but. I need to get cleaned up. You don't want me all cooped up smelling like this." protests Anakin.
"Well, get cleaned dummy. We'll wait." says Amelia.
Unable to find further objections Anakin hurries off to the showers.
"Too strong?" says Amelia to me after a moment.
"Eight point seven, eight point two and two from the Russians." I say. "That means pretty good." I add.
"Any advice?" asks Amelia.
My advice? Sorry kid. Anakin's choices are his and his alone. Still.
"Those crawlers have a rather large storage bay? Here's an idea. You'll need to fab a mat, about three metres to a side. On it you'll need 16 printed dots in a square. Four colours. Additionally a smaller mat with a spinner..."
It's listed as a fun family game. Entirely wholesome. No one has to get naked. So I have been told.
-----
"Your latest trick is pathetic!" accuses Abby while my form is in her mental grip.
"Hi Abby, I've missed you. No tricks, by the way." I say. I do wonder why I have not heard from her lately. Have I just been too tired?
"Destiny will not be denied! The chosen one is mine!"
"Really? And him not becoming a sexually repressed edgelord ruins that? Had I known I would have done this sooner."
"He is mine. You are mine."
"And you belong to them. You are not free. Perhaps you could trust..."
I am cut off as my mouth vanishes.
"Silence!" roars Abby.
I am permanently cold, tired and hopefully my apprentice is not playing Twister the way it was initially envisaged while I sleep alone each night.
'No'
"I will rend you apart!"
'Go ahead, but that is getting tedious. How about I give you a choice? You can listen to me or remain a slave, forever.'
"You do not understand! You cannot understand!" Abby screams as my arms and legs are torn away. I concentrate and my form re-establishes itself.
"Are we ready to talk?" I say.
"I'll show you." says Abby before departing.
I really hope we are getting somewhere.
-----
"Dee-Jay?"
"Yes, Anakin?" I say. It's a few days later and today's activity was preventing Herd Seven from enacting 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' via Borehole Five. Is Force Throw Bloody Stupid Animal a legitimate power? Swear I've got several levels in it by now. Actually I'm close to swearing at anything.
"Did you tell Amelia about that game?" Anakin says.
"Twister? Yes Anakin I did. Have fun?" I enquire.
"Why yes. I'm quite good at it. The others were rubbish, by the way." Anakin explains.
I'm doomed. We're all doomed.
"I did have a long talk with Amelia. Did you know she was going to be a Jedi Knight but volunteered for the Service Corps? She said she wanted to build worlds and homes for people. I thought that was a good thing. I, we, um. We decided we should see each other more and examine our feelings." Anakin says.
Not all doomed.
"Well, that is good Anakin. Carry on young Jedi." I say and amble towards the showers.
Later, while washing up after dinner I receive the news from the other party.
"Dee-Jay?"
"Yes Amelia?"
"Your idea didn't work, not exactly. Still, Anakin and I had a long talk while everyone else was busy."
Somehow my apprentice left that part out.
"Any developments?"
"Anakin told me about his past. How by being a Jedi he believes he could bring an end to slavery as it is in the Galaxy. It's why he's so serious. I, we decided however to see each other more. Talk things out. I may. I."
"Yes."
"I love being a terraformer. It's what I always wanted, but."
"Yes Amelia."
"I may want to become a Knight as well."
Totally not doomed.
-----
The next day the berm I TK into place to keep the smeeps away from the borehole collapses and I am covered in mud, sludge and smeep manure, but I don't care. Mostly because how my charge is handling things and also because I received a letter. Holo. Whatever.
"Hello we're in hyperspace back to Naboo to drop off those we freed and so I have some time finally. I have been so busy. I have an entire staff to get organised and most off shifts I have collapsed into bed exhausted. Then there have been the ships. The things I have seen! I can barely describe them. My staff have just performed four hundred slave implant extractions, almost fifty myself. That's four hundred people freed love. That's just the Liberator too. The entire Squadron is busy. I'm really making a difference out here, but I do miss you. They tell me you are at Neforaan. I don't even know where that is. Please stay safe love. Till we meet again. I love you. Your Space Princess." the holo blows me a kiss and ends.
I remove the message crystal and store it in my pouch and smile.
A few weeks later;
Attention citizens of Neforaan. Rejoice, for the day of your liberation is at hand. You are free of the shackles of the tyrannical Galactic Republic and are now free to join the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
What? Aren't you buggers early?