Chapter 61: Tatooine.

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Reality: Star Wars

Johnathan Grey

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Mos Espa looked just like any sandy, humanoid trash-infested, sun-scorched city one would expect from a planet known for its lawlessness and deep ties to the criminal underworld. The city was a maze of sandstone buildings, domed rooftops, and narrow alleyways, all built to withstand the harsh twin suns and sandstorms of the planet.

Once we got to the heart of the city, we could see the open-air markets, where traders and smugglers sold a wide variety of goods, from 'exotic' alien wares and machine parts to slaves of varying species, age and sizes. The sight of slaves kicked up a fuss with Padme as she questioned Qui-Gon on how the Senate could possibly allow it to happen. Qui-Gon simply informed her that the Senate had no jurisdiction on the planet and therefore could not impose their laws on it, which didn't sit well with the handmaiden disguised princess.

The Jedi master, for his part, would intermittently step into different stores to ask for transport to Curosant, only to catch up to us moments later in disappointment, having his Republic credits declined or being given timeframes too long for his liking. Aside from those interruptions, the walk to the large Force signature I could feel on the city's outskirts was rather quiet, thanks to the lesson in common sense I gave them earlier. 

In the corner of my helmet's display, Cortanna flicked on a live feed from the ship. On-screen, Captain Panaka stepped inside the briefcase with an expression a mix of shock and bewilderment as he stared at the impossibly large interior. "How in the world is all of this inside there?!"

I let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head in amusement as I slowed to a stop, returning my attention to the storefront — Watto's Junk Shop. The shop was small and dusty, with an entrance framed by a crumbling archway and faded signage, barely standing out against the beige, sun-baked buildings around it. Without hesitation, I stepped inside, leading the others behind me. 

Inside, the air is thick with the scent of oil, rust, and desert dust, while dim lighting casts long shadows over the disorganised piles of merchandise. There, folded over the counter, was a blue-skinned, winged Toydarian snoring his day away with his head laid in his folded arms for comfort. I could feel Anakin's presence in the back, probably fixing something for the Toydarian, but chose to go through his owner rather than just leading him out in secret — I would need the detonator for the bomb placed in him deactivated after all.

Ding!

I tapped the small bell on the desk, waking the sleeping owner. His head shot up as his tired, beady yellow eyes flickered toward me and those behind me before narrowing slightly. "Ahh," Watto grumbled, flapping his wings to start floating as he wiped the drool from his chin and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "New customers, eh? What brings ya to my humble shop?"

"I'm here to free your slave and take him and possibly his mother from this planet," I stated plainly, but the deep voice of the suit made it sound like the threat it was. My words caused others looking around the store to stop and instantly focus on our conversation, but they said nothing to interrupt.

A beat of silence filled the air as Watto's expression twisted in outrage, his wings buzzed aggressively as he flew closer, with his potbelly bouncing slightly. "What?!" he barked, with his stubby hands waving as he ranted. "You think you can just walk in here and take what belongs to me?! I don't care who you are — ya don't take slaves unless ya got the credits to pay for them!" His voice grew harsher, with spit flying as he yelled in my face. "And I ain't sellin' 'em! So unless ya got real money, get outta my shop, or I'll tell the Hutts you're breakin' the rules of the planet!"

I remained still through his entire tirade, staring at the Toydarian dead in the eyes as some of his spit flew through his mouth and landed on my helmet, sliding off thanks to its enchantments. The merchant's erratic gestures and sharp words meant nothing to me — but the more he spoke, the more I could feel my companions disliking him. Even the 'there is no emotion' Jedi now folding his arms and looking at the winged slave owner with a frown.

As of a few minutes ago, Cortanna had already made her way through the planet's systems to get her blue hands on all the information I would need to take over the entire planet any time I want. Bank accounts, blackmail, everything. When the time is right, it was going to be child's play. Now that I thought about it, I might just take the droid army blockading Naboo and just use them as the planet's defence system, with Cortanna in control at all times.

My silence, along with everyone's visual dislike, made Watto pause, blinking in mild unease at the lack of reaction. I knew there were some rules to prevent too much infighting, but a person would need proof, and there would be no proof if he was dead. Before I could kind inform him of that fact, Qui-Gon took a step forward, raising a hand as he attempted the Jedi mind trick.

"You will release your slaves," he said smoothly, with the Force's influence layered over his voice. Watto's eyes flickered slightly—but then he shook his head, his face twisting in annoyance as he caught a glimpse of the lightsabre clipped to the Jedi's waist.

"Hah! I'm Toydarian, Jedi tricks don't work on me!" he scoffed. "Only money!" He crossed his arms, puffing out his chest. "I ain't givin' up my slaves just 'cause you waved your hand at me!" Qui-Gon frowned slightly but remained composed as Watto sneered. "Now unless ya got somethin' real to offer, get outta here—"

With slow deliberation, I took my giddy wand from its wrist holster, which caused the Toydarian's smugness to falter slightly, thinking I was pulling a blaster. Instead of instantly attacking him though, I combed through his thoughts to obtain the location of the detonator controlling the bombs in Anakin and his mother. While I was at it, I got all his details for the mother-son duo to take over his assets.

Watto blinked in confusion, looking at the stick pointed at his head, the mild fear melting away as he realised what it was. "If ya try somethin'," Watto warned with an edge of nervousness, "it won't take long for the Hutts to hear about it."

My wand remained steady as I used [Incarcerous] to conjure thick, magical ropes from the tip, wrapping tightly around Watto's small, chubby, winged body, pinning his arms to his sides and sending him crashing to the dusty floor with an unceremonious thud. Before the Toydarian could so much as squeak, I followed up with a quick, [Silencio] to shut him up. While he didn't go as far as some slave masters in regard to cruelty to warrant death, he still threatened to have Anakin's mother… used, for money on several occasions, while hitting and verbally abusing him constantly. Watto was lucky he wasn't getting a beating himself right now.

Watto's mouth opened to scream soundlessly as his blue face tried its best to turn a mottled shade of red, with his wings trying and failing to shift and shimmy his body out of his bindings. His small, beady eyes widened further in panic when he finally realised all his efforts to make noise or call for help, then he resorted to using his stubby legs to kick against the floor when he came to understand that the spell I used only quietened his voice and not the noise from physical movement.

Unfortunately for him, he was on a planet of low-lives and scum that won't bother with noise he was making coming from a junk shop. Not that most would think anything untoward was happening anyway — they would just assume something was being fixed, hence the noise. It only took a few seconds for him to get the message when he tired himself out, slowing his movements as tears started running down his face in a rather ugly, silent cry.

He took a surprisingly long time too, before giving up on producing any verbal sounds compared to the Gungan, considering his initial lazy demeanour, but his efforts were for nought. Jar-Jar, seeing the Toydarian going through the same lack of sound production as he was forced to since just after we left the ship, looked on in sad acknowledgement, knowing the merchant's pain.

As amusing and unsettling as the scene was, I chose not to spare the two a second glance. Instead, I stepped around the counter with my wand pointed toward the threadbare carpet covering the floor, rolling the rug away with a simple flick to reveal a small metal trapdoor. I knelt, using the [Telekinesis] to lift the latch and opened the hidden vault beneath.

Putting in the code, I collected the crude detonator, several pouches of credits, and a few data pads. As I stood, Qui-Gon Jinn finally took his bewildered eyes from the pathetic creature — and not because of his species — and focused on me. All the while still trying to sense the Toydarian through the Force.

"I will admit, I have never seen such… esoteric use of the Force Master Grey," Qui-Gon said leadingly, not once moving an inch to help the prone merchant. While R2 was beeping and twirling his dome in surprise, Padme was silently staring as the scene played out.

I tucked my wand away in its holster, much to its displeasure. "Lord Grey," I corrected. "It's called magic. But to my knowledge, the Jedi Order as it is now frowns upon more… esoteric uses. So, if there was a record of how to do it yourself, do you think they would allow you to learn it?" He went to open his mouth, but closed it when I added. "There could be a chance you could fall to the dark side if you learn it."

While I knew there was no chance of it being seen as truly 'dark', especially considering he would have sensed if I was using negative emotions to do it, one could never tell with how rigid the Order became. They'd be coming for me out of principle regardless.

"So you are here to take the boy in the back room and his mother then," the Jedi Master stated, having already sensed the child of the Force already, though it sounded more like a question. 

"He's not my apprentice," I said, resisting the urge to mention that unlike the Jedi, I won't be kidnapping or coercing his mother to take him. I knew that could have been entirely fanon, but it was still something on my mind I would have to check later. "But he has the potential to be — if he chooses." With that, I turned my head and called out. "Boy! Come out here."

Yeah, using Kratos as the voice modulator was probably the decision I've made yet.

A few seconds of silence followed. Then, a small flap at the back of the shop shifted, and a short, sandy blond-haired, young boy, no older than nine, stepped through. He paused mid-step as his bright blue eyes landed on the silent, bound form of Watto, still crying like a baby on the floor. With a wary expression, Anakin's round and lightly tanned face tilted upward ever so slightly as his gaze moved to take in our appearance as we did his.

I lifted the detonator slightly, instantly catching his attention. "I've just deactivated the bombs in you and your mother and plan to take you both off this planet to have them removed entirely."

For a moment, the boy's face was frozen in shock as his eyes shifted to the prone merchant who seemed to have gotten a second wind and started wiggling again with more gusto. Seeing his old master unable to move, a bright, unrestrained smile spread across his face as his posture relaxed a little. "You mean… we're free?"

I could sense he was intuitively using the Force to sense our motive toward him, which explained why he was less sceptical that a few random people didn't come here to just steal a slave for themself instead of freeing them.

"Yes," I nodded. "But I would appreciate it if we were to move quickly, boy." I gestured to the Jedi Master and 'totally not the queen' and continued. "Like myself, they have placed to be and things to do."

Anakin's head bobbed up and down enthusiastically, waving the mop he called hair back and forth. "I'll take you to my mother!"

With only another glance toward the prone shop owner, we departed, with Anakin walking beside me, a slight hop in his step. "Thank you for freeing us, mister," he said after a few paces in a tone filled with genuine gratitude, before tilting his head curiously. "Oh, and, er, who are you?"

I shot a deliberate look at the group before answering the embarrassingly more pragmatic 9-year-old child. "A good question," I remarked, shaking my head at the clearly embarrassed princess and slightly smirking Jedi Master. "It's smart to ask who we are before agreeing to leave the planet with us. It does a person well to have a good head on his shoulders."

Seeing me looking their way, Anakin looked at each of them as well in expectation. I gestured to Qui-Gon. "This is Qui-Gon Jinn." As the man bowed slightly while we walked, I moved my hand to Padme. "Padme… some girl." She sent me a glance before smiling at my somewhat little brother, which somehow seemed to produce stars in his eyes as his smile widened. Before he could start flirting, I gestured to the Gungan and the astromech. "Jar-Jar and R2"

Jar-Jar waved his hands around as some sort of greeting, while R2 beeped a few times to greet the boy. I was going to speak again when lil bro interrupted.

"You're a Jedi!" Anakin's curious eyes shone as they locked onto the metallic cylinder on Qui-Gon's belt clip. "I've never met a Jedi before. I always wanted to be one — so I could save my mother from slavery… I thought if I had a lightsabre like that, I could help her. Did you come to save all salves?" 

Wow, okay then. I can always introduce myself later.

Qui-Gon glanced down at the boy as a warm smile started forming on his face. "That is an admirable dream — I didn't get your name."

At least he's learning from his mistake.

"Anakin," the nine-year-old smiled. "Anakin Skywalker."

"Anakin," Qui-Gon nodded before continuing. "Perhaps… there is still a chance for you to become a Jedi."

Anakin's eyes widened as his steps quickened momentarily in excitement, seeming to suppress his desire to jump around. "Really?!"

Qui-Gon briefly glanced at me, as if gauging my reaction, before returning his gaze to Anakin. "You have great potential," Qui-Gon said honestly. "If you wish, you can go to the Jedi Temple and be tested. When we get to Curosant."

Anakin practically beamed, adding extra sugar to the Force's sweet bowl and causing it to do back flips around him like it was no one's business. "I'll do my best!" he said enthusiastically. "I can't wait to tell my mom!"

On the bright side, at least we weren't spending time listening to a prepubescent boy flirting with a disguised royal the entire way.

"Are you an angel?" The boy asked, now focused on the queen.

I sighed with a small, resigned shake of my head, knowing where this was going. Contrary to his words though, he actually looked way too mature for someone his age. He had a simple, worn-out, brown long-sleeved top that looked a few sizes too large for him, matching trousers, and a rough-textured brown utility belt where he kept small tools, along with dusty and well-worn boots.

Padme looked surprised as she was brought out of her deep thought. "What?"

"An angel," Anakin clarified patiently. "I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They live on the moons of Iego, I think."

Ignoring the boy who had yet ot start puberty trying to wife-up a girl half a decade older than him, I tuned out their conversation as I looked through some of the information Cortanna got from the planet's systems, already utilising Revan's expertise as a Sith Lord to start creating plans to make my takeover as smooth as butter..

The journey took around twenty minutes before we reached a small, traditional moisture-farmer style home. It was partially sunken into the sandy terrain, providing natural insulation against the planet's harsh climate, with an exterior consisting of rounded, sand-coloured walls that blend seamlessly with the terrain.

Anakin rushed ahead, opening the door as he called out excitedly, "Mom! I'm home!"

His voice carried through the simple house as he disappeared into what I assumed was the kitchen, but we could hear as he eagerly explained what had happened and that he brought guests. Meanwhile, the rest of us waited outside, politely standing just beyond the entrance.

"Would you be alright with me taking the boy to be tested at the Jedi Temple?" Qui-Gon asked shamelessly, after clearly poaching my potential student after sensing his large connection to the Force.

"Like I said, Anakin is not my apprentice," I said evenly, folding my arms as I leaned on the wall off to the side of the door. "It's up to him if he wants to be a Jedi. And if the Jedi do not take him, it will be up to him if either one of us trains him. As long as he is given a choice, I see no problem."

Qui-Gon gave a small nod of understanding, and surprisingly, the Force didn't seem against my words as it continued to dance around me. I could always train him when he was older, or leave a [Holocrun] from him to learn from, so as long as he didn't learn from a Sith trying to manipulate him it should turn out relatively fine.

A moment later, Anakin reappeared with his mother walking beside him. Shmi Skywalker's kind eyes carefully studied us like any mother would after having their child bring a group of random people directly to their front door, before settling on me.

I simply offered a polite nod of greeting before pulling out the small device she was silently asking for, holding it out to her. "The detonator," I said simply.

Shmi's hands started trembling slightly as her breath caught, gently taking the device from me to make sure it was linked to their specific transponders. She stared at it for a moment as a deep sense of relief seemed ot wash over her, then started typing, and, using [Mechu Deru], I could sense her deactivate, then permanently unconnect the bombs after making sure they couldn't be connected to others. As she worked, I could see where Anakin must have gotten his start with learning and fixing tech.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.

I nodded. "No problem at all. I'll be taking you both off the planet." I paused before adding, "If you'd like, I can arrange work for you, either with me or with the Queen of Naboo." I ignored the look Padme sent my way as I continued. "She owes for transporting her. There's also the added benefit of slavery being illegal in the Republic apparently."

"Yes," Padme added. "The Queen would be more than willing to offer you a position. It is the least we could do. I shall speak with her personally."

Shmi looked genuinely surprised at the offer, clearly touched by the gesture. But Qui-Gon seemed to momentarily frown at my use of the word 'apparently' before he spoke. "I would also like for Anakin to be tested at the Jedi Temple, if that is alright with you."

Shmi turned to her beaming son, studying the way his eyes shone with excitement at the idea.

After a few sappy minutes of the mother and son coming to terms that they had truly been freed, it didn't take long before we were back on the ship, with most of their belonging being placed into the [Hoard] to quicken our way back. It was only after a moment of gawking at my ability to make things disappear into a pocket dimension that the mother and son duo asked for my name. 

At that point I was starting to think it was something to do wth the universe, because where I was from, the first thing people ask is who you are. Even people in horror movies ask 'who goes there' before getting their head chopped off. A part of me wanted to blame the cosmic sentient energy still dancing around me and the now freed Bob The Builder cosplayer.

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"The Republic doesn't exist out here. We must survive on our own."

—Shmi Skywalker.

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Hello There

Was it just my bad memory, or did Watto sound educated in the movies? Still a huge butthole, but for some reason I don't remember him speaking with as much slang as one would expect a slave owner on a highly crime infested planet.

Also, John's still grumpy, there was no way he was going to allow Jar-Jar to worsen his mood speaking. Actually, now that I think about it, Jar-Jar's a problem even if he can't speak. Eh, at least his annoyance level is restricted.

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Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC and original ideas. All credit goes to their respective owners.

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As always, stay awesome.

Until next time, Light's out.