Chapter 1 - Freedom

{Not Edited}

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(Meh-rick)

~ Merek Skywalker POV ~

The past 10 years have been difficult, when I asked to Anakins brother I forgot about the fact he was a slave in his early life. I figured I could probably handle it until Qui Gon Jinn shows up and I'd able to gain my freedom with some creative betting.

But even in slavery there has been some bright spots, moments of happiness and love. My new mother for example Shmi Skywalker, she is a truly wonderful person. Loving me and caring for me even though it wasn't her choice. She is my mother and I'll be eternally grateful because of it.

Then of course there's my too intelligent for his own good little brother called Anakin Skywalker. He's 5 now I believe but always full of energy and playfulness, he always brightens the day.

Thats why for my mom and brother, I've got to get our freedom as soon as possible. By soon I mean within a couple of days at most.

Two years ago we were won by a Dealer called Watto the one from the Movies. He's not as bad as our previous masters but more reckless, he alway waves the control pad for our bombs and likes to brag about the dirt and blackmail he has on people.

It's how I came up with my plan to free my family, the reason it took so long to finally be a achievable was because I had to do some Force Training.

Nothing special, just mediation, opening up myself to the Force, allowing for it's guidance and assistance when needed. I've of course begun practicing Force Telekinesis which includes Force Push and Pull, but I haven't tried to branch out yet.

The plan is simple, I'll use Force Telekinesis to extract the control pad from Watto while he naps, I can't do this physically cause Watto was a soldier and therefor a lighter sleeper.

With the control pad I won't have to worry about Watto killing my family so it won't matter if he wakes up but it will if he begins to make a fuss, that's why the rest of the plan has to happen quickly and quietly.

With the blaster I made using junk and scraped blasters I can do harm and threaten Watto for everything else I'll need to secure my family's freedom.

[Skywalker Residence]

"Alright today is the day" I mutter to myself as I do some brief meditation as I prepare for the day. Leaving my room I head to get some breakfast.

"Morning sweetheart" My mom greets me as I enter, her and Anakin already up and busy in the kitchen.

"Morning Mom, Ani" I say giving Anakin's hair a ruffle.

"It's Anakin! Not Ani" he tells me looking annoyed.

"Huh uh, Ani it is" I say Sage like.

"No teasting before breakfast boys" mom says before I could rile Anakin up.

""Okay mom"" we both say.

The rest of the morning passes with light conversation and peace, before Anakin and I head off to Wattos for work.

[Wattos Dealership]

The Early morning is typical fairly busy as it's when the heat is at its most bearable as the twin suns of Tatooine are still fairly low. So Anakin, Watto and I are pretty busy, us Skywalkers are busy cleaning and repairing while Watto haggles with customers.

The day slowlys winds down as the day gets increasingly hotter. I take this time to steathly check my blaster, I pop out the battery it's only get a couple shots left, I clean the actual blaster to make sure there's no sand that will stop it from working.

With the blaster in good condition I simply have to wait for Watto to take his rotuine nap and soon we'll be free. The next hour or so seems pass agonisingly slow as Watto eventually falls asleep.

"Finally" I mutter as I kneel on the floor, I open myself to the force and calm myself. No mistakes can be made here.

I raise my hand and the Force comes to my aid with ease, using the Force I grasp onto the control pad and slowly move it out of Wattos satchel. The control pad flows through the air and lands softly in my hand.

"That was easy" I couldn't help but say, "Now the harder part"

With the control pad, Watto can't harm my family but I need to disable the bombs but any tinkering could set them off. I need the deactivation code from Watto himself.

I put the control pad in my bag and hold my blaster at the ready. With a flick of my hand Watto is sent flying out of his hammock, but he uses his wings and stables himself.

Without hesitation I shoot his wings and both legs.

"Argh!" He screams out in pain, before flopping onto the ground. I walk over and stand above him, placing the blaster on his forehead.

"What's the code?" I say as cold as I could.

"Merek, whats-a you doing?" Watto asks through the pain.

"Killing you if you don't give me the code" I tell him, "let me remind you that the bomb would kill us both at this range"

"6198-56732-77810"

Using the force I can tell he's being honest so I put in the code, but deactivate my bomb first just in case. After a moment of silence I let out a breath of relief, 'Freedom at last'. I quicky deactivate my mother's and Anakins bombs.

"One last thing" I kneeling on his chest, "The Safe code, I'm going to need the too"

"Ah! Do you think you'll get away with this, The hutts don't like free slave. No no" Watto says angrily.

"I'm aware. Code now"

"Watto-6712-Blue-7011"

I rip off a piece of my shirt and stuff in in his mouth. "Anakin! Come here" I yell to my brother.

I hear him make his way over to us, he pops his head into the room. "Yes?" He says before taking in the room.

It pains my heart that he doesn't show any reaction to bloody body of Watto who's squirming around angrily. "What's going on?"

"I'm free us" I tell him and I watch as his face lights up, "I need you to go to the Safe and put in this code"

I tell Anakin the code and he runs off to see if it works, "It works!" He shouts back to me before running into the room with his hands full of papers and money.

I look down to Watto. "Thank you for your cooperation" before I shot him in the head. Anakin doesn't even react having seen people doing at lot worse plus he's to busy count the credits.

I pick up the papers they must be valuable if Watto kept them away in his safe. Reading through them I can't help but give my thanks to the now dead Watto he's just secured my family's safety for at least a year or so.

"Anakin, any engines we can rig to explode. We need Wattos death to be an accident" I ask him.

He thinks for a moment before nodding, "Theres a pod racer engine that's ready to go"

"Alright' I cover Wattos body, "Let's get to work"

It only takes us two Skywalker boys about 30 minutes to fully rig the engine to explode. Only a small explosion that wouldn't cause any damage to the shop as I'd need that in future. I placed Wattos body on top of the engine and back up a few paces.

"Ready?" I look to my brother who nods, I light a match on fire and toss it onto a fuel line that leads up to the engine.

*Boom!*

"Woah" Anakin says almost falling over but manages to catch himself. Watching the lingering fire I begin thinking of the next steps, this next part my not be pretty.

"Anakin, I need you to take this and bring it home to mom" I tell him as I hand over the deed to the dealership. It's important that my family has a business that we can work or potentially trade for something.

"Where are you going?" Anakin asks probably sensing something off.

"I'm going to have a chat with Shunn-Vos"

"What? Are you crazy?" Anaking asks panicking.

"Don't worry I have a pretty good bargaining chip" I say holding up the last piece of paper and the most valuable one departing in how you look at it. "I'll be home in a about two hours... probably"

It takes some extra convincing but eventually Anakin runs on home as I prepare to meet the most powerful local crime lord within the town.

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[The Geyser - Cantina]

The Geyser is a low maintenance Cantina that is typical used by low lives of Mos Espa, but it's currently owned and ran by Shunn-Vos. It looks run down from the outside with thugs simply laying about in the ground either drunk, passed out or dead.

But I ignore them and enter, I'm immediately greeted by a band playing some ear grating music that I force myself to ignore as I walk to the bar.

The Bartender, a human surprisingly, obviously ignores my existence. "Oi baldy" I call out, after all hairline problems are universal.

"What?" He growls back clearly insulted by his lack of hair.

"Is Shunn-Vos in?" I ask and the Cantina almost immediately quotes down.

The human bartender smiles wickly, "Yes, he's in the back"

It's clear the bartender wants to set me up a little, he was probably told to they sure Shunn and his crew weren't disturbed. But I don't have much of a choice I need this crime lord and his thugs.

So with steady steps and a racing heart I make my way to entrance to the private back room. I knock two loud and clear, the door is pulled open and I'm greeted by a towering Gamorrean.

"I've got a massage from Watto" I say before the Gamorrean can do anything.

"Boss! There's massage from Watto" The Gamorrean shouts back over his shoulder.

"Huh? Watto? Let him in" I hear a calm but gruff voice say.

The Gamorrean simply steps aside and I walk in past him, where I get my first look at Shunn-Vos. He's sitting down on a couch relaxed surrounded by his men and women.

The first thing I noticed about him is the eye coverings, that are typically associated with Miraluka, He's got a few scars on his face with short white-ish hair.

Almost as soon as I get a few steps I to the room his head snaps round to face me directly. "Oh what do we have here?" He says smilling.

"I'm Merek, I'd like to discuss a business opportunity with you" I tell him.

Shunn hums lightly, "Are you not one of Wattos slaves?"

"I was until he died" I shurg faining indifference.

"Wattos dead?" Shunn asks smiling wider now, "Sounds like cause for celebrations boys, so how did he die?"

"He had an accident, so to speak" I reply not taking credit for his death but letting it be known it's possible.

"I'm sure he did, so business opportunity?"

"First off" I pull of out the paper I kept, "let's settle this debt yeah?". I always wondered why Watto never had any problems it turns out some of the local gangs were indebted to him, Shunn here owes him 100,000 credits.

"Go on" Shunn waves for me to continue.

"My family and I are now in control of Wattos Dealership. I'll give you this in exchange for protection and a guarante that your crew will only use our shop" I tell him, knocking off two birds with one stone.

First I get the shop protection and business, which when all the other gangs see about the superiority of the upgrades and repairs we do they'll also come to us.

"You trying to blackmail the boss" one of the henchmen says, "I say we just take debt and kill this slave"

The henchmen approaches me it's clear what his intention is, so I don't hesitate. I whip out my Blaster and shoot him twice in the head.

He drops down dead and the rest of the room goes quite. I feel someone else begun to approach me so I turn and point the blaster at his head. "Go on, I dare you"

"Whoa whoa whoa, let's all settle down yeah?" Shunn says now standing up gesturing very one to clam down.

He walks up to me and holds out a hand, "It's a deal kid"

With the Force I can feel his sincerity so I shake his hand, "I look forward to doing business with you"

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- Shunn-Vos POV -

I remain silent as the young boy leaves the room, I can practically feel the questioning stares of my boys. But they don't understand I doubt they will.

"Boss what was that about? We could've just taken it" Lotus, my right hand says, coming next to me.

I turn to face him, "No we couldn't of" I tell him. I gesture to the direction the boy left, "He could've killed us all"

"What? Is he a Jedi?" Lotus asks, he's familiar with my racial ability to see using the Force.

"They wish. I've never seen a presences like his before not even from a Jedi" I say, before turning to face my men. "Didn't you hear me earlier Wattos dead so let's celebrate!"

-End