Chapter 4: V.1-C.4│Escape From Slavery II│
Tatooine.
Watto slowly made his way out of the casino, with dulled senses, stumbling around up and down with his winnings. Despite his drunken stupor, Watto is clearly still aware of his surroundings, keeping a clear lookout for potential problems on his way out of the casino.
Senses still dulled, but not to the point he is unaware thankfully in part to his training and experience as a soldier of his home planet, the shifty eyes of smugglers and other criminals eyeing him up and down are noted at the back of his mind.
"Tch."
'I should of brought some standard protection. What was I thinking?'
While the planet is still considered apart of its night cycle, and as the atmosphere begins to heat up as dawn rapidly approaches, the night is receding and the noise of the day is becoming more prominent.
At the entrance and exit of the casino, the Toydarian Watto, shiftily exits the casino while trying to be on high alert. Unfortunately, his capacity to think a few steps ahead into the future and then get drunk has limited his chances of escaping the casino unharmed, at the least, and at worst robbed completely and possibly dead.
Fortunately, depending on ones perspective, none of these events will happen by any of the criminals or smugglers that was watching him, partly because of Gardulla but mainly because of what is about to happen next.
Continuing on his way down the sparsely populated streets with negligible activity, he appears at the front of his shop. As the double suns of Tatooine rise, on the outside of his junkyard nothing has seemingly changed but within holds a surprise.
Slowly turning the keys to the entrance, and opening the doors, Watto lets out a grunt of pain before being able to register what had happened and promptly falls flat on the floor of his establishment.
Knocked unconscious by a tazer of some kind, a toddler with blonde hair and blue eyes steps out of the shadows.
"Well that was easier then I thought it was gonna be." The unidentified toddler remarks in a high-pitched voice.
Various other beings make themselves known. Droids built of nature to be combative, non-lethal blasters at the ready to shot at the downed veteran Toydarian soldier.
"My mother certainly wouldn't like me doing these kinds of things."
A droid steps up and reports the situation. "Master, we have secured the premises." Vocalized the combat droid currently in front of the child.
"Good. Search the Toydarian, then let me see what he has, and I would also like the rest to help secure the shop itself. After searching the Toydarian place his belongings on the counter, then throw him into one the prison ships."
"Roger roger."
'Mechu-Deru sure works wonders, and finally I do not have to worry about the implant detonating and instantly killing me or my mother. Despite making sure to use Mechu-Deru on the implant to take control of it, I finally have freedom.'
This child, no more then 3 years of age is none other then Anakin Skywalker. Around him was pits and pieces that most would consider junk, a counter and other mechanic parts.
The current state of Watto's junkyard business is not that good, average at best, but that's what you get for trying to start a business in a system owned by the Hutt's, also a planet that is immersed in slavery, criminal activity galore and much more. Poor decision making on his part, but it is exactly this junkyard which would fuel and fund the beginnings of his own faction of sorts.
'First things first, get Watto to transfer everything he owns under his name to my mothers name, because it would be weird for a toddler to have access to a business, wealth and be able to control the money and junkyard.'
'It is time to get this implant out of me, then out of my mother.'
"Master, the junkyard currently does not have many parts to construct more droids." Approaches a droid.
"Ok, no problem. For now I need a few medical droids to start the operation I have been planning. Also escort my mother once she awakens to the shop. I wish to surprise her."
[]
Woken up by the sound of mechanical parts entering her home, Shmi Skywalker is confused and slightly concerned about the noise. Getting up from her bedroom she swiftly approaches the door to Anakin's room to make sure he is ok.
Before she could enter Anakin's room from the front door the sound of multiple knocks was heard tapping against the door is heard. Metallic in texture, against the stony material surface.
'I will check on Anakin first, then see what is going on.' Thought the concerned and overly protective mother. Opening the door, she is surprised and frightened at the same time, at the absence of her little Ani.
Panicking a bit, the guest at the door starts to try lightly knock on the door very patiently, despite this it only increases the panic Shmi is feeling at the moment with many thoughts going through her mind. In spite of the panic, her facial expression does nothing to show her internal feelings, a trait learnt to help her survive her indentured slavery.
Rapidly approaching the main living room of the sparse tight living quarters which show the living conditions a slave has, she hesitates to open the door.
'No I am sure it is fine. It might not even have to do with anything about Ani.' In a semi-delirious state because of protective motherly emotions reacting to the situation, she opens the front door and is surprised but the droid in front of her.
"Mistress, I have been ordered by Master Anakin to come get and then escort you to your destination." Vocalized the droid.
"M-master Anakin?" Shmi asks in surprise.
"Affirmative, repeating orders, Master Anakin wants you to be escorted to your destination." Repeating itself.
In disbelief, but in a much calmer state then before Shmi questions the droid. "My Ani asked you to escort me? Where is he? Is he safe, ok? He is unhurt, right?" A flurry of questions was directed at the droid.
"Affirmative, the Master is ok. I was only told to bring you, no other directives was given." Once again repeating its orders the droid replies.
"O-ok..." In a quieter tone, she finishes. Deciding to ask questions later and only thinking of her child and his whereabouts, Shmi follows the droid to her destined destination with no hesitation, not thinking if this were a trap because of the value placed on slaves and partially because of the desire to see her child safe and sound.
"Right. Take me to Anakin."
[]
While the droid is escorting his mother, little Anakin has decided the shop is in need of some interior redecoration and redesign, at the same time simultaneously taking control of and upgrading the security measures within the shop. The shop will extensively also go through a rebranding, so instead of a junkyard it would be turned into a proper business venture.
Main stay products will include a variety on droids, weaponry, armory and parts and upgraded parts needed for various spacecrafts currently in circulation slowly becoming an inter-galactic enterprise, but that's for the future.
Right now the transfer of ownership rights is being processed, then right after that once his mother arrives and he surprises her with new found freedom, he can vacate the bomb implant from within his head, and from within his mothers aswell.
Taking stock and going over current inventory was easy, made much easier with the help of the Force technique Mechu-Deru, easily knowing everything stored within the computerized systems.
Spreading out his senses through the Force he is quickly able to determine surroundings completely, and then gets to work in using telekinesis to move and clean the surrounding area.
While he does some menial labor being lazy and using the Force, lazy because of his current physical capabilities due to age, the droids had successfully gone around the compound and was able to collect anything of interest.
From leftover relics and memorabilia that most definitely originated from Watto's days as a soldier and various other blasters of various types, particularly modified for the form of a Toydarian.
Other droids start search even more from within the junkyards compound and invade Watto's living space and various quarters. By the time everything is packed away neatly and separated into piles from what is valuable and what is trash and should be scraped for parts enough time has passed for Anakin to leave his state of meditation and his mother to arrive.
"Ani? Are you in there?" The voice of a woman comes from outside to store entrance.
"Mother, I am inside." Anakin replies.
'I must not act too much like an adult otherwise it would seem weird, it is safe to show advanced intelligence and great innate talent for basically everything, but I should not overexpose myself. Even towards my own mother.'
"Come inside mother, I will explain everything."
"Ok Ani."
The mother of Anakin Skywalker, otherwise known as Shmi Skywalker is a women in her mid twenties in age, with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes and lightly tanned skin, distinctly different from the coloring of her child Anakin.
Shmi Skywalker is a peaceful, selfless and kind person. To put emphasis on the point that she is as peaceful, selfless and kind is the line 'The biggest problem in this universe is that no one helps each other.' Certainly that's true with how cruel the galaxy and the people within could be.
She very much loves her son Anakin and is willing to sacrifice herself in order to let Anakin have the possibility of a better life.
During her time under Gardulla, Shmi still held out hope that she would eventually be free, but she eventually accepted her lot in life and had joy in raising her child with positive relationship with Anakin, cherishing their modest life in the Slave Quarters Row.
Her hope to escape and be free of her status as a slave was reignited with the birth of Anakin, but three years had passed and there is not much if anything at all that could be done. Living in the communal quarters during their time as slaves of the female Hutt crime lord Gardulla Besadii the Elder did not serve to embolden her.
"Ani? Are you okay, unharmed and safe? You didn't get into any trouble did you?" Shmi questioned her son in a tone slightly reprimanding and concerned.
"I am fine. I have a surprise for you that's all. I just had my droid bring you over so I could share the really good, no great and exiting news." Of course Anakin reassures his mother but further goes in to convince her to listen to what he wants to say, putting some emphasis on its importance.
"What is it Ani?" Obviously relieved that her child is safe, but at the same time curious at the excitement evident in her babies voice she gets him to continue.
"We are free." Anakin states.
"Free?"
"Freedom. Free from being slaves, we can live a life where we no longer are shackled, enslaved and forced to do things for entertainment of our owners. We are not owned anymore."
"What are you saying Ani... its ok, we can go back to the slave quarters." In a defeated tone not realizing the situation, she tries to convince him into leaving, just so happens she also conveniently forgets the events leading up to her being here.
'Looks like she needs proof. Let me get that newly created documentation and show it to her on the digital device here, so she can see we have been released from slavery.'
"Look here mother. This is the proof."
Hesitantly approaching the device, she slowly goes over the text, barely being able to read basic galactic due to being poorly if at all educated, but she is able to make out the important parts.
"This... This is... I cant believe! I am, no. We are free, my child and myself, free." No more did she have to dream and have a deep longing for freedom. Becoming sentimental and overly emotional and slightly fatigued from the entire mornings proceedings was no doubt something that has caught her off guard.
All of a sudden she had been granted freedom, and all she wanted to do was take a seat and process the emotions and possibility of such an even to take place. After a few minutes, Shmi comes out of her stupor and question her son.
"How?"