Anakin

Padmé exhaled with relief and returned to her delegation.

Rune Haako leaned in close to his Viceroy's ear. "Sir, Jabba is attracted to the young queen."

"Disgusting." Nute whispered as he watched the Nabooians follow one of Jabba's Weequay minions to their temporary living quarters. "But how does that help us?"

"Humanoid females excite him, sir." Rune explained as they began following their own escort to their quarters. "Perhaps it is a weakness we can exploit to our advantage."

Chapter 4

Padmé walked next to Qui-Gon Jinn as the two descended into the depths of Jabba's palace, with R2-D2 rolling along behind them. The negotiations had been dragging on for two long days. She wished they could have talked candidly with Qui-Gon inside the small rooms Jabba had provided. As seedy as their accommodations were, at least they were less ominous than then dark lower halls of the palace they currently walked through.

Padmé had been allowed to bring a trusty astromech droid from her ship into the palace. Ostensively R2-D2 was there to provide technical data regarding alternative taxation methods for the outlying star systems. In truth, the droid was there to scan for listening devices. A quick scan of their quarters had already revealed half a dozen bugs. And so they descended together into the hidden depths of Jabba's vast palace, seeking some privacy to speak.

R2 beeped his assent that they were finally clear of listening devices. Padmé spoke first.

"I am grateful for all the help you've given me, Master Jedi."

"I fear I have not done enough." Qui-Gon answered morosely as they turn another dark corner. "But one thing remains true. For over two centuries the Hutts have decided financial disputes fairly. Their solutions are often harsh, but they are just."

"Even Jabba?" Padmé asked doubtfully. She had already seen more in this palace than she cared to remember.

"It is a code no Hutt will dare violate. And it is the only type of deal in which a Hutt cannot be bribed or bought."

Padmé nodded as they entered an archway. At least Jabba would provide a resolution to this fiasco. And allowing her planet to be blockaded or invaded was far too one-sided a solution for Jabba to appear fair. It would have to be a reassessment of taxation routes and a lowering of the Federation's yearly payments. That would likely end the debate.

"Are you an angel?"

Padmé turned to see a small human boy sitting on a table, surrounded by droid parts. In his hands was the white, skeletal head of an 8D8 series droid the boy had been tinkering with.

"What?" Padmé asked, surprised to see such an innocent looking youth in this den of inequity.

"An angel." He replied. "They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe."

"You're a funny little boy..." Padmé replied, "Do you work here?"

"I'm in charge of Jabba's droids. I repair them, program them, whatever he needs." The small plainly dressed youth turned and deftly connected the 8D8 head to its waiting body. The skull-like face lit up and it looked to the boy stupidly, awaiting instructions.

"Report to our master's main audience chamber for instructions." The boy ordered. "You are to assist in the Diva's performance."

The droid nodded and walked off to complete its orders.

"You're a **** then?" Padmé asked.

"I'm a person...and my name's Anakin." The boy said defiantly.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "This is a strange and frightening place to me. I don't fully understand everything here. My name is Padmé."

Qui-Gon stepped forward, taking a keen interest in the young boy.

"My name is Qui-Gon Jinn. Have you always lived here in the palace?"

"Heck no." the Anakin answered, jumping down from the table to walk across the room and begin tinkering with a small power droid that was rolling in circles. "Jabba just bought me this week. I used to belong to a Toydarian. An especially greedy Toydarian named Watto. But Jabba bought me after I won the Boonta Eve pod race. And now I tend to his droids. Jabba wants me to race for him in the next large pod race. Until then, I need to make myself useful in this slimy place."

"You won a pod race?" Qui-Gon asked, genuinely impressed. "You must have Jedi reflexes to have accomplished such a feat."

Anakin eyed the tall man suspiciously. "I heard Jabba call you a Jedi. I can hear everything down here through these droids. So are you a Jedi?"

Qui-Gon nodded slowly.

"Then why don't you free the slaves of Tatooine?" he asked simply. "My mother is still a **** of Watto, most of my friends are owned by one alien or another. And I'm stuck in this slug pit until the next race."

"I'm afraid that's not my mission, Anakin." Qui-Gon explained. He stretched out with his feelings and felt the young boy's strength...the boy's power. The **** was strong in him. Incredibly strong for one so young. As unorthodox as coming here had seemed at first, Qui-Gon had always felt there was a reason for it. A reason he had guided the Naboo to Jabba's palace that had nothing to do with mediation of their dispute.

"Queen Amidala." Bib Fortuna's voice echoed through the hallways. "Jabba aska for oosa."

Bib entered the room with his typical sneer. "There is oona performance for all."

"Alright." Padmé said, walking to the majordomo. She gestured for Qui-Gon that it was alright for him to stay here. She could sense his interest in the young man they had just met.

"You'll be alright without me?" Qui-Gon asked as she began to follow Bib to back to the main audience chamber.

"Oh sure." Padmé said somewhat sarcastically. "What could possibly go wrong in this place? Besides, I have R2 to protect me."

The small droid beeped his intention to defend her as it began rolling after the young queen. With a smile and a wave to Anakin, she disappeared out the door.

As Bib turned the corner, he turned back to Anakin. "And oosa ****. Oosa mother is here."

"No bada for long." Bib instructed the brunette woman who entered the room.

"Mom!" Anakin exclaimed as he ran to meet her.

"Oh Ani!" Shmi called out as she embraced her son.

"I thought I'd never see you again mom!"

Looking up as she hugged her son, Shmi noticed Qui-Gon for the first time.

"I'm sorry to be here, I just had to see my son. I won't keep him from his work for long..." she explained.

"Ah mom." Anakin stepped back from her to explain. "He doesn't work for Jabba, he's a Jedi."

Qui-Gon nodded to the older woman. She was very strong in a way, he could see that. But separation from her son was tearing her in two.

"Qui-Gon Jinn. I just met your son."

"I'm Shmi. Shmi Skywalker."

"He tells me he just won a pod race."

"Oh yeah, mom..listen." Anakin explained sheepishly. "I had to pull 3PO's energy cell to get enough power for the pod racer. I'm sorry he couldn't help you around the house like I promised. But I've got a power cell here that you can use..."

"Oh Ani, I don't care about that." Shmi half cried. "I'm just so very happy to see you. And I wouldn't even know how to get that droid working anyways."

"Eh." Anakin shrugged. "It's lousy being in this place all the time. I never get to see you anymore."

"I know my son." Shmi said, her voice cracking with emotion. "But I think I can visit you once in a while. I've got an arrangement with that Bib Fortuna."

Shmi looked up guiltily at Qui-Gon as she spoke. She was sure he could infer exactly what kind of arrangement the poor **** woman had to make to even be allowed down here today. Sexual favors were a universal form of commerce in Jabba's palace.

"Mom listen," Anakin said quietly, looking over to Qui-Gon unsure if he could yet trust the man. "I've deactivated my transmitter bomb. There's so much great equipment down here that it was easy. I can locate yours and deactivate it too and then..."

"Ani, don't speak of such things." Shmi scolded him. "You have to do what Jabba says do you hear me? It is too dangerous to ever think of escape."

Qui-Gon's heart went out to the small family and their plight. As he watched Shmi embrace her son again, he began to realize that perhaps his true mission here was this young boy. There was just something about him...