Padme's gaze shifted between Qui-Gon and Harry, a moment of silent communication passing between her and Qui-Gon. Finally, she looked back at Harry and began, "We have a ship on the outskirts of the ..."
"That's too far. You'll never make it before the storm hits the settlement. If you want, you can come with me. You can wait out the storm in my house," Harry offered, his concern evident in his tone.
Padme started to respond, shaking her head. "We couldn't do that, and wouldn't your parents be upset if you just brought strangers over?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Harry.
Harry responded with a reassuring smile, "It's just my mother and me, but by now, she's used to me helping those in need." He continued, emphasizing the gravity of their choice, "It's either come back to my place and ride out the storm there, or risk getting separated in the storm while trying to find your way to the ship. Sometimes these storms can last a couple of days."
Jar Jar and Padme exchanged glances, their uncertainty evident. However, it was Qui-Gon who held Harry's gaze, his eyes intensely focused on the young man for a few seconds before finally nodding in agreement. "Alright, Anakin, we appreciate the offer. Please lead the way."
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As Harry guided the group toward his house, the sandstorm had evolved into an even more formidable adversary. It now stood as a nearly impenetrable veil, reducing visibility to just a few feet and creating a continuous, disorienting roar that drowned out any attempts at conversation.
About halfway through their journey, the deafening noise and blinding sand forced them to abandon all attempts at speech. Instead, they formed a chain by holding hands, their interconnected line ensuring that no one would get lost in the tempestuous chaos. They understood that losing someone amidst the storm would carry slim chances of finding them until after the storm abated.
Sensing, rather than seeing, that they were near the front door to the house, Harry redoubled his efforts, leaning into the storm to ensure that everyone arrived safely. The unbroken chain of hands moved with determination, determined to reach the shelter of his home amidst the relentless sandstorm.
Harry's diligent efforts finally bore fruit when his hand came into contact with the front door, and he couldn't help but release a relieved sigh as he ushered everyone inside. Upon entering himself, he called out to his mother, ensuring she was aware of his return.
"Mom, I made it home safely. No need to worry," he called out to reassure her. Then, it dawned on him that he should inform her about the unexpected guests he had brought with him. "And I brought people back with me. They were in need of shelter, so I offered to let them wait out the storm here."
In response to his announcement, his mother's voice preceded her into the room. "Oh, Ani ..." Her tone was a mix of affectionate exasperation and pride as she herself came into view, a warm smile on her face. "Of course you did. Well, I suppose it would have been rather rude to leave those in need to wait out a sandstorm outside."
She turned her attention to the group assembled near the door, extending a friendly greeting. "I am Shmi Skywalker, and you are?" Her words were accompanied by a warm and welcoming smile, accompanying her invitation to introduce themselves.
Qui-Gon stepped forward and with a courteous nod began the conversation. "I am Qui-Gon Jinn," he introduced himself, his tone resonating with politeness. "And with me are my companions Padme Naberrie and Jar Jar Binks ..." He paused briefly as the astromech droid chimed in with a cheerful whistle, causing Qui-Gon to smile. "... and, of course, this little guy here is our droid, Artoo Detoo. We really appreciate your son welcoming us into your home. We hope we are not too much of an imposition."
Shmi glanced briefly at Harry, who stood nearby, and then turned her attention back to Qui-Gon Jinn. Her voice held a welcoming warmth as she responded, "Of course not, welcome to our home! I'm afraid it's not much, but it does suit our needs well enough."
Padme, offering her own kind words, took a step forward, her presence exuding grace and sincerity. "This is a lovely home," she complimented. "It takes more than things to make a dwelling into a home. I can feel the care and love you have put into your home."
Shmi's face softened, the compliment assuaging any lingering concerns about having company in the house. She inclined her head graciously toward Padme. "Thank you for your kind words. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
Shmi turned her attention toward Qui-Gon, a note of curiosity in her voice. "How do you know my son? I do not believe I have seen you around before..."
Harry, recognizing that his mother and Qui-Gon were likely to engage in a lengthy and boring conversation, seized the opportunity to offer Padme an escape from the impending and likely very dull exchange. He spun around and faced her, his eyes bright with anticipation. "Would you like to see the droid I've built ... well, the one I've been building?"
Padme's expression reflected her impressed curiosity. "You've built a droid? You're certainly quite capable. Sure, I'd love to." Her genuine interest in his work was evident as she agreed to accompany him.
As Harry led Padme into his room, her attention was immediately seized by the sight of numerous projects spread across his workbench, each in various states of completion. Her voice carried a clear note of admiration as she inquired, "These are all truly projects you've been working on?"
Harry's smile was evident as he looked over the workbench, a hint of pride in his response. "Aye, those are the ones currently still requiring work ... some are a little closer to completion than others, though," he remarked with a chuckle.
Padme eventually made her way to the end of the workbench, her gaze now fixed on the depowered droid. "So this is the droid that you've built? All by yourself?" she asked, clearly interested.
Harry nodded, his eyes reflecting a sense of accomplishment. "I started building it a couple of years ago, using scrap pieces that Watto and other salvage shops considered useless. But I've almost completed it. I wanted to build it for my mother to help her out."
Padme was visibly impressed as she inspected the droid. She offered a heartfelt compliment, "Anakin, that's really impressive. I know many adults more than twice your age who would have no hope of accomplishing something like that, much less with scrap pieces."
Harry beamed at Padme's words and replied, "If you give me a second, I can turn him on. I've just started charging him, but he should have enough power for a little while at least."
He walked over to a switch on the wall that was above a cable that ran into the droid's back. With a quick flip, the droid's eyes lit up, and it sat upright, now ready to spring to life.
"Hello, Master Anakin. I see you have company this evening," the droid, remarked with a polite and somewhat robotic tone. He turned a bit mechanically toward Padme, offering a stiff nod of his head.
"Greetings, Ma'am. I am See-Threepio, charmed to make your acquaintance," the droid greeted Padme in a somewhat reserved manner.
Padme returned the greeting with a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you, See-Threepio. I am Padme Naberrie," she introduced herself before turning her attention back to Harry. Her face lit up with amazement and enthusiasm. "Ani ... sorry ... Anakin, this is amazing!" Her genuine admiration was evident as she expressed her fascination with the droid.
Harry couldn't help but smile at Padme's informal slip, appreciating her comfort around him. He observed as R2-D2 rolled up to his droid, stepping back to allow the astromech to inspect C-3PO. After seeming to complete the inspection, R2-D2 emitted a series of beeps and whistles.
C-3PO glanced down at the small astromech, his metallic tone conveying a mild affront. "Who are you calling a scrap pile, you short circuit? Of course, I am not yet complete. Master Anakin works on me when he has the time, but he has several projects on the go. And as shocking as it may be, I am not even the most impressive one. He is very busy. My goodness!" His response was delivered with an air of righteous indignation, which elicited laughter from both Harry and Padme.
R2-D2 emitted a shrill whistle before backing away toward the door.
Noting Padme's attention on him, Harry turned toward her, ready to answer her inquiry. "What else are you working on? I can't imagine what else might be more impressive than an operational protocol droid," she inquired, her curiosity evident.
Harry's playful smile arose as he responded to Padme, teasing her with a hint of mystery. "Well … maybe when the sandstorm is over, I can show you," he remarked, feeling that now was not yet the time to bring up his Podracer.
Turning back to his droid, Harry reassured C-3PO, "Do not worry, 3PO. I promise I will not forget about you. I will have you all finished up as soon as I have the opportunity and find the last parts I need."
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The protocol droid replied with unwavering trust and a touch of warmth. "I know you will, Master Anakin. There was never a doubt in my mind."
Harry was about to respond when he heard a beeping sound emanating from a datapad attached to a node under C-3PO's arm. He reached over to check the flashing message and then turned his attention to the droid. "Well, it looks like I'll have to turn you off for now so the capacitors can finish charging. But the next time I turn you on, you should be just about ready to go." With that, he initiated the process to power down the droid temporarily.
As Harry reached around and depowered C-3PO, his attention was diverted by the sound of Padme rummaging around on his workbench, inspecting the various projects spread across it. Her curiosity seemed to have gotten the better of her, as she stopped rummaging and found something that piqued her interest.
"What's this?" she inquired, her tone filled with curiosity.
Harry spun around to see what had caught her attention, but he froze upon realizing what she had found. She was holding his mokeskin pouch, which he had left on the workbench's top rather than returning it to its designated cubby, where it was usually kept out of sight.
With a wry smile on his face, Harry extended his hand, palm up, in expectation of its return. "Well, that depends ..."
Padme regarded him with a raised eyebrow, a puzzled expression on her face. "Depends? Depends on what?" Her curiosity was now directed toward the enigmatic pouch that had looked so out of place among all the technology and mechanical contraptions on the bench, her interest was truly piqued.
Harry leaned in slightly, a mysterious glint in his eyes as he posed his question. "Well … do you believe in magic?"
Padme's reaction was immediate. She paused, her mouth partially open, clearly not anticipating such a response. After a moment, she composed herself and refocused her attention on him. "Magic?" she echoed, seemingly even more engaged on the conversation.
Harry maintained his enigmatic smile and gave a confirming nod. "Magic."
"Um ... I don't know," Padme replied, her answer tentative. "Like the Force? Maybe. Why?" Her curiosity prompted her to seek clarification.
In response to her mentioning "the Force," Harry froze. The mention of those words brought back memories of his conversation with Fate before he woke up in this unfamiliar world ...
May the Force be with you
The unexpected reappearance of the words left him momentarily speechless.
Was this … Force … like his Magic?
Harry decided that was something to think about later and chuckled in response to her questions, a warm and nostalgic tone in his laughter. "Well, if you don't believe in magic, this might be hard to explain. But a ... friend ..." He trailed off, his voice catching slightly as he recalled the kind and lovable Hagrid, and the many times Hagrid had been there for him.
He continued, finding his words. "A friend gave me this bag, and it's magical."
Padme's gaze returned to the mokeskin pouch in his hands, with renewed interest. "How so?" she inquired.
Harry beamed with enthusiasm as he explained further. "Well ... it can only be opened by me, and it's much larger on the inside than it appears, so I can store a lot of personal stuff within it."
It appeared that Padme had been eager to ask more about the pouch or perhaps even to see what was inside. However, when Harry had mentioned it was filled with personal items, she seemed to change her mind and steer the conversation in another direction. With a light-hearted laugh, she inquired, "Are you sure it's not just some advanced bioelectrical system you designed, which would only appear like magic to someone without technical knowledge like me?"
Harry smiled warmly at her before shaking his head. "I'm being honest ... I don't know what it is, but I think … I feel, that there is … something special about you. While I can't promise to answer every question you might have – and I doubt you'd believe my answers if I did – I can promise I will never answer one of your questions with a lie."
Padme paused, a genuine smile on her face as she responded, "Thank you for that. I don't know if it's from being surrounded by people who lie all the time and have their own agendas, but that is so refreshing to hear. I feel I can trust you, and that means a lot." The honesty and integrity in his words had clearly left a positive impression on her.
Harry's smile remained warm and genuine as he spoke to Padme across the cluttered workbench. "Well, if you ever need a friend, even though I may just be a slave at the moment ..." He paused, allowing a self-deprecating chuckle to escape before continuing, "... but I believe I'd make a pretty good friend."
Padme observed him thoughtfully, her eyes scanning his face, as she weighed the sincerity of his offer. After a brief moment, she smiled back at him and replied, "I'd like that. I really wouldn't mind having an honest friend. Thank you."
Turning her attention toward the workbench, she shifted the conversation. "So, what is the most interesting thing you are working on? Well other than ... C-3PO, right? What's the next most interesting thing?"
With a shared laugh, Harry joined her side. "Well, that would definitely have to be..."
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A couple of hours later, Shmi called out to Harry and Padme, summoning them to join her and their guests for dinner. The meal had been prepared using food capsules Qui-Gon had provided, and they gathered around the modest table to enjoy the nourishment.
Halfway through the meal, curiosity got the better of Harry, and he decided to ask Qui-Gon about the reason for their visit to Tatooine. However, Qui-Gon swiftly, if not obviously, redirected the conversation, attempting to inquire as to Harry's own life.
"So, what do you do for fun, Anakin?" Qui-Gon inquired, changing the focus of their discussion. "Surely your days aren't solely spent within Watto's shop."
Harry's face lit up with a smile. "Certainly not. I really enjoy hanging out with my friends, Kitster and Wald. Of course, Padme just saw my workshop, but I also like Podracing. Oh, and..." He leaned in, as if sharing a secret, "I've been building my own Podracer. It's a bit of a secret from Watto, though." The glint in his eyes hinted at the excitement that came with such a project.
Qui-Gon's raised eyebrow betrayed his surprise as he regarded Harry. "You Podrace?"
Harry nodded, a proud and enthusiastic smile gracing his face.
"I don't think I've ever seen a human do it," Qui-Gon remarked, still somewhat astonished. "Certainly not one as young as you."
Padme, curious and eager to learn, looked at Qui-Gon and then shifted her gaze to Harry. "Why not?" she asked, her interest clearly piqued. "Sorry, there is no Podracing on my home planet of Naboo." Her tone was both apologetic and inquisitive.
Qui-Gon finally averted his gaze from Harry as he began to explain. "Podracing is almost always extremely dangerous. The races are basically death traps for the enjoyment of the rich to bet on. And humans ... usually ... don't have the reflexes to respond fast enough to the dangers of the track or other racers. You need to have other attributes or the reflexes of an alien ... or ... a Jedi." He concluded, turning his thoughtful gaze back toward Harry.
Harry's eyes lit up with excitement as he inquired, "You know about Jedi?"
Qui-Gon responded with an enigmatic smile, "Well, I may know a thing or two." He paused, glancing briefly at Padme, who had tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a scoff.
Harry pressed further, intrigued by the mystery. "Is this from personal experience?" he asked, his gaze fixed on Qui-Gon.
Shmi gasped in response to Harry's questioning, her concern for her son's manners evident. "Ani, don't be rude," she admonished gently.
Qui-Gon, however, shook his head and offered a reassuring smile to Shmi. "It's perfectly alright. Children are naturally inquisitive. Although your Anakin here does seem a bit more curious than most," he remarked with a twinkle in his eye. He then turned his attention back to Harry. "Why do you think I am a Jedi?"
"Well ... just the way you talk ... and, of course, there is the lightsaber at your side ..." As Harry spoke, Shmi's eyes widened in shock, not having seen the lightsaber. "And then there is this ... feeling ... I'm not sure how to describe it, that I get when I'm around you."
Qui-Gon regarded Harry thoughtfully, his gaze penetrating as his smile faltered for a second. "A feeling?" he inquired; his voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.
Harry nodded emphatically, his eyes alight with their own curiosity. "Aye, a feeling that perhaps there is more to you than there appears to be and a feeling that I should ... help you? It doesn't really make sense, but I have learned to trust my instincts. They have served me well so far."
Qui-Gon's eyes softened, and he offered a reassuring response. "As well you should. Trust your instincts. They are right … I am a Jedi."
Harry beamed with excitement. "That is amazing! I knew it! What brings you all the way to Tatooine?"
Qui-Gon paused, his gaze shifting to Padme briefly and then to the wall, staring in the direction of the ship they had indicated earlier. "Well, that is a long story, certainly not one to start tonight. But perhaps now I am wondering if we were meant to be here. The Force works in mysterious ways." His words were tinged with a sense of profound significance, suggesting that there was more to their presence on Tatooine than even he had originally suspected.
"The Force?" Harry inquired, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.
Qui-Gon offered a small, knowing smile. "Yes, the Force. Well ... that's an even more complicated discussion. But as for your instincts, they are right. We do need help."
Both Harry and his mom stared at Qui-Gon in astonishment, the significance of their guest's presence beginning to weigh heavily on them.
Qui-Gon continued. "As for how you can help us, I believe shelter from the storm is enough ... unless you can think of some way to help us acquire the money we need to purchase the parts required to repair our ship."
Harry smiled, his eyes filled with determination. "Well ..."
Realizing where this was going, his mother, Shmi, shook her head in disbelief. "Ani ... no … you can't."
He turned back to his mother, earnestness in his voice. "But mom, there is no other way. Unless you can think of something else."
Harry paused and looked to his mother awaiting a response but seeing none was forthcoming, he continued, "You've always told me that I should try to help those in need. And who is more deserving of help than an actual Jedi? For all the good they're rumored to do throughout the galaxy, shouldn't we try to assist them?"
Shmi paused, her gaze heavy with the weight of her decision, and then, reluctantly, she nodded in agreement.
Qui-Gon and Padme exchanged intrigued glances, their eyes darting back and forth between Anakin's confident demeanor and the unfolding interplay of events. However, was Padme who eventually broke the silence, her curiosity piqued. "What are you thinking of?"
Anakin beamed at Padme's inquisitive expression before beginning to articulate his plan. "Well … you see, Watto has a certain weakness for placing bets on Podraces, especially during the Boonta Eve Classic. And I just happen to know about the fastest Podracer in the upcoming event, one that's likely to provide excellent odds and, most importantly, the Podracer that will win."
Qui-Gon's eyes widened as realization dawned on his face, connecting the dots of Anakin's proposal. Padme, however, still looked at the young boy with a mix of confusion and uncertainty.
Anakin continued, his voice steady and brimming with self-assuredness, "I propose that I enter the Podrace on your behalf. You can use the winnings to buy the necessary parts for your ship, Qui-Gon. It just feels like the right thing to do."
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