Star Forge - Chapter 2

Shmi Skywalker stared at me as I stood behind her son. Her expression went completely blank as she saw the remote in my hand.

"Mom!" Anakin ran over to her completely oblivious to her plight. "We're free."

"What?" Shmi finally looked at her son.

"Kiskin bought us from Watto," Anakin explained just short of a yell. "He deactivated my chip and said I was part of his crew."

"I'd like you to come as well," I added.

Her sharp eyes snapped back to me. I deactivated her chip as she studied me.

"What does a Mandalorian want with a woman and a child?" There was iron in her voice.

"He seems like a good kid," I replied with a shrug. "It would be a waste for him to stay on this dust ball of a planet. And I'd be complete bastard if I didn't take you along as well."

I felt something gently brush against my consciousness. My connection with the Force was new enough for me to still be sensitive to such things. Shmi was, at the very least, Force Sensitive. Her brief touch seemed to be enough to ease her worry. It helped that I had no ill-intent toward her or Anakin.

"You should pack," I nodded to the door that Anakin had taken. "We're heading to my ship once you're both ready."

There was a mingling of voices from the room that Anakin was in. I recognized the other as C-3PO. What I didn't expect was the sudden sharp cry of shock. I dashed to the doorway to see Anakin holding a familiar looking detached droid head.

"Watto wouldn't be happy if I took all of him," Anakin answered my silent question.

I nodded in understanding. My mind wandered as the boy hurried around the room packing little things. There were half a dozen handcrafted toys, some clothes, and a quite a bit more tools than I had expected. It didn't take long.

Deactivating their tracking chip was a good start. Still, I wanted it out of them just to be safe. After that I needed to wait until Padme and the Jedi showed up for the parts. I could do what I told Watto. Fix up the part and sell it for a tidy profit once the group arrives. I had no qualms taking Republic Credits. My wallet automatically converted it into local currency, so I was fine taking anything as payment.

Unfortunately, I couldn't just casually drop that Palpatine was a Sith Lord and responsible for everything that was happening. That wasn't fair. The blame wasn't completely on him, he saw the situation and used it for his own purposes. A war was coming regardless of the machinations of the Sith. It may have taken a little longer, but it was unavoidable. The Republic was corrupt, and people had seen the signs for a while.

I would need to guide them in the right direction without exposing myself. Keeping Anakin away from the Jedi was even more important. Removing him from the Battle of Naboo potentially could cause some issues. How long would the Naboo and Gungan forces be able to hold out without the ship blowing up? It looked like I was going to have to get involved. Purchasing the Droid Control Ship could tip things in my favor. Tinkering around with the B-1 droids back on the ship would be good too. I had no idea how long it would take to save up enough points to get the Control Ship, a backup plan would be a good idea. Cracking the droids communication network would be a decent goal.

Figuring out the timeline was still an issue. I knew the Era, and had colossally fucked up the Plot, but I had no clue when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were to arrive on Naboo. Buying what they needed for repairs would answer that. Until then I just had to wait.

Motion to my right brought me back to the present. Schmi stood nearby studying me once again. I motioned at the bag she held and the one on her back.

"Is that it?" I asked.

She nodded.

"My people, the Mandalorians aren't a race," I said breaking the silence. "We're a people that follow a code. The Resol'nare, or Six Actions. Education and Armor, Self-Defense, Our Tribe, Our Language and Our Leader, All help us to survive. It's a rhyme we teach to our children. In simpler terms: wear the armor, speak the language, raise your children in the way, defend yourself and your family, contribute to the clan's wellbeing, and heed the call of the Mandalore. There's more to it than that. Mandalorians are supposed to seek worthy opponents to grow and improve. Defeat against a stronger foe isn't a failure, but a new goal to reach. We've lost our way, but we can become what we once were. Warriors of purpose, not glorified thugs."

I paused to give her a chance to speak. She didn't.

"Children are one of the most important parts of my culture," I continued. "Adopting Foundlings is one of the main ways we grow our numbers. If we all get along, you'd be invited to join my clan. I'm the only member at the moment."

·         Some Wine with that Cheese?
+100 Points

·         Roll – Bank – Shop         

Bank. I wanted that Droid Control Ship.

"You want a family," Shmi stated.

A family? Not really. I wanted to give Anakin a better life to avert the disaster that was on the horizon.

"What can I say?" I chuckled. "I've got a gooey center under this crunchy shell."

Shmi's eyes widened at my statement. A small smile played across her face after a moment.

"Ani," she called. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Anakin burst out of his room carrying a large bag and wearing another as big as he was on his back.

"Anakin," Shmi sighed.

"What?" The boy asked innocently.

"What is all that?" Shmi asked.

"The important stuff," Anakin grunted as he lifted the bag he held a bit higher.

I pulled out another one-hundred credit square and placed it on the counter for Watto to find later.

"That should cover it," I said as I took the bag from his hand.

It was heavier than I expected from a kid his size. Either it was by pure will that he hadn't dragged it along the floor, or he was subconsciously using the Force to strengthen his body. I held my hand out to Anakin, who took it, and smiled brightly up at me. Shmi was covering her worry rather well. Not that I blamed her. This random stranger shows up, casually buys her and her son, sets them free, and now Anakin was staring at him like he hung the suns.

"Do you ever take off your helmet?" Anakin asked as we walked toward the hangar.

"Yes," I nodded.

"You do?" Anakin squinted at me as though he could see through my helmet.

"How else am I supposed to eat?" I said with a soft chuckle. "Around people, rarely. Only those I trust or count as family."

"Does that mean you'll take it off around us?" Anakin asked in wonder.

"Maybe one day," I replied.

We arrived at the hangar in time to see my droids loading the parts into the ship. The Twi'lek dockmaster watched with a mingling of interest and dread. I could almost see him calculating what he could do with the information. The entirety of my crew so far was droids. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be easier to rob than if the crew were people. It was easier to shoot droids.

"No issues?" I asked as I approached the Twi'lek.

He jumped at the sound of my voice. His eyes drifted over Anakin and Shmi for a moment before turning his attention to me.

"No," the Twi'lek shook his head fast enough to whip his lekku.

"Good," I replied. "I'll be here for a bit longer than expected. How much for a month?"

The word 'month' felt odd in my mouth. I took it to mean that I had said something different that meant the same thing in this universe.

"Ninety," he squeaked out.

I reached into my wallet. Instinctively, I knew that I had roughly ten thousand credits left. It sounded like a lot, but I had just spent nearly thirty thousand with Watto. I really needed to work out a budget. Or come up with a way to make some money.

He caught the credit square I tossed him. My internal math told me it was worth a hundred.

"Keep it," I said before he could say anything. "I'll let you know if I need fuel or a restock."

The Twi'lek nodded again before rushing away.

"Why did you do that?" Anakin asked. "You gave Watto more money too."

"They'll remember that in the future," I answered. "It lays the groundwork for better service and potential connections in the future."

"Or they think you're an easy mark," Shmi spoke softly.

"Then they would learn their mistake the hard way," I waited for the droids to close the hatch on the loading bay before I entered the ship.

Anakin and Shmi stayed at my side. The boy watched the droids with intense interest. His mind was working overtime studying everything about them. I didn't doubt C-3PO would get some upgrades when their body was finished. My helmet hid my smile at his energy. I led them over to the strip of crew quarters. Technically, they were for potential passengers as well as the crew.

"Pick one," I tapped the panel by the door. All of them opened, save for mine. "You can choose if you want to share a room or not." I pointed to my door. "This is mine. The fresher is right there, another on the opposite side as well. We have a freshwater tank and a recycler. Go easy on it, the process isn't instant, and the tank isn't endless. I'm not filling up here, so we'll have to wait until our next stop."

The rest of the important spots were next: escape pods, the kitchen, maintenance corridors, lounge, droid charging area, cargo bay, brig, and the cockpit. It ended with us standing by the Life Support array.

"We don't have a medical area yet," I said. "The med-kits, bandages, bacta-patches, and all that are stored right here."

They watched as I opened the panel and pulled out an auto-injector.

"Have you had any inoculations for off-planet illnesses?" I asked.

Shmi shook her head. Anakin latched onto the side of his mother.

"It's alright," I said as I loaded a cartridge into the injector. "Just a little pinch. You've felt worse when working on your droid."

Anakin nodded. He offered his arm. I cleaned the area with a swab. The prepped area was a few shades lighter than the rest of his skin.

"What's that?" I asked nodding over his shoulder.

I gave him the shot the moment he looked away. He turned back to face me, his face screwed up in confusion.

"I didn't see anything," Anakin said.

"Did you feel anything?" I asked with a small smile in my voice.

"No," Anakin shook his head. "Are you going to do the shot now?"

"I already did," I tapped his forearm.

He looked down at the little red circle in wonder.

"Go take a shower," I said. "Then we'll go through your stuff."

"Why?" Anakin asked.

"To see what you have and what you need," I replied. "Go get clean."

Shmi gave her son a reassuring smile as he stepped into the fresher. Her shoulders tensed once the door shut. She turned to face me with a slowness that broke my heart. I motioned for her to give me her arm. The process repeated, this time without a distraction.

"The other fresher is open," I said. "You should get cleaned up too."

Shmi smiled at the sound of water spray and laughter that was loud enough to hear through the thick metal. Her expression shifted to neutral as she addressed me.

"Will I be warming your bed?" She asked with a well-hidden shiver in her voice.

"No," I shook my head. "You are an attractive woman. I think I could grow to enjoy your company. That doesn't mean you're here as entertainment."

A silence grew between us until I had to say something. I couldn't just set them free. The world didn't work like that. Shmi would spend the rest of her life waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I paid twenty thousand for you and Anakin," I continued.

She flinched at the number.

"I'm not going to throw that investment away," I said. "Ten thousand total and you're free to do whatever you wish. Until then, you're part of my crew and will be treated as such. We do a job; you get a portion of the pay. Anything you do on your own time is yours."

"Why?" Shmi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Your kid," I motioned to the closed fresher door. "There's something special about him. You already know that."

She nodded.

"He's Force Sensitive," I continued. "Too old to join the Jedi and too powerful for the Sith to find."

"Sith?" Shmi asked.

"Evil Jedi," I replied. "It's more complicated than that, but close enough." I waved away any further questions. "They'll twist him into a monster and the entire galaxy would fear him." I paused. "He's too powerful to be left alone. Most Force Sensitive people that the Jedi don't find, or the Sith corrupt, live their lives without ever noticing. That won't happen with Anakin. The signs are already there."

It was a statement, not a question.

"He's the only human pod-racer on Tatooine," she whispered.

"Force Enhanced Reflexes," I said. "I'll train him the best that I can. Now, go take a shower and set out the stuff you brought. I have a feeling we're going to go shopping soon enough."

Shmi did as instructed. I had just given her a lot to think about. It's not every day you find out your kid has the potential to be an insanely powerful space wizard.

I turned off my helmet speaker and opened a note on my HUD.

"Dictate, notes," I said. "Number one, long term goal: train Anakin. Number two, figure out how to either kill Palpatine or expose him. Number three, possibly undo the extinction of my species. Number four, fuck if I know."

I paused to listen for a moment. The water for Anakin had turned off but he hadn't come out yet. Shmi used the Fresher on the other side of the ship, so I had no idea on her progress.

"Expand note number two," I said. "Assassinating a Senator is a lot easier than a Chancellor. What would the implications be of killing him before things really kick off? The approach of the war could slow, but Dooku can't be written off. He's smart, resourceful, and charismatic. His goals are his own. Could possibly be more of an issue than Palpatine."

Anakin emerged from the Fresher a few shades lighter than he went in. His hair was wet, he was wearing clean clothes, and he had a wide smile on his face. He sprinted into one of the open rooms. A quick glance before the door closed let me know he was currently spreading his items on the bed for inspection.

"Further expanding note number two," I continued as I waited. "Taking the timeline, access, and his hidden force abilities into account a direct attack would be out of the question. He could know how to negate poison, so that's out too. A bomb would be the best bet as long as he didn't sense it. Maybe a multi-stage trigger as to not alarm him. Requires research."

A few minutes later a paler and cleaner version of Shmi appeared. She chose the room directly next to Anakin. It didn't escape my notice that she had positioned herself between his room and mine. I couldn't blame her for that. She started to unpack her items as I had instructed.

"Expand note number three," I walked over to the lounge and took a seat. "Research cloning options. A few of myself unaltered, then examine options to mingle my DNA with other compatible sources to expand the starting population. Can age acceleration stop after maturity? Sith can inter-breed with humans. Find out what other species are viable. Set the starting batch free with the sole intent on increasing the population once a sufficient number of clones are gathered. Option two, start knocking up a couple of women on each planet I visit. Much slower. Much more fun. Not sure if either method is practical since I'm the only source of Sith DNA. If I remember correctly, I would need around three thousand adults to continue with the species with minimal risk of inbreeding. More is probably better unless it dilutes the Sith DNA completely. Shelve the idea until more information has been gathered."

"We're ready," Shmi said as she approached me.

I activated the speaker on my helmet as I stood. The HUD worked via voice commands and frankly impossible level of eye-tracking technology.

"Lead the way," I nodded to her.

We stopped at her room first. She had two outfits, including the one she had just worn, and a smattering of nicknacks that had to have some emotional connection. It was a testament to her pragmatism that she didn't pack anything that Watto would want back. I picked up one of her shirts and felt the fabric. My gloves didn't allow me to assess the quality, but it felt like worn burlap. A quick look at Anakin's selection showed his stuff was along the same lines. He had three outfits that were in better condition. I gave Shmi an appreciative incline of the head at her.

"You know where to get better quality clothes?" I asked.

Shmi nodded.

"And a med-center that can remove those chips?" I asked.

She paused for a moment, then nodded.

"We'll do that one first," I said. "Let's go."

~

The trip to the med-center and market didn't cost nearly as much as expected. I asked that we avoid the slave market, so I didn't spend the rest of my capital on freeing as much as possible. That, and I didn't think killing random slavers would do much in the way of progress. Note number three became: plan downfall of slavers. That was going to be a major one. Being in Hutt Space meant that I would basically declaring war against some of the biggest crime lords in the known galaxy. Taking out the little guys would open the planet to new slavers. Aiming for the Hutts meant that I was inviting another criminal organization or two to try to fill the vacuum. I'd either need to set myself up or get someone in power that I could count on. Both options were going to take a lot of work.

We ended the day at a little cantina for dinner. I was a little surprised to see how mundane most of the food was. Sure, the ingredients weren't the standard ones from my previous life, but the presentation was similar. A sandwich was a sandwich regardless of name or galaxy. I did learn two important lessons. One, Bantha meat is not the equivalent of beef. Two, Blue Milk is freaking delicious. Eating in public was a bit tricky. I could tilt my helmet back and use a straw for the drink, but actual food took some slap-dash invention. There was a chance that no one would think twice about another near-human alien of dubious origin. It was unlikely a random xenology expert would just happen to be on Tatooine, in Mos Espa, and would see me.

Still, I wasn't going to take off my helmet in public. I needed to solve this issue, so it didn't come up in the future. Shmi was a lifesaver. She wrapped a loose scarf around my helmet just below the eyes. With that covered, I was able to tilt it back enough to eat. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of a Mandalorian using a glorified bib. Still, it's not a stupid idea if it works. At least it isn't as stupid.

Shmi and Anakin looked like new people. The shower, new clothes, and most importantly, removing the explosive chip at the base of their skull helped them relax. Anakin wore a pair of coveralls that made him look like a mechanics apprentice while Shmi stayed low key with a simple outfit that blended in with everyone else.

"Anakin," I said as we made it back to the ship. "Come here."

Shmi tensed, but Anakin didn't question it. I sat on the floor in the lounge area settling into the classic meditation pose. Anakin stared at me for a moment before he joined me.

"We need to talk," I said slowly turning my head to face him.

He nodded but didn't speak.

"Do you know what the Force is?" I asked.

"Magic that Jedi use," Anakin replied quickly.

"Correct, in a way," I patted him on the head. "The Force is an energy that lives in all things, it connects everything. People who can use it are Force Sensitive. People like you."

"Me?" His eyes went wide with the information.

"Yes," I nodded. "Your reflexes are faster than a standard human. You simply know how to fix things. Not to mention, I can sense it."

"You're a Jedi?" Anakin asked.

"No," I shook my head. "But I am a Force User. My creed is my own. I would like to teach you, if you're willing."

Anakin looked over to his mother. She gave him a small smile and a nod. He leaped to his feet and pulled her into a tight hug. Shmi laughed while she enjoyed the attention. He quickly skipped back to me and got back into the meditation position.

"This first lesson is to feel," I said. "We'll try a few ways to see which works best for you. Close your eyes and let your mind drift. Don't try to force your mind to blank, let your thoughts flow. The goal is to relax and to feel the world around you."

I didn't expect it to work for him. Most source material painted Anakin as impatient and short tempered. Which was why I was so shocked when his breathing slowed. He wasn't asleep; he had already settled into the zone.

"Now," I kept my voice soft and even. "Pay attention to what you feel. The floor you're sitting on, the breeze of the air circulation, the heat from my body." I paused. "Do you feel it?"

"I think so," Anakin replied.

"Go through each feeling, explore and identify before you move to the next," I continued. "Tell me what you feel."

"The floor," Anakin said. "The screwdriver in my pocket is poking my leg."

"You can take it out," I laughed.

He scrambled around as he emptied out his pockets. How he was able to fit the equivalent of an industrial toolbox on his body was beyond me. Once more he settled beside me. It didn't take long for him to return to the target zone.

"I feel something," Anakin said slowly.

"Just like the other sensations, explore and identify," I repeated.

"I know this feeling," Anakin said. "It's… It's always with me."

"Is this the sensation you feel while pod-racing?" I asked.

"Yeah," his voice got louder as he drew the word out. "That's the force?"

"That is a way to identify the Force," I answered. "We'll do this every morning and evening. Don't hesitate to ask me questions at any time. If I can, I will answer or find the answers."

We got a routine going over the next week. I wasn't going to do more than meditation with Anakin until we were off planet. His mere presence would bring unwanted attention from the Jedi. Training him up would be an even bigger problem. Plus, I needed to do get my own connection in order. I knew how to use the Force, hell, I had the equivalent of a Force Master in my head, but no practical experience.

I did my own experimentation and practice when Anakin was asleep, or busy in the cargo bay. Watto wasn't happy to see me when I came back, but I stayed true to my word. I would purchase something from his shop, fix it up, and then either sell it myself or back to him at a reduced cost. He was actually happy to see me after the third time I made him a profit.

Shmi was slow to warm to me, but she did her job without complaint. The droids all listened to her by the end of the second day. Even Carrie, the ship VI, would spend time chatting with her. Anakin and I made a team project to modify the B-1 droids. He helped reshape their heads, managing to get a mix between the more humanoid C-3PO and the battle droids. The final product looked like a Commando Droid with a friendly face. We also added a few more points of articulation, adapted the hands to have five fingers for more dexterous manipulation, and gave their processors an upgrade.

It took the better part of a week, but we managed to update the entire squad of ten. One of the droids that hadn't been activated yet was donated to give 3PO a body. He was the only one with protocol programming. The others were mechanics, gunners, and guards. They could fight, if needed, but were mostly there for defense rather than carrying out prolonged attacks. The astromechs were jealous, so they all got custom paintjobs, and a few upgrades. They also were happy they got to skip Anakin and I poking around in the B-1 communication network.

We had a week to settle in before Watto contacted me. There was a group of spacers looking for parts for a Nubian Yacht and tomorrow was the Boonta Eve Classic.