Ketu Tuaggu: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 8

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Entering the control room Versé relaxed when she only spotted one of the pilots. The pilot greeted her with a small smile and a 'good afternoon' before going back to his work leaving her to sit in silence in front of the computer.

So far nothing important had gone through R2's data stream except one thing that caught her eye. Apparently the Jedi had decided to bet in the upcoming pod race, using a young slave named Anakin. Hoping to get enough money to pay for the parts they needed, apparently he expressed great trust in the young boy's skill as not only a pilot but also, possibly, a Jedi.

This made Versé raise an eyebrow as she quickly pressed a few buttons, an image appeared on the screen showing everything that R2 was currently seeing and she was surprised to see the young boy. He couldn't have been older than 9, and he already looked more mature than a child his age should be.

Sadness flowed through the woman as she could relate to the young boy. Growing up as a slave changes you and the way you look at life. By the time Versé was 9 she had already seen more than most residents of Naboo had seen in 30 years.

But the boy had a spark of hope in his bright blue eyes that Versé did not have unless she was listening to the stories of the brave Jedi Knights. Every night after her adoptive father, a slave called Meeno, told her these stories she would dream of the Jedi coming to Tatooine and freeing the slaves. It was the one thing that kept the tiniest flame of hope alive, and eventually when she realised that it would not happen she left the planet, never wanting to lay eyes on another slave.

Deep in thought Versé did not hear the doors opening nor did she sense the presence of the Jedi, but a wave of calm gently fell over her causing her tense shoulders to relax a great deal.

Obi Wan instantly felt the Lieutenant's presence in the room as he entered and his eyes found her sitting form, infront of a computer that now, instead of displaying a complex code, displayed an image of a young boy. Most likely the one his Master had told him about.

He couldn't help but feel sad for the woman, he could only imagine what she had gone through growing up as a slave and now he could feel a sense of melancholy hovering around Versé like a force field; refusing to allow any form of good into her mind.

"I assume you know of your Master's plan?" Versé asked, breaking the silence in the control room. She had noticed the Jedi's presence a few minutes after his arrival, noticing that she had felt suddenly calm moments before.

Obi Wan looked at the screen in front of the woman, realising that she must have watched the scene unfold from the R2 unit's security system. He still couldn't fathom how she could do such things. Droids were programmed to be secure, never letting anything bypass their system and yet this woman had done exactly that.

"Yes, my Master knows what he is doing and I trust his judgement." Obi Wan replied, Versé nodded, her eyes never leaving the image of the young boy and the Jedi master.

"The Queen will not approve." She stated, pressing a button making the image disappear and the code to cover the screen.

"I know this." Obi Wan said, nodding his head slightly. Qui-gon had told him just as much.

The room was silent except for the buzzing of machines, but the silence was once again broken by the Lieutenant.

"It is odd though...." She trailed off, glancing at the apprentice out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but notice how the lights in the room illuminated the red in his hair.

"What is?" Obi Wan asked, prompting Versé to continue.

"I have never heard of a human racing a pod, it is not in our abilities to have such fast reflexes unless you are a Jedi. And even then no Jedi has ever raced a pod. This boy says that he is the only human able to race, and your Master seems to have taken a keen interest in him." Versé spoke her mind, feeling no need to hide her thoughts from the Jedi. She felt comfortable around Obi Wan, despite the rather large secret she had accidentally blurted only hours before.

"Perhaps he has the same connection you do." Obi Wan said, and at the confused look on the woman's face he continued, "My Master informed me of your rather odd connection to the Force, perhaps it is possible that another from your home world shares the same connection."

Versé nodded, her mind working overtime. She believed that this boy was different from her, stronger in the Force. Sure she was a very talented pilot and could do things others, even Jedi, could not, but just by looking at the boy she could tell he was different. There was something calming about him, but also terrifying.

Versé's com beeped, alerting her that someone was attempting to contact her.

"Versé." She said into the com, waiting for the person on the other side to speak.

"Lieutenant." It was one of the other Royal Guards. "The Queen wishes to go outside of the ship." The guard said.

"Be right there." Versé responded as she stood.

She turned to the Jedi and nodded to him, "I trust you will not speak of what I told you."

Obi Wan smiled at her, a rare genuine smile, "You can trust me, Ketu."

Versé rolled her eyes, hearing her original name felt a little strange...but a good strange. "I do." She said before leaving the control room to go and find Sabé and inform her of the risks of going outside of the ship.

And they were many.