𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 • 𝐎𝐛𝐢-𝐖𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐢

*Dinner With A Jedi*

"I don't think so." Anakin said with a skeptical look. "No one can kill a Jedi."

Azaylia held back a laugh and whispered to herself, "If only that we're true."

"I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back and freed all the slaves...have you come to free us?" Anakin asked, his voice sounding hopeful.

"No I'm afraid not." Qui Gon said sadly.

"I think you have. Why else would you be here?"

The dinner continued with Qui Gon telling them about heading to Coruscant for their important mission but their ship had been damaged. They were now stranded on Tatooine without any money to trade with and they desperately needed parts for their ship.

"These junk dealers must have a weakness of some kind." Padmè spoke up.

"Gambling." Azaylia stated, rolling her eyes in disgust. Gambling was so very foolish and a waste of time, in her opinion.

"Yes. Everything here revolves around betting on those awful Podraces." Shmi agreed, shaking her head.

"Greed can be a powerful ally." Qui Gon nodded.

"I built a Podracer with Zayli. It's the fastest ever! There's a podrace tomorrow on Boonta Eve! You could enter our pod!" Anakin offered.

"Ani, you know Watto won't let you." Azaylia said quietly, tapping his arm.

"Watto doesn't know we've built it! Qui Gon could enter it as his and get me to pilot it!"

"I don't want you to race. I die every time Watto makes you do it." Shmi pleaded, her face tense with worry.

"But mom! I love it!" Anakin argued. "And the prize money would more then pay for the parts they need."

"Anakin." Azaylia warned.

"Azaylia and your mother are right." Qui Gon responded "Is there anyone friendly to the Republic who could help us?" He looked to Shmi and Azaylia.

"No." The word sounded heavy and dismal coming out of Azaylia's mouth.

"I'm sure Master Qui Gon doesn't not want to endanger you son. We will find some other way." Padmè assured Shmi.

"Mom! You always say the only problem in the galaxy is that no one helps each other." Anakin whined.
Azaylia took a second to think it over,"Actually, Ani is right. You do say that a lot..."
Shmi sighed, "As much as I don't like it... he can help you. They both can. They were meant to help you."
Qui Gon looked at the young woman and the boy with an interested eye.

>>>

"So Ani, I heard your pod started up today. Pretty exciting huh?" Azaylia laughed, sitting on the sand leaning her back up against the short balcony wall. She looked up at Anakin who was sitting on top of it.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed smiling widely, "But I wish you could've been there to see it...you helped me build that pod after all." His smiled had disappeared into a deeper frown.

"It's alright." She reached out her hand and patted Anakin's leg, "Watto had me doing something else."

"Like stealing more parts again?"

"Yep."

"Don't you ever get tired of stealing ship parts Zayli?" He asked innocently.

Azaylia bent her neck and felt rough stone come in contact with her head, "Yeah but what can I do about it."

Just then, Qui-Gon came in with a small cloth soaked in bacta.
"Here give me your arm Ani." Anakin held out his arm, showing a small cut. Qui-Gon sat down next to him and, pressed the cloth to his arm, making Anakin squirm, "Stay still Ani, let me clean this cut." He softly demanded. Azaylia had no sat on top of the wall, beside Qui-Gon. The rough sand was beginning to hurt her butt.

"There's so many." Anakin stated, looking up the stars, "Do they all have a system of planets?"

"Most of them." Qui-Gon replied. Azaylia had now started to gaze at the stars longingly.

"Has anyone been to 'em all?"

Qui-Gon chuckled, "Not likely."

When Azaylia was younger she used to imagine herself visiting each and every one of the star systems. She had once wanted to be—
"I wanna be the first one to see them all!" Anakin said confidently, making Azaylia laugh silently. That's exactly what she wanted.

"Ani! Bedtime!" Shmi shouted, just as Anakin exclaimed "ow" when Qui-Gon took a little bit of blood.

"There we are," Qui-Gon nodded, "good as new."

"Ani! I'm not going to tell you again." Shmi called as she walked past the doorway. "Zayli you better head off too." Azaylia threw her a thumbs up.

"What are you doing?" Anakin asked curiously.

"Checking your blood for infections." Qui-Gon replied, Azaylia looked at him with interest. That wasn't true. He was lying. "Go on, you have a big day tomorrow." He patted Anakin on the back. "Sleep well, Ani."

"Goodnight Ani." Azaylia waved as Anakin walked inside.

Azaylia turned her attention to Qui-Gon, "You're not taking his blood for infections...you're taking it for..." she narrowed her eyes, lazer focused on Qui-Gon, "A midi-chlorion count!"

"You're very good at detecting lies." Qui-Gon smirked, "But, sadly, you're not a very good at lying."

Azaylia looked baffled and quite anxious, "What-what do you mean?!"

"The lightsaber. You didn't find it. It was yours. So that must mean you are or were a Jedi correct?"

Azaylia blinked at him, he was smarter than she had thought, "Yeah. I was. A long time ago." She looked down at her hands.

Qui-Gon simply nodded and pulled at a comlink. "Obi-Wan?"

"Yes Master?" Azaylia nearly choked on air. Obi-Wan. That voice belonged to Obi-Wan. That was Obi-Wan. It sounded different than she remembered. Much more mature and serious. When had he gotten like that?

"I need an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you."

"Wait a minute."  The sounds of beeping come through the comlink.

"I need a midi-chlorion count."
A few beats of silence followed.

"The reading is off the charts! Twenty thousand! Even Master Yoda doesn't have midi-chlorion count that high."

"No Jedi has."

"What does this mean?" Azaylia looked at Qui-Gon expectantly thinking he would know the answers.

"I'm not sure." Azaylia's eyes went starry. Anakin had the highest midi-chlorion count. The highest!

"Would you like to talk to him?" Qui-Gon held out the comlink to Azaylia, whose eyes widened into saucers. She vigorously shook her head mouthing "no". She couldn't talk to Obi-Wan. He wouldn't speak to her. He'd hate her.

"Who would like to talk to me? Master who are you talking to? Is it the boy?" Obi-Wan spewed question after question.

Qui-Gon brought the comlink back towards him, smiling, "Not exactly. I'll explain later."

"Mmm...alright." Obi-Wan said, his tone skeptical. "Goodbye Master." A click was heard from the other end of the line.

"You should visit him. He talks about you all the time. I think he's missed you." Qui-Gon said standing up.

"But the pod race! I have to be there for Anakin."

Qui-Gon looked over his shoulder and turned around, "We would be back by the time the pod race starts I'm sure. My offer still stands." He stated calmly before walking inside.

Azaylia exhaled and looked back up at the stars, hoping to find her answer there. Seeing Obi-Wan would be a terrible idea! However, a small part of her was telling her that...maybe it wouldn't...