Pod Race- The Angel:
The storm had passed allowing Anakin and Freya to go outside. Anakin had insisted she come with him. Freya reluctantly agreed, not wanting to be around Watto more than necessary.
They were in a very heated discussion. Qui-Gon walked in and Freya, Anakin, and Watto joined him. Anakin had been wanting to show Freya the things he'd been working on, and Watto eyed the girl more than necessary making her uncomfortable.
"The boy tells me you wanta sponser hi insa race. You can't afford
parts. How can you do this? Not on Republic credits, I think." Watto laughed and Qui-Gon half smirked.
"My ship will be the entry fee." He said. Freya gasped and quickly shut her mouth.
Qui-Gon pulled a small object that looks like a watch out of his pocket, and
a hologram of the Naboo spacecraft appeared about a foot long in front of
Watto. He studied it and said, "Not bad...not bad...a Nubian."
Qui-Gon shut the device off and explained, "It's in good order, except for the parts we need." Watto glanced back at Anakin who'd moved to stand in front of Freya. He stood taller than her even at nine years old.
" ...but what would the boy ride? He smashed up my Pod in the last
race. It will take some time to fix it." Watto told Qui-Gon. Freya studied the creature carefully. She wondered how a creature like that would ever be able to enter the slave business, but then she thought of the Hutts and sighed.
She remembered her slave master, the Queen of Zygerria. Although the woman was good to her, she had sold her to a Zygerrian man, who'd sexually and physically abused her.
Anakin was embarrassed and stepped forward causing Freya to zone back into the conversation.
"Ahhhh....it wasn't my fault really...Sebulba flashed me with his
vent ports. I actually saved the Pod...mostly." He tried defending himself, and Freya smiled at him, making him feel slightly better.
"That you did. The boy is good, no doubts there." Watto laughed and said.
"I have...acquired a Pod in a game of chance. "The fastest ever
built."" He said, quoting Anakin. Anakin blushed and Freya placed her hand on his shoulder making his heartbeat quicken.
"I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it." Watto laughed and kept talking, "So, you supply the Pod and the entry fee; I supply the boy. We split the winnings
fifty-fifty, I think." Watto said. Freya scoffed loudly.
"Fifty-fifty!?! If it's going to be fifty-fifty, I suggest you
front the cash for the entry. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus
the cost of the parts I need...If we lose, you keep my ship." Qui-Gon was quite the barter. Watto was also not easily fooled.
Watto became heavily in thought while Anakin tried to not be so nervous. He was scared he'd say no, making Freya grab his hand in an attempt to calm him down.
"Either way, you win." Qui-Gon added. Watto laughed and agreed.
"Deal! Yo bana pee ho-tah, meedee ya. (Your friend is a
follish one, methinks.)" he said to Anakin who'd smiled back at Freya. Qui-Gon noticed their intertwined hands. Anakin had yet to let go of her.
Padme, Anakin , Jar Jar, Freya, and Artoo worked on the engines of the Podracer in
the courtyard below Qui-Gon and Anakin's mother.
"You should be proud of your son. He gives without any thought of
reward." Qui-Gon said. He was very proud of the boy, especially at the mere age of nine.
"He knows nothing of greed. He has..." Shmi started and Qui-Gon finished for her, knowing what she was about to say.
"He has special powers." He'd said. Shmi nodded and said, "Yes..."
they watched below as Anakin talked to Freya about everything on the Pod Racer, and she listened carefully.
"He can see things before they happen. That's why he appears to
have such quick reflexes. It is a Jedi trait." Qui-Gon said to her. Shmi smiled and sighed sadly.
"He deserves better than a slave's life." She told him.
"The Force is unusally strong with him, that much is clear. Who was his father?" Qui-Gon inquired. The force was strong with Freya as well, and knew it'd be impossible to track down either of her parents.
"There was no father, that I know of...I carried him, I gave him
birth...I can't explain what happened. Can you help him?" Shmi asked. Qui-Gon shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. Had he been born in the Republic, we would have
identified him early, and he would have become Jedi, no doubt...he has the
way. But it's too late for him now, he's too old." He said sadly. Shmi looked down and sighed.
"That girl, Freya...Anakin seems to have a close bond with her." Shmi noticed. Qui-Gon chuckled and nodded.
"I've noticed that. I've only heard about it in stories, a force bond. Freya is strong with the force as well, but she is entirely too old." Freya was very small. And sadly, her white hair made her stand out so much, Qui-Gon hoped no one noticed her.
"Anakin told me she was a slave as well." Shmi said.
"She was. The Queen of Zygerria owned her. Queen Amidala found her when she was only a child and saved her. She's indebted to her for life." Qui-Gon said. Shmi scoffed and looked away.
"She traded one slave life for another."
Anakin, Jar Jar,
Artoo , and Padme secured some wiring while Anakin's friends showed up.
"Padme, Freya, and Jar Jar, this is my friend Kitster, and seek, Amee, and
Wald."
They greeted each other warmly and the children marveled at Artoo.
"Wow, a real Astro Droid...how'd you get so lucky?" They asked. Anakin was excited to talk about everything.
"This isn't the half of it. I'm entered in the Boonta Race tomorrow!" He exclaimed. His friends looked jealous and shook their heads.
"What? With this??" Seek asked. Anakin looked down and Freya glared at them.
"Annie, Jesko na joka. (You are such a joke, Annie.)" Waldo told him. Freya grabbed Anakin's hand.
"You've been working on that thing for years. It's never going to
run." Amee said.
"Come on, let's go play ball. Keep it up, Annie, and you're gonna be
bug squash." Seek said. Some friends they are. Freya scoffed.
When they walked away laughing, Anakin noticed Jar Jar messing with the energy binder parts.
"Hey! Jar Jar! Stay away from those energy binders..." Anakin warned. Jar Jar looked surprised he'd gotten caught and he asked, "Who, mesa?"
"If your hand gets caught in that beam, it will go numb for hours." Anakin said. Jar Jar peeked at the energy plate and it zapped him in the mouth. Jar Jar tried to say something, but his mouth was numb and his words were garbled.
"Ouch-dats muy bigo Oucho." Jar Jar talked but Freya shook her head.
"But you don't even know if this thing will run." Kitser said to Anakin. But he knew it would, he built it himself.
"It will." He promised.
Qui-Gon approached and gave Anakin a small battery. Jar Jar got his hand caught in the afterburner and tried to tell Anakin, but couldn't get words out that make sense. Freya rolled her eyes and watched Qui-Gon.
"I think it's time we found out. Use this power charge." He handed the battery to Anakin and he yelled out,
"Yes, sir!!"
Anakin jumped into the little capsule behind the two giant engines. He gave Freya a smile which she returned. He put
the power pack back into the dashboard. Everyone backed away, except for Jar
Jar who called for help. Freya finally freed him and the engines ignite with
a roar. Freya smirked and nodded at Anakin who gave her a proud smile.
"It's working! It's working!" He yelled out.
Anakin sat on the balcony rail of his hovel as QUI-GON tended to a cut. Freya stood beside them and looked up at the stars.
"Sit still, Annie. Let me clean this cut." Qui-Gon scolded. Anakin did as he was told and asked, "There are so many! Do they all have a system of planets?"
"Most of them." Qui-Gon answered.
"Has anyone been to them all?" He asked. Qui-Gon laughed and replied, "
Not likely."
"I want to be the first one to see them all... Ouch!" Anakin said loudly. He'd already collected a blood sample from Freya. He wiped the blood from Anakin's arm and said, "There, good as new..."
Anakin's mother yelled from inside.
"Annie, bedtime!"
Qui-Gon scraped the blood onto his com link. Anakin noticed and furrowed his brows. "What are you doing?"
"Checking your blood for infections." Qui-Gon answered.
"I've never seen..." He started but his mother shouted again.
"Annie! I'm not goiung to tell you again!"
Qui-Gon chuckled and pushed him inside.
"Go on, you have a big day tomorrow." "Goodnight."
Anakin looked back to Freya and said, "Goodnight."
"Sleep well, Ani." His heart swelled when she called him Ani.
Anakin rolled his eyes and ran into the hovel. Qui-Gon took the blood
stained chip and inserted it into the comlink, then called Obiwan.
"Obi-Wan..." He said. Obiwan answered, "Yes, Master."
"Make an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you. I have two." He said. He sent the first blood sample and Obi-Wan said, "Wait a minute..."
"I need a midi-chlorian count." Qui-Gon said.
"All right. I've got it." Obi Wan told him and then looked at the blood sample reading.
"What are your readings?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Something must be wrong with the transmission." Obi-Wan was shocked at the reading was odd.
"Here's a signal check." Qui-Gon sent that as well and Obi Wan looked surprised.
"Strange. The transmission seems to be in good order, but the
reading's off the chart...over twenty thousand." Obi Wan explained. Qui-Gon knew it.
"That's it then." He said to his padawan. He sent over the other blood sample, Freya's this time.
"Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-chlorian count that high!" Obi-Wan exclaimed.
"No Jedi has." Qui-Gon reminded him.
"What does it mean?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I'm not sure. What are the readings on the other one?" He asked. Obi-Wan coughed and looked at the count.
"Over twenty thousand."
The next morning, Padme and Freya walked outside to watch the sunrise.
As the twin suns rose, ARTOO was painting the racing Pod. Anakin was still
asleep. The girls pass Artoo who beeps happily at home.
"I hope you're about finished." Padme said. Artoo whistled a positive reply.
Freya went over to Anakin. He looked so peaceful as he slept. She watched him for a moment, then touched him on the cheek. Anakin woke up,
yawned, and looked at her, a little puzzled.
"You were in my dream...you were leading a huge army into battle." Anakin told her. Freya scoffed and shook her head.
"I hope not; I hate fighting. Your mother wants you to come in and
clean up. We have to leave soon." Freya explained. Anakin stood up and stretched just as Kitster arrived.
"Hook 'em up, Kitster." He told him. He looked at Freya and Padme, "I won't be long. Where's Qui-Gon?"
"He and Jar Jar left already. They're with Watto at the arena." Freya answered.
Freya and Padme had been waiting alongside Anakin while Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, and Watto entered the busy building.
"...I want to see your spaceship the moment the race is over." Watto said. He was so sure he was going to win his bet, but Freya could sense Anakin would win.
"Patienc, my blue friend. You'll have your winnings before the
suns set, and we'll be far away from here." Qui-Gon said assuring him.
"Not if your ship belongs to me, I think...I warn you, no funny
business." Watto warned. Freya rolled her eyes and watched Anakin pull out the hair pin she'd given him the day before. Freya smiled when he held it to his chest and slipped it on his shirt.
Anakin, Padme and Freya entered the hangar on an Eopie pulling an engine. Artoo pulled the pod behind him and Shmi sat on the pod.
As Watto passed by, Freya glared at him.
"Bonapa keesa pateeso, o wanna meetee chobodd.
(Better stop your friends betting, or I'll end up owning him, too.)"
Watto walked away laughing, leaving Anakin baffled.
"What did he mean by that?" Anakin asked. Qui-Gon smiled and said, "I'll tell you later."
Artoo beeped at threepio.threepio looked stunned and exclaimed, "Oh my! Space travel sounds rather perilous."
Artoo let out a series of beeps. And Threepio answered him.
"I can assure you they will never get me onto one of those
dreadful starships!"
"This is so wizard! I'm sure you'll do it this time, Annie." Kitster said to Anakin. Padme looked at Anakin with shock and she asked, "Do what?"
"Finish the race, of course!" Kitster told her. Freya sighed and looked at Anakin.
"You've never won a race?" Freya asked. Anakin looked embarrassed and replied, "Well...not exactly..."
"Not even finished?!" Padme asked. She was beyond angry that they'd trusted their fate to a boy they barely knew.
Anakin looked away sheepishly.
"..but Kitster's right, I will this time." Anakin assured them. Freya smiled.
"Of course you will." Qui-Gon and Freya said at the same time.
Anakin's mother gave him a big hug and kiss and looked at him sternly.
"Be safe."
"I will, Mom. I promise." Anakin said cheekily.
Jar Jar patted him on the back and said, "Dis berry loony, Annie. May da guds be kind, mesa palo."
Padme came up and gave Anakin a hug while Freya gave him a kiss on the cheeek. Sebulba banged
on a part protruding from Anakin's engine. He looked around to see if anyone has noticed, but no one did.
"You carry all our hopes."Freya told him. Anakin looked at her lovingly.
"I won't let you down."
"Mesa no watch. Dissen ganna be messy!" As the pod racers came to life, he was scared for Ani. Freya leaned against the railing and stared at the boy with a nervous beat in her heart.
Shmi looked nervously to Qui-Gon as he entered the viewing platform they were all on. It rose like an elevator and Anakin's mother asked, "Is he nervous?"
Qui-Gon shook his head and said, "He's fine."
Padme scoffed and said, "
"You Jedi are far too reckless. The Queen..." Padme was the queen. Freya rolled her eyes at her friend and turned back to watch Anakin.
"The Queen trusts my judgment, young handmaiden. You should too." Qui-Gon said arrogantly.
"You assume too much." Padme scoffed and walked over to Freya.
As the race went on, they watched it through a small screen. Freya winced every once in a while.
"Where's Skywalker?" Jar Jar asked.
They were all worried for Ani. Qui-Gon meditated quietly while Freya and Padme searched the landscape for racers.
The group yelled for joy when Anakin passed by him. Jar Jar was very nervous and pounded on the back of his alien neighbor, Fanta. Jar Jar "What gooie-on?"
"Bug off." Fanta said.
It was time for the second lap, But they grow worried when Anakin didn't show.
"He musta crash-ud." Jar Jar said and Freya gave him a look that said , shut up.
"Here he comes!" Padme yelled. Freya sighed in relief and looked at Padme who grabbed her hand with a smile.
"At the start of the third and final lap, Sebulba is in the lead, closely
followed by Skywalker..." The announcer said.
Anakin finally caught up with Sebulba, and ran neck and neck over the rough terrain. Jar Jar, Qui-Gon , Shmi, Padme, and Freya all screamed as Anakin came
through the arena.
"Skywalker is forced onto the service ramp!"
On a tight corner, Anakin dove to the inside and took the lead. Freya sucked in a breath.
"Amazing... a controlled thrust and he's back on course! What a move!"
"He's catching Sebulba."
Sebulba veered toward Anakin and hit his Pod. He crashed into Anakin
over and over. He struggled to maintain control as the steering rods on the two Pods became hooked together.
As they headed for the final stretch, Anakin fought to unlock the steering
rods by trying to pull away from Sebulba . The strain on the steering rod was tremendous, and Freya turned her head away, not being able to watch anymore. Suddenly, Anakin's steering arm broke, and his Pod started
spinning.
The release of tension sent Sebulba into an ancient statue causing one engine
to explode, then the other. Sebulba skidded through the fire-balls, blackened,
but unhurt. Anakin flew through the
explosion while the crowd stood, cheering for Anakin. Padme, Jar Jar, and Freya jumped in excitement for him. Anakin raced over the finish line,
the winner.
As Anakin stopped the Podracer, while everyone cheered for him and surrounded the pod, he glanced up at Freya and his mother who nodded and smiled widely at him.
Jar Jar gave ANAKIN a great hug, then Padme gave him a hug, then Shmi. But Freya stood to the side. Anakin looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
" Ah, gee...enough of this..." Anakin shrugged away from the affection. It was embarrassing him.
"It's so wonderful, Annie. You have brought hope to those who have
none. I'm so very proud of you..." His mother said proudly. He's given hope to everyone of Tattooine.
"We owe you everything." Padme told him. Anakin smiled at her and said,
"Just feeling this good was worth it."
He walked over to Freya who smoothed down the shirt she was wearing. He gulped and pulled the hair pin she'd given him off his shirt. His hands shook as he held it out to her.
"I guess this worked." He said. Freya giggled and shook her head.
"You were already good, Anakin. You keep it." She gave him the longest hug, to which he returned. He swore he'd never felt so happy in his life, and he hated she was going to have to leave soon.
"Padme. Freya. Jar Jar, let's go, we've got to get these parts back to
the ship." Qui-Gon said as had Eopies pulling the parts they'd needed for the ship behind them.
Padme climbed on behind Qui-Gon. Jar Jar swung up onto the second Eopie,
only to slwly slide off the other side. Freya was about to jump behind Jar Jar when Anakin grabbed her hand.
"I don't want you to go." He admitted. Freya felt her eyes fill with tears and she looked down.
"I don't either, but it's my duty. I'm a handmaiden to the queen." She explained. Anakin smiled.
"I'll never forget you, Anakin." She promised and climbed on the eopie behind Jar Jar and sighed as he struggled to walk the creature.
"I'll return the eopies by midday." Qui-Gon promised.
Obi-Wan came out of the ship and joined them. Freya slid off the eopie and walked inside the ship, not speaking to anyone. Padme looked at Qui-Gon who gave her a look that said he'd explain later.
"Start getting this hyperdrive generator installed. I'm going
back...some unfinished business. I won't be long." Qui-Gon told Obi-Wan.
"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life form...?" He asked his master.
"It's the boy who's responsible for getting those parts." Qui-Gon told him.
Anakin ran into the main hallway of the spaceship, where Padme and Captain
Panaka we're working. Freya was helping install the hyperdrive.
"Qui-Gon's in trouble. He says to take off...now!!" Anakin yelled. The Captain looked at the boy harshly and asked, "Who are you?"
Padme smiled warmly and glanced at Freya who looked up from her work to say, "He's a friend."
They ran into the cockpit where Obi-wan was checking the hyperdrive Freya just installed.
"Qui-Gon is in trouble, he says to take off!" Anakin was overwhelmed with excitement and worry, but as he glanced to Freya, all his worries faded.
"I don't see anything." The pilot said. Obi-Wan looked around and then pointed.
"Over there! Fly low!" He ordered.
Padme led Freya to a part of the ship to watch a hologram from Bibble and was very tired. Freya sensed someone watching them and turned around with
a start. Anakin was shivering and huddled into a corner. Freya could sense his discomfort.
She went over to him and grabbed his hand. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. He had his arms over his body to keep himself warm.
"Are you all right?" She asked. He shivered and said, "It's very cold."
Freya undid her cloak, and slid it over his body. Anakin could smell the jasmine from her. It calmed him.
"You're from a warm planet, Annie. Too warm for my taste. Space is cold." Freya explained. Anakin looked into her blue eyes and said, "You seem sad."
Freya looked back at Padme who was turned away from them.
"The Queen is...worried. Her people are suffering...dying. She must
convince the Senate to intervene, or...I'm not sure what will happen." Freya gulped and looked back at Anakin.
"I'm...I'm not sure what's going to happen to me. I dunno if I'll
ever see you again.." Anakin pulled something out of his pocket, "I made this for you. So you'd remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet... It will
bring you good fortune."
Freya took the necklace and smiled. It was a wooden pendant and she slipped it over her neck.
"It's beautiful, but I don't need this to remember you. Many things
will change when we reach the capital, Annie. My caring for you will always
remain." Freya promised him. Anakin looked up at her and then back down.
"I care for you too. Only I...miss..." He was upset about something, and he tried to keep himself from crying.
"You miss your mother." He looked up at her and stayed silent. She sat down beside him and hugged him. His head laid on her shoulder and he felt himself drift off to sleep, his only thought of her.
Anakin made his way through the long hallways in Senator Palpatine's quarters. He stopped before a door that is flanked by two guards.
"May I help you, son?" One of them asked. Anakin gulped and looked up at him.
"I'm...I'm looking for the handmaiden, Freya." He said. The guard pulled out his comlink.
"The boy is here to see Freya."the guard said.
"Send him in." He heard. The guards opened the doors and Anakin walked into the queen's quarters.
"I'd like to speak with Freya, if I could."
Rabe nodded and the queen, who was now Padme, called out from the next room.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"Anakin Skywalker, to see Freya, Your Highness."
Freya looked at Padme who nodded her head towards the door with a smile. Freya walked out in a blue dress, her long white hair was done into an updo of braids. Anakin thought she looked so beautiful.
"I'm going to the Jedi temple to start my training, I hope." He said nervously. Freya smiled and walked closer to him.
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Anakin." Freya assured, but that's not what he was upset about.
"I may not see you again...and... I just wanted to say goodbye." He looked down sadly and Freya pulled his chin up with her finger.
"Anakin Skywalker, we will see each other again." She promised.
Anakin wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and kissed his cheek.
"My heart goes with you everywhere you go, Ani."