❝𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆.❞ - 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒅𝒂
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
When they finally reached their starship, Astrid flung herself out of the pod racer as nausea gurgled within her. Riding inside the pod racer had been just what she'd imagined it would be like; bouncy, jolting, and incredibly terrifying since the pod racer had sped low to the ground at 500 miles an hour.
She collapsed to the ground and dug her fingers into the sand, relishing the feeling of being on solid ground once more. But that was if she could even call sand solid, but that didn't matter.
"Yes, podracing is quite miserable," Master Kenobi agreed with a laugh as he leapt down from the cockpit behind her. "I don't know why Anakin enjoys it."
Probably for the sheer thrill of it, Astrid thought.
Perhaps she wasn't the thrill-seeker she thought she was. She was slowly beginning to learn this about herself.
Astrid heaved herself to her feet when the nausea passed and brushed the sand off of her Jedi cloak. "I'll go check on Anakin and tell him the good news," she told Obi Wan as she made for the starship's bay door.
The door slid open automatically at her approach, and Astrid peeked into all the rooms along the hallway as she was unsure which one Anakin was sleeping in. It was in the last room on the hallway that Astrid found him.
As she swung open the door soundlessly, she found Anakin laying on his side upon his cot, back turned towards her, breathing deep and even with sleep. The room was dark and peaceful, and honestly, Astrid wanted to just lie down and sleep, too, even though she hadn't had to take watch at all last night and therefore wasn't that tired.
Well, the room was silent until suddenly R2D2 rushed towards her with a shrill from across the room, utility arms extended threateningly in front of him. Electricity danced between the two metal arms, and Astrid held her hands up as she hissed quietly, "Artoo, it's me!"
She saw Anakin sit up abruptly on his cot out of the corner of her eye, his hand moving to his hip where his lightsaber hilt was still clipped as if he'd had just collapsed on his bed and instantly fallen asleep.
"Artoo!" Anakin called out loudly, but his voice was a little blurry as if he was still disoriented by sleep.
Artoo suddenly stopped and seemed to fully take in Astrid. He gave an apologetic beep as he withdrew his utility arms. Astrid only raised a brow at the astromech. "Maybe you should make Artoo more observant, Anakin," she said, still eyeing the astromech with narrowed eyes.
She held up two fingers to her eyes before pointing the two fingers at Artoo, silently telling him, I'm watching you.
Artoo gave an incredulous beep in response and lifted one utility arm threateningly. Astrid only shook her head with a smile before she walked over to where Anakin sat on his cot, watching, a faint smile lingering on his face.
His eyes flicked up to hers at her approach, and he took in the sand still clinging to her Jedi cloak. "Where have you been?" he asked with a frown.
Astrid sat down beside him and sighed as she explained, "Master Kenobi and I bought your pod racer. It's waiting out front." She cast him a teasing look as she added, "You're welcome."
But his frown only deepened. "Why didn't you wake me to come with? Even though I used to build my own pod racers, I know the best places to buy one."
Astrid shrugged nonchalantly, figuring it was best that Anakin didn't know Obi Wan's real reason for not bringing him along-- so that he wouldn't have to visit his old master's shop and beg for a pod racer. Astrid had a feeling Obi Wan's reasoning would not sit well with Anakin.
Instead, Astrid replied casually, "You took everyone's shift last night. It only seemed fair to let you sleep in a little, and we might as well have done something useful with our time while we waited, so we got you a pod racer."
"Well, you didn't have to do that," Anakin replied in a low voice as he absently tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.
Astrid couldn't help but glance at his mouth as she realized how close they were sitting. His shadowed eyes flicked up to her face, and there was yearning swirling in his blue eyes.
Astrid sucked in a breath.
Anakin brought a hand up as if he was going to touch her face, but he stopped just short. He swallowed, and it was then that Astrid could feel his nervousness through the Force. He began to lean forward, his eyes dipping down, and Astrid eyes fluttered closed as--
They were interrupted by the sound of Artoo's panicked beeping, and Astrid quickly sat up as she twisted towards the astromech lingering near the door.
A moment later, she sensed a presence-- Obi Wan's presence-- in the hallway, and Astrid bit off a curse as she quickly leapt from the bed. Anakin sat up from the bed, having also sensed Obi Wan's presence, and he straightened his clothes.
Astrid noticed Anakin's mused hair, and she quickly ran her hands through it as she tried to fix it (even though he had just woken up, so it was technically okay if his hair was tousled Besides, it wasn't as if they'd actually done anything).
He batted her hands away and hissed quietly, urgently, "Stand on the opposite side of the room!"
Astrid fled his side towards the opposite side of the room, and right as she settled into place, casually leaned against the wall opposite of Anakin's bed, the door creaked open. "Astrid? Anakin?" Master Kenobi asked, peeking his head in.
"Hey," Astrid replied, and her voice wavered slightly. "I was just explaining to Anakin that we left him so he could sleep in, but he seems to be a little upset."
Anakin shot her a look before he quickly arranged his face into an annoyed expression. He crossed his arms over his chest as he remarked, "I wanted to pick out my own pod racer. I've never had the opportunity to buy my own."
Astrid rolled her eyes as she stifled a laugh.
Master Kenobi only shook his head unamusedly. "Well, the pod racer is waiting out front for your modifications."
Anakin grinned as he stood from his bed. "Perfect," he replied as he brushed past Obi Wan and quickly slipped out the room.
Astrid glanced towards Master Kenobi to see if there was any hint of suspicion on his face, but he only wore a smug look, which was very un-Obi Wan-like.
Astrid frowned.
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Astrid spent most of it sitting on top of the starship, lazing in the suns, occasionally sneaking glances at Anakin below, who worked at his pod racer the entire day.
The sun was beginning to set now, painting the sky in shades of golden yellow and red.
Astrid thought she saw Anakin adding some sort of flamethrower to his pod racer, and she perked up with curiosity from where she sat on top of the starship. "Hey!" she called out from on top of the ship, and Anakin turned towards her expectantly from where he had been stooped near one of the engines.
Astrid pointed at his newest addition, the flamethrower, and asked, "Is that not an illegal modification?"
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he propped an elbow against the engine and turned fully towards her. "It is illegal, but I know Sebulba. He'll be adding all sorts of illegal modifications to his own pod racer." He waved a hand towards the flamethrower. "In fact, he had one of these when I had raced him in the past. You could say he inspired me to add this to mine."
He patted the engine lovingly.
Astrid snorted as she swung her legs over so they were dangling over the edge of the starship. "What else have you added?"
Anakin regarded the pod racer as he replied, "I enhanced the engines so they are more powerful. That way I can move faster. This Podracer can move at 650 miles per hour now." He moved to the other engine as he explained, "I also added a saw here that can severe the cables linking the cockpit to the engines. Though, I'll only use this if Sebulba gets too out of hand."
Anakin nodded thoughtfully. Anakin sure knew his mechanics.
Astrid put a hand over her eyes as she looked towards the west of Mos Espa to the flat-toped mountain, Ben's Mesa, where the Boota Eve Classic podrace track wound around. Anakin had spent the better part of the afternoon describing the course to her, and it sounded treacherous.
First, there were the Starlite Flats, a flat stretch of rocky desert that was critical for pod racers in getting a good position when the pod racers had to race single file through the skinny, curving canyon called Waldo's Flats.
The canyon opened up into Mushroom Mesa, another flat expanse of desert with towering rock formations scattered throughout. Anakin had told her that Sebulba liked to use his flamethrower to knock the immense rock formations down onto other pod racers.
Astrid had winced at the terrifying thought of a rock formation toppling down on top of her.
After the Mushroom Mesa was the Metta Drop, a sudden, steep escarpment that dropped into Ebe Crater Valley, another expanse of desert with large, deep craters and dips. The Podracers then had to squeeze through The Notch, a skinny opening between two massive cliff faces, before opening up into Beggar's Canyon, a winding canyon famous for causing crashes.
Then there was the Dune Sea.
Anakin told her that the Dune Sea was home to a Tusken Raider campsite, perhaps even the same Tuskens who had taken her. He'd told her that the vengeful natives often attacked the racers with potshots. Astrid's stomach had dropped at the mention of the Tusken Raiders.
After another stretch of canyon was the Hutt Flats, the last expanse of open desert before they were back at the arena at the starting line. The whole racetrack sounded like a lot, and apparently racers had to complete three laps.
Astrid thought it was miraculous that Anakin had completed the course and survived... and he had only been nine years old. Obi Wan was right; the Force had helped him win.
"Alright, I think I'm done," Anakin remarked from below, and Astrid turned her gaze downwards to see Anakin staring critically at his podracer with his arms folded over his chest.
"Looks good," she replied as she leapt down to the ground, landing in a soft crouch on the sand. She dusted off the sand that had plumed into the air at her land off of her robes.
Master Kenobi emerged from the starship then, and his timely appearance made Astrid wonder if he had been secretly listening inside. "Nicely done, Padawan," he applauded as he studied the podracer.
Anakin smiled slightly. "I try, master."
Obi Wan raised a brow. "Oh, I know you do."
There was a tense silence, and Astrid cleared her throat as she suggested, "We should probably rest then. We have a big day tomorrow."
The two Jedi nodded in agreement, and they all headed inside. They ate a rather bland dinner of beans and rice that Master Kenobi had brought from the Jedi Temple before they headed to bed. The anticipation and anxious energy was near palpable in the air, and the Force only amplified everyone's feelings.
Or, well, Anakin and Astrid's feelings. Astrid sensed nothing but calmness and serenity from Master Kenobi, and she envied his equanimity and peace of mind. How did he manage to be the perfect Jedi all the time?
As Astrid lay in her cot that night, trying to sooth her nerves by gazing out at the star-studded sky, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was about to go down tomorrow, and it was going to be bad.
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
The next morning, Astrid dressed into a fresh pair of her white and beige robes before slinging on her brown Jedi Cloak and clipping her lightsaber onto her belt slung around her waist.
She slipped outside to where Anakin and Master Kenobi were waiting. Although Artoo was to stay behind with the starship and watch over it, the astromech was settled beside Anakin as if eager to be a part of their conversation. Artoo beeped enthusiastically in greeting as he caught sight of Astrid.
Master Kenobi didn't bother with greetings before he launched into it. "Okay, here's the plan," he told them sternly, looking Anakin and Astrid in the eye. "Anakin, you are going to let Sebulba win--"
Anakin rolled his eyes with a groan at this, but Obi Wan ignored him.
--"Once we know where this false droid factory is, the three of us will visit the location secretly and with discretion to avoid the Sith Lord's notice while we identify him."
Astrid quickly interrupted, "Are you sure the Sith is not going to sense us with the Force?"
"He probably will," Anakin replied casually as he crossed his arms and looked to Obi Wan with a raised brow.
Obi Wan only shook his head in mild irritation before saying, "We will try to not be noticed, but that may prove to be difficult. Considering we aren't noticed, we will slip away and report back to the Jedi Council in Coruscant." He gestured a flippant hand as he added, "And then we're done with our mission."
"Perfect," Anakin grumbled. "No Sith Lord fighting and no podrace winning."
Master Kenobi rolled his eyes and replied sarcastically, "Sorry to burst your bubble, Padawan."
Anakin smirked as he replied, "Apology accepted, master."
Astrid watched their exchange as if she was watching a game of nuna-ball.
She clapped her hands together and said loudly in an effort to bring them back to the urgency at hand, "Well, we have a podrace to lose, so let's hurry up!"
Anakin gave her a sour look at the word 'lose' before he swung himself up into the cockpit and gripped the toggle with a hand. He paused and gave them a questioning look, probably wondering the same thing Astrid was, which was, how were Obi Wan and she going to get to the racetrack?
But then Master Kenobi remarked, "Follow me, Astrid. We have some skippers in the back of the starship."
"Wait we've had those all along?" Astrid demanded incredulously as she followed Master Kenobi to the back of the starship.
"Well, yes," he replied, rubbing at his jaw with a hand. "But using them would've brought us too much attention. I figured we might as well use them now since we should hopefully be leaving Tatooine within a day."
Astrid slung herself onto the back of one of the skippers and curled her fingers around the handles as she revved the engine. The skipper reminded her of one of those old motorcycles, but without the wheels and way more high-tech.
Dust plumed behind her as Astrid shot off at an alarming speed. She zipped through the desert towards Mos Espa, and, for a moment, with Obi Wan on her left and Anakin on her right, she felt unstoppable.
Let Sebulba try his little tricks and games. In the end, he would not win because they were Jedi. Their ally was the Force, and what a powerful ally it was.
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
Hey! Sorry for another "set up" chapter! If it makes you feel better, the coming chapters are about to be filled with lots of drama lol. Have a nice day! :)
-Paradise_Palms <3