Eternal ~ Anakin Skywalker ~

2: A Little Gifted

I never thought I would be out amongst the stars. They were like diamonds, sparkling in the endless void for all eternity.

Well, unless someone blew up space.

That would take an extraordinary amount of explosives and possibly make every star go supernova.

As terrifying as it sounded, a picture formed in my mind. A great cataclysm of dark clashes with a fiery orange explosion lighting up every shady crook and cranny.

Maybe someone should make a disaster holovid about it.

I laid my petite porcelain hand on the window. Despite the terrible experience, I was glad to be here, even though I preferred going to the Republic Capital rather than this Tatooine. I looked to my side and saw the droid roll back in,  fascinated by the adorable beep-boop sound he made.

"Hi, I'm Leta!" I said excitedly, patting the droid's head. Its body shook with approval. Under its head there was the model number: R2-D2.

"Can I call you R2?"

The droid bounced with another cute beep. He seemed happy, henceforth that was his name.

I sit cross-legged beside my new buddy beside me. I had no idea how long the journey to this bizarre planet would take, but it would be soon. There was an itch inside me, a hope for that adventure I'd always dreamed of.

My sister arrived carrying a wet rag, scrubbing the droid. She gave me this bright smile, always so cheerful, made me giggle.

It was a small comfort to see her smile even in a moment of peril. I felt weird smiling in the face of danger; people often gave me strange looks. Maybe it was because I was still an 11-year-old who didn't fully grasp the gravity of dangerous situations, or perhaps it was my habit of trying to stay positive while everyone else saw the glass as half empty. Possibly a little of both.

"Hello." My sister and I looked up to see a strange alien staring at us with beady yellow eyes. It didn't have hair but two skin-like flaps, almost like a Twi'lek, flowing down what I would call its elbows.

"Sorry. Husa, are yousa?"

My sister dropped her rag and gave the alien a warm smile. "I'm Padmé, and this is my little sister Leta."

I waved my hand more excitedly than a monkey lizard with a banana. "Hi!"

"Mesa Jar Jar Binks."

Padmé's smile widened. "You're a Gungan, aren't you?"

"Ah-Uh."

I glanced at her, then at Jar Jar; I had never met a Gungan before. I'd always been told to steer clear of them —considered enemies — that any encounter with them would result in a fight. But this one seemed genuinely friendly. So, why not return the kindness?

My sister and I initially thought he was a boy, sparking a brief chat about how he came to be with us. He spoke in a funny way, so I didn't catch everything he said. Soon after, he left, my sister went back to cleaning R2, and I returned to look at the stars.

Eventually, the elder Jedi moved closer, his arms hidden within his robes. He knelt to my level, fixing me with a scrutinizing gaze as if attempting to read my very soul. I had no idea what he was searching for, but he'd better find it fast before he strained himself.

"Hello, little one, I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. Who might you be?"

I crossed my arms and gave him a haughty glare. "I'm Leta, and I'm not little."

"When you get about my age, everyone is little," he joked with a warm smile.

I couldn't help but giggle. He didn't look that old. But he seemed wise; maybe that's why he thought he was like a grandpa, since the most intelligent people were the oldest.