The Fall | Star Wars Prequel Trilogy

Chapter Eight

On the day of the Boonta Eve race Qui-Gon had gone to go negotiate with Watto, taking both Sylvie and JarJar with him. Alina had come too as she was riding with Sylvie. The Jedi knight had filled the padawan in on his intention to free the Skywalkers and for the children to be trained as Jedi. "Stay here" Sylvie murmured to Alina as she approached Watto and Qui-Gon who had already started discussing the race "I want to see your spaceship the moment the race is over" The Toydarian stated as he walked alongside Qui-Gon with JarJar trailing behind, watching all the pods curiously as she caught up with them. "Patience my blue friend. You will have your winnings before the sun sets and we will be far away from here" Qui-Gon said.

"Not if your ship belongs to me, I think, huh? I warn you, no funny business" Watto warned, moving to block the two Jedi. "You don't think Anakin can win?" The Jedi knight asked. "Don't get me wrong. No, I have great faith in the boy. He's a credit to your race but uh Sebulba there is going to win I think" Watto said, gesturing to the dug who was being massaged by two identical blue Twi'leks. "Oh no!" JarJar cried while the two Jedi watched Sebulba. "And you think that... why?" Sylvie asked, shifting her gaze from the Dug to the Toydarian.

"He always wins!" Watto laughed "I am betting heavily on Sebulba" he pushed past JarJar. "I'll take that bet" Qui-Gon said suddenly. "You what?" The Toydarian asked. Sylvie was less surprised, she knew he was planning something. She'd tried to talk him out of all these dangerous gambles but the Jedi knight wasn't ready to listen. "I will wager my new racing pod against say... The boy, his sister and his mother" he said. For the first time Sylvie wasn't too against the deal, the pod belonged to Anakin who belonged to Watto so really he was just paying Watto with something that he already owned. "No pod is worth three slaves! Not by a longshot" The Toydarian spat.

"The children then" Qui-Gon said. "Hmm, well..." The Toydarian took his words into consideration. "We will let fate decide huh? I just happen to have a chance cube here" he pulled out the cube from his pouch. "Blue, you get both children. Red, you have to pick one" Watto said. Qui-Gon nodded. As the Toydarian tossed the cube Sylvie shifted it with the force so it landed on blue. Watto growled lightly, furious with the result. "You won this small toss outlander but you won't win the race! So it makes little difference" He growled before flying past them in the direction of Padmé, Anakin, Shmi and Kitster who had just arrived on Eopie. Alina was already with them.

Watto said something to them in Huttese that was amusing to him but not the others as he let out a cruel laugh before flying away. "What did he mean by that?" Anakin asked as Sylvie and Qui-Gon approached. Alina only shrugged, she hadn't heard their conversation. "I will tell you later" The Jedi knight said before helping Shmi off the Eopie while Sylvie assisted Padmé. "This is so wizard Ani, I'm sure you'll do it this time" Kitster assured him.

"Do what?" Padmé asked. "Finish the race ofcourse" The black haired boy said, oblivious. "You've never won a race?" The handmaiden asked. "Well... Not exactly" Anakin said. "Okay, you've at least finished one?" Sylvie asked, holding on to a little hope. "Kitster's right, I will this time" Anakin put his arm around his friend. Sylvie lightly cursed under her breath in the little Mando'a that she knew. "Ofcourse you will" Qui-Gon said, putting his hands on Anakin's shoulder as both the girls gave him disbelieving looks.

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Trumpets played loudly as the two headed speaker said something in Huttese. According to Qui-Gon they were welcoming the crowd to the race. Once one of the heads was finished speaking in Huttese the other spoke in Basic. "Podracers. That's absolutely right and a big turnout here from all corners of the outer rim territories" he said. "I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid" Sylvie spotted Anakin dragging his pod out with Kitster, Alina, a Rodian called Wald and R2.

The announcer then began saying the names. "I see Ben Quadinaros from the Tund System" the other head introduced somebody else in Huttese. "Two time winner Boles Roor!" The other hand said something else in Huttese and then a name that Sylvie recognized, Sebulba. The dug climbed onto his racer and spread his arms out as the crowd cheered for him. "And in the nearside pole position, Mawhonic!" The racer gave a quick bow. Instead of switching the same head continued "A hearty hello to Clegg Holdfast and his Voltec KT9 Wasp!" 'Clegg' raised his head proudly. "And back again it's the mighty Dud Bolt with that incredible racing machine, the Vulptereen 327"

"And hoping for a big win today Ody Mandrell with his record setting pit droid team" A purple skinned alien who was previously talking to his Pit Droids, raised his hands and waved while his droids followed suit before they started bickering with each other. "And a late entry, young Anakin Skywalker, a local boy" Anakin was attaching a pipe to his Pod Racer but paused to wave at the crowd. Much to Sylvie's surprise, the crown continued to cheer, she hadn't expected them to cheer for Anakin as well. Compared to everybody else what was a child slave? "I see the flags are moving out onto the track" He said as both people and droids representing different racers moved onto the track. They had sent 3PO out for Anakin though Alina had wanted to go.

Alina gave her brother a quick hug "Good luck" she murmured before moving as her mother crouched in front of him. "Be safe" Shmi said. "I will, mom, I promise" Anakin murmured. As Shmi moved away Sebulba stepped in, taunting Anakin in Huttese to which Anakin responded hotly. Sylvie stepped in "Back to your pod, Dug" she said, glaring down at him. The Dug stared at her for a moment before scoffing as he turned away. "You all set Ani?" Qui-Gon asked. "Yep" Anakin responded before the Jedi Knight lifted him up and set him down in the Podracer. "Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don't think. Use your instincts" Qui-Gon advised. "I will" Anakin said. "May the force be with you, Anakin" Sylvie said as the Jedi knight handed the boy his helmet.

As Anakin began putting it on Qui-Gon turned to the stands. Sylvie did too until she noticed that Alina hadn't. She moved closer to her brother, murmuring to him in Huttese before stepping away from the pod. "Come on, the race is about to start" Sylvie prompted, leading the six year old away as she continued to stare at her older brother. As they got clear off the track and made their way to their seats the announcer declared the presence of Jabba the Hutt who made his way to the balcony overlooking the Podraces with his Twi'lek servant Bib Fortuna standing just slightly behind Jabba in the shade. As the crowd cheered the Hutt ordered the race to begin.

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Guess who's back?

Back again?

I'm just keeping the pause chapter because votes