Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Chapter 9

Anakin was still thinking about the strangers when he left Watto's junk shop and headed for home. They seemed different from the farmers and smugglers who usually did business with Watto. Especially Alea. She was . . . even more different than the others. Anakin kicked the sand. He felt as if he'd known her forever, even longer than all his life. That's silly, he thought . . . but it was still the way he felt. And she'd apologized to him for calling him a slave. Nobody had ever done that before. For a while, she made it not matter that I'm a slave. I forgot all about it when I was talking to her. And she'd been so interested in everything he said. Not even his best friends listened like that. Not even his mom.
   Maybe they'd come back to Watto's shop before they left Tatooine. They hadn't bought anything, but Watto hadn't been as grouchy as he usually was when he lost a sale. Maybe it was because he knew nobody else had what they wanted. Maybe they'd have to come back before they left the planet. As he turned onto the main street, Anakin saw one of the strangers ahead of him ------- the froglike nonhuman one. Selbulba was pushing him around. Anakin swallowed. Selbulba was a Dug, and the biggest bully in Mos Espa. He could use all four arms interchangeably, as long as he left himself one to stand up, so his opponents could never tell where the next blow was coming from. It gave him a big advantage in most fights.
  A crowd had gathered to watch. Anakin crushed his fear down until it almost didn't exist. "Careful, Selbulba," he said in Huttese. "This one's very well connected." If I can get Selbulba to believe that, he'll leave. Nobody messes with the Hutts. Selbulba stopped shoving the stranger with any of his hands and glowered at Anakin instead. "Connected? What do you mean, slave?"
   "As in Hutt," Anakin said, crushing his anger at being called a slave, just has he had crushed his fear. "Big-time Outlander, this one. I'd hate to see you diced before we raced again."

"Next time we raced, wermo, it will be the end for you," Selbulba snarled. "If you weren't a slave, I'd squash you right now." Alea was amazed that Anakin defended Jar Jar Binks. "Yeah," Anakin muttered bitterly as Selbulba turned away. "It'd be a pity if you had to pay for me." As the disappointed crowd started to break up, the rest of the strangers arrived. "Hi!" Anakin said to Alea. "Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug." Pikachu, Kirara and Ah-Un started to like the boy and his kindness to their friend, Alea. "Nosir, nosir," said the alien that Anakin rescued. "Mesa hate crunchen. Dan't da lasy ting mesa wanten."

"Nevertheless, the boy is right," the tall, bearded stranger said. "You were heading for trouble." He turned to Anakin. "Thank you, my young friend." Alea was happy that the Jedi Master met Anakin. "Mesa doen nutten!" the alien insisted. "Fear attracts the fearful," Anakin told him. "He was trying to overcome his fear by squashing you." The alien stared at him in astonishment. "Be less afraid," Anakin finished. The tall man gave him a sharp look. Alea smiled and said, "And that works for you?"

"To a point," Anakin said, returning her smile. His own fear had uncoiled and faded away now that the chance of a fight passed . . . all but a hard little core. But that fear had been with him since the day he was old enough to understand what being a slave meant. He was used to it, and to hiding it. Alea gave him an understanding smile, and for a moment Anakin wondered whether she had fears that had to be crushed sometimes. Then the tall man gestured, and the group continued down the street. They did't seem to mind that Anakin had joined them. A little farther along, they stopped at Jira's fruit stand. As he chatted with Jira, Anakin noticed Alea eyeing the fruit. Struck by sudden inspiration, Anakin said, "I'll take four pallies today, Jira." Turning to Alea, he added, "You'll like these." He dug in his pocket for a few coins he owned. Two, three . . . I thought I had four truguts! Hastily, he pulled the money out to check, and dropped one.

The tall man bent to retrieve it. As he did, his coat shifted, and Anakin glimpsed the handle of a laser sword stuck in his belt. A lightsaber! He must be a Jedi! Anakin shifted his gaze quickly. He must not want people to know, or he'd wear it where everyone could see. The Jedi returned Anakin's coin. Anakin had to struggle to keep his voice normal as he said, "Oops. I thought I had more. Make that three pallies, Jira. I'm not hungry." The wind was rising, and the shopkeepers were taking down their awnings and putting up shutters. "Gracious, my bones are aching," Jira said as she handed Anakin the pallies. "Storm's coming in, Annie. You'd better get home quick." Anakin looked up at the tall stranger. "Do you have shelter?"