When Sith Beat Jedi To The Prize (Of The Chosen One)

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel had intended never to go to Tatooine again. The entire experience the first time he was there was hot and miserable. The only good point, so far as he was concerned, was meeting Andronikos. But as luck would have it, his ship ended up deciding to need minor repairs. Nothing too bad, but it did require him to land somewhere to get the parts he needed, because of course, the bit that went was something he didn't have spare parts for. The only planet within reasonable range? Tatooine.

It didn't take long for a Force-sensitive boy to catch his attention. One strong enough that he was surprised the Jedi didn't already find him. Well, their loss was his gain. ...Once he pried him loose from Watto, anyway. He suspects he actually had an easier time of it than a Jedi would, although he's not going to hang around and give one the chance to give it a shot. At least, unlike them, he's willing to come to Tatooine from time to time so Anakin could see his mother. Probably not more than a couple times a year or so, due to it being best to go there when they're at least vaguely in that part of the galaxy anyway, but it's far better than 'sorry kid, we're never bringing you back'.

Of course, there is one tiny problem with this whole thing. He's never had to raise children before and doesn't know what he's doing. With the ship safely in hyperspace and not due to come out of it for a good long while, enabling him to do things that didn't involve sitting in the pilot's seat of the ship, he's in the lounge area. Time to figure out what he's doing. "Have you managed to get any kind of schooling? Like from someone you know, sitting down with you for an hour here and there as time permitted to teach you things like how to write?"

May as well figure out what he needs to teach besides how to use the Force consciously instead of unconsciously drawing on it.

Comments

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel gives Anakin a long look. "How much of this is you wanting new racers to bug with questions about their rigs?"

Because he's noticing where the majority of Anakin's focus seems to be during this ramble and it's not the races themselves as such.

[imaperson]

"I was building my own pod racer. Been working on it for a few years." No, he hadn't thought to ask to bring it along, simply due to the size of it. "And I repaired Watto's til I crashed and it wasn't worth fixing a few months ago."

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel would have had to say no to bringing the pod racer along if Anakin did ask if he could bring it, because while there was technically enough space in the hold for it, there then wouldn't have been room for pretty much anything else.

He just looks at Anakin for a moment. "I'm at least somewhat familiar with the speeds those things can go at. Why were you racing?"

[imaperson]

He would have understood that kind of an answer at least.

"Between 700 and 970 kilometers per hour, generally but 850 to 950 is the normal." He answers the question on speed without thinking about it or even really processing that Garth'zel's comment had been a statement, not a question. But at least he's stops trying to eat and talk at almost the same time. "I'm a pilot. Races make big money if you win the race or if you bet right, so Watto had me race. Til I crashed last time, but that wasn't my fault, Sebulba cheated. He cheats a LOT, it's why he wins so often. I was so close to finishing too! And me and mom would have had credits for like a year. I mean. Watto would have lost a lot, so he'd have been mad, because he always bets against me. But..."

[neverwantedtobesith]

"I see," Garth'zel says flatly. "Children, more specifically, human children, should not be in those races. They're far too dangerous and if you didn't have the Force to help you, you most likely would have been dead in your first race."

Or maimed.

[imaperson]

"Yeah people do die. And the Tusken Raiders shoot at you sometimes too. Well. And chance they can really, just not all the races take you close enough. I've never really gotten hurt though, just banged up a little." For a certain definition of it anyway. "How did the Force help me race?" He looks up at Garth'zel, quite confused.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"Thank you for proving my point," Garth'zel says in an ironic tone, finishing his first bowl of food and getting up to get a second. "Let me know when you're ready for more."

"Through telling you what's coming up. When the best time to turn is so you wouldn't get smeared across a canyon wall is. Through making sure when you crashed, you survived the experience, apparently."

[imaperson]

"Uh. I mean? Sports are dangerous?" He doesn't really see a terribly big problem with the races and he very much enjoys them, at least when he is piloting a pod. "I will." He's still working on his bowl.

"And the Force just...does that?" At least Garth'zel has him on a slightly different and more teachable topic now?

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel just looks at him for a moment. "Most sports don't have the risk of death or dismemberment."

"Mm-hmm. The Force can be used for a lot of things. What I mentioned, making one a better fighter, healing..." The possibilities are basically endless if one knows where to find the knowledge they want.

[imaperson]

"They don't?" Given it was the Hutts who ran Tatooine - and the types of people who Anakin had been exposed to - he hadn't actually heard of any that didn't.

"What about finding people? Not just ones like us, but people who can't use the Force?" Is there a little plot starting to work in his brain? Or something like the start of one, anyway.

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel shakes his head. "Usually, the occasional broken bone and more often things like sprains and concussions. Things that will make people need to take time off from their chosen sport to recover and heal, but not remove them permanently."

Now he frowns slightly. "I think I need a little more information before I answer that one."

[imaperson]

"I don't think I've ever heard about those kinds. Some races maybe, but races always have a risk of dying." Because of the speed. That more 'civilized' worlds worked to minimize those risks didn't make it out to Tatooine.

"Like. If I've met someone before, when I was little," never mind he was still fairly young, "if I was somewhere I knew that person sometimes was, could the Force help me find them?"

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel mulls that one over. "It might help some, even without already knowing what they feel like in it. Why? And would I need to worry about you deciding to find a way to get into trouble?"

[imaperson]

"I was just curious." Which was partly true - he was curious. But he was curious because of something which had happened on Tatooine, Krayn and what he'd done to Anakin's friend, and almost done to his mother. Even two years later, that memory was still crystal clear, maybe because of the Force, maybe because Anakin had worked so hard into committing the aftermath of his raid on the slave quarters and the emotions Anakin had felt to memory. But he'd wanted to kill him then, and still did now - and he'd seize on anything, any tool, which would help him. That he'd be able to steal the scanner and free Tatooine's slaves was almost, almost, a second thought.

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel gives Anakin a long look. "Something tells me that letting you anywhere near whoever you're looking for is a bad idea."

That something being the emotions he's picking up off the kid.

[imaperson]

There is a split second were Anakin's look darkens, his chin lifts defiantly. He hadn't been planning on asking permission and now is certain he won't. But he knows better than than to let those thoughts show, so he quickly attempts to mask it behind a confused look. "What do you mean?"

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel gives him an even look. "You have quite a way to go before you can hide your feelings from another Force-sensitive with any sort of success."

In other words, cut the crap.

[imaperson]

Anakin wants to argue - because he'll feel however he wants about something or someone. "I didn't know I had to." That he might want to, yes, but not that he had to.

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel facepalms with his free hand for a moment before looking back up at Anakin. "You do if you don't want them to give away that you're trying to sneak something past me."

So not all the time. Just when he's trying to be sneaky.

[imaperson]

"So you're telling me to learn to lie to you." At least this time, the confused look is sincere.

[neverwantedtobesith]

It's just as well that Garth'zel hadn't actually taken another bite of food, otherwise, he would probably be choking on it.

"No! I'm saying don't be surprised if you get called out on things you'd rather not be."

[imaperson]

That would have been a good way to terrify Anakin because he would have been alone on a ship with a choking adult and not know what to do. Hopefully he wouldn't have to find out.

But it was a little too late to object to Anakin's take on that, because he hadn't thought about being able to conceal his emotions in such a way to be able to lie, but now...that seemed like a good idea to learn. "Did you mean to say that outloud then?" About him not being able to conceal his emotions yet.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"More like I hadn't entirely thought through the headache I just let myself in for by saying that," Garth'zel grumbles.

It'll probably be useful for Anakin to know at some point in the future, but he would prefer it not get used with him, thank you.

[imaperson]

At least that gets a giggle from Anakin, because it felt at least...like something normal - like from a friend's parent, instead of something he'd hear from a master or servant. And it put him more at ease, enough to eat more. After he almost finishes his bowl, he pipes up with, "I just want to help my friends. And I know someone has something that will do that, but I'd have to steal it and he's a bad person."

[neverwantedtobesith]

At least the child seems to be chilling out some.

"Some elaboration is required," Garth'zel says dryly. "Such as what the something is."

He's not surprised that whoever it is is apparently a bad person.