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]

Just because he feels like he's gotten enough sleep doesn't mean he's actually ready to start his day.

Garth'zel eventually eyes him. "Am I going to need to eventually get you things to draw with?" So he can tell what the child is even doing.

[imaperson]

But he chose to get up!

"Huh? Why?" He is mostly just thinking and dreaming while waiting, rather than trying to communicate, although it's likely going to be easier for him to use drawings than written or typed words for a bit yet.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"For one thing, it'll be easier for me to figure out what you're drawing," he says dryly.

[imaperson]

"Oh. An engine for a land speeder. I think if I tweaked a standard one a bit, it would work better, but I haven't gotten to try the modifications out. Dust and sand are real hard on engines though, so people are always tryin'." And making something last longer and work better was something Watto wasn't found of - but something Anakin did for his neighbors whenever he could get away with it.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"Mmm. Sounds useful when one needs to go through desert a lot, yes. Be the desert entirely covering a planet or just a portion of it." Color Garth'zel unsurprised about Watto's opinion.

[imaperson]

"Mhm. Watto said it wouldn't make him enough money." Anakin works on draining his glass, while still puzzling out the details of this engine design in his mind, occasionally air-sketching out something while waiting for Garth'zel to be ready.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"It's a little hard to make money off people if they don't need to come back to buy new parts," Garth'zel says sardonically before going back to shutting up and focusing on his caf.

[imaperson]

Anakin nods, that is what Watto would say, although not in that tone, before going quiet and drinking his water and continuing to daydream while given Garth'zel his peace.

All in all - which eager, even antsy to get started, he's mostly content. Although the longer he has to sit with nothing to do, the more a low level creeping anxiety starts to build.

[neverwantedtobesith]

Garth'zel eventually finishes his caf and feels properly awake for the day. "All right, let's get you something to do so you aren't about to crawl out of your skin," he says, getting up to rinse out his mug to set aside.

[imaperson]

"Ok!" Anakin snaps out of his thoughts as soon as as Garth'zel speaks and bounds to his feet as Garth'zel gets up. It's difficult for him to know either it's relief in having something to do and excitement in getting to work on the ship.

[neverwantedtobesith]

The novelty of working on a ship will wear off soon enough, Garth'zel's sure. But in the meanwhile, comes pointing Anakin at various things to work on, be it in the form of checking indicators to make sure nothing more actually needs to be done or something more involved.

[imaperson]

It might, it might not - Anakin couldn't say, just that he enjoyed it. He's quite happy as Garth'zel points out the rounds and he needs little instruction beyond directions or to locate tools, even when it comes to reading the gauges despite not being able to read - he just double checks which is the low and high ends of the gauge and what it's reading.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"Well, at least you seem to have gotten lucky in actually liking what you had to do. Me, not so much," he eventually comments. It's probably time for you to take a break and do something else."

That last isn't even a hint.

[imaperson]

Anakin shrugs at the comment. He had been lucky, but he was always lucky it seemed. "I'll...go find something."

And try to stay out of the way until he's summoned again.

[neverwantedtobesith]

The next time Garth'zel calls him will probably be when it's time for lunch. Afterwards, they can do more work with the Force. But for now, Anakin figuring out how to entertain himself. Without working.

[imaperson]

Anakin can on some level entertain himself, he did have extremely rare hours off when he would have otherwise been working in Watto's shop, and he'd had enough time to build C3PO even if he hadn't finished him, and to build a mostly finished podracer. And even most of those hours were spent working on mechanical things for himself or others.

Still, he can find something to do, without working, sort of. Mostly by wandering down to the cargo hold and poking around things. Or climbing on them and just in general getting a feel for the area, what was stored there, how it was stored.

[neverwantedtobesith]

When Garth'zel decides to track Anakin down, prior to lunch being ready, he takes one look at him and points in the general direction of the refresher. "Shower. Now. Then you can eat."

Seriously, child, how did you find all of that dirt. How?

[imaperson]

It's not just Anakin who is smeared in dirt and grease, his hair is in disarray, and grime under his nails. But he at least feels happy? "'k Mom!" And he's going to scoot off before that cheeky tone and smile can get him into trouble.

Or Garth'zel can notice hand prints far closer to the ceiling of the hold than a little boy should be.

Although once he's in the 'fresher, he's in there for a long time, reappearing clean and even his clothing mostly cleaned up.

[neverwantedtobesith]

Yes, probably best to take off while Garth'zel is still having his moment of 'did he just--'. Once he's shaken himself out of his moment, he gets himself a drink. One stronger than he originally intended. Albeit not as much as he wanted.

At least the food's ready by the time Anakin appears, even if Anakin's is warm at best. (Meanwhile, Garth'zel's more or less finished. He's not waiting on you to appear before starting on his share, child.) Garth'zel also learned from the previous time and didn't make as much, sticking to an amount he's reasonably certain Anakin can better handle.

[imaperson]

Anakin's hair is completely sodden, water still making little tracks down his cheeks and neck and his hands, not just his fingers, are wrinkled up. He wouldn't care if his food is burnt and cold because he has just gotten to play in more water than he's had in a year. So warm-ish and well cooked is just fine with him.

And he'll just inhale his food, stopping about mid-way to being finished. "Thank you." For the food.

[neverwantedtobesith]

The food is fine. Just not hot anymore.

"I think you forgot to dry off," Garth'zel comments dryly. Promptly followed by "You're welcome, although given that I'm responsible for you, I do rather need to feed you. Even if that's something a certain someone else apparently didn't get."

[imaperson]

Comparing anyone's food to their mother's, when they love their mother and have good memories of her food. It's going to be 'just ok' to him for a while.

"I'm mostly dry. I didn't know hair could get so wet." So he hadn't saved towel for his hair. "Could make me cook for myself." Anakin shrugs a little. It's not a critique, just him stating.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"You'll find that hair likes to hold onto more water than it really feels like it should be able to," Garth'zel says, amused. "Longer hair makes it worse."

[imaperson]

"That's probably not good in the cold right?" Because he is feeling chilled, more than normal. He's still eating though - he'll worry about being cold later.

[neverwantedtobesith]

"Right," Garth'zel agrees. "That's when you really make certain as much water is out of your hair as possible before going outside. No one wants to get sick or have suddenly frozen hair."