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

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.

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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."

"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?"

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?"

"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.

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.

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?"

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.

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.

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.

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

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."

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.

"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.

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."

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.

"It's a scanner. It's different from the normal ones, it can change the numbers of our chips. He uses it to raid slave quarters and steal them." Anakin wanted to use it for a similar purpose. "I was working on one to find our chips, but I don't know how to change them or turn them off."

Garth'zel makes a thoughtful sound. "Considering how... cranky, shall we say, slave-owners tend to get about such things, I'm surprised he's still alive."

"People try but he's got guards. And the raids are fast." And devistating. "There's bounties on him. Especially by the Hutts." The money isn't something Anakin considered collecting, just knew about.

"Somehow, I'm not remotely surprised to hear the Hutts want him dead," Garth'zel says with a shake of his head. "You about ready for your second helping?"

Time for a slight subject change.

"Uhhuh." He's agreeing about the Hutts, more than food. Although he does tip his bowl a little to show it's almost empty.

"Soon, yes, thank you." He hadn't actually felt that hungry (even if he should be) but he is going to eat everything offered.

Garth'zel finally finishes off his second helping and gets up to put his bowl and spoon in the washing unit. "Hand over your bowl so I can give you what's left of the food and get the pan put up."

He'll wait until Anakin's done eating and his own things are in to actually run the thing, but at least clean-up can be started.

Anakin hands the bowl over to be filled. It had been a very long time since he'd had this much food, and he is enjoying it, even if his stomach almost hurts. He has ignored stomach pains before, and will now, even if he doesn't understand why it hurts.

What's left of the food gets put in Anakin's bowl and handed over so he could go back to clean-up. "If you decide you're too full, anything you have left can be put away until you decide you're ready to eat it. You don't have to eat all of it at once if you don't feel up to it."

"I'm ok." He was sure they were the only two on the ship, and he was doubtful Garth'zel would eat food he'd told Anakin was his - but only doubtful, not sure, and he wasn't used to the idea of saving food anyway. So don't mind him, he'll just make himself eat it.

"If you need to save it for later, seriously, it's fine. I don't want you making yourself sick. It wouldn't be fun for either of us. You'd be miserable and I'd probably have a mess to clean up." He does not want to clean up your sick if you've over-estimated how much your stomach can hold, child.