better for how they interpreted the demands of the Force? But it placed them at odds sometimes, and more often than not it was Obi-Wan's position the Council supported, not Qui-Gon's. It would be that way again, he knew. Many times. But this would not deter him from doing what he believed he must. He would know the truth about Anakin Skywalker. He would discover his place in the Force, both living and unifying. He would learn who this boy was meant to be. Minutes later, he was stretched out on the floor, asleep.
Chapter 11
The new day dawned bright and clar, Tatooine's twin suns blazing down out of a clear blue sky. The sandstorm had moved on to other regions, sweeping the landscape clean of everything but the mountains and rocky outcroppings of the desert and the buildings of Mos Espa. Anakin was up and dressed before his guests stirred awake, eager to get to the shop and advise Watto of his plan for the upcoming Podrace. Qui-Gon warned him not to be too eager in making his suggestion to the Toydarian, but to stay calm and let Qui-Gon handle the bargaining. But Anakin was so excited he barely heard what the other was saying.
The Jedi Master knew it would be up to him to employ whatever mix of cunning and diplomacy was required to achieve their ends. Greed was the operative word in dealing with Watto, of course, the key that would open any door the Toydarian kept locked. They walked from the slave quarters through the city to Watto's shop, Anakin leading the way, Qui-Gon and Padme close at his heels, Jar Jar and R2-D2 bringing up the rear. The city was awake and bustling early, the shopkeepers and merchants shoveling and sweeping away drifts of sand, reassembling stalls and awnings, and righting carts and damaged fences. Eopies and rontos performed the heavy labor where sleds and droids lacked sufficient muscle. Wagons were already hauling fresh supplies and merchandise from warehouses and storage bins, and the receiving bays of the spaceport were back to welcoming ships from off planet.
Qui-Gon let Anakin go on ahead to the shop as they drew near, in order to give the boy a chance to approach Watto on the subject of the Podraces first. With the others in tow, the Jedi Master moved to a food stall across the way, persuaded a vendor to part with a handful of gooey dweezels, and bided his time. When the dweezels were consumed, he moved his group across the plaza to the front of Watto's shop. Jar Jar, already unsettled anew by all the activity, took up a position on a crate near the shop entry, his back to the wall, his eyes darting this way and that in anticipation of something awful befalling him. R2-D2 moved over beside him, beeping softly, trying to reassure him that everything was okay.
Qui-Gon told Padme to keep a wary eye on the Gungan. He didn't want Jar Jar getting into any more trouble. He was starting into the shop when the girl put a hand on his arm.
'Are you sure about this?' she asked, doubt mirrored clearly in her brown eyes. 'Trusting our fate to a boy we hardly know?' She wrinkled her smooth brow. 'The Queen would not approve.'
Qui-Gon met her gaze squarely. 'The Queen does not need to know.'
Her eyes blazed defiantly. 'Well, I don't approve.'
He gave her a questioning look, then turned away wordlessly.
Inside the salvage shop, he found Watto and Anakin engaged in a heated discussion, the Toydarian hovering centimeters from the boy's face, blue wings a blur of motion, snout curled inward as he gestured sharply and purposely with both hands.
'Patta go bolla!' he shouted in Huttese, chubby body jerking with the force of his words.
The boy blinked, but held his ground. 'No batta!'
'Peedunkel!' Watto flitted backward and forward, up and down, everything moving at once.
'Banyo, banyo!' Anakin shouted.
Qui-Gon moved out of the shadowed entry and into the light where they could see him clearly. Watto turned away from Anakin at once, toothy mouth working, and flew into Qui-Gon's face in a frenzy of ill-concealed excitement.
'The boy tells me you want to sponsor him in the race tomorrow!' The words exploded out of him. 'You can't afford parts! How can you afford to enter him in the race? Not on Republic credits, I think!'
He broke into raucous laughter, but Qui-Gon did not miss the hint of curiosity that gleamed in his slitted eyes.
'My ship will be the entry fee,' the Jedi advised bluntly.
He reached beneath his poncho and brought out a tiny holoprojector. Clicking on the power source, he projected a hologram of the Queen's transport into the air in front of Watto. The Toydarian flitted closer, studying the projection carefully.
'Not bad. Not bad.' The wrinkled blue proboscis bobbed. 'A Nubian.'
'It's in good order, except for the parts we need.' Qui-Gon gave him another moment, then flicked off the holoprojector and tucked it back beneath his poncho.
'But what would the boy ride?' Watto demanded irritably. 'He smashed up my Pod in the last race. It will take too long to fix it for the Boonta.'
Qui-Gon glanced at Anakin, who was clearly embarrassed. 'Aw, it wasn't my fault, really. Sebulba flashed me with his port vents. I actually saved the Podracer... mostly.'
Watto laughed harshly. 'That he did! The boy is good, no doubts there!' He shook his head. 'But still...'
'I have acquired a Pod in a game of chance,' Qui-Gon interrupted smoothly, drawing the other's attention back to him. 'The fastest ever built.'
He did not look at Anakin, but he imagined the expression on the boy's face.
'I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it!' Watto snapped. He burst into a new round of laughter before bringing himself under control again. 'So, you supply the Podracer and the entry fee; I supply the boy. We split the winnings fifty-fifty; I think.'
'Fifty-fifty?' Qui-Gon brushed the suggestion aside. 'If it's going to be fifty-fifty, I suggest you front the cost of the entry. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts I need. If we lose, you keep my
