'Ten to one for Hekula,' Deland said. 'Rumor has it that Sebulba has bet a fortune on his son.'
Of course he has. He knows Hekula will win.
Anakin glanced over the hood of the Podracer to where Sebulba was sitting, sipping tea while the pit droids worked on Hekula's Podracer.
Sebulba looked over and met his eyes. Something happened behind the creature's bulging eyes. Memory clicked in.
He rose, his front arms waving, and approached. 'Now I recognize you, slave boy. All you needed was a little grease on your face.' He laughed.
'What an unfortunate surprise. I thought you were dead.'
'Not yet, Sebulba,' Anakin shot back. 'I'm here to make sure your son loses the way you did back on Tatooine. Badly.'
'Luck was on your side that day, slave boy,' Sebulba hissed. 'You are just a human, slow and clumsy as a bantha. I should have killed you then.'
'You tried,' Anakin said coolly. 'But you failed. Failure seems to be your destiny.'
'Insolent boy!' Sebulba hissed, raising his hand for a blow. Anakin had no doubt that his blow would still be powerful enough to send him flying.
But he was a Jedi now. Sebulba's arm moved so fast it was a blur, but to Anakin it looked like slow-motion. He easily stepped aside in time. The wind fanned against his face. Sebulba staggered, his balance upset. He had expected to land the punch.
'You can't touch me,' Anakin said. He whispered the words, close enough now to smell Sebulba's rank scent. 'You were never fast enough. You still aren't.'
'Slave boy!' Sebulba went toward him again. This time Anakin whirled and delivered a kick that sent Sebulba flying.
Enraged, Sebulba started toward a waiting Anakin, but suddenly the Glymphid Aldar Beedo stepped between them.
'You're disturbing my concentration,' he said to Anakin, tapping a blaster on his belt.
'He's a Jedi,' Doby whispered. 'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'
'All beings are the same once they're dead,' Beedo said, his eyes cool.
Anakin hesitated, not sure what to do. The situation now threatened to spiral out of control. Hekula was starting across to join in. If a fight began, others could be hurt, including Doby and Deland.
'Master!' Suddenly Djulla appeared and tugged at Sebulba's robe. 'I have made fresh tea.'
'So what?' Sebulba said furiously. 'Get away from me, slave!'
He struggled to kick Djulla aside with his hind legs while keeping his eyes on Anakin. Deland jumped forward to protect his sister. Sebulba's kick connected and Deland flew through the air, smashing against the cliff face.
He landed awkwardly on his arm with a cry.
'Deland!' Djulla ran toward her brother. She knelt beside him. 'You're hurt!'
'Get away from him!' Hekula suddenly roared, rushing forward. ''You take orders from us! Get back to your post!'
Djulla hesitated. Aldar Beedo shrugged and turned away, tucking his blaster back into his belt. 'This is a family matter,' he said. 'I have work to do.'
Deland's teeth gritted. 'Go back,' he told his sister. 'I am all right.'
Hekula turned to Anakin. 'If you keep insisting on making trouble, you'll be sorry.'
Anakin trembled with the effort of holding himself back. He thought of Obi-Wan's coolness. He could not feel it, but he could imitate it. It was better to let this particular moment pass. He was not a slave boy, he was a Jedi. He could not pick a fight because two bullies deserved to be humiliated.
Djulla hurried away. Doby helped his brother to his feet. Deland held his arm carefully.
'Better get the medic, boy!' Sebulba called before scuttling back to his Podracer. 'It looks like you won't be able to pilot your Podracer.'
'He's right,' Deland said through gritted teeth. 'It's broken.'
'What are we going to do?' Doby whispered. 'This was our last chance.
What can we do for Djulla now?'
Anakin saw the desperation on the two brothers' faces. Once again, he was faced with a choice. He had to make it for himself. He had to do the right thing and trust that Obi-Wan would understand.
'I can pilot the Podracer,' he said. 'If I win, your sister will go free.'
'But that isn't fair,' Doby said. 'Why would you do such a thing?'
'Because it is the right thing to do,' Anakin said. He knew that from the bottom of his heart. But he still had to tell his Master.
Chapter Thirteen
