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| - From inside her sleek starfighter Darth Maxah, Dark Lady of the Sith, considered the depths of space. Each pinprick of light which represented a planet or star, though bright in its own right, was surrounded by darkness. It was fitting, that was the nature of the universe even if the Jedi were too blinded by their own light to accept it. Darkness in the Force existed, it always would and if her Master’s plans went as they should, it would grow to engulf the entire galaxy. And the Jedi—according to her Master—would be too blind to see what was happening, until it was too late. Maxah accepted the role she had in Sidious’ plans, she was merely a weapon crafted by the Dark Lord of the Sith to strike against the Jedi in the move that would reveal them at last. A move that would confuse the Jedi for who knew how long, and while this was happening the Sith would at last have their vengeance. A vengeance that had waited one thousand years to take place. It would seem odd to the Jedi that the Sith had not only returned, but the fact that one of them as female; for Maxah was sure that the young Padawan who had seen her before she had killed Shakya Devi was privy to that detail. But it went back to when the Sith were all but lost one thousand years ago, when the Sith Lord Darth Bane had stood by and watched the Sith Brotherhood annihilate each other before establishing the Sith as they were now. And for his apprentice he had taken Zannah when she was but a girl, no older than Maxah herself had been when Sidious had found her. Maxah smiled, through stealth, subterfuge and most of all patience the Sith had reformed themselves, waiting in the shadows for the right moment to strike. Until now, she told herself, until now. Maxah set course for Tatooine, it was the only planet that the Queen’s starship could have gone to. If they were not there, she would keep searching. She would not fail her Master. The sandstorm had passed, the slave quarters of Mos Espa were quiet, at least as quiet as they could be. Even on desolate, outlying planets like Tatooine there are some who never seem to sleep. Anakin Skywalker lay in his bed in a state of semi-drowsiness, thinking over what had happened. Could it be possible that a Jedi had come into his home? What was his name again? Qui-Gon, he had said. And was now in the next room and planning to enter him in the Boonta? And there was Padmé… Something occurred to him that made Anakin sit up, fully awake. Had Padmé called Qui-Gon Master Jinn? Did that mean she could be a Jedi too? It was impossible, he had never heard of a girl being a Jedi, and somehow it seemed to be completely unlike Padmé to administer justice with the blade of a lightsaber. But, it was something that he could see himself doing, with not much a stretch of his imagination. Yeah, that sounded like fun. Anakin slept soundly, his dreams full of lightsabers, blasterfire and occasional visions of Padmé who stared at him longingly. Padmé didn’t want to admit it, but she had a very bad feeling about this. She had been silent during breakfast while Qui-Gon enlightened Anakin and Shmi on the aspects of various Core Worlds. Anakin listened, enraptured, and asked rather detailed questions. Danta kept his own counsel, scowling into his bowl. At Qui-Gon’s advice, Anakin approached Watto first about the race. The Jedi Master then promised to sort out the details with the Toydarian. They followed Anakin at a distance to Watto’s shop. The moment Anakin entered Padmé cornered Qui-Gon. “Master Jinn, I mean no disrespect,” she began amiably, “but isn’t this taking too much of a chance? We are trusting our fate, and not to mention the fate of others, to a boy we hardly know.” “Your observation is noted,” Qui-Gon replied, not in the least bit ruffled by Padmé’s questioning. “And?” Padmé probed. “Use your senses, Padmé,” Qui-Gon advised, “there is something at work here in the Force that is to our advantage and that of everyone else. And,” he added, mostly to himself, “there is something about this boy…” He trailed off in thought and Padmé did not have the slightest idea what he meant. But she had to trust him. After all, she didn’t really have a choice. She followed Qui-Gon into the shop where Anakin and Watto were in the middle of a heated argument. Watto flapped haphazardly about the shop, moving his hands in agitation. Anakin shouted back at him in Huttese, though through the strain on his face it was clear he wasn't winning the argument. Though he brightened when he saw Qui-Gon and Watto turned to regard the Jedi Master. “So,” Watto said as if he was about to accuse the Jedi of shoplifting. “The boy said you want to enter him in the Boonta. You can’t afford parts, how do you plan to enter him in the race?” he laughed. “Pay with Republic credits?” Qui-Gon was ready for a question like this. He reached under his poncho and took out a holocron. He activated it and Queen Nalanda’s royal starship was projected. “My ship will be the entry fee,” the Jedi explained evenly. “Not bad, not bad,” Watto said, studying the hologram carefully. “In perfect working order aside from the parts we need,” Qui-Gon said, deactivating the holocron and replacing it under his poncho. “But what will the boy ride?” Watto asked. “This would have been easier if he didn’t smash up my pod last time he raced!” “It’s not my fault!” Anakin retorted. “Sebulba flashed me with his vents! I saved the pod,” he said, then hastily amended, “mostly.” “I have acquired a pod in a game of chance,” Qui-Gon said quickly, then added for Anakin’s benefit, “the fastest ever built.” Anakin smiled, yet neither Watto or Qui-Gon were looking at him. “I hope you didn’t kill anyone I know for it,” Watto snapped, then laughed again. “So, you supply the pod and I supply the boy, is that the way of it?” he didn’t wait for Qui-Gon to answer. “We split the winnings fifty-fifty I think.” “Fifty-fifty?” Qui-Gon barely acknowledged this. “If it is going to be that way then I suggest you front the cost of the entry fee. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts we need. If we lose, you keep my ship.” Watto didn’t say anything at first, clearly there had to be some catch to this. “Either way, you win,” Qui-Gon pointed out. Watto didn’t waste another moment. “Deal,” he said, then turned to Anakin with a chuckle. “Your friend makes foolish bargain,” he said in Huttese, “better teach him what you know about dealing for goods.” Anakin beamed and then looked around for Qui-Gon, but he and Padmé had gone.
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