Chapter One

Little Ani

Eleven year old Anakin Skywalker was in space once again. He was on a mission to Saleucami with his master. Something about a peace treaty. Anakin was ready to get there already. Space was cold. Anakin's padawan braid had now grown passed his chin and the rest of his hair was kept neatly cut, for the child had little time to spare for his hair. Anakin had brought droid parts with him to work on, but he ignored them now. He was in space, and his master was piloting the craft. He wanted to see the cockpit, to see the controls. He wanted to find out how to pilot this thing. One thing he knew for sure, he was born to pilot. He headed to the cockpit and bounced into the co-pilot chair beside Obi-Wan.

"Master, is it still on auto-pilot?" he asked taking in the controls with awed fascination.

"Hmm?" Obi-Wan mummered, half-asleep, before opening his gray eyes to look at his padawan. "Anakin, what was that?" he asked stretching and yawning. Anakin tried to suppress a grin, it wasn't often he saw Obi-Wan so relaxed.

"Master, I could land this thing?"

"Anakin, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"But I'm the only one that can podrace. I could land it. I know I could."

"Anakin, it's not very Jedi to gloat." The smile fell off Anakin's face like the clouds covering the sun.

"Yes, Master. I'm sorry, Master."

"Hey, Anakin," Obi-Wan reached out to tilt Anakin's face up. "Anakin, I want you to meet my eyes." Slowly, Anakin met the Jedi Knight's eyes, still fearing retribution that he should know by now would never be unfair. "I'm only telling you this for your own good. I made you a promise. I intend to keep it. Just as Qui-Gon promised your mother. A Jedi keeps their promises, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem." Anakin frowned and slid down from the co-pilot's chair.

"You never even met my mother."

"Padawan, where are you going?"

"To meditate."

"That may help." Anakin didn't look back and sudden he heard a loud and bang and was knocked from his feet. Anakin stood up and glared at the spacecraft. "Anakin," he heard the controlled voice that his master used when he was tightly gripping his emotions. "Are you okay?" Anakin scrampled back into the cockpit. "Are you hurt?"

"Just my pride and ego," Anakin assured him.

"Anakin, I need you to listen to me, to really listen and do exactly as I say. Can you handle that?" Anakin nodded.

"Yes, Master."

"The Trade Federation is firing on us. I need you to get into he escape pod. When you reach Saleucami you must contact the Jedi Council and the Senate. I need for you to hide yourself in the woods. I will find you."

"Yes, Master. But what about you?"

"I'll be fine, Anakin. If I can take on a Sith, I would think the Trade Federation..." Obi-Wan trailed off as he noticed the fear on his padawan's face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want anything to happen to you, Master. I always loose the people I love the most. Besides, no one would train me if...Master please be careful." Before Obi-Wan could stop him the eleven year old boy hugged him close.

"Anakin, we will have to discuss a Jedi's role about attachments when this is over. For now, use the Force, and have a little faith. Everything is the Will of the Force. Now, Go. And may the Force be with you."

"And with you, Master." Anakin entered the pod and watched as Obi-Wan launched him. He watched the stars zoom by at an amazing speed and then he was surrounded in a white light. He tried his communicator, but it wouldn't work. Was it on? Perhaps he could find a replacement battery. That, didn't make sense it had just been working. Besides, Obi-Wan would never let him leave the temple without one that had at least half a battery. He stood up and exited the pod. He wasn't anywhere near Saleucami. He seemed to be on a spacecraft. He knew this was a huge spacecraft. The metal floor stretched as far as he could see. As he looked on, it looked like there was some kind of military training ahead. There were a few officers and a bunch of men in white. How strange! He kept walking, his hand inches away from the training saber he always kept on him. Then, his belly growled betraying him.

"Where's your father, little one?" he heard a voice behind him. He turned around and looked at the man.

"I don't have one. I'm supposed to get in touch with my master?"

"Are you a slave?" the Captain asked the young boy.

"I'm a person and my name is Anakin."

"Well then Anakin."

"You can call me Ani, if you want," Anakin added with a shrug.

"I'm a Captain of the Navy." Anakin stared at him blankly.

"I'm hungry," he finally said.

"Well, let me show you around, Ani. Will you follow me?" Anakin nodded and watched as he was led to a huge mess hall, with those men in white with their helmets off and nearly identical faces eating quickly. Some of them played several different card games. Then there were the officers who seemed to be discussing different stategies.

"You know I had a dream once. That I was a General of a Great Army," he stated as the Captain led him to a secluded table and watched him eat.

"Well, if you keep hanging around, I don't see why not. Where are you from, Ani?"

"I was raised on Tattooine for the most part."

"I speak Huttese myself. Have had some dealings with the Hutts. The more languages you know the less dispensable you are," the Captain agreed with him.

"Then I won a podrace."

"You do know those are illegal."

"Yeah, anyways, Mom was real worried. But I had to help Padme and Qui-Gon win the parts for their ship so they could return to Coruscent. And anyway, Mom says that the biggest problem with the universe is that no one ever helps anyone."

"Your mother sounds like a wise woman. Where is she?"

"On Tattooine. I miss her."

"I'm sure she misses you too." The Captain frowned, he had thought that talking about his mother would make him happy. Besides, where were this child's parents?