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Kryzta watched from afar as Tara and Anakin socialized. He was showing her his new pod that he was going to race for Qui Gon. Qui Gon had pulled some strings with Anakin's slave master and convinced him to allow Anakin to compete. Tara had become like Kryzta's own daughter, despite not being biologically or physically similar, but she truly did love her. Qui Gon found a place next to Kryzta, seizing the quiet opportunity to speak with her. "I suppose you shall leave soon?" He asked her.
Kryzta nodded at him. "You don't remain in your hidden form?" Qui Gon asked Kryzta. She could look like an ordinary person if she wanted, or she could remain as she was born— a blue eyed creature. It wasn't unusual to see different species of people, but when Kryzta was in the Jedi Order she preferred to blend in with the majority.
"Don't need to." She shrugged.
"You're training her." Qui Gon nodded over at Tara.
Kryzta sighed. "No need for explanation. The Force is unusually strong with her. With Anakin, too." Qui Gon noted.
"She seems to be stronger around him. It's quite strange." Kryzta mentioned.
"Where'd you get her from?" "Lotho Minor." "That junkyard?"
Kryzta nodded. "I was looking for scraps when I found her. Now, I consider her my child."
"You know.. Obi Wan is here." Qui Gon stated.
Kryzta gulped. "I never meant to—"
"You were never fit to be a Jedi, Kryzta. You attach yourself far too easily. You fell in love with Obi Wan and now you find yourself mothering a child that isn't your own." Qui Gon told her, trying to make her feel better.
"It isn't right. The Order wants us all to be purified freaks so that we don't turn on them after opening our eyes to their corruption and overwhelming power." Kryzta spat.
* * *
Just knowing that Obi Wan was on the same planet as her made Kryzta not want to leave. Although a part of her did want to stay away from him and never see him again, her heart told her different. Kryzta stayed to watch Anakin's race, and Tara and Anakin were still chatting it up since the night before.
"This is so wizard Ani! I'm sure you'll do it this time." One of Anakin's friends cheered.
"Do what?" Padme, the accompaniment of Qui Gon, asked.
"Finish the race, of course!" Anakin's friend spoke out loud.
"You've never won a race?" Tara inquired.
"Well... not exactly..." Anakin looked down at his feet sadly.
"Not even finished?!" Padme asked.
"... Kitster's right, I will this time." Anakin sheepishly smiled.
"Of course you will." Qui Gon patter Anakin's shoulder.
* * *
Throughout the entire race, Tara didn't really know what was going on. She saw pods racing and some flying off course but her two eyes couldn't keep up with all the swerving pods. She felt like she was going cross eyed. For Tara, the race went terribly long. But, it only got exciting when she saw Anakin crossing the finish line in front of all the others.
Everyone hurried to meet him by his pod. "That's was cool, Ani!" Tara clasped her hands together in delight. Anakin smiled widely, as if he couldn't believe he had done that himself.
From afar, Qui Gon and Kryzta looked upon the sight with a joyful gleam in their eyes. "I freed the boy." Qui Gon told Kryzta.
"You're going to take him to become a Jedi?" Kryzta asked.
"Yes," he then turned to Kryzta, "I would like you to join us."
Kryzta shook her head. "I couldn't possibly." She fumbled her thumbs together.
"If you want that little girl to have a future as somebody you'll accept the offer. Do you really want to be running all your life?" Qui Gon asked before he wandered off.
* * *
Kryzta held Tara close to her hip as the two wearily boarded the ship. Once inside, Kryzta was instantly met with Obi Wan's face and she didn't know what else to do but to divert her eyes to the ground. "Hello, Kryzta." He nodded curtly at her.
She shot him a shy smile then continued to look everyone but his face. Obi Wan kneeled to be at Tara's eye level and stuck out his hand to shake hers. "Pleasure to meet you, Tara." He smiled at her. Kryzta pushed Tara even closer to her thigh, protectively.
Tara eyed him carefully then shook his hand firmly. "You're quite serious for a child." He mentioned.
"There's always something to worry about." As if on cue, Tara's words were followed with a ruckus coming from outside the ship. Tara and Kryzta shot their heads around to look at the entrance of the ship, fearing that an enemy would be coming for them through there. The ruckus outside sounded like lightsabers swinging about.
Loud, quick paced steps could be heard climbing up the railing to enter the ship. Tara rested her hand on her own lightsaber, that was carefully hidden beneath her poncho. Kryzta did the same. They both quickly let go of their sabers once they saw Anakin hurry into the ship, realizing he was no threat. But, he quickly informed everyone on the ship that Qui Gon was in trouble and a man with a red face was attacking him.
Obi Wan, Padame, Anakin, Kryzta and Tara all hurried to the cockpit to start the ship. "Take off. Over there! Fly low!" Obi Wan instructed the pilot on board.
The pilot flew right over Qui Gon while he was battling, allowing for Qui Gon to jump on board, then the pilot took off to space.
* * *
On the flight to Naboo, Tara was sitting in one of the rooms of the ship and spotted a droid, R2-D2, beeping vicariously at her. Tara cocked her head and hopped off of the chair she was sitting on and approached the droid. Her small finger reached out and curiously picked at the droid. R2 only showed distaste when her tiny child finger would poke his lens. Tara giggled then stopped bothering the droid. Somehow, the droid had feeling and thus felt sudden to attached to the reserved and kind child.
