7 Chapter 7

"Mom! Mom! I'm home." Exclaimed Anakin as soon as he entered his home.

Following behind him Padmé, Qui-Gon, Cain, Jar-Jar, and Artoo shuffled into the somewhat spacious apartment.

"Dissen cozy," Jar-Jar commented.

Suddenly appearing from another room Anakin's mother, Shmi Skywalker was startled to see so many people in her home.

She was a beautiful woman in her mid-forties, but she already had graying hair and bags under her eyes. This was an obvious effect from the stress of being a slave and having to take care of Anakin.

"Oh, my!! Annie, what's this? Who are these people."

"These are my friends, Mom. This is Padmé, and...gee, I don't know any of your names."

"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn, this is Jar Jar Binks and Cain." Qui-Gon introduces everyone, but suddenly Artoo released a loud beep.

"..and our droid, Artoo-Detoo," Cain said while presenting the almost forgotten droid.

"I'm building a droid. You wanna see?" Anakin said suddenly while tugging Padmé towards another room.

"Annie, wait!" She exclaimed, but Anakin was already too excited and wanted to show Padme his droid. Following him, Jar-Jar and Artoo trailed behind the happy couple.

Standing there in front of Anakin's mother, Qui-Gon and Cain saw that she was rubbing her forehead because of her son's behavior, but was still smiling.

"Your son was kind enough to offer us shelter," Qui-Gon said to Shmi.

"He saved us from the sandstorm," Cain added.

"I'm sorry if I was abrupt. I'll never get used to Anakin's surprises." She said while shaking her head.

"He's a very special boy," Qui-Gon said with a smile, but Shmi seemed like a deer in headlights. Her eyes were wide and she looked at Qui-Gon as if he had discovered a gigantic secret.

Cain only needed to glance at Qui-Gon to see that he already knew Anakin was Force-sensitive. Cain also had a suspicion that Qui-Gon had felt it when he used The Force in the shop, but he wasn't absolutely positive.

"Yes, I know," Shmi responded after calming down slightly.

Soon Shmi ushered both Cain and Qui-Gon to a table and went to grab refreshments. With her finally gone, the Jedi Master shifted his attention solely on Cain.

"Now then, there's something I wish to discuss with you," Qui-Gon said to Cain while keeping his face free of all emotions

"Hmm...what about?" Cain asked calmly but was nervously shaking his leg under the table.

Although Qui-Gon may seem to be naturally passive, Cain knew that the Jedi could slice him in half before he even had the chance to fight back.

"You may have not noticed, but I saw and felt how you acknowledged mine and Obi-wan's presence before we had ambushed the droids on Naboo. You are a Force-sensitive, are you not?" Qui-Gon frankly stated.

Cain didn't know how to reply and was completely caught off guard by Qui-Gon's straightforwardness.

Simply raising his hand, Qui-Gon tried to calm him down.

"This isn't a problem. In all actuality, it's a good thing." Qui-Gon said surprising Cain.

"Really?"

"Yes, it is. The selected few in the Galaxy who can actually communicate and interact with the Living Force in a positive way, are always something to be celebrated." Qui-Gon said with a smile.

"But I'm not a Jedi. I thought the code, the rules, and the whole virgin thing was important for using the Force." Cain argued.

"No, not always. These rules have been enforced by the Order. By training children while they're still young, the Order can teach them to forget their emotions and simply close themselves off to everything else. Sometimes even ignoring the warnings of the Force itself." Qui-Gon said solemnly while staring down at his hands.

"So.....what does this even have to do with me?" Cain asked the one question that's been nagging him since he sat down.

"Obviously you are much too old to even be considered by the Order, but you can become something else. Something more. Acting free of the Order."

"Why me though? There are definitely more Force-sensitive not in the Jedi Order."

"Although that may be true. I have felt the Force speak to me that you are destined to do something great. However clouded your future may be, I-" Qui-Gon said, but was interrupted as Shmi came back with drinks.

"Here you go. I was just starting dinner, I hope you can stay?" She said after setting down the drinks.

"We would be delighted to. But please take this." Qui-Gon said, and then handed Shmi a few capsules as repayment for letting them find shelter in her home.

"T-thank you so much." She stuttered and gladly took the capsules from the generous Jedi's hand.

As she left to prepare dinner, Cain was about asked Qui-Gon another question but his comlink beeped.

"...We'll speak later." Qui-Gon announced as he stood up and went to privately answer his comlink.

Knowing that it was probably just Obi-Wan, Cain sat back in his seat and sighed.

He knew that sooner than later Qui-Gon would have found out he was Force-sensitive, but Cain still didn't have a clue on how he should respond. From the beginning of Qui-Gon's little monologue, Cain could tell that the Jedi Master had the idea that he's supposed to have some sort of grand destiny.

It's almost as if he was telling Cain he was the 'Chosen One.'

'Screw that!" Cain exclaimed mentally.

Cain didn't come to this universe to be a perfect hero or some dumb martyr to be sacrificed for the greater good. He just wanted to help people while having an adventure.

Pushing these thoughts away, Cain was about to go help Shmi in the kitchen but was suddenly hit by a flash of light.

[Force Vision Commencing]

As the red suns set on the desert planet, a dark figure was shown standing inside the center of a vicious sandstorm. The sandstorm covered the figure completely, and all that was visible was its red glowing eyes that shined brightly through the wave of sand. And then suddenly a blood-red lightsaber appeared in the hand of the figure as it yelled out.

"WHERE. ARE. YOU...ARGH!" The dark creature screamed as it's fury visibly exploded outwards in waves.

Startled, Cain was suddenly pulled out of his vision and left disoriented for a few seconds. Shaking his head Cain tried to understand what just happened until another notification came up

[Skill Upgrade: Force Power: Precognition(A)]

[Sub-Ability Discovered: Future Vision(Status: Uncontrollably)]

Cain read the full message and finally understood what had just happened.

Although Cain only started using the Force recently, at least compared to other Jedi, so as a way to make up for the skill difference he decided to grind Precognition as his most important skill.

By knowing the future movements of his opponents, Cain didn't need to be faster nor stronger than the other person. He only needed half a second to nail them with his pistol. The skill must have reached a level where it allowed him to glimpse into the future.

Not giving much time to reflect on his vision, Cain already knew that Darth Maul was on the planet, looking for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

Just like the movie, Darth Maul looked even more horrifying than Cain could imagine. With his sharp curved horns, blood-red markings, and chilling red eyes made Maul look like the devil incarnate.

Brushing away the chilling image of the red Zabrak, Cain steeled his fears and moved towards the kitchen to help Shmi with cooking.

.....

Cain helped Shmi throw together a large enough pot of noodles for everyone. Carrying the pot to the table and placing down the bowls, he turned around to see that Shmi smiling thankfully at him.

"Thank you so much. It's rather....difficult having to do this by myself sometimes." She said while looking slightly downcast.

"It's my pleasure. I use to help my mom in the kitchen all the time, especially since I can't cook to save my life." Cain joked with a smile.

"You were a great help. I'll go tell everyone the food is ready." She said with a smile as she moved to the other room.

Watching Shmi walk away, Cain was slightly nostalgic and missed his own mother. Although she died when he was younger, Cain still remembered all the times he helped her cook a feast in their kitchen.

Seeing Shmi, even though she was a slave, did her absolute best to give Anakin the life he deserved. Cain felt that it was a great decision to save such a good person from the clutches of that disgusting bug, Watto.

Soon gathering around the makeshift

table Cain put together, everyone dug into their noodles as the wind howled loudly from outside.

As they were just digging in, everyone turned towards Jar-Jar as he loudly sucked up his noodles like a vacuum.

"Exsqueeze me," Jar-Jar said as his face turned bright red.

Breaking the ice, everyone began to casually talk to one another, until Padme brought up the topic of slavery.

"All slaves have transmitters placed inside their bodies somewhere," Shmi stated.

"I've been working on a scanner to try and locate them, but no luck," Anakin said while pouting.

"Any attempt to escape..." " ...and they blow you up...poof!" Shmi and Anakin said together, as Anakin gestured animatedly with his hands.

"How though? Does Watto have a device that activates the transmitters?" Cain tried his best to casually inquire.

"All slaveowners have a detonator so that they can threaten their slaves into servitude. Even if you escape with the controller, you can still be identified and killed because of the implants." Shmi grimly explained.

"But can they be removed?" Cain questioned.

"If you somehow get free, avoid the other slave owners especially the Hutts, and save enough money for the procedure, maybe. Even then there wouldn't be a doctor on this planet willingly help free a runaway slave. It just too much trouble."

After hearing this Padmé and Jar-Jar seemed mortified.

"I can't believe there is still slavery in the galaxy. The Republic's anti-slavery laws..." Padmé spoke naively.

"The Republic doesn't exist out here...we must survive on our own," Shmi said sadly as silence reign over the table.

Squirming around because of the awkward silence. Anakin attempted to end the embarrassing silence and start a new topic.

"Have you ever seen a Podrace?" Anakin asked everyone at the table.

Breaking the awkward silence, Padmé shook her head no, but then noticed the concern on Shmi's face.

As Anakin talked about his interest in Pod racing, Jar-Jar began snatching some fruit from a bowl in the middle of the table with his tongue. Qui-Gon gave the Gungan a dirty look as he did this.

"They have Podracing on Malastare. Very fast, very dangerous." Qui-Gon said to Anakin.

"I'm the only human who can do it," Anakin said proudly.

Shmi looked askance at her son, as soon as he mentioned this particular skill of his.

"You must have Jedi reflexes if you race a pod." Qui-Gon hinted subtlety and glanced at Cain while Shmi seemed to understand what the Jedi Master was trying to hint at.

Seeing Qui-Gon looking away, Jar-Jar attempted to snare another bit of fruit from the bowl with his tongue, but Que-Gon, in a demonstration of great reflexes, grabbed it between his thumb and forefinger.

"Don't do that again." Qui-Gon threatened the Gungan.

Jar-Jar tried to acknowledge with some silly mumbling, but a Jedi had his tongue.

"I...I was wondering...something. You're a Jedi Knight, aren't you?" Anakin asked.

"What makes you think that?" Qui-Gon questioned.

"I saw your laser sword. Only Jedi carry that kind of weapon." Anakin said with absolute certainty.

"Perhaps he killed a Jedi and stole it from them." Cain interrupted.

"I don't think so... No one can kill a Jedi Knight." Anakin defended his belief that Jedi were invincible.

"I wish that it were so...." Qui-Gon said sadly.

After hearing this, Cain suddenly remembered the inevitable death of Qui-Gon at the hands of Darth Maul.

Qui-Gon Jinn's death was a major event in The Phantom Menace. Because he died his Padawan Obi-Wan, a newly made Jedi Knight was forced to take Anakin as his Padawan since it was his Master's final dying wish.

If Qui-Gon didn't die than Obi-Wan wouldn't have been forced to take a Padawan, Anakin would have had been taught by an experienced Jedi Master, and maybe some events in the future would be changed for the better.

So after giving it some thought, Cain decided to give his best efforts to save the life of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

[New Mission Discovered: Preserve the Life of Qui-Gon Jinn]