Making Deals

Watto sputters. "Wha-but-huh!?"

My smirk widens. "What? Is there a problem? Didn't you say that you would buy my credits for half their value? Have you decided to go back on your word? Do I need to find someone ELSE to buy these credits from me?"

That last question snaps Watto out of his stupor, and he hurriedly reassures me.

"No no no! No problem! It's just that, well... I don't have that many credits here. Perhaps I can interest you in some of my other wares so that we can come to a beneficial arrangement?" He rubs his hands together, trying to wheedle me into buying some of his wares.

Looking around though, I don't really see anything I want. Catching Mission's eye, she subtly shakes her head no.

Hmm. If she doesn't see anything of note here, then there really isn't anything worthwhile. I can see a half-built droid in the back, but I doubt that we'll have the time to finish it.

My eyes land on the woman and I come to a decision. "How about I buy that slave from you? That should bring the price down to a suitable level."

The woman's eyes widen in shock, but I also detect some worry and guilt?

"What!?" Watto shouts. He looks between me and the woman, mumbling to himself, rubbing his chin. While he flies hectically around the store, she makes her way to me.

"I thank you for this opportunity sir," she whispers, "but if you are buying a slave, I would prefer it if you would buy my son instead." She bows her head at me.

I look at her considering her words.

"What is your name miss?"

"Shmi Skywalker," she responds, head still bowed.

'A son huh. A mother's love is a powerful thing.' I look at the toydarian still fluttering around his store. 'Lets see if I can't wrangle a better deal out of him.' I approach him, pulling out one of the basic blasters I brought to sell.

Shmi's face pales when she sees this. She opens her mouth to say something, but Mission shushes her, a smirk on her face. Bastilla simply rolls her eyes and does nothing.

The toydarian doesn't notice me until I'm right behind him. He turns and flinches back. He opens his mouth to say something, then notices the blaster in my hand.

I raise it and he raises his arms as he cowers back with eyes closed, as if that would protect him.

When nothing happens, he peeks at me from between his arms. He sees me holding the blaster by the barrel, held out towards him.

I have a shit-eating grin on my face as I speak. "Take a look at this, if you toss in the son with the mother you can have the blaster as well."

He grumbles as he takes the blaster. Something about "damn humans". He looks it over, examining it closely while he complains.

"Psh, as if a blaster would convince me to sell both of my slaves. I wouldn't sell both even for the remaining twenty thousand! There's no way you could..."

His voice gets quieter as the examination goes on. After few minutes of quiet, he speaks.

"I've no idea what kind of blaster this is. It resembles some of the older kinds, but even those aren't a match. I can't even tell how many rounds it has, or where the ammunition goes!"

He looks up at me, a wary look in his eyes. "Tell me the specs, then I'll decide."

I nod, but a question pops into my head.

'Where the ammunition goes? What does he mean by that?'

"It has forty shots, and two modes of fire. The first mode is the standard, just normal shots. The second will utilize five charges simultaneously to deliver a shot that is SIX times stronger. However, that mode can't be used casually, as the recoil is immense. It will recharge the entire forty shots in thirty minutes."

Watto's jaw drops. "Recharge? You mean that you won't need to spend any money on replacing the ammunition?"

I nod. "That's correct. However, it is set to recharge any and all missing shots at once every thirty minutes. So don't expect to run out of shots, then have some more ten minutes later."

He nods, only half listening at this point. He mumbles. He tilts his head. He rubs his chin. He flits side-to-side.

While he's coming to a decision, someone new enters the shop. Looking at them, I see that it's the old man from that group I saw earlier. I can see the young woman and the alien outside.

The girl is sitting to the side, pouting, while the alien is... licking the wall? I'll just ignore that one.

The old man glances at me and furrows his brows. After a moment though, he shakes his head and approaches Watto.

"Watto, I've come to bargain."

He announces his intentions with all seriousness. Watto snaps at him.

"Wha-, oh it's you. F*ck off! I'm dealing with an actual customer."

The old man frowns at the response, but continues on, regardless. "I wish to sponsor Anakin in the Boonta-Eve Classic."

It's then that I notice that a boy entered the shop with him. Judging by the way he stands protectively near Shmi, I would guess that he's her son.

Watto laughs. "Hah! With what money? Not Republic credits I hope. Besides, even if you have gotten credits, it would do you no good. I've already sold the hyperdrive to this man here."

He gestures to me, and the old man's eyes widen in shock before he opens his mouth.

I interrupt before he can say anything. "So we have a deal?" I hold out my hand.

Watto sighs. "I get all the credits, and the blaster."

I smile, my hand still extended. "I keep one thousand."

He looks like he just bit into something sour, but spits out, "Fine."

We shake hands as the old Jedi looks on, a befuddled look on his face.