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The time for the race to begin had soon arrived. Crowds were roaring cheers.

"A big turnout here from all corners of the outer rim territories," said one of the announcer's heads. "I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid."

Just as the announcers said, both in Basic and Huttese, there were lots of racers from various Outer Rim territories.

Anakin, with help from R2, pulled his pod to the starting grid. As you might've guessed, almost everyone cheered when Sebulba was introduced among the racers.

All the racers were grownups and their pods looked fast and so professionally done, especially Ordy Mandrell with his pit droid team.

"And a late entry, young Anakin Skywalker, a local boy."

Anakin may have been the only human and the only child in the race, but he was still excited to participate.

The flags moved out onto the track to signal the race about to begin.

Shmi knelt down to her son to wish him good fortune.

"Be safe." Shmi said.

"I will, Mom. I promise." Anakin said.

Shmi gave her son a big kiss on his forehead and left him to get ready to race.

However, no one on Anakin's team saw Sebulba approach one of the engine's of his pod and break an important part of it. In other words, Sebulba was cheating.

Sebulba decided to approach Anakin to gloat about his impending win.

"I won't walk away from this one, little slave scum." Sebulba said in Huttese.

"Don't count on it, slime ball." Anakin said in Huttese.

"You're bantha fodder!"

Sebulba laughed and left the child to his pod, when Qui-Gon approached to make sure Anakin was ready.

"All set, Anakin?" Qui-Gon said.

"Uh-huh. Whoa!" Anakin gasped as Qui-Gon picked him up.

Qui-Gon was definitely very strong. He helped Anakin into the pod and made sure he was safely strapped in.

"Remember, concentrate on the moment," said Qui-Gon. "Feel, don't think. Use your instincts."

"I will."

Qui-Gon gave Anakin his helmet and said, "May the Force be with you."

At last, it was time for the big race to begin. And, the announcers introduced someone important in attendance. None other than crime boss Jabba the Hutt.

Jabba welcomed everyone to the race and ordered for the competition to begin.

All racers started their engines, and anyone who wasn't racing but was on the track ran to get out of the way.

Qui-Gon met Jar Jar and the girls at a safe place to watch the race.

"Is he nervous?" Shmi asked.

"He's fine." Qui-Gon said.

"You Jedi are far too reckless," said Padme. "The queen is not-"

"The queen trusts my judgment, young handmaiden." Qui-Gon interrupted. "You should too."

"You assume too much."

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"Start your engines!"

Every racer started their engines, all of them psyching themselves up for the signal to go. The engines were all very loud.

However, some spectators felt afraid to watch, Jar Jar being one of them. Anakin's friends were rooting for him, though.

Jabba hit a gong to signal the countdown. And 3...2...1...GO!

All the racers sped off past the starting line, going super fast... except Anakin, whose pod stalled before it made it even two inches away.

"Wait. Little Skywalker has stalled," said the announcer.

People started to laugh at Anakin as he started trying to get his pod started. Turned out, he wasn't the only one having trouble. A racer named Quadrinaros was having engine troubles too. But then, Anakin managed to get his pod started and he sped off as fast as he could. Except, the tricky part would be catching up to the leaders being the last one to start.

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Sebulba was confident he was going to win, especially after sabotaging Anakin's pod, but the human wasn't his only victim. Sebulba bumped other racers' pods, causing them to crash, bumping them out of the race.

The race was a very fast and very tricky course. There were turns and twists that went between canyons, big rocks, through caves, and Anakin barely managed to escape a fiery inferno when one of the racers he caught up to crashed in the dark cave. But that wasn't even the most dangerous obstacles, because after the cave was a path guarded by Tusken Raiders, perhaps the most dangerous beings on Tatooine, who shot their guns at some of the racers, just barely missing Anakin.

Sebulba finished the first lap, and the other racers were catching up. There were two laps left, which meant Anakin needed to catch up fast!

By and by, more racers were kicked out of the race. One racer lost an engine when a droid got caught inside and broke it. Anakin, however, managed to survive this long.

Anakin eventually got behind another racer, but they zipped in front of him so he couldn't pass. This was going to be tricky, even for Anakin. But Anakin managed to do it by spinning his pod around and flipping over. Only two more racers ahead, and one of them was Sebulba.

Sebulba did his bit again, and threw a wrench into the engine of the pod behind him, causing it to break down and crash, Anakin just barely dodging it and starting to spin out of control.

Shmi felt just about ready to faint when she saw her son about to lose an engine, whose wire became loose. However, Anakin was prepared for this. He took out a magnet rod, which he used to grab the cable and reattach it to his pod. Now he just needed to catch up to Sebulba. But this time, the Tusken raiders managed to scratch Anakin's pod, and blow up the one in third place.

Now, it appeared there were only two racers left, starting the final lap. It was Skywalker vs. Sebulba.

Anakin's friends cheered him on as Anakin was getting closer and closer to catching up to Sebulba.

Of course, Sebulba wasn't going to give up. So he bumped Anakin like he did the others, and forced Anakin onto the service ram, which flung Anaking high into the air. This was definitely a ride for the young boy, and it turned out to be just the jump he needed because he landed in front of Sebulba!

Everyone was amazed at Anakin's catching up. But Sebulba was more determined than ever to sabotage the child. But Anakin gave it his all. He'd come too far to quit now. However, his pod was starting to give way, allowing Sebulba to retake the lead.

Anakin quickly hit a bunch of buttons and switches; he was draining power quickly! But Anakin put on the full thrust, making his pod give it its all. He started catching up to Sebulba again, the latter starting to bump the child again.

Qui-Gon held Shmi's shoulder as her boy was in danger again, and this time Shmi looked away.

Everyone thought Anakin was out of his mind, but he kept going, and Sebulba forgot the most important rule of driving: eyes on the road, and that caused him to crash, losing his engines and leaving the dug stranded in the desert.

"Poodoo!" Sebulba cursed.

And Anakin sped his pod right toward the finish line, winning the race and finishing a race for the very first time. The crowd cheered!

Anakin's friends all came to congratulate him, Qui-Gon picking him up and sitting him on his shoulder.

"Mom, I did it!" Anakin cheered. "Yeah!"

Of course, gamblers were not happy that Anakin won, because most of them bet on Sebulba. But, I bet you know what this victory meant for Anakin and his friends.

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Jar Jar tossed Anakin up in the air with a "Way to go, Ani!"

Padme gave Anakin a big hug.

"We owe you everything, Ani." Padme said.

Shmi gave Anakin a big kiss on his cheek, though he was very dirty.

"It's so wonderful, Ani." Shmi smiled. "You have brought hope to those who have none. I'm so very proud of you."

Shmi gave her son more kisses, Anakin getting a little bothered though being smothered in public.

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Meanwhile, Watto reluctantly handed out credits to those who bet against him and won. And soon he was met by one more; none other than Qui-Gon Jinn.

"You." Watto growled. "You swindled me. You knew the boy was going to win. Somehow you knew it. I lost everything."

"Whenever you gamble, my friend, eventually you'll lose." Qui-Gon said, almost bragging. "Bring the parts to the hangar. I'll come by your shop later so you can release the boy and his mother."

"You can't have them. It wasn't a fair bet."

Qui-Gon looked at Watto; there was no way he was letting him back out now.

"Would you like to discuss it with the Hutts? I'm sure they can settle this."

Watto was a gambler, but he wasn't totally stupid.

"Take them."

And with that, Qui-Gon left.

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Qui-Gon got the parts delivered to the ship, and you can bet the crew was relieved to hear they would soon be getting off that scorching dust ball.

"Well, we have all the essential parts we need." said Qui-Gon. "I'm going back. Some unfinished business. I won't be long."

"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic life-form?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon, for some reason, looked offended by how Obi-Wan referred to Anakin and Shmi.

"That 'pathetic life-form' is responsible for getting us these parts. Get this hyperdrive generator installed."

"Yes, Master. That shouldn't take long."

Qui-Gon instructed the Eopie he was riding to turn and head back.

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Qui-Gon couldn't wait to see Shmi again; the former was certain she and Anakin would be ecstatic to learn their freedom had been won. Except, Qui-Gon sensed a bit of anger nearby, and then he heard a bunch of kids cheering, some chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

That commotion turned out to be coming from a path not far ahead, where Anakin was in a fight with a young Rodian boy named Greedo, and it looked like Anakin was winning until Greedo pushed him off. Then both boys ceased and the other kids took off when they saw a grownup enter the scene. Anakin was scared Qui-Gon would yell at him for picking a fight, like Watto yelled at him sometimes if he broke anything. But instead, Qui-Gon calmly said...

"What's this all about?"

"He said I cheated," said Anakin.

"Did you?"

"No."

Qui-Gon looked at Greedo and asked him, "Do you still think he cheated?"

Greedo confirmed such.

Qui-Gon looked at Anakin again and the boy got up.

"Well, Ani. You know the truth. You will just have to tolerate his opinion. Fighting will not change it."

Anakin looked at Qui-Gon again and chose not to argue with him. And together, the two took off to take care of the unfinished business.

Qui-Gon gave something to Anakin that turned out to be money for selling the pod.

Sure enough, Anakin was ecstatic!

Anakin immediately ran inside his house to show his mom.

"Mom, we sold the pod! Look at all the money we have."

"My goodness!" Shmi gasped with a smile. "But that's so wonderful, Ani."

"And you have been freed." Qui-Gon said, shocking both Skywalkers.

"What?" Anakin gasped.

"You're no longer slaves." Qui-Gon said.

Anakin looked at his mom, disbelief on his face.

"Did you hear that?"

"Now you can make your dreams come true, Ani." Shmi said. "You are free."

Shmi then looked down for a moment, and then she looked at Qui-Gon.

"Will you take him with you? Is he to become a Jedi?"

"Yes," said Qui-Gon. "Our meeting was not a coincidence. Nothing happens by accident."

"You mean I get to come with you in your starship?" Anakin said excitedly.

Qui-Gon knelt to Anakin's level and told him, "Anakin, training to become a Jedi is not an easy challenge, and even if you succeed, it's a hard life."

"But I wanna go. It's what I've always dreamed of doing." Anakin turned to his mother. "Can I go, Mom?"

"Anakin, this path has been placed before you. The choice is yours alone." Shmi said.

Anakin thought about it, and he decided he wanted to go through with it.

"Then pack your things, both of you. We haven't much time." Qui-Gon said.

However, Shmi was shocked when Qui-Gon said "both of you"; she thought he'd only freed Anakin, knowing Watto's greed.

"Yippee!" Anakin took off to go and pack his things. But he had a question. "What will happen to Mom if I become a Jedi?"

"Not to worry, Ani. You and your mother will both be safe and well. I promise."

Anakin wasn't sure what to expect from that, but as long as he and his mom would be okay, he was fine with that. He didn't have much to pack, and neither did Shmi, so it didn't take too long to pack.

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The Skywalkers packed quickly and headed out with Qui-Gon.

Shmi and Qui-Gon each held one of Anakin's hands like a mother and a father walking with their child together. Like a family.

Shmi and Qui-Gon looked at each other happily as they passed through the town with the child hand-in-hand. Aside from the dispute on Naboo to deal with, it seemed like things were going to be okay.

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Meanwhile, somewhere in the desert outside of town, Maul was met by one of his probe droids, who confirmed the whereabouts of at least one of the missing Jedi.

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Anakin was extra happy walking with his mom and Qui-Gon through town, and they were about to enter into the desert to reach the outskirts, when Qui-Gon sensed something and told the others to duck.

And Qui-Gon took out his lightsaber and sliced something behind them in half, startling Shmi a bit. The 'something' Qui-Gon sliced? A probe droid.

"What is that?" Shmi and Anakin asked at the same time.

Qui-Gon knelt down to get a better look.

"A probe droid. Very unusual." He said.

"Unusual as in dangerous or just strange?" Shmi said worriedly.

"Not like anything I've seen before. Come on!"

Qui-Gon urged Shmi to run while he picked up Anakin and began running too.

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Qui-Gon and Shmi both ran as fast as they could to get to the outskirts and to the ship. They were only a few more feet away, when Shmi started to slow down. Slavery didn't exactly allow a lot of time for cardio.

"Qui-Gon, wait! I'm getting tired." Shmi said.

And then Qui-Gon saw something heading right for her!

"Shmi! Drop!" Qui-Gon exclaimed, quickly dropping Anakin and raising his lightsaber as the 'something' that nearly hit Shmi missed her, and jumped from the hover-scooter he'd been riding and attacked.

The attacker turned out to be Darth Maul, who immediately began fighting Qui-Gon.

"Go! Tell them to take off!" Qui-Gon shouted.

Quickly, Shmi picked herself up and caught up with Anakin as they ran toward the open ramp on the ship to do as Qui-Gon said.

Qui-Gon engaged in a hard lightsaber duel with Maul, shocked by how powerful this warrior was.

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Anakin quickly alerted Padme, who told the captain, who alerted the pilot.

"Qui-Gon's in trouble." the captain said.

"Take off," said Obi-Wan. "Over there. Fly low."

The pilot made the ship take off and flew low enough for Qui-Gon to jump and escape from the fight, landing on the ramp and getting safely on board.

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Qui-Gon sighed with relief, laying on the floor after the ramp closed once he was safely on board. He was exhausted both from the fight and the intense heat.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon rushed in shortly after.

"Are you alright?" Anakin said.

"I think so," said Qui-Gon.

"What was it?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I'm not sure, but it was well-trained in the Jedi arts. My guess is it was after the queen."

"What are we gonna do about it?" asked Anakin.

Qui-Gon sighed.

"We shall be patient." For the time being, Qui-Gon decided to introduce the two young men. "Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Anakin shook hands with Obi-Wan.

"Hi. You're a Jedi too? Pleased to meet you."

Obi-Wan had to admit, he hadn't anticipated they'd be bringing home a couple of freed slaves, but Anakin was definitely pretty cute.

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Meanwhile, on Naboo...

Viceroy Gunray was discussing with Governor Bibble the current dispute.

"Your queen is lost, your people are starving, and you, Governor, are going to die much sooner than your people, I'm afraid," said Gunray.

"This invasion will gain you nothing," said Bibble. "We're a democracy. The people have decided."

But Gunray was not fazed.

"Take him away."

Without another word, Bibble was escorted away by battle droids. Then, another battle droid approached Gunray.

"My troops are in position to begin searching the swamps for these rumored underwater villages," said the droid. "They will not stay hidden for long."

Gunray nodded in approval.