Anakin sat on the deck looking out at the setting suns. They glowed with beautiful colors that he could find nowhere else. The sky slowly darkened, and the stars twinkled at him. He laughed. They seemed to be saying, "Go to bed, Ani! It's late!" The extreme heat of the day faded, replaced by dry, cold air.
"Ani! It's late! Go to bed!" his mother's voice cut through the still night.
"Oh," he groaned, but hopped down from the railing and went inside.
Shmi smiled and hugged him. "What a good boy you are. Now, get ready quickly, and I'll come and kiss you good night." Ani nodded and hurried into his bedroom. On his bed lay the heavy bundle of wires and basic processors that would form his droid. He wrapped his arms around the droid innards and lifted them off the bed, then changed into a nightshirt and snuggled under the covers.
"I'm ready Mom," he called.
Shmi came in with a glass of water. He rarely drank water during the day, but at night there was something peaceful about the cool, clear liquid running down his dry throat. "Here you go then, Ani," she said, sitting next to him and smoothing his hair back from his forehead. He guzzled the water thirstily, and then lay back.
"Tell me a story," he pleaded as Shmi began to get up. He never let her forget. The story would keep her with him for a longer time; keep the room safe for longer; keep the darkness away.
"All right." She settled down. "Do you know about the stars, Ani? Each one is a huge sun, like ours."
"Except that ours is two suns," Anakin interrupted. He'd heard this one before. It was his favorite.
"Shh," Shmi reprimanded, but she smiled. "Yes, Ani, our system has two suns. But not all systems do. And around all those suns are many worlds like ours, with people living on them in freedom and happiness."
"Can we go to them?" Ani asked sleepily.
"Not right now," she replied. "But someday you will. I know it. You will see all the worlds, and all the people." She smiled. "You will go to the Republic worlds, where there are no slaves, and everyone is protected."
"Protected by the Jedi," Ani added. He had seen one before, with a laser sword. "Will I meet a Jedi, Mom?"
"Perhaps, Ani. Perhaps." She became strangely silent, regarding him as she continued stroking his forehead. "Goodnight, my love." She kissed him, then left the room, turning out the light.
Ani closed his eyes against the dark. It was the same every night when his mother turned the lights out. The darkness rushed at him like a krayt dragon, growling and threatening to eat him up. But even worse were the times the darkness pretended to be his friend. It was hard to fight against a friend. Every night he played a game with it, trying to block it out. He imagined he was building a wall around himself, mud brick by mud brick, until he was surrounded. Then he was free to imagine.
He imagined big cities, and alien creatures, and swampy worlds. But most of all he dreamed about Jedi. Tonight he squeezed his eyes shut and imagined a Jedi with a laser sword. The Jedi he had seen when he was small had not rescued him, had not protected him like his mother said. So he created a better Jedi in his imagination: very tall and strong, powerful, invincible. The Jedi wielded a green laser sword, and wore loose brown robes. He had long brown hair, and a beard. He was very kind, and his eyes smiled. In the boy's imagination, the Jedi took his hand, saying, "I will free you, Anakin."
Ani sighed. Someday I'll meet a Jedi, he promised himself as he drifted off to sleep.
And as happened every night, when he was nearly asleep, his mental wall shattered, and the darkness came back, sucking at him and growling like a mean animal. Go away! The more he tried to shove it away, the closer it got. It frightened him, and in his fear, it came closer still.
Let me in, Ani. I will let you meet a Jedi. The darkness was soft and comforting, but he could feel its evil intent.
You're lying! Ani flung at it. You're lying, you're lying, you're lying! He tried to use anger to get rid of it, but it seemed to eat his anger hungrily, and press nearer, wanting more.
Are you sure? Can you ever really be sure? The lurid darkness seemed to laugh. How do you know that I will not give you what I promise? Have I ever broken a promise to you?
Go away! Ani screamed again. The darkness faded slowly, the sinister laugh echoing in his mind. Exhausted, Ani dropped into a heavy sleep.
**********
When Ani woke up the next morning his mind was consumed with that question. Was the darkness lying? Did it always lie, or never lie? Ani welcomed the daylight and vowed he would discover some day. He didn't know how or why, but suddenly the image of his perfect Jedi filled his mind. He knew with complete certainty that a Jedi could help him. He would just have to find one now.
Shmi came in. "Oh, good, you're awake. Watto wants you early today."
Ani hopped obediently out of bed. And someday, we'll leave Watto, and we'll never, ever come back.
