Ch 1- Miracle Birth

POV: Shmi Skywalker, Tatooine, 41 BBY

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Freedom It's a simple word, yet it means so much to some people, especially me, because to me, freedom is more than just a word; it's a dream and a hope for something so simple yet almost impossible. The Galactic Republic, for all of its righteousness and civil rights, could not defeat one of the worst acts in society: slavery. And I've been a slave for as long as I can remember. Me and my family were forced into it by pirates, and I was sold separately to the Hutts. I never saw my family again; for all I know, they are long dead, and that thought has haunted me into adulthood. It's ironic that I had my chance at freedom yet turned it down. A boy I grew up with under the Hutts named Ovan was someone I'm not ashamed to say I had a crush on. It wasn't just love I had for him but trust and friendship; he dreamed of freedom much like myself, but unlike me, he believed it could be achieved so much so that he tried to start a revolt. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, as all our fellow slaves were disillusioned with the notion of freedom. But Ovan did still raise enough funds to take himself and one other person off Tatooine, and he offered me my freedom. And what did she say? I said, "No." "Why did I do something so stupid? I could be free right now!" But I know the reason why I said I was afraid of my secret being found out—that I was somehow carrying a child that was impossible.

I tried to find logic in this maddening truth, but I couldn't. I hadn't slept with anyone, not even Ovan, so how could I carry a child when I was still a virgin? Even out on Tatooine, I had heard stories of The Jedi Order, a group of powerful warrior monks who practiced magic called 'The Force'. I held no doubt in my mind that they would know something about this; maybe they could help her. No, of course not. The Jedi weren't concerned with slavery; they were the Republic's enforcers, and the Republic did not care for such things.

Here I was in a makeshift surgery room that I had recently rented out with what little peggats I could scrape. I knew it would be painful, yet I didn't care because I was about to see my child. After an entire hour of screaming, I was informed by a rustic medical droid (who was barely keeping itself together) that my child was a boy.

And what a beautiful baby boy he was! I looked at him with his eyes still and said, "Hello, my baby, it's me, your mommy." I thought I wouldn't get a response. Given that I thought he was asleep, surprisingly, he opened his eyes and looked at me with such intelligence that I doubted he could come from a newborn. Those clear blue eyes spoke words that I could clearly understand somehow: 'Hello, mother' he spoke with no voice but with his very mind.

How? How could I understand him? Before I had a chance to think further, a pair of Gamorreans carrying large battle axes came into the room, followed by Gardulla the Hutt. Gardulla Besadii, the elder, was a female Besadii Hutt belonging to the Hutt Clan. She was very average in appearance and age for her species—not too large or small overall. Gardulla spoke in clear Huttese, "Kava sa myo least favourite shag? Doing awful mee hope anyways just came noleeya tah collect something. So don't expect kickee congratulations." "How's my least favourite slave? Doing awful I hope anyway just came in to collect something. So don't expect any congratulations." Once she saw the bundle of joy in my arms, she sneered and spat to her side in disgust. Gardulla's sexual preference was both genders because her gender didn't exist, unlike Jabba, who preferred women, but like every Hutt, Gardulla had a particular taste for Twi'Lek's. This was important because Shmi was a very unassuming young Terran woman, so she was quite safe from Gardulla's lust, especially now that she had given birth. As female slaves, once they give birth, they become less valuable.

It wasn't long before Gardulla left. It turns out the reason she even came was to collect the peggats I gave to the surgery. It wasn't like I lost anything; in fact, I just gained a beautiful baby boy. I knew the moment I saw him, I was going to protect him from anything. Sadly, I knew I couldn't protect him forever; it was impossible given that he was born into slavery. So I swore if I ever get a chance to free him, even if it's just him and not me, I know he will live a good life free from the hell that is Tatooine, and that's good enough.