Consequences of Watto's Chance Cube

Below is a short story I penned for your reading enjoyment. This particular story deals with consequences that Watto must face, regarding the use of his chance cube. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Watto was not in a good mood, as evidenced by his loud and disruptive temper-tantrum. The Toydarian, cursing insultingly in Huttese, flew from one shelf to the other, grabbing items and throwing them across the room. The fury of his anger could be heard outside his shop and any passer-by, who possessed a grain of common sense, knew it was best to steer clear of the angry Toydarian. News has a way of traveling fast in Mos Espa, so they were all aware, that not only had Watto lost a great deal of money, but he had also lost his prized slave, a young boy named Anakin.

Just as Watto threw an odd-shaped piece of metal at the wall, a dark-cloaked figure entered the shop. Startled, he quickly turned, causing his long snout to bob over his toothy mouth. As he faced the intruder, his keen eyes fixed on the man-like humanoid, whose face was covered with bold jagged markings of red and black. Undaunted, the pudgy blue creature boldly asked in guttural voice, "What do you want? Can't you see that I'm busy?"

The intruder's slitted eyes glared at the Toydarian, with a look that was both feral and predatory. When he opened his mouth to speak, Watto could see it was filled with hooked teeth. "My name is Darth Maul. I'm here, because you failed my Master," the intruder hissed menacingly.

"It wasn't my fault," the Toydarian quickly gasped, his tiny wings buzzed as he hovered in front of Darth Maul. "I was tricked."

"Your job was to take care of the boy, until Lord Sidious was ready to take him," replied Darth Maul as he removed his hood, revealing stunted horns, encircling his head, "not gamble him away."

"I didn't," the nervous Toydarian blurted, spewing spittle, "I used my loaded chance cube, which always lands on red. The bet was simple, if it was blue, he got the boy and if it was red, he got the mother. There was no way I could lose the boy, somehow that man?"

Watto was suddenly cut short by Darth Maul's sharp cutting voice. "That man was a Jedi, you fool!"

For the first time in his entire life, Watto felt fear. Small beads of sweat began to form on his small brow, as he watched Darth Maul produce a wicked-looking lightsaber. Quickly the Toydarian extended his arm defensively and in a flash, the lightsaber was ignited, slicing through flesh and bone, severing the poor creature's hand. Watto screamed in shock and pain, falling to the ground like a wounded bird, as Maul returned the lightsaber to its holder and watched with a demonic grin.

"Listen well," Darth Maul hissed loudly.

"I-I-I'm lis-ten-ing," Watto painfully muttered through gritted teeth, trying desperately to keep tears from forming in the corner of his eyes.

"They will train that boy in the Jedi ways, but someday he will return to free his mother," Maul growled loudly. "My Master intends to use her for bait, so until then, keep her safe." Maul grabbed Watto by the neck and squeezed tightly, "I warn you, do not fail my Master again or next time, you will lose for more than just a hand."

Gasping and choking for breath, Watto could only nod his head slightly. Taking that gesture as an affirmative answer, Maul slowly released his iron-fisted grip on Watto's neck. "Good," he replied coldly as he slowly pulled his hood back over his head. Then after glaring at Watto for few moments, he left.

For a long time, Watto remained on the floor, weakly holding his injured arm close to his chest. The wound wasn't bleeding for the beam of the lightsaber had cauterized it, but it was a seeping, open gaping wound, throbbing with every beat of his greedy little heart. Tears of pain and humiliation streamed down the sides of his leathery face. With his good hand, he tugged at his vest and managed to tear off a long strip of cloth. Carefully he wrapped it tightly around the wounded stub, grimacing in

 

Interesting. Neat little twist on the "unseen scenes" of TPM.

 

I like it. It's one of the best that I have read. Keep up the work.

 

nice, I like it.

 

That was good Soggy! I really liked the bit at the end where he used Qui-gon's words.

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

That's pretty cool.

 

Very cool work. Let's hope for his sake Watto has a prosthetic hand somewhere out back.

Interesting concept of Watto being on Sidious's bankroll. You could do lots of interesting things with this. --AWK

 

Cool....

 

Nice! I liked it!

(I gotta get myself one of those weighted chance cubes. )

 

Alli-Wan -- LOL -- No doubt he probably does.

By the way, thanks for all the wonderful comments.

 

Upping for the move