"I was spying earlier," she says, peering at Kelié.

"Well, it wasn't a terribly private conversation, I don't think," Kelié says, "but thanks for telling us.  Are you Shmi's daughter?"

She nods. "Yeah. I'm Anakin."

"I'm Kelié Amidala," she says.  "It's nice to meet you."

"Anakin was using her talents with the Force to render herself imperceptible," Qui-Gon says.  "Which I, for one, would not mind if she continues doing."

"I prefer it, yeah."

"It's fine with me," Kelié says.

She nods, says, "Thanks," and - fades a bit, in importance. Not entirely, no one's gonna forget she might be there, but she's harder to notice.

Qui-Gon resumes his seat.  "Your Majesty, by now you've heard some of the situation on Tatooine.  Anakin and I have been discussing the beginnings of a plan to free many of the slaves in this city."  He brings her up to speed on the con he and Anakin have worked out the beginning of; he doesn't mention the plan B.

Kelié listens.

"I don't have Force instincts," she says, "but if this plan goes wrong it could go very badly wrong.  We don't have the parts we need to fix the ship, and even if we assume we can gamble for them as well, if we lose that gamble we have no way off the planet and no way to pay off our debts."

Anakin fades back into their awareness. "I had plans before you guys show up. There's some ships that're easy to steal - I was gonna grab one of the bigger ones, but there's small fast ones too. I could get you in without anyone noticing and away before people manage to chase you."

"You can hide other people as well as yourself?" Kelié says.  "Do you think you could hide all the people we'd be rescuing?"

She thinks. "It'll be really hard, but it'll get easier once we're all in the same ship, better if they're having - quiet thoughts? Which we're good at."

"I can help, some, even if I'm not as skilled," Shmi says. "It's easier if people follow you. It'll be hard safely getting word to the elders in Gardulla's compound about the new rescue plans far enough in advance for them to prepare, but - I'm known to them. They'll trust me, even if things are suddenly changing."

Kelié nods.  "We'd be extremely grateful for your help."

"We should work out some of the specifics," Qui-Gon says.  "Anakin says you and she have information on the internal Hutt politics on this planet?"

Shmi nods. "I have more of the - longer term patterns, Anakin has more of the recent details."

Anakin perks up some.

She has a really thorough idea of all the Hutt families with interest in Tatooine. Most of them, Tatooine's basically an after thought. They have their fingers in the pie, but don't own many slaves here, so they should go along with the ship bet. The Desilijic clan (led by Jabba) and the Besadii clan (led by Gardulla, who Anakin clearly loathes) are the two biggest players on Tatooine - they're both based here, and they hate each other. Gardulla's big weakness is her fondness for gambling, but the slave trade's her biggest fortune, so even she'd be hesitant to put up every slave on any bet. Jabba mostly owns personal slaves, with most of his fortune in other areas - he's not based in Mos Espa (though he'll be coming in for the celebration) and is a lot more paranoid than Gardulla, too.

She doesn't think either Jabba or Gardulla would go in for a ship... They have lots.

But... They hate each other.

Gardulla wants Jabba assassinated. Flat out. A bounty hunter looking to move up in the world - that could be a good lie, offer services as your side of the bet...

Jabba wants Gardulla and her clan destroyed. He's more cunning, a bit older. He'd want information...

Jabba might be convinced to put up all his slaves in offer for enough information, especially since wild bets on the Boonta Eve Classic race are traditional. Gardulla - probably not even for Jabba's head... She might put up a significant fraction, but Anakin thinks 'all' is unlikely...

If they're getting slaves out, though, Anakin isn't willing to leave a single one with Gardulla - Gardulla's horrible.

"Gardulla sounds like the most problematic target," Qui-Gon says.  "But we can come back to her.  Do you think we have enough information to give Jabba that he'd ante all of his slaves in exchange?"

"I know how to break into her compound and networks. He doesn't, not yet."

"And that's worth that much to him?" Qui-Gon asks, undeterred.

"He's getting really annoyed she keeps dodging his bounty hunters and assassins, and they're having trouble getting at her in her compound."

He nods.  "Maybe he'd make the bet," he says, "but if his fortune is in slaves, would he honor it if he lost?"

She hums, thoughtful. "His fortune's in weapons and drugs, mostly... The slaves are just - status things for him. But he cheats, and he doesn't always honor bets - he'd have to if it was made in front of someone not in his group, though, who could say 'Jabba reneges on deals' and get heard."

"Is there a context you know of in which such a bet could be publicly made?  Could we insert an agent into Jabba's sabacc game, for example?"