The Property of an "Obi-Wan Kenobi"
Characters and most of the dialogue belong to George Lucas.
Obi-Wan Kenobi could sense trouble quite easily. And the Force was certainly warning him now. Of course, it helped that the Sand People didn't bother to hide their evil deeds. Their victorious shrieks echoed through the canyon, urging Obi-Wan to move faster.
He knew it was the Force's guidance that had caused him to wander Tatooine's deserts that day. Despite his old age and the many years spent hiding in the desert, his ability to use the Force had not diminished. Now as he climbed the rugged rocks and sand dunes, he summoned the Force to him, basking in its surging power.
The Jedi climbed to the top of the hill and used the Force to mimic the cry of a krayt dragon – a wild, haunting screech that would be enough to scare even the bravest warrior. He saw the Tusken Raiders turn to face him, abandoning the small speeder they were pillaging. He knew that the cry and his cloaked appearance would frighten them off, and sure enough, they ran from him as fast as they could and disappeared into the rocky hills.
As he approached, he could see the unconscious figure of a young man on the ground not far from the vehicle. Obi-Wan knew him instantly. And as always, something inside him twisted painfully as he gazed at the boy. Luke Skywalker. Anakin's son.
He knelt beside Luke and placed his hand on his wrist, then his forehead. A small surge of relief went through him. The boy was only unconscious – nothing time wouldn't fix. A soft beeping noise made him look up. Pushing back the hood of his cloak, he saw a small white and blue astromech droid watching him from a cleft in the rocks nearby.
Obi-Wan felt another sharp pang as he gazed at the droid. So much like little R2-D2, who had always followed Anakin around. Now it appeared Anakin's son had a shadow as well.
"Hello there." The droid beeped uncertainly in reply. Obi-Wan smiled gently. "Come here my little friend. Don't be afraid."
The droid made a soft beeping noise, apparently asking a question. Funny. Obi-Wan supposed he'd spent so much time listening to Artoo's chatter that he'd somehow grown to understand the little things. He glanced at Luke, then back at the droid. "Oh, don't worry. He'll be all right."
At that minute, Luke began to stir. Obi-Wan instantly turned to help him sit up. "Rest easy, son. You've had a busy day. You're fortunate to be all in one piece."
Luke squinted up at him as he tried to regain his bearings. "Ben? Ben Kenobi? Boy, am I glad to see you!"
"The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly." Obi-Wan rebuked gently. As he helped Luke to sit on a nearby boulder, the blue and white droid approached cautiously, seeming to study the old Jedi. "Tell me, young Luke. What brings you out this far?"
"This little droid." Luke motioned to the astromech unit who beeped in response. "I think he's searching for his former master, but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before."
Obi-Wan studied the droid, ignoring the nostalgic feelings that were washing over him. Artoo had been…Luke's next words jerked him out of his reverie.
"He claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he's talking about?"
The Jedi sank down to sit next to Luke, still staring at the droid, who, he swore, was giving him a hopeful, pleading look. "Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said slowly. "Obi-Wan…Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time… a long time."
"I think my uncle knows him," Luke said thoughtfully. "He said he was dead…"
Obi-Wan nearly laughed out loud. Owen was trying so hard to keep Luke from the truth. "Oh, he's not dead. Not yet."
"You know him?"
At that moment Obi-Wan made a decision. "Well of course I know him. He's me." The droid beeped in excitement. Obi-Wan tried to keep his face and voice calm as he continued, willing himself not to ask the droid's number. "I haven't gone by the name 'Obi-Wan' since, oh, before you were born."
"Well, then the droid does belong to you." Luke said, seeming a bit puzzled by this turn of events.
"I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." Obi-Wan turned his gaze back to the droid, who gave a somewhat indignant chirp. "Very interesting."
Somewhere not far off, a Tusken Raider's cry echoed off the rocky cliffs around them. All three looked around in apprehension.
"I think we'd better get indoors." Obi-Wan said. "The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers." He and Luke started towards the nearby speeder, but were stopped by the droid's frantic beeping.
Luke groaned and turned around. "Threepio!"
Threepio? There was only one droid that Obi-Wan had ever met named Threepio. To run into a droid named Threepio and a little blue and white astro droid who claimed to belong to him was definitely not a coincidence. To find them both in the hands of Anakin's son was even less of one. Although Obi-Wan had to admit it was more than a little strange to find Anakin's companions in the middle of dusty Tatooine. Last Obi-Wan had heard, Bail Organa was arranging for them to serve under a Captain on one of his ships. But the Force surprised him still, even after all these years. One never knew what strange twist the Force would throw into life.
Obi-Wan followed Luke as he searched for his other droid, finally finding him lying in a heap where the Tusken Raiders had thrown him. One golden arm was torn off, but other than that, the droid appeared to be alright.
"Where am I?" Threepio looked around in confusion as Obi-Wan and Luke knelt to help him up. At the sound of the droid's voice, Obi-Wan knew that this was indeed Anakin's creation. "I must have taken a bad step." The blue and white droid beeped in concern as he surveyed Threepio's battered state.
"Can you stand?" Luke asked anxiously, not without a touch of impatience. "We've got to get out of here before the Sand People return."
"I don't think I can make it." Threepio worried. "You go on, Master Luke. There's no sense in you risking yourself on my account. I'm done for." Obi-Wan had to smother a chuckle as he listened to the golden droid's melancholy statement. Threepio had always been a pessimistic worrier, and apparently that hadn't changed. He glanced over at the smaller droid who beeped in dismay.
"No you're not. What kind of talk is that?" Luke asked in disbelief.
A surge in the Force reminded Obi-Wan of the returning Sand People. "Quickly, they're the move." Obi-Wan warned. He and Luke lifted Threepio to his feet and helped him walk shakily back to Luke's speeder.
Luke gave the vehicle a quick check as Obi-Wan helped get the droids settled in the back of the speeder. "Looks ok. I don't think the Sand People managed to do too much damage before you showed up."
"We'd best be on our way. We don't have much time before the Sand People arrive." Obi-Wan warned as he helped a jittery Threepio into the speeder.
Luke sighed in frustration. "My uncle's going to be furious with me. Artoo ran off, Threepio is damaged, I'm not doing my chores, and I nearly got myself killed."
Obi-Wan tried to calm the frustrated boy, realizing that the name "Artoo" confirmed what he had already guessed. "I'll direct you to where I live. You can get cleaned up, fix Threepio, and rest before you go on your way. I'm sure your uncle will be more grateful that you survived the attack than furious at your delay."
"I guess." Luke didn't sound convinced, but didn't turn down the Jedi's offer.
Obi-Wan felt a nudge against his leg and glanced down to see Artoo looking up at him with all the trust and happiness a droid could show. The old Jedi placed a hand on top of the droid's head, smiling as the memories of happier day washed over him.
"It's good to see you, my friend." he said softly.
Artoo beeped quietly in reply, seeming to share the Jedi's feelings.
"It appears that we have much to catch up on." Obi-Wan said. "I look forward to working together once again."
Artoo chirped happily in reply as Luke came over to help Obi-Wan with the droids. Between the two of them, they lifted the astromech up besides an already worrying Threepio.
As Luke drove the speeder through the canyon, the two droids sitting in the vehicle behind them, Obi-Wan was reminded of sitting besides his Padawan, flying through the city on Coruscant with the same two passengers joining them.
The Jedi could feel the Force's guiding touch, directing him more strongly than he had felt in a long time. Whatever was to come, Luke was a part of it, as were the two droids. Elements of the past were coming together again, and Obi-Wan could only feel that things were going to change. Something was beginning, bringing the past in a full circle to the future, and the whole galaxy would soon be a part of it.