Darth Vader had given the orders to track the escape pod that had been fired from the Tantive IV and recover it and whatever information could be found in regards to the rebel transmissions. He felt the Force tugging at him from the planet below. He didn't need to ask what system they were in nor did he have need to listen to the crew 's announcement that they had entered the tatooine system. He knew. And he knew the escape pod held the data the rebels had transmitted from Scarif less than an hour before. He was angry that he'd been one step behind. It seemed as if the Force was taunting him, gnawing at his anger as if telling him that ultimately the living force would win and would not be bent to his will. As much as Darth Vader had learned to trust his instinct in the Force he never stopped trying to bend it to his will. He trusted in his own instincts as much as the Force and he was used to getting the results he desired by doing so. Yet something puzzled him. This feeling of the results he desired concerning his mission being just out of reach troubled him. Was it being here? Tatooine, his home planet. The pain and memories that this place held. His slavery here as a child with his mother, the sand, meeting the Jedi that took him away, Padme, his mother's death, her grave, the Tuskens he'd slaughtered. He'd used all that to fuel his anger and strength in the dark side so many times. But something was out of place. Why now? Why this? What was this ripple, this tug from the Force?
He'd assigned a unit of his battalion of storm troopers, the 501st, to track the escape pod and retrieve it and report directly to him of their findings. He needed to meditate and did so while his team traced the pod to the surface.
On the surface, Vader' s handpicked squad of troopers, led by commander Vic, found the pod they were looking for and discovered it had been occupied by one or more droids. A quick transmission to Vader on a private channel was made, "Lord Vader, it seems the pod was occupied by at least one droid. Could have been an old R2 unit." "Very good commander, have your team search in every direction and retrieve the droid, the data is with it I'm sure. " Vader felt for the droid thru the Force, "commander Vic, take two troopers with you to the South, have the rest of the squad do a standard search pattern in every other direction." "Yes my Lord," said commander Vic. "Report back to me everything you find, " said Vader.
The search was meticulous as commander Vic had learned early on that Darth Vader expected nothing less than perfection. He himself had benefited from his past superiors lack of perfection by Vader permanently relieving them of duty because of their mistakes and promoting him to commander. One of Vic 's troopers asked to stop for a break that the heat was more than he could bare and commander Vic responded, " trooper we're going to press on until we find what Lord Vader wants or boil inside this armor! The latter of which would be less painful than what would come after disappointing him."
Later in the day, as the twin suns were setting, the troopers got their first big lead. An old transport used by some of the indigenous inhabitants called Jawas had been spotted. Vic and team caught up to the slow moving crawler and stopped and interrogated them leaning that several droids had been sold at a few stops, two of which had been picked up earlier in the day just roaming the desert. This report was made to Vader who instructed Vic to check out each place that bought droids and report back.
By now, thru meditation and vibes in the Force, Vader knew he had to go to the planet's surface. Was it the Force or was it coincidence that one of the leads was getting near an old familiar place? Too close to his mothers grave site. As he strode to his private Tie interceptor in the hangar bay his thoughts dwelt on his mother. Her dying words. His pain. The memory of killing the Tuskens filled him with power and clarity. As thoughts of his days of Anakin Skywalker brought back the pain, his resolve in who he was now, Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith and emporor's fist, strengthened him. He would not remain a step behind in this task and would retrieve the data and end this rebellion once and for all! Whatever the source of this disturbance in the Force he would find it and deal with it. As he brought his interceptor down thru the atmosphere commander Vic reported nothing but dead ends with one more place to check. And Vader knew where that place was. He set his ship down a few hundred meters from the homestead and made his way to the grave.
Commander Vic had waited for another team to join him and then arrived at the home of Owen Larrs. A moisture farmer. Imperial records showed he'd been loyal to paying his taxes and that he was married to a Beru and had a young boy named Luke that he and his wife were raising. It was lunchtime as both Owen and Beru came to the door when summoned by the imperial storm troopers outside. As Owen stepped outside in the bright suns light he noticed a dark figure standing out by the small cemetery were his father and step mother were buried, Beru noticed this as well and they both let out a gasp as fear and dread washed over them. "You are Owen and Beru Larrs?" Asked commander Vic. "Yes, what's this about?" Asked Owen. The dark figure turned and slowly strode toward them. Owen couldn't take his eyes off him. The fear increased as he realized it to be Darth Vader. But why would Vader be here? "You bought 2 droids yesterday." Stated Vic. "Yes, I bought a couple droids, it was a legal transaction. Is there a problem?" "They are property of the Empire " came Vader 's booming voice. His mechanical breathing overlayed his dark voice but Owen sensed something familiar about it. "But I bought them fair and legal -" "They belong to the Empire and to me!" Snapped Vader, "search the house." "Now wait a minute, I'll give you the droids but I want to be compen-" Owen began to choke and gasp for air. "Where is the boy?" Vader asked. Beru fainted and Owen gasped out that neither Luke nor the droids were here. Fear began to rise in him at the thought of this monster finding Luke, of his dear wife dying at the hands of the dark Lord. Anger of what was unjustly happening and all because of that old fool Obi Wan Kenobi..." Obi wan?"said Vader, "Yes, this is all beginning to make some sense now. Your thoughts have betrayed you and your life... step brother." And with the look of surprise, fear and desperation, Owen Larrs breathed his last breath. Vader let go his hold on him as he lifted up Beru to suspend her at eye level. She was awake and full of fear and anger. Vader held her there with the Force while Vic ordered her to tell where the droids were. After finally telling them the only truth she knew, that Luke had them and would be back soon, Vader snapped her neck and dropped her. Then ordered the troopers to torch the house and bodies. As evil as Vader was he was also wise. That and his trust in the Force told him everything he needed to know and now his mission included finding Obi wan and this boy. There was something about this boy he'd never met that was suddenly feeling familiar, yet the Force was alluding him concerning this.