Chapter 1-Father Hear Me
(A/N: Okay before you begin to read the story you MUST read this. Now originally I was holding out for this MUCH later, but unfortunately it is been bugging me for some time. Also I had expected to do another Naruto story after the one I'm still doing. It appears my mind is a slave to its own design so I'm writing this (hopefully short) Star Wars fic to get it out of the way so I can focus on my Naruto fic (now and the next one) later. I'm sorry to those who expected me to hold this off for awhile, but it wasn't my fault. Honestly I never saw this coming. Still if you love Star Wars as you do Naruto then your in for a treat...I hope.)
Star Wars: Echoes of the Light
Story Summary: Luke is 9 years old and his Uncle Owen is not raising the boy well and makes the boy's life miserable. After Owen gets drunk one day he comes at Luke with the full intent of hurting the boy with his belt even though the boy didn't do anything wrong. Luke hides in the Lars Garage while his Uncle calls Luke a bastard child, with his father being a coward, and his mother a sleazy whore. Trembling with emotions Luke has just accidentally sent a message to his father echoing for him to find him. Will Vader answer the call and save his son or will Luke be doomed to the abuse of his Uncle while his Aunt is too terrified to do anything?
The days on Tantooine were as cruel as they were hot. Everything considered illegal in the galaxy could be found here. From slave trades, illegal spices, to selling black market weapons to space pirates wanted in 3-4 systems for horrible crimes. It was mostly a baron wasteland with only a few settlements belonging to moisture farmers that produced water to give to the places that needed it.
In one such place about 5 miles East of Anchorhead lived a boy named Luke, who lived with his Uncle Owen, his Aunt Beru, and was secretly watched over by an aging wizard (secretly a Jedi) named Ben Kenobi. Now when you think of such a family it seems that this boy is special and that as such he would receive the love that came with being such a special little boy.
If you saw beyond outer shell of such a description you would find it was hardly true.
Luke's uncle named Owen Lars was not a kind man to Luke and would hate the boy for the simplest things. Once, Owen found Luke tinkering with a droid he himself had not been able to fix for several months only for the boy to do it easily as if it were second nature to him.
That droid was soon shot to pieces shortly after and Luke was sent to his room without food as his punishment even though the boy knew he didn't do anything wrong.
Luke didn't know why his Uncle Owen hated him, but he knew one thing it was whatever his uncle said in his head that he seemed to pick up.
'Bastard Father,' was the thought the boy picked up from his Uncle Owen after his Aunt Beru came out and asked her husband why he had destroyed the droid.
That was another thing that always got Luke into trouble with his mean Uncle Owen, as the sand blonde haired and blue eyed boy seemed to take one look at you and he would ask what seemed to be an innocent question. In truth it was a question to what was related to the one in your head and Owen liked his thoughts to be kept to himself.
Luke earned a bruised cheek for that one.
Now before you think that Beru or the old wizard of a Jedi Ben Kenobi didn't care for the boy like Owen then you are wrong. Beru loved the boy as if he were her son and had on several occasions snuck the boy some food or got him something for the pain that may have been inflicted onto him by her husband.
Ben Kenobi had visited a few times at first to see how he was doing and to occasionally ask the boy how he was feeling. However, his involvement in Luke's life stopped when Owen opened fire on the two nearly hitting Luke twice had Ben not pulled out his trusty Lightsaber.
Shortly after that incident, Ben Kenobi left after Owen threatened to call the Empire on him for being what he was. As for Luke, he received quite the beating due to the fact that Owen had seen Luke's fascination with the Jedi weapon.
Beru pleaded with Owen to stop saying anyone at Luke's age anyone would act like that only to have Owen telling her to shut up and back handing her as well.
That was all when Luke was 6 years old.
Now at the age of 9 nothing had ever really changed except the beatings he had received getting worse and no matter what Luke did, Owen still makes him feel like he's nothing more then a failure.
Rotting Bantha corpses got treated with better respect then he did.
"Move boy. I don't want you being dead weight around me when I'm working. You're lucky I need extra help right now from you or else I would have sold you to some slavers or even one of the Hutts in need of a kid like you," said Owen as he was currently hard at work fixing one of the moisture vapors that broke down the night before.
"Why do you have to be so mean Uncle Owen? I help you plenty and all you do is yell at me for nothing," said Luke, as he STILL didn't understand after all this time why the man hated him so.
"Watch your mouth boy! You are lucky I don't do more then just yelling right now. If it were up to me I would have left you for the Sand People, but that damned wizard of a hermit would take you in. Last thing I need is you to turn into one yourself under his eyes or mine for that matter," said Owen glaring at the boy before turning back to the vapor system only to get shocked when the tool in hand hit a solar cell wiring.
Luke couldn't help, but let out a small laugh since any child seeing it would since any 9 year old wouldn't know any better.
If only Luke had.
'Uh oh,' thought Luke seeing the look in his uncles eyes and they did not seem happy in the slightest.
"You think that's funny? Me getting zapped like that is funny to you?" said Owen, who would have hit the boy with the tool in his hand, had the shock not made his arm numb for a good 5 seconds.
"Come on Uncle Owen you know it's not as bad as you make it sound. If I was anyone else's kid and they laughed you would have laughed with them, but with me your mean. Even now I can tell you want to hit me," said Luke sending out a small glare at his uncle only to have it stopped by Owen, who used his other hand to hit the boy to the ground.
'Bastard child. Just like his Father with those damned eyes,' thought Owen walking away from the boy with his interest to have the moisture vapor fixed lost.
"What about my Father?" said Luke getting up from the ground and holding his now sore cheek that would have a small bruise on it later in the night.
Instantly Owen stops in his tracks and looks at Luke. It was a look of disbelief. It was as if Luke had just insulted his uncles and his mother with the most meanest of curses in the galaxy.
"What did you say boy?" said Owen walking in stride to the now confused and worried child.
"You said I was a 'bastard child' and I was just like my Father with my eyes. Did you know him?" said Luke with his voice gaining more strength by the second.
Now Owen was furious and hit the boy with his tool this time as proof of it.
"Listen to me you ingrate of a child. I'm your uncle and as such you will listen to what I tell you and right now I'm telling you that you are never to mention him ever again. If you do regardless if I'm here or not I'll sell you to the Hutts and tell your Aunt Beru that Sand People took you to be offered as a sacrifice to their sand god. Remember brat this is a place that no one will miss you should you get lost and if you make me any more upset then I will have no choice, but to see to it that you do get lost," said Owen walking away from a hurt, slightly crying, horrified Luke.
'If my Father were here he would teach Uncle Owen a lesson. Shame Aunt Beru wasn't here either, but at the doctors office in Mos Eisley,' though Luke hoping against all hope.
(Elsewhere in Space)
Many people could say they had accomplished much in their time whether it was on a single planet or flying all over the galaxy.
For the great Dark Lord of the Sith known as Darth Vader he had done these types things to ensure that the power of the Galactic Empire did not diminish. He walked along the pride of the Empire's most recent as well as most devastating warship ever constructed.
The Super Star Destroyer and Flagship of the Empire known as...The Executor.
Darth Vader held a commanding presence over all who served under him and all who served under him worked to accomplish their tasks given to them perfectly.
To do otherwise would result in their deaths.
Currently the Dark Lord was looking out the Bridge View Port of his prized Super Star Destroyer that he had helped build. Now he was gazing out at the stars lost in his own thoughts and the events that had transpired just a few days ago.
Recently he had been experiencing a flux during his meditation and the echo of a child's pain reaching him through the Force. It was powerful and pure yet filled with pain that only a child's soul could produce.
A child's pain that he recognized was similar to his once upon another lifetime.
"My Lord I have a message from the Emperor," said Captain Piett approaching Vader carefully as to not face the Sith's wrath.
"What did he want Captain?" said Vader not missing a beat as he turned to face the pale and terrified man.
"He said you are to take The Executor to a planet in the Outer Rim. A high crime filled planet called Tantooine. He wants you to show the strength of the Empire there to lower the crime rate and allow safer passage for future transports and supplies we may need to run through here," said Piett checking the data pad in his hands to make sure he got the message right.
Had Vader not been wearing a mask Piett would have seen Vader scowl with his wounds slightly straining his pain receptors in his brain. "Are you sure those are the Emperors exact words Captain?" said Vader taking one step forward towards the now paler Captain and an even paler group of officers/witness to the conversation.
"They are right here my Lord. I would not bring this to you if they were false," said Piett clearly afraid for his life seeing as how the Dark Lord had killed for less.
Vader seemed quiet for a brief moment and none of the crew breathed for fear of what the man would do next. "Very well Captain Piett. Set a course for Tantooine immediately the sooner we get to the planet the sooner we can leave it behind," said Vader turning to leave for his meditation chamber
'What could have possessed the Emperor to have me go to my home world now after so many years? Could it be he sensed the same thing I felt through the Force and the orders he gave me are an excuse? Am I to take this ship here to reflect and to be tested further as his apprentice? To test my loyalty? Perhaps another Force strong child that needs to be taken from his or her home? Regardless, I will do as he asks for now. After all he has to die some time,' thought Vader hoping to one day surpass his Master and take the title of Emperor and Master from the aging Sith.
Meanwhile, the now relieved Captain let out a sigh of relief before heading off to do his job while the others on the Bridge did the same thankful to not have to witness the death of a fellow Imperial Officer.
(Tantooine-2 Days Later)
Owen was not having a good day and it showed on his beard incrusted face as he took a swig of his secret stash of liquor he hid from Beru.
She had come back from the doctor in Mos Eisley and told her husband that her womb was baron as the desert of a planet they were on.
Luke had tried to comfort his Aunt he was instantly knocked away by Owen and struck several times all the while blaming her problems on the boy of all things.
Every blow Owen landed he kept saying, "You did it! You did it you little monster. All so you would get all our attention just like that bastard Jedi Father of yours."
When Owen stopped finally after Beru pleaded with him saying it was do to some berry juice poison that was in her system Luke had a bloody temple, a bloody lip, and a major headache the size of Beggars Canyon.
When Luke asked if his Father was really a Jedi when Owen left the room Beru could only nod as she hugged the boy with all her strength. All the while telling him it wasn't his fault and that he would always be her one true son no matter what.
Had she been more careful Beru would have seen her husband near the door overhearing everything she said to the boy.
Now some 2 days later Beru was out visiting a dear friend in Mos Espa with the help of a more wealthy moisture farmer named Biggs. A man who got financial aid from some big shot on Aldreaan from time to time and loaned her his speeder to help her make the harsh journey.
That just left him and his dear nephew Luke on the Homestead with nothing to do, but to have a day off and relax.
Owen hated relaxing.
Of it was one thing Owen learned from his own Father was that you can't slack off and you always have to work no matter what. This was why Owen had done much better then his old man when it came to running the Homestead.
Gazing out the window he saw Luke heading out to the garage with some slightly rusted mechanics tools in hand. 'When was that kid given a good beating? Too long I'll bet,' thought Owen scowling at the young boys form wishing he could just kill the damned child and not have that Jedi on him like slim on a Hutt.
Even if he could report to the Imperials that there was a Jedi near him they would kill him and Beru as well out of fear the Jedi affected them in some way.
Either way Owen would lose in the end and he hated losing.
'Still giving the boy a good beating would be a nice second place prize,' thought Owen with the effects of the alcohol and his hatred for the boy putting ideas into his head.
Grabbing the nearest blunt object he could find, which happened to be his liquor bottle Owen Lars exited his home and headed for the garage hoping to make the boy suffer.
If the man only knew what events he had set into motion.
(Elsewhere on Tantooine)
Obi-wan Kenobi now named Ben Kenobi sat in his little home meditating and channeling his Force power around him despite it slowly diminishing as time passed. Being thrown into exile and using what little Force strength you can without raising suspicion of the while Empire (much less one person in particular) itself to survive is not something he enjoyed.
At the amount of Force power he was currently generating a novice apprentice could best him easily whether Obi-wan was prepared or not.
He hated leaving the boy with his uncle having sensed ill will towards Luke the moment the boy started taking on the appearance of his Father. But he couldn't just leave the boy to anyone and he knew Beru would raise the boy well despite the negative influence of Owen's hostility. Besides Yoda had basically told him to take Luke to them and no one else.
If you can't trust the wisdom of a near 900 year old Jedi Master who can you trust?
Suddenly such thoughts were stopped when he felt something in the Force that felt like it was a premonition of things to come and they seemed to revolve around Luke. At first he sensed Luke in mortal danger, then just when all was lost a bright light appeared blinding the Jedi Master before he could see more of that part of the vision.
What Obi-wan saw next froze him to the core as the shadow appearance of Darth Vader appeared before a frightened Luke with the red Lightsaber of his former student turned Sith humming in the background.
After that the vision faded before Obi-wan could press further into it.
"Sith's blood!" said Obi-wan putting on his Jedi Robes and headed towards the Lars Homestead hoping he wouldn't be too late to save the boy.
If worse came to worse he would have to kill Owen and then take Luke on as his second attempt at an apprentice.
Before he became Vader's first.
(Lars Homestead-Garage)
"Luke! Come here Luke. I'm not going to hurt you," said Owen in a soothing voice while looking around his garage for his nephew.
'Not hurt me my foot. If that were true then I wouldn't feel such anger towards me or have that weapon behind his back,' thought Luke peering out behind his hiding spot of several well put placed boxes that held spare parts.
When Luke first entered the garage he wanted to work on another droid to help with the farming since his uncle couldn't fix them to save his life. He barely got to the droid when he suddenly had a chill up his spine and when Luke felt things like that it meant to run and hide before Owen would find him and beat him for no reason.
At least no logical reason Uncle Owen was willing to give.
"Come on out you little bastard child. I'm getting sick of you hiding from your beatings that you so rightfully deserve. It's only fair anyway since your coward of a Jedi Father isn't here to take them you might as well in his place," said Owen his patience had now become thin due to the drunken state of his mind.
'Beru was right I am the son of a Jedi,' thought Luke wondering if what Beru had told him was the truth or just to make him feel special though in truth Luke had a suspicion that it was the former since he could always tell when someone was speaking the truth or not.
To him it was almost like he could read their minds, but on an emotional level as well.
Before Luke could ponder this further his sense of danger kicked in and Luke saw that Owen was walking towards his area for searching and it would be a matter time before he was found.
"Come on out Luke and be a man like your father never was or at least try to be stronger then that royal bitch of a mother that brought you into this world. She took the cowards way out in dealing with you and died so she wouldn't have to put up with your existence. I bet she whored herself out to everyone she could when dear old daddy was away during the wars. I bet she screwed every Jedi that came back tired from the fighting as a way to 'reward' them for their efforts before the Republic became the Empire," said Owen, as he started looking near Luke's hiding spot to a point where Luke could smell the faint stench of liquor on the man.
'Please someone, anyone that is out there HELP ME! Daddy if you are listening please help me. I don't think you are not a coward for not being here. I need you. Please daddy come home!' thought Luke closing his eyes focusing with all his might that his prayer be answered by his Father or someone close to that effect.
When Luke opened his eyes he found Owen standing over him having found his hiding spot. "I found you Luke and now you are going to pay for it," said Owen grabbing the boy by his hair and pulling hard to get the boy up on his feet to take this beating outside where the blood would be absorbed into the sand.
(The ExecutorÂ)
Vader had just left his meditation pod when he felt it yet again only stronger then before and not just because he was now at the ships destination. He could almost feel this boy's pain and it wounded him so, but how it was able to elude the Sith Lord greatly.
'Please daddy come home!' said the child's cry as it echoed into his mind nearly shaking his very being to the core.
Whatever this strange thing was it had to be taken care of NOW and not later as he had originally thought to do.
"Ready my shuttle and a team of your best troopers. I will take us down to the planet surface myself," said Vader to his Lieutenant, who nodded and set out to follow orders knowing full well to disobey or falter would result his body being thrown out the airlock after already dying.
'Please daddy come home!' said the echo in his head still calling for him as if it was meant for him.
Vader made his way with great strides to the Bridge finding Captain Piett and another Admiral just transferred whose name the Dark Lord had yet to remember. "Admiral call for three more ships that are closest to this sector. I will contact Captain Piett should I require further assistance after I arrive on the planet," said Vader before heading for the flight deck with an even quicker pace preventing any of the others from getting a word about what he was asking for.
Not that they would had the Dark Lord stayed.
(Tantooine-Lars Homestead-15 Minutes Later)
Beru had just arrived 10 minutes after it had started and right now she was regretting ever marring this man as her husband. When she got home after being dropped off near the Homestead thanks to Biggs and his speeder Beru was horrified to see Luke slumped on the ground barely conscious bleeding noticeably at the temple of his skull with Owen kicking the poor boy repeatedly in the ribs.
"OWEN! What in the name of the Force are you doing?" said Beru, as she ran up to her husband and tackled him before he could land another blow at Luke with this one aimed for the boy's skull.
"Get off me woman. Can't you see this child needs to die?" said Owen throwing his wife aside before seeing the boy trying to crawl away from his uncles wrath.
"Owen what's wrong with you? Have you been drinking?" said Beru smelling the liquor on him that smelled worse than a Bantha's droppings.
"So what if I have? I would have done this drunk or sober so it doesn't matter," said Owen walking over to the badly beaten boy.
"Owen Lars you will stop this insanity this instant," said Beru before running ahead of Owen and covered Luke up using her body as a shield to his own whispering to the boy he would be safe now.
"A-Aunt Beru?" said Luke seeing her slightly from where he was laying down.
"Its all right sweetie I'm here and I'll make sure nothing happens to you," said Aunt Beru smiling at Luke before she wince in pain as Owen started landing kicks on her.
'She's getting hurt because of me and I'm powerless to help her. I DON'T WANT TO BE POWERLESS! I WANT TO BE STRONG! DADDY!' thought Luke, as she clutched onto Beru wishing he could help her in someway.
(Not Far from the Homestead)
'DADDY!' echoed the voice inside Vader's skull the echo coming back full now nearly knocking the Dark Lord out and making him jerk the shuttle slightly.
"Lord Vader are you all right?" said the Imperial co-pilot next to him looking at the Sith Lord seeing his sudden movement that looked like he had been struck.
Vader did not answer he simply regain what control he had lost and maneuvered to the source of light in the Force that called to him like a Mandalorian moth to the light of a glow lamp.
'This light is so familiar to me and yet it is not her. Is this some sort of Jedi trick? Is a Jedi survivor down there trying to mess with my mind in some way? Whatever this light is I will deal with it one way or another,' thought Vader pulling hard to the right knowing exactly where to go.
It wasn't hard to do since he had been here before.
(Also not far from the Homestead)
Obi-wan had nearly forgotten what it was like to run so fast using Force Speed much less through the entire desert area. He had felt the boy's plight growing even more dangerous and felt the light within Luke explode with the strength of a supernova that could make a sun seem like a far away star in comparison. 'Anakin he is truly your son,' thought Obi-wan nearly at the Homestead seeing it in the distance.
He nearly stopped when he saw what else was nearby not far from his destination and like Luke it too was powerful, but unlike Luke's light this was different all together.
This power was dark and cruel that could only come from two people and knowing Obi-wan Kenobi's luck he knew who this one was.
It was his former Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker or better now know as Darth Vader: The Dark Lord of the Sith.
'By the Force how do I help Luke now?' thought Obi-wan pressing on knowing that even in his weakened condition there was still a chance to save Luke.
Provided that Beru was still alive when he got there to help him save the boy.
(Lars Homestead)
Owen Lars for all his faults regardless if he was drunk or sober knew when trouble was headed his way and the site of an Imperial Shuttle was proof all in itself.
When the shuttle had landed and the troops came down the ramp Owen wondered what reason they might have being on his property? 'Could they know about the boy? No it's impossible! No one knows the boy has those damned power other then myself, Beru, and that old Jedi wizard and even he wouldn't sell out this kid. Maybe it was Luke's friend from the Bigg's place when Beru took Luke for a visit that one time. They must have seen Luke's powers and ratted us out as some sort of protector of Jedi infants. DAMN!' thought Owen as he now wondered how he was going to explain this to the Imperial Commander.
Perhaps he could bribe the man with a few of his more...expensive cases of liquor to make him look the other way and let him finish what he started?
Such thoughts stopped after the troops swarmed around them to secure the Homestead and a dark figure approached Owen with a deadly grace. "Owen Lars," said the hollow and stiff voice that came out overpowering the respirator noise the figure's chest made.
'Oh no! Not him. Any other Imperial would do, but not him!' thought Owen backing up from the approaching figure only to stop when he heard the sounds of blasters raised at him.
That figure that Owen Lars was afraid of was...Darth Vader
(A/N: YAY! I finished. This won't be as long as my Naruto fic and I hope when I finish this story my brain juice for writing C&D will be back up. Sorry guys the Dark Side of the Force is a powerful thing. LOL! Well tell me what you think. Love? Hate? I know Owen seems out of character, but I've read worse. There are few stories out there that are like this and I want to be one of the very rare ones. Originally this was going to be longer, but I thought against it and wanted to make it just right to end, but fear not I'm working on chapter 2 so expect that up soon. Until next time...PEACE!)