Chapter 2
Captain Rex went to sit down in a nearby armchair. Next to him was a small table where his DC-17 blaster pistols were resting. Next to them was a cloth and a bottle of cleaning fluid. One of the twin guns was already disassembled.
The clone gave Owen a friendly wave, silently inviting the man to sit on the sofa across from him. Owen was amazed when he learned that he no longer aged as quickly as his brethren. He had to be one of the last original clones left. He appeared to be in his early forties.
Captain Rex's sharp eyes searched for any sign that Owen Lars's message, was urgent enough to warrant immediate action. All he could detect after a fifteen second once-over, was the nervous tapping of the man's foot and a trace of worry in his eyes.
"What message do you bring me?"
Owen wrung his hands nervously. He had no need to fear the Captain. On the contrary, over time they'd formed an estranged friendship. It was true that they rarely saw each other or even spoke but they were both as equally protective of Luke.
"Luke's been having the same nightmare for the past three months. It's been getting worse and far more vivid for him. He wakes up screaming in the middle of the night."
Owen paused as he tried to read Rex's reserved expression. It was a bit intimidating sometimes, even though he knew the clone harbored no ill will towards him. He was a difficult man to read.
"You believe this jeopardizes his safety?"
"It just might…but we aren't certain," Owen responded with a grim frown.
"Just what is it that frightens the boy? What are his dreams about?"
Owen sighed and brought his hand to his forehead and rubbed his temple as though he had a headache. He locked eyes with the Captain's a few seconds later.
"He keeps dreaming about his father…he keeps seeing that murdering slime bag ending Kenobi's life on Mustafar. The violence…the vivid images and details of that fight. He sees it all…it's more like a memory than a dream."
Captain Rex leaned forward, his expression changing into one of extreme interest. His eyes revealed a trace of concern.
"How can he dream of that event? That happened two days before he was even born."
"I don't know. That's what troubles me. I fear that these are no ordinary dreams. I don't know how that mystical Force stuff works…but if we don't figure out a way to help Luke, Vader will come for the child. It's only a matter of time."
Captain Rex ran a hand against the stubble on his chin as he digested that information. He resumed his previous posture and immediately began to reassemble his blaster. Owen was impressed…Rex didn't even look down to successfully complete his task. It must have been hard wired into his muscle memory. He had been an officer in the clone wars after all. Rex leaned back against his armchair and locked gazes with Owen Lars as he twisted the last piece of his newly assembled blaster pistol into place, with a firm 'click'. He set it back down beside his newly polished one. In seconds, Rex's face resumed his infamous stoic expression.
"I swore, the day that I met you that I will protect Luke with my life if necessary. I'm afraid, however that we are now on our own."
"What do you mean?" Owen's eyes widened considerably in alarm as anxiety began building within his chest. The last time he'd spoken with Rex, was nearly six months ago. He'd been kept informed by the Captain that their distant allies were still standing by to take action should they request it.
The clone officer leaned forward in his seat. He rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his hands, resting his index fingers over his lips in thought.
"The Imperials on this planet are increasing in number. They already have a base set up in Mos Espa as you know. During one of my recent patrols, I saw evidence that they are building a secondary base on the border of Mos Eisley."
"Can you send a transmission to our mutual friends?"
Rex frowned and shook his head.
"No. I cannot. It's far too risky to send out a long-distance distress call with so many Imperials around. Someone working for the Empire is bound to pick it up. I was able to successfully send a long-range message months ago by bouncing the frequency between satellite stations and outer rim relays."
"Did you get a response?"
"I did not. We are in the midst of a communications black-out. We cannot risk attempting to contact anyone working for the Rebellion. I would be condemning senator Organa to death if I attempted to reach him. Yoda has gone into hiding. If we do break radio silence, it won't be long until Vader decides to pay us a visit."
"What do you suggest?"
"I could take Luke with me and flee to Mandalore. I know a few people there that would undoubtedly take us in."
Owen's expression became crestfallen.
"You wouldn't make it out of the local spaceports. It's impossible. Two weeks ago I went into the market in Mos Eisley. Storm-troopers have been stationed at every port entrance. They thoroughly check the identities of every pilot and passenger. Getting Luke off of Tatooine would take a miracle."
Rex released a weary sigh.
"I've heard from a reliable source, that three new Star destroyers are currently orbiting Tatooine. They arrived two days ago. Reinforcements and engineer crews for the new base I'd imagine."
"What can we do for Luke? Is there anything? Anything at all!" Owen pleaded.
Rex scratched his left cheek as he tried to think of a solution.
"I could temporarily shelter the boy and look after him for you. At least until we discover what the Empire's next move will be."
Owen opened his mouth but his response died on his lips when his com-link beeped. He flipped it open and answered it. Rex's body became ramrod straight the second he saw Owen's horrified expression and rapidly paling face. He was up on his feet before Owen could blink.
Captain Rex waved his hand over a concealed panel which opened a hidden compartment in his wall. Inside was his old clone trooper armor, gas grenades, thermal detonators, flash-bangs, DLT-19X sniper rifle, a set of storm trooper armor, two E-11 rifles, a viewfinder, a small emergency medical kit, and a few energy packs for his weapons.
The clone wasted no time in pulling on his storm-trooper disguise. He holstered his dual blasters on his hips, slung the DLT-19X rifle strap over his shoulders and chest where it rested against his back. Then the resourceful Captain pocketed a flash-bang, his viewfinder, medical kit, and two smoke grenades.
He was battle ready within 60 seconds. He turned sharply to Owen when the man released a strangled cry. Captain Rex firmly grabbed Owen's arm and began to half-drag him to the door without waiting for Lars's explanation. Owen shut off his com-link and pocketed it. He was turning hysterical. He shrugged himself free of Rex's grip and turned to regard the clone officer.
"That was Beru! She said that—"
When he came face-to-helmet with an unexpected Imperial, he released a startled shout and reflexively lashed out at the armored storm-trooper standing in front of him. Apparently, Lars hadn't been paying attention when Rex slipped on his disguise.
"OWEN! Calm down! We are going to find Luke!"
"W-what? Captain Rex?"
The clone trooper gave a short nod. He grabbed Owen's arm and pulled the stunned man along with him. Rather than heading for the land-speeder, Rex unveiled a hidden speeder-bike beneath a camouflaged tarp. It was so well-hidden that not even Owen had seen it. At first glance, it appeared as a boulder against the bottom of the craggy overhang above.
"Why are you dressed as a storm-trooper?"
"Well I had a run in with a local soldier who got lost in the Dune Sea. He was cut off from his unit."
"You killed him?" Owen blinked in a stunned stupor.
"Of course not. He was already dead from heat-stroke and dehydration when I found him. He won't be needing this armor anymore."
Captain Rex, swiftly boarded the speeder-bike and motioned for Owen Lars to hop on behind him. Owen would usually be insulted and humiliated for having to hug another man seated in front of him to keep from falling off. It was an awkward situation and wounded his pride…but for Luke he would do it without complaint. Speaking of which…
"How did you know that Luke's in danger?"
"Your body language and expression told me all I needed to know. It was a logical assumption given your fierce protectiveness of your nephew."
Once the two of them were secured and had their feet planted on the small footholds at the bottom of the bike, Rex flipped the engine switch and then twisted the handles beneath him. They shot off like a rocket, leaving Owen's land-speeder behind.
-Previously—
Sunlight filtered through the shades and onto the face of a sleeping child. He looked so innocent…angelic even. Beru smiled as she regarded the little boy that had stolen her heart. Deciding that Luke should get his rest, given the previous night, she returned downstairs to the kitchen and began to cook their first meal of the day.
She baked fresh sweet rolls and glazed them. Beru scrambled eggs with a sizzling side of stripped bantha steak. The young woman added seasonings, completing the meal with jogan fruit and a large cup of blue milk.
It did not take long for her sleepy nephew to wake. He undoubtedly smelled the mouth-watering aromas wafting upstairs. She smiled at the blonde-haired child as he gingerly came down, rubbing his tired eyes with his fists.
It looked like he was still waking up. Beru gently lifted him and set him down on his chair, designed specifically for his age and height. Still far too small, he could not climb up himself. She portioned out plates of breakfast for Luke and herself and went to sit at the dining room table across from him. The child immediately began eating although occasionally his head would droop, from what could only be fatigue. It worried her that her nephew was not getting enough rest.
Beru sincerely hoped that Owen's meeting with Captain Rex would yield an answer for the haunted child. He should not be subjected to such horror. It was still a mystery…how he was able to dream of an event he'd never even seen in the waking world. She picked up one of her eating utensils and began to eat, although her soft eyes rarely left Luke's tired face.
"So, Luke. What do you want to do today?"
The four-year-old shrugged and continued to eat. He spoke around a mouthful of glazed roll before gulping it down.
"I don't know."
"Would you like to go to Tosche station with me later?"
Luke's face lit up with a smile and he nodded with great enthusiasm. Owen and Beru rarely took the child out in public. The fear of discovery usually swayed their decision to keep Luke indoors. The young woman knew though, that once his fifth birthday came around, they would have to allow him to go out regularly for school. She already suggested to Owen that they home-school the young boy but due to their current moisture farming occupation…and being short-handed with hired help, they didn't have the time to do so. The Lars' certainly didn't want to burden Captain Rex with such a task. He had to continue doing his duty, the duty he'd sworn to uphold so long as Luke lived.
She knew without a doubt that Rex would sacrifice everything if it meant keeping the child safe from his sadistic father.
Within minutes, their breakfast was finished. Beru took their dishes into the kitchen and began washing them.
"Aunt Beru?"
She partially turned to regard him.
"Yes, sweet-heart?"
"Can I play outside today?"
Beru became torn. With Owen gone, Luke was her sole responsibility. She rubbed her temple in thought. Would it be harmless to allow the child a little freedom? It had been many months since the Sand People came within range of a view-finder. A part of her wanted to oblige the child's innocent request…but a large part of her screamed in warning. She wanted to believe she was being paranoid but when it came to her precious nephew's life…she didn't want to take any chances.
"Yes you may but you can't go alone. Would you like to play a game? Just you and me?"
The little boy nodded with a shy smile and reached his small arms out for her to hold him. She picked him up and twirled him around, earning high-pitched giggles. She carried him into the kitchen and sat him down on a counter by the sink. Grabbing a clean wash-cloth, she wet it and rung it out, and then proceeded to wipe off his messy face. He had a blue milk mustache on his tiny upper lip and his rosy cheeks were smeared with small bits of egg.
She smiled widely and took a hand and tickled the little boy's sensitive midsection, making the toddler squeal and laugh in delight. Beru rinsed off and cleaned the washcloth and turned the water faucet knob, decreasing the water flow to conserve it.
"Come now, Luke. We need to wash off your sticky hands. Did you like those glazed rolls?"
"Yes. Thank you Aunt Beru."
Once Luke was all clean, she stepped back to admire him.
"There now…I think we're all finished."
She picked up her nephew and began carrying him upstairs. He wrapped his arms around her neck and curled his legs around her torso, clinging to her. After they reached Luke's room, she helped him get dressed in his usual day clothes. A light beige tunic, beige leggings, and a small belt. It was one she custom made for him. His clothing used to be a size too big. Even though his clothes fit perfectly now, Luke still insisted on wearing it.
"There you are, my handsome boy."
She walked over to a nearby window and pulled the shades up and froze with wide eyes. There were multiple, empty vehicles nearby. None belonging to the Sand People or the Imperials. A gasp escaped her lips when she caught sight of armed men. They were conducting a search around the house.
Raiders.
"Aunt Beru, what's wrong?"
"Shh! Luke, listen to me honey. Listen carefully. Hide under your bed and don't come out, no matter what you hear. I love you, angel," her voice shook even though she was doing her best to appear calm in front of the child.
Beru kissed Luke's chubby cheek and couldn't hold back her tears as she helped to hide him beneath the bed. She pulled the blankets down to obscure the currently occupied space of the child. She got up and ran down the hallway until she reached a linen closet. She pulled out the blaster pistol her husband left in her care that remained hidden beneath the towels on the top shelf. With shaking hands she closed it and walked into the fresher, keeping the door partially open.
Her body stiffened and ice cold fear pounded in her chest when loud shouting became audible. She flinched when pots and pans were thrown about the kitchen below. Keeping her eyes on the top of the stairs, visible only through the crack in the fresher door, she flipped open her com-link and dialed Owen's number. It beeped twice before he answered it.
She began to whisper and couldn't keep the panic out of her voice.
"Owen…there are armed men ransacking our house! I hid Luke under his bed. I don't know if they are raiders or—" with a sharp intake of breath, she muted the speaker phone and froze when one of their unwelcomed guests stomped slowly up the stairs.
Without knowing just how many of these armed men there were, she knew without a doubt that firing her weapon now would be suicide. The man turned to glance at his surroundings and un-holstered his firearm. He began searching Beru's bedroom, just down the hall from her current hiding place. The young woman barely dared to breathe. She heard the clattering and small curses coming from within. The grip on her blaster tightened when she saw him stumble back out into the hallway.
"Hey Nomad, they've got nothing in this place!"
He walked past Beru's hiding spot and paused on the top step of the stairwell when he caught sight of Luke's room. Beru placed her com-link down on the sink counter and silently opened the fresher door another inch. The raider came out of Luke's room seconds later mumbling to himself. He took a few steps down and Beru heard the voice of another man.
"How many occupants do you think live here?"
"I don't know. There were only two bedrooms. One was a little boy's bedroom."
The stomping of another pair of boots marched up the stairs to meet the other man. He grabbed the front of his subordinates vest and yanked his face closer.
"Are you really that daft you slack-jawed idiot?! Did it ever occur to you that the owners of this farm might still be home?!"
With an angered hiss he roughly threw the man down the stairs. He stalked slowly like a predator, directly into Luke's room. Beru clenched her teeth in anger and narrowed her eyes when her sensitive ears picked up on what the brute was saying.
"Come out, little boy. Come out, come out, wherever you are! Uncle Nomad has a special treat for you."
When his feet stopped next to Luke's bed, Beru covered her mouth to prevent a scream, while nerve racking fear gripped her heart. She turned the safety off and prepared to spring into action. Opening the fresher door further she lined up the thief within the pistol's sights. Her finger rested on the trigger, preparing to fire if necessary.
The man pretended he didn't have the slightest clue where the boy could be and began to reach down to pull Luke's blankets up from where they obscured the child. Beru screamed in outrage and ran into the room.
"STOP! Imperials are on the way to arrest you! We have nothing of value here. SO. GET. OUT."
The man turned towards the thin, slight woman and pulled out his own weapon, aiming at her but did not fire. They engaged in a mutual stand-off.
"You know, I think you're wrong, little lady. There is something here of great value to you…"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she hissed venomously with narrowed eyes.
"It has nothing to do with credits, or riches…"
His finger began to slowly tighten on the trigger, as a sick smile pulled lips back to reveal stained teeth. He continued talking.
"And I would bet my life that your treasure is in this room…right here…right now."
"If you value your life…leave. Because I will kill you," she threatened angrily as she inched her way closer to Luke's small bed.
"Oh, really?"
Nomad pulled the trigger. Beru screamed in pain and dropped to her knees with a small, smoking hole in her abdomen. Luckily it wasn't a kill shot and was only meant to incapacitate her. As her shaking arm lowered, she squeezed off a blaster round hitting the man in his right leg. It didn't seem to deter the man…if anything it just made him angrier.
A shrill, girlish sounding scream erupted from beneath the bed. Both adults turned their heads to see a small blonde head pop out. The small child crawled to his Aunt Beru with tears streaming from his eyes.
"Aunt Beru! Get up!" the child cried with a quivering lower lip as he tugged on her arm. She pulled him closer and held him tightly against her body and glared up at the man. She whispered softly in Luke's ear as she ran a hand through his hair.
"Run, Luke. Run!"
The frightened child whimpered but did as his Aunt told him. He let her go with a sob and ran from his room and towards the stairs.
She shakily raised her arm to fire another round but the man merely kicked the gun out of her grasp. He roughly grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the floor, stunning her.
Luke made it half-way down the stairs before large hands snagged him from behind. The four-year-old boy released another shrill scream as he was hefted over the man's burly shoulder. His shrieks and cries picked up in intensity as he was carried further away from his home.
"NO! NO! NO! LET ME GO! AUNT BERU! HELP ME!"
Beru struggled to get up still dazed. Pure, raw adrenaline empowered her to climb back up to her feet. She stumbled and nearly fell down the stairs as she limped after them. Her heart broke when she saw Luke reaching both arms out towards her, crying and screaming her name.
"LUKE!"
Beru sobbed in despair as they carted him off. The men retreated from the Lars' homestead and she stubbornly limped after them with Owen's blaster back in her hand.
Luke struggled, kicking and punching but the few blows that landed on his captor didn't even faze the man. Soon the small boy was dropped roughly into the backseat of a land-speeder. He scrambled to crawl back out but one of the other raiders prevented him from escaping. He used rope to tie first the child's wrists together and then his ankles. Then he took a cloth covered in a strange smelling liquid and held it over the boy's nose and mouth.
Luke thrashed around, trying to dislodge the hand forcing him to inhale the chemical that was slowly making him light-headed and sleepy. The last thing the little boy saw was his Aunt Beru, staggering out of the door, and shooting a straggling raider in the head before collapsing to the ground herself.
Captain Rex's speeder-bike arrived minutes after the raiders left. They searched the premises.
Owen's eyes immediately fell on a still body a minute later. He called for Rex and he immediately ran over to his side with twin blasters drawn. There on the ground was an injured, unconscious Beru. Rex barked out an order as he examined her.
"Owen, go see if Luke is still inside!"
"LUKE! LUKE!" Owen ran through their homestead shouting his nephew's name.
The clone Captain dropped down next to the woman and began immediate triage once he was certain that the nearby vicinity was safe. He set to work, performing first-aid on the woman. Thankfully she was unconscious, because the anti-septic stung like hell. He finished bandaging Beru's torso and then gently dragged the woman a few feet into the shade of a stack of crates near one of their moisture collectors.
Owen ran breathlessly back outside two minutes later, wild-eyed and incredibly panicked.
"Captain Rex! I can't find Luke anywhere!"
"Take care of her, Owen. I'll go find your nephew."
Rex stood up and sprinted for his parked vehicle. He hopped back on the saddle of his speeder-bike and raced off, following the kidnapper's trail.
Owen knelt next to his wife and gingerly cradled her against him and stroked her hair. He remained guarded and kept a wary eye out for trouble. His anxiety steadily mounted as the suns began to set. Rex had been gone for some time and what little hope he had that Rex would find Luke, slowly diminished. Feeling the need to do something, Owen began his own investigation of the attack while he waited for Rex. Meters from where they first found his wife, was one of the dead intruders, no doubt gunned down by Beru. His inspection was cut short when the familiar growl of an engine neared their home.
Captain Rex finally returned but this time, he was not alone. He had a special guest with him. One of the attackers was hog-tied and slung over on the back of the speeder like hunted game. The clone roughly hauled the gagged man back up to his feet and mercilessly threw him down to the ground. The di'kut tried to crawl away but a rough kick to the stomach by one of Rex's booted feet, stopped his bid for freedom.
Rex ripped off his storm-trooper helmet and dropped it, revealing his face.
"Alright. Time for answers," Rex pulled the gag out of his prisoner's mouth and unholstered one of his blaster pistols. "Who are you people?"
The man sneered and spat at Rex's feet.
"Wrong answer," Rex responded. He shot the man in his left leg earning a scream of agony. "Now answer the question!"
"Go to hell!" the man snarled with clear defiance.
Rex shot him again but this time in the man's right leg.
"It would be far less painful for you if you tell me what I need to know!" he growled.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" the man quipped with clear defiance.
"Alright then, suite yourself."
Rex moved the barrel of his pistol and shot the impudent man in his left shoulder, feeling a small measure of satisfaction when the man not only screamed but began to cry.
"Let's try that again, shall we?"
The man nodded with fear in his eyes.
"Who. Are. You?"
"They will kill me if they find out I told you anything!"
Rex crouched down in front of his captive and grabbed a fistful of the man's hair and yanked his head back with a furious hiss, resting the barrel of his pistol beneath the man's chin.
"You're already a dead man walking! See that couple over there?" Rex jerked the man's head in the direction of Owen and Beru. "You kidnapped their nephew. WHY?"
"I don't know! Honest!"
"Wrong again." Rex stood and took a step back. The clone Captain aimed his gun at the man's right shoulder and impassively pulled the trigger.
The man began to plead and beg as he tried to scoot away from his interrogator but Rex brought one of his booted feet down on the blaster wound on his left leg, earning a pained shriek.
"Fail to answer the next question…and I will blast you in a place I don't think you'll like very much," Rex snapped sharply as he lowered the barrel down at the man's crotch in clear warning.
"OKAY! OKAY! I will tell you everything you want to know!"
"Good boy," Rex responded, in a mockingly sweet tone of voice. He took a gloved hand and roughly patted the man's profusely sweating cheek as though comforting a disobedient pet.
The man gulped in avid fear and flinched at the physical contact.
"Now tell me." Rex demanded.
"I was recently hired by them."
"And who is 'them'?"
"They call themselves the Red Sun Syndicate."
Rex's expression turned dark and he had to fight the urge to continue inflicting pain on the scumbag. He had a feeling he already knew the answer but he needed to confirm his theory.
"So, what are you…smugglers? Raiders?"
"N-no…" the man choked out.
"Then who the hell are they, why take a child?"
The man's eyes widened and he opened and closed his mouth silently as he froze up with fear.
"TELL ME!" Rex screamed before firing a round into the ground inches from where the man was sitting. The man shrieked and brought shaking hands up in a weak attempt to protect himself and stuttered out the answer.
"Th-they only take people, children mostly! I don't know what they do with them, or where they take them! I'm still new I SWEAR!" he choked out, as he curled up defensively, waiting for the trooper to inflict more pain upon him.
"You know what? I think I believe you. Thanks for filling me in."
Without another word, Rex aimed his blaster at the man's forehead and pulled the trigger, leaving a smoking hole in the man's skull. He watched the man fall over and then turned to Owen who was still staring wide-eyed in his direction.
"Sorry you had to bear witness to that," he apologized as he holstered his pistol.
Rex walked away from his former captive and crouched down next to the man Beru killed earlier. He pulled off one of the dead man's shoes and examined his left ankle. There was a tattoo, one he recognized before the Republic's fall. Rex shook his head with a frown and ran a hand over his head as Owen crouched down beside him and stared at the corpse.
"Why did they attack a moisture farm? We don't have any valuables!" Owen questioned.
Rex stood with his helmet tucked under one arm, his expression turning grave. He helped Owen up to his feet and placed his free hand on Owen's shoulder.
"That's where you are wrong. You did have something of great value. They weren't ordinary raiders…"
Owen's breath hitched in his throat as he shook his head in denial, the truth too ugly to accept. He turned silent, pleading eyes to his compatriot and stared into Rex's own. He felt his heart drop down into his stomach when his fears were confirmed with two simple words. Words he hoped he would never hear. Rex spat venomously as he tugged his helmet back on.
"They're slavers."
TO BE CONTINUED!
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, reviewing, and adding to alerts and favorites! :D
Mando'a Translation: Di'kut means 'idiot'.
