"That's got to be the place." Sebastian commented as we neared a small dome hut dug halfway in the sand. It was a common type of building on Tatooine, since it hid the structure from the two hot suns that hung in the sky. One person was outside, tending to the framework of the dome shaped building.
"And that has to be Eekeb." Pollix pointed out to a sand speeder coming over a ridge in the distance, bolting towards us. "Let's give him a good show." We stopped the vehicle, one by one climbing out onto the shaky sand. That's a characteristic about this planet that was oddly charming; you could always tell where you were by the sand. You were near a major settlement or spaceport if the ground was hard and cracked. Dunes meant you were probably a long way from home, and the most likely to die. And then, there were the large cliffs and ravines to the west, a good place to hide a secret cult or make shady trades. We were oddly close to the Dune Sea, which I wasn't too happy about. Creatures and monsters lurked under the shifting sand, and I've known plenty of people to perish just from getting lost in the insanely large dunes.
"Excuse me," Called a feminine voice, soft and fragile. "May I assist you in some matter?" I turned my head and saw the petite old woman standing in front of the house. Her graying hair and wrinkly face showed her age in this harsh land. She wore a blue jacket with an odd orange pattern on the inside. It reminded me a lot of... Never mind. I don't need to think about that now.
"Ma'am, we have reports that you recovered two droids recently. Where are they?" Horatio got right to the point. The sound of the incoming speeder stopped, and familiar, precise boot steps gave the rest of us shivers. I turned and instantly saluted, seeing Eekeb standing tall in his gleaming white armor, not a speck of dust on it. The most prominent feature on him was the orange shoulder guard that made him stand out above the rest of us.
"Arkou, mission report." He spoke hard but smooth, his voice never flinching from its monotone normality.
"We just arrived sir, trying to find the droids we're looking for." I say, dropping my salute. I can hear the rest of the team behind me doing the same thing, observing as Eekeb stepped forward.
"We know you have them, surrender the droids or perish." He spoke like Darth Vader, obviously trying to be like him in every way possible. Keeping his voice dark, speaking only when needed, standing tall and keeping a dark presence around him. A complete kiss ass, I think. "Is anyone else in your home?"
"Why, yes, officer. My husband, Owen Lars. Would you like me to get-" The old woman was cut off when Eekeb fired a blaster bold into the side of the house, right by the lady. She screamed, and the rest of us flinched. We didn't say anything though, knowing Eekeb did as he wanted, and he wanted ti instill fear in everyone he met.
"Owen Lars, present yourself slowly with your hands up." He yelled down the dome, sounding more like a bark. I stand behind Eekeb, slowly inching towards the others in my group.
"He seems pretty pissy today," Marion commented. "Make sure not to piss him off."
"I'll try not to." Horatio said with a sigh. The light time Eekeb was in a bad mood, he threatened to throw Horatio in a speeder and send him off into the Dune Sea, and leave him there stranded with only a blaster pistol to shoot himself if he wanted to die quick. Eekeb was an interesting man. Soon, the man, Owen, stepped up with his hands in the air. He matched the same age as the woman, who revealed herself as Beru, probably late fifties.
"You better not have laid a finger on-" He was instantly cut off when he saw the smoldering blaster hole in the side of his house, looking down.
"I'm not asking again. The droids, where?" Eekeb raised his blaster at Owen. To this, Lars raised his hands higher in the air.
"You mean C3-PO and R2-D2, yes? I was looking for them, they went off in somewhere and I haven't seen them since. It's been a couple of hours." He said, sweat building up on his skin, as well as a look of fear.
"Is there anyone who could've stolen them or left with them?" The man seemed to ponder the question.
"Well, my- never mind, I don't know where they could've gone. Have you checked Mos Eisley?" Owen was obviously hiding something. He could be hiding another person in the house, or even the droids themselves... And Eekeb knew this, causing his next action to be quite drastic.
"Hmm... You're lying." Eekeb decided and shot three consecutive blaster bolts into Beru, the lady nearly bursting into flames right there as she collapsed into the sand. Owen let out a loud yell of desperation, about to dive for Beru when Eekeb spoke. "Seize him!" And with that, three of us - Horatio, Pollix and I - ran forward and held Owen hostage in our arms. Eekeb stepped forward, leaning down to be eye level with Lars. "The droids." He spoke simply.
"I don't know!" He yelled, trying to kick Eekeb's shins. "Last I saw them was with Luke-!" He tried to stop himself, but the word escaped his mouth.
"Luke?" I asked, looking up at my CO. "There's a good possibility these rebel scum realized we were coming for them and left with the droids. Almost definitely at Mos Eisley." Eekeb agreed with my findings and raised the blaster rifle at Owen.
"Please, no! I-" But Owen was cut off by a blast of light piercing his chest, ending his life quick. We dropped the now dead Owen Lars and made sure to check the farm home. It was a nice place, with plenty of open spaces and a nice source of food. Simple farmers obviously. But, no sign of a Luke or the two droids we needed. When we all regrouped at the surface, Eekeb gave precise orders.
"I want you to burn the bodies, make it look like this was an attack from the Sand People. We don't need this linked back to the Empire." The five of us nodded and went to work on setting up the scene, burning the bodies and setting up some scattered materials to make it seem like Raiders came through and demolished these poor farmers. "Oh, and, Echo Squad, feel honored. I'll be riding with you into Mos Eisley to look for those droids."
