Chapter 7

"So that's what happened to B Squadron," Mara remarked after listening to Luke's story of how he and Ben hid the stormtroopers' visit to the Lars homestead. She finished her caf and Luke had a bite to eat for breakfast. They sat opposite each other at the dining table. As he looked at her caf mug he was reminded of the mug he shattered through the Force unknowingly nineteen years ago.

They got up early as they were used to doing. Beru was still sleeping in her bed and Owen was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't uncommon for him leaving for the moisture fields at the early hours of the morning. Luke offered a piece of toasted bread to Mara but she only wanted a cup of caf. They sat together in peace for once. He rehashed how Ben made it look like the troopers lost their way in the Dune Sea and met up with a clan of Tuskin Raiders.

He caught her remark and questioned, "How would you have known about them?"

Mara answered with a bit of hesitation, "I reviewed a report on them when I had a mission here a few years after." That was all that was spoken about her mission. They both knew that her mission on Tatooine involved the assassination of Luke himself. It was never mentioned again since the creation of their newly formed bond in the Force. Luke wondered, was it lying to each other if a known secret between them was banished into unspoken silence? Much like Owen and Beru's secret about Anakin Skywalker was unspoken to him.

Luke steered the subject away from the mission specifics. "What did the report say?"

Mara replied, "Basically, exactly how Kenobi planned it. They got themselves lost and Tuskin Raiders attacked them. Their transport was found but it was shredded of all it's armor and guns."

"And the troopers?"

Mara smirked grimly. "They were never found. MIA, all of them."

A sudden thought hit Luke. On that day, he nor Threepio checked if any of the troopers were still alive. The trooper at the blaster cannon was knocked out by the gun through the Force. Could he have been still alive? A chill ran down his spine when he imagined the horrors the sand people would have put through the survivors. Luke shook the thought away and asked, "The Imperials didn't investigate further?"

Mara shook her head. "Not important enough." She dropped the subject herself and summed up Luke's story in her own words. "So, you act like a rebellious teenager and stomped off in a huff? Never to come back again for nearly two decades?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm just clarifying because you've never spoken about your life here outside of being a moisture farmer."

Luke gave a defeating long sigh and explained, "After I left here with Ben and the droids, we found Han and Chewie in Mos Eisley and set off for Alderaan. I couldn't think of anything else but my aunt and uncle during that trip. Ben had me do some training in basic Force techniques. He said I had to clear my mind."

"Bet that was hard to do."

"You wouldn't be wrong. After I destroyed the first Death Star, my life never stopped. It was filled with mission after mission. I didn't have time to reflect on Beru and Owen. The more busy I became, the less I thought about them. And at some point, it was easier not to. Until I started sending them Tatooine credits. It was my only contact with them."

Mara said, "You don't have to explain to me how to hide from your past."

"It's not like I meant to. It just happened."

"Yes, it did. But you're here now. And I think I would have liked the teenage Luke Skywalker. We had a lot in common."

Luke shot back wryly, "At least I didn't make my first kill at eighteen."

"Twelve."

"What?"

"I made my first kill at twelve."

A sudden voice came from the kitchen. "What did you do at twelve, dear?" Beru asked sweetly. She was inching along with her cane entering the kitchen.

Mara almost fumbled for words in the first display of improvisation Luke had ever seen her in. "Uh...I fired my first sniper blaster at twelve." Luke smiled. Close to the truth. From a certain point of view.

"Oh my," was Beru's reaction. "Owen did tell me you worked for the Empire."

Mara quickly responded, "Luke would have too if he had gone to the Academy."

Beru finally reached the kitchen counter and chuckled, "Luke would have never fit in the Imperial Army. He has too much of an open mind." Beru started to open a cabinet and struggled to reach for a mug.

Luke nearly launched in his chair and asked, "Do you need some help, Aunt Beru?"

"No...I can get it...on my own. I'm used to...getting my own breakfast while Owen is in the field."

"Is that where he is now?"

She grabbed the mug with her one hand to set it down on the counter. She took the same hand to lift the decanter of caf to pour it slowly into the mug. "No, he's probably just right out here towards the South field. He's been working out there ever since you said you were coming."

"What's he been working on?"

"I'll let him tell you that."

Luke did get up this time and motioned to Mara to come along.

Without a beat, Mara said, "I think I'll stay here with Beru." Luke smiled in admiration. Mara knew whatever Owen needed to show Luke it was for Luke alone.

Beru managed to sit at the head of the table and said, "That's a great idea, dear. I think I should know Luke's...uh...fi..f something...Ohhh!"

"Fiancee?" Mara supplied.

"Yes, that's it. Sometimes I can't think of words anymore."

"It's all right, Aunt Beru."

Beru brightened when she noted, "You know, if Luke had entered the Academy, you two might have met sooner."

"I doubt it," Mara answered. "My work with the Empire was officially unofficial."

Beru sipped her caf and repeated, "Unofficial? That means you would have been a spy." Mara's eyes widened at Beru's correct assumption. Then Beru explained, "Owen told me that, too. He heard rumors." She glared at Luke and finished, "Of course, all we received were rumors."

Luke shed a tinge of embarrassment and stated, "I better see Uncle Owen before this conversation gets too interesting."

Luke left the two women alone and exited via the catwalk and through the utility room. Not that he thought about it. But because that was the only way he ever went out of the hut. It amazed him how his memory stayed intact after nearly twenty years. He never left the house through the front exit.

Except for the last time he was there.

Once he was out of the garage and into the morning Tatooine heat, he turned right to go around the house and into what was considered the backyard. A great distance before him he could see the fields of moisture vaporators on the horizon. He looked to his right and saw his Uncle Owen several meters away standing with his back to him. The peculiar thing that caught Luke's eye was the huge sand dune piled up next to Owen on his right. As Luke approached closer, he could see the tracks of a droid scattered across the sand. The dune wasn't brought on by wind. It was created by hand and machine. Luke came up beside Owen on his left. He now saw that Owen was leaning on a shovel.

"What do we have here?" Luke started to ask.

Owen gave Luke a strange look of regret and said, "Part of my past. Look, ever since you commed to say you were finally coming home, I had this strong notion to show you this. It explains a lot about your history. And mine."

Luke looked before him and there was a hole five meters deep cut out of the sand. He noticed more droid tracks along the edge. "You used a digger droid to make this hole?"

"Yeah, I rented one in Anchorhead. We used it to dig deep enough and dug out the rest by hand. The Starkiller boys helped me out."

"Why?"

Owen chuckled. "Luke, I'm in my eighties. I can't dig holes the way I used to anymore. Those Starkiller boys are strong. Course, they're not boys anymore."

"No, Uncle Owen. I mean why dig the hole in the first place?"

"I guess you can't see them from up here. Help me down there and I'll show you."

Luke started down the gentle slope into the hole while Owen held on his hand. Luke eased them down to the bottom of the hole. After Owen found his footing on level ground, Luke let go of his hand. Luke could see now why his uncle dug the hole. It wasn't a hole at all. It was a grave site.

Luke couldn't take his eyes off the two slate markers that were barely upright in the sand. He walked toward them slowly. The one closest to him was a lighter color of slate and looked less weathered. Luke stopped just in front of it and kneeled down to read the plaque.

Cliegg Lars. Devoted father and husband.

Owen stood behind Luke and spoke softly. "That was my father. He died before me and Beru were married. I almost forgot where they were buried. Somewhere within a few meters of here are his brothers and parents who he buried. I'll get to them someday. There's been countless sandstorms over the years. Including that nasty one years ago. You couldn't have been more than four or five. You remember that?"

Luke had to force himself to focus on an answer. "Barely. Just images."

"Yeah, that was a bad one. I haven't been able to find them until now."

"How did you find them?"

"One of the Starkiller boys–Keage–he works at the mine in Anchorhead and he borrowed an image scanner to find them."

Luke stood up and made his way towards the second slate. It was a darker shade and much more weathered. He anticipated the name on the headstone without his uncle ever uttering it once. Luke knew the name from Leia. His sister first mentioned the name on her visit here not long after she and Han were married. She had been given a datapad that was a journal belonging to a woman whose son left to become a Jedi. Luke stood in front of the slab and confirmed the same name.

Shmi Skywalker.

Owen came up behind Luke. Neither of them said anything for a while. It was as if they were giving the dead a long deserved moment of silence.

Finally, Owen stated, "She was your paternal grandmother."

"I know," Luke replied. "Leia told me after she was given her journal."

Owen nodded in remembrance. "It was found by the Darklighters. Must have been in with Watto's things."

"Watto?"

Owen waved his hand in unimportance. "The toydarian who sold Shmi to Cliegg. Father freed her after that. Then he married her."

"So, when you said 'only by marriage' that day, you meant–"

"Anakin Skywalker was my step-brother."

"You could have told me."

"I wish I would have. I could have shown this to your sister when she was here. But there was another sandstorm then and I couldn't. I couldn't even mention to her that Shmi was buried here."

"You let your past stay buried," Luke noted.

"Until now. If you finally found the courage to come back here, then I could finally tell you about this. I figured if I told you what happened to Shmi then everything would be all right between us. You would finally understand."

Luke turned to face his uncle and asked, "Understand what exactly?"

Owen sighed heavily. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Let's try with the connection between you and Anakin. Something bad must have happened that made you fear him. Wasn't there?"

Owen started to say in a low voice, "Have you ever heard of...the Valley of Spirits?"

Luke was taken aback by the question and mentioned, "That was an old Tuskin Raider myth if my memory serves. What's that got to do with my father?"

Owen took a few beats to answer, "It's not a myth."

"What are you talking about? It's a ghost story that the sand people use to tell their children and scare anyone outside their clan."

"No. It actually happened. What do you know about it?"

Luke shrugged. "Just that a god or warrior came down from the Heavens and slaughtered an entire clan. They say the spirits of the dead haunt the area today. How could that happen? No man has ever taken on and killed an entire clan of sand people. That's impossible." But Luke stopped his thoughts upon hearing himself say that phrase once before on Dagobah. Then he realized how powerful the dark side can make a Jedi.

"Unless...Anakin?"

Owen nodded and explained, "About a few seasons after Cliegg and Shmi were married, Shmi was captured by sand people. We formed a search party headed by my father and me. We found the clan who took her and we fought them." Owen paused to reflect and said, "Out of forty men, only three of us came back, my father and me included. My father's legs were injured. He had to move around with a hoverchair."

"The same one that Beru is using now," Luke noted.

"Yes. I kept it."

"So, Shmi died."

"We thought so. Turns out she was tortured. She was barely alive."

"How did you know?"

Owen looked directly into Luke's bright blue eyes and stated, "Anakin Skywalker told us."

Luke's face turned grim. "How would he have known?"

"He came back here looking for her. My father explained to him what happened. Yet, Anakin was set on finding her."

Luke grinned, "The old Skywalker determination."

Owen smiled. "Nothing can stop it. It took us several days to track one specific clan of Raiders. It took Anakin one night. He found the clan sleeping. He went to the tent where they kept her. She died in his arms."

Luke breathed out. "Damn. That would affect anyone."

"It certainly did with Anakin. When he came back carrying her wrapped body, he was...different."

"Different how?"

"That's what I wanted to know. I could never describe the look on his face. It was full of rage and regret at the same time. He never fully told us what happened. I wanted to find that out on my own, so I followed him to the utility room. His lady friend was with him."

"Lady friend?"

"Yeah, the woman he came with. I can't think of her name."

"Padmé," Luke supplied.

"Yes, that was it. How did–"

"She would eventually become our mother."

Sudden realization came upon Owen and he remarked, "You know, I thought Leia looked something like that woman. Huh."

"So, you heard them in the utility room. You eavesdropped."

"Yes," Owen said with no hint of embarrassment. He gave a new look of fear when he said, "He killed them all, Luke. The whole clan. Women and children, too. He was so angry at them for murdering his mother."

Luke knew all too well about how extreme rage was the path to the dark side. The fact was there were no details with the Valley Of Spirits. No one knew exactly when it happened. There was no proof that it wasn't Anakin Skywalker who killed the clan. But Luke knew better. There was such a strong sincerity in his uncle's words about Anakin being the "god" in the myth. He also detected a hint of fear in Owen's voice. "You were afraid of Anakin after that. Weren't you?"

"I don't know if I was afraid. I did want him out of our home. No telling what would set him off. He could have been so angry that he might have killed us."

Luke assured him, "I don't think it would have come to that. I think Anakin had a strong connection to his mother. The sand people destroyed that connection and he reacted badly against them. He chose the easy path to revenge. Although, I can see how you could have been afraid of him."

"I wasn't afraid of him," Owen almost snapped. "I was more afraid...ahh, nevermind."

"When, Uncle Owen? It's all right to be afraid. You just can't dwell on it. The same with hatred and anger. Anakin focused on his rage so much that it made him murder all those sand people, regardless if they deserved it."

Owen swallowed and uttered softly, "I was more afraid...when Obi Wan handed us Anakin's son."

It was then when Luke realized the reasoning behind his uncle's overprotection of him as he grew up. He knew now why Owen didn't want Luke to go on "some damn idealistic crusade" as Obi Wan put it so long ago. He knew what his uncle was afraid of. Because it was the same fear Luke had with his students. He just needed to hear it from his uncle. "What were you afraid of, Owen?"

Owen looked as if he wasn't going to answer at first. Then he started speaking in the most mellow voice Luke had ever heard from him. "My father had the happiest time of his life when he was with Shmi. That joy was taken away from him so cruelly. Yet, my father accepted her death even before he knew she died. Anakin couldn't accept it. He went mad with determination to find her. After she died, he murdered every one of those sand people. Forty of us attacked that same clan and only three of us survived. Anakin alone killed them all without so much as a scratch on him. If that was the power of the Force, then I wanted no part of it in my adopted son. My father failed to keep his family safe. I wasn't about to do that with mine."

The sting of familiarity hit Luke suddenly. He also had an overprotective edge when it came to his students and friends. The Emperor knew it and used it against him. Luke had based his lessons at the Jedi Academy on the dangers of falling to the dark side. Mara made him aware of that on Niruan. Luke could understand his uncle's determination at keeping his family safe. He showed it by placing his real hand on Owen's shoulder and saying, "I can relate, Uncle Owen."

Owen shrugged. "Guess my mistake was trying to hold back a Skywalker. I tried to shape you into something you could never be. I overcompensated and it drove you away. Imagine if you hadn't left what shape the galaxy would be in today. You were right. You did make a difference. And here I was trying to protect the Hero of the Galaxy." This time he said the title more proudly.

Luke replied, "Even heroes need protecting, Uncle Owen."

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean you had to disappear for near two decades."

Luke winced at the remark. He admitted, "I was angry with you when I left. But I never resented you. I was a young naive man back then. In those first few years, I thought of coming back. It got harder to find the time between my New Republic duties and my Jedi Academy students. But I guess it got easier to convince myself not to come home as well. I did, at least, want to send you money."

"We would have rather liked a visit from you now and then. But your money came in handy too. I see they pay heroes well now."

"Not nearly enough for us heroes."

Owen scoffed. "I'm no hero."

"You did raise me. That was a challenge."

"Yeah, but we didn't know what we were doing half the time."

"Maybe that's why it worked. You did the best you could the only way you knew how."

"Yes, but I never wanted any bad blood between us, Luke. That was my fault."

"It was both of our faults, Uncle Owen. We're just too different in many ways. But we're so similar in others. We both made mistakes. One thing I've learned recently is it's never too late to forgive mistakes."

Seeing that Owen got the hint, Luke said to him, "I'm sorry for not coming home soon enough. And for walking out on you the way I did."

Owen then mumbled, "I'm sorry for misleading you about your father. And for not telling you about the Force."

Luke spread out his arms and hugged his uncle. Owen accepted it and added a pat on Luke's back. Owen parted from him and said, "Now that that's over, what do you say to getting out of this hole?"

Luke helped his uncle back up and out of the hole. Owen faced Luke but looked beyond him to say, "Looks like we got company."

Luke turned around to see Mara walking along with his Aunt Beru, who was moving in Cliegg's old hoverchair. "Well, if it isn't our welcoming party," Luke announced.

Beru stopped just before the two men and uttered, "At my age and condition, I'll settle for just a party."

Mara leaned over to say to Beru, "You may just get your wish soon."

Before Beru could ask what she meant, she looked at Owen. He had the widest smile on his face in a long time. "Did you show him, Owen?"

"I did."

"Did you two make up?"

"We did," answered Owen.

She nudged Mara and said, "See, dear, I told you miracles can happen."

Mara went to Luke's side and placed her arm around his waist. "What was the surprise?"

Luke turned her around to face the opening of the hole and pointed out the two headstones. He knew Mara would be able to see from that distance with her excellent eyesight. "Mara Jade, I give you my grandmother, Shmi Skywalker and her husband, Cliegg Lars. Cliegg was Uncle Owen's father."

She nodded her head in honor. "A pleasure." She looked at Luke and asked, "Is it our turn?"

"I think so."

"Good. You first," she said sweetly.

Luke gave her a playful warning look and then turned to address his aunt and uncle. "Listen, Mara and I would like to ask you something. We wondered if you were up to taking a long trip. Are you well enough to do that, Aunt Beru?"

Owen looked skeptical and said, "I don't know, Luke. The doctors here say Beru shouldn't exert herself in too much excitement."

Luke replied, "I'm sure the doctors are well enough here, but we have a medical genius on Coruscant. She's a Mon Calamarian named Chigal. Trust me, you will not be in better hands."

Mara interjected, "She was the one who prolonged Mon Mothma's life."

Luke nodded and said, "I told her about your condition and she's already lined up all kinds of therapy and remedies."

Beru said hesitantly, "I've never been off this planet before. Coruscant is so far away."

Owen barked, "And that's got to be a very expensive trip."

Luke replied, "We'll take care of all the travel costs and details. Chigal wants to come along when you board so she can get you ready for space travel. Besides, she really wants to meet the both of you."

Mara added, "So do many others."

Owen questioned, "Why would people want to meet us?"

Mara cried, "Are you serious? You two raised the Jedi Master and the Hero of the Rebellion. The entire galaxy is in your debt."

"Plus, if you go," Luke mentioned, "you'd be able to attend a special event." He brought Mara closer to him and said, "Our wedding."

Beru could not have looked more overjoyed. "Oh, Luke…yes, yes I'd love to be at your wedding. Owen, what do you think?"

Owen smiled, "Sure. We need a vacation off this rock for once. Count us in."

Luke replied happily, "Thanks. I'll set up the details." Luke nudged Mara softly and muttered, "Your turn."

Mara took a deep breath and addressed Owen. "Um…Owen. Since you're going to be at our wedding anyway…well, there's this tradition at a wedding. A human tradition anyway. It says that a bride's father walks her down the aisle before the marriage ritual. I would like for you to do that for me, Owen. If you feel comfortable with it, of course."

Owen stumbled for words in shock before he protested, "Isn't that the job of your father?"

"That's just it. I don't have a father. I never knew my parents. I don't even know where my home planet is originally. I don't have a family of my own."

"In that case, Mara," Owen said, "I would be honored." He half-hugged her and she awkwardly hugged back. It was obvious that it was an action in which neither of them were used to. When they separated, Owen said to her, "And you're wrong, Mara. You do have a family. Right here."

"Thank you, Owen."

Luke suggested, "Tell you what, let's go to Anchorhead and get some ronto steaks for dinner tonight. I'll do the grilling."

"Sounds…perfect," said Beru. "Ohh...I'm getting...hot out here. I need my...cool air inside."

Mara offered, "I'll help her back." Mara helped Beru turn the chair around to face the main hut and Mara walked beside her once the hoverchair moved forward.

As Luke and Owen walked behind them, Luke thought out loud, "Something tells me that Anakin Skywalker wasn't the family cookout type. Tell you the truth, with his rage you spoke of, I would have been afraid to make him angry myself."

"Ahh, I wasn't much better. I can't even be called a father."

Luke suddenly stopped in front of Owen with his hand on the old man's shoulder. "Let me tell you something right now. You may not be my blood relative. But you are the best father anyone could ever have. You and Beru will always be my family."

Luke could see Owen's eyes water with emotion. He could sense the love and belonging that Owen so wanted to let out. But this was Owen Lars; a man who didn't like to show emotions. Owen simply nodded his thanks to Luke and said, "Come on, let's get to Anchorhead quickly to get the best steaks."

Satisfied with his uncle's reaction, Luke answered, "I'm hungry already."

As they walked again side by side, Luke mentioned, "I see that new generator worked well last night."

"Top of the line. It's a Newton-Roush."

"Those are pretty good. I was hoping it wasn't a Yamister."

"Ugh, those are rubish."

"You're telling me. Han had no choice but to get one for his korfaise gas compressor when he was on Bpfassh once. It barely lasted long enough for the trip back to Coruscant."

"That figures," said Owen. "Why, I remember once when the Darklighters bought a Yamister..."

His voice faded into the distance as they both headed for their home.

THE END