A/N: Sorry I missed last month's update but my best friend got a terrible staff infection and had to go to the hospital every day for several weeks. Her mom was out of town so I ended up having to drive her. Then our refrigerator died (how did people live without one?). But on the bright side, the new fridge is larger than the old one…

Chapter Fifteen

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning's of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Invictus (second stanza) by William Ernest Henley

The suns are just starting to set as Obi-Wan pulls the landspeeder in front of a cluster of buildings on the outskirts of Anchorhead. It was known as Tosche Station and it catered to the local moisture farmers by producing power, stocking supplies and providing services such as vehicle repairs. Merl Tosche spent most of his time in one of the town's cantinas and had a habit of hiring young men to run his shop. Last month, Luke had announced that he wanted to work at the station. Obi-Wan had reluctantly conceded; the boy certainly had the skills even if he was only fourteen.

The door to the shop swings open and Luke walks out, his hands and tunic stained with grease. The long sleeves of the tunic no longer reache the boy's wrists even though the hems have been let out twice. Obi-wan shakes his head. Luke has grown several centimeters these last few months. He will have to buy more fabric so he can sew new clothes for the boy while he still has time before harvest arrives. Perhaps he ought to have Luke help him; sewing is a useful skill. Luke's Force presence is buzzing with frustration but the boy manages to smile at Obi-Wan sincerely as he hops into the landspeeder.

"Has Laze been bothering you again?" Obi-Wan asks. He had been worried when Luke had told him that Laze Loneozner also worked at Tosche Station.

"He's not so bad," Luke protests.

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow.

"He's not!" Luke insists. "He got everyone to stop calling me 'wormie'. I'm 'fixer' now," the boy declares proudly.

Obi-Wan laughs. "I suppose that is a more suitable nickname," he agreed. "Then why are you upset?"

Luke sighs, rather more dramatically that Obi-Wan thought necessary. "Sometimes I wish you were more like a normal dad."

"Oh? In what way?" he asks, keeping his amusement hidden.

Luke rolls his eyes. "Like how you know what I'm feeling all the time. It's annoying," he mutterers.

"If you worked more on your emotional control I would not be able to know what you were feeling," Obi-wan points out wryly.

Luke huffs. Obi-Wan starts the landspeeder, heading for the farm.

"You do not have to tell me what is wrong if you do not want to, youngling," he says. "Unless it interferes with your training."

"Janek and Biggs were hanging at the station again today. They brought a recruitment vid for the Imperial Army to watch," Luke says with disgust.

"So you have decided to run away and join the army?" Obi-Wan asks dryly.

"Dad, this is serious," Luke scowls. "The vid showed the Empire's most wanted list. You were on it."

"Did it accurately depict my stunning good looks?" Obi-Wan replied. "You know how concerned I am about these things."

"Dad! This isn't funny!" Luke yells. "What are we going to do?"

Obi-Wan sighs. "Youngling, I have been on that list for fourteen years. We are not going to do anything."

Luke is silent for a long moment.

"The Empire really wants you dead, don't they?" the boy asks quietly.

"You know they do,"

"Yeah, but I never really realized how serious they are."

The boy's worry swirls in the Force. Obi-Wan puts a hand on Luke's shoulder.

"This does not change anything. Your friends did not recognized me, did they? I doubt anyone else will. The only thing that has changed is you."

"Not true! You have way more grey hairs now than you did in the vid," Luke retorts, grinning.

Obi-Wan cuffs Luke lightly on the back of the head.

"Respect your elders, youngling," he says, laughing.