The Eclipse set down on AG on the Barra Flats outside Mos Espa on Tatooine. Anakin thought about how much had changed since he left four standard years ago. He was no longer a bored young man dreaming of adventure and excitement. He had learned he was special, able to be a Jedi and fight against those who would oppress and enslave others. He would also have face his past down there. With his new abilities he felt confident however.
Anakin rose and went into the main room. He looked at the others.
"Alright, we're down. We won't be gone for more than a few hours." he said.
Gawaon looked up. "Need my help?" he said.
Anakin smiled. "Nah, just picking up a part. Besides Tatooine might not be kind to you. If I get in trouble I'll let you know." he said and walked towards the exit. Dala rose and followed. Outside they headed across the sands towards Mos Espa.
Not long after they were walking through the city. Dala looked about her at the dusty streets, the buildings and the people.
"You say you came from here? It's a dump." she said. Dala glared back at some youths who were checking them out. She shifted her traveling cloak to reveal an Iolo blaster. The youths turned their attention elsewhere.
"Yeah, guess it's not all that much. Sure was excited to get here and away from the farm." Anakin said.
"Farm? What do people farm here?" Dala said in surprise. Tatooine was a barren expanse of sand roasting under it's sun's.
"Oh, you would be amazed what we. Wait, hear that?" Anakin said pausing.
Dala stopped too. There were people talking, speeders whining and animals making all manner of strange sounds. "No, what is it?"
Anakin ducked down an alley. "This way." he said.
A short way down the alley Anakin paused at a doorway. The door was ajar and off it's hinges. They went inside. Within was a living room and signs of a disturbance. Curled up on the floor was a woman, her hands over her face as she sobbed.
Anakin knelt down. "Hey there. What's wrong."
The woman looked up. She was bruised and her face was streaked with tears. Anakin recognised her as Mari. She had come into his shop occasionally, needing a vaporator to be fixed.
"They took her. My daughter, gone. Why? I paid. On time too." she said between sobs.
Anakin remembered Mari had a daughter, Sela. She had always been with her mother like a shadow. She would be a young woman now. Right.
"Who took her Mari?" Anakin said, trying to remain calm. No emotion, but peace. He said the words in his head but he could feel the anger rising.
"Bron. It was Bron." said Mari.
His old friend? He was doing this now? He was the cause of the misery and suffering here.
"I'll get Sela back. I promise." growled Anakin. "Come on Dala." he added as he left.
Dala checked the charge on her blaster. "No longer a normal shopping trip? Shall we call the others?" she said as she followed.
"No. Let's keep this between us. Wouldn't want those Jedi to get upset." said Anakin.
Peace is a lie.
Anakin fumed as he marched through the streets. Sela being dragged off by thugs was just a typical incident on Tatooine. If the Hutts or their minions wanted something, they took it. There was little a local could do about it. Unable to leave or effectively resist, the people who lived here just endured as best they could. They were little more than slaves. Anakin wondered how he had endured it. Because he had been unimportant, he had had nothing they had wanted and he had no way to change things for the better.
Well, he did now. Anakin wandered into a bar and looked about. He quickly located the local gang members and walked up to them.
"Take me to Bron. Now." he said.
One of the toughs stopped chatting and looked at Anakin.
"Go away. Boss doesn't want to see anyone today."
Anakin remembered being dismissed just like this. He remembered having to just deal with living at the whims of these petty bullies. No longer. His hand clenched and the tough began gasping, clutching at his throat.
"I am growing impatient." Anakin said. It felt good to show these fools that their power was not absolute, to make them feel helpless and afraid.
One of the others attempted to pull a knife. There was a hiss, a blue flash and the tough screamed clutching at the now cauterised wrist stump as he fell. Anakin turned to the remaining tough as the one he had been holding passed out.
"Where is Bron!" Anakin said.
The last gang member backed away from the strange attacker. "Vorgas. This time of day he'll be there." he said.
Anakin smiled. Some things never changed it seemed. He turned and left, the tough he had been holding up by the Force dropping behind them. He felt more certain than he had in days, more clear. Passion, that was the key. He would do what was right because he cared.
Anakin looked through the haze that was Vorgas. He quickly located Bron lounging surrounded by hangers on and cronies. Bron idly looked up as if Anakin was not worth his time.
"Where is Sela?" said Anakin.
"What?" said Bron clearly confused He made a shooing motion and two goons approached Anakin. In response Anakin activated his lightsabre. It's light added a strange blue glow to the haze.
"Where is Sela?" said Anakin again.
"Why do you care? The Jedi have never..." Bron began
"I am caring now! I am doing something now!" said Anakin. People backed off or shrank into their seats.
"And what is it you hope to achieve? A one man, even one Jedi crusade won't achieve much." said Bron as he got up and walked over to the bar. "Who do you think you are? That crazy wrench from the Confederacy?"
It was at that point the lights went out. There was a hum, then a scream as people panicked, ran or foolishly put up a fight. The room was filled with screams and lit by that terrible, blue blade. Now and then a blaster shot would ring out, adding to the confusion.
Bron noticed he was the only one left. He felt an invisible hand pick him up and drag him in front of the Jedi. He thought he heard a voice, but it was in his mind.
"Where is Sela!" it demanded.
Bron screamed.
Palpatine woke up. A strange disturbance, a ripple in the Force. It felt strange, yet familiar somehow. He sat up and concentrated. Skywalker. So, he had finally used the Force in anger, tapping into the great wellspring of power other fools called 'The Dark Side'. Well, well, well. He would have to ask the young man about this when he returned. He lay back down and was soon sound asleep.
She was cold, bruised and alone. She didn't know where she was anymore. Suddenly there was light illuminating her. She became aware of a collar about her neck and alien voices about her jeering and shouting. Two voices stood out. One, calm and measured mostly calling out numbers she thought. The other voice was deep, rumbling and loathsome. Every time it spoke she recoiled in disgust. First it was just one among many. The other voices faded away gradually until only the two voices remained. She then felt herself being dragged towards the voice as it laughed and rumbled in it's inhuman tongue. She tried to resist, but she was powerless, all she could hear was its laughter and then it's foul breath and...
Padme woke up. She looked about. She was safe in her room. Everything looked normal. Still, she decided she really needed a shower, right now.
Sela lay curled up in a cell. Two days ago she had been a horticulturist like her mother. Now, she was just a slave. She had been taken, sold and placed in a cell awaiting transportation to her new owner, The Mighty Jabba.
Like everyone else, Sela had heard stories of the de-facto ruler of Tatooine. His viciousness, his ruthlessness and, his appetites, Like most, Sela had not believed the last. Jabba was a Hutt. The idea that he was, attracted to humanoid women was unimaginable. It was a rumour spread either by his enemies to vilify him or his allies to bolster his fearsome reputation. At least that is what she had believed, had wanted to believe.
Except it was true. Sela was to be his latest prize victim of the loathsome slug until she, displeased him. The other slaves in the cell tried to comfort her, reassure her but Sela reamined curled up and cried until she was no longer able and then just shook.
She was dimly aware of shouting and a strange booming sound. Then, the sound of the cell door opening and the startled cries of the other captives and their leaving. They had come. They would take her.
"I think this is her." she heard a man say. Odd, he sounded different, but familiar.
"I think this one's mine." said another voice. A woman.
She heard footsteps enter and approach. "Sela?" said the woman. "We're getting you out of here. This is a rescue."
No. That was not possible. There was no rescue, no hope, this was just a dream.
"Sela. Look at me. I am here to rescue you." the voice repeated.
If it was just a dream then it didn't matter. Sela uncurled and looked around. She saw a blonde woman with a rifle of some sort and a dark haired man. The woman placed a cloak over her and led her out, helping her to step over the bodies. As she walked out of the auction house she noticed words carved into the very stone of the building. Incredibly, they were still smoking.
'NO MORE' the first line read.
'THE FORCE SHALL FREE YOU' was the second.