I know I said I was taking a break from this, but I couldn't stop myself.

Now we're getting into the Original Trilogy, and their will be many changes.

I don't own Star Wars.

Chapter 21: A New Hope

A dark shroud of evil blankets the galaxy and has smothered all that is good for many years.
Some believe that all hope is completely lost, as eighteen years have passed
since the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the evil Empire.
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base have won their first victory
against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon,
the Death Star, an armored space station with enough power destroy an entire planet.
Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship,
custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy...

The Rogue One squad had succeeded in their mission, but now it seemed like they wouldn't make it off Scarif. The explosion of the planet was approaching fast, and they had no means of escape.

Until, Chirrut Îmwe felt something in the Force, and their saving grace arrived. An S-161 "Stinger" XL Latero class ship arrived out of nowhere and opened fire on the Imperial Forces that had Chirrut and his friend Baze Malbus surrounded.

Two people jumped from the ship and took out the rest, using lightsabers! One was a young man in his late twenties with red hair, who had a BD droid on his shoulder. The other was a dark-skinned woman who's face showed years of experience and pain.

The Stinger ship landed and the two lightsaber wielders got Chirrut and Baze on board, while their Nightsister companion used her magick to teleport over to Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, and brought them to the ship.

Once everyone was safely on board, the Lateron pilot punched it to hyperspace and they escaped. With the Star Destroyers so focused on chasing Leia's ship, they didn't even notice their escape. Still, it was a sad victory; they lost everyone else in their squad, including Bohdi Rook and K-2SO.

Unfortunately, things weren't going much better for Leia. The young princess had found herself in over her head, especially after having slipped away from her long time bodyguard, Ahsoka, whom was escorting her home. The young princess was not supposed to have been on the same ship as the stolen plans, but headstrong Leia had placed herself in danger, fearing that without her; R2-D2, the droid the plans have been hidden in, would not make it home to Alderaan.

R2 and C-3PO wobbled, as they felt the ship lurch from a devastating blast from the pursuing Imperial Star Destroyer.

"Did you hear that? They've shot the main reactors. We'll be destroyed for sure," Threepio fretted. "This is madness."

"We're doomed. They'll be no escape for the Princess this time," he dreaded. Strange noises were heard on the hull, as the ship was pulled into the Star Destroyer and they were boarded. The blast doors were blown open, as the Storm Troopers, formerly known as Clone Troopers, invaded the ship and began shooting down the crewmen. Darth Vader himself boarded the ship and began his search for the plans. He said nothing, as he looked around at the carnage. The only sound was the rhythmic breathing of his respirator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"R2-D2, where are you?" Threepio called. The golden droid briefly saw the Princess kneeling in front of Artoo before she ran off.

"At last, where have you been?" Threepio scolded, as Artoo rolled up to him and whirled a series of beeps and clicks.

"They're heading in this direction! What are we going to do? We'll be sent to the spice mines of Kessel or smashed into who knows what," Threepio fretted. Artoo ignored him and rolled off in the other direction.

"Wait a minute, where are you going?" Threepio asked as he followed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Storm Troopers marched their prisoners to Vader.

"The Death Star plans are not in the main computer," one trooper reported.

"Where are those transmissions you received? What have you done with those plans?" Vader demanded, as he proceeded to choke the rebel man. The man tried to choke out something about a diplomatic mission, before life left him. Vader tossed him away.

"Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers, I want them alive!" he demanded viciously. The Storm Troopers began their search. One spotted Leia and pointed her out.

"There's one, set for stun," he called. Leia shot down one, before running. Another Trooper stunned her and she fell unconscious to the ground.

"She'll be all right. Inform Lord Vader that we have a prisoner," the commander said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Artoo went about activating the escape pods.

"Hey, you're not permitted in there. You'll be deactivated for sure," Threepio fretted. Artoo whirred in response.

"Don't you call me a mindless philosopher, you over weight glob of grease," Threepio shot back. Artoo beeped and clicked in response.

"Secret mission? What plans? I'm not getting in there," Threepio replied. Suddenly, a blaster shot grazed by him and he reluctantly followed Artoo into the pod.

"I'm going to regret this," the golden droid griped. The pod was launched and it fell toward Tatooine. The Imperials did not shoot it down, for it showed negative for holding any life forms...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Imperial Storm Troopers marched their prisoner to Darth Vader.

"Darth Vader, only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this. When they hear that you've attacked a diplomat-" Leia said, but was interrupted by Vader.

"Don't act so surprised, Your Highness. You weren't on a mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed aboard this ship by rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you!" he demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan-" she was cut off again.

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor! Take her away!" Vader spat. The Sith Lord continued on his way with an Imperial officer beside him.

"Holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out, it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate," the Imperial officer stated.

"I've traced the rebel spies to her. Now, she is my only link in finding their secret base," Vader said.

"She'll die before she'll tell you anything," the officer replied.

"Leave that to me. Send a distress signal, and then inform the Senate that all aboard were killed," Vader ordered. Another officer approached Vader with news.

"Lord Vader, the battle station plans are not aboard this ship, and no transmissions were made. An escape pod was jettisoned a short time ago, but no life forms were aboard," the officer informed.

"She must have hidden the plans in the pod. Send a team down to retrieve those plans, and see to it personally. There will be no stopping us this time," Vader ordered.

"Yes sir," the man replied, as he went to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The escape pod landed in the middle of the Tatooine desert. Threepio and Artoo proceeded to wander aimlessly through the endless sand.

"How do we get ourselves into these messes? We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life," Threepio complained. Artoo whirred in response.

"I've got to rest before I fall apart. My joints are almost frozen," Threepio replied.

"What a desolate place this is," he stated, as he looked around at the sea of sand and desert. Artoo beeped and clicked.

"Where are you going? I'm not going that way. It's much too rocky. This way is much easier," Threepio replied. Artoo beeped his response.

"What mission, what are you talking about?" Threepio questioned. Artoo beeped and clicked more, being stubborn.

"I've just about had enough of you. Go that way, you'll be malfunctioning within a day, you misguided scrap-pile," Threepio kicked the astro droid and went the other way. Though saddened, Artoo continued in the direction he insisted on going.

After hours of walking and complaining, Threepio spotted a transport and called for its help. Meanwhile, Artoo found himself wandering through the Jundland Wastes, where he was found by Jawas and captured. Threepio and Artoo soon found themselves in the same Jawa transport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Imperial Storm Troopers landed in the desert near the escape pod.

"Someone was in the pod. The tracks lead off this way," the trooper pointed. One trooper held up a piece of metal to the commander.

"Look sir, droids!" he said. They began following the tracks in search of the escaped droid who most likely had the plans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Jawa transport reached the Lars moisture farm. Owen and Luke were about to go and see what they had when Beru called.

"Luke! Luuuke!" she called. Luke ran to see what she needed.

"Luke, tell your Uncle if he gets a translator, make sure it speaks Bocci," Beru said.

"Doesn't look like there's much to choose from, but I'll remind him," Luke said, as he ran off to catch up with Owen.

Owen hassled with the Jawas and once he determined that Threepio did indeed speak Bocci, he chose him and a red R2 unit. Artoo began throwing a fit, when suddenly the red droid malfunctioned. Artoo was chosen then.

"Luke, take these two over to the garage. Have them cleaned up before dinner," Owen said.

"But I was going into Toshi station to pick up some power converters!" Luke whined.

"You can waste time with your friends later," Owen replied sternly. Luke looked disappointed and waved to the droids to follow him.

"All right, come on," Luke said, as he reluctantly led them to the garage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Threepio was lowered into an oil bath, Luke complained about his Uncle.

"It just isn't fair. Biggs is right, I'm never gonna get out of here," he said.

"I'm sorry sir, but is there anything I can do?" Threepio asked.

"Not unless you can speed up time or teleport me off this rock," Luke replied.

"I don't think so sir. I'm only a droid, and I don't have such knowledge of things, especially since I'm not even sure where we are," Threepio replied.

"Well, if there is a bright center to the universe, then you're on the planet that it's farthest from," Luke replied as he began digging out the carbon scoring in Artoo.

"I see sir," Threepio replied.

"Oh, you can call me Luke," Luke told him.

"Yes, sir Luke," Threepio said, making Luke chuckle.

"No, just Luke."

"I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations. And this is my counterpart, R2-D2," Threepio introduced himself and Artoo.

"Looks like you boys have seen a lot of action," Luke said as he kept cleaning Artoo.

"With all we've been through, sometimes I'm amazed we're in as good condition as we are, what with the Rebellion and all," Threepio told him, which made Luke turn to him with intrigue.

"You know the Rebellion against the Empire?" he asked.

"That's how we came to be in your service," Threepio responded.

"Have you been in many battles?" Luke asked.

"Several, I think. Actually, there's not much to tell. I'm nothing more than an interpreter, and not very good at telling stories," Threepio replied as Luke was struggling with something inside Artoo.

"You've got something jammed in here real good," he said as he tried to get it out. As he did, it triggered a recording.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope," the hologram of a woman repeated itself.

"What is this?" Luke asked. Artoo whirled dismissively.

"What is what? He asked you a question, what is THAT?" Threepio scolded. Artoo whirred snottily.

"He says that he's property the of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts, and it is a private message for him. Quite frankly sir, I don't know what he is talking about. Our last master was Captain Antillies," Threepio replied.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi, I wonder if he means old Ben Kenobi..." Luke replied.

"Excuse me sir, but do you know what he's talking about?" Threepio asked.

"Well, I don't know anyone named Obi-Wan, but...old Ben lives out beyond the Dune Sea. Kind of a strange, old hermit," Luke replied looking at the hologram. "Sounds like she's in trouble..."

"Artoo says that if you remove the restraining bolt, he may be able to play the entire recording," Threepio said. Luke was busy staring at the woman in the recording.

"Huh? Oh yea, I guess you're too small to run out on me," he replied, as he undid the restraining bolt. As soon as he did, the recording disappeared.

"Hey wait, where did she go? Bring her back, play the entire message!" Luke barked. Artoo clicked and whirred.

"What message?" Threepio scolded and smacked Artoo's dome. "The one you were just playing. The one you're carrying inside your rusty innards."

"Luke!" Beru called.

"Coming Aunt Beru!" Luke called back.

"See what you can do with him, I'll be right back," he told the protocol droid before he left. Threepio proceeded to scold Artoo for being so stubborn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke joined his Aunt, Uncle and Grandmother at the table, but found a pleasant surprise when he saw his other Uncle also sitting at the table.

"Uncle Rex!" he called. Rex chuckled, as he hugged the young man, before he sat back down.

"How's it going, kid?" he asked.

"Better now, how long are you here for?" Luke asked. Rex smiled.

Most of the time, he stayed a few days and spent some real time with Luke, being that Owen didn't usually show Luke much affection or pay him much attention, unless it was to make him work on the farm. Rex believed in hard work, but knew that Anakin would have been a different kind of father to the boy and he always tried to give a little of that to Luke every time he saw him. Thank goodness Shmi and Beru were always affectionate him.

Luke was just like Anakin in the sense that he was always tinkering with machines, so usually Rex brought him all kinds of tools and scrap parts to use in the garage. He wasn't as good as Anakin was with fixing things, but he always had known that, someday; Anakin and Luke would get to bond as father and son over an engine. And Rex was here today, because that time had finally come.

Anakin was fully healed and he, along with Padmé, were ready to be brought out of hibernation. He knew he had to wait until Luke encountered Obi-Wan for them to begin revealing everything, even though he had no idea how Luke would end up out in the Dune Sea. He didn't much like that idea at all, but he trusted the former Jedi General and would follow the plan Obi-Wan and Satine had detailed to him.

That meant he had to talk to Shmi, Owen and Beru without Luke's presence and that was something he was not looking forward to. Beru was a lovely lady and he knew she truly loved Luke, same with Shmi. The woman treated her grandson with nothing but the same love and firmness she had with Anakin, though she always avoided talking about him. Luke was insistent on it for a while, but finally came to accept that maybe talking about him was too painful for her.

Unfortunately, Owen and Rex did not get along. He had a feeling that Owen would not take the news that Anakin and Padmé would soon be in their son's life very well at all.

"Well, I'll be around for a couple days and so I thought you could probably use these. We can put them in together later, if you want," Rex said, as he pointed to the box behind him. Luke read the label and his eyes lit up.

"New T-90 power converters?" he exclaimed. Rex chuckled.

"Yep...I picked them up on the way here. I had a feeling that you probably hadn't gotten a chance to go get them," Rex replied, glancing quickly at Owen, whose mood was quickly souring, as it usually did when Rex was here.

"You spoil him," Owen grumbled. Rex shrugged.

"Hey, what are Uncles for? Well, wizard Uncles like me, that is," Rex replied, annoying Owen further.

"All right boys, let's eat first, and then you can go play with your new toys," Beru mused, as they took to eating.

"We got a couple new droids today. The protocol droid keeps calling me sir, even though I keep telling him not too and the astrodroid is a funny little thing. I think that little droid may have been stolen. He says he belongs to an Obi-Wan Kenobi. I thought he might mean old Ben. Do you know what he's talking about?" Luke asked. Owen quickly answered in the negative.

"That wizard is just a crazy old man. Tomorrow, you'll take that Artoo unit into Anchorhead and have its memory erased and that will be the end of it. He belongs to us now," Owen said sternly.

"But what if this Obi-Wan comes looking for him?" Luke asked.

"He won't. I don't think he exists anymore. He died about the same time as your father," Owen said.

"He knew my father?" Luke asked eagerly.

"I told you to forget it," Owen replied sternly. Rex and Owen stared each other down from across the table for several long moments, before they broke the gaze. Rex wanted to tell Luke everything, but he would let Obi-Wan take the lead on this one.

"No, you will not erase that droid's memory," Shmi argued. She knew the two droids, but refrained from talking to them.

"Ma, it belongs to us now. It has no need for any of those old memories," Owen argued. Shmi gave him a stern look.

"This isn't for debate," she said with firm finality, making Owen shut up.

Luke decided that he wouldn't even bother talking about submitting his application to the academy, though he decided to tell his Grandmother and Uncle Rex later. He didn't understand why his Uncle Owen was so hostile when the subject of his father came up.

Rex loved to tell him how great a pilot his father once was and how beautiful his mother was. But he never said much more and Luke always got the feeling that Rex knew more. He often guessed that Rex held back at Owen's request, though he had no idea why Rex honored this request.

When he asked his Aunt and Uncle about his mother, they always got even quieter and just said that they didn't know her. But he knew different and he didn't know why they wouldn't even tell him her name. No one would tell him her name, which made him even more curious about her. Luke finished quickly and got up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Beru asked.

"Looks like no where. I have to go finish cleaning those droids," Luke replied, as he stalked off.

"Owen, he can't stay here forever. He isn't a farmer. He has too much of his father in him," Beru replied.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Owen replied.

"Hey...Anakin Skywalker is a great man," Rex snapped.

"Was," Owen corrected.

"No Owen, that's why I'm here this time. They're healed and they're ready to be awakened. Luke will soon be reunited with his parents," Rex stated, shocking both Owen and Beru, who had both been skeptical that this day would ever come. Shmi on the other hand was elated; finally her son and daughter-in-law would come back and she'd get to meet her granddaughter.

"Luke is my responsibility and if Anakin and the Princess, or whatever she is, want him, then they have to come take him themselves," Owen replied gruffly.

"Why, so you can keep him a little longer to help with the harvest? He ain't a damn farmer and he never will be," Rex said, as he left too, knowing it was no use in arguing with the man. Luke's destiny lay far beyond Tatooine and Owen Lars wouldn't stand in the way of a reunion that was inevitable.

"Owen, Anakin was a good person. Don't you think it is time we told Luke that his father may not be as dead as everyone thinks? And his Mother. He needs to find out from us, or he could end up resenting us," Beru said.

"Resenting us? They're the ones that got themselves into this mess in the first place. Maybe if Anakin had stayed here where he belonged, he wouldn't be in this situation. But instead, he ran off with those wizards, gallivanting across the galaxy. Look where it got them," Owen said angrily.

"Owen, I've warned you about speaking ill of Anakin and Padmé! I encouraged him to go with the Jedi, because it was a better life than being stuck here. He hated it on this planet, but you just won't accept that fact," Shmi scolded.

"We can't keep lying to Luke about his parents. If he runs in to old Ben, then he might see it as the right time to tell Luke," Beru argued.

"Luke won't be anywhere near the Dune Sea. And I'll believe that they're really alive when I see them with my own eyes," Owen resolved. Beru frowned, but dropped the subject.

But Shmi wasn't done yet, "Owen Lars, don't think just because I'm using cane, I won't still beat your ass."

Because of her calm tone, he knew she meant every word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke stared out at the binary sunset in reflection. He knew that Owen, Beru and Shmi knew more about his parents than they were letting on and so did Rex, though it seemed like he was forbidden to tell him much beyond the basics.

If they were dead, then why couldn't they tell him all they knew? He just didn't understand it. He longed to know who they were and what they were like. He sighed deeply, before heading back to garage to clean up the droids.

He found the garage very dark and soon found Threepio hiding from him.

"What are you doing hiding back there?" he questioned.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir! Please don't deactivate me. I told him not to go, but he kept babbling about some mission," Threepio said.

"Oh no," Luke griped, as he grabbed his binoculars and ran outside. He scanned the nearby sands for him, but found nothing.

"He's no where in sight," Luke replied.

"Might we go after him, sir?" Threepio asked.

"It's too dangerous with all the sand people around. We'll have to wait till morning," Luke said. His Uncle Owen would be livid and his Uncle Rex would never let him go, so he would have to go without their knowledge.

"Luke, we're shutting the power down!" Shmi called.

"All right, be right there," Luke called.

"Boy, am I gonna get it," he griped. "You know that little droid is causing me a lot of trouble."

"Oh, he excels at that," Threepio sympathized before he and Luke went back inside. The next morning, Luke would get up very early and begin his search for Artoo...

Rogue One was a great movie, but it had a bittersweet ending. I hated that the new characters we were just introduced to and grew to love died.

Let me know what you guys think of having some of them survive, and including the characters from "Jedi: Fallen Order".

No flames!

Read and review, please!