INT. LARS HOMESTEAD - GARAGE AREA - LATE AFTERNOON 30

The garage is cluttered and worn, but a friendly peaceful atmosphere permeates the low grey chamber. Threepio lowers himself into a large tub filled with warm oil. Near the battered Landspeeder little Artoo rests on a large battery with a cord to his face.

THREEPIO Thank the maker! This oil bath is going to feel so good. I've got such a bad case of dust contamination, I can barely move!

Artoo beeps a muffled reply. Luke seems to be lost in thought as he runs his hand over the damaged fin of a small two-man Skyhopper spaceship resting in a low hangar off the garage.

"Isn't he a bit young to be playing with a toy like that?" Ahsoka snickered

Anakin merely smiled.

Finally Luke's frustrations get the better of him and he slams a wrench across the workbench.

LUKE It just isn't fair. Oh, Biggs is right. I'm never gonna get out of here!

THREEPIO Is there anything I might do to help?

Luke glances at the battered robot. A bit of his anger drains and a tiny smile creeps across his face.

LUKE Well, not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest, or teleport me off this rock!

I don't blame him for wanting to get off that dustball Anakin thought to himself.

THREEPIO I don't think so, sir. I'm only a droid and not very knowledgeable about such things. Not on this planet, anyways. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure which planet I'm on.

LUKE Well, if there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from.

"I can confirm that" Anakin muttered, remembering all the bad memories he had from there.

THREEPIO I see, sir.

LUKE Uh, you can call me Luke.

THREEPIO I see, sir Luke.

LUKE (laughing) Just Luke.

THREEPIO And I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, Artoo-Detoo. 22.

LUKE Hello.

Artoo beeps in response. Luke unplugs Artoo and begins to scrape several connectors on the robot's head with a chrome pick. Threepio climbs out of the oil tub and begins wiping oil from his bronze body.

LUKE (CONT'D) You got a lot of carbon scoring here. It looks like you boys have seen a lot of action.

THREEPIO 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.

"And the clone wars" Caleb added.

LUKE You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?

THREEPIO That's how we came to be in your service, if you take my meaning, sir.

LUKE Have you been in many battles?

THREEPIO Several, I think. Actually, there's not much to tell. I'm not much more than an interpreter, and not very good at telling stories. Well, not at making them interesting, anyways.

A few people giggled.

Luke struggles to remove a small metal fragment from Artoo's neck joint. He uses a larger pick.

LUKE Well, my little friend, you've got something jammed in here real good. Were you on a cruiser or...

The fragment breaks loose with a snap, sending Luke tumbling head over heels. He sits up and sees a twelve-inch threedimensional hologram of Leia Organa, the Rebel senator, being projected from the face of little Artoo. The image is a rainbow of colors as it flickers and jiggles in the dimly lit garage. Luke's mouth hangs open in awe. 23.

LEIA Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

Surprised gasps filled the room.

"Obi-wan?" Anakin said in surprise.

LUKE What's this? Artoo looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer for Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the sentence fragment over and over.

THREEPIO What is what?! He asked you a question... (pointing to Leia) What is that?

Artoo whistles his surprise as he pretends to just notice the hologram. He looks around and sheepishly beeps an answer for Threepio to translate. Leia continues to repeat the sentence fragment over and over.

LEIA Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

THREEPIO Oh, he says it's nothing, sir. Merely a malfunction. Old data. Pay it no mind.

Luke becomes intrigued by the beautiful girl.

LUKE Who is she? She's beautiful.

Anakin cringed at that. That could be his twin sister.

THREEPIO I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir.

LEIA Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi...

THREEPIO I think she was a passenger on our last voyage. A person of some importance, sir - I believe. Our captain was attached to...

LUKE Is there more to this recording?

Luke reaches out for Artoo but he lets out several frantic squeaks and a whistle.

THREEPIO Behave yourself, Artoo. You're going to get us in trouble. It's all right, you can trust him. He's our new master.

"Why won't he just play the message?" Caleb asked

"Meant for Obi-wan, the message is" Yoda answered

Artoo whistles and beeps a long message to Threepio.

THREEPIO (CONT'D) He says he's the property of ObiWan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him. Quite frankly, sir I don't know what he's talking about. Our last master was Captain Antilles, but with what we've been through, this little R2 unit has become a bit eccentric.

"Obi-wan what are dong on Tatooine?" Anakin asked.

"Where are all the Jedi when all of this is going on?" Depa Billiba said

"We could have gone into hiding" Master Koon suggested

"From what?" Caleb questioned.

"Well at least we all know Obi-wan is alive" Anakin said, trying to brighten the mood.

LUKE Obi-Wan Kenobi? I wonder if he means old Ben Kenobi?

"Ben Kenobi?" Ahsoka said, confused.

THREEPIO I beg your pardon, sir, but do you know what he's talking about?

LUKE Well, I don't know anyone named ObiWan, but old Ben lives out beyond the dune sea. He's kind of a strange old hermit.

"Do you know who he s talking of Obi-wan?" Mace asked.

"No, i'm afraid i don't" Obi-wan said, shaking his head.

Hey guys i'm back! I know i'm a bit late it's just that i've been busy lately, studying for tests and stuff. This chapter is a bit shorter than my other ones, sorry about that. Reviews are always welcome but until the next chapter byeeeeeeee.