Believe it or not, this story was inspired by Mad Max Fury.

AMAZING movie, by the way. Highly recommend. But apparently it was an absolute NIGHTMARE to make, probably running into every production problem possible for a movie to run in to. It's a miracle it got made at all.

Anyhoo. So one of the oh so many things that held the director back was that he was planning on filming in Australia, because it had the desert look he wanted and he hoped to increase tourism to his home country. Unfortunately, shortly before he intended to start shooting, it rained. It rained loads. It rained more than it had rained in a hundred years. And the desolate desert became a beautiful meadow.

It's a testament to how much of the Double Agent Verse I've read that the first thing that popped into my head was "the desert remembers".

But, no biggy. It'll go away and he could start filming. Except it lasted for YEARS, he ended up having to film in Africa and doing a frick ton of color correction.

Anyways, I took the whole desert into a meadow thing and ran with it.

This does directly contradict some of Fiallarl's worldbuilding, lore wise, but I like to think that's because it's told on a different part of Tatooine. If you don't know who Fiallaril is, they created a culture that the slaves of Tatooine had, and wrote a series where Darth Vader uses it to rebel against his master. The series is called "Double Agent Vader" Also highly recommend.

Come around children, and I will tell you the story of how Ekkreth brought rain to the desert.

Now, long, long ago, before there was depur and slaves, there were no moons to light the night, and water fell from the sky, and they called it rain. The rain fed the ground and the ground grew plants green and healthy. It was a wondrous time, where all fed upon the plants and were satisfied, and Ar-Amu would walk among her children.

Now it so happened that one morning Ar-Amu was walking along the earth and a star fell from the sky. When Ar-Amu picked it up it had almost died, save for the vestige of light the glowed inside it. Ar-Amu took this and picked up a stone, white as bone and perfectly round and slipped the light inside. She named it Ederal'ath, light of lights, and so he was reborn.

Ar-Amu walked with her new companion until the suns were high in the sky, where there was a dune of water. The star jumped up and down the beach, enjoying the water, until it called to Ar-Amu-

"Mother! Come and see, for there is a creature that lives in a stone as I!"

And Ar-Amu came and saw he was a creature that had made a home in a shell as white as salt that the beach had washed up, and he was nearly dying for thirst. She picked him up and blessed him to always be able to create water and so the shell creature could go where he willed. She named it Jurishor, From He who All Water Flows, and so he was reborn.

Ar-Amu continued to walk with her new companions until night fell and she built a fire. And the star and the shell creature danced around the fire, enjoying its flames and heat, whereupon the shell creature saw a creature in the distance and called to Ar-Amu-

"Mother! Look, for there is a creature as white as I!"

And Ar-Amu looked as saw it was a rat, shivering violently, for it was blind and could collect not see to build a fire. And so Ar-Amu picked up the rat and blessed him to see no matter what might be in his way. She named him Nuna'lee, Seer of All things.

After this, she stretched out upon the green earth and fell asleep, but her three children talked long into the night, each telling their story, and by the end they felt quite content with one another.

"Let us be brothers." Ederal'ath said, and so they swore by the earth they would be brothers until the day they died.

After a time, Ar-Amu left her children, and the rain stopped, and so the desert came, and so did Depur.

Now the brothers were greatly saddened at this, for Ar-Amu loves all her children, and none should own the other, and so they went to Ar-Amu, where she wept for their troubles.

"Let us help your children, mother." Jurishor said.

And so Ar-Amu placed them in the sky, where they became the three moons of Tatooine.

The largest and first to rise is Ederal'ath, who brings light when Depur allows no firewood nor oil. The moons wax and wane, but Ederal'ath never wanes completely but once a year, so that the slaves will always have light.

The second is Jurishor, who fills and replenishes the water holes and streams that dot Tatooine so that Ar-Amu's children may always have somewhere to run from Depur.

The youngest, and the smallest, is Nuna'lee. He hovers near the horizon, nearest to the ground, watching and seeing all, guiding the slaves to safety.

Now it so happened that one night Ekkreth flew along as a Kathak, the great bird that feasts upon the rotten flesh no other beast can eat. And as they flew along the sky they saw the first, and largest brother moon rise to light the sky, and they saw the second moon rise, and replenish the pools and lakes of water. But the third moon did not rise.

This worried Ekkreth, so they flew upwards and took the shape of a human female and walked up to the first brother moon, squinting, for his gift was light and he shone almost as bright as the sun to light the way for Ar-Amu's children.

"Ederal'ath!" Ekkreth exclaimed. "I see you have one brother, where is your second?"

And the first moon quivered in fear and said, "We do not know. We woke from our sleep and he was gone. I dare not look for him, for Ar-Amu's children need light. We fear he has been taken and enslaved."

"I will look for for you," Ekkreth said. "I have freed moons before."

"Indeed." Said the first brother moon. "We remember, and we do not forget. If you find and free him we will be forever in your debt."

And so Ekkreth flew up and transformed into the water flea that lives in water and landed in the many streams and pools of water that trailed after the second moon. and walked to the second. "Jurishor!" They cried. "I know your brother has been stolen, tell me what you saw."

And the Second brother moon quivered with fear, for he still remembered the chains he had once worn so that only Depur might draw water from him. But he also remembered the cleverness of Ekkreth and how they had freed him, and he stilled.

"We went to the end of the desert, to rest and remember." He said. "We went to sleep, and when we awoke he was gone. I dare not search for him, for Ar'Amu's children depend on the water I bring. But if you bring him back to us we will be forever in your debt."

And Ekkreth shaped again into the Kathack and they flew hard and fast and long towards the many cities and palaces where Depurs lived.

They traveled for many years, taking many forms and freeing the children of Ar-Amu as they went, and still they did not hear nor see Nuna'lee, until slaves and Depur alike forgot there had ever been a third moon, but Ekkreth and the brothers remembered.

Now it so happened as Ekkreth traveled one day, they found great flocks of Bantha's, a thousand beasts to a flock, and the flocks were without number. A hundred thousand slaves herded them, and another hundred thousand fed them, and another hundred thousand killed them for their meat and another hundred thousand cleaned and tanned their skins.

Ekkreth saw no chains, no cages, nor even any guards, and yet their faces were long and sad and their hearts were low and without hope.

So Ekkreth went to them and they said, "Why do your hearts hang so low? Don't you know that Ekkreth wears a hundred thousand shapes and has a hundred thousand tricks, and the chain has not been forged that can hold them?"

But the slaves only bowed their heads in fear. "Depur is far too clever and too knowledgeable for us to escape. Not even Ekkreth himself could free us."

Now of course Ekkreth took offense at this, and they sped away to the great palace at the center of the herds upon herds of Bantha's. They landed outside the castle and took the shape of a human man with many fine clothes and fine shoes and fine jewelry, and they asked for the master of the palace.

The slaves brought them before Depur. And Depur was Nuna'lee.

Now Ekkreth intended for Depur to think they were a great prince from a faraway land, but Nuna'lee sees2 all, and raised his hand and called to Ekkreth in the tongue of the slaves.

"Sky Walker, I see you have come to free Ar'Amu's children."

And when Ekkreth stared up at one who had once been an ally and said angrily, "Why are you Depur? Ar-Amu sent you to free her children, not enslave them. This is not who you are."

Nuna'lee laughed at him. "I am what I say I am." And he called for his slaves. "Show them to their room," he told them, "and bring them water and meat. And when it comes time to dine in the evening give them the seat by my right side. They may stay and try to free the children of Ar-Amu for as long as they wish, and it will bring me great amusement."

Ekkreth burned in anger as the slaves led them away, and as they left they told them, "I will free you, for there is no chain Depur has made that cannot be broken."

But the slaves only bowed their heads in sorrow.

That evening Ekkreth entertained the court of Depur, telling them the stories of how they had freed the slaves from Depur time and time again, and the court had laughed gaily along with the foolishness of the masters, for they did not worry that Ekkreth would take their slaves from them.

Now as they ate and drank, Ekkreth placed a tonic in Depur's drink, and he slept so soundly even a krayt dragon could not have woken him.

Then quickly Ekkreth went to house to house, asking for the slaves to come with them. But they only bowed their heads and said, "We cannot escape, for Depur sees all."

But Ekkreth begged and pleaded until they had a hundred slaves willing, and they went into the desert to a hidden water hole.

But when the sun rose and the tonic faded Depur awoke and saw where they and came with a thousand guards and brought them home. He ordered ten of them killed, and gave ten lashes to the rest.

Then Depur called his court and had Ekkreth hold up the heads of the slaves that had run. "Let this be a lesson that Depur sees all, and that here slaves shall never be free."

On the second evening Ekkreth shaped into a thousand different beasts and species to amuse the court, and when Depur went to sleep Ekkreth transformed into the tiger-fly and slipped into Depur's room, where he gagged and tied him with ropes made from the fur of his own Bantha's.

And so Ekkreth went from hut to hut, begging and pleading until fifty slaves agreed to go with them. They fled into the desert to another water hole Ekkreth knew of and they drank and continued to run.

But Depur woke and called out until a passimg slave came. Then he saw the slaves with his all seeing gaze, and his guards marched double time, and they captured them, and brought them home. They killed five of the slaves, and gave the rest five lashes each.

Then Depur brought Ekkreth before his court, and he had Ekkreth carry the heads of the slaves he had killed. "Let this be a lesson that Depur sees all, and there is no one, not even Ekkreth, can free you."

On the third evening Ekkreth declined dinner and instead turned into the red bird that had given Ekkreth their wings, and flew over the dunes and past the mountains and past the place where the suns and the moons rested, and into the stars where Ar-Amu dwelt.

"Ar-Amu." They called to her. "I have failed you and your children."

And Ar-Amu placed Ekkreth in her lap and she stroked their head. "Tell me."

And so Ekkreth told how her son Nuna'lee had become Depur, and how not even Ekkreth could trick a being who saw all.

And Ar-Amu bowed her head in thought and said, "All the people of the worlds are my children, whether Depur or slave. They may forget, but the desert remembers, and it will remind them."

Then she held up Ekkreth so they might fly away.

So Ekkreth flew down to Depur's palace again, and on the fourth evening Ekkreth danced and sang for the court the hundred thousand songs and dances they knew from the many places they had visited. The last song they sang was a song of Ar-Amu. Telling the time of green and rain and love. Ekkreth sang it so beautifully there was not a dry eye in the court and Depur's eyes were the wettest, but when Ekkreth looked to him he remained proud and tall.

That night Ekkreth did not ask any slaves to go with him, and Depur brought Ekkreth before his court. "A hundred thousand tricks are not enough for Ekkreth to stop Depur." He boasted.

But on the fifth evening Ekkreth sang Ar'Amu's songs, and he told the tales of Ar'Amu and how once she had walked among her children. And once again Depur's eyes watered and a tear ran down his cheek, but he did not remember.

On the sixth day Ekkreth took the shape of a Pibub, a bird that flew for days on end and survive with nothing but the water it stored in its stomach. And they flew from the north to the south and the east and the west, visiting every water hole they had ever found and drank.

All through the sixth day, and afternoon and evening and Ekkreth flew and drank until it was only with the assistance of the two brother moons he was able to fly back to Depur's palace.

They opened their mouth and spread the water across the sky and beat their wings so hard and so fast it made the water as soft as Depur's pillow. It grew larger and larger and thicker and thicker until it blotted it out the sky.

And then it rained. Tiny drops of water falling from the sky, as thick as a sandstorm and as gentle as the breeze.

The court slept soundly in their palace which protected them so well from sandstorms, but the slaves in their huts screamed with fear and in terror, for they had forgotten the rain. But the desert remembered and when Depur woke the next morning he found the desert transformed.

Twisting ropes of green had climbed up the walls, and flowers grew up, and the whole desert was like carpet underneath the foot.

Depur looked over the desert made not a desert, and remembered when Ar-Amu had walked the earth and the lessons she had taught and wept and wept, and he cried out, "Brothers!"

And the two brother moons heard his call and followed the call.

Then Depur cast himself on the floor and pressed his forehead to the ground. "I have sinned against Ar-Amu's people." he cried. "I have enslaved them and thought only of myself."

Ederal'ath walked up to Depur, and one reached out brought him up, and said, "We remember you, brother, and so does the desert. Your name is Nuna'Lee, Seer of All Things. You were to watch over the slaves and guide them to safety. You were lost, and forgot yourself. But you remember again, and it is never too late to remember."

And so Nuna'lee brought his court before him and said, "The slaves are free, and he who makes them slaves again shall make an enemy of me."

And he went from slave to slave, to swear to each one their freedom and to beg for their forgivness. And for a time, there was green upon Tatooine and the brother moons walked with Ar-Amu's children again. Some say there were times when Ar-Amu herself visited.

When Nuna'lee had finished his work he and his brothers left to the skies again, and the green paradise faded away.

And so this was how Ekkreth brought rain to the desert, and helped Depur remember who he was.

I tell you this story, to help you remember that all are Ar-Amu's children, even Depur, and so we must pity them, for they have lost their way and forgotten who they are. But the desert remembers, and so do we.

I like to think Luke heard this growing up. :)