'Taunted by Tatooine' (Chapter Seven)
By Ennon
"They didn't even try to signal us for ID when we reached the atmosphere! Told ya this was where we could make our fortune, Chewie!" 16-year-old Han Solo smirked as he brought the Millenium Falcon into an empty landing bay at Mos Eisley in Tatooine.
Chewie groaned a bit apprehensively.
"I think you should listen to him. This planet could eat you alive," 29-year-old Padmé sighed.
"Yeah, but you're. .. " Han laughed.
" Only because it has the answers I need not because I want to. . " Padmé snapped.
Chewie barked concernedly as he finished setting the Falcon on solid pavement of the landing bay.
"Chewbacca, don't worry about me. I'll make it. I just need to pick up a few things in the marketplace before I make my journey," Padmé gulped.
"Chewie, no use in getting all puppy on her- if she ain't sticking around for me," Han scoffed.
Chewbacca protested a bit strongly.
"Alright, we'll go with her to the marketplace. We could use some new ammo before we look for work," Han shrugged.
The three were in the marketplace and Padmé made a beeline to a group of tents on the adjacent street to the landing bay where she knew clothing was sold.
Chewbacca picked up a few new rounds for his blaster.
"Yeah, those'll do," Han shrugged.
"This helmet features its own Freon irrigation cooling to protect the brain from sunstroke," enthused a female green-skinned Twi'lek merchant named Nala.
"That should do. Does it come with a veil?" asked Padmé
"It can. Here's a white silk one s that would go well with your jumpsuit," Nala insisted- as Padmé tried on the veiled helmet that covered her face but had a thin enough mesh to have unobstructed sight with her goggles.
"Why ya interested in veils? Don't wanna get pruney by the scorching sun?" Han asked.
"Let's just say that there are a few folks here I have my reasons for not encountering again," Padmé explained as she tried on the helmet with the veil.
"Master, here's that pilot I told you about," exclaimed the Twi'lek named Bib Fortuna (in Huttese) as he drove past in a miniature hover sailbarge that he was chauffering.
"Never seen anyone land a ship so smoothly at that age. What's your name, boy?" Jabba the Hutt demanded (in Huttese).
Chewbacca defensively wrapped Han in his huge arms and shoved Padmé behind him just in time for Jabba and Bib Fortuna to miss seeing while distrustfully snarled at Jabba and his assistant.
"Chewie, let go!" Han gritted with his teeth while Padmé
"Having trouble with your Wookiee? I could pay you good money, take him off your hands and teach him respect," Jabba gloated (in Huttese).
"No, he's the best co-pilot I could ask for. He just jumps the gun trying to keep me outta trouble," Han laughed.
" How much experience do you have in flying spice from Kessel?" Jabba asked (in Huttese).
" I've outflown Imperial slugs a few times," Han smirked.
"Good. I think we could make a deal that would benefit both of us. You and your Wookiee stop by my Mos Eisley townhouse in an hour and Bib Fortuna will have the details worked out. Don't fail me as others have," Jabba menaced with a wagging finger(in Huttese).
Both Chewbacca and Padmé breathed deep sighs of relief as Jabba and Bib Fortuna resumed their drive and Chewie released Han from his protective grip.
"Han, you and Chewie get back in your ship immediately, take off and forget about this planet," Padmé hoarsely whispered.
Chewbacca growled concernedly.
"And miss our deal of a lifetime?" Han scoffed.
Chewbacca barked agitatedly.
"Chewie, your gut feeling's absolutely right about that Jabba!" Padmé warned.
"What are you talking about?"Han asked.
"He had slaves even when slavery was outlawed by the Republic and organized small boys in pod races for sport and cruelly gloated when they crashed to death. What makes you think he's above. . .?" Padmé pleaded.
"So! You do like me,Maddie. Can't say I ain't surprised or flattered but. ." Han smirked with raised eyebrows.
"Forget about that and just get out of. .. " Padmé begged.
Chewbacca barked pleadingly.
"Chewie, don't you get all soft and cowardly on me just cos some babe tells tales," Han snarled.
Chewbacca growled angrily.
"Don't you ever all Chewbacca a coward! He's risked more for me than either of you could possibly imagine," Padmé boiled as she hugged Chewbacca.
Chewbacca almost purred.
"Gloat it up, Fuzzball! You know what you promised," Han seethed.
Chewbacca moaned a bit.
"It's okay, Chewbacca. I know you've pledged to protect Han above all else- even from himself," Padmé sighed as she patted Chewie's back and he barked a bit.
"She just said she's got her own stuff here. Let her deal with it on her own. Fortune's knocking and we ain't gonna pass it up," Han sneered and started walking away.
"Chewbacca, I'll never forget all you've done for me and mine. I doubt a more sincere heart and wiser brain ever existed. Take care, friend!" Padmé pleaded as she and Chewbacca hugged one last time before Chewbacca sadly forced himself to break their embrace and sullenly catch up with Han.
"Come on, you furry oaf! We're not keeping Jabba waiting," Han scoffed.
Padmé sadly shook her head.
"Hey, good luck with whatever you've got to do. Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself," Han sighed as he momentarily stopped his tracks.
"I know you will. That's what you're good at. I just hope you find someone to care about so you can have a fuller life," Padmé sighed as she walked off in the opposite direction.
Chewbacca barked one last time when Padmé turned the corner and left their view then sullenly followed Han to Jabba's townhouse.
Obi-Wan was carefully levitating his switched on lightsaber above his head and making it carefully orbit when he heard a hoverspeeder outside slow down then park and got distracted.
ObiWan ran to the window then ducked behind with his lightsaber in hand to see who could be seeking him out so far out in the Jundian Wastes.
"Padmé?" Obi-Wan gulped incredulously- as he peered outside the open window.
"Yes, Obi-Wan or should I say 'Ben'," Padmé half-laughed as she took off her veiled helmet and shook her long brown hair loosely over her shoulders.
"I can't believe you found me. How . ..?" Obi-Wan asked as he came outside.
"Anakin told me of how Tatooine's water is so precious that everyone- save for Jawas and Sand People, uses pressurized vapor wands to keep clean and how clothes are washed in huge batches in vapor to save water," Padmé explained.
"You mean. ..?" Obi-Wan gulped.
"That's right! I got your co-ordinates from the Toshi Station Laundromat- and Tatooine doesn't have that many Kenobis so I knew you had to be 'Ben'!" Padmé laughed.
"Come inside, it's not safe to be standing stationary and alone with all the Sand People," Obi-Wan pleaded.
Padmé followed him inside and looked around for signs of Luke but could find none.
"Not a bad place you've made for yourself," Padmé exclaimed.
"You look as beautiful as ever, Padmé," Obi-Wan replied.
"I thought Jedis weren't supposed to think of. .." Padmé snapped.
"Can we cut the chit-chat? Why did you leave Alderaan and how did you find. . .?" Obi-Wan asked as they sat down.
" I haven't had news of Luke in nearly three years! I MUST see for myself he's healthy and happy,"Padmé boiled.
"Didn't Yuermina and Bail invite you into their palace and accept Leia as their own. You had luxury and protection for your lifetime. What more could you have wanted?" Obi-Wan scoffed.
"My freedom!" Padmé exclaimed.
"Freedom. None of us have that these days," Obi-Wan sighed.
"I've noticed how things have become more restricted for everyone since I left their Palace," Padmé sighed.
"In such a short time, the days of the Republic and the Jedi fraternity seem like another lifetime," Obi-Wan sighed.
"I know what you mean but I can't live my life unless I know my son is healthy and happy!" Padmé exclaimed.
"You want to undo all the hard work that Yoda and I decided. .?" Obi-Wan asked.
"You decided! Yoda decided! Yuermina and Bail decided but guess who never got to decide anything about Luke!" Padmé boiled.
"I agree that is most unfortunate," Obi-Wan groaned.
"Unfortunate! You want to know the word I was thinking?" Padmé fumed.
" I didn't think someone like you would have learned that particular term," Obi-Wan sighed as he winced- reading the word Padmé avoided verbalizing.
"Master Yoda told me you brought Luke here to be near his family. Tell me. ." Padmé started to say.
"His family. There's more to his family than even I or Anakin knew that you need to be aware of. Join me in talking to an old friend," Obi-Wan pleaded.
"I've come this far knowing next to nothing. Extra knowledge before I see Luke can only help," Padmé reasoned.
"You and I need to hold hands for this to work," Obi-Wan pleaded as he took Padmé's soft white hands in his already calloused and rough ones.
"Is this a séance?" Padmé asked.
"Of sort. I can ask an old friend to appear but for you to see him, you need both our Fields of Force," Obi-Wan explained.
Padmé was a bit puzzled but was too curious to protest.
"Obi-Wan, my Student and Friend, you've brought the guest I've been seeking. . ."a voice was heard to say.
"Qui-Gonn!" Padmé gulped.
"You recognize my voice after all these years," Qui-Gonn exclaimed as he became visible to both Obi-Wan and Padmé.
"Oh, how I'm glad death spared you from seeing how badly things turned out with. .. " Padmé deeply groaned.
"Your Majesty, I know of what you speak," Qui-Gonn sighed.
"I haven't been a queen in years and no one's called me that since. ." Padmé gulped.
"I know but you'll always be in your own right. What's happened to Anakin greatly troubles me and I don't want to see it repeated in Luke," Qui-Gonn exclaimed.
"Luke? You know of our son?" Padmé asked.
"Yes, why wouldn't I keep track of my grandson?" Qui-Gonn half-laughed while Obi-Wan wryly nodded.
"Qui-Gonn, my father was Lorcan Naberrie and Anakin had no. .. you!" Padmé gulped.
" I assure you that you weren't as shocked to find out as I was," Qui-Gonn exclaimed.
"But the Jedi were expected to be celibate.You and dear Shmi both were too honest to have lied about such a thing," Padmé gasped.
"I didn't know until after I left the realm of the living when so many secrets were revealed to me,"Qui-Gonn proclaimed.
"You mean, that you and Shmi conceived Anakin without knowing it? How!" Padmé gulped- who eagerly remembered every single time she and Anakin had been intimate.
"Midchlorians put the three of us into deep trances. ."Qui-Gonn started to explain.
"Three?"! Padmé asked.
"Myself, Shmi and. .. Obi-Wan. I was put in a deep trance for over a week and felt compelled to fly to Tatooine and seek out a woman. Obi-Wan was entirely knocked unconscious during that time," Qui-Gonn continued to explain.
"And I could not recall having even been unconscious," Obi-Wan gulped.
" So you . .raped poor Shmi in that state!" Padmé shuddered- barely able to keep herself from pulling away from either Obi-Wan or Qui-Gonn.
"No. I cannot lie in my present condition. What happened was that I passed by many women on the way to Shmi who was in Watto's workshop. I saw her and suddenly, she,too, went into a trance. Because I had denied myself physical intimacy with anyone for my entire life of 50 years and she had done the same but we had both fought the urges in our conscious states, the trances removed those barriers from each of us and we became intimate for the next hour," Qui-Gonn recalled.
"And you conceived Anakin that way?" Padmé gulped.
" I wish I could say otherwise but, yes. As soon as the deed was done, I walked out of the workshop storeroom and made my way back to my space ship and piloted back to the other side of the Galaxy where both Obi-Wan's and my trances ended. Neither of us could ever recall what happened during that week until I went to my present condition,"Qui-Gonn explained.
"But WHY would midchlorians have you and Shmi end your virginities to conceive Anakin? I didn't think they were actually sentient beings," Padmé asked.
"They aren't exactly but they were manipulated by one who wanted someone to take advantage of a child born of two Force-strong individuals," Obi-Wan explained.
"But Shmi was no more a Jedi than I am!" Padmé gulped.
"Like you, she was a Force carrier! She DID have an ancestor who was a most powerful Jedi- one RuebDoi Skywalker," Qui-Gonn explained.
"But she was a slave and Jedi offspring are almost unheard of besides my twins," Padmé gasped.
"RuebDoi was indeed a Jedi who was one of the first human settlers of Tatooine over 1000 years before . He tried to stop the takeover of Sand People's and Jawa's land and water sources using the Force but his neighbors disliked his interference enough to appeal to Sith members of the Jedi Council to persuade the other Jedi to de-Robe him. Afterwards, he was no longer considered a Jedi and ostracized by other Tatooine settlers- yet he did marry and sire progeny. These progeny were held in contempt by their neighbors and eventually enslaved with no knowledge of their glorious past," Qui-Gonn explained.
"So much more than has met the eye all this time," Padmé sighed.
" I hope these explanations weren't too long winded,"Qui-Gonn sighed.
"No, they explain a great deal but do you have any idea who might have manipulated the midchlorians to prompt you and Shmi to conceive Anakin?" Padmé asked.
Padmé, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gonn all looked at each other and said together, "Palpatine,"
" But why would he go to all that trouble when he could have. .?" Padmé asked.
"That's the thing. He couldn't! No one's ever heard of him so much as flirting with anyone. He's asexual and unable to procreate but he wanted someone to train in the Sith ways and who better than someone with the strongest Force lineage known?" Qui-Gonn asked.
"I wish we'd known all that before you left this dimension," Obi-Wan groaned.
"He's your son and you see so much more. Could you tell me if Anakin has any good left in him- in spite of being conceived for evil. .?" Padmé gulped.
"He's too much Palpatine's slave now in body and soul to want to resist or even hear any pleas from his ghostly parents- and only someone with power to match his could possibly turn him back," Qui-Gonn groaned.
"Luke?" Padmé groaned.
"Only with Anakin as Vader is Palpatine able to keep control of the Galaxy and only with Luke is there a chance to regain freedom and democracy," Qui-Gonn insisted.
"Now you understand why you can't interfere with. .?" Obi-Wan asked.
"He's just a tiny child and he no more asked for that burden any more than Anakin asked to be conceived or be brought up a slave in this wasteland,"Padmé pleaded.
"We can't argue that but he must gain enough strength to understand his importance before he decides to take up that burden- and if he's told who and what his father is prematurely, it could prove too much," Obi-Wan decreed.
"I won't do anything that could harm him and you know I'll do everything I need to protect Luke-and Leia from harm even if it means sacrificing my own life. ..!" Padmé insisted.
". .. and even if it means you may never reveal to either of them who you are or see either of them again while the Empire remains?" Qui-Gonn asked.
Padmé took a very deep breath and felt a great wave of sadness envelop her. . but then a strong resolve came to her.
"Yes, I'm willing to do that. Anakin may have been conceived for evil purposes but he was conceived by two good people and I want to ensure his heirs live lives that will make you and Shmi proud. I can take comfort in that even if I can't ever be happy for myself,"Padmé proclaimed.
"I wish I could communicate with you further but I can't without a knowledgeable Jedi's help and this has taken a good part of both our strengths to have made this happen for you. May the Force be with you on your quest to make my grandchildren's lives as best you can possibly make them,"Qui-Gonn consoled as he faded from both Padmé's and Obi-Wan's views.
"Are you alright?" Padmé asked Obi-Wan as he took a deep breath.
"It was good to be with my Teacher again but I can't help but feel apprehensive at telling you Luke's whereabouts- even with Qui-Gonn's blessing," Obi-Wan sighed.
"I've been readying myself since he was torn from me," Padmé pleaded as she grasped Obi-Wan's hand again.
"I decided that since my personal training ultimately made Anakin more impatient that perhaps I should adopt a more peripheral role with his son- and since Anakin was ashamed of having been born a slave, I decided that if his son would be less ashamed at being raised by a farmer who wanted him but I didn't count on this farmer being too stubborn to want me around afterwards," Obi-Wan sighed.
"You mean, you're having Owen and Beru Lars raise Luke?" Padmé gulped.
" Not pampering like the Organas but they're family and. . " Obi-Wan explained.
"And they live on the very same moisture farm Anakin's mother is buried on. How can you be sure Darth Vader won't want to visit his mother's . ..?" Padmé asked.
"You never heard of hiding something in the most obvious spot? Besides, I'm close enough to sense Vader getting closer to Luke and reaching Luke before he does," Obi-Wan exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm sure the Empire and bounty hunters won't ever think to seek out his stepuncle's farm," Padmé sarcastically sneered.
" The Empire has no knowledge that Vader has a son- much less one by the name of Skywalker," Obi-Wan insisted.
"Skywalker! If Anakin ever gets sentimental about Shmi's gravesite, it will be on YOUR head," Padmé fumed.
"Calm down," Obi-Wan pleaded.
"I don't want to disrupt things. I just want Luke safe and happy," Padmé pleaded.
In another hour, Padmé had driven her used hoverspeeder to the Lars Farm and could see all manner of toys and even a sawhorse that had been turned into a toy bantha in the sunken courtyard of the Lars Homestead- but could not see Luke himself.
"Padmé, I'll be damned!" Owen Lars gulped as he emerged carrying a gaffi stick with Beru by his side.
"Owen, Beru, I'm here to see. .. " Padmé proclaimed as she took her veiled helmet off.
"Luke," Owen and Beru groaned together.
" Please, I'm his mother and I haven't seen him since he was born and. .." Padmé begged-somewhat taken aback how much older they appeared than last she'd seen them.
"We know," Owen groaned.
"Please come inside. We'll talk in the kitchen," Beru insisted.
"So, Obi-Wan. ..'Ben' brought Luke to you when he was a year old," Padmé concluded as she drank the blue bantha milk Beru had poured.
"He'd been weaned but Ben didn't tell us how," Owen sighed.
Padmé realized that somehow Yoda had accomplished this with the odd herbs and potions on Dagobah but didn't feel up to telling the Larses this.
" What did . ..Ben tell you?" Padmé asked.
"He told us that Anakin had been in a horrible accident and was in no shape to care for Luke," Owen recalled.
"Accident?"Padmé asked.
"He didn't elaborate," Beru explained.
"He didn't have to. I'd heard about the slaughter of the Jedi Padawans," Owen groaned.
"Owen, that was just a vicious rumor," Beru pleaded.
" He was capable of that. He slaughtered that entire Sand People tent village," Owen groaned.
"Owen, he had just lost his mother. You loved her,too. We all did," Beru recalled while Padmé nodded.
"I hated the adult Sand People men for kidnapping and murdering Shmi,too, and I've had no love for the Sand People either but what he did to their women and children was too terrible," Owen groaned.
"But Luke's not like that. He has Shmi's goodness" Beru pleaded.
"He's got Anakin's impatience. That's why he needs to stay a farmer," Owen proclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Padmé asked.
" Off-Worlders interfered and took Anakin out of here filling his head with big ideas and what did it get him? The only good that came out of that was you and Luke. If he'd stayed with Mama Shmi, we could have grown up together and he'd have never had all that blood on his hands!" Owen insisted.
"Owen, Beru. Luke may be the one to bring Anakin back. .." Padmé pleaded.
"Back from that shell he's inside? I don't care what Ben Kenobi says, I know that that Darth Vader's really Anakin," Owen boiled.
"You're much more insightful than folks give you credit for," Padmé gulped.
" What do I care about other people? If I never had to talk to anyone besides Beru and Luke, that would suit me just fine," Owen snapped.
"I want to thank you two for taking Luke in and. ." Padmé started to say.
"Luke came from Shmi and Shmi was the best thing that ever happened to Papa. I couldn't turn my back on Mama Shmi's grandson. Besides we. . .I. . couldn't have children of our own," Owen said rather sadly.
"It wasn't for lack of trying," Beru tried to laugh while giving Owen a look of supportive love.
"Regardless, you two have done a wonderful thing. If you just let me see him once while he's napping, I'll leave," Padmé gulped.
"He's not napping," Owen groaned.
"Luke NEVER naps," Beru laughed.
"He's at Biggs Darklighter's 3rd Birthday Party on the other side of Tashi Station," Owen explained.
"Birthday party?" Padmé asked.
"Mon Darklighter is an old schoolmate of mine and her son Biggs is his best friend," Beru explained.
"Too showy if you ask me," Owen snapped.
"Showy?" Padmé asked.
"Her husband's a food importer but they want the children to enjoy their bounty," Beru added.
"It's getting close to time to picking Luke up from that. We'll take you there," Owen offered.
"Oh, I'd really like that and let me just say that I wish the three of us and Anakin could have lived our lives together," Padmé sighed.
They got within sight of the Darklighter Homestead with its tall stone wall surrounding it with a large fountain in front of the house and a group of small boys playing in the yard.
For a moment, it was hard to sort out among the other small children but a blond boy caught Padmé's attention just as she took off her traveling helmet- LUKE!
"I wanna hit it!" Luke demanded.
"Now, Luke. It's not your turn to hit the tauntaun piñata!" Mrs. Mon Darklighter cautioned.
A/N- By an astounding coincidence, in Tatooine, children's birthday parties featured large home made candy-filled objects made in the shape of animals called piñatas.
"It's okay, Mom. He's the best hitter here and I want candy!" 3-year-old Biggs pleaded.
" Okay, but you need to put on the piñata helmet first, Luke!" Mrs. Mon Darklighter insisted as Luke put on a large dark helmet that looked similar to a turtle that covered his entire face including his eyes.
"I can't see!" Luke whined.
"Your eyes can trick you! Let your legs take you where you need to swing the piñata stick!" Mrs. Darklighter insisted.
Padmé's heart felt like it was going to burst. Luke looked like a mini-version of how Anakin had looked when she first had met him so long before. She felt so peaceful seeing him so healthy and happy that she never imagined anything could end that feeling. Then, it happened!
A/N-
Cm1000- Glad you like that Padmé seems on the verge of getting her wish and her traveling companions.
Kinghearts- Yes, I thought ROTS could have ended . .differently than it did without derailing the tale we know- and glad to see that I'm not the only one who wondered about Vader functions.
HotaruFireFly55- Welcome aboard and glad you love this story. I'll update as often as possible but things are starting to get busy again. Hopefully, it won't be too long before the story gets to its conclusion.
Acdecnerd- Glad you think it's great and I'll update ASAP!
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