Episode IV
Shroud of the Shadow
A long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away…Chapter 1-Evasive Measures
Tatooine. Unlike most planets, it does not resemble a jewel when observed from the outer reaches of space. There is no deception, for it looks like what it is: a barren piece of rock hardly worthy of the attention of the Grand Imperial Fleet. And yet two Star Destroyers flanked the Super Destroyer Executor hovering above the desert planet. Two officers on the main ship nervously approached Admiral Tarkin, a man as gaunt as he is cruel.
"Captain Amarno and Captain Sueter reporting, sir."
Tarkin did not turn his back to look at the Captains. "Your orders are the unchanged. Find the Jedi and the baby. Kill the Jedi. Bring the baby back alive if you can, but if not, kill him too." Finally the Admiral turned around to glare at the two officers with his icy eyes. "I do not need stress that these orders come straight from the Emperor, and are of the highest priority. Kill every living thing on this rock if you have to."
"Yes Sir."
"Dismissed."
Owen Lars still bore some resentment from the two strangers who invaded his life for the past year. They were trouble. The infant, Luke was his name, was adorable, and his newlywed wife Beru had really taken to the boy. The Jedi had been quiet the entire time, helping wholeheartedly with the farm work. Not that it's going to matter anyway. Trouble was going to follow them, and it was going to destroy this farm, this precious piece of land that had been the Lars' for so many generations. He didn't like his dad's reluctant agreement to the Jedi's plans, but he had no say in the matter. Owen guessed the only reason Cliegg had agreed was because of Shmi. He would have done anything for his late wife, and now supposedly helping her son.
Owen had met Anakin once. He had come back for his mother. He had been too late. At least she had a proper burial. At least she died in peace. Owen knew that. He missed the woman who had been as close to a mother as he had ever known. She was so calm, so loving. He could've easily imagined her to be his real mother. How she gave birth to such a…a turbulent son was anyone's guess, but not Owen's. He was a good man though, Owen could not deny that. A passionate, intense one, but for all the right reasons, whether it was for the Jedi cause, for Shmi, and that girl who was with him four years ago. He never actually asked the Jedi, but Owen easily guessed that she was the boy's mother. She was a beautiful woman, but completely different from his Beru. He would take Beru over that Princess, was that what she was, any day of the week. Beru was beautiful too, but she was simple. She was content, would always be content, even with a farmer like himself. The Princess, well, Owen couldn't fathom what kind of attention and gifts would be good enough for a girl like that, one who had such looks and royalty. He didn't care, either. It was just too beyond him, as were these strangers.
Owen looked up from his work and gazed at the surrounding landscape. No, a Princess would never survive in a place like this. Only people of a certain quality could, people like his family, his Beru. The binary suns filtered out only the toughest of the Galaxy for this planet.
What was that, though? Owen looked up again, but this time he examined the sky. A few bright specks, their glare from the two suns by themselves were enough to cause him to shield his eyes. They're coming. They're finally here. Owen ran back to the house to tell the Jedi.
Gola Amarno had taken the Skywalker father's half of the planet, the half that included Mos Espa. Thus, it fell upon Captain Yakov Sueter and his squadron of troopers, a mix of clones leftover from the last war and new graduates from the Imperial Academy, to scour the half of the planet where the man's family had reputedly lived. He had set up a temporary base at a dirty cantina in Mos Eisley, to the chagrin of the owner. No matter though, they were all outlaws here, Sueter told himself. The scum of the galaxy. They were lucky that Sueter and his squadron didn't arrest and execute them all right now. Captain Sueter led about twenty troopers on speeder bikes as they sped through the desert towards the vague directions they had got regarding the Lars family.
"Captain, we've got a lone speeder on radar slightly south of us. It could be nothing."
"We can't risk it. Let's check it out. Alpha team change your coordinates."
Minutes later they intercepted the bike. A man wearing what looked like Jedi Robes occupied the seat. He was driving with only one hand as he seemed to be cradling an object wrapped in a blanket in the other. Fits the descriptions perfectly.
"Looks like it's them. All units prepare fire to disable. Remember, we want the baby alive if possible."
"Looks like we've got company, Luke. Hold on tight." Jedi Knight Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, formerly General Kenobi of the Clones Wars, now the only active Jedi he knew of, chucked slightly to himself. "Oops. Forgot I was the one doing the holding, little one." Even with only one arm the Jedi still managed to evade the blaster fire with barely any effort as he led the chase through the Dune Sea into the mountains.
The pursuit was getting more treacherous by the second. Captain Sueter had already lost four troopers whose bike had crashed into the steep mountainside. Now the deranged Jedi was heading towards canyon, a narrow one at that. Sueter quietly whispered to himself "I've got a bad feeling about this" before turning on his comlink. "Alright Alpha, prepare entry into Tusken Canyon. Stay triple file, it's a narrow one." As he was speaking a speeder crashed into the canyon. A really bad feeling.
Obi-Wan expertly navigated the bike through the twists and turns of the canyon until he spotted a side canyon further ahead, one that merged with the main trench at a 90 degree angle. He swerved his speeder to make the sharp turn.
"Target is turning into side canyon, sir."
"Continue pursuit, but careful though. I'm not even sure he's gonna make this one." As he said that, Sueter saw the Jedi speeder crash into the canyon wall. The explosion was immediate and deafening, and it looked the bike had been vaporized, along with its passengers. Smoke immediately clouded the surrounding area. "Looks like our mission's accomplished. Start scanning the area for bodies, but I doubt we're gonna find anything."
Obi-Wan was slightly shaken up from the rough landing, but he quickly pulled his thoughts back together. The bag of fruit he had be hiding under the blankets had been vaporized, either from the impact of the speeder crash or from the detonator he activated and set down in the personal compartment of the bike moments before jumping off. The detonator was a Mon Calamarian model, one that specifically emitted a large amount of smoke, which prevented the Imperial Troopers from seeing the Jedi land expertly on a small outcrop in the canyon wall leading into a cave. It would be a reasonable enough sanctuary until the troopers leave the scene satisfied.
Obi-Wan stepped into the dark cave. Something didn't feel right. He felt another living presence in the cave. Hopefully not carnivorous. Although most creatures on this planet seemed to be. Well, he couldn't exactly leave the cave and risk being seen by the Imperials, could he? He took a glance at the now faraway entrance. Odd, this presence seems familiar. Awfully familiar. And extremely close by too. Obi-Wan immediately activated his lightsaber and turned around.
"Qui-Gon!"
"Padawan Kenobi." His old master looked exactly the same as he did during the Trade Federation dispute. Except he was transparent. And Glowing.
"Well, I've heard rumors about your doings and going ons and so forth, but honestly, I never expected you to actually be kind enough to pay me a visit."
"This isn't the enthusiastic greeting I was expecting. I sense a subtle trace of bitterness in your tone, Obi-Wan."
"Oh, so you have a problem with me if I'm a little bitter. But my Padawan, he goes crazy like a Gundark, destroys the entire Jedi Order, and you merely punish him by making him some sort of a prophet."
"Anakin needed the help and guidance, Obi-Wan. You don't. I had to do something. You've always been the rational one, Padawan. I never had any doubts you would follow the right path. Skywalker though…" Qui-Gon sighed. "He has abilities to see through the Force that rival Yoda and Darth Sidious, but he just doesn't seem to know what to do with them. He is the Chosen One, and he is powerful, but he's not exactly the brightest lightsaber in the temple."
"Oh, master, you're right about that. Sometimes I don't think he can understand the Force until it smacks him in the face."
"Which is what I did, in a way. He needed to see the whole picture, Obi-Wan. Show him bit and pieces, and he'll overreact. That's how Sidious got to him."
Obi-Wan chuckled a bit, and scratched his head. It was good to have Qui-Gon back, and he stepped forward to embrace his master with a hug when he realized that his conceived action would be quite impossible. "Well, this is kind of awkward."
"What is?"
"Us. I don't know master, I don't know what to say to a ghost. So how's it been the past few years? You obviously don't need to ask me that as you probably already know everything that's happened. I assume that's what ghosts like you do anyway, peeking on us and all."
"Then let's discuss the important matters then. What's troubling you, Obi-Wan?"
"Well…Anakin. On the dark planet. I'm not sure if he's ready for that place."
"You don't think he's ready or you don't feel he is?" Obi-Wan didn't have an answer. "Don't forget the Living Force, Padawan. And don't estimate Padme. She was the reason he turned to the Dark Side, so why can't she be the one to prevent him from doing so again?"
"I guess you make sense. As Always. Still, what's he even doing on Korriban anyway? Will he really find something there that will help him against Sidious? I mean, he IS the Chosen One, and the most powerful Jedi I have ever known. Can't he just fight him, best him in combat?"
"Violence breeds violence, Obi-Wan. Sure, Anakin can just fight Sidious, and he'll probably win. But the consequences of winning are dangerous. I'm afraid not even Padme can save him from the Dark Side if he unleashes his fury at Palpatine."
"With all due respect, Master, how else would he defeat him? Doesn't he have to face him at some point?"
"Give your Padawan some credit, Obi-Wan. Anakin is not just a creature of violence and anger. He has compassion, he loves without regard for consequences. He will find the light in the darkness."
"Oh, your riddles again. What could you possibly mean?" To Obi-Wan chagrin, the ghost in front of him began to fade away.
"You're a great Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am proud of you."
"But…don't leave yet…I still have…"
"Trust in the Force, Obi. It will reveal itself in time." And with that, Qui-Gon Jinn faded into the darkness of the cave.