They hadn't been able to find him. It was as Obi-Wan had feared. Luke was no longer on Tatooine.

He was staying with Owen and Beru for now, since if they found out anything, it would be easier if they were all in one place. But he had the unsettling feeling that it was out of their hands now, that things were moving beyond them. Rubbing his beard with one hand, Obi-Wan sighed and stared out at the desert.

Lifting his head, he addressed a woman long dead. /I failed you, Padmé. Just as I failed Anakin. How am I supposed to find one boy in this galaxy?. / Besides that, he had felt a presence he could have gone longer without feeling again.

Vader was on the planet.

But since he was aiming at keeping himself hidden for now, he couldn't die just yet, he was rather certain Vader wasn't here for him. If that was the case, he knew they would already be fighting. No, Vader was here for something... someone... oh, stars! else. Looking back towards the homestead, he decided he wouldn't tell the couple inside who was here. They didn't need to know yet. Hopefully, things would work themselves out, but he did not have much hope for any good resolution. It was once again to wait.

His limbs were all screaming at him as he woke up, everything aching and protesting as his body shook off the effects of the stun blast. Opening his eyes, Luke groaned and raised a hand rub his face. Well, he tried. Whatever he did, both hands followed. Reluctantly opening his eyes to face reality, he stared down at the manacles that bound his hands together and in front of him. At least they weren't held behind his back. There wasn't much to look at, the area he was in was of "common room" style, a table bolted to the floor, which, Luke saw, also held a holoproj, the bench (also, of course, bolted to the wall) he was sitting on, the kitchen area of to the right, cabins to the left and the cockpit up straight. It was surprisingly small for a ship of the size Luke had seen from the outside, but he guessed the rest was for cargo. One, not to talk about two, podracers must take up quite a lot of space.

"Awake now, I see. How're you feelin', boy?" The Rodian's scratch-hiss drilled into Luke's still-tender brain, and he really, really wanted to scream at the man to shut up and use his name kreth it! But he wasn't really that reckless; even if there was proof showing otherwise.

"As if you care. Just get away from me." Luke muttered angrily, wishing that his hands were free, if only so he could hug himself and rub some of this cold out of his bones. It was so infernally cold. He hadn't noticed it at first, but now he was practically shaking with it.

"I prefer the key in my plan to actually be able to do his job and not collapse. I guess you wouldn't be wantin' this then?" Despite the Rodian's taunting words, he placed a glass full of something that was warm in front of Luke, and dropped a blanket around his shoulders.

"Forgot planetsiders like you, especially from such a warm planet like Tatooine, would feel the cold more acutely."

Holding the glass in both hands, partly because he had to, partly to warm them, and partly because they were shaking form the cold and using one hand wouldn't be smart, Luke glowered at the Rodian from under his lowered lashes.

"Yeah, thanks. Really." This was worse than anything that had ever happened! Not even that time he had gotten lost in the sandstorm could measure up to this! He was cold, miserable, missed his Aunt and Uncle, and wasn't sure he was going to get home. While he knew he was going to get used to the cold, the rest no one could do much to fix. Except the Rodian of course, and since he'd done all this, Luke didn't think he was going to turn the ship around and take him home because Luke was homesick.

Quickly drinking up whatever it was in the glass, only partly from fear of the Rodian taking it away out of sheer sadistic pleasure; Luke scowled at nothing and turned to the Rodian sitting on the other side of the bench, feet up on the table.

"Why am I here? I mean, what do you want? It isn't as if I have anything to offer." Luke licked his suddenly dry lips as he thought of the only things he had to offer, and had to bite his tongue to keep from crying. The alien shrugged, seemingly not caring much about his captive's state of mind.

"I owe someone money. You've got some real potential skills with the racing, boy, so we're going to the next race, you race and win, I get the money to pay this someone back, you get to go home. It's that easy."

Staring at the green-skinned creature, Luke was suddenly filled with bubbling anger. That was what the Rodian had kidnapped him for? To race for him so he could repay a debt! The burning resentment all came out in one long, vicious string of Huttese, expounding the Rodian's lineage, his wits, and his future generations in as foul a language as Luke could come up with. When he finally ran out of words, he collapsed back against the wall.

"At least you haven't lost your fire, boy. Feel lucky I didn't take offense. Others wouldn't be so lenient." The Rodian laughed, got up from the bench and walked around the table. Luke cringed back as far as he could, not that he had anywhere to go, but of course it didn't help. The Rodian just grabbed his upper arm, hauled him to his feet and dragged him over to one of the small cabins, pushing him inside.

"You'll be staying in here until we get to our destination. I'll come back in three hours so you'll have a chance to use the 'fresher then. Have fun."

The door closed and was supposedly locked, leaving Luke in a half-gloom as the light wasn't very good in the small cabin. With a sigh he walked the few steps to the cot and collapsed on it, feeling as if all energy suddenly had escaped him. It was just so cold.

The sand was almost white where the sun fell on it, light reflecting off the surface to create the light that almost made Tatooine look like a third sun. As the whine of an engine died down, blackness suddenly fell over the sand as two boots were firmly placed down on the ground. The cape just brushing the sand, and all light seemed to flee before the dark figure that exuded so much darkness. And the light that didn't get away was absorbed into the dark cloth. A man in a rumpled uniform stood a few paces away, evidently trying to smooth out the cloth nervously, but not having much success. He neared the dark lord most reluctantly, but trying not to show that reluctance and saluted.

"L-lord Vader. It's an honor to have you here..." The poor man trailed off as he realized the Sith lord wasn't paying attention to him, harsh breaths from the respirator filling the dark lord's silence.

"There is something... I haven't felt in a long time..." Abruptly cutting off the mutterings, Vader whirled at the official who had a hard time to not jerk in fright.

"Show me this recording, now." Since Vader apparently did not require an answer, only action, the officer nodded and turned around, leading the way to the building where the Imperial presence on Tatooine was housed. Vader stalked beside the man, a cloud of ill-temper seemingly hovering around him. Even if it was his old master he was feeling, which seemed slightly ridiculous, what were the odds? he also had the feeling every moment counted when it came to this Force-sensitive.

There were no definite reasons, even less any dreams such as those he'd had in his youth, but there was a definite sense of... urgency. And for that, for this possible son however highly unlikely, even the pleasure of killing his old master would have to step aside. But it was hard. The anger, the desire for revenge at being left so cruelly to die a slow death had his Master not come for him, made it very hard not to storm off in the direction of where the dulled light, like dust having collected over a light-unit over the years, of Kenobi was coming from. He was so close, and yet, when it all came down to it, so far.

The building was coated in a fine patina of sand, impossible to keep anything clear of the sand on this planet; otherwise it was apparent it was kept in good repair. The air in the building was slightly cooler than the outside too, but not by much. The air-conditioner had to work for full power to even create that slight a difference and no one wanted to push it. As Vader stepped inside the entrance, followed by the slightly panting officer, he seemed, for all that black, to be the one that remained unaffected by the heat.

Of course, no facial expression could be seen because of the mask. But had it been, it would have been graced by an expression of outmost disgust at having to be back and irritation at having to remain even this long on the planet. No one would have seen any discomfort caused by the heat. Indeed, even now, so long after he last left Tatooine, even in this suit, the heat was inconsequential. It was part of life. That it still was part of his life, managing to sneak back inside even when he thought he'd left it behind for the last time... now that, angered him.

"Well?" He demanded imperviously of the officer beside him, tone clearly stating he should have been shown that recording, and yesterday! The officer paled and almost ran off, but made a good show of not running as he lead the dark lord further inside the building, to a rather cramped office. It seemed this officer wasn't very orderly. Mentally sneering at that, Vader hooked his thumbs in his belt as he waited for the man to find the recording so he could be off this planet. That this place had even been graced with a name he could not understand. It wasn't as if there was anything here.

"Aahh. Here it is, Lord Vader. While the holocam was in surprisingly good condition, the quality's still rather shaky in some spots, but we haven't been able to find out why." Translation; they hadn't tried, because why would they? While podracing was illegal, two joy riders was hardly anything to bust their backs for.

The screen blanked out for a second as the recording started, then there was a soft hissing sound of static and the picture cleared, showing the towering red-brown cliffs of one of the canyons littering Tatooine's surface. As the little holocam zipped out of the nook it had been hiding in, for what? The last thirty or something years? It became clear it was Beggar's Canyon. He'd recognize those twists and turns anywhere.

It took bare seconds for the repulsordrift that kept the little holocam moving to catch up to the two podracers. The first that came into view was one with large, round engines and a red-blue pattern painted on the cockpit as it was closest to the holocam, but then the picture first zoomed out and up, the holocam had probably gone for a higher altitude to give a better recording of what was going on, then it zoomed in on the second 'racer, and everything stuttered to a stop.

Blue and silver flashed in the sunlight, at times partially obscured by shadow, the brown of the Canyon reduced into an insignificant smear at the picture's edges. Thin, cylindrical engines, more powerful than they seemed to be let the little craft keep up easily with the one with larger engines, and Vader's fingers curled as if gripping something. It could not...

But the proof was there, just beyond his reach and several weeks back in time. The markings were slightly different, but everything else, from color to looks, fit the podracer he'd built himself. The one Qui-Gon Jinn had sold for money so the ship could be fixed. Why, and how had it come back here, in the hands of whoever...

Silver and blue flashed in the sunlight as the larger 'racer suddenly bumped into the smaller one, forcing it slightly off its current path. The reason was clear as the holocam zoomed beyond the 'racers to give a view of what was coming up.

The Needle.

Desperation. Fear. A call that seemed to reach him anew, even from days and weeks away, reverberating up his spine and into his brain, for a moment making the bond reach outwards, unfolding like a flower towards the sun before it collapsed again, the memory not strong enough to make it go beyond what was already there.

Determination. Relief/concentration. Time started again as the silver and blue podracer cleared the Needle with aplomb and tore after the other 'racer with a vengeance. He had what he needed, so why wasn't he leaving? He did not need to see the end of the race, he did not need to see whether or not the Force-sensitive won or not.

It was of no consequence and yet he couldn't make himself move from his spot in front of the screen, fingers still slightly curled around non-existent handles while his thumbs connected him with reality, hooked into the belt as they were. And still he didn't move, not until the little silver-blue craft had rushed past the larger 'racer and into the arena, the holocam's recording sputtering into nothingness as it closed off. That it had gotten even that much was something of a miracle. Thumbing on the comm. unit he wore, Vader left the office. Now to leave the planet.

"Captain Millet, have you found out which planets lay in the ship's current trajectory?" The thirty-something Captain's liquid voice answered, once again standing out in contradiction to the man's rather tired and unimpressive appearance, even if Vader couldn't see him right now.

"Yes, Milord. And especially one of them can be a possible destination. Since there was a mention of podracers, I recall there was a rather foolhardy track for it on Ord Ibanna. That planet is in the current trajectory's path." Every now and then, you meet people who are not total incompetents. And while he'd have to check where the next illegal race would be, there was something telling him there was no need. Ord Ibanna was it.

"Captain, prepare to set a course for Ord Ibanna."

"Already done Milord. We are ready to leave as soon as you come aboard." Sometimes, you certainly get men can think forward. Captain Millet may have been jittery and uncertain how he should behave towards the temperamental second in command of the Empire that had suddenly taken command of his ship, but he had adjusted quickly, and rather admirable too. Behind his mask, Vader smiled tightly, muscles straining slightly. It was almost, almost making up for the fact that he had to leave Kenobi behind... alive. He'd just take care of it after he'd finished his current, and rather urgent, business.

Luke wasn't sure how long they'd been in hyperspace, but his internal clock, if it now could be trusted after having been stunned and then thrown in a ship and leaving the planet, said around two days. It had been two of the most boring days in his life. Not even the slowest and hottest day back on Tatooine could ever compare.

He'd only been let out of the cabin for short moments, to eat or use the 'fresher, and since there was nothing to do inside the cabin... He'd remembered the lightsaber, but he couldn't cut himself free with both hands stuck together as they were. He'd probably chop his own hands off first or something. Besides that, he didn't know how to use it, so even if he'd gotten free of the binders, the Rodian could probably easily have incapacitated him again and taken away the lightsaber. And that he didn't want. The chance of seeing it again if that happened was probably about as much as the chance for rain on Tatooine.

There were soft clunks and clangs as the ship docked wherever they had arrived at, and Luke sighed, trying to ignore the anxiousness bubbling in the pit of his stomach as he bounced on the balls of his feet in front of the door. He wanted out of this cabin, and this ship. If he never saw it again, it would definitely be too soon!

"Eager, ain't you?" The Rodian did his version of a laugh, and Luke had to keep his grimace from being anything more than mental. Stupid Rodian, stupid debt, stupid him, stupid, stupid, stupid!

The air was heavy, having a taste-smell of something sharp and a little bitter that made Luke's nose itch. The sky was cloudy, majestic pale collections shaded in violet, blue and yellow covering everything. Not even the sun could be seen. There were some clouds below the floating platform they were on, but they were much thinner, and you could see the swirling of purple gasses that the planet consisted of below. They were standing on a floating platform, kept aloft by repulsordrifts, just as everything else on the planet. But it was also clear that this place was pretty much abandoned by any authority and left to its own; most of the floating platforms and abandoned gas refineries were run-down and visibly stripped of anything that could be used as anything else.

Despite this, there was quite a lot of activity down where Luke guessed the podracers were, and the grandstands, even if they looked rather... makeshift, were filled with people milling about. It was clear something was going on here alright. But where was the track? The only thing Luke could see was floating platforms, often with large drops and gaps between them, pipes and skyways littering the skyline. It couldn't be... his stomach dropped like a stone, lying like a rock somewhere by the end of his spine.

He was going to have to race along those. The realization banged loudly around in his brain and suddenly this was much, much worse. Except that treacherous little voice whispering how exciting and challenging this would be. They stopped in front of a Twi'lek woman who stood at the end of the platform where a broad skyway connected it to the main refinery and the podracing pits. Luke momentarily forgot his inner panic and stared. She was tall and slender, her head tentac... eh, they were named lekku, weren't they? Her lekku wrapped artfully around her shoulders as she studied her fine-boned fingers, apparently waiting for the two of them.

"Finally here, are you? Just in time too." Her yellow-orange eyes were narrowed dangerously, and her derogatory tone told anyone within reach that she didn't held this Rodian very highly at all. Then her glance slipped down to Luke, and she made a questioning sound.

"This is your "replacement"? He's just a child!" For a second, Luke wanted to bristle, but he realized she didn't mean anything against him, not really. He was just a child... and human. One slender, dark purple hand was laid on his shoulder as her narrowed glare zeroed in on the Rodian.

"You'd better hope the boy wins your money, filth, because otherwise I'm going to enjoy taking the worth out of you." She smiled unpleasantly at the end, showing off razor-sharp and filed teeth. The Rodian hissed at her and pushed Luke into her, muttering about setting the podracer up. The Twi'lek still had a grip on his shoulder, so she simply started walking and steered him away from the platform, walking them towards the pits and grandstands.

"You think you can manage this, boy?" The Twi'lek's elegant voice broke through Luke's haze and he whipped his head around to stare up at her, scowling.

"My name is Luke Skywalker, and not 'boy'!" Then he frowned, mentally hitting himself. That hadn't been very smart. The Twi'lek woman laughed, silver in the sharp air, and tilted her head to look down at Luke.

"Luke Skywalker, hmm? That's a pretty nice name. You haven't told him, have you?" The silver decorations that curled in a vine-pattern around her lekku flashed in the muted sunlight, her armless bodysuit in smoky gray matching the decorations. Luke shook his head, frowning slightly warily up at her. She knew about his father, that he was the sole human who had won a race; he could hear it in her voice. But if that was a good thing or not...

"No. I told him another last name."

She chuckled again, and nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Well, Mr. Skywalker, I'm Neela Sha'pri. You may have what it takes to get through the race if your name indicates anything. I'll tell you something..." Here she leaned down to whisper in his ear, breath warm against the shell of his ear and the lekku twitching slightly where his shoulder was pressed up against them softly. "I like you. You don't have to win. Just get through the race alive and I'll get you home. It'll be my pleasure to get my money's worth out of that worthless bag of filth." She stood back, face expressionless, but eyes twinkling amused fire. Blinking, Luke collected his thoughts and smiled, bowing quickly.

"Thank you Ms. Sha'pri. I'd like that!" He said brightly just as the Rodian returned and Neela smiled and nodded, their secret hiding in her bright eyes like a wicked flame.

"I thought you would, Mr. Skywalker. Good luck." That said, Neela walked away slowly, her hips swaying. Luke grinned again, then quickly stifled it when the Rodian grabbed his upper arm and more or less dragged him away, not letting him walk on his own.

"You'd better win; boy, or else you won't get home." The Rodian hissed at him as he pushed him over to Luke's podracer where it was standing in line with over ten others. Luke gritted his teeth and just nodded as he jumped into his 'racer, securing his goggles and helmet.

/I don't have to win at all! Of course, I'll try since that'd be really cool, but first and foremost, I'm gonna concentrate on surviving, you bantha poodoo!./ He hissed in his mind before turning all concentration back to the impending race. Yes, that was the problem, wasn't it?

He had to survive this.

And no matter how much/little training he'd gotten in, in the past two weeks, it was nothing like racing against real, seasoned opponents out to win, he understood that. Luke hoped his gut feeling wouldn't let him down now, because otherwise, he wouldn't be getting home. The thought sat heavy in the back of his mind as the light suddenly flashed on and gave them their signal.

This was it.

A/N; Oh, look, no more for now. Thanks to you who have rewieved up to now!