Timeline: Set towards the beginning of A New Hope.
Summary: Series of short vignettes- (Ch1) 'You just think about playing that message for him!' the fussy 3PO shrilled above him. But Artoo knew. Artoo's memory was intact. He remembered…
Artoo knew it was going to be trouble the moment he wheeled himself out into the bright sunlight. His little dome swirled, and confirmed it: two suns, one in front, one behind.
Tatooine.
His memory banks worked hard, and Artoo plotted a course based on his previous visits to the planet. A course that would take him to the settlement he knew existed:
The Lars homestead.
Why, he only vaguely knew. In his metal body, he felt It more clearly than he ever had.
Oh, the idea that a droid could feel It was preposterous, but Artoo believed. He had always believed, ever since he met the human Qui-Gon. Artoo knew, that in this dreadful age, even if a droid was the only thing that could still feel It pulsing beneath the dull everyday life, that would have to do.
It.
What a race of beings all but extinct used to call 'the Force'.
And so, Artoo ignored the bossy cries of his counterpart See-Threepio and continued on his way to the Lars homestead, where It lit the planet up with Its warm, steady glow.
With the Force guiding him, Artoo knew his mission somehow lay in that direction.
"Luke!"
Artoo knew it would be trouble even before the Jawas herded them out; even before the boy and his uncle were out of the comfort of their sunken home, Artoo knew.
His mission was in danger.
As he watched the exchange of coins and droids, watched as See-Threepio was led away and he was left behind, Artoo understood. He could not stay at this homestead, not without abandoning his mission. And yet, if the Jawas were to keep him in their possession, his mission was lost.
His plaintive cries were lost on all but See-Threepio, who turned for the slightest moment before continuing after his new masters. And why should he not? See-Threepio knew nothing of his mission, and Artoo knew the protocol droid could not feel It.
And then, the other droid the humans had purchased smoked at the top. There was an explosion, and it stopped moving.
"Uncle Owen!" the boy called.
"Yeah?"
"This R2 unit has a bad motivator, look!"
Suddenly, Artoo knew it would work out to his advantage. As See-Threepio addressed the boy, and gestured at him, Artoo waited, patient.
"Uncle Owen, what about that one?"
Artoo joined See-Threepio moments later, ignoring the patronizing lecture Threepio was treating him to. His visual centers were locked on the boy; the boy glowed with It. Within the boy, It lay, dormant and pure, untouched by the dark light seeking to engulf the universe.
But this wasn't Artoo's concern. He was running visual checks on the boy, and what he found wasn't looking good.
Artoo knew it would be trouble. That boy, and his involvement, made his mission's future look very dim.
Deep within him, Artoo knew the boy was Skywalker. Aside from the obvious enjoyment of flight, the tinkering, his looks, and his signature printed on It, Artoo knew. He wasn't sure how, as It was quiet to him, drawn towards the boy. But, vaguely, Artoo knew. As the hands worked to clean him up, Artoo remembered different hands.
Hands that were calloused, not from working at harvest, but from battles. Hands that were half droid.
Artoo knew it would be trouble the moment the recording started playing. Luckily, the whole thing didn't play, but enough was enough. The damage was done. The boy wanted more, just as the first Skywalker had.
And so, Artoo lied. This boy did not need to be turned into a monster like his predecessor. Artoo lied, and in doing so, assured that the boy would not come to harm.
As soon as the restraining bolt was removed, the message vanished. The boy could not force it out of him, and Artoo faked confusion.
"Luke!"
And the boy left.
'Just you think about playing that message for him!' Threepio fussed. Artoo beeped sarcastically. 'No, I don't think he likes you at all!' Artoo beeped again. 'I don't like you either.' The protocol droid sniffed, and shuffled away.
That was just fine with Artoo, though. If See-Threepio followed, he might be hurt. It wasn't the droid's fault, he simply didn't remember what happened the last time a Skywalker was involved. For that matter, he didn't remember a Skywalker.
But Artoo knew. Artoo's memory was intact. He remembered…
The last thing the universe needed was two Vaders.
Artoo whirled out into the gathering dark, out towards the Dune Sea, and he knew.
It was going to be trouble…
So, should I get enough reviews, here's a little preview of the next chapter:
A cloaked figure appeared on the horizon. The Tusken Raiders dropped the boy and fled. There was a time when they would have stayed behind and fought, but that was long passed. Before He came. And now, the Raiders knew to fear men in cloaks…