Where Am I Going To?

Part One

Chapter Three

When it was brought to Vader's attention that an escape pod had been jettisoned during the fighting, he was convinced the plans to the Death Star were on it. He quickly ordered that it be traced to its point of landing. However, he couldn't repress a shudder at the fact that it was on Tatooine.

Tatooine. He'd never, ever wanted to go back there. The memories haunted him when he slept, and he knew he'd never be able to drive them fully from him. They would forever be a part of the countless demons that troubled him.

He could just send down Storm Troopers, and…..No, they were bound to screw up somehow. He needed someone he could trust not to do something completely idiotic. However, he didn't know too many people like that.

Well, Luke would have to do.

"I want you to go down to Tatooine and find that escape pod. The plans must have been aboard," the Lord of the Sith instructed his son.

Luke was quickly protesting. "Oh, but, Father-"

"This is important, Luke," he stressed, ignoring objection. "I'm sending you down because I know you'll get the job done."

"But Tatooine? It's hot, and dust, and dirty, and-"

"All you have to do is go down and bring the plans back. Simple-"

"-And it's run by gangsters, and only the very scum of the galaxy are going to be found there. I don't want to-"

"-Do I make myself clear?"

"-Now's not a good time!"

"Luke!" That was an order. Glowering, the young Lord of the Sith refused to look his father in the eye, arm's crossed over his chest. He mumbled something. Whether it was a protest of a comment the Dark Lord could not have said. "Now, where are you going for me?"

At great length, Lord Skywalker sighed "…..Tatooine…."

"And what will you do when you get there?"

"Find the plans to the Death Star and bring them back."

"Very good. You're leaving in an hour, so I suggest you get packing."

Luke could not suppress the wave of anger that radiated off of him, and he was glaring daggers at his father now. He really wanted to complain about how unfair it was, but Lords of the Sith didn't do that. It was childish, and Luke was certainly no longer a child.

"Yes, Father," he replied, swiftly turning on his heels and stalking out of the room.

The door to Princess Organa's cell opened with an audible "swish," and she sat up on the bench. She felt her stomach tighten when it was Lord Skywalker who walked into the room. She did not precisely want to see him. She didn't want to see him, his father, or any of the stupid lackeys they were controlling. She wanted to be left alone.

She wanted to go home.

This was looking increasingly less likely as the Lord of the Sith paced angrily around the tiny jail cell. He finally stopped, sighing and gazing at her with a look of…..devotion? Obsession? Leia really didn't know. She didn't want to know.

"I've got good news and bad news, Leia." How did he have the gall to just call her by her first name? Or propose to her, for that matter? It's not like they'd spent a lot of quality time in each other's company. It wasn't like she even really knew him, and vice versa. "The bad news," he continued, ignoring her contemptuous stare, "is that I'll be gone for a few days."

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said that was the bad news."

He glared, inwardly snarling. He really wanted to beat that superior look off her face, but didn't dare. "The good news," he carried on, completely ignoring her comment, "is that you have a little more time to think on my offer." His glance at her became a little shy, a bit more tender. "You have been thinking on it, I hope."

Leia looked away, not about to let him know that it actually was a sorely tempting offer. With that much power, she could do so much good…..But you can't do good with evil power, and you can't make a black stone white. Her very desire to do good would be what would drive her to accept, but that would quickly corrupt into a terrible, monstrous being, and that frightened her.

"I stick by what I said before," she finally said, glaring up at him again. "I refuse, and there's nothing you could say to make me change my mind."

Luke sighed, frustrated. "Fine. I'll let you think on it a little more. Now," he smirked, looking very superior. "May I have a goodbye kiss?"

"No!"

He laughed, before taking her hand – to her displeasure – and kissing it. "You're so cute. See you in a week or two." With that, he swept out of the room, laughing, his mood much improved.

Note to self: Never, ever wear black on a planet that has two suns……

The young Lord of the Sith was utterly miserable. Why he ever agreed to come down to the wretched dust ball of a planet known as Tatooine was utterly beyond him. Not only was his classic black attire hot, it was thick and uncomfortable. It was usually somewhat chilly on board the space shuttles, it was just what he always wore. But the thick clothes were entirely unsuitable for such an arid climate. The Storm Troopers did not fare much better, since their uniforms were bulky and substantial, but they didn't attract half as much of the heat as Lord Skywalker's did.

On top of that, he felt oddly sick. He didn't know why. A bug he'd caught, perhaps? He doubted that. He felt….like he was pounded flat and left to dry in some desolate portion of the desert. He felt as if he ought to be somewhere, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out where. He felt like there was something missing…..Someone he ought to know, or something he ought to be doing.

What I ought to be doing, he reminded himself, is finding the plans to the Death Star. Then I can get off this Force forsaken rock.

He sort of kicked his heels around in the sand, feeling as if this was an utter waste of his valuable time. Generally, when his father asked him to do something, it was something that involved a certain amount of skill, that Luke was especially able in handling. A discreet assassination, performing an execution, delivering a torture. But this? Digging in the sand for who knows what? It was insulting, that was what it was! He agreed that finding the plans was important, but it was a simple enough task that he oughtn't need to be there for it. So he just supervised the Storm Troopers as they did all the actual work, and he was only mildly amused when they brought him information that the escape pod had, in fact, had something in it. Tracks of a droid went off in the direction of what the locals called the Jundland wastes.

There it was again! That nauseating feeling, as if he'd been here before, or should have been, or….or maybe he was just loosing his mind.

"Alright. I'm….gonna go follow 'em," he explained to the Trooper who'd reported to him. "You guys just, uh….do whatever it is you do….."

"Should I assign an escort, sir?"

The Lord of the Sith rolled his eyes. "Please, I think I can handle a small droid."

"But, sir, this area is reportedly inhabited by-"

A glare from Lord Skywalker immediately silenced the Storm Trooper. Most people lived in fear that he might use the Force to chock him, but that was more his father's "shtick." It was useful on occasion, but he much preferred straight out hand to hand combat. Nothing was quite as thrilling as the hum of lightsabers, and he'd often had a few good duels against Mara Jade, but could never get his father to spar with him….

But Luke wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking that he just really, really wanted to be alone, to figure out why he felt so….flat. And so, he grabbed a bottle of water and started following the track.

Ten meters later, he stopped.

He was, literally, sick, and had to hold his head for a few minutes to wait for the world to stop spinning. He took a few steps away from where he'd just vomited, so the smell wouldn't make him even sicker. To be sick on a desert planet, of all places! Why couldn't that escape pod had landed someplace warm, tropical? Someplace as decidedly not like Tatooine as possible.

Luke, tell Uncle, that if he gets a translator, be sure it speaks Bocce.

It doesn't look like we'll have much of a choice, but I'll remind him.

….But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!

You can waste time with your friends after your chores are done.

What the…..? That wasn't a dream. It was a memory. Like something long ago forgotten that had suddenly returned into his life. Impossible! He'd never done or said anything like that. But still….the second voice….It was his, he knew that much. And the first and third one were so familiar that it almost seemed like….Like? Well, he wasn't sure. Maybe he shouldn't go off into the desert alone, not if he really was coming down with something. However, glancing over his shoulder, he decidedly did not want Storm Troopers for company. Well, here goes nothing.

To Be Continued….

Schnickledooger: Yes, I am, in fact, very cruel. All will be explained if you keep reading. Oh, and as flattering as it is to be bombarded with reviews to update…..I did give you fair warning I would be gone for a week-ish. My long absences are generally always explained.

xInuyashaxAngelx: Thank you!

preciousbabyblue: Now if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?

Luke1: Yes, you spelled it right. Thank you! That is exactly what I was going for! I'm so glad I could get that out there and it could be recognized.

Mixza: A lot of people seem to share that opinion.

Cyn Wraith: Well, she did say no. Twice now. Can't blame her, really.

saiyuki123: Thanks!