When they landed in Mos Eisley Amira went to check on her ship while he procured a speeder. They met up outside the docking bay where her ship was housed. He asked, "Is everything alright?" She nodded, "Yes, I am paid up through the month." He smiled, "The month, you are delaying the inevitable." She nodded sadly, "I know, but I am not ready to leave you yet."
He put his arm around her and they began walking towards the speeder, "Let's take care of Luke and worry about when you should leave later." She leaned into him, "I hope we are in time."
It was well after dark when they arrived at the Lars' homestead. Amira thought the moisture farm was cozy despite being surrounded by nothing in all directions. Just like her brother and Breha, the Lars were exhausted form their vigil at Luke's bedside.
Beru was a kind woman who welcomed her and Obi-Wan openly, but Owen was more reserved and almost seemed hostile towards Obi-Wan. They proceeded immediately to the boy's bedside.
Beru fixed his bedclothes and smoothed his hair. She looked at Amira, "Can you help him?" She smiled and nodded, "Yes, we were able to help his sister. She was also ill." Owen looked uncomfortably at the two Jedi, "What is causing this?"
Obi-Wan placed his hand on Luke's forehead and said, "It is because they are Force sensitive. The bond they had in the womb; the mental connection they shared is deteriorating. Had he grown up in the Temple among the Jedi he would already have the tools to deal with confusion in his mind."
Amira stood next to Obi-Wan, "I also had this as a child." Beru asked, "How did you recover?" Amira replied, "My twin brother was training at the Temple. My parents contacted them and they sent a healer to help me."
Obi-Wan had already begun helping Luke. Amira walked over to Owen and Beru, "This could take a few hours you both must be exhausted you should take some time to rest." Beru walked out of the room and shook her head, "I won't be able to sleep. Have you eaten? Perhaps I could fix something for you?"
Amira followed her out of the room, "Thank you that would be lovely." Owen stood in the doorway staring at Obi-Wan and Luke. Beru turned and said, "He is in good hands. Come have something to eat." He turned and reluctantly followed the two women out of the room.
Owen and Amira sat at the dining room table while Beru busied herself in the kitchen. Amira sipped at a steaming stim drink and said, "Your home is lovely. I am amazed how anyone can make a life out here."
He looked up from his own drink and said, "Moisture farming is no easy life. If the Sand people don't kill you the dust storms ruin the equipment. My father lost his wife and his leg doing this work and it eventually took his life."
Amira nodded her understanding; "I encountered a band of Tuskan Raiders on my first visit." His eyebrows rose, "You are lucky to be all in one piece." She replied, "I almost wasn't but Ben showed up just in time."
Beru placed the food on the table, "How do you and Ben know each other?" Amira smiled, "He and my brother Bail are friends." Owen asked, "Your brother is Bail Organa?"
Amira took a bite of her food and nodded. Beru gasped, "You are Princess Organa. Forgive us your highness we didn't know." Amira smiled, "its just Amira, no formalities here."
They all ate in silence. After several minutes Owen asked, "So what are you doing here?" Amira laughed, "That is a long story." He shrugged, "We have nothing but time." She nodded, "I came out here three years ago looking for Ben. My brother wanted to pass on some information to him. That's when I ran into the Sand people."
After another bite of food she continued, "I was badly injured and Ben cared for me while I healed. He was unwilling to get involved in my brother's business, but he offered to teach me a little about the Jedi. After I left Tatooine he encouraged me to continue my training elsewhere."
Owen shook his head in disbelief, "With all that has occurred you want to be a Jedi? I would reconsider if I were you." Beru gave him a disapproving look. Amira replied, "It's too late for that. I was knighted just days ago." Amira sipped her drink and questioned Owen, "I get the feeling you don't think much of the Jedi?"
Owen pushed his empty plate aside and said, "The Republic never existed out here and therefore Jedi were not real figures to us. More like legend then anything. Now the Empire has destroyed the Republic and the Jedi. I just find it pointless to continue to pursue the ways of an ancient and extinct order. Nothing good can come of it."
Beru rose and quietly cleared away the dishes. Amira looked at Owen and said, "I see how you might think that it is pointless. It does seem that way sometimes. I still have hope. Hope for the future; hope that the Republic can be restored. As long as there are a few of us left to preserve the past and pass on what we know to the next generation the Jedi will not become extinct."
When Beru returned to the table she asked, "You mentioned you had a twin brother. Is he a Jedi too?" Amira replied sadly, "He was a Jedi. He was killed five years ago." Owen shook his head and Beru sighed, "I am so sorry." Amira replied, "It is ok. I have been able to come to terms with his loss."
Beru looked towards Luke's room, "I wonder how it's going." Amira closed her eyes and after a moment she smiled, "It is going well." Owen asked, "You can sense what is happening in there?" She nodded, "Yes, in a way. I can sense how Ben is feeling. I can tell that he is making progress."
Owen stood and said, "I am going to go make sure everything is shut down for the night." After he departed Amira asked, "Does he not like Ben?" Beru shrugged, "It isn't like or dislike really. He is wary of Jedi. Anakin Skywalker was his step brother."
She leaned forward and folded her arms on the table, "Does he fear Anakin will return here?" Beru shook her head, "He fears that Luke will grow up and want to be a Jedi like his father. He doesn't like Ben's influence on him. "
She smiled sympathetically, 'If it would make him feel any better please let him know that Luke will be able to choose his own path. It won't be forced on him to become a Jedi. I confess though that it is our hope that he does."
Beru glanced once again towards Lukes' room, "He is such a good boy. He has quite an adventurous spirit. I know when he is old enough he will not want to stay here. He just isn't a farmer. There is too much of his father in him."
The feeling that came over Amira was cold and whispered of danger. It came not from Luke's room but from outside the house. She rose suddenly and said, "Stay in the house, do not go outside until I return."
Beru's eyes opened wide, "What is it?" She replied, "I sense a disturbance. Just stay here. Let no one in. If I do not return go in and get Ben." Amira hurried out of the house into the Tatooine night.
What ever she sensed outside, it was already over. The signs of a struggle were evident just a few meters from the house. Sand people had come in close and Owen was missing. Amira started the speeder and set out after them.
She did not go far when she spotted their Bantha caravan in the distance. She parked the speeder and followed quietly on foot. After about an hour the caravan halted and began to set up a camp below a large outcropping of rock.
She waited for the camp to settle in for the night and observed Owen being dragged into a small tent. He was left alone with only two guards stationed outside. Even though her first encounter with these creatures nearly killed her she felt amazingly calm.
Her approach to the camp was completely unobserved and she dispatched both Raiders outside the tent before they were aware she was there. She extinguished her lightsaber and lifted the flap to the tent.
Owen was bound by his wrists to a wooden rack and seemed to be unconscious. She knelt beside him and began to untie his wrists. Carefully she lowered him to the ground and began to look him over.
He had some facial lacerations but for the most part seemed in one piece. She touched her hand to his forehead and brought him to consciousness. His immediately reaction upon waking was to grab her and fight. She subdued him, "Easy Owen you are alright."
When he realized who she was he quit struggling, "How…how did you know what happened." She replied, "Having a Jedi around isn't such a bad thing sometimes." He gave her half of a smile and looked around, "Where are we?" She helped him sit up and said, "In a Tuskan camp about ten kilometers from your house."
He rubbed the back of his head and said, "They came up behind me I never saw them. Are Beru and Luke alright?" She checked the back of his head and said, "They are safe, but we must get out of here quickly. Can you stand?" He replied, "Yes, I think so."
She helped him to his feet and she cautioned, "Stay beside me and stay alert." He nodded without reply. As she walked outside the tent a rather rough looking four legged creature saw her and barked its warning.
She warned Owen as she drew her weapon, "We're going to have company get behind me." He obeyed her without question and they were soon surrounded by a mob of Sand people. Sensing that they had no intention of allowing her or Owen to escape unharmed, she did not hesitate to make the first move.
Two of the creatures were dead at her feet and she was engaging five others. For the second time in her life a Gaffi stick struck her. It grazed her shoulder cutting through skin and muscle.
She winced but did not falter. He picked up a Gaffi stick from one of the fallen Tuskans and began to assist her. Within minutes several Tuskan Raiders lay dead around them. Sensing that the remaining Raiders were not going to engage them She turned to Owen, "It's time to go."
They slipped out into the darkness and made their way back to the speeder. She fired it up and drove back to the Lars' homestead. Both Beru and Obi-Wan were outside when they pulled up.
Beru rushed up to her husband, "I was so worried are you alright?" Amira helped him out of the speeder, "He's banged up but all in one piece." Obi-Wan looked from Owen to Amira and asked, "What happened?" She looked off into the darkness, "We should get inside."
Once safely inside the house Beru began tending her husband's injuries. Amira asked, "Is Luke alright?" Obi-Wan nodded, "Yes, he is going to be fine." She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeming somewhat agitated Obi-Wan pulled Amira off into another room. He turned to face her, "I was about to go looking for you. What happened?"
She felt slightly faint and sat down in a chair, "I was talking with Beru in the kitchen. Owen had gone out to secure the house. I felt a disturbance. I knew something had happened to him so I told her to stay inside while I went to investigate…"
The room began to close in and she struggled to finish her sentence, "Tuskan Raiders…took him…fought them." He knelt in front of her and said her name, "Amira, what's wrong?" Before she could answer he noticed the blood dripping from her hand onto the floor.
He sprang in to action removing her cloak and outer tunic. The wound on her shoulder had seeped through her clothing and was dripping down her arm. He tore the fabric from her shoulder to expose the wound, "You are losing a lot of blood."
Beru peeked in just then and gasped, "What happened?" Obi-Wan asked, "Do you have bandages?" She replied, "Of course." and hurried from the room. He closed his hand around the wound, "Stay with me sweetheart."
She had collapsed by the time Beru returned. Obi-Wan had placed her on the floor. Beru assisted him as he bandaged her shoulder. He sensed her worry and assured her, "She has lost a lot of blood but she will recover."
The house was dark when she opened her eyes. There was a steady throbbing coming from her shoulder. She tried to sit up but a hand pushed her back down, "Not so fast Princess, "You owe me an explanation."
When her eyes adjusted to the darkness his face came into focus. She asked, "I blacked out?" He sighed heavily, "Yes, you did. Next time you had better tell me you are going to run off and do something foolish."
She gave him an exasperated look, "There wasn't time and Luke needed you." He shook his head wearily, "You may be a Jedi, but you are very inexperienced. You could have been killed."
She moved to sit up but looked at him first, "Can I sit up now?" As he helped her she asked," I did ok…did I not?" He could not help but smile, "Yes, you did." She continued, "And I did exactly what you would have done. " He conceded, "Yes, you did."
He moved to sit next to her his face hovered close to hers, "You worried me." She whispered, "I'm sorry. It was instinct. I just reacted. It all happened very fast." He caressed the side of her face with his fingers, "You did well. Your quick action probably saved Owen."
He leaned forward and kissed her gently, "Feel up to going home?" She smiled, "Home? That sounds nice." After leaving a note thanking Owen and Beru for their hospitality he and Amira left quietly.
Being back at his house did seem like home. After freshening up and changing into a clean nightdress she slipped into bed. By the time he had cleaned up and climbed into bed next to her she was asleep. He pulled her gently to him, mindful of her shoulder and they slept.