"Uncle Owen!", Luke called out to his uncle once more.
"Yeah?"
"What about that one?", he asked, pointing at the blue astromech droid.
"What about that blue one? We'll take that one.", Owen asked the leader. With little reluctance the Jawa trades the damaged droid for Artoo.
"Yeah, take it away.", Luke told the Jawas.
"The Jawas are displeased for sure" Shaak Ti commented.
"Why would they be displeased?" Asked Caleb as he looked at the Jedi Master.
"Because they would rather sell him to someone else on a high price. In the case of Owen, he is getting a malfunctioning Droid replaced with a proper functioning one on low price. So clearly they are at a loss" she explained to the young Padawan who nodded in understanding.
"Uh, I'm quite sure you'll be very pleased with that one, sir. He really is in first-class condition. I've worked with him before. Here he comes.", Threepio told the young man as Owen pays off the whining Jawa as Luke and the two droids. trudge off toward a grimy homestead entry.
"Oh, indeed he is", Anakin said with pride on Threepio's opinion of Artoo.
The garage is cluttered and worn, but a friendly peaceful atmosphere surrounds the low grey chamber. Threepio lowered himself into a large tub filled with warm oil. Near the battered Landspeeder was Artoo, who rested on a large battery with a cord to his circuits.
"Thank the maker! This oil bath is going to feel so good. I've got such a bad case of dust contamination, I can barely move!", the protocol droid exclaimed with relief.
Artoo replied a muffled beep.
Luke seems to be lost in thought as he runs his hand over the damaged fin of a small two-man Skyhopper spaceship resting in a low hangar off the garage. Finally Luke's frustrations get the better of him and he slams a wrench across the workbench.
"It just isn't fair. Biggs is right. I'm never gonna get out of here!", Luke whined to himself in front of the two droids.
"Who is this, Biggs?" Anakin asked wondering what relation does this Biggs guy and his son share.
"We are going to have a chat after this" Obi Wan whispered to Anakin which was audible to only both of them.
'He whines like Anakin' Obi Wan noticed one more similarity between them.
"Is there anything I might do to help?", Threepio inquired as Luke glanced at the protocol droid. His frustrated look was replaced with a tiny smile creeps across his face.
"Well, not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest, or teleport me off this rock!", Luke said in frustration as he worked on Artoo.
"Why am I not surprised that he wants to leave that dustball" Anakin said exasperatedly as he knew how nightmare of a planet could Tatooine be.
"Is there anything I can help you with" said a female voice which made Luke turn around and look at the source of voice.
Jelena was standing on the threshold of the garage with her hair tied in a bun.
"No, you can't . You are Uncle's favorite he never scolds you or tells you to do any chores" Luke said with a sad voice, saddened by his uncle's favouritism. His words made his sister's face turn red in anger.
"What's so special about you that he favour's you more than me even though we are twins" Luke said in anger as tears fell from his eyes.
"He doesn't favour me the most, Luke. He scolds you for your recklessness and when it comes to doing chores, who went to Mos Espa a few days ago to bring household items" Jelena said with anger as she didn't liked her twin accusing her of a baseless argument.
"Things are turning a bit heated up between them" murmered Rex as he looked at the two siblings fighting.
"I don't think Luke should blaming his sister for his uncle's favouritism towards her. It's his uncle's fault not hers that he favour's her." Ashoka Tano said.
Anakin didn't liked the sight of his two children argunig with each other. He blamed Owen for favouring Jelena over Luke which has made his son feel bad. But he agreed with Ashoka that Luke shouldn't be blaming Jelena for this. His daughter had no fault just like Luke in the given situation.
'I am going to be a father of twins' this thought made his heart warm with parental pride. Unknown to everything else, he had no idea he is going to have a lot of surprises waiting for him when he watches these Holovids further.
On the other hand, Padme took parenting notes about not favouring one child over the other.
She smiled knowing that she is going to be a mother of twins.
"Alright, I am sorry" Luke apologised to his sister as he realised his mistake for accusing her of something in which she has no fault.
Jelena looked away not even considering her brother's apology. Luke sighed and wrapped his arms around her.
"I am sorry I shouldn't have said that" Luke said and rested his head on her arm as she was almost four inches taller than him. Getting no response from her. He sighed and unwrapped his arms from around her and held his ears in a way to apologise.
"Look now I have also held my ears. Forgive me please" Jelena looked at her brother and smiled at little.
"Alright I forgive you, poppet" Jelena said and ruffled her brother's hair.
Almost everyone smiled at the two siblings. Anakin was happy to see that his two children have finally made up with each other.
"This is the first time I am seeing a sister taller than her brother" Ashoka said as she noticed the height difference between the two.
Padme smiled a little as she realised that Luke had taken her height whereas Jelena had taken Anakin's height.
"To answer your question, sir. I don't think so, sir. I'm only a droid and not very knowledgeable about such things. Not on this planet, anyways. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure which planet I'm on.", the droid explained to the young man and the woman.
"You used to live there Threepio" Anakin yelled at the droid on screen hoping he would hear him.
"Well, if there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from.", Jelena added as Threepio nodded
"That's the most decent way of telling about Tatooine" Anakin nodded
"I see, ma'am."
"Uh, you can call me, Jelena and he is luke"Jelana added while pointing towards Luke who waved at the protocol droid.
"I see, sir Luke and ma'am Jelena"
Luke laughed at the droid's formalities. "Just Luke and Jelena"
"And I am C-3P0, human-cyborg relations", the protocol droid introduced himself to the young man before he gestured to the blue droid. "And this is my counterpart, R2-D2"
"Hello.", Luke greeted the astromech droid, who beeped in response.
"How did they ended up with the Jawas?" Jelena shrugged as she took in the working condition of the two droids.
The young man disconnected Artoo and began to scrape several connectors on the droid's head with a chrome pick while Threepio climed out of the oil tub and begins wiping oil from his body.
"You got a lot of carbon scoring here. It looks like you boys have seen a lot of action.", Luke mused at the two.
"You should to talk to me about their adventures, Kid" Anakin said remembering the adventures of his, Artoo and Threepio. Mostly him and Artoo.
"I agree twinnie after all staying with the Jawas is not less than an adventure" Jelena joked who smiled a little.
"I agree, staying with those vile creatures for a few minutes equalises to an adventure" Obi Wan quipped which erupted a series of chuckles in the theatre.
"That was one of our adventures, ma'am. With all we've been through, sometimes I'm amazed we're in as good condition as we are, what with the Rebellion and all."Luke and Jelena gasped at what the protocol droid had said. "You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?!" They both said in unison.
"Found an adventure they both have" Yoda mused.
"Well, the dustball planet has nothing else to do. So I am not surprised by their anticipation for finding some sort if adventure" Anakin added.
"That's how we came to be in your service, if you take my meaning, sir."
"Have you been in many battles?", Luke asked out of curiosity.
"Have you ever had a run in with the empire?" Jelena added with curiosity.
"Several, I think. Actually, there's not much to tell. I'm not much more than an interpreter, and not very good at telling stories. Well, not at making them interesting, anyways."
"You haven't fought in much battles, Threepio and when you have fought you were stuck in crossfire" Obi Wan commented.
While working on Artoo, Luke struggled to remove a small metal fragment from Artoo's neck joint.
Jelena noticing her brother's struggle to remove the small fragement picked up a large pick and showed her brother aside and said "Let me do it" as she removed the smaller fragement.
The fragment breaks loose with a snap, sending Jelena tumbling head over heels. Luke helped his sister stand up as they see a twelve-inch three- dimensional hologram of Leia Organa, the former Imperial senator, of Alderaan being projected from the face of the astromech droid. Luke's mouth hanged open in fascination and awe at seeing this. Jelena's eyes widen in fascination and confusion a she took in the appearance of the princess.
"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.", the hologram exclaimed.
Hearing the name 'Obi Wan' something stirred inside of Jelena.
"Obi Wan?" Exclaimed everyone in disbelief. The man Obi Wan himself was shocked to hear his name.
"What have I done now?" Obi wan asked even though no one had an answer.
"Obi Wan? Why would she ask for help from you?" Anakin exclaimed as he wondered where his master was during this time.
"Something about Jelena's expression tells me that she knows something about you, Master Obi Wan" Padme said as she took in her daughter's changing facial expressions.
"I agree with you, Senator. I noticed it too" Mace agreed with the senator.
'Those eyes where have I seen them' Jelena thought to herself as she looked at the princess eyes.
"Obi Wan??" Jelena murmured to herself while Luke was looking at the hologram.
Some blurry voices surfaced in her mind regarding the name.
"Take care of them, Obi Wan" said an unidentified person very slowly.
"I will" said a male voice confidently. His blond hair visible were only visible in the memory. Who was clearly Obi Wan.
A distinct memory which was stored away in the deepest sections of her mind re surfaced in which this person with the name Obi Wan was present.
Silence. The whole theatre was engulfed in silence as they heard the memory and thoughts of Jelena. "What was that?" Anakin said softly as he registered those words and thoughts of his daughter. He looked at his former master for answers who himself looked baffled. Who is this 'them' in her memory.
"The other voice is of Master Kenobi but whose voice is the first one?" Master Mundi said as they weren't able to identify the other one.
"I guess we have to watch forward to know more about this?" Mace said.
"Your distraction from present will give a safe passage for an intruder or opponent to strike you" said a male voice inside her head which was very well known to her.
Those words brought her back to reality as she looked at her brother who was clearly too busy to have noticed her being carried away by her thoughts.
Master Mace Windu abruptly paused the holovid.
"Master Qui Gon's voice that was" Yoda said in disbelief as they heard the voice of the former Jedi Master.
Anakin had heard this voice after so many years. This man freed him from slavery, brought him to the Jedi Temple to be trained as a Jedi. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wondered what must he be thinking about him when he has become a Jedi what will be his words for him. Padme discreetly kept her hand on her husband's trying to comfort him.
Tears welled up in the eyes of Obi Wan as he heard the voice of his master. He was the closest thing to a father and family he had till Anakin came, he someone could say that raised him and most importantly he brought Anakin in his life, his best friend, his brother.
"Why is Jelena hearing his voice then?" Ashoka Tano asked. She didn't had much idea about Master Qui Gonna but knew that he was a very important person to her master and Obi Wan Kenobi.
"She is force sensitive that's for sure" Shaak To told them.
"I agree with you on that one but why is she hearing his voice?" Master Mundi asked with a frown.
"The only way to find the answers is if we keep watching these holovids further" Kit Fisto said and Mace resumed the Holovids.
"What's this?", asked Luke.
"A message, idiot" his sister commented.
"or a distress signal, a cry for help"
The astromech droid looked around and sheepishly beeped an answer for Threepio to translate. The hologram continued to repeat the sentence fragment repeatedly as if it was glitched at the moment..
"Who is she? She's beautiful.", Luke asked the protocol droid."I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir.", Threepio replied. "I think she was a passenger on our last voyage. A person of some importance, sir - I believe. Our captain was attached to..."
Jelena rolled her eyes at the protocol droids rambling.
"Is there more to this recording?", Luke interrupted as he reached out for Artoo but the droid lets out several frantic squeaks followed by a whistle a whistle.
"Easy there, Artoo", Anakin commented to his droid.
"Easy there, buddy" Jelena told the whistling droid as she saw that his constant whistling has startled her brother.
"Behave yourself, Artoo.", the protocol droid reprimanded him. "You're going to get us in trouble. It's all right, you can trust him. He's our new master."Artoo replied and beeped a long message to Threepio, who translated what the droid told him. "He says he's the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. And it's a private message for him. Quite frankly, sir I don't know what he's talking about. Our last master was Captain Antilles, but with what we've been through, this little R2 unit has become a bit eccentric."
"Why are you living on Tatooine?" Anakin asked his master who gave him an exasperated glance.
"Well, I love sand and I thought that it would be great to live there. So I shifted to Tatooine" Obi Wan sarcastically said looking at his former apprentice.
"Of course the war has something to do with it, Anakin" He added.
"If master Obi Wan is on Tatooine then some other Jedi could there as well" Shaak Ti commented.
"Kenobi huh… the only Kenobi I know is old man Ben. Not sure if they're the same person but Ben's a neighbour of mine… as much of a neighbour one can be in this desert anyway. He lives beyond the dune sea, a bit of a strange old hermit. He's an old friend of Uncle Owen and I used to see him around, but uncle says he's too lost in the past now after the sun fried his brain.", Luke explained to the droids present. Jelena rolled her eyes as she heard her brother's words.
"Well, I have no family or relatives on Tatooine. I hail from Stewjon" he said as Anakin turned to him with more questions.
He pointed towards the screen so that both of them keep watching these holovids.
"Not all Kenobi's are relatives, Luke" Jelena told her brother.
"What if this Obi Wan Kenobi and Ben Kenobi are relatives?" Luke argued and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"What If they are not?" Jelena challenged.
"What if they are?" Luke again argued.
"Fine, you win. We will go to Been to solve this matter" Jelena said as she threw her hands in air and left the garage.
"I suppose We can take you to visit old Ben when I'm free. Gotta get to dinner first." Luke muttered before leaving the garage.
In the kitchen stood Aunt Beru, a warm, motherly woman, fills a pitcher with blue fluid from a refrigerated container in the well- used kitchen. She puts the pitcher on a tray with some bowls of food and starts for the dining area. Luke sat with his Sister Jelena and Uncle Owen before a table covered with steaming bowls of food as Aunt Beru carries in a bowl of red grain.
Once he sat down with his uncle and sister, he brought up the droid's message.
"You know, I think those droids might have been stolen." Luke said as he dug into his meal, an unappetising plate of muck that tasted as bland as it looked.
"What makes you say that?
"Well, the R2 unit is carrying a message for one. Says it's for an Obi-Wan Kenobi who lives around these parts. Although I only know of Ben Kenobi and there aren't that many others who live nearby." Luke said as she stared at her meal, missing his uncle's sudden sombre look.
"Do you know what that's about?"
"No." Owen answered in a curt voice and wiped away his expression.
"Maybe they're related?"
"No. Ben's just a crazy old man now. Bring the R2 down to the workshop tomorrow and have its memory wiped and that'll be the end of it. It belongs to us now."
Jelena stayed quiet throughout the whole conversation between her brother and uncle.
"Owen is hiding something from Luke and Jelena" Plo Kaan commented and others nodded at his words.
But… what if this Obi-Wan comes looking for it?" Luke asked unsurely.
"He won't, I don't think he exists anymore."
Each and every person looked horrified at the news but something inside them was telling them that Owen was lying to Luke and Jelena.
"Obi-Wan… died about the same time your father did." Owen said and immediately cursed internally at the slip up.
'I died in future?' Anakin thought to himself as he realised what his children were doing on Tatooine with their Uncle and Aunt. 'What happened to Padme?' he asked himself wondering what happened to his wife.
"He knew our father?" Luke's head perked up excitedly at the thought that there was someone else who knew his father. Jelena looked at her uncle as she heard the mention of their father.
"I told you to forget it. Your only concern is to prepare the new droids for tomorrow. I want them working on the condensers on the south ridge as soon as possible."
"I think those droids will be fine… and if they work out I think… I think I wanna submit my application for the academy this year."
"I am going to submit the application too, Uncle" Jelena said as she looked at her uncle for signs of approval.
"You mean the next semester before the harvest? But that's when I need you both the most." Owen said, lying through his teeth.
"Surely you can stick around for one more season, then I'll make enough on the harvest to hire some more hands for next season. You can go to the academy next year, you must understand, I need you here."
"But that's a whole nother year! And you said the same thing last season too!" Luke complained, frustrated at his uncle. Jelena simply sighed knowing that her uncle won't ever let her or Luke leave Tatooine.
"I am a pretty sure he can go for at least a year without them" Obi Wan muttered.
"It's just one more season."
"Yeah, that's what you said last year when Biggs and Tank left.", Luke put down his spoon and pushed her his empty plate away, no longer having the appetite.
"Where are you going?", Beru asked her nephew.
"It looks like I'm going nowhere. I have to finish cleaning those droids.", Luke promptly left the table, leaving Jelena, Owen and Beru.
"Go to him" Beru said to her niece who nodded and left from there leaving her Owen and Beru alone.
"I'll make it up to them next year, I promise." Owen said to Beru and slumped in his seat .
"Owen, they can't stay here forever. Most of his friends have gone. It means so much to him", Beru told her husband who was unwilling to let go of Luke at the meantime.
"That's what I'm afraid of".
"He is trying to protect them from something" Plo Kaan commented about Owen.
"What exactly?" Asked Caleb.
"That's what we have figure out" Mace Windu said.
Author's Note - Hope you liked the chapter. The next update will be coming soon.