Sorry for taking so long! Real life kind hit me in the face with a baseball bat not long after I finished chapter one. Thanks for coming and I hope you enjoy
Lucy rolled out of bed early in the morning with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
A night of unrestful nightmare filled sleep. Nightmares she couldn't even remember now that she was awake. All that was left was a sense of dread and a slight headache.
She quickly went about her morning routine. Using the fresher, brushing her teeth, and putting on a pair of clean clothes that heavily resembled her attire from yesterday. Lucy made her way out of her room while buckling her belt around her waist when she caught sight of her Aunt Beru making her way towards the kitchen.
"Morning Aunt Beru." Lucy called out while hoping her uncle was still asleep. Luckily she had the perfect excuse as to what she was doing up so early, her uncle did tell her to take the astromech to Anchorhead and have it's memory wiped after all.
"Oh good morning Lucy!" Beru smiled at her niece. "I was just about to start preparing breakfast." The older woman motioned Lucy to follow her before continuing on her path to the kitchen. "Getting an early start to the day?"
Lucy jogged the rest of the way over to her aunt so she could walk beside her, "Well Uncle Owen did tell me to take that R2 unit out to Anchorhead." She shrugged while smothering the flash of guilt at having to deceive her aunt. "Best to do it nice and early so we can put him to work later."
"Well then I won't keep you for long but I wanted to ask you something." Beru stepped into the kitchen, followed by Lucy.
"Ask me what Aunt Beru?" Lucy leaned against the wall while watching as her aunt began to move about the room.
"How are you feeling?" The older woman asked in a gentle tone as she placed a few bowls on the counter. She turned to look at her niece. "You hid it very well at dinner last night Lucy. I'm glad you managed to reign in your temper but I know what Owen said really upset you."
Lucy avoided her aunt's gaze by looking at the floor. Her aunt had her dead to rights with her observation. "He broke his word Aunt Beru. He swore to me up and down last year that I could apply to the academy this year. Now he tells me it's just one more year." She slowly lowered her gaze to meet her aunt's. "I'm thinking about submitting my application anyway." Lucy had thought about it as she laid in bed last night trying to sleep. Her plan was to find that R2 unit, take it to see old Ben, and hopefully find a way to help the lady in white. Then she was going to submit her application and leave this dust ball behind.
Beru nodded and didn't look surprised by her niece's words. "You're 19 years old, Lucy. Old enough to make your own decisions."
Her aunt's response surprised her. While she knew her aunt was far more open about letting her go then her uncle, it was still not what she expected the woman to say.
"Oh don't look so surprised Lucy." Beru chuckled before any and all mirth left the woman. Replaced by a slight sadness. "While you're off at Anchorhead I'm going to have a nice long talk with your uncle about everything. Everything we've kept from you." Lucy's head tilted in confusion. "It's like I said Lucy. You're 19 years old. A woman grown. I've wanted to tell you the truth for the last few years but your uncle is quite stubborn." Fondness creeped into Beru's voice as she spoke of her husband.
"The truth?" Of all the things Lucy had expected this hint that her aunt and uncle had kept secrets from her for all these years wasn't what she expected. Sure with how they danced around the topic of her father she suspected that there was a lot more to him than they let on. Way more than being a simple navigator on a spice freighter. "Aunt Beru what are you talking about?" She pushed off the wall and took a few steps closer to the woman who had raised and cared for her all these years.
Beru shook her head and met her niece halfway, she placed her hands on the young woman's shoulders. "Go take that droid to Anchorhead and when you get back I promise that I will tell you everything I know. With or without Owen's approval."
Lucy looked down at her aunt and that uneasy feeling she had felt when waking up was back. Not knowing what else to say or do, she nodded before wrapping her arms around Aunt Beru in a tight hug.
"I love you Aunt Beru... see you when I get back." For some reason the words felt like ash on Lucy's tongue.
"I love you too Lucy." Beru returned the hug, squeezing Lucy back with far more strength than the younger woman was expecting. "Now get a move on. I'll keep your breakfast warm for you."
"Yes ma'am." Lucy said but didn't move away just yet, simply staring at her aunt for a moment longer before breaking the embrace. "Tell Uncle Owen I love him too." The words left her mouth in a rush. It was true after all. Despite being angry with the man right now it didn't mean she had stopped loving the man who had helped raise her.
"I will." Beru took a small step back and looked upon the young woman once more. Wondering where had the time gone, as it seemed just yesterday that a small baby had been given to them by Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Is everything all right, dear?"
"Yeah yeah." Lucy nodded and flashed a grin she didn't really feel. "I'll be off now. Later Aunt Beru!" She waved before turning and jogging from the kitchen, heading to the garage where the golden protocol droid and her X-34 landspeeder were waiting.
Owen exited the room he shared with his wife and made his way out into the courtyard.
"Lucy!" He called and in response all he received was silence. He sighed heavily, wondering if his niece had slept in after cleaning the droids last night.
Or maybe she was just ignoring him.
Owen shook his head before turning to the side and glancing up as he called out again, "Lucy!"
Once more, silence was all he received.
He rolled his eyes while making his way across the courtyard towards the kitchen while calling out once more, half-heartedly, "Lucy!"
This time he expected the silence and was rewarded with it.
A small smile graced his face when he heard bubbling coming from the kitchen as he drew closer to it. Once he was inside he was graced with the sight of his wife of over 20 years standing in front of the cooker, dropping vegetables into the boiling water inside.
"Hello Beru." He greeted his wife as he stepped further into the kitchen, "Have you seen Lucy this morning?"
"I did." She said as she turned her head to look at her husband. "She's taking that astromech droid to Anchorhead, like you told her too."
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, a little surprised that she had actually done as he had asked. Owen knew that his niece would likely speak very little to him in the coming days or maybe even the next few weeks.
"Just because she is upset with you." Beru pointed at Owen with the vegetable she was holding. "Rightfully I might add, doesn't mean she hates you Owen or will abandon her chores just to spite you."
He looked away from her at those words. He knew it was true. No matter how mad Lucy had gotten at him in the past she had never turned away from her chores to spite him. No, her favorite method was simply talking to him as little as possible and ignoring him at every opportunity.
"Did she say anything?" He asked. Not taking his eyes off a particularly interesting part of the wall.
"Well. Aside from telling me she was taking that astromech off to Anchorhead, I asked her how she was feeling." Beru spoke as she worked. "You broke your word to her Owen. It was you that taught her that someone's word was important and here you are. Breaking it."
"To keep her safe, Beru!" Owen raised his voice just the tiniest amount. His gaze finding his wife's.
"We cannot keep her here forever, Owen." Beru had mastered the ability to snap at someone without raising her voice. Owen flinched. "She is 19 years old and the only thing keeping her here is her desire not to hurt us by running off in the middle of the night. She's all grown up now, Owen. That little girl who would follow you around as you checked the moisture vaporators is gone and in her place is a stubborn, talented, and beautiful young woman."
Owen leaned against the counter, a tired sigh escaping him. "Where did the time go?" He asked Beru. It seemed like only yesterday Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived with a baby girl in his arms and a sad look in his eyes. He'd tried numerous times to get the full story of what happened to Anakin, his step-brother and Lucy's father, but the man danced around the question masterfully. All Owen knew was that his step-brother was dead and he had no doubt that the Empire was behind it. In those early years the man would come around often to check on them. Especially Lucy.
Beru smiled at his question while tearing off pieces of the vegetable. "It passed us by, Owen." She dropped them in the cooker. "I love Lucy and I will be very sad when she leaves to go find the adventure she craves and I have no doubts that she will eventually leave." Beru sighed sadly. Owen looked at the floor. "Owen... I do not want her to leave here angry at you." She set the vegetable down on the counter as she prepared herself for her husband's reaction. "I will not be able to live with myself if she goes off thinking her father was a simple navigator on a spice freighter. Owen, we have to tell her the truth."
"No." Owen said sharply after raising his gaze up from the floor. "It's too dangerous Beru." How many times had they had this conversation the last few years?
"I'm sure if we explain to Lucy the danger she will keep it to herself." Beru sighed. Not phased by Owen's tone at all. "Knowing that her father was a Jedi Knight of great renown and what happened to them will prevent her from advertising it." She picked up the vegetable and pointed it at her husband, "By the sand Owen Lars, do you expect her to just go telling everyone she meets if she knew?"
Owen shook his head. "You said you don't want her to leave here angry at me. What if she gets angry at the both of us for lying to her?" For her entire life they had lied to her about her origins. It was mostly his fault, though even Beru agreed with it for years and years until Lucy had gotten old enough that his wife changed her stance on it. Even out here on this dust ball he had heard small inklings of his step-brother's success and heroism in the Clone Wars.
Only for it all to have turn to ash.
"If we explain to her our reasons and the danger she would be in if anyone knew who her father was she will understand." Beru said with certainty. Oh she knew in the beginning after being told the truth her niece's temper would flare like the rising suns of Tatooine but it wouldn't take too long for her to understand why they did it. At least that is what Beru hoped.
'Either way.' The middle-aged woman though. 'Even if she does take off in the dark of night hating us, I will be content with knowing that Lucy knows the truth."
Owen brought his hand up to his forehead while thinking over his wife's words.
After a few minutes of silence, minus the sounds coming from the cooker, Owen asked, "You're going to tell her anyway, aren't you?"
"Yes." Beru said bluntly while peering down into the cooker.
"Then I guess I better go and get the story straight." Owen grumbled before walking over to give his wife a kiss on the temple before turning and leaving the kitchen.
The wind whipped past Lucy's face as she drove her X-34 landspeeder across the wide open sandy plains of Tatooine. Following the signal that the tracker she had installed on the dash of her speeder that was hopefully leading them to the astromech.
"Look!" She told the protocol droid in the passenger seat excitedly. "There's a droid on the scanner! Dead ahead!" There was no doubt in her mind that the droid had to be R2-D2. It isn't like there were many droids that just went wandering the wild deserts of Tatooine after all. Plus, they were heading in the direction that would eventually lead them to old Ben Kenobi's home.
"I see Miss Lucy." Threepio responded while looking at the scanner.
"Hopefully it's our little R2 unit." She tightened her hands on the wheel. "Hit the accelerator for me, Threepio." She ordered.
The golden droid did as he was asked causing the speeder to gain speed and blast across the desert towards canyon.
Several seconds later they came upon the sight of the small white and blue droid waddling across the rocky ground. Lucy slowed her speeder and came to a stop not that far from the astromech droid that she just knew was going to give her a lot of headaches.
She got out of the speeder and was going to help Threepio out but to her surprise the protocol droid had managed to get out of the speeder by himself. Deciding now wasn't the time to question it she made her way over to stand in front of Artoo to block his path. Her hands went to her sides as she stared down at the droid.
"Now where do you think you're going?" She asked sternly.
The astromech beeped out a response.
"Master Lucy is your rightful owner now." Threepio scolded his counter part, waving his hand at Lucy as he talked. "We will have no more of this Obi-Wan Kenobi gibberish."
Lucy shook her head before focusing on R2-D2. "I was actually going to bring you to old Ben today under the guise of taking you to Anchorhead." She had never seen such loyalty in a droid before. It was remarkable.
"You're fortunate she doesn't blast you into a million pieces right now." Threepio pointed at Artoo as he spoke.
She rolled her eyes at the droid's dramatics. "Now now Goldenrod there is no need for that." She lightly patted the protocol droid's shoulder. "Well since we are this far out we might as well pay Ben a visit." Lucy was hopeful that this Obi-Wan was a relative of the man and he could provide her with some new details about her father. It was a bit of a gamble but she was willing to take it.
Just as she was about to usher the two droids back over to her landspeeder, Artoo began to whistle in a way that made Lucy believe the little droid was afraid. He was also rocking from side to side.
Confused, she turned to look at Threepio for translation. Making a mental note to somehow learn how to understand R2 in the future.
"There are several creatures approaching from the south east." Threepio immediately translated for her. She could hear what sounded a lot like fear to her in the droid's tone. She followed his line of sight.
There was only one kind of 'creature' out here.
Tusken-Raiders. Sand people.
"Sand people." She muttered while jogging over to her speeder and grabbing her 6-2Aug2 hunting rifle. A slugthrower that had been gifted to her years ago. "Come on let's go have a look." She said before stopping and looking over her shoulder as the pair of droids hadn't moved.
"Come on." She encouraged with a wave of her hand before continuing on.
It didn't take long for her to get up on a rock formation. She placed her rifle against a nearby rock before retrieving her MB450 macrobinocular from her utility belt and holding them up to her face so she could get a closer look in the valley below.
All she could see were two Banthas idling around.
"Hmm." She took one hand off her macrobinoculars to scratch her cheek before commenting, "There are two Banthas down there but I don't see any.." She trailed off as she spotted a single humanoid figure approach one of the Banthas. "Yep. Sand people alright, I can see one of them now."
Two Banthas. One Tusken. Didn't make a lot of sense.
Lucy's screen suddenly went dark and she quickly realized where the other Tusken's friend was.
Right in front of her.
Lucy lifted her head, greeting her was a Tusken Raider in their usual garb with a gaderffii raised high above it's head. The raider let out a ear splitting war cry as it shook the gaffi stick. As she was rising to her feet in an attempt to confront the Tusken, she briefly registered the rather comedic sound of a scream from Threepio. She dropped her binoculars, hands flying to her rifle which she brought up in an attempt to block the strike from the raider's melee weapon.
The stick was a lot stronger than she was expecting as it easily broke her hunting rifle leaving her stunned and wide open for a follow up attack. The Tusken drove the bottom of its gaderffii into her gut, pain blossomed from the area and Lucy was knocked off her feet and sent flying backwards.
Fear shot through her, almost masking the pain. The Tusken continued letting out it's strange shrieks as it jumped down towards her, bringing the top end of it's weapon down in an attempt to smash in Lucy's face. She wildly dodged, rolling from side to side. Her attacker's weapon thudded off the rock twice as she barely managed to dodge each strike. Somehow, she ended up laying on her back and looking up as the Tusken lifted its stick once more above it's head to let out their trademark war cry.
Realizing she had an opportunity, her hand instantly went down to her right side, her fingers brushing against the grip of her blaster when a sharp pain to the side of her head caused her to see stars before blissful darkness.
END.
Lucy seems to be in some deep trouble! Hopefully a crazy hermit will show up to save the day. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time. Bye bye!
