Chapter 3:

Tattooine

Anakin awoke early, knowing that they were heading into gangster territory. Tattooine was a strange place, even for someone who had lived here for several years, if any planet could be called his home planet, then Tattooine was it though he preferred Naboo. He thought again of Padme, and reached out his senses searching for her but his Force powers, still were not that strong for he couldn't locate her. Anakin landed Darth Vader's TIE fighter and went to wake up the Princess.

He looked at her, dark hair in disarray and something about the way she slept reminded him of….himself. That's crazy, Anakin, he told himself. He had to get a grip. He was struck with another blinding light in the Force, one so bright that even miles away he had to shield himself from. Anakin brought up his shields in the Force. He had been getting used to the bright light that was Leia, but the blinding light was something else entirely.

Anakin turned back to Leia after adjusting to the new Force presence. There were Jedi here. And then he remembered, he had never gotten around to asking Leia about the Jedi. He watched as she rubbed her eyes and looked at him. "You never told me, Princess…do you mind if I call you, Leia?" he asked. "I was on a first name basis with your father."

"Alright," Leia said, "I will allow it, Master Jedi. You are a Jedi, are you not?" she asked.

"I am, or at least I was," he conceded. "Who is your master?"

he asked her and she looked at him confused. "You have been trained as a Jedi?" he continued.

"The Jedi….were hunted down to the point of near extinction and I don't have those powers," Leia protested, and Anakin didn't comment.

"Come on, we must hurry there's a sandstorm coming in, and we need nourishments," he stated flatly.

"We need to find my Artoo unit, the plans for the Death Star are on him."

Anakin nodded. "Food first, then we will find this Artoo of yours," he said. Anakin wasn't sure how he was going to pay for the food since he had nothing of value here and he detested using mind tricks on people that struggled making their way in the universe. He was saved from that dilemma by the princess herself.

"How did you become a prisoner?" Leia asked him.

"It's not something I wish to discuss today," he said, even as his mind flittered across the events. How he had been there protecting the younglings. He had been sent there to teach them a class on some basics, and to be honest, he was showing off for them. The Hero With No Fear, actually loved spending time with younglings. He had found that he was a great teacher. He had a certain knack for it. Then he had felt the ripples flow throughout the Force and it had been no more fun and games. He had been ready to attack, but he had never expected what had happened.

"Show yourself, Vader," Anakin heard as he pushed Leia down in the sand at the threat from the Force. Again, he regretted not having his weapon, only now he could FEEL his weapon. He turned around to look at a very old man. Just who was he? And why did he have HIS lightsaber? With a wave of his fingers, Anakin lifted his lightsaber and brought it to his grip.

"I am not Darth Vader," Anakin said pronouncing the words very slowly and carefully. "I don't know who you are, old man, or why you had my lightsaber," Anakin stated as he got a good look at the lightsaber. "Obi-Wan?" he asked.

"I thought you two knew each other," Leia said. "General Kenobi, meet Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker," she said, helpfully as the two men contemplated each other.

"You are no more a Jedi than Emperor Palpatine's a servant," Obi-Wan cried out. Just then Anakin heard the whirling of Artoo.

"Hey buddy," Anakin greeted his faithful droid. "I always wondered what became of you," he murmured petting the dome affectionately. "Perhaps, Obi-Wan," Anakin said after listening to the raspberries and whirls Artoo was making. "We should find some place to talk away from the sandstorm." Anakin knew that Artoo was NOT happy with him.

"Be my guest….Anakin. Take whatever you want, that's what your kind is good at."

"The least you could do is allow me an explanation. I thought the Jedi didn't attack the innocent," Anakin countered. Obi-Wan frowned but didn't respond as he led them toward his hovel.