A/N: And so, one more chapter. By now you have noticed the differences between this and the original version.
It was still early and already the Tatooine heat was unbearable. The barren desert landscape was empty and clear for miles. A lone landspeeder flew across the desert as the owner shifted through the desert. Luke Skywalker leaned over the back of the speeder after giving his protocol droid, See-Threepio, temporary control of the speeder as he adjusted something in the motor. Luke turned his head to look over his shoulder. "How's that?" he called. Threepio signaled that it was fine and Luke turned back into the wind-whipped cockpit.
"Old Ben Kenobi lives out in this direction somewhere, but I don't see how that R2 unit could have come this far. We must have missed him. Uncle Owen isn't going to take this very well,"
"Sir, would it help if you told him it was my fault," Threepio asked.
Luke brightened at the concept. "Sure. He needs you. He'd probably only deactivate you for a day or so..." he said.
"Deactivate!" Threepio cried. "Well, on the other hand if you hadn't removed his restraining bolt..."
"Wait, there's something dead ahead on the scanner. It looks like our droid...hit the accelerator," Luke said interrupting him. Threepio did as he was commanded and they sped up until they caught up to little Artoo. Threepio parked the speeder along side Artoo and Luke hopped out of the cockpit with a blaster rifle slung over his shoulder. "Hey, whoa, just where do you think you're going?" Luke asked, blocking Artoo's path.
The little droid whistled a feeble reply, as Threepio posed menacingly behind the little runaway.
"Master Luke here is your rightful owner. We'll have no more of this Obi-Wan Kenobi jibberish...and don't talk to me about your mission, either. You're fortunate he doesn't blast you into a million pieces right here," Threepio said to the little droid.
"Well, come on. It's getting late. I only hope we can get back before Uncle Owen really blows up," Luke said, ushering the droids back to the speeder.
"If you don't mind my saying so, sir, I think you should deactivate the little fugitive until you've gotten him back to your workshop," Threepio said to Luke.
"No, he's not going to try anything," Luke said dismissing that suggestion.
Suddenly the Artoo jumped to life with a mass of frantic whistles and screams.
Luke looked at him with wide eyes. "What's wrong with him now?" he asked.
"Oh my...sir, he says there are several creatures approaching from the southeast," Threepio informed him.
Luke swung his rifle into position and looked to the south. "Sandpeople! Or worse! Come on, let's have a look. Come on," he said moving to a vintage point by climbing onto the top of a rocky ledge. Luke carefully made his way to the top of a rock ridge and scanned the canyon with his electrobinoculars. He spotted the two riderless Banthas. Threepio struggled up behind the him. "There are two Banthas down there but I don't see any...wait a second, they're Sandpeople all right. I can see one of them now," Luke said and watched the distant Tusken Raider through his electrobinoculars. Suddenly something huge moved in front of his field of view. Before Luke or Threepio could react, a large, gruesome Tusken Raider loomed over them. Threepio was startled and backed away, right off the side if the cliff. He could be heard for several moments as he clanged, banged and rattled down the side of the mountain. The towering Tuskan brought down his curved, double-pointed gaderffii -- the dreaded axe blade that had struck terror in the heart of the local settlers. But Luke managed to block the blow with his blaster rifle, which was smashed to pieces. Luke, terrified, scrambled backward until he was forced to the edge of a deep crevice. The sinister Raider stood over him with his weapon raised and let out a horrible shrieking laugh. But then, out of nowhere, a figure somersaulted into view, wielding a blue bladed laser sward and cut the gaderffii to pieces. The tuskan, terrified, backed away but the figure continued his attack.
Luke remained on the ground, watching as his rescuer expertly fended off the tuskans by giving a killing blow to the Tuskan who attacked him before turning around to face him. Luke was surprised to see the person he had ran into the market. "What...?"
"Are you alright?" Anakin asked, interrupting him.
"I think so," Luke said standing up and dusting himself off.
Anakin nodded. "Don't you know it's dangerous to be in Tuskan territory?" he demanded.
"I was chasing down a droid that my uncle just bought off of some jawas, you see he ran off and keeps saying that he belongs to an Obi-Wan Kenobi," Luke explained, somewhat defensively, and then saw Anakin's reaction to the name Obi-Wan Kenobi. "You know who I'm talking about, don't you?" he asked.
"Where's the droid now?" Anakin asked.
Luke looked down below him, over the cliff. "He was down there," he said. "And Threepio fell down there too," he said suddenly remembering Threepio.
"We better hurry and get indoors, those Tuskans will be back in stronger numbers and trust me, you don't want to get captured by one," Anakin told him as they climbed back down the cliff.
"You sound like you've had some experience with the Tuskans," Luke commented.
Anakin looked back at him. "My mother was kidnapped and beaten to death by them," he informed him as they searched for the droids.
"That's funny," Luke said and Anakin gave him a sharp, withering look. "I didn't mean it that way, obviously it's not funny, it's just that, that happened to my grandmother," he said.
Anakin didn't make any comment to that before he found Artoo hiding in a small alcove and recognized him instantly. "Artoo?" he questioned quietly walking towards the droid but Artoo only beeped and whistled in a panic. Anakin paused, throwing his hands up. "Okay, okay," he said but Artoo only beeped a warning. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded. Upon this demand, Artoo projected a holographic image of a pregnant Padmè with her hands on her throat, a look of terror and betrayal on her face. Anakin only shook his head and backed away, horrified at the image.
"You found him."
Anakin turned to see Luke behind him. "Just get him to the speeder," he instructed.
"And where exactly are we going?" Luke asked.
"I believe that your little droid wanted to see Obi-Wan," Anakin answered walking away, disturbed by Artoo's alarm at seeing him as well as the image the droid chose to project. He found the familiar body of See-Threepio. The protocol droid looked all banged up and scratched here and there and one of his arms had been torn off. He picked up the arm that had been torn off and sighed. "Don't worry, Threepio, I'll get you back into prime condition," he muttered, pulling the droid up, he had somehow been deactivated, possibly by the fall.
"Oh, good, you found him."
Anakin glanced over his shoulder at Luke to see Artoo trailing behind. "He needs some work," he said, carrying the deactivated droid to the speeder.
"I was supposed to fix him up today," Luke said following him. "Although, I'm not all that familiar with his type," he added.
"Well, I am," Anakin told him and continued as he thought about it, "I can show you."
"So am I right in thinking that old Ben is this Obi-Wan?" Luke asked.
Anakin nodded. "I believe he has a reason for changing his name," he said as he put Threepio in the back of the speeder and Luke loaded Artoo into it. He then slid into the pilot side of the cockpit, ignoring Artoo's frenzy of beeps and whistles while Luke slid into the cockpit next to him.
"Do you know where you're going?" Luke asked.
Anakin nodded. "Hold on," he warned and started the engine before speeding off at top speed.
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Obi-Wan stood outside the hut that he had been residing in, waiting for Anakin to return. Even if I did tell him about Vader, he wouldn't take it too well. Force, he won't take the fact that Palpatine is Darth Sidious too well either. But is he here to learn this so that he could stop the Sith? Will he be willing to betray Palpatine this time? Obi-Wan's musings were interrupted by a fast approaching speeder and before he saw who it was, he grew cautious. But then, he recognized the pilot's skill. Anakin wouldn't bring unwanted visitors here. And then he saw who had come with Anakin. "Hello, young Luke," he said as the boy hopped out of the speeder. He then turned to Anakin.
"I found him being attacked by the Tuskans in the Jundland Wastes," Anakin informed him in an explanation.
Obi-Wan nodded and turned to Luke. "The Jundland Wasts are not to be traveled lightly. What were you doing out there?" he asked.
Luke gestured to Artoo. "Chasing this little droid, he says that he belongs to you and is carrying a message of sorts," he answered.
Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid," he said and spotted Anakin pulling out the familiar form of See-Threepio from the speeder and activating him.
"Oh? What happened?" Threepio exclaimed.
"You feel down a cliff," Anakin informed the droid.
Threepio turned to him, not recognizing him. "Oh, hello, I am See-Threepio, human cyborg relations," he greeted.
"I know who you are," Anakin told him.
Threepio looked at him confused. "Have we met before, Sir?" he asked.
Instantly, Anakin threw Obi-Wan a dirty look.
"He had his memory wiped," Obi-Wan informed him, stating the obvious.
"You're familiar with Threepio?" Luke asked, looking between the two of them.
"You could say that," Anakin answered, angry about the fact that Threepio's memory had been wiped.
"Well, let's get inside," Obi-Wan said, looking out to the horizon and headed inside.
Luke, Anakin and the two droids followed him inside. Anakin, seeing the position of the suns, knew that it was midday, so he went into the kitchen to make something for them to eat while Luke sat down next to Threepio and Obi-Wan handed him a few tools.
"I've never seen such devotion in a droid before, are you sure that he doesn't belong to you?" Luke asked, referring to Artoo.
"Well, I, myself, never owned a droid. I always used a standard community droid, but this one looks like he could have belonged to your father," Obi-Wan answered. "He was known to add personality to droids and treated them like they were family," he added.
"You knew my father?" Luke asked, perking up.
"We fought along side each other during the Clone Wars, among other things," Obi-Wan answered.
Luke shook his head. "No, my father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter," he dismissed and heard something being slammed in the kitchen.
"That's what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved," Obi-Wan said, sending a warning look into the kitchen.
Anakin frowned, clearly unhappy with Owen Lars. Perhaps I should pay him a visit, just to see the look on his face, he thought vehemently, highly insulted by being described as a drug smuggler. He continued the process of making sandwiches, using the left over gorg meat and a few left over manak leaves and a coordinating sauce on some flatbread.
"You really fought in the Clone Wars?" Luke asked, interested.
"Yes, I was once a Jedi Knight the same as your father," Obi-Wan answered
"I wish I'd known him," Luke said wistfully.
Obi-Wan looked at him. You will, he thought. "He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself. And he was a good friend. Which reminds me..." he said and stood up, went to a chest where he rummaged around.
As Luke finished repairing Threepio and started to fit the restraining bolt back on, Threepio looked at him nervously. Luke thought about the bolt for a moment then put it on the table. Obi-Wan shuffled up and presented Luke with a short handle with several electronic gadgets attached to it. "This was my mentor's, I think that he wouldn't mind your having it," he said.
"Sir, if you'll not be needing me, I'll close down for awhile.," Threepio said looking at Luke.
"Sure, go ahead," Luke said, eying the object as Threepio shut down and took the object in question. "What is it?" he asked.
"A lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster," Obi-Wan explained.
Luke stood up and pushed a button on the handle. A long green beam shot out about four feet and flickered there. The light played across the ceiling. Luke moved his wrist around, moving the blade as well. The ease in which he handled the weapon coming naturally to him.
"An elegant weapon for a more civilized time. For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire," Obi-Wan continued as Anakin came out of the kitchen with some food for them all.
Luke didn't seem to be really been listening. "How did my father die?" he asked.
"A young Jedi named Darth Vader, whom I knew until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all but extinct. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force," Obi-Wan answered as he accepted a sandwich from Anakin who hadn't said anything. "Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome, Master," Anakin said and handed a sandwich to Luke next.
"Thanks," Luke said accepting the sandwich. He looked back to Obi-Wan. "The Force?" he asked.
"Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together," Obi-Wan explained.
"Only a select few can touch the force. A force sensitive usually has a high count of midi-chlorians in his or her blood. Midi-chlorians are microscopic organisms that flow in your blood and they're what enables us to touch the force. The amount of power that you have depends on what your count is," Anakin put in as he sat down. "If you can touch the force without any training, then you already have a high count," he added.
"What do you mean by touching the force?" Luke asked.
Anakin simply rose a hand and made a slight gesture and one of the tools on the table in front of Luke rose in the air. "That's touching the force," he answered.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "Always showing off," he said tiredly as the tool floated back down into place.
"How do you know what your count is?" Luke asked.
"A simple blood test will tell you," Obi-Wan answered.
Suddenly Artoo made some beeping sounds as though he felt he was neglected and had something important to share. Everyone turned to the little droid.
"Now, let's see if we can't figure out what message you are carrying my little friend. And where you came from," Obi-Wan said moving closer to the droid. Luke closely behind him.
"I saw part of the message he was..." Luke was cut short as the recorded image of the beautiful young girl was projected from Artoo's face.
"I seem to have found it," Obi-Wan said as Anakin moved closer as well to get a good view of the projection, feeling like he should know her.
"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope," the projection of the beautiful girl said before she bent and pushed something into the droid. There was a little static and the transmission was cut short.
Obi-Wan leaned back and scratched his beard. He silently puffed on a tarnished chrome water pipe. Luke had stars in his eyes with a longing to join the crusade.
Both Obi-Wan and Anakin sensed Luke's longing to join the crusade. "You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with us to Alderaan.," Obi-Wan said to Luke.
Luke came to his senses and laughed. "Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to go home. It's late, I'm in for it as it is," he told him.
"We need your help, Luke. She needs your help. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing and there are so few of us left," Obi-Wan told him.
"I can't get involved! I've got work to do! It's not that I like the Empire. I hate it! But there's nothing I can do about it right now," Luke told him. "It's such a long way from here," he said wistfully.
"That's your uncle talking," Obi-Wan pointed out.
Luke sighed. "Oh, frak, my uncle. How am I ever going to explain this?" he groaned.
Anakin spoke up, having heard enough. He could sense that Luke didn't want to waste away as a moisture farmer. "Can you honestly say that you would rather stay here, on this desolate place, for the rest of your life?" he asked.
Luke looked at him. "I want nothing to get off of here, but sometimes you have to set aside what you want to do for what you have to do," he said.
"Then learn about the Force, Luke," Obi-Wan persisted.
"It's what you're meant for," Anakin put in.
Luke looked thoughtful for a moment, weighing his options before he came to a decision. "Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going," he told them
Obi-Wan looked disappointed while Anakin frowned. "You must do what you feel is right, of course," Obi-Wan told him.
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Eight Imperial senators and generals sat around a black conference table in a a drab conference room on the dreaded Death Star. Imperial stormtroopers stood guard around the room as the senators and generals discussed the super weapon and the threat of the Rebel Alliance. Commander Tagge, a young, slimy-looking general, was speaking.
"Until this battle station is fully operational we are vulnerable. The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped. They're more dangerous than you realize," Tagge said looking around him.
The bitter Admiral Motti twisted nervously in his chair. "Dangerous to your starfleet, Commander, not to this battle station!" he declared.
Tagge looked at him. "The Rebellion will continue to gain a support in the Imperial Senate as long as...." he stopped speaking as he noticed something and all heads turned to see Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Imperial outland regions, enter. He was followed by the powerful commander of the Imperial fleet and the Emperor's right hand, The Sith Lord, Darth Vader. All of the generals stood and bowed before the thin, evil-looking governor as he took his place at the head of the table. Vader stood behind him.
"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away," Tarkin announced.
Tagge looked outraged. "That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control without the bureaucracy?" he exclaimed.
"The regional governors now have direct control over territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station," Tarkin answered, proud of the dreaded battle station.
"And what of the Rebellion? If the Rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this station, it is possible, however unlikely, that they might find a weakness and exploit it," Tagge asked pointedly.
"The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands," Vader informed them, not quite sure if he really wanted to retrieve the plans, having a dislike of the battle station, deeming it a needless waste of technology.
"Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they've obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it!" Motti declared proudly.
Vader looked at him, having a feeling like he had been insulted by the pitiful man's arrogance. "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force," He said darkly.
"Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the Rebel's hidden fort..." Motti's arrogant words were cut short as Vader raised a hand and he suddenly began to choke and started to turn blue under Vader's spell.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing," Vader said darkly and ominously.
Tarkin watched this exchange, quite enjoying himself but knew that Motti's death would be fruitless. "Enough of this! Vader, release him!" he commanded.
Vader smiled under his mask, having proven his point by now. "As you wish," he said disdainfully, releasing Motti who bent forward coughing.
Tarkin looked around the room. "This bickering is pointless. Lord Vader will provide us with the location of the Rebel fortress by the time this station is operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke," he declared. Those around the table looked at each other at this statement, some not sure of the fact that this would happen, others confident that they will crush the rebellion.
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Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin as they sat in the speeder in front of the two droids. He knew that Anakin was upset at the developments and that he was considering marching up to Owen Lars and giving his step-brother a piece of his mind. But Obi-Wan wasn't through with trying to convince Luke to join them for he knew very well that the two droids would be traced and he was going to protect Luke from the Empire at all costs. "Relax," he quietly said to Anakin.
Anakin looked at him. "What happens if the droids are tracked here?" he asked quietly.
Obi-Wan didn't answer. He suspected that Anakin already knew the answer to his question but wanted-no, needed- for it to be confirmed. He was however saved from answering when they saw a smoking sandcrawler up ahead. "Hold on, pull up to that sandcrawler," he said, sensing something amiss.
Luke nodded, "They might need help," he agreed, pulling up to the sandcrawler and slid out, with Obi-Wan and Anakin, seeing nothing but the scattered bodies of the jawas.
"They're all..." Luke began to say.
"Dead," Anakin said before Luke could and crouched down to examine the tracks, knowing that there was something wrong with them.
"It looks like Sandpeople did this, all right. Look, here are Gaffi sticks, Bantha tracks. It's just...I never heard of them hitting anything this big before," Luke said, picking up a discarded Gaffi stick and pointing to the tracks.
"They didn't," Anakin pointed out. "These aren't Tuskan tracks. Look, they're all over the place, side by side; but Sandpeople don't walk side by side, they walk single file so that they can hide their numbers," he explained, standing up.
Obi-Wan nodded. "You're right," he agreed.
"Of course I'm right. I spent a day and night tracking a tribe of Tuskans when they kidnapped my mother," Anakin told him.
"I told you that you were right," Obi-Wan pointed out before turning away and shaking his head, muttering, "Always has to have the last word."
Luke kept looking around before coming to a conclusion. "These are the same Jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio," he informed them.
"And these blast points, too accurate for Sandpeople. Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise," Obi-Wan added.
"Why would Imperial troops want to slaughter Jawas?" Luke asked looking at him and saw Obi-Wan and Anakin share a look. He looked over at Artoo and Threepio before it dawned on him and fear settled in the pit of his stomach. "If they traced the droids here, they may have learned who they sold them to. And that would lead them home!" he said before rushing back to the speeder.
Obi-Wan looked at him alarmed. "Wait, Luke! It's too dangerous!" he warned.
"Stay here!" Anakin told him, following Luke and reached the speeder first before jumping into the pilot's seat.
"You don't even know where you're going!" Luke told him fearfully.
"Trust me, I do, and I'll be able to get us there faster," Anakin told him, waiting for Luke to get in before starting the speeder and heading off to the Lars farm at an alarming speed while Obi-Wan watched them disappear in the distance.
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Smoke filled the air as Anakin pulled the speeder up to the Lars homestead. We're too late. Anakin tried to push those thoughts out of his mind, but as much as he had told himself repeatedly that there was no connection to him and the Lars, he couldn't stop himself from feeling some sort of loss. But what he was feeling was nothing compared to what Luke was feeling and Luke's desperation was coming off in waves as he jumped out of the speeder, making his way around the smoldering debris that littered the place.
"Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!" Luke called out frantically running over towards the courtyard, but all that answered was eerie silence.
Anakin watched as Luke stumbled through the debris searching for Owen and Beru and quickly got out of the speeder to help search for the evidence to what they both knew when suddenly Luke stopped cold. Anakin knew exactly what he had found and made his way over to Luke to see the smoldering remains of Owen and Beru Lars. Luke's fear had been replaced by hate for those responsible.
"I didn't even say goodbye," Luke said dully.
"I'll go get a shovel so that we can give them a proper burial," Anakin told him, silently emphasizing with Luke.
"You don't even knew where it is," Luke said, turning to him slightly.
"I'll find it," Anakin assured him, walking into the homestead in search for the shovel. It wasn't long before he reappeared with two of them, after all, he already knew where they'd be. He handed one to Luke and walked over to the family grave sites, his gaze lingering on his mother's grave marker, seeing one next to her, presumingly belonging to Cliegg Lars. Taking his eyes off of the grave mark, he made work at digging a grave for the last of the Lars family. He didn't really notice Luke doing the same next to him before he spoke.
"Now there's nothing keeping me from going with you to Alderaan," Luke said, his voice taking on a monotone note.
"I felt the same way when my mother died. When she died, I really didn't have anything tying me here, though my step-family tried to convince me otherwise," Anakin told him.
"It's almost funny, Aunt Beru once told me that after my grandmother died, my father took off and never returned. She told me that a friend of his brought me here and gave them the news that he was dead and so was my mother. But that's about all that she told me. Uncle Owen didn't like talking about him for some reason, but I always had the feeling that he was hiding something from me," Luke told him as they continued to dig the graves.
Anakin didn't say anything to that and continued to dig into the sand.
Luke looked at him. "Is your step-family around here?" he asked.
"No. Not anymore," Anakin answered. "I didn't really know them that well. I left Tatooine when I was nine, to be trained as a Jedi. When I left, I promised my mother that I would return. Ten years later, I did, only to find out that she was married and that her husband had a son. They told me how she was kidnapped and I went after her, even after they told me to accept the fact that she was dead," he told him.
"Was she?" Luke asked.
"She died in my arms. I didn't really say goodbye, I was too determined to prevent her from dying, but it didn't matter anyway, I came back here too late," Anakin told him.
"Do you ever regret leaving?" Luke asked.
"The only thing that I regret about leaving Tatooine is that I didn't return in time to save my mother," Anakin told him and didn't say anything more on the subject while they continued to give Owen and Beru a proper burial.