Entry # 4 - Attack After Dark
At twilight I was preparing to eat when Sarpo, my eopie, screamed. Reaching out with the force I could feel her pain. Something was attacking her. I ran out to her pin only to find it empty. The floor was stained with blood. The ground nearby was too trampled to leave any reliable footprints. With my lightsaber in hand I scanned the darkening landscape with my electrobinoculars. There was nothing in sight. Through the force I could sense the aura of the creature that took her. It was close. I couldn't sense Sarpo's aura, a bad sign. I strained to hear the slightest noise that was out of place. Nothing. The hairs on my neck began to rise, the cool air making it worse. I am a Jedi. I do not feel fear. That is the path to the darkside. But I did feel fear and found myself in a dark place, quite alone.
Slowly I made the way back towards my hut. Footprints. They had not been there when I first came out. Something was stalking me. I could feel their presence nearby but still couldn't locate them. The footprints led to the other side of my hut. As I slowly followed them I began to sense a trap. That was nothing new to me; Anakin and I had sprung many of them in our day. This was different though. I had no idea what was stalking me, what I was up against. I found myself wondering if it could be a Tusken Raider. Anakin once spoke of how they had ambushed the Lars homestead and kidnapped his mother, eventually leading to her death. I sensed that there was more that he wasn't telling me.
My fear began to hinder my concentration. I had to focus. I stopped and began to stretch outward with the force, calming myself. I have no fear. I have no concern. If I die now that is the will of the force. Without thinking my body went into motion. My arms went up, my wrists rotated, my lightsaber finding its mark. A gaffi stick fell to my feet, the arm holding it still attached. A howl echoed in the night, as a nomad I could only assume to be a Tusken Raider stood before me. In the dark I could see the shadows of four more emerging up the hill that led to my home. From behind I could feel three more approaching. A shot from a primitive rifle rang out in the distance as my arms once more went into motion. The projectile that the rifle fired dissolved into a nauseating gas as it hit my blade. I spun around and deflected a deadly blow from a gaffi stick. The first Raider, now behind me, regained his composure. He bent down and retrieved the gaderffi with his remaining arm, swinging it upwards at my thigh. I swung the lightsaber behind me, cutting the stick in two. I jumped, twisting in mid air, landing out of reach of the eight sand people.
With them all in front I was able to better assess the situation. Though primitive, Tuskens were known for their brutal and efficient natures. This whole ambush was a test. They wanted to see who was living up here alone. I had to decide what I should do. If I frightened them off they would eventually return with larger numbers. If I killed them then their tribes would eventually send more out to find their missing members. Either way this would not be my last encounter with them. I decided I would do what a Jedi should do; spare their lives if at all possible. I reached down into the force and took in a deep breath. I remembered a war cry Qui-Gon had taught me in my youth. It was meant to sound like a large predator, used for the purpose of scaring away any attacking animals we may have encountered. The cry began deep in my stomach, building up through my esophagus, and emerging as a loud unnatural cry that echoed in the night. I charged, swinging my lightsaber over my head. My instincts served me well. The Raiders froze in place. One let out a shriek and they began running away. In the distant I could hear more of them crying out. A moment later I was alone.
During the encounter I had failed to notice just how close one of the blows had come. My leg was bleeding. Badly. I had no medical supplies and couldn't call for help. Without my eopie I couldn't ride to the nearest farm. For the first time I realized just how truly alone I was. In a shriek of pain I cauterized the wound with my lightsaber. There is no sign of infection and the wound should heal with the help of Jedi meditation. At the first chance I get I need to go into town and get medical supplies. Maybe while I'm there I'll stop off at the cantina.