Chapter 25
The Devastator arrived at Tatooine close to midnight Mos Espa time. Obi-Wan knew better than to contact Anakin at such a late hour, for he was well acquainted with how early the Skywalker twins woke up in the morning. Instead, he paid a visit to the engineering wing of the ship to see how the plans were coming for the construction Anakin had requested.
"Good morning General," the lead engineer said as Obi-Wan arrived.
"Good morning lieutenant," Obi-Wan said. "Do you have the plans ready?"
"Yes sir," the officer said, handing Obi-Wan a data pad. "We looked at the spaceport in Mos Espa, and based our design on that," he said.
Obi-Wan nodded as he examined the schematics. "Good work," he said. "No doubt building something this large will be challenging on this planet."
"The sand will make it interesting, no doubt," the lieutenant agreed. "But we've taken that into account, sir. It'll work, you have my personal guarantee."
Obi-Wan smiled. "I have every confidence," he said. "We'll head down to the planet in a few hours. Have your men ready to go."
"We'll be ready, sir," the lieutenant replied with a smile.
Anakin was up early the next morning, too anxious about the ship to sleep for long. He headed outside, relieved to see that there were no jawas in sight. As he was walking back to the house, he heard the approach of a ship. he turned back to watch a large Imperial transport descending onto the ground. Once it had touched down, the ramp descended and the first person off of the craft was Obi-Wan. Anakin smiled as he walked toward his old friend.
"Welcome to Tatooine," Anakin said as he shook Obi-Wan's hand.
"Good Lord, I'd forgotten how hot this place is," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin laughed. "Wait until mid day if you think this is hot," he said.
"Wonderful," Obi-Wan said. "How is everyone?"
"Great," Anakin said. "Padmé is expecting," he said with a smile.
"That's wonderful," Obi-Wan said with a smile. "Congratulations!"
"Uncle Obi!"
Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to see the twins running towards him, with Padmé close behind. He held his arms out to them and hugged them both tightly.
"I've missed you two," he told them.
"Hello Obi-Wan," Padmé said with a smile.
"Hello Padmé," Obi-Wan said. "I understand congratulations are in order."
Padmé nodded. "Yes, nothing like perfect timing, isn't there?"
Obi-Wan laughed. "Well babies have a way of coming when they want, not when we do."
"Very true," she said.
"Maybe you and the twins would be more comfortable on the ship? It's going to be very noisy and messy down here for a while," Obi-Wan said.
"That's a great idea," Anakin said. "I know you're not feeling the greatest either," he said to his wife.
"You're right, I'm not," Padmé said. "I think we will go to the ship for a few hours. How long do you think it will take to build this?"
"Hard to say," Anakin said. "Depends on how the digging goes. These engineers are top notch though, Padmé," he said. "They'll get it done as soon as possible."
Padmé nodded. "I'm sure they will," she said. "Come on you two," she said, taking a hand of each of her children. "Let's go get ready."
Once Padmé, Luke and Leia had departed for the ship, digging began in earnest at the site that Anakin had selected. The workers all wore protective face gear to keep the sand from getting into their eyes, nose and mouth. Anakin and Obi-Wan did the same. Anakin hated having to wear something on his face again, for it was all too reminiscent of his days as Darth Vader.
The machinery had not reached too far when an awful sound was heard, and all digging stopped.
"What the devil," Obi-Wan muttered, walking over to the edge of the site. "What's wrong?"
"We've hit something," the man operating the digger replied. "Something hard, really hard."
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other. While Tatooine a core of solid rock, as any terrestrial planets does, they were nowhere close to the core.
"Let's have a look," Anakin said. He and Obi-Wan jumped into the pit that had been created. They stepped over to the spot where the digger had struck something hard to examine what it was.
"We need a geologist," Anakin said as they looked at the vein of metal that ran through the sand. "I have no idea what we're looking at here."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Neither do I," he said. "I'll contact the ship and get one down here."
Within an hour a geological survey team had arrived at the digging site, and set to work to identify the metallic ore that had been discovered. Anakin and Obi-Wan watched from above.
"Is Tatooine known to have mineral deposits?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I've never heard of any," Anakin said. "This planet isn't exactly a wealth of natural resources."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Perhaps it is," he said. "And no one has ever taken the time to investigate."
"Money more than time," Anakin said. "The only ones around here with any money are the Hutts. And they get their money in the slave trade and gambling."
"And how do you mean to deal with them?" Obi-Wan asked. "At some point you will have to."
"I know," Anakin said with a frown. "I don't think it'll be pretty, that's for sure."
Obi-Wan nodded, Anakin's words concerning him. "Be mindful of your anger, Anakin," he warned. "You have good reason to hate the hutts, but remember how quickly the dark side will join you if you give in to that hate."
Anakin said nothing, for the very same thing had crossed his mind.
"General Kenobi! Could you come here sir?" one of the geologists called.
Obi-Wan and Anakin leapt down into the pit and walked over to the geologist. "What have you learned?" Obi-Wan asked.
"It looks liked you have purchased more than you expected here, Anakin," said the geologist with a smile. "This is platinum."
Anakin's eyes widened. "Did you say platinum?"
The geologist nodded. "Yes I did," he said.
"Well I'll be damned," Anakin said. Obi-Wan laughed.
"Seems this old homestead is worth far more than you thought," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin nodded, as the ideas started forming in his mind. He smiled. "This is going to be perfect," he said.
On board the Devastator
Luke and Leia had finally gone down for their afternoon nap, so Padmé decided to take advantage of the quiet to contact her parents. It had been a few weeks since she'd spoken to them, and wanted to give them an update on the new events of her life.
"Hello Padmé!" Jobal said with a smile. "It's lovely to see you!"
"Hello Mom," Padmé said. "It's nice to see you too. How are you? How's Daddy?"
"We're both doing well," Jobal said. "Dad had a bit of a cold last week, but he's over it now. "How are you? How are the twins?"
"We're all well," Padmé said, slightly annoyed that her mother had not asked about Anakin. "I have some news, actually. Anakin and I are expecting," she said with a smile.
Jobal was unable to hide the shock from her face. "Really?" she asked. "I thought that things were rather rocky between the two of you."
"Things are much better now," Padmé said. "Anakin has been working so hard to change. We're very happy together, Mom. I was hoping you'd be happy for me."
Jobal smiled, but inside she was torn. She knew her daughter needed her support, and decided that she would give it to her. "I am," Jobal said. "I think it's wonderful. Anakin must be thrilled."
"He is," Padmé said. "We both are. I just hope we're not on Tatooine any more when the baby comes."
Jobal frowned. "Tatooine? You're living on Tatooine now?"
"Yes, only temporarily," Padmé said. "Anakin wanted to come here to free the slaves. He had a dream when he was a child about doing this, and now he means to do it. It's part of his redemption, Mom. He feels compelled to do this as part of his atonement for the past."
Jobal nodded. "I see," she said. "That's quite admirable of him."
Padmé smiled. "I'm so proud of him, Mom," she said. "He's come so far."
"Yes it seems so," Jobal said. "But is Tatooine really the best place for you and the twins? It's hot, and from what I've heard, pretty dangerous. You're in a delicate condition now, after all. And Luke and Leia are so little."
"It's not forever, Mom," she said. "Anakin needs his family with him right now. I really think that he would be lost without us to support him."
Jobal didn't think she ought to voice her opinion at this point. Clearly Padmé felt very strongly about this situation; and yet Jobal could to help but worry that her daughter and grandchildren were in a very perilous situation.
"Well I wish him luck," Jobal said at last, forcing herself to smile. "I wish you all luck."
Padmé could hear her mother's unspoken concerns, but ignored them. "Thanks Mom," she said. "I appreciate it."