Star Wars: Cross Paths Part 3
Thanks to Anon, Guest, Daisy, LOVEM, Elen, Sue, DirksTalia, RedLigth16, JediLukeSkywalker, princesselsaamidala22, yourlocal90simp and Connors for reviewing. And to everyone who took your time to read it. You guys are great. Love you all.
Chapter 14 – Arriving at Tatooine
The ship landed just outside the moisture farm, right before lunch time. Even if it was a cloudy day, it was already hot, compared with the nice breeze and warm weather they had in Ajan Kloss.
Walking down the ramp, the kids just covered their eyes and looked back at their parents.
"It is hot," Alli said looking at them and running back inside the ship, to the cold breeze of it, making Luke and Ines laughed.
"You didn't complain when you were a baby," Luke told her.
"I don't like it," she said and she sat back on the floor, with her arms cross in front of her chest. "I will stay here."
"Okay," Ines said looking at Luke. "We will start to get the things out of the ship," she said as she adjust the baby in her arms.
"Yes, but then I need to go to Anchorhead to pick up some power converters."
"Can I go father?" Ben asked him.
"How about we get lunch and we all go," Ines told them making Ben and Padmé jump happy.
"I mean, we go. Alli decided to live in the ship for the next 2 and half weeks, so she stays," Luke said looking at his daughter, who didn't say anything.
"Let's go inside then," Ines said, making Luke's baby walker float behind her, while she walked behind Ben and Padmé.
Once they reach the patio inside the farm, she put the walker on the ground and put the baby in it.
"Now you stay here, while mama and dada are grabbing our stuff. R2 watch the baby for me."
R2 beeped right away.
"Mama are we going to stay in Papa's bedroom when we was a kid?" Padmé asked.
"Yes, just like the other time. But this time you have to share the same bedroom. It has two beds and we will put the crib of your brother there. I'm sorry but the hut is not that big for more bedrooms."
"It is okay mom," Ben said smiling.
"Yeah," Padmé nod and then look at her mother. "Alli will stay in the ship alone?"
"Do you think your twin sister will be able to stay alone?"
"No," the little girl laughed.
"Exactly."
"I will give her 5 minutes for her to be here with us," Ben laughed too.
"Now, behave okay while I will help your father," Ines told them, and walking upstairs to help Luke to put everything inside the hut.
Once they had all the clothes in the drawers, and make sure they had everything out of the ship, they stood at the top of the ramp.
"So, I think this is it," Ines said looking at Luke.
"Yes. So we better get inside," and Luke looked at his daughter who didn't move from the floor of the ship. "Well since you want to live here for the next weeks, so bye then. See you in 2 weeks, okay."
"Take care of yourself," Ines said trying not to laugh as they both walked down the ramp.
As they were about to entered the hut, they heard.
"Wait, don't leave me here. Wait for me."
Turning around, they saw Alli running towards them and grabbed Ines waist.
"Hey, I thought you hate it and didn't want to leave the ship?" she said looking at her daughter.
"I will give it a try," the young girl said making Luke laughed.
"Come on, young lady. I want to go to Anchorhead, and get back before the suns go down." he said grabbing her and putting over his shoulders, they went inside.
The Skywalkers just arrived at Anchorhead right after lunch. Because Tatooine was hotter, Ines made sure to dress the kids with lighter clothes, that she already had prepare since Coruscant. Right now the girls where wearing white clothes, while the boys were wearing similar clothes that Luke wore when he was a kid.
She also made sure that Luke would not wear the black gigs, so her husband was wearing a cream tunic and pants all tied up with his help, while she was wearing a similar outfit she wore 10 years ago, when she was sent by Leia to get Obi Wan.
As they get out of the speeder and walked down the streets of Anchorhead, Luke and Ines were holding the kids hands, while Ines had baby Luke on her arms, who was focus on his teething toy and was scratching his gums.
"Well I going to the mechanic. What to go with me son?"
"Yes, dad."
"We will stay here watching around, right girls?" Ines asked her daughters who nod.
"We will be right back," Luke said and kissing her on the lips, he grabbed Ben's hands and they head inside the mechanic shop, wondering if it was the same owner there.
Once they entered inside the shop, Luke gasped when he saw the owner. It was the same owner. He was older and his mustache was gray now, but it was him.
When he saw them, he stopped what he was doing and looked at them.
"Howdy, what can I do for you two?"
Ben approached the counter and looked at him.
"We need some power converters for our farm," the almost 6 years old spoke, smiling at the new alien he never saw before, and he was used to see all kind of other species.
"You came to the right place," he said right away, going to some boxes. "Are you two new here?"
"We don't live here, we are just spending a time in my father's moisture farm. He is from here," the kid said right away.
"Oh really," the mechanic said putting some power converters on top of the counter and look at Luke.
"Of course. You know my family." Luke said making the alien frown.
"I do?"
"It is me, Owen Lars nephew. Luke, Luke Skywalker!"
Once he heard the name, the mechanic gasped and looked at the man in front of him.
"Little Luke?! I didn't recognize you. Look at you," he said and looking at Ben. "And this little fella is your son. You do have your father's eyes."
"And his mother's hair," Luke said, running his fingers through his brown hair, making the little boy smile.
"Are you a trouble maker like your father was when he was a kid like you?"
"Not really. But my sisters are. For sure," he said making the mechanic laugh.
"He is right, actually. His twin sisters are way more of a trouble makers then he is," Luke nod, as he approached to see the converters.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to your family."
"Yeah, me too."
"What happened to you all these years?"
"My father is a Jedi and destroyed the Empire," Ben said making Luke shook his head.
"You have to tell me that," the mechanic said and Ben started to tell the story, while Luke giggled at his son.
Outside, Ines was making sure her baby had his little hat on. She didn't want him under the sun to much time. Walking around, she saw a small bar. Maybe she could go there, and wait for Luke.
"Girls, do you want to drink something?"
"Yeah," they said right away.
"Then come on," she said lead them to that bar.
The moment they got under the nice shadow, Ines noticed that some guy was being rude and nasty to the bartender.
"There's something you want to say?" the rude man said.
"You need to pay for that too," the bartender said in fear. Clearly it was not the first time, that mad cause problem.
"And who you will make me do it. You?" he said grabbing the bartenders clothes. "I would like to see that."
Looking at her girls, and approaching one of the empty seats, Ines told them.
"Sweeties, seat down and hold your brother please," she asked, giving Luke to Padmé. The little girl made sure to hold her little brother tightly on her lap.
Approaching the two men, she looked at them.
"Is there a problem?" she asked.
Everyone who, so far kept their heads down, clearly showing that they new who the rude man was and didn't want to get in trouble, look up to see the scene.
The man looked at her and letting go the bartender, he stare at Ines, who looked straight in his eyes, showing she was not afraid of him.
"Is not of your busy, woman. Stay away or else…"
"What else what?" Ines said and looked at bartender. "Is this guy causing trouble lately?"
"He didn't pay what he ate," the bartender, in fear.
Looking back at him, Ines crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Pay this man what you own, and I will let you go unarmed."
The man looked at him and started to laughed.
"And who told you I will obey a pathetic woman like you?"
Grabbing her lightsaber, Ines put it on top of the counter of the bar. The moment they saw what it was, both the bartender and the man looked at it and then to Ines.
"You… you are a Jedi?"
"I will not ask you again. Pay the man what you own and leave this place. And you better don't come back. You don't want to see this thing light up. Besides you know I can hurt you without even touch you."
The man stood there.
"Man, you don't want to test my patience. I have 4 small kids who are tired and thirsty so, I'm not in the mood today," she said slamming her hand on the counter making the man jumped.
Taking some credits, he throw at the bartender.
"This place sucks anyway," he said before he left.
Once he was out of sight, Ines grabbed her lightsaber as the bartender looked at her.
"Thank you," he told her.
"You're welcome. Can I have a glass of water for my kids, please?" she asked him.
"Of course," he said.
Giving her the glasses, Ines sat down and picking her baby, she helped him to drink, smiling when the baby smiled happy.
"Good, isn't it?" she said kissing her forehead.
"Mom, look?" she heard and looking away she saw her first born with her husband, approaching.
"You got the power converters?" she asked him.
"Yup. We are ready to go," he smiled.
"The mechanic knew dad since he was a boy. Do you know he used to break the belts from his uncle speeder?"
Ines looked back at Luke.
"Oh really?" she laughed.
"Thanks buddy," Luke said laughing at his son.
"Papa, mama gave a lesson to a mean man," Alli said from her seat, making Luke frown and look at his wife.
"What happened?"
"Nothing much, there was a man who was causing trouble to the poor bartender and I just told him to walk off or he would regret it, that's all," she said winking at him, making Luke shake his head with a smile.
"Papa, can we go home now?" Alli asked.
"Are you tired already? You?" Luke asked at his daughter.
"I don't like it here. This is hot and dirty. I want to go back home," she said.
Luke and Ines looked at each other. Then Luke had an idea.
Walking out of the saloon, after paying to the owner, Luke took Alli to a line where people were waiting to have a drink of water.
"Alli, sweetie, do you know why these people are in line?"
The little girl looked at them and then to her father, and shook her head.
"They are waiting in line to have a simple glass of water."
The kids gasped when their father told them that.
"Why Papa?" Padmé asked him.
"Because sweet girl, many of these people you see here, can only have water this way. Many don't have water at home, like we do and like many people do in their home planets."
"Like back home?" Alli asked.
"Yes sweetie," Ines nod, adjusting her baby on her arms.
"Many of these families, only had the chance to have water in their homes, thanks to many moisture farms, like Papa's, who sold water to them."
"That's sad," Ben said making Ines smile. It was exactly what she said when she visit Anchorhead with her father when she was 11 years old.
"But look around, what do you see baby girl?" Luke asked Alli.
The 4 years old looked around and saw kids playing around and smiling.
"They are happy and playing."
"Like we do back home," Padmé nod.
"So, these people didn't born with everything like you and your siblings did. But that doesn't mean you can be rude to their home planet, like saying it is dirty. It is okay that you don't like much, cause you are not used too, but it is not okay to say the things you say of their home."
"Would you like if someone say bad things about Coruscant or Naboo?" Ines asked her.
"No," Alli shook her head.
"Exactly. Do you understand what Papa is trying to say sweetie?"
"Yes. I'm sorry Papa," she said hugging him, making Luke smiled and kissed her cheek.
"I'm not mad at your baby girl. Papa is just explaining to you something that you didn't know."
"Why the Republic don't try to help about that?" Ben asked his parents.
"Well, little fella, Tatooine is not that important. Never really was," Luke answered his son.
"But you came from here, their hero," Padmé replied making Luke smiled proudly.
"I will change that, Papa. I promise," Alli said making Luke and Ines looked at each other smiling.
"We know you will, sweetie," Ines smiled at her.
"Now, let's go home and take a nice nap before dinner. How about that?" Luke said, and they all went to their speeder, ready to go to their farm.
What did you think of the life lesson Luke and Ines gave to their kids? Next chapter Ines will continue to tell her story and when she met Tala.