Lars Farm
Tatooine
Evening
"I'm shutting down the power!" Owen called.
"All right! I'll be done in just a minute!" the woman called back cheerfully. It had been a good day. The moisture vaporators had produced 5% higher yields than usual and the banthas had produced a copious amount of blue milk.
Yes, a good day. A good life, really.
The woman lifted a hand and removed the clip which held her hair up. Her dark tresses fell to her shoulders and she tossed her head slightly, relishing the relaxed feeling of her scalp. During the day, hair had to be either short or up, and her husband loved her long hair. So until evening came, she wore it piled high. But now, with the first sun under the horizon and second sun touching the distant mountains, it was cool enough to allow her hair to flow freely.
She walked out of the outbuilding and took a step toward the main house, only to stop when a slight sound caught her attention from her left. She turned, puzzled and concerned. The banthas were in the stable next door and perhaps they'd caught wind of a predator? The krayts never wandered this close, but there were other creatures nearby. Some of them sentient.
She took a few steps towards the stables, hesitant as to whether to call for assistance or not. It was probably nothing but …
A moment later, a dark form loomed in the darkness and before she could flinch, or cry out, or lift a hand to defend herself, something crashed down on her head and she fell to the ground, paralyzed by pain.
Terror filled her heart. There could only be one possible identity for her attacker, and the Tuskens were not disposed to treat human settlers well. She tried to scream but her head swam and she barely clung to consciousness as she dimly felt herself being lifted and carried away from the farm, away from those who loved her …
There was a sudden flash of green, seen dimly through the nearly closed lids of Shmi Skywalker Lars. A moment later, there were guttural shouts and Shmi found herself abruptly dropped to the hard sand. She grunted in pain but managed to roll to her hands and knees. What was happening?
There was yelling now from behind her, from Owen and Beru and yes, Cliegg, even as a small form suddenly grasped her waist and helped her lurch to her feet.
"Come on, I've got you," a female form whispered in her ear.
"The Tuskens," Shmi managed to whisper.
"Luke is taking care of them," the woman replied confidently.
Luke?
"Shmi!" Cliegg shouted, rushing to her side. "Shmi, are you all right?"
"She was hit hard on the head," the unknown woman said authoritatively, "we need to get her inside."
"Who are you?" Owen demanded suspiciously.
"I'm Leia," the girl replied. "This isn't the time; let's get inside."
"The Tuskens," Shmi repeated weakly. "They usually come in large groups. Your friend …"
"Is a Jedi," the girl interrupted in a proud tone. "Don't worry, he'll drive them away."
"'I've got you, Shmi," Owen said abruptly, carefully grasping his stepmother in his arms and lifting her. "I've got you."
Shmi closed her eyes again as she was gently carried down the steps and into the main dwelling. A moment later, she felt herself placed on the couch and Beru, smelling slightly of blue milk, crouched down beside her, a hand gently touching her head.
"She's bleeding quite a bit," Cliegg murmured worriedly.
"Do you have ice?" Leia asked.
"Ice is as dear as meryx on Tatooine," Beru stated. "We have a med kit …"
"I have it here," Owen said, rushing in the room. The next few minutes were a confused rush as the three occupants of the farm fell over one another, eager to assist Shmi. In the end, her head was bandaged, she'd received a shot of pain meds, and her head had been carefully propped up with the best pillows in the house.
"Owen?" Leia asked once the flurry had subsided.
"Yes?"
"Luke says he's driven off the Tuskens but some of the banthas need to be returned to the stable and are resisting his attempts by hissing and spitting. Would you be able to help him?"
"He says?" Beru asked in a wondering tone.
"Er, yes," Leia explained hesitantly. "As odd as it sounds, we're able to communicate telepathically."
"Listen, I don't want to be rude," Cliegg said suspiciously, "but you came out of nowhere …"
"And you can't trust us," Leia finished. "I understand. Luke can probably handle the banthas if you want to interview me now. Or you and Owen can go help him and Beru can hold a blaster on me if you like."
"Owen, go help with the banthas," Shmi croaked weakly from the couch. "She and her friend saved my life. Don't be stupid."
There was a nervous chuckle from Owen and Cliegg clapped his son on the back, "Go on, Owen. Help the man. We'll wait for you."
It was only ten minutes later when the Owen returned with Luke in tow. Owen, noticeably pale through his desert tan, was shaking his head as he stepped into the room.
"How are you, Shmi?" he asked his step mother tenderly.
"I'm better, Owen. The light hurts my eyes but I'll be Ok. How is it out there?"
"There are ten dead Tuskens out there," Owen stated grimly. "Half of the banthas had been taken from the stable, but we retrieved them all thanks to, uh, Luke."
"Did you kill them all?" Beru asked hopefully.
Luke flinched slightly and shook his head, "No. It was a big raiding party. I estimate another two dozen fled once they realized I was too much for them."
"Thank you," Cliegg said, his throat suddenly husky. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. You saved my wife's life."
"It was our pleasure," Leia said carefully.
The twins looked at one another and the princess nodded at Luke.
"So I'm guessing you won't believe this," Luke said reluctantly, "but I hate to lie about it. We're from the future."
"The future?" Beru asked blankly.
"Yes, from about 30 years in the future. I'm, uh, Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight."
The foursome gasped at that name.
"Luke Skywalker?" Shmi demanded, sitting up slightly. "Related to Anakin Skywalker?"
"He was my father," Luke said quietly. "And Leia is my twin sister."
Shmi sat up abruptly and then groaned in pain, lifting her hand to her head.
"Shmi, lie down," Cliegg ordered.
"No," the woman gritted out. "No. I have to see ... Luke, come here and let me look at you."
Luke obediently dropped down next to his grandmother and looked straight into the woman's brown eyes. Within seconds, both had tear filled orbs.
"You look so much like my Ani," Shmi murmured. "Oh, to imagine that I would see this day. He has children?"
"Well, he'll have children," Leia explained, smiling slightly. For all that Anakin Skywalker had been a total wreck in her timeline, she knew he had loved his mother. Her death at the hands of the Tuskens had apparently precipitated the crisis with Padme.
Which was, no doubt, why the Force had tossed them here.
"We haven't been born in this timeline," Luke explained. "We're only 25 years old and we're from 30 years in the future."
"Of course, of course," Shmi said with a nod, even as she turned her gaze on Leia.
"You don't look like my Ani at all," she murmured.
"I take after my mother," Leia explained softly. "And again, Anakin isn't married to her yet in your timeline."
"Married!" Owen exclaimed. "I don't know a lot about the Jedi, but they don't marry."
"Well, our father wasn't quite a typical Jedi," Leia responded carefully. "Though we're of the view that Jedi should marry if they wish. Both Luke and I are married, and Luke and his wife have a little boy."
"I'm a great-grandmother!" Shmi cried out. "How delightful. And ... am I alive in your time? I'd be quite old, I suppose."
The twins exchanged hesitant looks and Luke rolled carefully to his feet.
"No," he said solemnly. "No, in our timeline, you were taken by Tuskens on this very night and … you were murdered."
There was a squeak of horror from Beru, but Shmi only nodded, "When they took me, I knew I was dead."
"Not now," Luke stated firmly, even as he shifted his attention to Cliegg. "If I may, sir, you should augment your defenses."
"I will," Cliegg vowed. "I promise you we won't let them get near again. I won't lose your grandmother now that I have another chance to protect her."
"Not that they're likely to return," Beru said practically. "They are a violent race but a strong show of force frightens them. I'm sure being attacked by a Jedi will make them avoid our farm in the future."
"We won't assume that, though. I promise," Owen said.
"Good, good," Luke said, his gaze now fixed on the man and woman who had raised him. A moment later, he succumbed to his longing and suddenly swept forward to engulf the couple in a group hug.
Owen and Beru flinched in surprise before melting into their nephew's embrace.
"That was pretty odd, I know," Luke said, coughing in embarrassment. "The truth is that in our timeline, I spent many years on Tatooine with you. To see you again, to see this farm, is a gift."
"You spent time here?" Owen demanded in a bewildered tone.
"Why not with your parents?" Shmi demanded.
Luke and Leia sighed with unnerving synchronicity.
"It's complicated and truthfully very sad. People died and I ended up here, without Leia."
"Luke."
"I know, tingling toes, which means it's time for us to leave. If you see Anakin, tell him not to trust Chancellor Palpatine."
"I doubt I will ever see him again," Shmi said sadly. "I've not seen your father since the Jedi took him 10 years ago, my dears."
"Well, if you do see him, tell him that Palpatine is an evil Sith Lord." Luke requested.
The twins vanished.
/—-
Lars Farm
Tatooine
10 days later
"Shmi!" Owen cried out, storming into the kitchen excitedly.
Shmi winced slightly at the noise, causing Owen to cringe in regret, "I'm sorry."
"It's all right. My head is better but loud noises …"
"Yes, I forgot. Listen, Shmi, someone's here! A starship just landed 500 meters from the farm!"
"A starship?" the woman asked in surprise, carefully placing the blue milk in the cooler. "I wonder who that could be."
She followed Owen out of the kitchen and up the stairs, with Beru appearing out of nowhere to support her. She smiled but allowed the young woman to help her even though she could take the steps on her own now.
Cliegg waited upstairs, his blaster pointed toward the ground. The winds were brisk today and the sand, already swirling, was even more tumultuous due to the recent descent of the glorious white ship which sat peacefully only a short distance away.
Shmi watched as a ramp lowered and two figures descended. They walked together toward the farm and one of them was tall, and his hood blew back, and …
"Ani!?" she cried out, lurching forward a few steps. "Ani?"
"Mom!" Anakin Skywalker yelled, breaking into a run. "Mom, oh Mom. You're Ok!"
"Yes, my Ani, yes, I'm all right. Oh, Anakin, Anakin. To think that I would see you again. My grown up son, so handsome!"
"Mom," Anakin said again, lifting her up into his arms and hugging her tightly. "I was so worried about you."
"Worried?" Shmi asked in a puzzled way, then shook her head slightly, "But let me introduce my husband and his son and wife, please. Anakin, this is my husband Cliegg, and his son Owen and wife Beru."
"And this is Padme," Anakin replied, gesturing to the slight form at his side. The woman lifted her hands to push back her hood, revealing the face of a gorgeous woman with very familiar features
The four members of the Lars' families gasped softly in recognition. Obviously this was the twins' mother!
"Please, come inside," Beru said. "Shmi was injured 10 days ago and really needs to rest."
"Injured?" Anakin demanded.
"I'm fine, Ani, I'm fine. Better than fine. But come."
Anakin obediently guided Padme down the step into the main living area of the house, then turned to face his mother.
"Mom, please sit down and tell me how you got hurt."
Shmi obeyed with a slight pucker between her eyes, "I really am fine, Anakin. I promise. But yes, 10 days ago I was attacked by a raiding party of Tuskens. They almost abducted me and then ... a miracle happened."
"What kind of miracle?" Padme asked softly.
Shmi looked down at the floor, sighed, then looked up, "One that is hard to believe. Two people from the future appeared and rescued me."
"The future?" Anakin demanded. "That's impossible!"
"They, uh, they were your children, Anakin."
Anakin's eyes widened in shock.
"My what?" he choked out.
"Your children," Owen Lars stated. "Luke and Leia Skywalker."
"I don't have any children!" Anakin howled indignantly. "I'm 19 years old."
"They said they were from 30 years in the future and are 25 years old so yes, they aren't born yet in this timeline. But they said ... they said in their timeline I was abducted by Tuskens and murdered, Ani. The Force brought them back to save me."
Anakin Skywalker abruptly collapsed on a nearby couch and Padme sat down next to him, her face concerned.
"My nightmares," the Jedi murmured.
"What?" his mother asked.
"I've been having dreams, Mom, of you in pain, of you dying! I had them for weeks on end and they stopped, yes, 10 days ago, but I was so afraid that I ... I had to see you, I had to know you were all right."
"I am all right, my Ani," Shmi said reassuringly. "But if Luke hadn't intervened, I would have been lost. My destiny has changed."
Anakin suddenly found himself sobbing softly in relief. What a gift. What a gift!
"So who was the children's mother?" Padme asked in bewilderment. "Jedi are not permitted to marry."
Shmi glanced at her husband and then smirked slightly, "Well, they didn't say, but I must say that Ani's daughter has dark hair and eyes and looks remarkably like you, Padme."
Padme Amidala Naberrie blushed and then smiled slightly.
"So are my children still here?" Anakin demanded.
"No, no, they were only here about an hour. That's how we know they truly are from another time. They rescued me, talked to us, then vanished. Just vanished!"
"Did they say anything about the future?" Padme asked softly.
Cliegg and Shmi looked at each other and Cliegg nodded reluctantly, "They said ... they said that some sad things happened and that Owen and Beru helped raise Luke here. No more details than that."
"Luke was raised here?" Anakin demanded in horror. "I must have died in their timeline. I wouldn't raise my child here!"
"Ani," Shmi remonstrated gently.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Anakin replied with a groan. "I just hate Tatooine. I hate it. I'm sorry, that's rude, but I do."
"You did not have a good life here," Cliegg said softly. "I understand."
"They did say one thing more," Beru said suddenly. "Don't you remember? They said to tell Anakin that Chancellor Papatine was not to be trusted, that he was Bith Lort."
Anakin and Padme gazed at one another in bewilderment.
"Chancellor Palpatine was bith lort?" Ani repeated confusedly.
"Lord, not lort," Owen chimed in.
"And not ... not bith," Shmi added, struggling to remember. "Rith? Lith? No, Sith! Sith Lord!"
Anakin Skywalker sucked in a shocked breath, "What?!"
"Yes, that's right. Tell Anakin that Chancellor Palpatine is not to be trusted and is a Sith Lord. That's what Luke said."
Anakin stared at Padme, his breath fast, "That's impossible, Padme. Palpatine...he's my friend and mentor! He's a distinguished politician from your own homeworld, respected and admired."
Padme stared back, her mind working furiously. It had been ten years since Valorum had been removed as Chancellor and Palpatine installed, and in that time ...
"He has garnered more and more emergency powers, Anakin," Padme said solemnly. "Some of the senators are concerned."
Anakin frowned, "But he is wise, and we are in the midst of a war. We can't afford to let beauracratic nonsense get in the way of needed action to defeat the Separatists."
A minute slid by in silence, then another minute, as Anakin thought furiously.
"He has been gathering power, hasn't he?" he muttered meekly.
"Yes," Padme said, her eyes suddenly horrified. "And Ani, if he is a Sith, that means he's actually behind the war! Behind Dooku, and the Separatists!"
"It seems impossible. I've known him so long."
"Anakin, your children from the future showed up and rescued your mother and warned us about Palpatine. I think we need to take that warning into account."
Anakin Skywalker lifted his eyes and gazed at his mother, who was staring at him in concern.
"You're right, Padme. As soon as I can, I'll share my concerns with the Jedi Council. If Palpatine is the Sith Lord we're searching for, a concentrated focus by the masters should reveal it."
"And if he is responsible for the deaths of millions," Padme averred fiercely. "He will be arrested and tried for his crimes."
/
Padme's Apartment
Coruscant
4 months later
"So he put up quite a fight, Padme," Anakin muttered, flopping on the bed and groaning. "We went in a group to arrest him and he fought us and badly wounded a couple of the masters. He threw Force Lightning at us! Ouch! He even had the nerve to appeal to me, to our friendship. What a jerk!"
"Is he in custody?" Padme asked worriedly.
"No, no," Anakin said, gesturing for a bottle of blue milk. It floated obediently out of the kitchen cooling unit and into his hand. "No, he's dead. He fought like a cornered loth wolf and Master Windu managed the final blow. There is no doubt that he was indeed a Sith Lord. He was so powerful! Crazy."
"I'm glad he's dead."
"Me too, my love. Me too."
"Ani?"
"Yes?"
"Ani, I've been thinking about our children from the future."
"So have I. And I don't want … I don't want them raised by the Lars…"
"Or the Jedi in the Temple. I want to raise them, Ani."
Anakin blinked, frowned, though, and sat up, "Of course, Padme. Of course you will. And I can come and visit as much as possible. I mean, they keep sending me here and there but when the war ends I should have more time. And the war should end soon ..."
"No, Anakin," Padme interrupted firmly. "No. Listen. Your mother told me one more thing, right before we rushed off like idiots to Geonosis to try and rescue Obi-Wan. She said that the twins said that the no attachment rules were stupid, and that both our kids were married. Our son Luke had a son. No, Ani. I've been thinking and it is ridiculous and unhealthy that the Jedi are not permitted to marry. I say that either the Jedi Order changes, or you leave. I don't want to raise the kids as a single mother. I don't want this secrecy anymore."
Anakin Skywalker stared at her in disbelief. Leave the Jedi?
"I won't make you leave, of course," Padme continued, this time in a gentler tone. "I'm just asking you to think about it. Please."
"I don't even have to think about it," Anakin said suddenly. "I'll leave. For you, I'll leave."
"I don't want you to resent me," Padme murmured, kissing her husband passionately and then drawing back.
"I won't," Anakin promised. "Padme, I love you so much. I will love our children. I want them to know me, to know you, to know my mom and the Lars family. You're right, this is unhealthy. I don't know, with Palpatine gone it seems like much that was confused is now clear to me. Yes, I'll leave."
"Who knows?" Padme murmured slyly. "Maybe we'll encourage some others to follow us. The Jedi need to change."
"I've always been a weird Jedi," Anakin murmured, leaning forward to draw his wife into a loving embrace. "Now I'll be a weird non-Jedi who is a powerful Force Sensitive. We'll make it work."
"Together," Padme agreed.
/
Luke and Mara's apartment
Theed
Naboo
Current Timeline
"So you had another fling across time and space?" Mara asked as her husband emerged from the refresher.
Luke shook his head incredulously, "Was it that obvious this time?"
"Very. So where did you go?"
"Tatooine."
"Yuck!"
"No, it was good. Leia and I ended up rescuing our grandmother Shmi from being snatched by Tusken Raiders. I got to see my aunt and uncle, though young versions of them, of course. And meet our grandma. It was great."
"That's wonderful, darling," Mara murmured just as a quivering wail filled the air.
"I'll get him," Luke said with a smile, walking rapidly into the nursery. His little son lay in his crib, squealing indignantly. Luke leaned over and lifted the baby into his arms. The infant stopped crying hysterically and merely sobbed slightly.
"I know you're hungry, little guy," his father told him, walking out of the nursery and towards the living room where Mara was waiting. "And I'm no use where food is concerned. But I just want you to know that I love you, Biggs. I love you so much and I'm thankful that I can be a big part of your life."
Author Note: I hope you all enjoyed this one. Saving Shmi was so much fun! Thanks again to those of you taking time to read and review this fic. And thanks again to my wonderful editor and husband!