To Ahsoka's surprise, the ship suddenly stopped floating forward and slowly settled into the soft sandy ground below. She remembered Anakin saying something about offloading their extra supplies, but that was faster than even she expected. When she stepped outside to examine her surroundings, she was surprised to see a small dwelling and a few humans standing around, staring at their ship in awe.
"Anakin?" Owen asked, "You're back?"
"Yeah, I never thought I'd come back to your farm," he admitted, "but we have a bit of a problem." He gestured to the ship, as if it were a small incidence. When he turned and saw Ahsoka at the exit, he motioned for her to come over.
Davy walked up to them and said, "Hello, nice to meet you guys, whoever you are."
As the other padawans gathered around, tired from their journey, Anakin explained, "This is my brother Owen, and his girlfriend, Beru."
Ahsoka couldn't help but gasp. "You have a family?!" she asked in awe. Everyone was shocked. The idea of knowing their family members was so foreign to them, they almost couldn't understand the connection. For Ahsoka, she knew Anakin's background was different from most other jedi, and that he was from Tatooine, but she had no idea he knew his family members.
"That's right, snips," he replied.
"Actually," Owen corrected, "Beru's not my girlfriend anymore, she's my fiance now. We're getting married!" He held her hand and looked at her.
Anakin replied, "Really? Congratulations!"
Davy jumped between them and interjected, "Awesome, happy for you, really! Sorry to spoil the sudden family reunion, but we have a major situation here!" He motioned to the massive ship behind him.
"I was about to ask about that," Beru said, pointing at the ship.
"We were on a cruise in hyperspace when we had a sudden explosion on board," Anakin explained, "it killed a few people, and knocked a bunch more unconcious. This whole ship no longer has power, so we ended up landing here against our will." He gave Davy an angry side eye. "We're taking it all the way to Jabba to trade it in for one that actually works, but I don't want to give him so much free supplies. Do you guys want the food, water, and other things on board?"
Their faces lit up.
Owen asked, "Are you serious?"
"We'll take it!" Beru answered, "Whatever you want to give us."
Anakin added, "It isn't just that. We also need some help. We have a bunch of wounded on board. We have enough medical supplies, so you shouldn't need anything else. They just need tending it. I think it's better if they stay here rather than make the journey all the way to Jabba's palace."
Surprised, after some hesitation, Owen said, "Alright, we'll do what we can to help you guys out. I'll get my dad and see what we can do."
The injured were all taken off of the ship and brought inside the home. Then, Anakin and the other padawans used the force to lift off the hundreds of gallons of water, food, and medical supplies off of it and into the Lars home.
Cliegg, now with a peg leg and on two feet, marveled at the sight of all their new trade goods. "This was the perfect time for you to visit Ani," he remarked, patting him on the back, "we were actually having a rough season, and likely weren't going to make much of a profit this year until you came along."
Just when Anakin was about to tell them that the force works in mysterious ways, Davy cut in and asked, "Ani? Isn't that a girl's name?"
"Only for the weak minded," Anakin retorted with a side glance.
Davy put his hands up defensively, and replied, "Alright, you got me, Wenuchulla."
Beru, Owen, and Cliegg all gasped in horror and stared at him. Cliegg said quickly, "We don't use that kind of language in this house, you understand me, young man!"
Anakin glared at him and explained, "Davy, I've been telling you for years to call me by my name!"
"What's the problem?" he asked innocently.
Beru answered hastily, "You just called him slave vermin to his face, in a much ruder way! What is wrong with you?!"
"I'm sorry," he said, looking towards the family rather than at Anakin, "I didn't know what it meant."
"Yes, you did!" Anakin said, "I told you years ago when we first met!"
Davy retorted, "Then I'm sorry I don't remember every detail of our lives back when we were 8 years old together."
Anakin bit his tongue at hearing that. There was no point in correcting him, he knew it wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. Besides, they didn't have time to argue, not when both suns were now high above them, and it was only going to get hotter the longer they waited.
"We should probably get moving," he said, turning away.
"Now wait, son," Cliegg said, stopping him, "it's a long way to Jabba's palace from here. You brought us all this food and we have all these wonderful people here to share it with. Why not spend a quick meal together before you leave?"
Huron chimed in, "I don't mind taking a break."
"Me neither," someone else said.
Ahsoka said, "It is very hot outside, Master, it might be best if we wait until both suns go down to make better time when it's cooler out." She also knew this would give her a better chance to start interviewing people now that they weren't carrying an entire ship on their backs.
Owen said, "As much as we're grateful for all this food, Ani, there's no way we can eat it all ourselves. What do you say?"
"Alright," he said, "we'll stop and have a meal before we set off again." Everyone cheered.
As they sat around the home and ate a meal, Owen and Beru shared a seat so more of them could sit at the table. Several people ended up standing or sitting on the floor anyway, because there just wasn't enough room otherwise. Anakin couldn't help but glance over at Beru sitting in Owen's lap affectionately. He wished he could publicly show how much he loved Padme in a similar fashion. Of course, no one batted an eye at them being so close, they were fiancés, something common among ordinary people. Still, it hurt him to be reminded he wasn't allowed the same pleasures with his own wife.
Anakin tried to keep his mind on the task at hand and asked, "So, what kind of mood has Jabba been in lately?"
"The last few times I've seen him in the city," Cliegg answered earnestly, "he's been jovial."
"Oh great," Anakin whined.
Ahsoka asked, standing across the room, "Isn't that a good thing?"
He explained, "No, if he's already in a good mood the only thing we'll do is sour it. If he was in a bad mood we'd be able to stroke his ego and get him on our side." He paused and said to himself. "This entire trip keeps getting better and better."
"You know what you guys need around here?" Davy remarked in order to change the subject as he sat at the table, "A good rainstorm."
While the padawans who heard him giggled in droves, Owen, Beru, and Cliegg stared at him in awkward silence.
"Rain?" Owen asked, completely dumbfounded.
Beru asked, "What is that?"
"Are you kidding?" he asked, then realized they were both serious, "Seriously, you guys have never heard of rain?"
Anakin said, "Davy, rain doesn't exist here."
Owen turned to his stepbrother and asked, "What is he talking about?"
"On other planets," Anakin explained, "they have this thing called the water cycle. Water on the ground gets evaporated into clouds up in the air, and when those clouds turn dark and get heavy, the water falls out of it back to the ground."
"No way," Beru said, "gravity doesn't make the clouds fall out of the sky?"
"Water can't move up," Owen said, "you're telling me on some planets water falls out of the sky? I don't believe you." Him and his family laughed. Anakin couldn't help but giggle too, remembering what a strange concept it was to him when he experienced it for the first time.
Davy asked, "So you've seriously never experienced rain before? And you're from here, Anakin, is that why every rainstorm freaked you out so bad for like 3 years?"
Anakin nearly choked on his food. "No, it wasn't 3 years!" he insisted, "It took less than 6 months for me to get used to the concept."
He remembered the first time he ever saw the skies cloud up and turn dark. Of course it scared him, he had never seen it before! He wondered why the sky was so angry, and refused to step outside. Obi-wan was there and tried to be encouraging, but Anakin wasn't having it. He even stood out in the storm to show him there was nothing to be afraid of. It took him months to fully understand that the rain posed no threat.
"You kids and your jokes," Cliegg said.
"Actually," Anakin said, thinking to himself, "I can show you rain."
Once they were all done eating, he brought his family outside, and many jedi followed. With the force, Anakin brought water jugs up over their heads, opened them up, and created clouds overhead. With the force, he made raindrops form and gave them a good rainstorm.
Beru, Owen, and Cliegg were in awe. They stretched their arms out to feel it as it hit their skin and hair. Beru quickly took Owen and danced with him. As they all started laughing and dancing, the sand under their feet quickly turned to mud and they slipped and slid down all over the place. Eventually everyone was down in the mud, laughing like crazy at their new filthy appearances.
It wasn't as though they wasted any water. They must have taken more than 50 jugs off of the ship. Everyone used the force to clean themselves up, and then it was time to leave as both suns set in the distance.
"Master," Anakin said, leaning over Obi-wan as he hugged himself in pain, "I'll return as soon as I can, I promise."
"Try not to ruin our reputation with the Hutts," he said, "we need their alliance to win this war."
He replied, "You know me, Obi-wan, I'm the master of diplomacy."
Obi-wan smiled through his pain and said, "You're the master of something alright."
Anakin gave him one last smile before he left for the door. Owen stopped him on the stairs away from everyone else and said, "Wait, I know you're not allowed to have any attachments to your family, but I want you to have this anyway." He gave him a small disk. "It's an invitation to our wedding."
"You want me there?"
"Of course," he said with a smile, "I understand if the jedi council won't let you come, but I want you to always remember us."
Anakin thought to himself. "Honestly," he said, "if the councilmembers were the only problem I was dealing with right now, I could sneak out for a day and make it no problem, but we're at war. I'll likely be in the middle of a battle on that day." He paused, "I'm sorry, Owen." He watched his face fall. "But if I can make it, may I bring a guest?"
Owen answered, "Sure, who would you bring?"
He motioned for him to come close and whispered in his ear, "My wife, Padme."
"What?" he gasped, "You're married?!"
Anakin shushed him, hoping none of the jedi masters heard him. "Yes," he whispered, "none of these guys can know." He gestured to the resting and injured jedi masters and knights in the next room over.
"You rule breaker, you," Owen said, playful punching him in the shoulder, "yeah, Ani, she can come too."
"Master!" Ahsoka shouted from outside, "Are you coming?"
"I'll be right there!" he yelled back, then turned back to Owen and added, "I'll be back in a working ship in no time, but after that, take care of yourself, Owen." He patted him on the shoulder and left.
The walk to Jabba's palace, although much longer than the walk they made during the day, was easier now that all the weight was left behind, and that they were carrying an empty ship. Still, it was massive and much heavier than anything the other padawans had ever lifted before.
Once, Anakin stepped over a dune and his ankle went out from under him and he slid halfway down the hill in the soft sand. He lost concentration. The entire ship above him lurched downward.
"Skywalker!" Davy called.
"Anakin look out!" Ahsoka shouted.
Having not heard them, Anakin turned over in the sand, unaware of the ship until he finally glanced up.
"Anakin!" Davy screamed in desperation, terrified he was witnessing his death.
Anakin quickly held the bow of the massive ship a few feet above his head just moments before nearly crushing him to death.
Ahsoka asked, "Are you alright?!"
He struggled back to his feet and looked at everyone staring at him from the top of the dune. "Am I the only one holding my own weight here?" he demanded, staring them down.
"Anakin," Shali said, "even after we offloaded everything on here, the ship is still heavy for us."
Together, they carried on. It took forever for them to make it all the way to Jabba's palace. By then, everyone was beyond exhausted and could barely walk anymore.
Anakin collapsed into the ground, caught his breath, and willed himself back onto his feet. Davy was right behind him. "Wait, man," he said, "you shouldn't go in there alone. What if something happens?"
"You want to go in there with me?" Anakin asked, "Alright, let's go. Everyone else, guard the ship."
Anakin stumbled up to the door first, and a doorbell droid greeted him. No, he didn't have an invitation but he hoped Jabba would oblige two jedi. Thankfully, the doors opened and revealed the long dark hallways down into his entertainment space.
"How dare you jedi interrupt my party," Jabba said, with a droid quickly translating.
Anakin said, "Jabba, we'll leave Tatooine as soon as possible but we have a slight problem. Our ship is broken and we need a new one. You wouldn't happen to have a ship we could trade you for, would you?"
"Trade a ship with a jedi?" Jabba asked, "What have you done to it?"
"It's just broken," Davy explained, "we had to land here against our will, otherwise we'd still be soaring through the galaxy and not here bothering you." He bowed politely.
Anakin asked, "May we have a new one?"
The jedi were in luck, Jabba was interested in their ship and decided to trade in a new one. Although their new one was much smaller, it did the job of getting everyone off of Tatooine and on their way back to Corsucant.
"Chancellor Palpatine," Anakin messaged in the pilot's seat as they soared through hyperspace.
"Anakin!" he called out as his hologram appeared before him, "We lost contact with the jedi cruise ages ago. I don't recognize this signal. What happened?"
He explained, "We had an ion explosion on board. All the electronics on board were ruined and a few masters didn't make it. A bunch of us were injured. Once we land, the council will need to start a full investigation on who on board wanted everyone dead."
Palpatine asked, "You're sure it was someone on board?"
"It had to be," he said, "it was only us jedi here, no stowaways."
"Come back at once then, my friend," he replied, "I'm sure the council will get to the bottom of this quickly."
