Chapter 1 - Reunion
Plot: When Luke is back on Tatooine to rescue Han, he runs into an old friend… Camie. The reunion quickly becomes complicated when they realize an unknown Sith Lord is after Camie for reasons no one understands. Between that, their growing feelings for each other, and the second Death Star's appearance that's about to lead Luke back to Vader, things are about to get far more difficult.
Author's Note: This fic is a gift for Darkmystery1 on ffnet :)
The planet 'Eden' mentioned in here is entirely made up, just so no one gets confused and tries to research on Wookiepedia. :) XD
~ Tirana Sorki
It's been over three years since he was last here. Luke Skywalker stands at the edge of the Lars homestead, the place that was once his home, taking it in. He never planned on coming back to Tatooine but he had to, to save Han from Jabba so while he's here he might as well sell the place off. He doesn't need it anymore. This planet has nothing for him.
The burnt remains of the house are covered in sand now, but he can still see the outline of the structure beneath it. The moisture vaporators are unkept and probably falling apart. It's strange to see the place he grew up looking like this.
"So this is your old home, huh?" Han remarks.
"You can see well enough to see it?" Luke asks, glancing sideways at him. He's hardly been able to see all this time from carbon sickness.
"My eyes are still gettin' better. All I see is a light blur and some shapes. Where's the house?"
"Gone," Luke replies.
Just like Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. He admittedly hasn't thought about them much since he left. They're dead, gone and they aren't coming back. He was about to leave them anyway. But now that he's looking at the place he grew up with them, it hurts more than he thought it would.
Leia nudges his arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he assures.
Leia certainly looks far better now that she's dressed in proper clothes again. Luke knew it was a pretty high chance that she'd end up where she did if she went in to get Han out but she insisted that she'd take the risk. They both knew what could happen but he was still very unappreciative of seeing Jabba treating her like a slave.
"What about you?"
She blinks. "What?"
"Jabba's palace isn't a pleasant place to be."
"I'm fine. I wasn't hurt," she replies but there's still a lingering shadow in her eyes.
Chewbacca growls, patting her head.
"I'll have to find someone to sell this to," Luke comments. It's not like he'll ever need it again.
"I don't know much about how these things work on Tatooine but I'm sure we can help," Leia replies.
"No," Luke objects, "You should probably wait by the ship so no one recognizes any of you. Especially Han." Jabba's people are still going to be out there and Han isn't in fighting condition right now and Leia doesn't need to be attracting any more attention to herself. Even if Luke could handle any potential disturbances. "I can handle this on my own."
Leia nods. "Alright. But we don't have long. The Alliance is going to be assembling soon."
"Yeah, I know."
"Hey, Luke?" Han asks and Luke pauses to look back at him. "Thanks for comin' after me. Now I owe you one."
He gives his friend a half smile before he turns away. It's good to have Han back finally after him being gone for so long. Whatever issues Han and Leia were having before they lost him seem a little better now too.
Time to get things on Tatooine settled permanently so he can get back to the Rebellion with them.
**w**
Finding someone to buy the farm isn't hard. The buyer decided they should finish their deal in Mos Eisley's cantina of all places so here he is now. It looks like any typical cantina but Luke can't help remembering the last time he was in this place with Ben. The day his life changed forever. It had been hard even if he's glad he finally got the chance to leave Tatooine.
Something prickles at the edge of his senses and Luke frowns, scanning the cantina. He doesn't see any disturbance heading his way but something is wrong.
"Luke?" a very familiar female voice asks from behind him. "Is that you?"
He jerks, startled, spinning around to see a very familiar figure.
It's... Camie Marstrap?
Her dark brown hair is still practically waist-length. She hardly looks like she's changed at all since the morning Luke saw her for the last time, only a day before he left Tatooine, except she's visibly a little older now. He didn't think he'd see any of his friends again. Never really thought about it actually because he already had plenty of new ones. But Camie is... genuinely the main girl he's ever had a friendship with. It's nice to see her again.
Leia doesn't count. She feels more like family than she does a friend sometimes.
"Camie?" Luke asks, surprised, "What are you doing here?"
For someone who looks like... her, it's not wise to be in a cantina.
"I could ask you the same question," she replies, sliding into the seat next to him and swiveling it around to face him.
He doesn't really know what she knows about the Rebellion. What did everyone think about why he left? Did they think he died in whatever "accident" took his aunt and uncle? They probably did. "I was in town," Luke replies with a shrug.
The girl's eyes narrow a bit, though she seems amused. "In town? What made you skip out of the Rebellion to come back to this backwater place?"
"You know?"
Camie laughs, amusement dancing in her brown eyes. "Do I know, wormie?" Oh come on. Not that stupid nickname again. "I don't think there's anyone who hasn't heard of the famous rebel pilot Luke Skywalker who blew up the Empire's space station project."
"That famous, huh?" he asks, twisting in his seat to face her.
She flicks a hand. "Even if you weren't, I couldn't have forgotten how many space battles you kept thinking you saw over Tatooine. I knew all I had to do if I wanted to find you was look up any terrorist attacks against the Empire that involved fighters."
He smiles, mildly amused.
That's fair.
He doesn't quite know where she stands on all that, though.
"That space battle I saw was a real one," Luke corrects, as an afterthought.
"I guessed that too late," she responds, "I didn't believe you were... lost when the homestead was found."
"Is that what everyone else thought?"
"More or less. But I had a... feeling. And then I heard the news about this station. I'd ask for details about why you blew the thing up but it's probably best if I don't know anything." She throws a furtive glance around.
"It wasn't a space station. It was a weapon," Luke replies, nudging outwards with the Force just to make sure no one's overhearing them. "You believe in the Rebellion?"
"I don't like the Empire," she confesses, "But I have a life of my own and... enough problems without looking for an adventure."
They can use all the help they can get. He frankly doesn't get people not wanting to help the Rebellion if they don't like the Empire. "Fighting for the Rebellion is more than just going on an adventure," Luke points out, even if the reasons he joined the Rebellion in the first place did have a lot to do with that. That doesn't mean the cause isn't what he finds important now.
"Maybe," she concedes, side-eyeing him again. She keeps looking at him, actually. Maybe she's having a hard time believing he's actually here. This whole conversation feels pretty surreal to him, too. "I know you'd find your way to the Rebellion eventually," she comments, the smile on her face warm and familiar, "You were too stubborn not to."
"I dreamed about it for years," he defends.
"Oh I know, wormie." She pats his arm.
"Still going with that? I'm not really who you knew then."
"I know." There's a certain intensity to the look in her eyes for a moment that makes him look away, something a little uncomfortable twisting inside of him. Or maybe it's just that it's a little familiar. They were pretty close when they were in their mid-teen years. They were never more than just friends but sometimes Luke knows she thought about it. He'd been a little too focused on going to the academy to become a pilot to pay attention, though, and then Fixer came into the picture.
"We missed you out here," she comments, "Missed seeing your rampages."
He chuckles, unable to help thinking back to the days he was still growing up on Tatooine. It feels like a lifetime ago now. "It was quite different without all of you, too. What have you been up to all these years?" They have a lot of catching up to do, not that they'll have the time for that. He's probably never going to see her again after this.
"Long story," Camie replies, face shadowing a little.
The disturbance in the Force is growing. It has been this whole time but it's becoming more noticeable now.
She shifts, throwing a nervous glance around them.
"What's the matter?"
There's something – something's not right and she obviously knows it too.
A blaster shot rings out suddenly and Luke reacts purely on instinct, tackling Camie out of the way. He realizes a second later it was actually a stun blast, as the edge of the staticky sparks hit him. Luke whips out his blaster, leveling it in the direction the shot came from.
Years of practice with sizing up threats and spotting targets helps him quickly spot the figures in seconds. There are three beings dressed like thugs shoving their way through the cantina towards Camie. They're dressed entirely in black with masked faces. The only mark they have on them is a... tiny emblem on their shoulders. It's a tiny red face with a tentacle hanging down on either side but the insignia is done too childishly to tell what species it's supposed to be indicating. The symbol doesn't have any meaning to Luke.
"No blaster fire!" shouts the bartender but no one's listening to him.
Camie's eyes are wide with panic and Luke pushes her behind him, firing at the men.
They start shooting back – live rounds.
Several people go down in the crossfire. People jump up and start running, screaming or scrambling to get out of the way. Luke catches her arm, yanking her towards the back exit – the same one he used from escaping the stormtroopers the last time.
The men are trying to shove their way through the crowd but they aren't able to get there fast enough with so many people blocking the path. Luke darts outside into the familiar hot air of Tatooine. The air is so still without a single breeze today that it's practically smothering.
"There could be more out here," he warns, scanning their surroundings.
"Probably are," she replies breathlessly.
She knows what's happening?
He'll have to ask later. It'd be easiest with a lightsaber but he's not going to draw it unless absolutely necessary. They don't need to alert the Empire.
The Force flares in warning again and they both dive out of the way as a blaster shot hits the ground. Someone's standing on the roof right opposite the entrance. Luke fires back at him and the man takes off running, trying to dodge the shots but Luke is faster, shooting him through the heart. He falls from the roof and Luke catches Camie's arm again, pulling her away into the shadows.
They move quickly through the streets together until Luke finds a quiet alley they can step into it. He doesn't sense anything coming yet. Camie's looking around, eyes still wide.
"What's going on?" Luke demands, "Do you know who those people are?"
"I don't know who they are but they've been chasing me everywhere," Camie replies breathlessly, "Ever since I came back to Tatooine. I don't know who they are or what they want."
"Came back?" Luke objects, frowning.
"I left to go to university."
"You don't have any debts you haven't repaid or... you haven't crossed anyone, have you?"
"I don't think so?" she replies, desperation leaking into her voice. "I don't owe anyone here anything." But they have some special interest in her so it's not just a... kidnapping someone to be a slave or something.
Luke purses his lips. "What about your parents? Maybe they're after you because of them."
"I don't know," she admits, "I haven't told them what's happening. I didn't want them to worry."
Understandable. He wouldn't have wanted to tell Uncle Owen if he was being chased everywhere by someone – he'd be more frustrated at the thought of dealing with his fussing than the problem itself. "I think you'll have to. It's the best place to start. If that doesn't go anywhere, then I'll hunt down the people myself and see if I can pull information out of them."
She blinks a few times. "You really are a rebel now."
He chuckles. "Yeah."
"Alright," she agrees, looking around nervously, "Let's go."
He doesn't have the time to stay here much longer but he doesn't want to just leave her in a situation like this. Not – he can't ignore the thread of concern inside of him. Maybe a little more concern than he'd feel for just any old friend who he hasn't seen in years. But to be fair, they did spend years together when they were teens. They've known each other a long time.
**w**
It's a long drive to get to the Marstrap home. Luke drives the speeder and Camie clamors on behind him, hanging on so she doesn't fall off. Sand whips past them as they speed through the streets.
He probably needs to tell the others that he's being held up or they're going to wonder what's taking so long when they're on such a tight deadline. Luke shifts around one-handedly, slipping his comm out of his pocket.
"Aren't no comm calls while driving the first driving rule ever taught?" Camie asks, teasingly.
Luke resists the urge to roll his eyes. "Maybe you can hold the comm while I drive then," He dials in Leia's number, then passes it back to her so he can focus on controlling the speeder.
"Luke?" Leia's voice crackles over the line moments later.
"I'm held up," he calls over the noise of the speeder, "I'm helping out an old friend but I'll try to be back on time."
"It's getting late but we should be able to wait a little longer," comes the reply.
"I'll be there soon," he promises, motioning for her to disconnect the call.
"Who is that?" Camie inquires curiously.
"A friend." Perhaps the closest one he's ever had, actually. Leia feels like more than that but he's not sure what word he would use to describe what the 'more' means.
"We've got a lot of catching up to do," she muses.
"Yeah. How's Fixer?"
"I haven't talked to him in... a while now. After I went to university, I'd say we drifted apart."
"Oh." He didn't exactly expect that. Fixer and Camie had a thing for a number of years and they seemed pretty committed but it wasn't something Luke paid much attention to. Fixer had been the one to pursue it, for what he remembers. Camie used to spend more time around Luke before that.
She adjusts her position holding onto him, and her arm slides down just slightly too far – her hand brushing over his lightsaber where he has it hidden in his clothes. She jerks slightly. "What – is that a lightsaber?"
"A lot's changed," he calls back.
"Do you know how to use it?" she asks teasingly.
He wasn't expecting a joke He was expecting the same hero-worship he gets from everyone when they realize that he's a Jedi. Or when they realize that he's Anakin Skywalker's child.
Anakin Skywalker who is – apparently not dead and is serving the Empire but he's not going to let his mind wander down that path. Not – not right now.
"I'm a Jedi Knight. Or I will be soon," Luke tells her as he brings the speeder to a stop right outside the Marstrap home.
She's looking at him half incredulously. "For real?"
He nods. "But I think we need to focus on why we came."
Camie nods, expression diming as they head for the door and she knocks. Her parents open it moments later. Luke recognizes them quickly enough even if he's only seen them several times before.
"I thought you already left," her mother greets.
"There's... something's happening," she starts, gaze darting to Luke.
"Something as in?" her mother prompts.
"Who's this?" her father inquires, looking at Luke. Just from the expression on both her parents faces, he's pretty sure they have entirely the wrong impression about their... relationship.
"Luke Skywalker. Remember him?"
"Oh," realization dawns in her mother's yes, "Yes. I remember you. Haven't seen you down here in a long time."
"I've been away," Luke replies vaguely, "There's people after Camie. We don't know why but I've been keeping her safe."
"After her?" her mother repeats with alarm, face going pale. The way they both sort of freeze up makes him instantly think that there's something they know about it. It's not shock and confusion. It's more of an instant panic.
"Did you get a good look at these people? Is it you they're after or just that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time?" her father queries.
"It's me. They've been following me everywhere."
"Oh, little one," her mother says, pulling Camie into a tight hug.
"I'm fine Mom. I just wish I knew what was happening," Camie mumbles, face pressed against her mother's shoulder.
Luke doesn't know why the gesture sends such a sharp pang through him. He misses Aunt Beru.
He misses – the idea of what it would be like to have a parent. Something he thought he would never get.
But his father is still alive.
The father who he worshipped and dreamed about for years is still alive and everything entirely the opposite of what Luke thought he was. But he's still his father and he's alive.
"She's not aware of crossing anyone but we were wondering if there's anyone who could be going after her because of you," Luke speaks up, ignoring the longing in his chest.
The two trade glances again.
"Did you see what these attackers looked like?" asks her father. "Anything that may indicate who they are?"
"They were dressed entirely in black with a red emblem on their shoulders. Like a face with tentacles. I've never seen anything like it before," Luke explains. Something about the insignia feels important but nothing he understands.
The way both their expressions fill with alarm, fear pouring into the Force instantly answers his questions. "Camie," her father says, "You need to go. Just... leave Tatooine and don't come back. That should throw them off your trail and you'll be safe. They cannot get to you, Camie. Not if they are who... we think."
"But who are they?" she demands, "What's going on?"
"She won't be safe if she doesn't know what's after her," Luke interrupts. Why does it seem like they're trying to hide something? It reminds him a little of Ben and he doesn't appreciate it.
"It'll be safer if you never have to know," her father replies to Camie.
"I think we've waited long enough. She's old enough to know," her mother interjects, exchanging a glance with him.
He deflates, nodding a little.
Camie's watching them, confused and maybe a little upset.
"Perhaps we can speak about this privately," her father proposes, throwing a pointed glance at Luke. The implication is obvious.
Camie shakes her head. "I trust him. Whatever this is, he can know. He's the one who kept me safe."
They both still seem hesitant but finally her mother starts talking. "You aren't from Tatooine, Camie. Neither are we."
She frowns. "What do you mean? I thought... I was born here?"
"No," her father corrects, "You... are from a planet at the edges of the Outer Rim, nearly in Wild Space. It's called Eden."
Never a name Luke's heard of it.
"It's ruled by an ancient monarchy with little contact to outside systems," her mother goes on, "You were... the princess of the planet."
"But – what?" She sounds so confused.
Just as confused as Luke himself is feeling. Are they saying they use to rule a planet or –
"You're our child in every way but you weren't born to us. Your birth parents ruled Eden and they gave you to us. We brought you here to keep you safe," he replies.
Shock and confusion flash across Camie's face. She's understandably taking a few moments to process the fact that she was apparently adopted and never even knew. "Why did you – you never told me that before?"
"It was safer if no one knew and it didn't matter," her mother argues.
For some reason, that reminds Luke just a little of how Ben was lying to him about his father. At least this isn't nearly as extreme.
"Why isn't it safe? Why are these people after me?" she demands.
"We don't know," her father replies, "We used to serve the monarchy, who were your... birth parents. An ancient Force user wanted you. The king never told us the details but he was terrified for your fate and what this being would do to you. Sith, I think he called it. He sent you away with us to keep you safe. I thought they lost our trail. I don't know how they could have found you here. You need to go."
Luke's mind is whirling a mile a minute. This doesn't make any sense. Whatever's going on with Camie sounds exactly like him and he feels like they're missing so many details. But the thing that stands out to him the most is – "Sith?" Luke repeats slowly, "What Sith?"
"We don't know his identity. He had a deal with the king but it... turned out not to be mutually beneficial. The king didn't realize what the Sith really wanted with you until it was too late. We fled and have entirely cut off contact, as we were asked to."
Camie looks completely overwhelmed.
Luke is just mind-blown.
And a little wary. "There's Sith working for the Empire. Is it one of them?" His father and the Emperor are both Sith but he can't imagine either of them involved in... this.
"The Sith has been on Eden for decades, maybe longer. I don't believe he has any interest in the Empire. Eden is isolated from much of the galaxy. News of the Empire hasn't reached there yet when we left but if things have changed, we have no way to know," her father replies.
There's another Sith out there? That's not good. But why in the world would a Sith be after Camie of all people? There's nothing special about her. Right?
"Why would a Sith Lord be after me?" she demands finally, eyes wide. "I don't have the Force. Do I?"
"Not that we're aware of but the king never told us the reason," her mother responds.
There really isn't anyone who can protect her better than him even if he has no idea how to handle a situation like this. The Empire and Jabba make sense. He's not afraid of dealing with those but they're talking about some mysterious Sith who's been alive for years and no one knew. But he supposes this could just be a rumor and it might not be half as serious as they're making it sound. Maybe.
Would Master Yoda know anything about it? He is going to be seeing him again soon and he can ask him about it.
"I think," Luke muses, "That I need to go to this Eden alone to see what I can find. If there's a Sith there, I can handle it. But right now, there are some other pressing matters I need to deal with. Camie, what do you say to coming with me until it's settled?"
"You mean to the – "
He glances sideways at her parents. He doesn't know if he should trust them even if she does. "Yes. You'll be safe there." If they know what he's talking about, neither of them ask.
It's time to get moving.
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