(A/N: Hope everyone has a wonderful Independence/Treason day!)

WPRT CH. 4 (Updated 2021)

Like Hillbillies in Los Angeles

Jo:

I certainly hoped this guy could fly this thing.

Thankfully, he could.

I was able to exhale as we pulled away into the night.

"You two aren't from around here, are you?" the guy asked us.

"No, we're not. But we are glad to help," Aaron answered.

"My name is Owen Lars," he said.

"Nevermind that right now," I said, "just drive."

The fire shrank in the background until it was gone entirely from sight.

As the dark engulfed us, I almost cried again, thinking about that kid.

"What was his name?" I asked Owen.

"Who?"

"The kid who was killed. What was his name?"

"Airk."

I've never forgotten Airk.

Owen drove us to a little pit.

It was a home.

"This is my farm," Owen said to Aaron.

"Farm?" Aaron asked, looking around for some kind of crops. There weren't any. Only sand. "But there's no crops."

"Ah. We are moisture farmers. All of us. There are machines out there that collect what little water there is in the atmosphere and condenses it for us. We use that for drinking, bathing, cooking, the livestock, and selling it when we have to. I don't, but some of these farmers have deals with cantinas and restaurants in the ports. I sell waters to traders and Jawas that come by. My father made those rules. When he passes away, I suppose I'll probably expand my market."

"Okay. Makes sense," I answered.

"You guys will either have to stay here for the night or head out. I suggest you stay here. My dad lives here, and my girlfriend, Beru, comes very early in the morning and leaves late. My stepmother died a couple days ago, but she'd been missing for a little while. My step-brother, Anakin, went and rescued her from those monsters you saw tonight. She died just after he held her...for the first time in ten years, and she lived to see him again. Anyway, Beru comes to help us men out with the cooking and the laundry."

"We'll stay here for the night since you're offering," Aaron said.

I followed them inside. Some of the other farmers took off for their homes, but some also agreed to stay.

Aaron and I were given the spare room (I was a lady and I was too scared to stay alone), so the others slept in their parlor on the floor.

Before I took off my Lawrence of Arabia "cosplay," I turned on my laptop, praying for some sort of wifi signal. I wanted to tell Mom and Dad that we were okay. But there was nothing in the corner. It came on, though.

Disappointed, I turned it back off and took out a blank, lined notebook and a pen. (Always be prepared when you're a writer). It was in my nature to act as an historian anyway.

I dated the page with the the Earth date from my phone and began:

Four of us left three days ago for a camping trip in Turkey Run. Aaron, Eugene, Thomas, and I drove the three hours to get there. We were doing normal camp-out things. We all got tired and went to bed.

Aaron and I woke up to his usual "One hour 'til bedtime" alarm, and we were in the desert….

I wrote down everything I knew and some speculations.

I hoped we would find our friends.

I took off the robes and took a shower (Owen said we could) and then put on my sleep shorts and a black camisole. This was the first time I had taken my bra off in two days, and it felt great, even if it was just for some shut-eye. I laid down on the bed and stretched out. It was a real bed, mattress and everything.

After I came out of the bathroom, Aaron went in. While he was in there, I tried to turn my mind off.

Aaron came out of the bathroom in clean shorts.

"I never thought that a shower could feel so good," Aaron said.

"That's what mom and I have been trying to tell you for years, dude," I said as he sat down on the other edge of the bed.

"Wait...do you think they think we're married?" he asked.

"I don't know. Probably. We can set the record straight in the morning. Besides, we've shared a bed before...bed-hog."

Aaron chuckled a little bit.

The voices outside lingered long into the night, but I was soon asleep.

Aaron was awake before me and getting dressed.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

"Beru just came by and knocked on the door. Breakfast is ready whenever we are."

I stood up, stretched, put on some sandals and my sweatshirt before following Aaron where Beru said the food would be.

Beru was a pretty blonde girl with sparkling blue eyes and an ever present smile.

"Good morning. Thank you so much for rescuing Owen and the others last night. Five of the men and eight children stayed, but they are all gone. They were wise to wait until daylight, though. Would you like some potatoes? And if you don't mind me asking, are you two a husband and wife bounty hunter team or something?"

My stomach growled in response.

She motioned for us to sit at the table.

We did, and she served us some potatoes, meat, and some other vegetable.

"What would you like to drink?"

"Water," Aaron and I both said.

Aaron prayed for both of us before we dug in.

It was all delicious- different, but delicious.

"Thank you, Beru. This is lovely. Have you already eaten?" I asked.

"Yes. Owen went to go check on some of the vaporators, but he will be back soon. He knows you'll have questions for him."

"To answer your second question, no. We aren't a husband and wife. Jo here is my older sister. We were doing something with some friends and got separated."

No kidding we have questions, and good save, Aaron.

We ate in silence and just as we were putting our dishes in the sink, Owen returned from his rounds.

"So glad you guys are awake."

"So are we," Aaron said.

"I'm sure you have some questions for me, so if you'll follow me to the sitting room. Thank you, Beru, for looking after our guests."

Beru smiled and washed the dishes.

"Thank you," I called behind me as I followed him.

Already in the sitting room was his father.

"This is my father, Cliegg."

"Pleasure to meet you two. You saved my son. I don't know if I could have taken both my son and beloved wife in just a few days...I'm sorry…" Cliegg teared up.

"We are so sorry for your loss," I said, a lump forming in my own throat. "I'm sure she was a lovely lady."

"She was…

"Anyway, we will try to help you, since you obviously aren't from around here. What would you like to know?"

"What were those things?" Aaron asked.

"Those were Tusken Raiders or Sand People. They are not friendly. They are incredibly hostile, and they hate us just as much as we hate them. As you saw, those were just men. My step-son, Anakin, murdered some of them when he brought his mother back."

"They had taken her about a month before he arrived. We had already believed her to be dead, but she...lived long enough to see him."

"Those leftover men have been rounding up stray farmers for the last several days, ever since Anakin and his friend, Padmé, left. I had hoped Owen would be safe…"

"They took me while I was repairing a moisture vaporator in broad daylight. A gutsy move coming from them. They were out for blood. As you saw, Airk was not going to cut it."

My eyes flashed back to the sight of the bashed in skull, and I felt somewhat ill.

"They're bloodthirsty people. Humans have wronged them in the past. Of course, we would never intentionally hurt them now, but there are still some that harbor grudges. We can understand why Anakin...reacted the way he did. They tortured and ultimately killed his mother."

"I already told them that, Dad."

"Ah. Well, I can't give you much in payment, but we can give you a ride. We have no need for that land skiff, so Owen will take you to a port and sell that land skiff while there and bring a public transport back. I'm sorry we can't give you more."

"No. It's alright. You've done more than enough already," I said.

"We will pack up our things and be ready to go when you are able to take us. Thank you," Aaron said, genuinely thankful (as was I).

An hour and a half later, we departed the ranch in the land skiff. Cliegg and Beru waved us off.

Even though I barely knew them, I was sad to leave. They seemed like such nice people, and Aaron and I waved as we rode away.

We rode through the desert for a long time. I don't know how long, but it certainly beats walking it.

Owen and Aaron talked a little bit. It turned out, Owen was not much older than we were. He'd lived here for quite some time, and he loved his step-mother. She had been a slave (Anakin had been, too). Cliegg bought her from a junker, Watto, and fell in love with her. Then he freed her, and married her.

It was a sweet story for such a sad, strange planet.

Owen pulled up to a cliff.

"That down there, is Mos Eisley Spaceport. It's full of the galaxy's scum, but that's where we are headed. You'll be able to probably get rides for labor or a good price."

"Well...is there somewhere we can get cheap drinks? I could do with a coke."

"A what?" Owen asked Aaron.

"A Coke. Coca-Cola. Ice Cold?"

"No idea what that is, but there is a little cantina down there. They may have something like this… Coke for you to drink. I'll meet you there and get you each a drink. I'll be able to afford that much. After all, you did save my life."

Owen drove down the canyon and dropped us off at the cantia.

"I'll be back soon. The place where I'm going to sell it isn't far from here."

"Okay."

Since we weren't crossing the desert, we were both wearing normal clothes. I was wearing a blue t-shirt, denim capris, and hiking boots. I had french-braided my hair to keep it from getting stuck to my neck. Aaron was wearing a yellow t-shirt, army-camo printed cargo pants, and hiking boots.

We were wearing our giant camping bags and supplies when we walked into the dim bar.

EVERYONE went silent and stared. We stuck out like hillbillies in Los Angeles.

Quietly, we sat down in the corner.

Hurry back, Owen…

END OF CHAPTER FOUR