The Moons of Iego: The Padmé Amidala & Anakin Skywalker Website

FAN FICTION : ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

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The Anakin Skywalker Diaries
Part Two: Tatooine

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The trip from Alderaan to Tatooine was two days long. So far it looked to be a better trip than last time--Padmé was with me, I was all but rid of my nasty head cold, and our current pilot was from a normal planet as opposed to an ice cube.

Two hours after takeoff, I sat with my arm around Padmé, watching a comedian on the holovid player. Obi-Wan was elsewhere in the ship, meditating.

"So a human, a Wookiee, and a Hutt walked into a bar..." the comedian said.

I wasn't paying much attention. Ever since I had that vision about my mother, I had had to use the Force to keep from being nervous.

Padmé snuggled closer to me. "Are you alright?" she asked.

I wrapped my other arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "I will be when we get to Tatooine," I said. "I haven't seen her since I left. I have no way of contacting her. She has no comlink or holorecorder. Watto would have sold it for scrap. I should have known it was going to be this way--I wasn't prepared. I had about five seconds to make a decision that day when Master Qui-Gon won my freedom. I don't regret becoming a Jedi, and I don't think I'd do anything different, but...but I've never stopped missing her." I bit my lip. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about it anymore right now."

She kissed my cheek. "It's OK, Ani. I understand." She took my hand and stroked my fingers with her thumb. "I don't think it's good for you not to talk about what's bothering you though."

"I'm fine. Really." I tipped her face up to mine for a kiss. "Right now talking about it just makes me nervous. Just so long as Obi-Wan doesn't make me meditate again for awhile."

"You'll have to, but not at the moment," I heard a voice saying in the doorway.

Padmé and I both turned to look. "Master? How was meditation?" I asked.

That's when I noticed his lips were drawn into a thin line. "Just fine, Anakin, just fine," he said. "I've actually been spending the past couple of hours, since we took off, trying to decide what to do with you. Prince Organa told me about that stunt you pulled."

Bastard child of a Sith Lord. That's alright. I'm sure I can come up with some sort of payback for His Royal Master of Tattling.

"So what's it going to be, Master?" I asked.

"A profuse one-page apology to Prince Organa, for one thing," he said.

"Aw, come on, Master, my ass isn't that horrible to look at," I said.

Padmé laughed. Obi-Wan didn't, just pursed his lips even tighter. "I can make it two pages, Anakin. Don't push your luck." Then he picked some things off the floor--a bucket full of soapy water, some rags, and a toothbrush. "And you know where the 'fresher is. Get to work."

This time I remembered to raise my shields before letting off a string of Huttese curses, and hoping that the 'freshers on this ship were cleaner than Obi-Wan's 'fresher at home.

I'd write the apology letter to Organa alright. After I finished taking out an ad in the personals section of the Coruscant Daily in his name. "Human male seeks out Hutt for a night on the town."

I sent this image to Padmé, causing her to burst into laughter, and Obi-Wan to look at both of us and shake his head. "I don't want to know," he said, "I really don't want to know."

The two 'freshers on the ship were a lot cleaner than Master Obi-Wan's at the Temple, and I was done within a couple of hours.

I went looking for Padmé and found Obi-Wan watching something on the holorecorder.

I didn't know there was an entire station devoted to weather forecasts for Tatooine. I certainly didn't know anyone could watch it.

He sensed my presence through the Force. "Did you get finished, Padawan?" he asked, without turning around.

"Yes, I did," I said, setting the bucket filled with the toothbrush and wet rags on the floor--and using the Force to treat Obi-Wan to a Jedi-Master-sized wedgie.

"ANAKIN!"

We were still at least a day and a half from Tatooine, but I'm pretty sure everyone there heard him.

I laughed. "Sorry, Master," I said, "but you really should start wearing boxers. Kitster never screamed that loud."

In addition to my apology letter to Organa, I got a one-page essay on the inappropriateness of playing pranks on one's Jedi Master.

I found Padmé sitting at a desk, reading through a stack of data cards. "Anakin," she asked, without looking up, "what did you do to Obi-Wan?"

I put on my expression of fake innocence and kneaded her shoulders with my hands. "Who, me?" I asked.

"Yes, you. The Jedi Master of practical jokedom. What did you do?"

"Well, he made me clean two 'freshers as punishment for mooning Organa when he knew damn well that Organa deserved it. Besides, he was watching some weather forecast channel, and the anchors on it actually made Master Mundi sound interesting."

"Did you moon him?" Padmé was smiling now.

"Come on, babe. He's raised me since I was nine. He's seen my ass before. If I had mooned him, he would have just waved me off." I stopped long enough to kiss her head. "No, the joke was on his ass, not mine. He may be going commando for awhile."

She burst into laughter and swatted me. "Anakin!"

I lifted her out of the chair and pulled her to me for a kiss. "Hey, it's me," I said, "what do you expect?" I kissed her again. "Think you could take a break from those cards you were reading? We're on vacation."

The narrow beds of Jedi space cruisers were not necessarily the ideal places to make love--probably because like everything else that brings joy to life, sex was forbidden by the Jedi Code (actually, I think Master Yoda forbade it years ago when he realized he was never going to get laid)--but Padmé and I have always made the best of it by saying that we had a better chance to snuggle this way and we kept each other warm.

Now we lay entwined together under the blankets, basking in the afterglow. "What are you thinking about?" I asked her.

"About how thankful I am that my world is at peace and that I can leave everything with Sabé and go off for a couple of weeks," she said. "What about you?"

"I have to admit I'm not quite that deep right now. I'm just wondering what a gorgeous woman like you is doing with a guy like me," I said.

She kissed me. "I don't know," she said, "maybe because you're sexy. Maybe because you can use the Force to know what I'm thinking--when I let you. Maybe because you can fix anything mechanical in an hour when it would take someone else two weeks. Or maybe because I never stop laughing when I'm around you." She kissed me again. "Or maybe it's because you're better at giving wedgies than anyone in the galaxy."

"Oh, like that's some kind of special quality," I said. I used the Force to slowly lift her panties from the floor and hold them on the ceiling. They were black lace thongs. "Hmmm...," I said, "looking at these panties, I'm thinking a certain beautiful Senator should be glad I don't give wedgies to females."

She laughed and popped me again. "I hate to think how many victims you have had," she said.

"Oh, I've been giving wedgies since I was about five. Kitster got his first one when he spilled my ruby bliel. My record was three at once--Windu, Mundi and Poof in a Council meeting."

Padmé laughed.

"Well, it had dragged on for four hours. How long could it take them to brief us about a mission when we were going to be getting data pads to read anyway? I was hungry."

She laughed harder.

Again using the Force, I lowered her panties slowly back over to the chair they had been resting on.

"I finally had to quit playing jokes on Master Yoda," I said. "He started catching on. Once I ordered a case of tampons and had them delivered to his quarters. Half an hour after they arrived, he showed up at our door, carrying this case of tampons, which was twice his size, using the Force. 'Be needing these, will you, Padawan Skywalker?'"

By this time Padmé was laughing so hard, tears were streaming from her eyes. "Shut up, Anakin, you're making my sides hurt." She climbed on top of me and pressed her mouth to mine. "Now," she said, "how many times do you think we can make love before we land?"

I smiled. "Oh, I don't know, but I'm sure as many times as you'd like." I kissed her back, and ran my hands down the length of her body, then rolled her onto her back and covered her body with mine.

Then we heard one of the most obnoxious sounds in the galaxy. "I love you, you love me, won't you come and play with me, cause I'm your little Ewok..."

The voice sounded like a full-grown male Gungan that had just been kicked in the groin--hard.

It was the theme from the children's show "My Little Ewok," a favorite among Creche Initiates but making Masters and Padawans alike run for cover every time they heard it, being played full blast over the sound system of the cruiser.

"What the Sith..." I muttered, sitting up.

Padmé glowered and mumbled, "Damn."

Then the sound stopped and the door opened, revealing a grinning Obi-Wan. He nodded towards Padmé. "Excuse me a moment, Senator." Then winked at me. "Payback time, Padawan," he said, and quickly shut the door.

It's all good. I live with him. There will be plenty of time to switch his classical music CDs with heavy metal ones.

We landed the next morning, near the outskirts of Mos Espa. No need to fly conspicuously in the middle of the spaceport and risk having a Republic cruiser looted by a bunch of Jedi-hating Hutts, Toydarians, and Dugs. We weren't exactly carrying valuable items--even Padmé brought more casual outfits with her, both to be comfortable and to avoid standing out; so unless the thieves found Jedi-issue ugly beige robes valuable, we didn't have much to worry about.

However, there were always a few thugs who had nothing better to do on a sunny afternoon than plunder a ship occupied solely by our pilot, so better to hide it.

We descended the ramp and immediately felt the blast of hot dry heat.

After ten years in the temperature-controlled climate of Coruscant, I had forgotten just how hot it was on my homeworld.

So had Padmé, and she immediately pulled her robe over her head, shut her eyes, and shielded her face with her arm.

I took her hand and squeezed it. "Are you going to be alright?"

She squeezed back. "I'm fine. It's just going to take me a few minutes to get used to the weather here, that's all," she said. "The question is, how are you?"

"I'm OK. I just want to get to Mos Espa and find my mom." I walked a little faster.

Obi-Wan, on my other side, said, "Remain calm, Padawan. A Jedi must know patience."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell that to Master Mace when his mother is enslaved to a Toydarian, and no one allows him to contact her."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, squeezing my shoulder and sending me a calming wave through the Force.

I nodded. "OK. I'll try. Sorry, Master."

He squeezed my shoulder again. "I know it's hard, Anakin. But I'm sure she's fine. Just use the Force to guide you. There is some reason you're supposed to be here, but not necessarily due to any danger."

We had reached the edge of Mos Espa by this time. Everything hit me at once--the smells of food cooking and animal dung, the shouts of the street vendors and the braying of eopies, the sights of various creatures, both human and other sentient beings, bargaining over wares.

Nothing had changed. Nothing at all. Not in eight years.

I stopped in my tracks, blinking rapidly and quickly swallowing the lump in my throat.

I felt Padmé's hand giving mine a gentle squeeze. "Ani?"she said. Then Obi-Wan. "Padawan?"

I swallowed hard again, sniffed and brushed my sleeve across my face. "I'm fine," I said. I pointed to the right. "There's Watto's shop over there. Let's go."

I picked up the pace again, and found a song to keep my mind off things, at least for the moment. Just something I came up with to keep from falling asleep in History of the Jedi Code 101, taught by Ki-Adi Mundi.

"I hate you, you hate me, your Ewok was eaten by my Wookie..."

I heard Padmé laugh, and Obi-Wan swear. "Anakin, your braid is about to get yanked."

I managed to laugh, and we entered Watto's shop.

Nothing had changed there, either. The door chimed and Watto flew in, calling out greetings, first in Huttese, then in Basic. "And what can I get for you today?" he asked.

"Do you recognize me, Watto?" I asked.

"Umm...no," he said at first. "Wait a minute...Anakin! But you took off with that no-good swindler!"

I saw Obi-Wan cringe at the insult to Qui-Gon. It's alright, Master, I sent him through our bond, do what you would tell me to do. Remain calm.

At that I saw a faint smile on Obi-Wan's lips.

"The 'no-good swindler' was murdered, Watto," I said, "not that you'd care. But yes, I'm back, and I'm looking for my mother."

"Your mother...uh, well...say, peedunkel, what happened to your hair?"

"I'm a Jedi now," I said. "Now, where's my mother?"

"A Jedi! Well what do you know!" he said.

Even with techniques I had learned at the Temple, he was trying my patience.

"I sold her," he said, "to a moisture farmer. Said he lived near Anchorhead. Just a minute, I'll look up his name for you."

He picked up a data pad from the shelf.

When did moisture farmers start buying slaves? They weren't usually rich enough, and they mostly used 'droids.

"Lars. Cliegg Lars," Watto said.

"Thank you," I said, grabbing Padmé's hand. Followed by Obi-Wan, we were quickly out the door.

We stopped to rent a speeder. The ride from Mos Espa to Anchorhead was about ten miles; the Lars homestead was about two miles away from Anchorhead. Watto may have his faults, but he was always good at giving directions, and we had no trouble finding it.

The suns were high at noonday by the time we arrived, and even with the breeze hitting us as we rode the speeder, we were hot. No problem--Mom would have iced herbal tea ready for us. If she was home. I gripped Padmé's hand tightly and rapped nervously at the door. I felt Obi-Wan's calming hand on my shoulder.

Footsteps, and then the door opened to reveal a woman in peasant's garb, her dark hair streaked with gray, plaited in a long braid and twisted into a bun, tanned skin from working under the twin suns.

Mom.

Then I couldn't see her. My vision blurred from the tears in my eyes.

I felt her hand cupping my cheek. "Ani?" she asked. "Ani, is that you?"

I nodded, taking a deep breath to try to calm myself, smiling even as I felt a couple of tears fall down my cheeks. "Mom, I'm home," I said.

"Ani," she said, "thank heavens." She wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her face in my chest, and I felt her tears splash onto my tunic. I returned her embrace and ran one hand up and down her back.

"I told you I'd come back," I said.

Then another male voice from inside. "Shmi, honey, who's here?"

Appearing at the door was a man about Mom's age, stocky, with a gray mustache, beard, and weathered skin on a kindly face.

It didn't take the Force for me to figure out what happened. Mom was no longer a slave. This moisture farmer had "bought" her from Watto so he could marry her.

"Ani," Mom said, "I want you to meet my husband. Cliegg, my son, Anakin, and his friends..."

"...my Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and my girlfriend, Senator Padmé Naberrie of Naboo."

My stepfather nodded to Obi-Wan, who stood stoically off to the side; and Padmé, who was wiping away a few tears of her own; and extended his hand to me. I grasped it.

"Nice to meet you finally, Anakin," he said. "Your mother has never stopped talking about you."

I nodded. "I wanted to come back sooner," I said, "or at least be able to communicate. I've missed you."

Another tear spilled down Mom's cheek, and her husband passed her his handkerchief even as I reached in my pocket for my own. Behind me I heard Padmé sniffle.

If we kept this up, I think we'd be able to grow green plants, even on Tatooine.

Mom, Padmé and I spent the afternoon in the garage, getting some new machinery ready for harvest. Cliegg had gotten them at a reduced price, and they had a few kinks in them, but nothing I wasn't able to work through. "You were always good with your hands, Ani," Mom said, laying a grateful hand on my shoulder.

I put down the tools, put my arm around her and pulled her to me. "Don't get much of a chance to work with machines at the Temple," I said. "Just a few broken-down kitchen droids. That's about it. Most of my time is spent in training."

She eyed the lightsaber hanging from my belt. "With that?" she asked.

I smiled at her. "Well, it's not all lightsaber training. There are other things. Meditation, otherwise known as How to Make Sure You'll Never Need a Tranquilizer Again. Galactic History, or What Happened the Day Master Yoda Invented Fire. Galactic Politics, or How to Say in Five Hours What Could Be Said in Ten Minutes." I winked at Padmé, who was laughing, along with Mom.

"And you're dating a politician," Mom said to me, smiling at Padmé.

Padmé nodded. "I gave up my throne two standard years ago to run for Senator from my home planet of Naboo. I decided I could serve my people better from Coruscant, in the Senate, where I would have more control and more decision-making power.

"Do you remember meeting me eight years ago, Mrs. Lars? I was with Master Jinn, disguised as a handmaiden."

Mom's eyes widened in surprise, but only for a minute. "I knew there was something different about you. You were the Queen then?"

"Yes. I was using my decoy for protection, since our planet was in danger. We went to battle a few days later, and were saved from the Trade Federation, thanks in great part to the two Jedi and your son."

Mom nodded. "Ani has always been special." Her eyes darted between the two of us. "And even as young as you were then, I could tell that the two of you would end up together." She paused. "What happened to Master Jinn?"

I looked down. "He was killed in battle, a few days after we left," I told her.

She put a comforting hand on mine. "I'm sorry," she said. "He was a great man."

I nodded. "Before he died, he asked his apprentice, Master Obi-Wan, to train me. And he has."

"He seems to be taking good care of you," she said.

Another nod. "He's a good master."

She nodded, and turned back to Padmé. "I do hope your world is a more secure place today."

"It is," she said. "In fact, I think we may have become too complacent. We have regular meetings with small groups of planetary leaders just to check on security; however, a few days ago, someone broke in, with nothing more than a cap blaster."

She turned away, and I put my arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "It was a brainless Dug trying to settle a podracing debt with the Malastare senator," I told Mom. "He's in jail. It was certainly a huge breach in security, but it's been corrected."

"That's good to know," Mom said. She reached over and took one of Padmé's hands. "You're in good hands, dear. You know that. Ani would protect you with his life."

Padmé nodded. "Which is more than I would ask him to do," she said.

Just then we heard another male voice. "Dad? Shmi? Anyone home?"

I looked at Mom. "Who's that?" I asked.

"That's Cliegg's son, Owen," Mom said. "He's about your age. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get along fine." Then, "Owen, we're back here!"

A man of about seventeen or eighteen came around the corner. He was a little shorter than me, but then again, so were most people. He was about Master Obi-Wan's height. He had brown hair and the same weathered face his father had; however, unlike his father, I don't think Owen Lars had smiled since he was in diapers, and even then, people say that when babies smile, it's just gas.

"Shmi, I got the vegetables you asked me to get for dinner," he said. "Had to about beat the poodoo out of a damn Toydarian to get a fair price for them though. He was..." That's when he noticed us. "Hey, who's this?"

"Owen, I'd like you to meet my son, Anakin, and his girlfriend, Padmé," Mom said.

"Anakin Skywalker? The podracer turned Jedi? Welcome back to Tatooine." He still didn't smile, but he held his hand out for me to shake.

"Nice to meet you also," I said.

He turned back to Mom, and handed her the bag of vegetables. "I think I'll go help Dad. I saw him getting the bantha steaks out, and some bearded guy is with him. Another Jedi, I guess. I was worried something was happening for a few minutes there."

"Alright, Owen," Mom said; he left, and she turned back to us. "Why don't you two come inside, get cleaned up, and have something to drink? Cliegg should have those steaks ready soon."

Later we were all sitting around the table, talking and laughing. Mom's cooking was just as good as I had remembered, and Cliegg did a great job on the bantha steaks, with a little help from my Master, who used the Force to start the grill. "And you thought I didn't know how to cook," he teased me.

I had just finished telling them how Padmé and I had gotten together. "She had just been elected Senator," I said, "and so she had gotten an apartment on Coruscant for six standard months out of the year, to use while the Galactic Senate is in session, when they aren't using one of the Core Worlds for their meetings. She's home on Naboo for the other six months. Anyway, Master Obi-Wan and I were getting ready to be sent to Dantooine on a mission, mediating between two disputing tribes. We had to observe a Senatorial meeting the day before--boring as usual. I had brought caf and been prepared for another afternoon of trying to stay awake, when I saw her. She was in her box, with Sabé. Master Obi-Wan couldn't tell who was who."

"We look like sisters," Padmé said, taking my hand.

"Anyway, I made a point of lingering behind a little when we exited the Senate Chambers, just so I could speak to her as she left."

"That's when I thought I was going to have to give you 'the talk' immediately, that night, and I had been dreading it ever since you were eleven," Obi-Wan said, then looked at my mother. "Of course he told me later that you had already given it to him before he left Tatooine. I am eternally indebted to you. I was afraid I was going to get too nervous and have to turn him over to Yoda or Mace."

"Neither of whom, for the record, have 'done it' in a millenia," I interjected.

A burst of laughter there, and then an elbow in the ribs from Padmé. "Ani!" she said.

"Well, babe, what can I say? A Jedi must always speak the truth." I kissed her cheek. More laughter from the others.

"Anyway," Padmé said, "our conversation outside the Senate Chambers eventually led back to his and Master Kenobi's quarters."

"She had dinner with us that evening. Anakin wasn't letting her leave his sight," Obi-Wan said.

"Then we left for Dantooine the next morning," I said. "I was afraid I was going to have to chase her down to get to see her again. But she was waiting in the hangar when I docked the ship."

"They had flown themselves that time. Anakin was showing off his piloting skills," Padmé said with a smile.

"You mean he had decided I didn't have enough gray hairs and he was going to insure that I got a few more," Obi-Wan said.

I gave him my best lopsided grin. "Aw, Master, live a little," I said.

He smiled back. "Padawan, with you around, I don't even have to make an effort," he said.

"So what was the last mission you were sent on?" Cliegg asked. "Shmi worries about Jedi being sent on dangerous missions, even though I've told her that if he can handle podracing, he can combat all manners of evil."

"We went to Alderaan, to observe a senatorial briefing," Obi-Wan said.

"And managed to get this vacation afterwards, since, after the incident with the Dug, there will be no more senatorial meetings until security has been beefed up," I said.

"It was supposed to be a routine mission; it ended up being anything but. At least the Dug incident got handled. Of course I was worried about whether or not I was even going to have a partner. Your son was horribly sick on the entire journey to Alderaan," Obi-Wan said, looking at Mom.

She looked at me. That concerned motherly expression hadn't changed in eight years, either. "What did you have?" she asked.

"Just a bad cold, that's all. It's gone now," I said, and looked at Obi-Wan. "Don't get her worried when she doesn't need to be."

"Anakin, she's your mother. She's going to worry anyway," Obi-Wan said. "Besides, you had me worried. I don't remember the last time I got you to turn off the holovid player and go to sleep without a fight, or at least some word of protest. I'm just sharing the anxiety load here."

That got another laugh, and Mom got up. "Dessert, anyone? How about caf?"

That's when I noticed Owen. He had wolfed down his food, but hadn't said a word during the entire meal.

I think he needs some excitement in his life. Hmmm...

After dinner, Padmé and I helped Mom with the dishes then went into the living room. Owen was there, watching the holorecorder, remote in his hand. I resisted the urge to Force-float the remote out of his hand and into mine, at least for the moment, long enough to see what he was watching.

Damn. If it wasn't that same channel that Obi-Wan had been watching on the ship. Twenty-four hours of weather on Tatooine.

I wondered for a few seconds if he wore boxers or briefs, then used the Force to jiggle the remote from his hand.

"Hey!" he protested. "You crazy Jedi using your weird powers to take advantage of the rest of us! Cut it out!" The frown he normally wore turned into a scowl.

"Owen," I said, "come on, man. I've been away from Tatooine for eight years and I can tell you exactly what the weather is going to be like tomorrow. Hot and dry. Same as every day on Tatooine. You don't need a 24-hour channel to tell you that."

He looked at me, and the scowl deepened. "It rains sometimes. Every three standard years to be exact."

I laughed. "Exactly. Every three standard years, and you can feel it in the air when a storm's coming. Sithspit, Owen, the reason your dad is a moisture farmer is because there is no damn rain on this planet--farmers have to produce moisture."

If it were possible for his scowl to deepen even further, it did. "Sometimes there are dust storms..." he said.

"And you can feel it in the air when one is coming," I said. "Come on, Owen. I need to check the sports channel. There was a pod race a couple of days ago on Malastare. One here, too. I want to see who won."

I heard Mom from the kitchen. "You boys get along!" she said.

Owen glared at me and let go of the remote. "I need to go help Dad and the other Jedi tear the grill down anyway," he said.

What a stick-in-the-mud. It took me all of five minutes to check the race reports.

I turned the holorecorder off, stood up, and extended a hand to Padmé. "Come on, babe, let's go for a walk. It's pretty here when the suns are setting."

She nodded, smiled, and took my hand.

Besides, I need to go to the garage. I need some grease. For Owen's toilet.

Padmé gave my hand a squeeze. "Behave yourself, Ani," she said.

Now, how the hell did she know what I was thinking?

Later on that night. Padmé and I were in the guest room, where she would be sleeping. She had gone there to change into her nightclothes; I had discreetly followed her in so I could help.

She had gotten out of the desert garb and into her nightgown. I had undressed her with my eyes faster than she could do so with her hands, and by the time she was in her gown, my physical need was so intense that I pulled her to me and pressed my lips to hers, deepening the kiss until she moaned.

"Ani," she said, pulling away and running her hands down my chest, "let me breathe."

I smiled. "Sorry, babe, I've just been wanting to do that all day."

Her hand reached up to stroke my cheek, then she closed her eyes and pressed her lips to mine.

"AAHHHH!" The scream came from the other room, along with the sound of something hitting the floor, then several pairs of footsteps coming down the hall, and voices. Padmé and I separated, grasping each other's hands.

"What was that?" she asked, horrified.

I was laughing so hard that tears were starting to form in my eyes. "Owen's ass," I said.

Her horrified expression turned into a sly grin. "Ani, what did you do?"

I let go of one of her hands and stroked the side of her face. "Well, let's just say that any grease that's good enough for droids is good enough for Owen's toilet," I said.

She burst into laughter and slapped my behind. "Shame on you, Ani," she said.

A knock on the door, then the door opened. "Yes, shame on you, Padawan," Obi-Wan said. He wasn't smiling. Mom and Cliegg were right behind him, both trying to look stern but I could tell they were hiding smiles.

"Do I need to add five extra hours of meditation for this? Or put you on a diet of Master Yoda's gruel for a week? What's it going to be, Anakin?"

"I've got a better idea," Mom said. "I was thinking about asking him to do this anyway, but if you're going to punish him, we might as well force him to do it." She looked at me. "At 0600, we've got to have the droids out working in the fields. You're going out there with me. Then we've got to go to Anchorhead to pick up a few things we need for the harvest."

I nodded, and so did Obi-Wan. "Well, Mrs. Lars, I see you remember how much your son hates getting up in the mornings," he said.

He left. Mom winked at me and shut the door. I turned back to Padmé. "Where were we?" I asked.

At 0530 the next morning I was outside with Mom, a cup of caf in one hand and any one of various tools in the other, preparing the droids to go be outside working on the harvest by 0600.

Owen came outside promptly at 0545, wide awake and alert even with no caf, got his swoop bike out of the garage and left for Anchorhead.

When I noticed he was getting ready to leave, I debated attaching a sign saying "Hutts Suck" to the back of the swoop bike. I decided against it, not wanting to follow him into town just to make sure he didn't get killed.

"We're almost finished, Ani," Mom said. "Hand me that socket wrench."

I did, and she tightened the restraining bolt on an astromech droid. "OK, he's ready to go," she said, standing up and dusting herself off.

I stood, and she came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad you were able to come home, Ani," she said. "I've thought about you every day since you left. And now I get to see how well you're doing. You'd make any mother proud."

I hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks, Mom. I've missed you."

She took my hand and squeezed it. "Well, we have a com unit now, so we can talk any time, even after you leave," she said, then tugged on my arm, leading me in the direction of the garage. "Come on, let's get the speeder and go."

"Do I get to drive?" I asked.

She raised her eyebrows and smiled. "As long as you remember it's not a pod. I just ate breakfast."

I laughed, and hugged her to me again. "I promise."

The morning air was still cool. It wouldn't be later on, I knew. Right now, the twin suns were just starting to peak over the edge of the horizon as we got in the speeder and headed towards Anchorhead.

Tatooine was all but deserted this time of morning. A few moisture farmers would be out working in their fields, before the suns got too hot, but no one else seemed to be headed into town.

Mom put her hand on my shoulder as I shifted gears in the speeder. "I still can't believe how much you've grown, Ani," she said. "Seems like yesterday I was riding in a speeder next to my eight-year-old, going out to look for parts for Watto."

I smiled at her.

That's when it happened.

Out of nowhere came a whole group of them, coming at us from the back, the front, the sides.

I had almost forgotten they existed. They used to shoot at us while we were podracing, kidnap people unlucky enough to be caught outside at night and beat them with their gaffee sticks, rob humans and Jawas and Toydarians alike and steal whatever goods they could.

Tusken Raiders. Sandpeople.

And there must have been twenty of them, coming towards Mom and me, on foot, a few on Banthas, casting their shadow over the desert sand.

A black shadow. Just like in my vision.

I quickly did a 180-degree turn in the speeder, ignoring Mom screaming "Ani!" and clutching the speeder's sides. I stepped on the accelerator. Too late. Three of them grabbed Mom and pulled her out of the speeder. Another few attacked me. I pulled out my lightsaber and ignited it, and they ran. I charged at several of the others, but they were running.

Just as quickly as they had come, they were gone.

"Mom?" I called.

Nothing.

I found her on the other side of the speeder, sprawled on the ground unconscious, her arm broken at a strange angle, her head bloodied.

I knelt down beside her and gently rested her head in my lap. She moaned, "Ani..."

I felt tears spring to my eyes but quickly bit them back. No time now. I had to heal her. "Shhh...it's OK Mom. They're gone. I'm going to use the Force to take care of some of the pain and stabilize you. Then we're going to have to get you home."

She moaned again, and I bit back more tears. I lay one hand on her arm and another on her head, channeling the Force, using all my strength to try to take care of her pain. I felt her relax in my arms as the Force did its work.

"Mom?" I said.

Another low moan from her.

"I'm going to get you into the speeder. We're going home."

She nodded. I lifted her gently, being especially careful of her head and her injured arm. I got into the speeder , laid her down with her head in my lap, and started the engine.

I drove back in a daze. The trip back was only a few minutes long, thank the maker; and next thing I know, Obi-Wan, Cliegg and Padmé were meeting us at the door to the Lars homestead.

"What happened?" Padmé asked.

"Sandpeople," I said, aware of how strained my voice sounded. "I've eased her pain using the Force, but she needs medical attention, and quickly."

"I'll call for a Healer," Cliegg said, "Lay her on our bed, Anakin."

I took Mom inside and did as my stepfather asked. Obi-Wan followed. "I'll see if there's anything I can do that you haven't done already, Anakin, until the Healer gets here."

Padmé came in with water and rags, and began to wash the blood from Mom's face as Obi-Wan took her hand and began to channel the Force.

That's when I was overcome--between memories of my vision and realizing how close it had come to actually happening.

I ran from the room and went into the guest room. I shut the door behind me and sat on the bed, burying my face in my hands, letting the shaking sobs overtake me and the tears come out.

I don't know how much time passed; I just remember hearing the door softly open and two pairs of footsteps entering the room, then two hands, one large, one small, rubbing soothing circles on my back. And still the tears came.

Finally I looked up into Padmé and Obi-Wan's concerned faces. Padmé handed me tissues, and I dried my eyes and blew my nose, embarrassed to be caught having a complete emotional breakdown in front of my girlfriend and my Jedi Master, the latter of whom was continuing to rub my back.

"Feel better, Padawan?" he asked.

I nodded, expecting him to begin any minute a lecture on letting my fear and anger overcome me.

"I'm not going to do that, Anakin. You handled yourself well. That was quite a horrible experience, and you're entitled to cry when it's over."

I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded. Padmé took my hand and squeezed it.

"Your mother has a badly broken arm and a concussion, but she's going to be fine, thanks to you," Obi-Wan continued. "You probably saved her life out there, and you did well starting her healing process before bringing her back home. The Healer is here and he said she should be up and around in a few days."

He took my other hand. "I'm glad you listened to what the Force was telling you and insisted on coming here, Padawan," he said, then looked at Padmé. "I'll leave you two alone." He gave my hand a final squeeze, then got up and left the room.

Padmé took my face in her hands, kissed my lips, then hugged me to her and stroked my back. "It's going to be OK, Anakin," she said.

I felt more tears come to my eyes, and she held me tighter as I let them fall.

Several minutes later I went into the 'fresher, splashed cold water on my face, then, taking several deep breaths and drawing on the Force to continue calming myself, I went to see Mom.

She was sleeping peacefully on her bed, her head bandaged, her arm set and cast. I knelt beside the bed, took her hand, and stroked it. "Thank the Force you're alright," I whispered. "I saw everything in my vision--you, Cliegg, Owen--and that black shadow. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you." I sniffed and swallowed past a lump in my throat. Gods, I am not going to cry again.

"But you didn't lose her." I heard the voice behind me and felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Cliegg. I hadn't heard him come in. He handed me a cup of hot steaming liquid. "Here," he said. "Drink this. Your mother makes it for Owen whenever he's upset. Kava and valerian root tea."

"Thank you," I said, taking the cup from him and taking a sip. I moved from kneeling beside the bed to sitting in a nearby chair. Cliegg pulled up a chair on the other side, and brushed Mom's hair out of her face, near the bandage.

"She's very proud of you; you know that," he said, looking at me.

I nodded.

He continued. "Not a day went by that she didn't mention your name--something wonderful you had done, or something funny. I knew you were a prankster before I ever met you." He smiled at me then. I smiled back and took another sip of tea.

"I'm going to be honest," he continued. "Although I kept it from Shmi, I didn't think much of you at first. Here on the Outer Rim, I guess you know that we've always either worshipped the Jedi or been skeptical of them. I fell in the skeptical category, because the way I saw it, you guys have been defending peace and justice in the Republic for thousands of years, and still, here on Tatooine, the Hutts are allowed to dictate what happens. They who control the pursestrings make the rules.

"And the Jedi had taken Shmi's son away from her. And you had willingly gone. I kept hoping that one day you would return, announcing that you had finally come to your senses, and given up trying to be an all-powerful Jedi and come live the good life here with us." He paused here. "These past few days, I've come to understand why Shmi doesn't hate the Jedi, and why she had been able to let you go. You were meant to be a Jedi, Anakin. You and your master Kenobi both. You were meant to do what the Jedi say they've been doing--guarding peace and justice in the Republic. If more Jedi were like you, maybe the galaxy really would be at peace."

I didn't know what to say. I took another sip of tea, and swallowed it past the lump in my throat.

"Owen's still pretty cynical. He lost his mother at a young age, and he's grown attached to Shmi, and he's shared my views on the Jedi, but to an extreme. He'll come around. Don't let him bother you."

I sipped my tea again. "I saw you, you know. Before I came here."

Cliegg had been stroking Mom's hair again, but he looked up.

"Jedi are required to spend a certain amount of time in meditation. Because of our Force powers, sometimes we have visions. The visions can be realities, or just possibilities. In my last one I saw Mom, with you and Owen. I didn't know who you were; I just knew she must have a new family. Then a black shadow, over all of you." I sniffed and swiped at my eyes. "The Jedi Council doesn't believe in allowing potential Jedi contact with their families."

"Why not?"

"They think emotional attachments lead to the darkside. They're also old stiffs. They'd have a fit if they knew I was dating Padmé, even though Master Obi-Wan says I've exercised enough control over my romantic life that it hasn't interfered with my training, and that's all he's concerned about."

"He seems to be doing a good job with you. Could stand to loosen up a little bit himself, but he's definitely quite fond of you and is determined to see you trained well."

I nodded. "He's a good master," I said. "He arranged with the Council for us to have a vacation so that we could procure a ship to come here. He understands, even if the Council doesn't, that things are different for me since Mom raised me the first nine years." I took another swallow of tea. "I'll admit I was a little jealous when I first saw you and Owen in the vision. But now that I've come here, all I've seen is how happy you've made her, and I don't know how to thank you."

He stood, put his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed. "You already did, Anakin. This morning, and by coming by to visit in the first place." He kissed the top of Mom's head. "No more pre-dawn excursions for you, madam. Full daylight only," he said. He gave my shoulder another squeeze, and left.

I don't know how long I sat there afterwards, just holding her hand and sending waves of gratitude through the Force for guiding me here. Padmé came in sometime later to try to talk me into going to sleep myself. She didn't have to do much prodding. I let her lead me into the guest room, and lay on the bed. She lay beside me; I wrapped my arms around her and shut my eyes, allowing sleep to take over.

I woke up to the smell of cooking and the sound of feminine laughter coming from the kitchen. What the hell? Mom? Out of bed already? I opened my eyes. The last rays of the setting suns were coming through the guest room window. I must have been out for several hours.

The laughter again. And definitely more than one voice. But who?

I stretched out with the Force, recognizing Padmé's signature immediately. The other signature was definitely of a human female, but not Mom. One I didn't recognize.

I got out of bed and walked slowly into the kitchen.

Padmé was stirring something in a pot on the stove. She looked up when I came in, as did the other girl, who was chopping vegetables. She was about our age, wearing brown peasant's clothing, with her dirty blonde hair in shining braids, and pretty blue eyes.

Padmé walked over and kissed my cheek. "Hi, sleepyhead," she said.

I looked around the kitchen, surprised at what I saw.

"What, you didn't think I could cook?" she said, and laughed. "Come on, Ani, I wasn't always a politician, you know. I was raised in a small Naboo village with two sisters. We all learned to cook at a young age." She took me by the hand and led me to the other girl, who had recommenced chopping vegetables, but more slowly. "Anakin, meet Beru Whitesun, Owen's girlfriend."

Sourpuss has a girlfriend?

Beru put down the chef's knife and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Anakin," she said.

At least she knows how to smile.

"I heard you saved your mother's life this morning," Beru continued. "I'm glad you and your Jedi Master were here on Tatooine. Owen and I have told Shmi not to go out before dawn or after dark by herself, but she doesn't always listen."

"Any news on Mom?" I asked.

"She's still sleeping soundly," Padmé said. "Cliegg went in to sit with her right after you left. I think he's still in there, asleep in a chair. She woke up once, and asked if you were alright; she was glad when Cliegg mentioned that I had told you to get some sleep yourself. She took another pain pill right afterwards, and was back asleep again pretty quickly. Sleeping is probably the best thing for her right now."

I nodded. "Where's Obi-Wan?" I asked.

At this both girls smiled. "Giving Owen some...um...lessons on what being a Jedi is really like," Beru said. She giggled, and Padmé's smile got wider.

"He's teaching him to meditate," she said.

"Owen found out about Shmi, and said that he was glad that you two crazy wizard Jedi with your weird powers were finally up to some good," Beru said, "so Obi-Wan decided to show him what you guys really do, besides showing off your strange Force-methods--not that Owen believes in the Force, anyway--using millenia-old weapons."

Way to go, Master, I thought.

Thought you'd like that, Padawan, he sent back. Just don't tell Master Yoda that I'm teaching Jedi methods to a non-Force user, much less a non-Force believer.

My lips are sealed, I said.

Good, because I make a mean batch of Master Yoda's gruel, he said.

NOOOOO!

I realized right about then that both girls were smiling at me. "Sending messages to Obi-Wan over your bond again, huh," Padmé said. "Not fair to the rest of us. What are you two talking about?"

I smiled back. "Not much. Non-Force believers. Master Yoda's gruel. And I was just thinking about how I wish Obi-Wan could be on the Council."

"How is the Council picked, anyway?" Beru asked.

"They find the twelve creatures in the universe with the biggest sperm-retention headaches," I said.

Padmé laughed. Beru laughed too, but gave me a strange look.

"Old joke," I told her. "The Jedi Council doesn't know about Padmé and me. They don't like for Jedi Padawans to date. They think it interferes with training."

"That's dumb," Beru said.

I put my arm around Padmé, who had now put a lid on the pot of stew she was cooking and was standing off to the side. "Yeah, we think so, too," I said. "Seriously, I'm not sure how they're picked. I think when one dies, the rest just find a replacement among existing Masters. The Jedi Council members are of all different backgrounds and species, and ages. Master Yoda is 900 standard years old."

Beru's mouth dropped open. "Wow," she said.

Padmé tiptoed and kissed me on the lips. "Dinner's about ready," she said. "Are you going to go see your mother before we eat? "

I returned her kiss. "I want to," I said.

"Well, go ahead. And get Cliegg while you're in there. I don't think he's eaten since this morning."

I went in Mom's room, and sure enough, Cliegg was asleep, sitting up in a chair.

I didn't think anyone could do that other than my Master.

I didn't wake him at first, just went over to the other side of Mom's bed, kissed her forehead, and brushed her hair out of her face.

She opened her eyes about halfway. "Ani?" she said groggily.

I smiled and took her hand. "Mom? How are you feeling?"

"I'm not bad, considering," she said. "Much better...than I would have been...if you hadn't come this morning." She was fading out already; the strong pain medications she was on didn't allow her to stay awake very long.

"Shhh...it's alright Mom. Maybe you should go back to sleep."

She gave my hand a light squeeze. "Come in...again...later, Ani," she said, and closed her eyes again.

"I will. I promise." She was already asleep by the time I stood up and kissed her forehead again.

I went to the other side of the bed and shook Cliegg awake. He looked at me, startled, and blinked rapidly. "Anakin?" he asked.

"Yeah. Listen, she's fine for right now. I just talked to her; she just needs sleep. Why don't you come eat? Padmé and Beru have been cooking."

"It does smell good," he said, getting up from the chair and heading towards the kitchen. I followed him.

We walked in the kitchen; Padmé and Beru were setting dinner on the table; Obi-Wan and Owen were walking through the front door.

"You crazy Jedi! How do you do that without falling asleep?" Owen was asking.

"Well, don't ask Anakin. He doesn't do that without falling asleep. Not most of the time, anyway." Obi-Wan winked at me.

I smiled back.

Are you alright, Padawan? Did you go see your mother?

I'm fine, and so is she; or at least she will be when her arm and head stop hurting enough that she can get off the pain medication.

I felt a soothing wave of comfort through our bond. Release your anxiety to the Force, Padawan. You've had a rough day.

Yes, Master.

"Come on, let's eat," Padmé said.

Cliegg sat down at the table. "I don't know where you learned to cook, but this smells delicious."

Padmé smiled at him. "In a mountain village on Naboo. The best place, I might add."

"I guess so," he said, as Padmé ladled him a huge bowl of stew.

I was just about to sit down myself when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Owen. He looked a little uncomfortable. "Listen, I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I've said some bad things about the Jedi, but I just wanted to thank you. I underestimated you. I thought you guys were just after power, and showing off your Force-mystic to us low-lifes. I was wrong. I think we have a little in common here. Shmi has been like a mother to me."

I gave him my famous half-smile. "You don't owe me anything. I owe you and your dad, for making her happy," I said, and looked around the supper table, at my girlfriend, my Jedi Master, my stepfather, and my stepbrother's girlfriend, then at my stepbrother, whose hand still rested on my shoulder. "I just wish I had been able to come back sooner."

I spent the next couple of days working on the machinery at the farm, helping Cliegg and Owen with the harvest. Mom was awake a little more often now, was using fewer painkillers, but she remained in bed. Padmé continued to cook dinner every night, sometimes with Beru's help. Obi-Wan tried to help her once, but discovered he wasn't much good for cooking other than starting fires using the Force, so he gave up and went back to watching 24-hour Tatooine Weather Forecasts. Even after days of hearing repeated forecasts for "hot and dry", Owen was still convinced that I was using some kind of Jedi trick to predict the weather as accurately as 24-hour Tatooine Weather did.

My stepbrother. The Maker love him. I've seen med droids with more Force sensitivity than he had. And my ever-optimistic Master was teaching him to meditate and use a lightsaber.

Of course, I guess if Obi-Wan could make a Jedi out of a junkyard slave from Mos Espa, he could make a Jedi out of anybody.

The suns were starting to set the evening of the third day; I was helping Cliegg rebuild a couple of broken-down moisture vaporators while Obi-Wan attempted, again, to teach Owen to calm his mind and focus. "Just pick anything to use as a focal point, and center that in your mind. You might not want to use anything exciting, because that could be a distraction. You were on the right track the other day by trying to focus your mind on your girlfriend's face--however, while focusing on her beauty may keep you centered in one place, that beauty itself is too distracting to allow you to venture deeper into the meditative process. This is what I've had to remind Anakin a few times."

"What am I supposed to focus on, then?" Owen said, almost sounding like a whine.

"That has to be your choice," my ever-patient Master said. "I use the peak of the Temple spire myself. Anakin uses stars. Just don't use anything too busy or distracting."

Owen sighed. "I'll try a simple piece of shiny farm equipment," he said.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Whatever works," he said.

This makes training me look almost easy, doesn't it, Master? I teased him over our bond.

Padawan, don't go there right now, he replied.

I turned away from Obi-Wan and Owen and was going back to the moisture vaporator I was working on, when my eyes passed over the doorway, and the figure standing there.

She wore a brown robe, with the sash tied around her waist. Her long hair was loose and hung over one shoulder; her head was bandaged, her arm in a cast, her still figure shadowed by the setting suns.

Mom.

I dropped the tool I was holding and stood. "Mom!" I called.

At this, Cliegg also dropped his tool and stood up, and Obi-Wan and Owen rose from their lotus positions.

I hurried to her, hearing three other sets of footsteps behind me. I kissed her cheek on the opposite side of her bandage, and, being careful of her broken arm, hugged her to me.

"Mom, you're up. You're alright. Thank the Maker," I said.

I felt tears of relief sting my eyes, and I bit my lip to keep them from falling.

Mom returned my hug and kiss, and reached up with her good arm to stroke my cheek. "Yes, Ani, I'm up," she said, with a slight smile, then, as well as she could with one arm, hugged me tighter. "It's alright, son," she said. "It's alright."

Yes, it was. It really was.

In spite of my efforts, a few tears of relief escaped my control.

Cliegg, Obi-Wan and Owen reached Mom right behind me. Cliegg put his hand on her shoulder, right above her cast. "How do you feel?" he asked.

Mom loosened her grip on me and looked up at him. "I'm much better. I'm tired of staying in bed," she told him, with a smile.

I realized that I had dampened her hair with my tears. I sniffled and wiped my eyes, a little embarrassed. I felt Obi-Wan's soothing hand on my back. It's alright, Padawan, he said. Just draw on the Force to calm yourself.

I backed away from Mom, allowing her husband to embrace her, and went into my Master's arms. "See," he told me, stroking my back, "I told you she would be alright. Let go of your anxieties, Anakin. Release them into the Force." I was expecting him to say, "you should have done that earlier," but he didn't.

I heard Padmé through the doorway. "Supper's ready," she said. "Shmi, do you feel like eating?"

Mom smiled. "I haven't had solid food in three days. What do you think?" She looked at Padmé. "You really shouldn't have gone to so much trouble, but I appreciate it. Hopefully within the next couple of days I can be back in the kitchen again."

Padmé laughed. "Trouble? Are you kidding? Shmi, I've been cooking since I was five." She winked at me. "I had to convince your son of that, too; evidently no one thinks galactic senators can cook; but really, it's no trouble."

"Well, it certainly smells delicious," Mom said. Cliegg walked with her over to the table and helped her into a chair, being mindful of her cast. Obi-Wan and Owen joined them. I followed Padmé, who had gone back into the kitchen.

She was bent over, removing a dish from the oven. She stood slowly, set the dish on the stove, tossed the potholder aside, and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. Under the apron, she was wearing a long blue dress with gold brocade; her dark curly hair was worn loose except for one section she had pinned back over her ears.

She looked more beautiful than ever.

She had taken the lid off the casserole and was stirring it with a spoon. I came up behind her, put my arms around her waist, and kissed the top of her head.

She put the spoon down and looked up to return the kiss. "Hi, sexy," she said.

I didn't say anything; just kissed her harder.

"Anakin?" she asked, when I finally let her up for air.

I nodded. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you," I said.

She kissed me again. "I love you, too," she said. "Now grab that salad bowl over there; let's take this food into the dining room."

"Yes, ma'am," I said, flashing her a half-smile.

After dinner, Mom went back to lie down again; Cliegg and Obi-Wan played cards in the kitchen. I had been banned from card-playing by Obi-Wan ever since I was sixteen and used a Jedi mind trick to beat the senators from Dantooine and Sullust in a game of strip poker. My protests--"Can I help it if no one wants to see them naked, Master?"--had fallen on deaf ears, and tonight, I was happier snuggling on the couch with Padmé, watching the holovid player.

Except that Owen had it on that damn weather channel again. He had been watching it for a solid half hour.

I was getting exasperated. "Owen, could we please watch something else? Has the weather on Tatooine changed at all?"

He shook his head. "They're doing a special. They're giving a five-day climactic overview of Tatooine and all the surrounding planets within a three-day flight--Naboo, Dagobah, Dantooine, Alderaan, Concord Dawn, Malastare--they're even doing Coruscant."

"It's raining on Naboo this time of year," Padmé said.

I didn't know it was possible to laugh and sigh at the same time, but I managed it. "Owen--Coruscant is a city-planet. The weather there is manufactured. The air is recirculated. That's why everyone there catches so many damn colds, not to mention that every time visitors show up from off-planet, they bring the Disease of the Day with them. Last year it was the Sullustian flu. I was at the Healers for a week."

"That wouldn't happen if you'd eat right, get more sleep, and meditate more, Padawan," came Obi-Wan's voice from the kitchen.

I turned and glared at him. "Whose side are you on?" I asked

He smiled at me, patient as always. "The side of whichever one of you shuts up first," he said. "You two are eighteen years old. Act like it."

Owen and I both sighed. Damn it, Owen, get me in trouble again. I debated which method of revenge would be better--the full bucket of sand perched precariously over the door, ready to tip over on his head as he opens it; or dismantling his speeder and reassembling it in his room.

"Besides," Obi-Wan said. "I don't catch colds four times a year minimum like a certain Padawan of mine, nor did I get the Sullustian flu last year. Good thing, too; someone had to hold your head while you were throwing up."

I waved a hand at him. "Yeah, yeah, Master, you win. That doesn't mean I have to like eating gruel or meditating, though."

Owen picked up the remote. "Alright, that special is over. What do you want to watch?"

"Anything else. I think climactic overviews are about as boring as meditating. What about the Hot Girls of All Species channel?" I winked at Padmé, who pushed away from me and tugged at my braid. "Anakin Skywalker!" she said.

I laughed. "I was kidding, babe," I said, pulling her back in to me and kissing her lips.

I looked at Owen. "Whatever the lady wants to watch is fine with me," I said.

"As long as it's not the Holodrama Channel," he said.

Padmé laughed. "I don't think so," she said, "that's Anakin's favorite channel, and we never seem to agree on it." She winked at me.

My turn to pop her on the arm. "What?"

We were interrupted by two comlinks. Hers and Obi-Wan's. Obi-Wan took his into another room. Owen muted the holoplayer as Padmé pushed the response button on hers.

"Senator Naberrie."

"Padmé." It was Sabé. "The Senate has some new security advisors set for approval. They want to reconvene in small sessions, like we've been doing, to go through the process. Each advisor is going to have to be approved by the Senate and the Jedi Council. The coalition of Outer Rim senators is set to meet on Naboo in three standard days. The Council wishes for Knight Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker to observe these sessions and act as bodyguards, in addition to our security force. I thought you would probably want to handle this yourself, since Anakin is assigned."

Padmé gave a small smile and looked at me. I nodded, and she spoke into the comlink. "Yes, Sabé, we'll be there in two days. Ask Queen Jamilla if we can stay at the palace the first night. We'll go to my parents' home after the senatorial session."

"Alright. See you then." The link clicked off.

Padmé hugged me. "I'm sorry to pull you away from your family," she said.

I returned her hug. I felt a wave of sadness at her words, and the realization that yes, we were going to have to leave, but I swallowed it for the moment. I stroked her back and kissed her on top of the head. "It's fine, Padmé," I said, "if I spend the rest of my life doing nothing but following you around the galaxy, I will die a happy man."

We left the next morning.

Obi-Wan and Padmé stood by patiently as I took a little longer saying my goodbyes.

"You know where we are now, and we also have a holocam, so you can contact us any time you want to," Mom said, as I hugged her one more time.

"I will," I said.

"Hopefully the Republic will remain at peace so you can come back more often," Cliegg said.

"Yes, hopefully so," Mom said. She pulled back and looked me in the eyes. "Remember what I told you last time, Ani," she said. "Go. Be brave. And don't look back."

I didn't say anything this time; just nodded. I had a lump in my throat the size of a small moon. I was afraid that if I tried to talk, I'd break down and bawl like a baby.

So I hugged her again, then turned slowly and walked away, keeping hold of her hand, the one on her good left arm, until our fingertips no longer reached.

Then I got in the speeder with Obi-Wan and Padmé, and drove back into town.

I felt both of them pat me on the back briefly as I drove, but I didn't acknowledge it.

Padmé was more talkative than usual. She was asking Obi-Wan questions about everything she saw as she drove by--the different creatures, the shops on the outskirts of Mos Espa, the wares they sold.

I guess when we came through the first time, we had been so busy trying to find my mother that I hadn't had time to brief her on what she was seeing. Not that anything was different from when she was here before. A few new shops, a few new shopkeepers; other than that, going through this town was like taking a step back in time. Back to a couple of weeks before my tenth birthday, when I first saw a beautiful girl in peasant's garb and long dark braids, entering Watto's shop accompanied by a strange new species that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a frog, and a long-haired kindly man wearing a poncho and carrying a lightsaber.

Back to a couple of days before I left my mother, not knowing when and if I would return.

I had hoped Padmé and Obi-Wan would talk all the way back to the ship, so they wouldn't notice if I didn't.

I halted the speeder in front of the shop from which we had rented it, and gave Obi-Wan the keys. He went inside to return the keys and pay the bill, came out fairly quickly, and led the way to the outskirts of Mos Espa where we had left the ship.

I took Padmé's hand tightly in mine, and followed.

I hadn't noticed how quickly we were walking until I heard Padmé breathlessly murmur, "Ani, slow down," and turned to look at her. She was out of breath and sweating.

I slowed my pace so that she could comfortably keep up.

"Sorry, babe," I said, "I didn't mean to do that."

"I know. It's OK," she said.

That was the only exchange I had with anyone during our walk back. We reached the ship a few minutes later, and climbed aboard. Obi-Wan greeted the pilot, and we strapped ourselves in for the takeoff.

I barely noticed the lurch of my stomach and popping in my ears that always accompanied takeoff and the jump into hyperspace. I stared numbly out the window as the stars transformed from pinpoints into streaks.

I hardly heard the pilot as he told us it was alright to unstrap ourselves. I stayed where I was, continuing to stare at the streaks of light shooting past the window.

I didn't want to move. Or talk. Or breathe. Mom's words rang in my ears. Her words from a few minutes ago, and from eight years ago. "Be brave, and don't look back."

It was the most difficult part of life as a Jedi, and the part I had struggled most with since I chose eight years ago to pursue this way of life. Letting go of family, knowing that, in spite of promises, that there is no guarantee of when, if at all, we get to see them again.

Most Jedi don't even know their families. I thought it was a barbaric rule, but it probably saved many a Jedi the sense of loss I have right now.

Could I be happy living with Padmé on Tatooine, as a moisture farmer? No. I was meant to be a Jedi; I've known that for a long time. Even when I was still slaving for Watto, I knew that one day I was meant to be away from Tatooine and the slave life.

But did I wish I could still have what I left behind? Yes. And that feeling is especially acute now, with memories of our visit and my most recent goodbyes to Mom fresh on my mind.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Ani?"

Padmé. I reached up and touched her hand with mine, but didn't say anything, or even turn around.

"Ani, look at me." She took both of my shoulders and forced me to turn around, then cupped my face with her hands. "Anakin, don't you think I understand? I go through the same thing every time I leave my family on Naboo." She paused, and sighed. "You and I both have dangerous occupations. We neither one know when we'll be able to return to our loved ones, or if we ever will."

I didn't say anything, just looked into her deep, beautiful brown eyes, which right now were full of concern.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan appeared in the doorway. I looked up at him. "Padawan, I was just checking on you. Your shields were down. Are you alright?"

I shook my head "no", bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, and tried to turn back toward the window again, knowing that I was shaking, that my eyes were filled with tears, and that Padmé and Obi-Wan both noticed.

Padmé wrapped her arms around me and pulled me to her, rubbing my back with one hand and stroking my hair with the other.

And I cried.

THE END (Continued in Part 3: Naboo)

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