Birth of the Jedi

Chapter 8

"Anything in mind?"

"We've passed a few small system, but none look promising. We're pretty deep in the Outer Rim now so there isn't much around; but we are coming up on a planet with a few sizeable settlements."

"What is it?"

"Tatooine."

"Tatooine?" she responds, trying to hide the surprise in her voice. "Do you know anything about it?"

"Yeah. The Senator from this system is a pretty outspoken fellow. I've heard him mention it. Apparently it was settled by a band of rugged farmers with dreams of turning its arid landscape into an agro-center for the surrounding systems. Some fairly large settlements have taken root in the past couple of decades, but so far they've barely produced enough food to keep themselves fed. They have managed to produce enough, though, to lure several bands of smugglers looking for a hideout with a food supply they can raid without much Republic interference. The Senator wants the Republic to establish a government to help protect the farmers, but there's too much else going on for the Senate to worry about a tiny Outer Rim settlement."

Sahria stares ahead as the distant glowing orb of Tatooine comes into view. "It sounds like the kind of place that breeds survivors." Raun doesn't notice the look of sadness that fills her eyes. After so recently suffering through the loss of her adopted home and family, she now found herself unexpectedly returning to the place that had never cared to embrace a headstrong orphan girl. "Welcome home," she mutters under her breath.

Raun yawns and stretches as he enters the cockpit where Sahria is sitting alone gazing quietly at slowly growing image of Tatooine. "Anything new?" he asks.

She shakes her head. "No. Just watching the stars slip by and wondering which of them have inhabited systems that we still don't know about."

Raun rubs his neck and then rolls his head around his shoulders, trying to work the sleep out of his system. "I just hope we can find one that Vang doesn't know about." He plops down into a chair beside Sahria. "You about ready to get some rest yourself?"

"I'm fine. The time alone has given me a chance to meditate. Sometimes that's more restful than sleep itself." Following Raun's lead, she stretches her neck, fighting the stiffness from sitting so long. "Though I'd like a chance to do my exercises soon. I'm dying to try out my new lightsaber."

"Great. Just try not to wreck what's left of my ship, O.K?" He looks to her for a reaction but gets none. "So, how is Padawan coming along with KP?"

"I'm nearly finished," calls voice from behind them. Padawan ducks through the entrance. "I just need to attach his speech drive and hook up his battery pack. Then he'll be ready for me to restart his systems."

"Can't you just start him up without the speech drive," Raun mumbles.

Padawan looks up and examines the planet that is now filling the majority of the view screen. "Are we almost there?" As he speaks, a light on the control panel blinks bright yellow. The ship lurches as it starts to slow down.

"I guess we are. We're coming out of auto-pilot as we speak." Raun flips several switches and takes control of the helm. "In a few minutes I'll take us on into Tatooine's atmosphere."

"Tatooine?" Padawan's face twists into a puzzled expression and he looks to Sahria for an answer. "Why are we coming back here?"

"Back here?" Raun looks back and forth between Sahria and Padawan, puzzlement filling his own face. "What do you mean, 'back here?'"

Sahria lowers her head. "It's a long story," she says. "But remember that planet that I told you I couldn't wait to escape from as a child?"

"Yes."