Empire Day ✓

Chapter 1 - Binary Suns

He rubbed his grimy hand on his sand-colored leggings and tunic. The color not only reflected the intense heat of the binary suns of Tatooine, but it also camouflaged him from the Sand People while he was out on the farm. Aunt Beru would have it no other way.

Orphaned by the Clone Wars, his aunt and uncle had taken him in when his parents had both died, shortly after his birth. When Luke asked about them, neither his aunt nor his uncle would tell him anything about their deaths—or anything about his parents at all. He did not even know their names. 

As Luke sat at the dinner table quietly eating, he could feel the tension between them. Owen Lars scared Luke. The man stood over a meter and three-quarters tall. His stocky stature disguised the farmer's strength. His brown hair was slowly graying, and his blue eyes could pierce straight through you. He always wanted things done a certain way, and it seemed to Luke that he could never do anything right.

The only time Uncle Owen was happy was when he was with his wife Beru. And the only thing that kept Luke from running away from the farm, besides the marauding Sand People, was his Aunt Beru. This compassionate woman sported soft, brown hair that she braided at the back of her head, and her eyes could warm your heart with just a small glance.

Unable to have children of her own, she cared for Luke deeply. Moreover, she understood Luke—his passions, his restlessness, his frustrations—at least it seemed that way when she defended Luke against Uncle Owen's complaints and discipline.

Because of her love, it only took one frown from Aunt Beru for Luke to straighten up. He never wanted to disappoint her.

His aunt spoke after a few minutes of silence. "What did Bandunga want?"

Uncle Owen harrumphed.

Luke turned his eyes to his uncle's stubborn face.

"There's to be an Imperial census. We have to go to Mos Eisley and register."

With widened eyes and a tense mouth, Aunt Beru jerked her head to Luke. "All of us? Can't Luke and I stay back, while you register us?"

"Stormtroopers will be distributed around the planet to round up any stragglers. There's no way out, Beru." Owen shook his head before slurping another spoonful of soup.

Beru stared at Luke again.

He could feel something was wrong, something she and Uncle Owen did not want to tell him. He had a feeling it had to do with his parents.

"I can take Luke to Ben. I'm sure he could protect us, Owen."

"No, Beru! We will not do anything with that crazy old wizard. Don't ever bring up his name again in this house. Do you understand?" Uncle Owen leaned on the table, his cheeks flaring red in anger.

Luke shrunk back in fear. He had never seen his uncle angry at his aunt before. The young boy gazed at his aunt. Her face was filled with fear. The boy could not tell if she was afraid of her husband or afraid for Luke.

Beru gasped as she pulled Luke to her side.

He squirmed under Beru's grip.

"If we go, Owen, we'll have to register Luke under his name. If the Imperials find out that he's here ..."

"They'll find out anyway if we don't show up. The Imperials have already demanded the local records. An agent is already at Tosche Station. He's been asking about everyone around here—names, ages, relations. There's nothing we can do about this Beru but hope that by following the order, we'll slip through unnoticed." Taking a haunch of meat and gnawing a piece off the bone, Owen relaxed in his chair.