𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫||𝐥.𝐬

⋙05⋘

The small, spartan hovel is cluttered with desert junk but still manages to radiate an air of time-worn comfort and security. Luke is in one corner repairing Threepio's arm and Angelica's head laying in his lap, as old Ben sits thinking.

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  "No, my father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter." I exclaimed to Ben. "That's what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved." Ben said explaining to me. "I wish I'd known him." I said with a huff. I look down and I see Angelica still unconscious on my lap. I smile to myself and move a strand of hair away from her face. "He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior. I understand you've become quite a good pilot yourself. And he was a good friend. Which reminds me..." Ben says describing my father to me, and he gets up.

   Ben gets up and goes to a chest where he rummages around. As I finishrepairing Threepio and start to fit the restraining bolt back on, Threepio looks at me nervously. I think about the bolt for a moment then put it on the table. Then I hear groan from below me. I look down and see Angelica opening her eyes. "Well good morning sleeping beauty." I say to her. "Morning blondie." She says and we stare in each other's eyes. Ben shuffles up and presents me with a short handle with several electronic gadgets attached to it. Angelica lifts her head from my lap and sits up straight next to me.

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  "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned-fool idealistic crusade like your father did." A guy I'm guessing named Obi Wan says to Luke. 'Where am I?' I thought to myself, I take a look around and see my surroundings. 'Someone's home?'

  "Sir, if you'll not be needing me, I'll close down for awhile." Threepio says to Luke. "Sure, go ahead." Luke responds to Threepio, and Threepio shuts down. Then the man hands Luke this weapon of some sort. Which I'm guessing is to be a lightsaber. "What is it?" Luke asks Obi Wan. "Your fathers lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster." Obi Wan says.

Luke pushes a button on the handle. A long beam shoots out about four feet and flickers there. The light plays across the ceiling. "What's your name young lady?" Obi Wan asks. "Angelica. Angelica Viedhaens." I said. The guy looks off into the distance as if he remembers something. He's weird. "Well my names Obi Wan but you can call me Ben." Ben says and whispers something to himself.

  "An elegant weapon for a more civilized time. For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire." Ben was saying yet Luke wasn't really paying attention, but I was.

  "How did my father die?" Luke asks while swinging the lightsaber around. "A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all but extinct. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force." Ben said explaining Luke's father's death. "The force?" Luke and I ask. "Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." Ben says explaining the force to us and I'm very interested in it.

  Artoo makes beeping sounds and Luke and I's heads snap towards the droid. "Now, let's see if we can't figure out what you are, my little friend. And where you come from." Ben says to the droid. "I saw part of the message he was..." Luke was cut short as the recorded image of what seemed to be the Rebel princess is projected from Artoo's face. "I seem to have found it." Ben says with a chuckle. Luke stops his work as the girl's image flickers before his eyes. He looks at her like she's the only girl in the galaxy. I look away for a moment and turn my head and see Luke still looking at her, I sigh. 'Wait... am I jealous? No I can't be jealous.' I thought to myself.

"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed informational vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." The girl on the hologram says. There is a little static and the transmission is cut short. Old Ben leans back and scratches his head. He silently puffs on a tarnished chrome water pipe. Luke has hearts in his eyes. I look over at him with the feeling of sadness and jealousy.

  "You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with me to Alderaan, you too Angelica." Ben says to the both of us. "Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to go home. It's late, I'm in for it as it is." Luke says laughing. Ben then looks over at me and raises his eyebrow. "I Uh have to stay with my Uncle Hagan." I said. "I need your help, Luke and Angelica. She needs your help. I'm getting too old fo this sort of thing." Ben kept trying to plead us. "I can't get involved! I've got work to do! It's not that I like the Empire. I hate it! But there's nothing I can't do about it right now. It's such a long way from here." Luke says sighing. "That's your uncle talking." Ben says to Luke. "Oh, God, my uncle. How am I ever going to explain this?" Luke says while sighing. "I can't get involved either. I uh can't get anymore hurt than what I'm physically, emotionally, and mentally. Plus, my Uncle Hagan would have an absolute fit with me." I said while crossing my arms and playing with the fuzz of my robe. "Learn about the Force, Luke and Angelica." Ben says.

  "Why do you keep including my name?" I ask. "I'll tell you later." He says to me which leaves me wondering.

  "Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going." Luke says crossing his arms. "You just do what you feel is right, of course." Obi Wan says.

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  The speeder stops before what remains of the huge Jawas Sandcrawler. Luke, Angelica, and Ben walk among the smoldering rubble and scattered bodies.

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    "It looks like Sandpeople did this, all right. Look, here are Gaffi sticks, Bantha tracks. It's just... I never heard of them hitting anything this big before." I said checking the tracks. Ben and Angelica crouch down in the sand studying the tracks. "They didn't. But we are meant to think they did. These tracks are side by side. Sand people always ride single file to hide their numbers." Ben says. "These are the same Jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio." I say. "And these blast points, too accurate for Sandpeople. Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise." Ben says to us. "Why would Imperial troops want to slaughter Jawas?" Angelica asks which is a logical question. Angelica and I look back at Artoo and Threepio, she puts two and two together then she turns to me and then I realize. "If they traced the robots here, they may have learned who they sold them to. And that would lead them home!" I say with a panic in my voice.

  Angelica and I reach a sudden horrible realization. We both race for the speeder and that's when we go back home. "Wait, Both of you! It's too dangerous." Ben yells out but we already left.

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  Luke races across the wasteland in his battered Landspeeder.

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  The speeder roars up to the burning homestead. Luke and I jump out and we run to the smoking holes that were once his home. Debris is scattered everywhere and it looks as if a great battle has taken place.

  "Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru! Uncle Owen!" He calls out and nothing. "Uncle Hagan! Uncle Hagan please be alive." I yell out.

  Luke stumbles around in a daze looking for his aunt and uncle. I keep calling out for Uncle Hagan. Tears streaming down my face. Suddenly Luke comes upon their smoldering remains. "An-Angelica..." He stutters he sees of what's left of his uncle and aunt. I walk over there and I see my uncle's dead, burned corpse. I cover my mouth and my legs give out. "You were supposed to be alive. Your the only family I have left besides those other people." I said crying into my hands. Luke stands there stunned, and cannot speak. Hatred replaces fear for me. "They will pay!" I said punching my hands in the sand.