Mara woke up to heat and a sharp sting of stand in the wind. She sat up from the ground, coughing out dirt and dust.
Well, it seemed she had made it to Tatooine.
She suddenly became alarmed as she realized that she sat alone in the desert, still strapped into an ejected chair from the escape pod.
She was alone. Meaning Elix was also alone, and the Death Star plans - along with Princess Leia's message - were in the care of an astromech droid.
It took a moment, but Mara found the strength to slowly rise to her feet. She squinted against the bright sunlight, subconsciously cursing the twin suns that had risen above her. Almost against her will, she smiled to herself. Not too long ago, Tatooine had almost been like a home to her. Almost.
But she had more important things to think about now. For one: surviving, and finding Elix somewhere in this sea of sand. But without even a pillar of smoke to point her in the right direction, she had nothing to go on. The only real choice she had was to find a town or outpost of some sort, and hope that Elix could find his way there.
She narrowed her eyes at a dark, jagged line on the horizon: Beggars Canyon. That was a start. From there, if she headed north, then she was pretty sure she could find her way to Mos Eisley. It was her best bet.
The rest of the day she spent walking, Beggars Canyon in sight the whole time. She stripped off her flightsuit early on, leaving the orange fabric discarded in the sand. The black tank-top and loose brown pants she wore underneath were certainly breezier, but didn't make the heat any less unbearable.
She didn't see any of sign of Elix or the droids the whole day. Her steps felt heavier in the sand as she sank with dread.
By the time night fell, she had only halved the distance. The canyon still seemed so far away. Mara tried to walk through the night, but it was pointless. She was practically walking blind when she finally stopped to sleep. She slipped below a small outcropping of rocks, which would have to serve as shelter for the night.
As her eyes closed, Mara did her best not to think. She fought of the urge to let her mind wander to Elix, or to worry about the princess, who was most definitely in the hands of the Empire, by now. Flashes of Scarif, of Cassian and Navi, shot through her mind, and she gritted her teeth and banished them. Don't think about it. She just forced herself not to think, and prayed that sleep would come soon: so she could wake early, and carry out her mission.
The next morning, a loud and guttural cry shocked Mara awake, her heart giving a heavy thump at the unfamiliar sound. She was quickly putting distance between herself and whatever made such a noise, not eager to stick around and face it.
Not long after she started walking, the terrain morphed from the usual sand into a narrow, rocky valley. The stones were a ruddy, brownish-red, and a strange smell was in the air, but it provided relief from the heat, so she didn't complain. But half-way through the valley, the same frightening cry from before sounded. This time, it echoed off the stone walls around her, making it impossible to tell where it was coming from. Disoriented and admittedly afraid, Mara spun around with her blaster in hand, on high alert.
She let out a shriek when something grabbed her shoulder, and she whirled around, blaster raised.
"Woah, wait, wait!"
Her finger froze on the trigger as she realized it was a kid - a boy, actually, likely her age. His arms were up, shielding himself from whatever harm he thought Mara might inflict. He carried a long rifle, but aside from that, appeared rather harmless, to Mara's relief.
Mara sighed, dropping her blaster from his face. "Sorry. You caught me off-guard." She looked around, shaking her head. "What the hell was that? Those noises?"
The boy looked at her, then relaxed, sweeping a bit of blonde hair from his eyes. "Tusken Raiders. Locals call 'em-"
"Sand people," Mara sighs in realization. She guessed it really had been a while since she had been on Tatooine.
The boy nodded at her. "Yeah. Mean old things - like to attack ya without any warning." He paused, looking her over, before extending his hand. "I'm Luke. Luke Skywalker."
She stared at his hand for a moment, before accepting it. "Mara."
"Good to meet ya, Mara."
"Good to meet you, too, Luke."
"What are you doing so far out here without a speeder?"
Mara shrugged, thinking up a quick lie. "It's a bit of a long story, actually, but I got lost out here after my ship crashed. Engine malfunction, should have seen it comin'."
Luke frowned at her. "Well, that's good ol' Tatooine luck for you. Mos Eisley is a few miles north of here, but it's dangerous on foot. I've got a speeder, I can take ya, if you'd like?"
Mara perked up. "Really?
"Sure, I was headed there today anyways." Luke started walking, nodding his head to beckon Mara to follow. "My place is this way."
Having only spent an on-and-off year on Tatooine, Mara couldn't say she knew much about common Tatooine life. Back then, she had preferred to sleep on her ship, and whenever she visited the planet itself, it was straight to her former smuggler boss, Jabba the Hutt, and occasionally the cantina. When they do reach Luke's home, she does her best not to look too intrigued.
What they eventually reached at first looked like nothing more than a small dome structure, sculpted completely from sand. Hardly big enough to fit the two of them. But when Luke ducked inside, Mara following, she realized the dome covered a staircase, leading to a chain of tunnels and other rooms below the ground. A few decorations were hung on the walls, with sparse plants scattered here and there (most likely fake plants, given Tatooine hardly had enough water for its people, let alone plants. It was a nice touch, either way).
"Uncle Owen?" Luke called out, looking down a hallway. "Aunt Beru? I have a-"
"Not now, Luke." A man suddenly rounded a corner, brushing past both teenagers without much more than a glance. "The Jawas are almost here. You can see your friend later."
"Uncle Owen, wait," Luke continued to press until Owen stopped, turning around. "This is Mara. She got lost out in the valley. I was just gonna take her into town-"
"You got lost in the valley?" Owen asked, looking at the girl.
Mara nodded. "Yes, sir. I was flying to Mos Eisley when the engines failed and I crashed. But Luke's offered to take me to the rest of the way, if that's alright with you."
Stars, it felt odd to ask that way, but she could tell that Luke wouldn't be going anywhere without permission. Mara had practically grown up in the Alliance. Back there, she didn't have to ask for permission like this, mostly because she had grown up fast enough to figure things out on her own.
Owen hummed something under his breath, then nodded. "Alright."
Relief flooded through her.
"You can take her there in the morning."
Mara's face dropped. "I'm sorry, sir, but it's important that I get there as soon as possible."
"What's wrong with today?" Luke asked in disbelief.
"I told ya, the Jawas are coming with the sandcrawler today," Owen replied speedily, beginning to make his way down the passage once again. "I need your help with some new droids - picking them out, cleaning them up."
"But by the time I'm done it'll be nightfall!" Luke said.
"Which is exactly why you'll take her in the morning. It's too dangerous with all the sand people roaming around at night - so don't even think about trying to sneak off."
Owen then disappeared down the hallway without another word.
Mara bit back a groan. Time couldn't be wasted. Not only was Elix alone and the droids able to be picked up by who-knows-what at any time, Princess Leia had a clock of her own. Even the daughter of the Rebellion couldn't withhold information forever. She had to get those plans in the Alliance's hands as soon as possible.
Luke looked towards Mara, giving another one of his small smiles. "I'm really sorry," he said, earnestly. "The season's really hitting him hard - the whole family's been under a lot of stress."
Mara shrugged at him, her focus drifting in thought. "'It's alright. I just... have to get back to a friend on Alderaan, that's all."
"You live on Alderaan?" Luke asked, beginning to walk down the hallway again.
Mara didn't have much of a choice other than to follow him, so she did. "Yeah, you can say that. I'm a pilot, so I travel a lot - away from home most of the time."
"Sounds tough," Luke sympathized. "But at least you aren't stuck on this pile of rock."
Mara laughed quietly at him, before asking, "I take it you've never left Tatooine?"
"No. The seasons have just been getting drier and drier. My aunt and uncle want me here for as long as they can get me to stay. I've been trying to apply to the Imperial Academy, just to get out of here. Who knows - maybe I'll get recruited into the Rebellion."
Mara's eyebrows rose while Luke laughed to himself at the idea. She wasn't sure what surprised her more: that the Alliance was even relevant this far into the Outer Rim, or that Luke sympathized with them. It did make her consider telling him the truth - or at least, some of it. But before she would have gotten the chance to say anything, there was a low rumble in the distance. Mara could feel a vibration in the walls and floor, as something large gradually grew closer.
"Ah, that'll be the Jawas with the sandcrawler," Luke noted, turning the opposite way he and Mara had been walking. "C'mon, you can help us pick out a few new droids."
His enthusiasm to include her did make Mara smile, a little.
She followed him back outside, and her gaze was instantly drawn to a giant, metal vehicle rolling across the sand on four treads. The vehicle looked to be made completely of metal, rusted to a tawny color, the whole thing towering above them. She assumed this was the sandcrawler, and the short, hooded creatures swarming it were Jawas. Upon further inspection, she saw that the Jawas were ushering a dozen or so droids into a line.
Owen was already making his way down the line of droids when Mara and Luke begin to make their way over. They were interrupted, however, when a distinctly female voice called for Luke. Following the sound, Luke jogged over to a deep crater, Mara simply following. She peered down to see a courtyard below, another part of the homestead, apparently.
A woman was standing below them. She gave Mara a kind smile and a short wave, before telling Luke, "Tell your uncle if he gets a translator, make sure it speaks Bocce."
"Doesn't look like we have much of a choice, but I'll remind him," Luke promised, turning back towards the Jawas with Mara in tow.
The two teenagers fell into step behind Owen, as they walked down the line of droids.
Mara could have tripped in shock when she noticed none other than R2-D2 and C3PO mixed in with the bunch. Oh, thank the stars, they were still in one piece. That was one less thing Mara had to figure out. Now, if she could only get to them without anyone noticing...
"No, not that one," Owen said, waving his hand in R2's direction.
As Luke bent down to inspect the red astromech droid Owen chose, Mara tried to sneak towards the droid carrying Leia's message and the Death Star plans. If anything, she could at least get the plans the princess' message...
She halted when C3PO cried out, "Why, Captain Nevaeh! Oh, it's such a relief to see a familiar face! You'll never believe all I've been through!"
"Do you know that droid?" Luke asked in surprise, looking over at Mara.
Lie. "No, he must be mistaking me for someone else-"
"Why, of course, I'm not!" C3PO continues, oblivious to Mara's situation. "My facial recognition software is quite intact. Mara Nevaeh - second in command for the Blue Squadron starfighters in-"
Mara slapped her hand over the droid's mouth, silencing him. (She wasn't entirely sure why it worked, but it did - she had seen Leia and countless other rebels do it in the Alliance).
"You're a starfighter commander!" Luke exclaimed - loudly - so Mara covered his mouth, too.
"Shh!" she hissed, leaning close enough so he could her whisper, "Fine, alright? I am, but you can't tell anyone. It's not something you can go around talking about - very top secret."
Warily, Mara removed her hand from his mouth, afraid of what he was going to say.
The fear faded as he smiled at her, and said, "It's okay. I won't tell anyone. I promise."
A light smile pulled on Mara's lips. "Thank you," she said, just hoping that Luke would stick to his promise.
The farmboy gave her a smile back, replying, "You're welcome. But it's gonna cost ya."
Mara gave him a look, an eyebrow raised. He couldn't seriously be threatening her - it wasn't working well, if he was.
"You're gonna have to tell me a couple stories."
Mara grinned at him, chuckling. "Yeah, I think that can be arranged."
"You!" Owen suddenly stated loudly, and Mara jumped, deflating when she realized he was talking to C3PO. "I suppose you're programmed for etiquette and protocol."
"Protocol? Why it's my primary function. I am well-versed in all the customs-"
"I have no need for a protocol droid," Owen interrupted, beginning to move on.
"Of course you haven't, sir," C3PO continued, once again demonstrating his lack of ability to read a conversation. "Not in an environment such as this. That is why I've been programmed-"
"What I really need is a droid who understands the binary language of moisture vaporators."
"Vaporators? Sir, my first job was programming binary load lifters, very similar to your vaporators in most respects."
"Can you speak Bocce?" Owen questioned.
"Of course I can, sir. It's like a second language to me-"
"Yeah, alright, shut up-"
"Shutting up, sir."
"-I'll take this one," Owen said to the little Jawa that had been walking with him. "Luke, take these two into the garage, will ya? I want them cleaned up before dinner."
"But I have to bring Mara to Mos Eisley!" Luke tried to persist.
"You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done," Owen insisted. "And I already told you to bring her tomorrow. Now come on, get to it. Mara can help you."
Luke sighed under his breath but relented. "Alright, come on."
As he began to walk off, Mara panicked, trying to figure out what she was going to do with R2-D2. She couldn't leave him here, not with both the message and the plans!
She looked over her shoulder when she heard a small explosion, and almost grinned when she saw that the red R2 unit Owen had purchased had smoke billowing out of it.
Luke ran over to inspect it. "Uncle Owen!"
"Yeah?" Owen asked from where he was paying the Jawa.
"This R2 unit's got a bad motivator! Look!"
Owen turned back to the little Jawa, saying, "Hey, what are you trying to push on us?"
"Hey, Luke?" Mara asked innocently. "I know a thing or two about droids, and that one-" She pointed at R2-D2. "-looks to be in pretty good shape."
"I have to agree with her, sir," C3PO said. "That R2 unit is in prime condition, a real bargain."
Finally, Threepio, you're doing something helpful.
"Uncle Owen!" Luke called out.
"Yeah?"
"What about that one?"
Owen looked at the Jawa. "What about that blue one? We'll take that one."
Mara's anxiety was put at ease, but only slightly. The droids were back in her care, at least, but Elix, on the other hand, was still lost to her. She didn't even know if he was alive. For the sake of the mission, she should leave him, but she didn't think she could bare abandoning her friend.
"I'm sure you'll be very pleased with that one, sir. He really is in first-class condition. I've worked with him before," C3PO explained, pulling Mara from her thoughts. "Here he comes."
R2-D2 let out a series of excited beeps upon seeing Mara, and she smiled in return.
"Hello, R2," she greeted. "Yes, it's good to see you, too."
Luke looked over to Mara, surprised. "You know this one, too?"
Mara just gave him a shrug. "We've met once or twice. He's quite the little droid, I can say that much."
"Well, great. I'm glad we picked a good one," Luke turned towards the homestead, leading Mara inside once again. "Come on, you two," he said to the droids.
"Now, don't you forget this," C3PO ordered R2, hitting the astromech droid lightly. "Why I should stick my neck out for you is quite beyond my capacity."
Mara smirked at their antics, thinking to herself that they really were quite the pair of droids; a pair that would be key in helping her preserve the life of the Rebellion, as long as she could get them off this sandheap of a planet.