The Lars Moisture farm was set in the most mundane and desolate part of the entire galaxy, home to one of its most important people.

Luke Skywalker had nothing to look forward to but chores every day.

He woke up, dusted some sand off his boots, and walked off to join his aunt and uncle for breakfast.

Owen and Beru ate mostly in silence, aside from the occasional cough as their young nephew got the grub he needed to do his daily work.

"Don't be afraid to let us know if anything comes up."

"I don't think anything but some bored sand people will be around." mused Luke quietly. "Maybe we could have some lunch together."

Beru smiled lightly at this.

Owen didn't appreciate the joke but said nothing, just nodding to Luke who waited to know if he was allowed to get ready for work.

The two suns just barely began to rise as Luke walked to his landspeeder, a little groggy with a full stomach, his cycler rifle shouldered.

For the next four hours, Luke zipped around the flat deserts around the Lars Moisture farm, collecting moisture, maintaining moisture collectors, and making sure the small Treadwell droid that he brought with him didn't blow a fuse from how old they were. Or if the poor thing was blown away in a single particularly strong gust of sandy wind.

It was a hot, dry, boring, and extremely tedious existence for anyone, especially a growing fourteen year old boy. Always, every single day, the only thing that impressed Luke at all about Tatooine was just how much nothing there was around.

But Luke didn't complain, the few friends he'd made were often busy with their own work or simply too far on the other ends of Tatooine, but they missed him and he knew it.

Luke sighed, out of all the moisture collectors he'd operated on, only one needed any sort of maintenance. It was malfunctioning, and the reader Luke was using was so old that he wondered how long it would take for him to be done.

The Treadwell droid next to him beeped a bit sadly.

"Yeah I know," Luke shrugged, shaking his head a little. "I'm not too happy about this job either. Let's see."

Luke raised the scanner chipped into the moisture collector, and all he knew was that there was one of the condensers connected wrong to the main console.

…

After eating the lunch Beru had packed for him and placed in his landspeeder, Luke used some tools to open the moisture collector and began to inspect the machine.

Even after doing the job for years, the old moisture vaporators tended to malfunction for no reason at all, or for reasons that were basically unfixable. After tinkering around for almost an hour and a half, Luke gave up.

"Well, that's that." exhaled out Luke as he closed the console box and began to put away his tools. "Sorry for wasting your time buddy."

He turned off the Treadwell droid helping him with tools and other maintenance before lowering its metal neck and placing it away in his landspeeder.

As Luke went on to inspect the water all the moisture vats he'd worked on that day in terms of pH level using a small machine, or for any possible contamination, an old man nearby was watching.

Always watching from his small cave in the nearby hills.

Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't do more than stretch, eat, meditate, and sleep, and occasionally catch up on training his saber techniques with his Marksman-H training droid.

His main job, was merely making sure the boy wasn't attacked by sand people or the odd sand storm Tatooine usually had. Other than that, he relaxed.

Obi-Wan even had a special chair he pulled up from his cave to watch Luke's daily work through some binoculars. The man was starting to exit his late 40s and enter his fifties, and despite being known around the Dune Sea as 'that hermit Ben' the aged Jedi actually rather enjoyed his retirement.

A watchful protector, Obi-Wan remembered his days as a general during the Clone Wars, and hoping Luke never got into too much trouble.

When Luke began to head home for the day after collecting and checking all the moisture he needed for the day, Obi-Wan picked up his chair, and headed in for the night as well.

…

Owen listened to his nephew quietly.

"Today's batch was fine, but I think Vat 3 needs to be replaced. The main circuits are almost completely ruined, I think the most we could salvage are the few condensers."

"Mm." Owen chewed his dinner of salted meats and an assortment of edible plants Beru had picked from their hydroponic garden. "We'll see if we have enough after our next harvest."

Luke shrugged. "I think Fixer could get me a decent deal on a new one, you know." Luke glanced at his uncle hopefully for a moment. "If you let me head into Tosche this weekend with the scrap we've got."

"I don't trust Tosche. Even if it's farther and a bit more expensive, I'd rather we get our things from Mos Espa or Bestine."

Luke didn't say anything as Owen chewed his dinner and Beru looked at him reproachfully for a second.

Owen tutted. "Are you sure we can get a good deal?"

"Pretty sure yeah," admitted Luke, rubbing his own elbow a little. "Last time I think we paid for a third less of what we would've gotten anywhere else with Laze."

The moisture farmer sighed quickly. "Just be back home before sundown or you'll be in trouble."

"Alright." Luke stood up quickly, smiling as he held his finished dinner plate. "Thanks Uncle Owen."

He held Beru's shoulder for a moment as she placed a hand over Luke's, and the boy went off to bed.

"It was kind of him to mention almost all of our machines come from Bestine's top engineers."

Owen waved a hand. "I just don't want him placing more faith into his friends then he needs to. All they do is get him into trouble."

"They're not so bad."

"All those kids are going nowhere fast. Luke is the future of this farm."

Beru said nothing as her husband finished his dinner in silence.

…

Luke was using a communicator to unload the last tankards of water out of his landspeeder as the two suns began to set and into the Lars Homestead's main refrigeration units.

"Biggs? Biggs you there?"

There was silence for a moment.

"Biggs?"

"Hey? Hey! Hey Luke!"

"Biggs!" Luke said into his communicator. "Hey I'm heading into Tosche Station the day after tomorrow. Just wondering if you had the chance to meet up."

"Yeah I was heading over there anyway. Had some big news to share."

"Big news? What kind?"

"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, let's just say you're going to want to bring your old T-16."

"Really? Man, I can't wait!" said Luke with bubbled elation. "What kind?"

"Wouldn't make it much of a surprise then."

Luke smiled nodded. "Have a goodnight."

"You too Luke."

Luke finished his last chore for the night even faster before practically running back to bed.

…

Speeding above the flat desert landscape of Tatooine towards Anchorhead, Luke attached the old moisture evaporator condensers and other material he meant to sell to the back of a T-16 Skyhopper. A sleek white airspeeder designed like a tri-hedral craft.

Luke gunned it over towards a small platform placed in a three by three pattern for small aircraft just like the one he was using, removing the white helmet off his head.

The boy opened the door connected to the back of the T-16 and walked out, starting to cart over all of the metal he meant to sell.

"Luke!"

Luke smiled when he walked into Tosche Station and saw his best friend in the entire world, Biggs Darklighter.

Biggs and Luke hugged each other.

"What's this, something new?" Luke gestured towards the weak attempts Biggs was making to pull off a mustache.

Biggs smiled. "Just about? Say, Fixer here was talking about a new deal-"

"Potential new deal." Laze Loneozner mumbled, flipping through a machinery and droid catalogue on his data pad, slightly raising an eyebrow.

"Potential new deal on the new moisture vats coming in."

Luke smiled. "Well that's perfect, I was hoping to make a deal too."

"Alright." Laze said lazily. "Let's see what old junk your uncle brought me this time."

Luke ignored the slight and passed Laze the box across the counter.

"Hmm. Looks like all these old droids parts won't even get a second look from even a Jawa." Laze poked around. "I'll give you fifty for this transistor." Laze showed Luke a large circuit piece. "Think this could be used for a decent cooling system in a starfighter part or something."

"Deal."

Laze threw his nose towards everything else Luke had with him. "And that?"

"Oh these are the old pieces of Vat 3."

"Uh huh." Laze scratched his chin unimpressed. "Let me guess, your old vapor spires started to break down?"

"Yeah here you go."

Laze only needed to glance over the condensers twice. "I'll give you two fifty."

"And how much are the new vats?"

"Seventy five hundred."

Luke was appalled. "I only brought sixty credits with me! How am I supposed to buy a new vat when my uncle paid twice what you're wanting to buy my old one for?"

Laze crossed his arms. "Two fifty is being generous Luke."

"No it isn't, all I brought you can go for at least four hundred." countered Luke.

"And where are you planning on getting the remaining three hundred and fifty?" Laze leaned on the counter.

Luke started to get a bit heated. "Now look here-"

"I'll cover the difference." Biggs insisted, pressing his hands down in the air a little.

Luke was shocked. "Wait, Biggs don't, there's no need-"

"Done. I'll take sixty from Luke, and three hundred and fifty from you. As well as this transistor and the rest of what you've brought me. And you walk out of here with a brand new moisture vat making enough water to make your uncle's head spin."

Luke sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I thought I was going to be getting a good deal today. All this for just one new moisture vat."

"Look Luke, the new MX models are cutting edge. They practically farm double the moisture your old vaporators do, and with the certificate that comes with it, you can go anytime into Enviro Corp's official shop in Bestine for a full remodel."

Biggs put a hand on Luke's shoulder, the boy nodded and looked downward a little. "Okay, I, I guess that makes sense. Can I at least keep the droid parts? You said you didn't want them anyway."

"Of course." Laze nodded deeply for a moment.

"Alright."

Luke stuck a hand forward.

Laze shook it.

Biggs spoke softly. "Can you give Luke and I moment?"

"Sure I think this will be my last deal for the day, needed to start closing up anyway." Laze said as he got to work around Tosche Station, packing away Luke's things and taking the credits Biggs slid him across the table.

Biggs led Luke outside and began to talk.

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"I'll pay you back for the four hundred I swear-"

"Don't worry about it." said Biggs kindly. "You can owe it up to me with a solid race."

Luke's eyes lit up. "Race?"

"That's why I wanted you to bring your T-16, we've been racing together for almost years now, think it's time for the grand finale. Don't you?"

Luke frowned. "I don't know, I only just managed to beat your time near Stone Needle." he looked aside sadly. "Almost crashed trying to do it anyway."

"What your uncle doesn't know won't kill him."

"Yeah well." Luke looked back at Biggs. "I heard the Sand People started grazing their Banthas a whole lot more near those mountains anyway."

"We won't bother them, they won't bother us." insisted Biggs. "Come on Luke, I-"

Biggs Darklighter took a deep breath, looking quite troubled for a moment.

"What's the matter?" Luke sounded worried. "What's wrong?"

"This might be the last time I think we'll have to talk for a while. You remember that application I submitted to the academy?"

"Of course."

Biggs shrugged. "I got in. I start next month."

"Seriously? That's huge Biggs!"

They hugged.

Luke pulled back, frowning now instead of having a glowing smile. "Wait," he said as they stood on the roof outside Tosche Station. "That means I won't be seeing you for a while."

"If ever again," Biggs said. "I want to settle who's the best around here before I fly out for good. Who knows, it might be the last chance we'll get to fly together ever again."

Luke frowned. "I really wish it wasn't." he said, his heart completely sunken.

"It doesn't have to be." said Biggs. "Why don't you apply to the academy too? You're a great pilot, the best I know."

"That means so much but, my uncle won't let me go anywhere until I help him finish pay off what he owes on the farm."

Biggs waved a hand. "Either way, race with me. One last time okay?"

Luke was thoughtful for a moment, but after a deep breath, he answered. "Okay Biggs. One last time."

"Alright!" the two walked off, smiling.

…

"You sure about this?" Luke asked, preparing his T-16 for the race of a lifetime.

"Trust me, Beggars Canyon ain't nothing." Biggs smiled. "You know it better than I do."

Luke smiled wider than he remembered smiling for a long time as Biggs turned around and put his helmet on.

The T-16s of both boys began to hover in the air at standby nearing the entrance to a very rocky and tall canyon near the edge of the Dune Sea.

"Can you hear me Luke?"

Luke began to power up all the flight controls and everything else he'd need before the race began. "Loud and clear Biggs."

"I lead and you follow. Remember, you gotta give this run your all. No chasing after womp rats and such, this is a timed race."

"Good. See you on the other side, I'll give you a heads up if anything's happens."

"Thanks Biggs."

A few local teenagers and other youngsters around Tatooine's settlements and a few moisture farms had nothing better to do that afternoon except watch the race, so they began to spread out around the canyon to cheer and watch, using com-links to interact.

Behind one of the turns where a trio of Tatooine kids were watching, Obi-Wan was watching stroking his beard silently.

…

The race began with Luke chasing after Biggs at high speeds.

At slightly over half throttle, Biggs was flying straight down the neck of Tatooine without a worry in the world, despite flying so fast that small rocks went hurtling in his direction as he flew. His red sky hopper was the newest model right off the line, able to turn at the sharpest angles, accelerate and brake at almost any speed, but Luke could keep up with ease.

His old T-16 wasn't as fast, but Luke's skill in the cockpit was beyond compare. Even at fifteen like an average Tatooine farm boy looking for a weekend thrill, he didn't come close to scratching the walls of Beggar's canyon.

The skyhoppers flew in S patterned turns, sometimes with the elevation changing suddenly and harshly.

Biggs began to pull away exiting one turn, Luke straining as he punched the throttle.

The T-16 engines hummed when Luke accelerated so fast there was a small blast of air that echoed throughout the canyon.

Luke focused, gunning the skyhopper expertly that his T-16 flew inches away from the canyon wall to achieve the maximum entrance velocity to a particularly tricky curve.

A pair of Tatooine teens cheered when Biggs and Luke flew past.

As Luke got close enough to nearly swoop beneath Biggs and start to pass him, Biggs increased the throttle capacity of his brand new skyhopper as much as he could.

With both boys completely warmed up, the race was on at its largest capacity.

Zooming through the canyon, every twist and turn at well over 1100 km/h, Luke was beginning to struggle.

"Darklighter is pulling away! They just passed the halfway point and man they are fast as hell through these corners!" one kid said over the comlinks of one turn.

The canyon felt narrower, Biggs felt faster, which he was now that both skyhoppers were at full throttle, and the turns felt sharper than ever.

When leaving one curve, Biggs was gone, and the next, Luke barely caught a glimpse of Biggs at all.

Luke was trying to enter a turn too fast for his T-16 to fly through, and temporarily lost control.

By the time he was able to reposition mid-air one of the T-16's three wings scratched the edge of Beggar's canyon hard, removing most of it entirely.

Luke listed aimlessly one way and another, as the cockpit blared with warnings and alarms.

No chance to eject or regain control with an entire wing missing, the smoking T-16 flew well of course. And completely out of view of the dozen or so Tatooine children spectating all around the course.

"That was the other T-16! I saw it go over the other side of the mountain!"

…

Groaning quietly, Luke sat in the cockpit of the T-16 having been knocked unconscious by the crash.

His eyesight settling into focus, he woozily unstrapped himself and left the burning cockpit.

Frustratedly, Luke climbed out of his T-16 with a cough, shaking his head in disappointment. Luke looked around, wondering just where near Beggar's Canyon he had crashed exactly.

He glanced back at his beloved aircraft.

"Never flying that thing again." he said when seeing its sorry state.

Luke had no remote idea just where he was, there was nothing but rocks, a cave or two, and the most desolate of Tatooine's canyons around.

Empty.

Luke was tempted to call for help, but remembered Tusken Raiders weren't the friendliest to be around.

But he was utterly alone, more alone than he ever felt, and for miles and miles around his home, there were only three people aside from the occasional Jawa sandcrawler passing through if the winds weren't too blustery.

Luke sighed, there had to be something salvageable in his T-16.

He tried to reach any of his friends.

"Biggs, Biggs can you hear me?"

The comlink line was busted.

"Biggs. Fixer? Anyone? I think I'm just north of Beggar's Canyon, I'm completely lost out here."

There was no response.

"Great." Luke threw the device aside, taking a deep breath.

The boy felt completely hopeless, hoping someone could come and save him wasn't the best bet. But neither was walking around an environment extremely similar to places like the Jundland Wastes where he was told not to go through from an early age.

He was already lost, and he highly doubted there was any sort of exit to what seemed like a dry maze of rocks and mountainside in all directions.

Luke paced back and forth. Sat boredly in the wrecked cockpit of his now useless T-16, and just began rifling around all the machinery and wiring within his skyhopper, trying to find anything, anyway to communicate with anyone.

As the two suns began to pass their zenith and later, into well through the afternoon, Luke threw rocks boredly at the stone wall. Lightly at first, looking around the walls of the mountainside nearby in case there was any sort of echo.

Nothing.

Luke kept throwing rocks around, sighing, still having no clue what to do.

Soon, night was about to fall, and the sunset of the two suns began.

It was here where Luke was, for the first time in his life, deeply and truly afraid. But after hours of waiting, he finally wasn't alone.

But the company wasn't what he was expecting.

A trio of Massiffs began to sniff about, looking for their night's meal.

When Luke saw them approach, he instantly drew back into his wrecked T-16 and into the remains of the cockpit.

There was no way he could defend himself, he had left his cycler rifle with all of his uncle's things back at the starting line for Beggars Canyon. And there was no emergency blaster of any kind in the T-16.

Besides, until this very moment, Luke had never actually needed to protect himself from real danger before.

One of the Massiffs approached the T-16 curious at the strange wreckage of the farmer's skyhopper.

The other beasts approached as well, likely being able to smell Luke within the T-16.

His heart was racing. Could these things smell fear?

The boy was in shock so great, he couldn't feel a bead of cold sweat trail directly down from his head and around his eye. All he could do was hope that the Massiff wouldn't see him.

For some reason, something else caught the Massiff's attention.

The other reptilian beasts sniffed the ground and began to approach a strange hidden figure. The Massiffs approached, angered at first, growling, their frills shaking.

And then, Luke saw something he wouldn't forget for the rest of his life.

The hooded figure, standing in a dark, tan colored robe, raised his hand and opened his palm.

The Massiffs paused, their demeanor changing from vicious, to calm.

The leader Massiff paused, sitting on its rear and panting.

The hooded figure rubbed the top of the Massiffs head, and off it went. As if all of its carnal rage and need to hunt were gone, the three Massiffs all went off trotting into the night.

"What the-"

Obi-Wan Kenobi removed his hood. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. What was that? Who are you?"

"Just a concerned person, that's all," he said non-chalantly.

Luke's blue eyes were filled with all the wonder in the world. "You're old Ben aren't you? Lives in caves? Talks to Sand People? The uh. Hermit?"

He chuckled. "Not all of that," he mused lightly. "But I'm some of it, Ben indeed. I can see you had some flight trouble."

"Yeah that's what I get for thinking I could keep up with Biggs." Luke shook his head at the wreck of his T-16. "It's days like these that make me feel like I'll never be a great pilot. That, I'll never be great at anything."

Obi-Wan saw the look in Luke's eyes, the desperation in his face, and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Come on now, it's getting dark out. Your uncle must be getting worried."

"Oh man am I gonna get it. Do you know a way outta here? I haven't been able to find one for a bit, it seems like this whole place has dead ends in all directions."

"Yes," Obi-Wan smiled lightly. "There is a way. Follow me."

Luke saw Obi-Wan begin to climb the mountain side, a bit limber for an aging man.

He followed him without question.

…

"So how'd you find me?"

"I'd been looking for you since I heard you crashed during the race."

Luke was helped up onto the ledge by Obi-Wan gladly. "You were watching?"

"I was."

"Have you been following me?"

Luke saw Obi-Wan stand at the entrance to a small cave, and he did not answer. Luke had seen the cave from below a moment ago, and dared not approach.

"That seems dangerous."

"Not if you know where to look."

Something told Luke Obi-Wan and the caves of Tatooine were very accustomed to each other just from the way Obi-Wan walked into one.

"Back there, with those uh, things. How'd you get them to go away? They were about ready to eat me, and seemed just about ready to become your pets or something."

Obi-Wan activated a small glowlamp he carried in his left hand, showing Luke the way through a relatively narrow cave.

"There is a difference between a hungry mind, and an evil one."

"Of course those things are evil. They eat baby Womp Rats, all the ones Tusken Raiders have are just as savage as they are."

Obi-Wan gave a hint of a smile. "There is far more to life than what your uncle has told you."

What Luke saw that day what Obi-Wan did to those beasts, more than proved that.

"Again, but how did you stop those things?"

"One day when you're older, I'll let you know." Obi-Wan climbed up a small ledge in the cave as it opened up a bit more.

Obi-Wan helped Luke up a bit, the boy grunting as he asked. "Could you tell me now?"

"I'm afraid not."

Luke looked around the darkness of the cave. "Where are the sand bats?"

"They often nest in larger groups far deeper in these caverns."

"Do you have a map of all this?" asked Luke, deeply impressed.

"No," Obi-Wan chuckled quietly. "No I know some of these places just by memory."

"Memory? How long have you been walking through these caves?"

"Oh just around um. Fifteen years."

"Fifteen years!?"

Luke's voice carried.

Obi-Wan placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, the two looking around, as if waiting for bats to appear.

Obi-Wan smiled. "As far as they may be there's no need to tempt them. Now, yes."

"Fifteen years? But, I'm fifteen."

"Some might call that a coincidence."

Luke's boots crunched against the tiny stone of the old cave. "I mean sure but. Do you live in caves because you're hiding from someone? Or because you have nowhere else to go?"

Obi-Wan was once again reminded of Luke's youth.

"A bit of both I suppose. Now keep up, I don't think your uncle will appreciate it if we spent all night chatting instead of hurrying."

"Right." Luke said, still trying to process the day and what Obi-Wan had told him.

…

By the time they returned to the Lars Farm, Owen and Beru were standing outside worried sick, and it was well past dark out.

Beru hugged Luke the second she saw him, and Owen spoke before anyone else could.

"Go ahead and get your dinner Luke." Owen ordered quietly. "I think ol' Ben and I need to have a talk."

Beru ushered Luke inside the home, and the two men waited for them to be out of earshot.

They sat down on metal crates meant to store moisture tanks, and Owen was kind enough to have Beru bring them both a drink as they spoke.

"He had an accident past Beggar's Canyon, he won't be able to fly anymore. I'm afraid he was chasing after a friend of his."

"So," Owen drank quietly. "You let him go on this race? I thought you were watching over him, making sure nothing happened to him."

He put his cup down on the table Beru brought loudly. "That no one found him."

"I was under the impression I could never become involved until his life was in severe danger."

"And it wasn't?"

"It." Obi-Wan paused. "Was. But I had seen Luke fly through almost every pass imaginable this side of the Dune Sea. Until he crashed I was sure he could handle it."

"And you reveal yourself to him. After fifteen years, you show yourself? Blow your cover."

"For all he knows, I'm still that decrepit wizard living off sand bat meat and spice."

Owen rubbed his eyes. "Is that, all he knows?"

Obi-Wan was silent.

"What, what did you tell him?"

"Nothing, I had to scare away some Massiffs that probably wandered off from a nearby tribe's camp, or were simply wild."

Owen squinted at him through the darkness just outside the Lars homestead. "Did you do that freaky shout that I saw you use against the Sand People once?"

"No, no," Obi-Wan smiled a bit. "Nothing like that, I didn't mean to frighten him more than he already was."

"Good." Owen nodded. "Good."

Owen's fears seemed to seep out of his worried eyes, and the moisture farmer appeared to sink a little deeper into his seat.

"I uh, suppose I'll leave you to it then."

Owen merely nodded.

Obi-Wan began to walk away, and then. He stopped.

He turned around. "You know he will find out eventually. Or, are you just hoping I die of old age at some point soon? Or take a wrong step in the Jundland caves?" he shrugged. "Perhaps starve."

"All I'm hoping." Owen exhaled out in a single breath. "Is to at least let me pass down this farm I have to Luke before you say anything to him. It's all I have. It's all Beru has. It's all he should have."

"Luke should decide for himself what he wants. Let the past be the past, none of what happened was his fault. And there's no way near this edge of the galaxy anyone will be able to know the truth about him."

"I agree. Which is why I should train him, or." Obi-Wan saw the way Owen stood up much straighter and looked far angrier with a single sentence. "At least teach him the proper ways to fly. Teach him anything."

"And why should I do that? Begging your pardon but he's fifteen. What in the world does he have to do with the Rebellion? Or flying? Or any of that nonsense? He's just a farmer. And you're just practicing magic tricks in dusty caves."

"Well that nonsense is the only thing that'll be able to help you keep your farm after you're gone."

Owen raised his eyebrows. "After I'm gone?"

"Do you remember the Great Drought? When nearly every farmer and village on this half of Tatooine were all barely making enough to feed themselves. The lucky ones only lost their farms, the ones who could fend off Jabba that is."

"You mind telling me how what you know can help him protect this farm? You telling me you can farm moisture better than I can?"

"No, I'm saying Luke needs to learn how to defend himself. Let's say Luke is still here some decades later, a nearby farm didn't like the moisture he sold them. What then?"

Owen shrugged. "They'll buy it from someone else."

"What if all their crops or livestock died because of him? Even if they just thought it was him. And they don't care that Luke is the only person in charge of this place? A few speeder bikes and some credits passed to the right people, at best, they'll destroy everything he's built. You act like nothing can ever happen to Luke, even here. Just look at what happened today."

"He almost died. Because he wandered off too far, didn't focus on his work." Owen nodded to Ben before sipping from his metal cup. "Goofed off too much."

"Yes Owen, he almost died. To prevent Luke from ever needing you and me again if something like today happened? Which it very well may. Do you think that you alone can prevent that?"

"I didn't know the Jedi liked to brag. Get involved in business that wasn't theirs."

Obi-Wan wasn't remotely insulted by what he said. "I only intend to help Luke protect himself. I promise you, I never wish to whisk him off to join a war, to send him away from his only family. Let me ensure that his life is never in danger again."

"How does this benefit me? At all? Or even Luke? This just gets him into more trouble."

"He'll be happier for it most likely. If he's happier, he'll work better. More moisture, less trouble. And as for benefiting you." Obi-Wan sighed. "If he's truly interested in the offer, I suppose I think he could make it worth your while. Please, all I ask of you is to put yourself in your nephew's shoes."

"So, for all this, you're sure it's in my best interest." Owen chuckled. "You promise huh?"

"I think you know me well enough to know the little I have left is my honor."

Owen's expression changed from smug to frozen so fast Obi-Wan might as well have used the Force to influence his thoughts.

"I understand why you want to keep him safe, to never let him out of your sight until you pass from this world, seeing Luke run this farm generations of your family have. But I'd never make this offer unless it was what was best for him. And I believe you know that."

Owen gulped.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms.

"If he isn't back home by sundown. If you let him know more than what he needs to know. If he doesn't get all of his work done on time. And if," Owen raised a finger slightly here, tapping the table next to the cup he placed down. "If I hear anything around the dinner table about him leaving this farm before I decide. Or that he's thinking of joining his friends who are joining the academy."

Owen shook his head. "Then this is over."

"Thank you."

Owen said nothing as he picked up the table and metal boxes they'd used, and Obi-Wan trudged off quietly into the night.

…

The next morning Luke Skywalker awoke to a sight even stranger then what Old Ben had done with those beasts.

[Welcome to the Game!]

Luke merely looked at the screen in complete confusion. "Huh?"

…