Octavia studied the menu and orders the same thing as Luke, she waits until the server leaves "Where are we going? From everything you showed me before we left, there's nothing here but moisture farms and desert." Luke studied her carefully. "We are going to go visit a deserted home. At least, it was deserted last time I was there." "What happened to the original owners?" Luke let out a silent sigh. "We're going to visit Obi-Wan Kenobi's old homestead." Octavia sat back in silence and watched as people entered and left the establishment. She remembered that Obi-Wan was taught by Qui-Gon, her grandfather. "I did not mean to bring up any memories that would hurt." Luke's hand came up, as if to brush aside her remark. "No, not at all. It will be good to be there again. And I think it might be important for you." Nothing was said as the server brought their food out. Octavia looked at it then took a bite. "This is good. How far is your teachers' home?" "Glad you like it," he smiled, taking another bite. After he swallowed he finished his answer. "We'll need a landspeeder to get there before dusk. I would say about an hour from here." He paused slightly there was a slight disturbance. "First thing we will have to do is check the moisture vaporater so we'll have fresh water." Octavia nodded but remained silent, memories of the dream she had was still fresh in her mind. She wondered if she was making the right decision; was this something she should continue to pursue. "That should be repairable." Her mind turned to the possible problems of a vaporator. "I brought along the tools we will need in the A-wing." Octavia smiled. "Always be prepared, for any situation." Luke grinned around a mouthful of food. Two natives came into the little establishment and walked all the way to the back, choosing a table near Luke and Octavia's. Octavia tensed and studied them out of the corner of her eye, then turned her attention back to her food and to Luke. She noticed that Luke appeared not even to notice them. Except for a slow glance he continued to eat in silence. Softly, a word formed into her mind. //Relax.// Octavia glanced at Luke in acknowledgment and concentrated on her meal. The two people appeared to be husband and wife out for dinner. Nothing was remarkable about them, as they wore the typical colorless, long garments that everyone else she had seen wore. Octavia summed up: maybe it was the way she was looking at Luke, or the fact for all the empty tables, they chose one back here. The woman turned her attention back to her companion, now ignoring Luke and Octavia. Octavia finished her meal and glanced at Luke. "That was enjoyable." Luke finished his last bite and leaned back for a moment. "Good. I'm glad. Ready to go?" he asked her. Octavia paused then nodded. "Yes, as ready as I can be." Octavia noticed the woman whisper something to her husband, then she turned to look at Luke and Octavia. Luke nodded in greeting to them and stood to leave. Octavia followed Luke's example and stood. As they went out to pay, the man came up alongside Luke and hesitated. "Are you Luke? Owen and Beru's boy?" he asked. Luke turned to look at him in surprise. "I just wanted to say hello. We thought after what had happened that you would have gone for good." Luke did not recognize him or the woman, and let Octavia know with a particular look. "I'm only here on a short visit. You were friends of theirs?" "Yes," answered the man. "Well, enjoy your visit." Then he simply walked back to his table. Luke paid and quietly left the establishment Octavia quietly following beside him. "Your aunt and uncle, were well liked?" Luke gave one last glance back over his shoulder and frowned slightly. "They were, but they kept pretty much to themselves. I don't remember those two people at all." "Well, they seem to know you." Octavia glanced back. What was bothering her? "What do you say we go get ourselves a used landspeeder and get going." "Sounds like a very good idea." Luke led her out to a site where they had a few used speeders and haggled for a short time with the dealer. Luke hoped she was listening to the whole thing and would learn how to do this sort of thing for herself someday. But part of him wondered if she had done this as a child or had just had to resort to theft in order to get what she needed. Children of most worlds held little power. Then they drove away to the port and got the tool box, locking down the A-wing securely. Octavia remained silent and watched everything Luke did she had this nagging feeling and wasn't sure why. "Would you like to drive this thing?" he asked her. "Yes." Luke showed her how to program in the settings on where they were going and showed her how simply it worked. Octavia nodded at the instruction then murmured her understanding. It wasn't much different from some of the shuttle controls of the Electra. As she drove them away, Luke was watching closely in the mirror. "We are being watched," Luke cautioned her. "Sand people, possibly?" "No. That man who spoke to me in the cafe. He is watching us with electrobinoculars. Let's change our heading." "Agreed." Octavia replied. "Do you think the A-Wing is safe?" Luke didn't answer and he didn't explain his actions, he simply changed the heading and sat back to watch behind them. The route was clear to Octavia on the screen, but it was a little interesting, as the speeder knew how to find where they were going and she could not tell the difference -- it was all sand and dunes to her. Octavia studied the place they arrived at. Getting out of the land speeder she walked around in silence. She looked down into the subterranian home then the area off to the side. Turning to face Luke she gazed past him. She noticed that Luke didn't say anything. It was as if he was scouting around, too, or even remembering something. Octavia walked over to the dunes at the side of the house. "Something very unpleasant happened here," she said at last, glancing at Luke. She had a feeling he knew what had happened here, but she wasn't going to ask -- at least not now. Luke looked at her, glad that she was Force sensitive. This was not at all where he wanted to be. "Yes," he said quietly. "We had better get below quickly. I don't know if they followed us or not." Octavia followed Luke inside after she grabbed the canteen of water from the speeder. "What would they want from you?" she asked. "From all appearance they seem to be normal farmers." He nodded slowly and said, "But I don't have any recollection of them. If they knew my family, then I would have had to have met them. I wonder if they really know me from the wanted posters of long ago - by the Empire." "That could explain their motives, especially since I'm sure that the Empire would still pay them well for you." Luke sighed. He hoped that things would not turn out badly while they were here. "My plans were to continue your training, and it seems it may end up being a visit that we shouldn't have made." Luke walked around the deserted area of his one-time home. Memories flooded back to him: his aunt and uncle; working on the moisture farm out in the desert heat; his first meeting with R-2 and 3PO; then Ben who was really Obi-Wan Kenobi that led him to the Rebellion and his life as a Jedi Knight. "Let's wait a while and see if they come here. If they don't, then we can leave for Ben's old place." "You can't hold yourself accountable for other peoples actions," Octavia answered. "There are lessons to be learned everywhere. Perhaps this is the true starting point." Octavia answered simply. Luke looked at her and let silence go by for a few moments. Then he slowly smiled. "Good. I see you are ready, regardless of the possible circumstances. Just remember to relax into the flow of the Force if we have to become active with these people. We are in a situation where we have choices, unlike when we were back at the Arena." Octavia nodded, finally coming to understand what she had learned from not only the arena but her time with Raven. She could use it to make herself stronger, or crumble under the weight of it...of the guilt she carried. //Training to be a Jedi will not be easy. It will be a challenge. And if you succeed it will be a hard life.// Octavia heard the words and looked at Luke. He was silent and watching from the door way. Accepting what she heard as encouragement she walked over to him and looked out. "Do you see anything yet?" TBC
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