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Disclaimer: This story uses characters and situations created by George Lucas. No
copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made through this story, which
was written solely for the enjoyment of the author and (hopefully) the reader. This story
sorta jumps right in, so good luck in figuring this out. -Andi
Life Day
a fanfiction piece by Andrea Sheperd
Luke Skywalker sat alone in the room Leia had prepared for him, wishing with all his heart
that he had not come back.
She had sounded convincing over the com, telling him that he would love it, that they all
missed him and wished he were here. And when Anakin had pleaded for his return, he had
no real choice but to come to Coruscant for Life Day. He felt Leia's soft approach before
he heard her and went to open the door to let her in.
Leia was shocked at her brother's appearance. His hair was wet and looked as though it
hadn't been combed in months. He was pale and the usual sparkle was gone from his eyes.
Instead they were dull and cloudy. Across their shared link she said, [It's so nice you're
back.]
[I almost didn't come, Leia. You don't know how hard it is to come back here after all that's
happened.]
[Luke,] she said mentally, [you know that Life Day is one of the most important days to the
galaxy, and it's a time to trace back to your origins and find out all you can about yourself.
It's a journey of self discovery and we should do this together]>
Luke broke the connection, frustrated that he could not make her understand. "It's just that
I've been running from all this for so long," he said aloud. "I don't know how to explain it.
My life ended here, Leia."
"You could also say," she reminded him gently, "that your life began here. Come on, this
doesn't have to take very long and we can go back for the celebration."
Luke sighed and allowed himself to be led from his rented room. Outside, the suns glared
down on them and wind blew sand into their eyes and ruffled their hair. Brother and sister
walked in silence. They had nothing to say. They rested only once, at the top of a tall dune.
From there, Luke could see what remained of the farm he'd grown up on. After resting only
momentarily, they trudged on.
At last they reached the Lars Moisture Farm. Luke turned away, unable to look. He didn't
speak, but the ghost of a scream echoed in his mind. A scream from long ago. He felt Leia's
hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off and ran. He didn't know where he was going,
he only knew that he had to get out of there. He ran around behind the house and about
150 yards away before falling to the ground. He buried his face in the hot sand and sobbed
for everything he'd lost and everything Leia had lost. Digging his fingers into the ground, he
felt something solid. He reached down for it, thinking it must be a rock. Something to throw,
at any rate.
It wasn't a rock. It was a small box, about as long as his forearm. It was padlocked closed,
but hey, he had a lightsaber.
First, though, he had to get away from this place. Tucking the box under his arm, he headed
back to Leia.
The hut of Ben Kenobi was small and spartan. Everything had been taken by scavengers
long ago, but the lighting was still there. Now, under these lights, Leia and Luke had made a
startling discovery. Luke had carved the box open with his lightsaber and found a piece of
flimsy inside, addressed to him, in his Aunt Beru's handwriting:
Luke Skywalker
Lars Moisture Farm
Sector seven
Tatooine, Outer Rim
Luke dear;
I dreaded the time when we would have to inform you of your true origins. However, If you
are reading this you must already know, since only Ben has the key and has promised not to
give it to you until you are ready.
[I suppose it's okay,] Luke thought.
[You do already know of your origins...unless there's more?]
[Come on, Leia. Our family tree is crazy enough already. How could there possibly be
more?]
I think this box I've kept for you will answer most of your questions. If you need to know
more, talk to Ben, or to Bail Organa. And of course you can always talk to me.
[If only we could!]
Take care, Luke. Take care of your sister. I can't promise you everything will work out
okay, but the memories in this box should help.
Love always,
Beru Lars
Luke was silent for a long time after reading the flimsy. Then he looked into the box.
It was full of holos. He pulled out one of him and...it must be Leia! They were tiny infants,
both asleep on a blanket, a baby toy dangling over their heads. Then there was one with a
woman who Luke realized must be their mother.
[She was really beautiful, wasn't she?] Leia's question was the Force equivalent of a
whisper.
[Yes...very beautiful...oh Leia!] Luke's remark ended in a cry.
[What? What? Are you all right?]
Without replying, Luke handed her the next holo in the box. His hand was shaking. "Oh..."
she whispered out loud.
The holo showed a tall, elegant man with his hat tilted on his head and a lightsaber in his
hand. He had raised one eyebrow and there was a gleam in his eye, almost as though he
were saying, "Just watch me!"
It was Anakin Skywalker.
Luke awoke sometime later, surprised to discover that he'd been asleep. He shivered,
remembering his nightmare. Strong big people...holding him...taking him away from his
family...his...mother...his sister...the only family he'd ever know. He looked at Leia, she was
looking back at him, and at the same time they realized their dream had been shared. A
scream...his own scream...echoed in Luke's mind, and he felt Leia's hand on his shoulder
again, this time he did not pull away.
It was time to go home.
"Uncle Luke! Uncle Luke!" Jacen and Jaina ran to their uncle. Luke scooped up one
five-year-old in each arm.
"Unco Wuke!" Anakin, at three, was not as fast as his siblings. He attached himself to
Luke's leg and rode over to his father, squealing, "Wide! Wide!"
"Happy Life Day, Kid," Han said, swinging Anakin up to his shoulders. "Have fun on
Tatooine?"
Luke grinned. "Not really."
Han looked worried. "But did you find what you were looking for?"
Luke's hand went to his pocket, where the holos rested.
"Yes," he said, grinning wider. "We found it."