Across the Stars [Star Wars|Anakin Skywalker]

15

"What do you mean you sold her?!" Anakin yelled, causing Watto to fly back a bit, "I needed the money, Ani! You know what I'm talking about, Jabba needed money from me and I couldn't deliver, so I sold your mum." Watto said as he looked down at the ground, "Where is she?" Anakin asked, "Lemme see, I sold Shmi to a nice man named Cliegg Lars, last time I heard, he married her." Watto said, "Where's Cliegg?" Anakin asked, but Watto shrugged. "I think he owns a moisture farm on the far side of town, look, he won't cooperate with you, there's no point in trying," Watto said, but Anakin shook his head. "I don't care Watto, I'm going, I'll find my way." Anakin said, "Thanks again." He said while throwing him a few Republic credits, Watto growled at him but pocketed the money anyway.

"How are we going to find this Cliegg Lars?" Natalia asked, "We'll do what us Jedi are best at, we'll use the Force." Anakin said, Natalia nodded and hopped on the speeder Anakin had just found, Anakin hopped on in front of her and headed off into the wastelands. "What a fool," Watto said to himself. 

"There's a moisture farm right there, maybe that's them?" Natalia suggested, "Possibly." Anakin said as he pulled the speeder in front of the dome house. Anakin knocked on the door to reveal a man with one leg, "Are you Cliegg Lars?" Natalia asked before Anakin could, the man nodded slowly, eyeing up Anakin suspiciously, "Who are you?" He asked while squinting his eyes, "These two don't matter, I'm Anakin Skywalker, Shmi Skywalker's son." Anakin said, clearly growing frustrated. "Oh, oh come in," Cliegg said, Natalia sensed Cliegg's sadness, she looked at him suspiciously. "You're mum went out to harvest mushrooms off of the evaporators and she disappeared about a month ago," Cliegg said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll find her, Natalia, you wait here with Padme." Anakin said while heading to the door, "Look, kid we had about thirty of us looking for her, I would be back out there if I hadn't lost my leg." Cliegg said Anakin glared at him. "Anakin I'm coming with you, I want to meet her and I want to help save her," Natalia said Anakin pondered about it for a moment. "Okay, let's go," Anakin said. 

Natalia waved Cliegg, Owen, Beru, and Padme goodbye and followed him to the speeder. "What you're about to see won't be the nicest, but you really need to stay strong, for your mother, for me," Natalia said, Anakin nodded and sped out toward the canyons. 

"Let's check there, at the Tusken Raider camp," Natalia said, Anakin steered the speeder to the camp and stopped in front of one of the tents. "Mum!" Anakin yelled, "Ani." He heard a small, weak voice. He ran into the tent to see his mum chained to the wall, her face all bloodied and beaten, she was obviously starved and beaten for quite a while, Anakin went to tend to her while Natalia kept watch, "Ani, I love you," Shmi said, tears started streaming down his face as his mum's life faded out, the light suddenly disappeared from his eyes, replaced by something unspeakable. 

His eyes had turned yellow.

"Anakin!" Natalia yelled, but it was like he was in a different world, he placed his mother's body down and walked out of the tent, "Anakin no!" She yelled, but it was too late, he had slaughtered half of the camp, one of the women had fallen over in front of him, she screamed, her voice full of fear, not even showing a hint of remorse his lightsaber went through her neck. "Anakin, Anakin no!" Qui-Gon yelled from nowhere, Anakin listened to no one except for his thoughts of hate and anger, every single sand man was slaughtered, like the animals they weren't. 

"Anakin, what is wrong with you!" Natalia screamed, "I killed them, I killed them all! They're dead. But not just the men, but the women, and the children too. They're like animals! And I slaughtered them like animals! I hate them!" Anakin screamed, clearly very angry. "Anakin, you're scaring me," Natalia said, tears streaming down her face, Anakin finally calmed down and realized what he had done. "Oh my god, Natalia what have I done?" Anakin said as he collapsed to his knees. "Anakin, it's not your fault, it was almost like you weren't yourself, like it was an alternate you, the Anakin I know isn't that violent." Natalia said, trying to make an excuse for his murder.

"Natalia, you were right. I'm starting to go down a dark path." He said. Natalia sighed, "With the proper guidance you'll rid the dark thoughts from your mind, right now you're going through a shit time and I totally understand what you're going through, you're a human." Natalia said while holding his hand, "You'll be fine." Natalia said. Anakin smiled at her words, "I love you Natalia." He said, "I love you too, Anakin." She said.

Suddenly Anakin leaned in, their lips connected, the kiss was full of passion, this time Anakin proved how much he loved Natalia.

And he loved her a whole lot, he loves her more than he loved anyone in his life. And she felt the same way.

"Now I know how much you love me." Natalia said, "Come on, let's take your mum's body to Cliegg, she deserves a proper burial." Natalia said, Anakin nodded as he picked up her body and put it on the speeder, the two sped toward the moisture farm with Shmi's body at the back, Anakin was crying the whole ride back to Cliegg's farm.

"I found her." Anakin said, tears streaming down his face, "Oh my. No." Cliegg said, his face went as white as a ghost, his eyes lost the light he held in them, Owen and Beru gasped and held onto each other tightly. "I'm so sorry Anakin," Cliegg said, on the verge of tears. Anakin nodded and took her to a spot to bury her in the sand. The six stood there in silence for a while until Anakin's comlink beeped.

"It was nice meeting you three. I'll see you guys around." Anakin said as the three went back to their speeders. They got to their ship and turned on the transmitter, "My long range transmitter is broken, I need you to send this message to Coruscant, I'm in trouble, I've tracked the bounty hunter to the planet Geonosis, where there's a heavy Separatist presence." Obi-Wan said, he had his lightsaber out and droids were blasting at him, suddenly the transmission cut off.

"Obi-Wan is in trouble. We need to help him!" Natalia yelled Anakin shook his head, "We're supposed to be protecting Padmé, we're actually supposed to be on Naboo right now." Anakin said while crossing his arms over his chest, "Well, if your duty is to protect me, you better protect me because I'm going to Geonosis to help Obi-Wan." Padmé said, "And Natalia is coming with me." She said while smirking, Anakin smirked at her for finding a loop hole. "Oh, alright." He said.

Natalia smiled and got into the ship.

"Geonosis here we come."