Chapters It was a dark night as two shuttles flew over the badlands. Both firing lasers at each other caught in a dogfight as the blockade runner of the two tried to escape the imperial star destroyer pursuing it. The smaller ship did it's best to escape, but it was futile as the pursuing ship shut down the engines with laser fire.
"Oh no, they have shut down the main reactor," C3PO said to his droid friend R2D2, borrowed from the secret Jedi that survived the purge nineteen years ago, feeling the vessel's bulk shake wildly due to the blast, "I don't see how the princess is getting out of this one."
Artoo beeped in response. A group of armed rebels ran past them holding blasters in their hoofs aiming at the only door that led aboard the ship.
"We should get going Artoo," C3PO said as the other droid rolled away.
Just a few moments later the door that was on the other side was blown open and blaster fire came through the smoke as the empire's stormponies broke through shooting at the rebels. The firefight wasn't long because the rebels fell due to the amount of stormponies that had ambushed them. Only a couple had got away alive.
The smoke cleared as a mare in a black leather suit emerged and looked around at the scene before walking into the corridor wheezing heavily through her intimidating black mask. She then proceeded down the corridor flanked by her troops.
*POV CHANGE*
"Artoo where are there are stormponies everywhere," C3PO said looking for his companion.
He looked down the corridor to see his Astromech companion with a mare with a white dress placing a disk into him. She checked behind her and hid as she saw 3PO. Artoo casually strolled out of the room as the mare hid behind a panel as the two droids left the corridor.
*POV change*
The leather-clad mare was interrogating the stallion which seemed to be the captain of the vessel. Two stormponies came around the corner.
"The death star plans are not in the main computer Lord Eclipse," They said to the mare.
"What have you done with those plans," Solar Eclipse said strangling the captain, "Where are those transmissions you intercepted?"
"We have intercepted no transmissions," The captain gargled as he was choked "This a counselor ship on a diplomatic mission..."
"If this a counselor ship then where is the ambassador," Solar said as the poor stallion died. She flung him aside in anger. "Tear this ship apart until you find those plans and bring me the passengers I want them alive."
The stormponies nodded and moved to fulfill their orders as Solar walked down the corridor followed by a commander.
*POV Change*
Three stormponies enter a panel room of some sorts and spotted the mare that had given R2D2 a disk.
"There is one set for stun." The lead ponies said.
The mare had heard him and shot him with her blaster killing him. She tried to run but got stunned by the second one and fell to the ground. The two remaining stormponies cuffed the mare on the floor.
"Tell Lord Eclipse we have a prisoner." one said to the other.
*POV change*
"Artoo where are you going," C3PO said as his friend rolled towards the escape pods. Artoo beeped something about a secret mission of high importance.
"What mission?" 3PO asked as Artoo opened an escape pod and waddled in, "Wait you can't go in there it's restricted."
But Artoo ignored him as a laser bolt hit the wall by the pod opening and 3PO clambered in cowardly. the pod ejected due to a bolt hitting the controls causing it to malfunction. The pod ejected but wasn't blown up to the droids surprise. It just floated downwards protected by emergency thrusters.
"The damage doesn't look so bad from here," C3PO stated as they fell towards the badlands also known as Tatooine by the locals.
*POV change.*
Solar walked down the corridor until she saw a small battalion of stormponies leading the mare from the panel room.
"Ah lord eclipse only you could be so bold," She said to the Sith before her, "When the senate hear you've attacked a councilors ship there will be an uproar."
"Ah, Princess Organia of the crystal empire," Solar said, "Don't seem so surprised, your ship was beamed transmissions from another craft."
"I don't know what you are on about I'm on a diplomatic mission for the imperial senate." Organia countered.
"No, you are a spy for the rebel alliance and traitor," Solar said, "Take her away!"
The stormponies nodded taking their captive away as Solar stormed off.
"Lord eclipse holding her is dangerous if word of this gets out it might cause sympathy for the rebellion in the senate." The commander said walking with solar.
"I've tracked the spies to her," Solar said walking a pace, "Now she is my only link to finding the rebel base."
"She'll die before she tell's us anything." The commander replied trying to keep up his superior.
"Leave that to me," Solar said pointing at him like a she was disciplining him, "Send a distress signal and then inform the senate that all aboard were killed."
"Lord Eclipse, the battle station plans are not aboard this ship and no transmissions were made," An officer said as the two passed by "An escape pod was jettisoned during the fighting, but no life forms were aboard."
"She must have hidden the plans in the escape pod," Solar deducted "Send a detachment down to retrieve them see to it personally, Commander. "There'll be no one to stop us this time."
"Yes, sir." The officer said saluting as Solar left the scene with the commander that was following close behind her as they continued their journey through the vessel.
*Badlands*
The pod crashed into the sandy dunes that made up the badlands infamous Dune sea. To anypony, this barren desert wasteland would be scorching. But the inhabitants of the pod didn't mind because they couldn't feel it. The two droids exited the pod and Artoo instantly rolled away heading towards some mountains.
"Artoo where are you going?" 3PO called as the little droid rolled away. "I'm not going that way it's too rocky." But Artoo didn't listen and continued his journey as C3PO walked the opposite way and towards the dessert.
*C3PO POV*
"Trust Artoo to run off for no reason and leave me to wonder alone in this sandy waste," 3PO said as he slowly trudged through the sand blindly.
As he trudged he spotted a transport of some sorts heading towards him.
"Hello over here," He said waving at it.
*Artoo POV*
Artoo was rolling through a valley in the mountains that had a lot of caves. It was a perfect ambush spot. Artoo was scared as he silently rolled through the ravine. As was halfway through an electrical blast was shot at him from a cave stunning and shutting him down. It was a group of droid merchant known as Jawas to the locals.
The Jawas are small ponies in robes that hide their faces and bodies. from anything that can see. The group picked up Artoo and carried them to their mode of transportation known as a Sandcrawler. The Sandcrawler was a big box like structure that is made of a brown alloy and moves on what seem like massive tank tracks.
The Jawas carried him into a cargo bay that was filled with droids fitted with restraining bolts. Artoo had started to come back online and looked around he spotted a familiar golden protocol droid. It was C3PO. When the Jawas put him down and fitted his restraining bolt he rolled to his friend who seemed quite bored.
"Artoo is that you?" 3PO asked seeing the astromech "Artoo Detoo it is you."
Artoo beeped happily when his friend recognized him, but one of the Jawas separated them.
The journey seemed like ages until they finally stopped and the doors opened as Jawas pulled them outside the light from the sun was blinding, but the droids could make out a small hut and what seemed to be a crater turned into a home. Two stallions walked out of the hut.
"Skywalker," A mare called from the crater as the younger of the two stallions ran over to it, "Skywalker make sure tell your uncle that if he gets a translator droid make sure it speaks Bachi."
"There doesn't seem like much choice aunt Whitesun," Skywalker called down "But I'll remind him."
Skywalker walked over to his uncle as they chose droids to buy. He chose an red astromech and stopped at 3PO.
"I guess you're programmed for protocol." He said to him.
"Why yes it is my primary function." 3PO said.
"I have no use for a protocol droid what I really need is a droid that can understand the binary of moisture vaporators."
"I can do that sir," 3PO said, "I've been programmed to understand binary just like your vaporators."
"Good good but can you speak Bachi."
"Why yes it's like a second language to me," 3Po replied.
"Ok I'll take him and the red one," Skywalker's uncle said, "Skywalker take these two to the garage and get 'em cleaned up."
"But uncle Larz I was going Toshi station to pick up some power converters."
"You can waste time with your friend when your friends when your chores are done." Larz replied.
"Fine come on," Skywalker said walking towards the hut followed by 3PO, "Come on red let's go."
The red droid started to roll but blew its motivator. Skywalker had a look at it, but it was busted.
"Uncle Larz this Artoo unit has a bad motivator." Skywalker called.
"Ok, we'll take the blue one instead." Larz said as he paid the Jawas.
"Ok come on blue." Skywalker said as Artoo happily rolled with them into the hut.
*homestead*
"Well I can see you two have been through some scrapes haven't you," Skywalker said inspecting the droids "Especially you blue. You look like you've seen some action." Artoo beeped during he said that.
"Why sir we've seen a few battles but never fought any," 3PO said as Artoo beeped. "I'm C3PO and this is my counterpart ARTOO-DETOO."
"Nice to meet ya I'm skywalker," Skywalker said looking at Artoo curiously. Suddenly Artoo started beeping as Skywalker started to try and dislodge something within Artoo's canister. "Well, you've got something wedged in here tight little guy." With one last attempt he fell and a video started playing.
"Help me Twilight Sparkle you're my only hope." A small blue holographic woman repeated before Artoo shut it off.
"Hey, what did you do that for?" Skywalker said as he got up in awe. "Bring her back." Artoo beeped a defiant reply.
"Bring what back?" 3PO translated "You know what the girl." Artoo stayed as defiant as always.
"Well it probably wasn't important," Skywalker said sitting down before Artoo beeped again.
"Master Skywalker sir Artoo says he is the property of a Twilight Sparkle."
"Twilight Sparkle... I wonder if she meant old Dusk Sparkle, but she lives way out in the dune sea." Skywalker said still thinking about the video. "Is there any more of this recording?"
Artoo shook his head and Skywalker sighed. Artoo beeped to say something and 3PO translated "He says the restraining bolt is messing with his functions maybe if you remove it he could play more of the message."
"Why sure I can do that," Skywalker said removing the restraining bolt. Artoo powered down on purpose to keep his message a secret.
"I'm sorry sir he does this time to time" 3PO apologized "I am afraid he can be quite stubborn at times."
"No worry's 3PO," Skywalker said before hearing his aunt call. "I better be off."
As Skywalker left Artoo powered on. "Artoo you have to be Stubborn you better show him that message," 3PO said walking to an oil bath "I'm taking an oil bath, I don't want to be disturbed."
Artoo just beeped and powered down again.
*Skywalker POV*
Skywalker entered the dining room of the homestead. Aunt Whitesun was pouring a glass of blue milk into a glass for him. Uncle lars was eating a meal of sorts as Skywalker sat opposite him.
"Do you think that Artoo unit was stolen?" skywalker asked his uncle before drinking some blue milk.
"Why'd you think that?" his uncle replied concerned.
"He said that he was the property of twilight sparkle... I wonder if he meant old Dusk" Skywalker said stroking his chin "Maybe she's a relative or something"
Larz looked at his nephew and stopped eating in shock "Old Dusk is nothing but a loon," he stated "Tomorrow I want you to take that droid to anchor head and have its memory erased"
"But what if this Twilight comes looking for him," Skywalker asked with a whine.
"I wouldn't bet on it," Larz sighed "that mare went missing around the time as your mother... She knew her well"
"She knew my mother?" skywalker asked intrigued.
"Yes she did...but she's long gone," Larz said trying to move on from the subject "Anyway I need you to fix the vaporators tomorrow after you take the Artoo unit to anchor head."
"Actually uncle Larz I was thinking about staying on another season then go to the academy like my friends" skywalker said politely, "We already have enough droids to help out."
"Another season but that will take you out of the harvest when I need you the most." Larz said concerned about Skywalker's statement "How about you stay another year and go to the academy then."
"Don't worry I'll never make it of this lump of rock." Skywalker grumbled leaving the table and walking out of the room.
"He ain't a farmer Larz," Whitesun said with a smile "He has to much of his mother in him."
"That is what I'm afraid of." Larz sighed before continuing his meal.
Meanwhile skywalker had walked out of the homestead as the sun was setting in the far distance casting a crimson shadow over the land. He walked to the edge of the crater and looked out towards it hoping one day he could make it away from here.
