Anakin Skywalker And The I-Became-A-Jedi

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

With the hot wind whipping at my robe, I crossed into the Jundland wastes. Seriously, the dust is engulfing my diary. WHY?

It gave me time to think: Really. I shouldn't be mad at Owen and Cleigg for giving up. They cared for my mother, but they're only human. They can only do so much. I didn't wonder why the Tuskens had taken my mother, or why they didn't kill her immediately. For all I know they could be using her as the guinea pig in some outrageous ritual. I don't care about their motives, I just want my mother back. And I also want her back in one piece. I mean, knowing what the Tuskens did to Cleigg...I hit the pedal harder, launching it even faster over the wastes.

I was about 150 kilometers away from my stepfamily's home when my eyes beheld an eerie sight...no, wait. But yes. Sandcrawlers. They're eerie. I parked my speeder. This is the perfect time to daydream...about doing the monster mash and crushing those pesky Jawas...wait, the Jawas walked up to me and demanded identification.

The way it turned out, these ones were friendly. Although they apprehended the Tuskens as much as anyone here, I figured if I gave them something in return it might put them at ease. In exchange for a multitool and a portable scanner, the Jawas told me I should head east. There I would find a Tusken camp. Hopefully my mom is there, alive and well.

Tatooine's suns had set when I saw a flicker of clustering campfires at the bottom of a deep valley. Leaving my speeder on the edge of the cliff, I jumped off the cliff overlooking the camp and oof! I hit the ground, coughing up blood.

Ha! I was joking and you fell for it! Mom says I'm not supposed to joke that way, but since she's suffering...I'll make an acception. *scribbles joke out*

OK, here's what really happened: I jumped off and used the Force to slow my landing. I landed on my feet, unharmed.

The camp consisted of about 2 dozen tents made of skins and salvaged woods. Two Tuskens stood guard at one tent. It's time to reach out with the Force...

Yep, she's in there.

Using the Force to mask my presence, I maneuvered to the back of the tent, cut a hole in it, and stepped inside.

There's my mother. And she's...NO!

She was tied up in the center of the tent. She was badly beaten. OK, I'm scared. "Mom?"

No response. She's barely alive. She continued to moan as I set her wrists free from the straps that bound her from the frame. I gently lowered her to the ground and cradled her in my arms. "Mom?"

Her bruised eyelids fluttered open as she struggled to focus on my face. "Ani?" she moaned. "Is it you?"

"Of course it's me!" I said. Incredibly she managed to smile at me and started moaning, but I could hardly take it in. "Just stay with me, Mom," I said. "Everything's going to be fine, you'll see."

She continued to speak, gasping between breaths...I kept nodding with each gasp...and her eyes fell closed, and her head fell back.

NO! She...has died in my arms.

I stood there in stunned silence. This can't be! If I'd only gotten here sooner, I could have saved her! I won't leave her here. I'm taking you back to the bike. But the Tuskens...how could they do this? How could anyone do this?

Earlier, I hadn't questioned their motives. But now I remember the Tusken I'd encountered as a boy. I SAVED HIS LIFE! It makes me wonder: would the Tuskens have killed my mom if they knew I saved one of their kind? OR is this how Tuskens say thank you? I should have let him die! I should have!