Pilot Dreams (Star Wars)

Part 6 - Reach Out to Me

 Uncle eyed the child, who was sitting at the table glumly, poking at his food. He knew that Luke would only get more restless each day, and his destiny would soon find him. He had too much of his father in him.

But he worried for his safety, worried that his new friend—Biggs—would influence him further. Piloting was a great skill, but it could land him in potential danger.

"What were you thinking, making such friends?" Aunt chided.

"They're niceeeee." Luke whined loudly and chucked his fork into the beans on the plate. Uncle winced at thought to himself, "Why is he so whiny?"

"We can't leave him alone at home anymore." Aunt looked over at Uncle, who nodded in approval.

"Whatever." Luke cried, and slammed his fork down and ran into his room. Uncle and Aunt exchanged glances.

"I'll go and talk to him." Uncle sighed softly.

~~~~~~~

Taking a deep breath, Uncle opened the door and made his way in. Luke was on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Before he could even speak, Luke spoke first. "Why?"

"Why what?" Uncle asked, confused.

Luke sat up. "Why can't I be with them?"

Uncle sat on the bed beside him and looked at Luke. He looked into the azure blue eyes...that were so much like...his father's.

"You won't understand."

"'Tell me." Luke pleaded.

"It's for your safety..." Uncle trailed off. "We don't want you to get hurt."

Luke curled his legs up on the bed and pouted. "I can take care of myself."

Uncle wondered how to put his thoughts into words, then finally he said, "Luke, just remember that even though we're not your real parents...we love you a lot."

"Thanks," Luke mumbled and fell into Uncle's embrace, and they sat there for a long while, not saying anything.

~~~~~~~~~

Luke actually did his job, for once, loading tub after tub of water under Aunt's watch. The blazing dual suns were rising fast, and Luke braced himself for the oncoming heat. He stacked up the tubs, he rolled them on the carts, all very quickly. By the time he was done he was pespiring profusely and he collapsed to his knees on the sand. He winced and got up slowly. Aunt stood over Luke and helped him up with a faint smile on her face.

Back in the relatively cooler house, Luke accepted the cup of water Aunt gave him gratefullyy and gurgled it all down in a single gulp. As he placed the cup back down on the table a thought suddenly came to his mind.

I've finished my duty.

Maybe I can spend time with Biggs now?

"They'd never approve of it." Luke muttered as he headed for his room and pulled out his starship models. Well, not exactly starships, but he liked to act them as if they were starships because X-wings and TIE fighters chasing each other in an epic space battle was 150 times more exciting than a skyhopper dashing after a landspeeder. That was, well, because he didn't have models of starships. Except one of an X-wing for his 10th birthday. He was obsessed with X-wings. He found the opening and closing of the wings in the 'X' shape very intriguing.

Actually, coming to think of it, skyhoppers chasing after landspeeders was pretty exciting. Especially with Biggs. But of course, that was nothing compared to space.