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Saga - PT Saga - OT Saga - ST Tales of Tatooine (UDC IX)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by divapilot, Apr 26, 2020.

  1. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Name: Tales of Tatooine
    Author: divapilot
    Genre: mixed
    Summary: Drabbles from the POV of characters who have the sand of Tatooine on their boots.

    Note: Written as part of the Ultimate Drabble Challenge IX.


    Week 1. Beru Whitesun

    Adamant


    Beru had once planned to open a cafe in Anchorhead. Nothing fancy, just a few tables and chairs, a place where families could gather. She’d sell her sweet blue milk cheese and serve it with warm baked goods and jams so tasty you would close your eyes in bliss. She imagined the sound of laughter as people celebrated at her tables. She’d have regulars who would drop in for a take-away before heading home. She was adamant that her cafe would be different from the grimy dives she saw in Mos Espa. Her place would be just like a home.


    Abide

    When she told her boyfriend about her plans, he informed her that farm girls like her should stay put and not waste their time in Anchorhead.

    Beru sat on the bench and fumed.

    That’s when Owen came and sat beside her. He listened when she told him about the careless way the other boy threw away her dreams. He thought about his answer before speaking. “Anyone who thinks they can tell you what to do is a fool. I don’t abide fools. Neither should you.”

    Beru smiled, then she handed him a pastry she had originally baked for someone else.


    Afield

    It was easy to fall in love with Owen. He was stubborn, but he was devoted to her. That’s why it broke her heart when he said he loved her too. How could she deny him what every other couple took for granted?

    “But you know I can never give you a baby,” she said between silent tears. “I had Bothan fever when I was a girl. We went to specialists as far afield as Mos Gunru, and the only treatment for the fever left me barren.”

    Owen wiped her tears away. “I love you. You’re exactly enough for me.”


    Aghast

    The more time she spent with Owen, the more she became part of his world. His father and stepmother adored her, and she spent many hours in their warm home.

    They married right after completing school. Her dream of having her own cafe faded, and although at one time she would have been aghast at the thought of settling down to be a moisture farmer, now it just seemed so right.

    People grew old fast in the sands of Tatooine. They had found their happiness, and they would cling to it as long as the capricious gods would allow it.


    Aforetime

    The work was hard, and the land gave up its moisture sparingly. There was always the threat of attacks from Tusken Raiders or treachery from nearby outlaws and thieves. But they were determined to scratch out a living on this farm, to make a mark of their own in this brutal landscape.

    Beru remembered that distant aforetime, when she measured success by money earned and dishes served. But this intense young man, this quiet farmer from the outskirts of Mos Eisley, had won her heart. Now success meant working beside him to create a future for the two of them.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2020
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Adamant -- Beru had once planned to open a cafe in Anchorhead. Nothing fancy, just a few tables and chairs, a place where families could gather. She’d sell her sweet blue milk cheese and serve it with warm baked goods and jams so tasty you would close your eyes in bliss.

    What a wonderfully cozy place to enjoyr yummy food and time with family and friends!!

    Abide -- Owen said just the right thing, and you know he meant it. He wasn't just being polite. ;)

    Afield -- this is touching as Beru confides in Owen about not being able to conceive, and he says the sweetest thing ever!



    Aghast -- how lovely as Beru becomes part of Owen's world, loved by Shmi and Cliegg as well. Very true to life that her dreams change and the thing that was once the LAST thing she thought she'd wind up doing is what she embraces-- living on a moisture farm.
    Aforetime -- we see Beru fully invested in making a success of farming with Owen and striving at his side.
     
  3. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Interim Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    I love the idea of focusing on Tatooine and the characters associated with Tatooine. What an excellent inspiration for these drabbles.

    In Adamant, it was great to see how Owen's bluntness and gruffness could be used in a way that was very supportive of Beru and her ambitions. The glimpses into their developing relationship was so sweet, and it was at the same time heartbreaking to see Beru wrestling with her infertility.

    Wonderful job with this first set of prompts!
     
  4. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Love to see Buru and Owen developing their relationship
     
  5. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Great start, divapilot! What I enjoyed most about your writing is a tranquility of style. There is a seam of peace that runs through each drabble. Adamant was my favorite.
     
  6. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Another gorgeous Tatooine set! And a wonderful glimpse at Beru's life. [face_love] As @brodiew mentioned, there is such a sense of peace in these. I love the progression from Beru's plan of opening a cafe (a lovely dream in itself) to finding happiness with Owen instead.

    Fantastic start! =D=
     
  7. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    From Beru's dream of having a cafe and the development of her relationship with Owen, this was all so lovely. While it could be sad she never got her dream (and it is a bit), that she's happy and seems to love her life! Sometimes life doesn't go the way we planned, but it doesn't mean we don't love the life we have. These felt so real and so warm!

    Beautiful job! @};-
     
  8. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    You do not only show us the wonderful person that Beru is, but also let us peak into her dreams and secrets. Well, done. Even though her life on Tatooine is harsh and the reality of being childless, too, she manages very well. @};-
     
    Kahara and WarmNyota_SweetAyesha like this.
  9. Kurisan

    Kurisan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2016
    gg
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2021
  10. Sean Mason

    Sean Mason Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Jun 22, 2015
    These are wonderful. Can't wait to see who you follow this week!
     
  11. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

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    Mar 3, 2001
    Beru! [face_love] It's really interesting to think that she might have had other plans than farming. I really loved her growing relationship with Owen, very warm and caring. @};- It's not the easiest and not what she'd dreamed of, but her life with Owen and Luke has its own beauty!
     
  12. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Thank you for your comments! I had tried to show Beru's growth, from wanting something for the prestige and material gain, to wanting something because it was built on family and love. I believe Beru's devotion to her family shaped so much of what Luke came to value.

    Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I am going to try to work in only people who have been, at one point or another, to Tatooine. Thankfully, that's about three-quarters of the Star Wars population. :p
    I can see Owen being a man of few words, but of deep feelings. He is gruff and stubborn because he cares so much. He loves Beru deeply, just as he loves Luke later on. And I can imagine how Beru would think of herself as being an unwanted prospect for a wife; she would see her infertility as a deal-breaker. But Owen knew it and loved her anyway. She was enough for him. [face_love]

    Thank you! They were so young in The Revenge of the Sith. They must have been the GFFA equivalent of high school sweethearts.

    Thanks, Brodiew! Beru always seemed to me to be the anchor, the serene one in the family. She is the peacemaker when Luke is a teen, and she knows how to work with Owen's moodiness. I am glad that came though in the drabbles.

    Thank you so much! I think Beru found her happiness with Owen to be a bit of a surprise. She's a simple woman, but she has great depth of character. She doesn't need financial success or acclaim to be fulfilled.

    Thank you! That was exactly the message I was going for. Sometimes life doesn't give us what we think we want, and instead we get what we needed. (No similarities to any Rolling Stones classics implied here :cool:) Beru thought the cafe would make her happy. But it was Owen, the guy who sat with her when she was sad and quietly took her side without even knowing the details of the argument, who made her happy more than anything.

    Thank you, Azure! It's a tough life as a farmer. Beru may be a tough person who can handle the harsh reality of her world, but she is not a hard person. She is gentle and loving, and even someone as rough as Owen understands the soft side of her. They love each other very much in their quiet way.

    Hey K! Thanks for the kind words! I wanted to give this set a simple, direct feel because I think that's essentially Beru. As for the Bothan fever, that was totally made up. However, the infertility is canon. according to the Wook, between AOTC and ROS, Beru and Owen marry and discover that she can't have children. That must have been devastating for such a young couple. Baby Luke must have been a gift from the gods for them.

    Hello and thank you! Welcome to the fanfic boards. I got a bit behind, but the next part is posted below.

    Thank you, @Kahara! I appreciate the thoughtful comments. Apparently (according to the Wook), Beru was a skillful cook and was encouraged by her teachers to open her own place. I imagine she saw that cafe as a means to escape her life as a small-town girl. But she grows to realize a town is only as small as you make it, and when you share your life with someone you truly love, you are home whenever you are both together. Small town turns out to be just right for her.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2020
  13. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Week 2: The Tonnika Sisters

    Raid

    The raid was easy. Senni pretended to be a newcomer, distracting the human male henchman with sweet words and implied promises while she robbed him blind. Meanwhile, her twin sister Brea was conducting an attention-grabbing brawl on the other side of Mos Eisley. When Senni stole the henchman’s recently collected bribes right from under him, he reported it, of course. But nobody believed him: everyone had seen the pretty girl he described outside of the docks.

    Nobody believed the henchman and Jabba figured he stole the money himself. After all, one girl couldn’t be in two places at once, right?

    Pirate

    “There’s got to be a better way to make money,” Brea complained. She gazed around the cantina’s crowded bar and assessed the clientele quickly. “Let’s see. Mercenary, bounty hunter, pirate, pirate, local…” Brea pouted. “Nobody has any money here.”

    “Well, not enough to support the lifestyle we want,” Senni agreed. “What other options are there?”

    “We could do the con we pulled on Lothal,” Brea suggested.

    “Oh stars, no!” Senni said, sipping her drink. “You really want to repeat that disaster?”

    Brea huffed. “That was just one time. And besides, how was I to know the blaster wasn’t on stun?”


    Smuggle

    “There is no way I am going to smuggle anything,” Brea said. “We’re better than that. Besides, we would have to work for Jabba, and that is not going to happen.”

    Senni nodded. “Agreed, sister.” A smile crept over her face and her green eyes twinkled. “Remember when we sold Jabba the imperial comm intercepter?”

    Brea covered her mouth to hide her laughter. “That was too good of a scam. I still can’t believe he fell for it. A recording of the comm signal doesn’t guarantee an actual signal!”

    “Yeah, I don’t think Jabba'll trust us to run weapons anymore.”


    Maraud

    “I think we may have run our options out on this ball of sand,” Brea said dispiritedly. “I wonder if our marauding days are over. Maybe we should try honest work.”

    Senni frowned. “Like what?”

    “I don’t know. What are we good at besides cons and theft?” Brea asked.

    “Well, you’re good at breaking into places and capturing people. We could be bounty hunters.”

    “Is that honest work?”

    Senni considered for a moment. “I think so. They have rules and guilds and such.”

    They sat in contemplative silence. Finally Brea spoke. “Nah. I hate having to report to a boss.”


    Steal

    Senni twirled a strand of braided hair as she thought aloud. “Honest work. Hmm. We could go into document forgery.”

    Brea shook her head. “You’d really want an office job?”

    Senni sighed. “You’re right. Maybe we should just pull the Lothal con again. If we give some of the money to charity, that would be honest work, right?”

    “Absolutely,” Brea agreed. “We really should try being honest women for a change on some other world. Make a fresh start.” She narrowed her eyes and glanced around the cantina again. “Now, which of these criminals has a ship we can steal?”



    Note: the Tonnika Twins were patrons of Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina in Mos Eisley.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2020
  14. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    love the interaction between the twins and their scheming
     
  15. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    I forgot about these two! But they're perfect for this set.

    Not one girl, no. [face_mischief] Great line!

    [face_laugh][face_laugh] I love their whole debate on what qualifies as honest work!

    I honestly loved every word of these drabbles, and I can't wait for more. =D=
     
  16. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    This was a great set divapilot. You're an excellent job of bringing the Tonikka sister's to life. Twin con artists who will talk about going straight but never actually do such a thing.
     
    AzureAngel2, divapilot and Kahara like this.
  17. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Oh my goodness but these are AWESOME so far! What a great idea for an overall theme, too! You've already managed to share such a deep well of characterization with us in these two sets. I'm eager to see where your muse takes you next!

    In particular, I enjoyed:

    This was perfect! I love the backstory you've created for Beru. It fits perfectly. Wanting her own cafe is a beautiful dream, one that she's fully capable of achieving, and it's a shame that other boy was so close minded. Though not so much of a shame, for what it led to. [face_mischief]

    I really enjoyed Owen's response, too. Him stopping and thinking about what to say was an awesome glimpse of characterization, and you got his voice spot on. It really is just that simple in the end. [face_love]

    Oh just gorgeous! [face_love]

    I love how Beru didn't give up her dreams here so much as her dreams just changed! She wanted a cafe for a place to offer hospitality and a family atmosphere - especially when she thought that she had nothing to offer a perspective spouse with her infertility. (Which was another heartbreaking, beautifully sensitive drabble!) But she has her love and her home and their life together. And Tatooine seems like the place where you don't look back, but forward, and take what little you can from life for as long as you can. You could really see where Luke got his tenderness and compassion - along with his depth of stubbornness and his devotion - from. Beautiful! [face_love]


    Ha! Great way to work in the Pirate prompt!

    [face_rofl]! The dialogue in this set was just aces! I love how you tied it together as an entire scene across the prompts, too. That can be quite the tricky feat!

    &

    &

    [face_rofl] [face_rofl]!!!

    I think these girls don't quite understand the meaning of the word honest. But their hearts are in the right place. Kinda. :p

    This was such a fun set, and a great look at two minor characters I can't say I've ever seen featured in fic before. Really, well done!


    Thanks for sharing these gems with us! I can't wait for more. =D=
     
    AzureAngel2, Kahara, brodiew and 2 others like this.
  18. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2001
    Wow, I had forgotten about the Tonnika Sisters and now I just want them to have their own sitcom! =D= Their discussion of how they might go about making their work "honest" is hilarious and the mental image of these two trying to hack it in the Bounty Hunters Guild or similar is just pure gold.

    [face_rofl] Thanks so much for this little window into the shenanigans! A very different side of Tatooine to the first.
     
  19. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Thank you! The background characters at the bar have stories galore!

    Thank you for your kind response! I actually wrote a story years ago about these two and Jenny, the girl who was sitting on Han's lap. Maybe I will dig it up if I still have it.

    Thanks! The Tonnika Twins have such potential. They strike me as a pair who have been scamming for so long they aren't even sure anymore what's criminal behavior and what's not.

    Thank you for reading and commenting! I see them as coming across kind of ditzy, but in reality they are very sharp. They talk a good game, but at the end they wouldn't leave the con artist lifestyle. Too much money, too easy to scam!

    Thank you for this thoughtful and thorough reply. I appreciate it so much!
    There's a ton of characters to explore on Tatooine. Beru seemed to be the best match for the first set of prompts. I wanted to show how she grew to love Owen, and how they actually fit well together. Her sweetness and sensitivity masks a practical and strong backbone, and his gruffness is really his protection for the ones he loves dearly.

    There's an obvious plot issue with how Beru and Owen went from these teenage actors to the much older actors in just 19 years (never mind Obi-Wan aging from Ewan McGregor to Alec Guinness in the same time period.) Even if Beru and Owen were in their twenties, they should only be in their forties when Luke is 19. But then again, harsh environments and backbreaking labor age people. Tatooine is not for the weak. It breaks you down quickly.
    That's why I think Beru made her choice to marry Owen. She knew that happiness and youth are exceedingly fleeting. If you are fortunate to find someone who loves you, you don't hesitate.

    I didn't want to go the obvious route, and having Brea Tonnika quickly sum up each patron just by scanning the room shows how skilled the girls are at reading people. As con artists, they need to be able to identify a potential mark at first glance.

    lol yeah, they really don't have a good idea of what respectability is, and at the end of the day they decide it isn't worth the effort to go honest. They are con artists to the core, even if they mean well. Kinda.
    Thank you for your comments!

    Thank you! I appreciate it so much! Hmm. Plot bunny. The Tonnika Twins try to finagle their way into the Bounty Hunter's Guild. That would be interesting! I wonder what the Mandalorian or Cara Dune would think of that. And you just know whatever the girls try, they will get away with. :p
    Some people are just born to come out on top of whatever life throws at them, and these sisters are a prime example.
     
  20. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Week 3: Biggs Darklighter

    Professor
    Biggs entered the Imperial Academy over a year ago, on the assumption that the Empire could always use a good pilot. His intelligence won him a placement at a junior officer’s training course at the Galactic War College. The professor, a grizzled veteran of the Clone Wars, showed them recordings of the violent suppression of a peaceful protest rally. Biggs clenched his jaw at the bloodshed but said nothing.

    “The Emperor is to be obeyed and never questioned,” the instructor said. “You are his representative. Anyone who opposes you opposes the Emperor. Have no sentimentality, no mercy. Only victory matters.”


    School
    Biggs graduated near the top of his class at the accelerated flight school for TIE fighter pilots. The Empire churned out pilots, soldiers, any kind of military personnel as fast as they could, sending them into the blistering heat of the battle across the galaxy. But as soon as one planet’s insurrection was contained, another flared up. It reminded Biggs of those insanely hot days on Tatooine where places would literally spontaneously combust.

    Regardless of how they were smothered, the rebels just reemerged somewhere else. Exhausted, Biggs shook his head. This rebellion was a fire that refused to be extinguished.


    Gifted
    TIE fighters were elite vessels. It took a gifted pilot to fly one well, and Biggs was on his way to achieving that distinction.

    His squadron was gaining a reputation for quick sorties and efficient kills. Logan, his wingman, enjoyed painting symbols on his ship to commemorate each rebel outburst silenced with his ship’s weapons.

    “Look -- Each aurek is a thousand kills. That’s twelve thousand traitors wiped out by my ship alone,” Logan said. “Why not add your own kills? You should be proud.” Logan passed him the paint marker. “They’re filthy animals. Who cares if they die?”

    Biggs hesitated.


    Karma
    Against his training Biggs took his eyes off his instruments and glanced out of the viewscreen. Below him, fading into the distance, trails of thick black smoke arose from the remains of the city.

    Brilliant orange explosions tore through the residential areas. He was not supposed to imagine the children who excitedly glanced skyward at the squadron that approached their city. He was not supposed to think about the families that died in that moment his explosives hit their homes.

    This was not warfare. This was genocide. And he knew in his heart that karma would punish him for this.


    Gambit
    To his teammates’ surprise, Biggs visited Tatooine on his shore leave. He needed to ground himself with his family and friends, to see their familiar faces, before he made his decision.

    Desertion was treason, punishable by immediate execution. It was a terrible, dishonorable crime. But taking civilian lives in the Empire’s service was a worse crime.

    Biggs looked around his home one last time and left a note for his parents. There was one gambit he could take. He heard there was a rebel outpost somewhere near Yavin, and he figured that the rebellion could always use a good pilot.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
  21. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Superb as we see Biggs' very much in character continuing to love piloting but not wanting to serve the Empire while doing it. [face_thinking]
     
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  22. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Love how you write Biggs from becoming a pilot serving the empire but not wanting to partake in genocide and joining the rebels
     
  23. mavjade

    mavjade Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Week II- I loved the progression of these drabbles and their story. I particularly enjoyed smuggle as it made me laugh. The idea of getting one over on Jabba and then being like, yeah, I guess we can't go back there. And then in Steal, that document forgery is an office job... [face_laugh]

    Week III - Very moving! I've always loved Biggs and I love seeing here how he comes to be the Rebel we know and love. Evil is not always the mustache twisting obviousness and it can take some time to see. That we see here how Biggs progresses to the person he becomes is beautiful in that he does see it and does something about it, not an easy thing to do.

    And then the symmetry of Professor and Gambit, with first the Empire and then the Rebellion needing a good pilot... beautiful!
     
  24. brodiew

    brodiew Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 2005
    Another great set, divapilot! I enjoy Biggs' is slow turn toward rebellion. I like how we got a peek at his Imperial activities and the guilt that he felt over executing them.
     
  25. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Another wonderful set! There really are so many fascinating characters that come out of Tatooine. It's quite a place. [face_love]

    I agree with mav on the beautiful symmetry of Professor and Gambit. I loved that. And I love seeing Biggs' thoughts, how he's questioning and hesitating and finally makes the decision to become a rebel.

    Such a powerful line!

    Great work as always. =D=