At the Homestead (Lars family, Anakin/Padme - Ep. II)

Cliegg was sick of lying in his bed. He was just plain sick of it.

With that decided, Cliegg swung his legs ? his leg ? over the side of the bed and pulled himself up into a sitting position. The bed groaned underneath him. This "new" mattress Beru had bought was old and creaky and not terribly comfortable. But he hadn't complained. He knew why they had gotten rid of the old one. And, he thought sullenly, it was rather appropriate. He wouldn't have wanted to sleep in his real bed without his wife anyway.

He hoped all the noise wouldn't catch his son's or Beru's attention. They'd rush in here and fuss at him and try to help him, telling him he needed more rest and to not push himself too hard. They meant well, and he knew that, and they had taken good care of him over the last two weeks. But he wasn't on the verge of death any more, and it was time he started acting like it. He was strong enough to get into that damn chair on his own.

It was right beside the bed, the little hoverchair Owen had found the day after Cliegg had had his surgery. It was actually in good condition and had gotten him around a few times so far, even if it moved too slowly for his personal taste. He didn't think he'd ever get accustomed to using it all the time, but what he was worried about today was not being stuck in bed for hours. He needed to get back to his farm.

He grabbed one of the chair's arms and leaned on it heavily as he stood up on his good leg. He was careful to balance himself before moving again. Cliegg realized he was getting better at that ? the first time he had tried to get out of bed, Owen had caught him before he teetered wildly to the floor ? but that thought only made him think he was getting used to what happened, and that only made him feel angry.

He was steady enough to lean over and grab a shirt, which he pulled on roughly. Then he hopped and turned himself around, and slid back into the chair.

He settled into it as he activated its repulsors. It hummed and whirred, and he winced at how loud it sounded, but he didn't hear Owen or Beru coming. He suddenly realized that they weren't in the main house at all. He pushed the small control stick and the chair rotated slowly, away from the bed and toward the door. He pushed forward and left the room.

The house was clean and orderly, and he looked things over as he floated by. It was all pleasant enough, he supposed, but a different order had been established in the last two weeks ? Beru's, instead of Shmi's. Even the minor changes?books stacked this way instead of that, clothes folded instead of hung, food set out on the counter instead of the cabinets?every point innocent enough on its own, but together, they all left the room with a sense of the terrible thing that had happened.

Cliegg suddenly had an overwhelming urge to simply crawl back into bed. Instead he swore and cursed out loud, and pushed his chair outside, finding Owen and Beru working in the plaza.

"Dad!" Owen cried. He was quickly on his feet, kicking away some of the parts that were closest to him.

Beru was already running over to him, frowning at him ? but in a way that showed concern instead of anger. "Cliegg, why didn't you call for us like we told you to? We would have helped you out here."

"Well, you can see that I didn't need a whole lot of help, Beru. I can get around just fine," he said irritably.

She squeezed his shoulder, and completely ignored his tone. "I'm glad you're feeling so much better then," she answered, her frown smoothing out into a slight smile.

He sighed, immediately wishing he hadn't snapped at her, but too agitated to offer her a proper apology. He gave her hand a light tap instead and hoped that would suffice. He thought it was fortunate that neither Beru nor Shmi were quick to take offense to his ? or Owen's ? moods, or what Shmi had kindly referred to as their "endearing grouchiness."

His smiled at that memory, but it was pained. He moved his chair away from Beru and over to where Owen had retaken his

 

Great post! Can't wait to see what they're going to do!
~*Monica*~

 

Really excellent, a-p. I was shocked to realize how much the Lars family must have given up after losing Shmi/Cliegg's injury, and not only do you explain their monetary and labor woes well (there's this tremendous humanity to it), but you keep everything in splendid character (not to mention description!). Truly amazing - I loved this post.

 

Great post, ami-padme!

Your fine work on Owen and Beru now extends to Cliegg. You did a good job explaining all they had to go through after Shmi is kidnapped and the battle with the Tuskens. You show them as a caring family. Looking forward to the next post.

Great job!

 

Even the minor changes?books stacked this way instead of that, clothes folded instead of hung, food set out on the counter instead of the cabinets?every point innocent enough on its own, but together, they all left the room with a sense of the terrible thing that had happened.

Such a perfect little paragraph-- encapsulates that aspect of grief/loss dead-on. And I love how you're covering all the angles; you don't really tend to think about how Shmi's disappearance and the resulting events affect all these peripheral matters, but you're doing perfectly. I can easily imagine this sort of thing happening in the canon; actually, I'm starting to have trouble not doing it. Wonderful.

(And then there's the tiny bit of satisfaction at seeing Anakin finally included, however tangentially. )

 

This story is fantastic,a-p!! I can't wait to see what happens when Anakin and Padme finally arrive.

I liked what you've done with all the characters,especially with Beru.You took a character who only spoke one word(!)in the film,and gave her a new and much deserved depth.Great job!

 

Well, it was enough of a word for a critic to spend a whole paragraph kvetching about it....

(Sorry. A critique of Bonnie Piesse's performance had to be the nadir of the AotC bashes in the press...)

This is an awesome story, a-p. I loved both the emotional and practical issues in it--that's part of what made the Lars scenario so interesting: they were a family dealing with real issues, not in the soap operatic sense of "Ooo, what trouble can we get them into?" but in the sense of what would happen to a family that had both sacrificed what they must have sacrificed in buying Shmi, then lost what they lost when both parents were removed from the economy at the same time.

 

I'm loving all your comments, guys.


For Beru, I'm also extrapolating backwards from ANH, and combining it with the little we saw in AOTC. I do wish she had gotten a little more to say in Ep. II, but there's a sense of her as a caretaker, and as very patient...but she's also a desert girl, so there's a survivor in there too. At least, that's the read I've gotten on her.

(A critic actually complained about her performance? Are you kidding? Sort of reminds me of the Razzies "nominating" Sophia Coppola as Worst Supporting Actress for TPM, when she was a handmaiden, and I don't think she had a single spoken line. Nothing like agendas, I suppose.)


Anyway, new post tomorrow! Hope you guys continue to enjoy.


(It's good seeing you around, A21.)

 

Lovely a-p. Can't wait to see what happens when Anakin and Padme arrive.

 

Oh we will enjoy, a-p.

New post tomorrow...woo-hoo!

 

Psyched for the new post.

A critic actually complained about her performance? Are you kidding?

Yeah. Granted, it was in conjunction with the very talkative Owen (with what, five lines?)--the criticism basically said that Piesse and Edgerton were so wooden that next time you saw ANH, you'd be glad to see their characters burning up.

 

"Did you get it?" Beru asked.

"Yes," Owen replied. He removed the holo-imaging recorder from his bag. "I found a place that loans these out." He sighed heavily. "I wish it hadn't taken so long, but there's no way we could pay all that money to buy one and never use it again after this. And to actually send the message ? we're going to have to sell a few more things first, and that's going to take some more time."

"Is it really that expensive?"

"I want to put those tags on it. At least then we'll know that someone read it after it arrived." He put the device down on the kitchen table and shrugged. "The guy I talked to in town said that there were no individual message-receivers for the Jedi, there was only one general receiver for their Temple. He said we should send it to the Temple with Anakin's name on it, and hope for the best."

Beru grimaced. "That's not terribly reassuring."

"No, but we're going to have to live with it." He sat at the table and began fiddling with the recorder. "Where's Dad?"

"Out in the garage with 3PO. They're working on one of the speeders."

Owen smiled at her ? a genuine smile, a rarity ? and she returned it. 3PO had been conspicuously absent throughout everything that happened. Owen had shut him down shortly after Shmi was taken. He felt a little bit guilty about doing it, but 3PO's panicked stammering had driven them all crazy after a few minutes, so the droid was unceremoniously turned off and left in the extra bedroom. Beru had reactivated him a few days later, but Dad simply couldn't deal with him, despite 3PO's honest attempt to be calmer and quieter than usual. Owen was happy to hear that this piece of their family life ? one of the pieces still shattered by Shmi's disappearance ? seemed to be returning to normal.

"Well, I hate to interrupt, but we should get Dad in here," Owen said. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can return this thing, and the less we'll owe."

"I'll go get him," she said, and she ran off to the garage.

Owen continued playing with the recorder while he was alone. Contacting Anakin was the last step they had to take to finish dealing with what happened, at least as far as he was concerned. Nothing was going to magically be better, and the pain wasn't going to go away, but he expected there would be a finality in this, and at least some closure for each of them. He hoped they'd be able to send it out soon.

Of course, this wasn't about to bring closure for Anakin. It pained Owen to think about what this message would do to him.

Owen heard the clanking noise of 3PO's footsteps, and saw the droid trailing Dad and Beru into the kitchen. All three of them took seats, and they stared at the recorder, lying in the middle of the table.

No one said anything.

"So," his father began, "you two have any great ideas on how to do this?"

Beru shrugged helplessly. "We probably should be direct."

"I don't think so," Owen said. "'Anakin, your mother's dead' is not going to work."

"I didn't mean that direct," she replied. "But I don't think we should make ourselves crazy when there's really just some terrible news we have to give, and not that many different ways to say it."

"Do we introduce ourselves?" Dad asked. "Do we want to take all that time setting up who we are before we tell him why we're sending the message?"

"He'll guess before we say it if we do that," Owen answered. "There's no other reason for us to be talking to him. If this were a normal message, his mother would have sent it. Which brings up the question of who were addressing this message from. He has no idea who 'Cliegg Lars' or 'the Larses' are."

Beru was shaking her head. "We have to introduce ourselves. You both know that. We'll keep it brief. And?I don't know how we're going to address it. You'd think that if he saw a message from Tatooine, that would be enough to get him to read it, even if he doesn't recognize the name on it." She paused thoughtfully. "Maybe we should mark it as important?"

 

The painstaking effort they take to get everything right - and the touching result - was gripping, a-p. If only Anakin would receive the message (who knows? Maybe he does) - though that's not relevant, really. Emotional, gritty, and as direct as Beru wanted it to be; your writing, as usual, encompasses brilliance.

(I never knew I could like something without Anakin in it - directly, at least - so much. You've changed my perspectives entirely. )

 

Great post, ami-padme!

I really loved this post showing the effort the Lars family went through to send this message. I wondered how they were going to address the subject and I think it was handled in a very realistic member. I do like how they consider Anakin to be a part of the family. There's was a lot I liked and enjoyed in this post.

Great job!

 

I liked that post a lot, a-p. One of the things I like about the Larses is that, unlike everyone else in SW, they can't just go traipsing around the galaxy or sending expensive messages. They're a realistic family in hard times. And what an awful situation to have to face, telling a family member you've never met that the most important person in his life is probably dead, and you couldn't protect her.

Really gripping.

 

Excellent, a-p.

Seeing all of them struggle to phrase things right was wonderful. You've really captured their uncertainty.

Well done.

 

*blinks back tears*

Very well done, a-p.

 

Thanks, guys. This post was tricky, and I'm glad it came off well.


(I never knew I could like something without Anakin in it - directly, at least - so much. You've changed my perspectives entirely.)

That's great -- but tomorrow's post is probably going to make that a moot point.

 

Your depiction of the Lars family is so believable that I can "see" this sort of scene actually taking place.

 

(It's good seeing you around, A21.)

Thanks.

Page 4? *tuts and waves wand* Wingardium Leviosa!

This story just flows so simply, so well - that every time you've read a post, it's as if that was always the logical way for events like these to have unfolded. It's just terrific.. And the latest post was wonderful.

but tomorrow's post is probably going to make that a moot point.

 

Upping this, and waits for another lovely post.

 

Anakin closed his hand around the small data-chip that Watto had given him. It contained the location of the farm where Mom had been taken. Anakin had been surprised that Watto's records held that type of information ? very few owners worried about where their slaves were going after they sold them off. Watto had told Anakin that his mother made certain he had the information before she left. She had stood over Watto, watching him save it to his files. "Anakin won't know how to find me otherwise," was what she had said.

Why hadn't he come to find her before now? Why hadn't he ever really forced the issue?

"Ani?"

He jumped, and realized that he was standing next to the rickshaw, staring blankly, with his fist clenched at his side. He offered her a weak smile, and held out his other hand to help her into the seat.

She took it, but that obviously was not what she was waiting for. "Are you okay?" she asked as he sat down next to her.

He shrugged.

She said, "You should try not to worry," and their eyes met for what felt to Anakin like a very lengthy moment.

After the conversation they'd had the night before?well, Anakin honestly hadn't been sure what to expect from her when they saw each other again in the morning. Would she try to be distant with him? Would things become uncomfortable between them? Would she be upset?

None of those things had happened so far, and Anakin was relieved beyond words. He knew what an enormous risk he had taken in saying all that he had. Even if they couldn't be together, it seemed that they could get back to their friendship, and go on with their lives as normal.

Go on with your life? She is your life, and you know it.

Anakin tried to ignore the words, which gave voice to his broken heart. He had respected her decision last night, and would continue to do so. But, even aside from the pain he felt at being rejected, he was troubled because he had not yet been able to picture his future ? any future ? without her. There was an empty void where the rest of his life should have been.

He was nothing without her, and he knew it.

Their carriage rolled along slowly, taking them through the winding streets of Mos Espa and back to their ship. Neither of them spoke again, but Padmé placed her hand over his. Anakin managed to resist the urge to squeeze it, or to lace his fingers between hers. He simply tried to enjoy the warmth of her hand resting lightly on his.

If they could remain friends then he wouldn't have to be without her. Not completely.

They returned to the landing space and quickly boarded the ship. Anakin entered the data-chip into a small slot in one of the consoles, and the coordinates for the farm flashed on one of the screens. A flight plan was displayed on another one. He entered both into the main navigation computer, and readied the ship for take off.

She was settled into the co-pilot's seat, and was watching him quite openly. After a moment, she asked, cautiously, "Anakin, this is good news, isn't it? About your mother?"

The ship took off, and was gliding out of the city and toward the desert dunes. "Yes. She's been freed, that has to be a good thing for her."

"And she's married."

"And she's married." Anakin hadn't really had the chance to process this new information yet. This certainly was not what he had expected to find. It was probably naïve for him to never have considered that Watto would eventually sell her off. His former owner had never been great at keeping his money, and his mother had never been as valuable a slave to Watto as Anakin had been. But it honestly hadn't occurred to him that he wouldn't find his mother living in their old house, or working in Watto's shop. Still, Anakin knew that his childhood nostalgia was not important now. "This Lars person?he must be a decent guy. I mean, he freed her first." Padmé gave him a puzzled look. "So," Anakin continued, "when they got married, Mom was able to make her own decision. It wasn't like he owned her a

 

Really excellent. I loved Anakin's concern about possible awkwardness after the night before, and how he was desperate to retain her friendship. It's so present, and yet there's no confusion about what the important issue is, or what is most prominent in Anakin's mind.

 

BRILLIANCE!!!!!! The crux of genius lies RIGHT there in that very post.

This has to be the best interpretation I've ever seen of Anakin and Padmé together. Anakin's emotions ring incredibly true to everything we saw onscreen, and his thought path - to feel this lost kind of guilt - was natural and strong. I loved your version of the dream, too; the goodbye is a very weighty moment of his life to choose to nightmarize, and it brings chills for me to even think on how much it hurt would've hurt him to see. Amazing interaction, dialogue, and...and yes, heart. Lovely work.

 

*blinks back tears*

Beautiful, a-p, just beautiful.

You write Anakin and Padme wonderfully. His emotions were well brought out.

I loved the post.