Myriad Reckonings

Spoiler

we shall see, this last episode felt kinda weird.

The first time Vader had seen trees had been on the planet Naboo, but that was barely a faded memory by now, buried along with much of his past. He'd been so young then. So full of hope. And yet fear had already wrapped its cold fingers around his heart.

He barely remembered what the grass and water felt like now.

"It was freeing. I realized then that the galaxy was at my fingertips."

"I confess I've never been to Tatooine," Tarkin said. "It would be interesting, I think. All that dryness, the creatures to be hunted...new terrain for me to experiment with." Extreme cold bothered him more than extreme heat; he could see himself adapting well to a desert environment. His gaunt frame and experiences on the Carrion lended themselves well to hotter climes, but it was just the opposite on a snow planet. A short time on Hoth had nearly been the death of him when a bout of pneumonia knocked him flat. His immune system was admittedly weaker from the summers he spent on the Carrion consuming raw animals and fermented mushrooms, rubbing himself in unsavory scents for camouflage, and starving every other week. That said, his stamina was better now than most men his age, and he was steeled for every possible act of violence the world could throw at him.

"Tatooine is nothing but filth and endless desert. It's not much to look on, much less visit."

Vader would rather be in the dark forests any day than back in that place. Tarkin might enjoy himself, but he would have to find another companion for that trip.

"Not for a local, perhaps." He glanced at Vader with a crooked smile. It was clear what bitterness his friend held for the planet. He still didn't know why; all that Anakin had said of his time on Tatooine was that he wished never to return. "I hear the Tusken raiders have a fascinating mastery of the environment, though. We had people native to Eriadu, once. They knew this jungle and the mountains above it better than even perhaps my uncle, and that's saying something. But their technological advancements were limited." He shouldered his slugthrower as something ahead of them moved. The foliage rustled, and an argua stepped out of the brush. With its shoulders higher than Tarkin's head and its stark white and gray-dappled coat, the creature cut a striking figure. Its cervine head turned towards them and its long ears perked up in alarm.

Tarkin lowered his rifle with a disappointed sigh, then lurched forward in a feint. The argua shot off to the left in a mad panic, and the sound of its small but heavy hooves cracking the underbrush faded slowly. "Inedible," he told Vader, frowning as he started walking again. "Argua happen to eat a fruit that we can't consume. The toxins make its muscles and organs dangerous--their tolerance such higher."

Vader said not a word about the raiders or Tatooine. He simply would not speak of that. He watched the creature bound away. Part of him wished he'd caught it and brought it down. These woods were wild, and he would like nothing more than to prove his dominance over the woodlands.

"I am assuming your people eventually drove them out?" He said, following Tarkin now.

"They were good for labor, at first," Tarkin said with a shrug. "That was hundreds of years ago. Then there were a few rebellions, some uprisings. We cowed them, of course, and eventually they were nothing more than a vague memory. Perhaps a few dozen remain on the planet, but for the most part they're all dead or scattered to the winds." He didn't give the Eriaduans--the original Eriaduans--much thought at all. Jova had used them only as an example of weakness, and weakness didn't bear thinking about.

Spoiler

man vader is hard haha. Anakin was a talker but Vader not so much.

that and there is some writer error on my part, I do not know him well

Vader grew silent again, his thoughts hidden deep behind his mask. He seemed more distant as they went deeper into the woods. He was taking in the world around him, feeling the creatures in the distance as they moved. He was not used to so many distractions, and it was both a welcome challenge and a nuisance at the same time.

Spoiler

You're doing great so far!

Also, Acolyte made me cry today

At long last, as the light from the sun was just beginning to fade and the nocturnal forest sounds began, Tarkin found a section of ground he was satisfied with. It was flat and open compared to the rest of the woods, and he stomped down a section of the area to set up the tent.
"Gather firewood," he said to Vader, slinging his pack off his shoulder and laying his gun to one side. "I don't suppose I need to warn you to take care, but do look and see if you can find anything dry." Nothing was dry here, but it was worth a look anyway.

Spoiler

howso?

"I will manage." He moved off slowly back towards the thicker part of the woods, looking upwards for any dead branches. Those, off the ground, would be the driest. Everything dead on the ground simply disintegrated when he stepped on it instead of snapping like dry debris would. Nothing would burn well here.

Spoiler

Just moms being moms and Jedi being Jedi, that's all

Tarkin got the tent up without much trouble. It was large enough to fit both of them standing up straight or lying down flat, but there wasn't much more to it. He tossed in a bedroll for himself, then stepped out and sat about marking the boundaries of their little campsite for any intruders to be aware of. It was done like most animals might do; Jova had repeatedly impressed upon him the importance of living like a beast, and this method was more effective than keeping watch. Even so, Tarkin had no intention of sleeping through the whole night.

Once that was done, he constructed a small fire pit out of what rocks he could find and then picked up his slugthrower. It was time to get some dinner.

Vader pulled down some large dead branches from above with the force. He made the least amount of noise possible. The sound of snapping branches were smothered by the damp thick air of the woods. Finding a single dead tree meant plenty of firewood.

When he brought the wood back, Tarkin wasn't in sight. He could sense him nearby and so broke the wood into manageable pieces and placed it in the fire pit. It had been some time since he performed such menial tasks as setting up camp and was used to his soldiers doing such things if they were on a wilderness mission, and that was a rare thing. Stomping around his star destroyer had become a much more regular thing than he would've liked.

Tarkin waded through the deep underbrush, watching the trees for signs of movement. It was difficult to spot another in the darkness, but after about an hour one of the long-tailed primates leapt down for a low-hanging fruit. Tarkin pulled the trigger, and an earsplitting crack followed as the metal slug was propelled out of the barrel at lightning speed. A flock of birds took flight, and the primate dropped like a rock. It was still clutching the fruit when Tarkin approached, which he cast aside. He had struck the creature between the eyes, and it had been dead before it hit the ground. Taking care not to let the blood drip behind him, he carried it back towards camp. This was more than enough for him to eat.

Spoiler

random so I honestly think if Qui-Gon Jinn hadn't died, Anakin wouldn't have turned to the dark side and maybe the Clone Wars wouldn't have happened. Dooku would still be a Jedi, and Mace Windu and Anakin would defeat Palpatine together.

The only thing is, we would not have Obi-Wan. And not that he did anything wrong, but Qui-Gon would have been a better master for Anakin.

Vader heard the crack and looked up from the smoldering fire that struggled to light on the damp ground. Tarkin had got something.

Slugthrowers were impressive things. Primitive weapons to be sure, but effective even against lightsabers. They had been used hundreds of years past by the Mandalorians during their wars with the Jedi and had slain many a force-user. It was no wonder some bounty hunters still carried them along with their blasters.

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Obi Wam would still be there, he just wouldn't be teaching Anakin.
I agree on all other counts though

Tarkin strode into the clearing with his kill and pulled a log over to the fire, then took a massive knife from its sheath and began to skin the primate.
"I trust you'll be able to accommodate your appetite somehow?" he asked Vader.

Spoiler

Qui-Gon is such a cool dude though. Seriously underrated Jedi. Funny that the guy who strayed from the modern Jedi code was the one who taught himself the long lost art of being a force ghost and teaching Yoda and Obi Wan that later

"I shall manage." He watched Tarkin cut up his prey. The night noises were beginning to become louder as the creatures became more accustomed to their presence. He suspected they would get too comfortable at some point and attempt something foolish.