Leaving the speeder parked near the edge of the sandstone bluff, Luke and Ben

walked over and peered down at the tiny regularized bumps erupting from the sun-

baked plain below. The haphazard collage of low-grade concrete, stone, and plastoid

structures spread outward from a central power-and-water-distribution plant like the

spokes of a wheel.

Actually the town was considerably larger than it appeared, since a good portion

of it lay underground. Looking like bomb craters from this distance, the smooth

circular depressions of launch stations pockmarked the cityscape.

A brisk gale was scouring the tired ground. It whipped the sand about Luke's

feet and legs as he adjusted his protective goggles.

"There it is," Kenobi murmured, indicating the unimpressive collection of

buildings, "Mos Eisley Spaceport-the ideal place for us to lose ourselves while we

seek passage offplanet. Not a more wretched collection of villainy and disreputable

types exists anywhere on Tatooine. The Empire has been alerted to us, so we must

be very cautious, Luke. The population of Mos Eisley should disguise us well."

Luke wore a determined look. "I'm ready for anything, Obi-wan."

I wonder if you comprehend what that might entail, Luke, Kenobi thought. But

he only nodded as he led the way back to the landspeeder.

Unlike Anchorhead, there were enough people in Mos Eisley to require

movement in the heat of day. Built from the beginning with commerce in mind,

even the oldest of the town's buildings had been designed to provide protection from

the twin suns. They looked primitive from the outside, and many were. But

oftentimes walls and arches of old stone masked durasteel double walls with

circulating coolant flowing freely between.

Luke was maneuvering the landspeeder through the town's outskirts when

several tall, gleaming forms appeared from nowhere and began to close a circle

around him. For one panicked moment he considered gunning the engine and racing

through the pedestrians and other vehicles. A startlingly firm grip on his arm both

restrained and relaxed him. He glanced over to see Kenobi smiling, warning him.

So they continued at a normal town cruising speed, Luke hoping that the imperial

troops were bent on business elsewhere. No such luck. One of the troopers raised

an armored hand. Luke had no choice but to respond. As he pulled the speeder

over, he grew aware of the attention they were receiving from curious passersby.

Worse yet, it seemed that the trooper's attention was in fact reserved not for Kenobi or

himself, but for the two unmoving robots seated in the speeder behind them.

"How long have you had these 'droids?" the trooper who had raised his hand

barked. Polite formalities were to be dispensed with, it appeared.

Looking blank for a second, Luke finally came up with "Three or four seasons, I

guess."

"They're up for sale, if you want them-and the price is right," Kenobi put in,

giving a wonderful impression of a dessert finagler out to cajole a few quick credits

from ignorant Imperials.

The trooper in charge did not deign to reply. He was absorbed in a thorough

examination of the landspeeder's underside.

"Did you come in from the south?" he asked.

"No...no," Luke answered quickly, "we live in the west, near Bestine township."

"Bestine?" the trooper murmured, walking around to study the speeder's front.

Luke forced himself to stare straight ahead. Finally the armored figure concluded

his examination. He moved to stand ominously close to Luke and snapped, "Let me

see your identification."

Surely the man sensed his terror and nervousness by now, Luke thought wildly.

His resolution of not long before to be ready to take on anything had already

disintegrated under the unwinking stare of this professional soldier. He knew what

would happen if they got a look at his formal ID, with the location of his homestead

and the name of his nearest relatives on it. Something seemed to be buzzing inside

his head; he felt faint.

Kenobi had leaned over and was talking easily to the trooper. "You don't need

to see his identification," the old man informed the Imperial in an extremely peculiar

voice.
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