Time: Six Months before Dark Empire

Partially shielding his eyes, Luke Skywalker gazed up at the blazing suns of Tatooine. They burned with their usual fire for this time of day, scorching the planet below. Wind sporadically blew sand into his face and cloaks.
Without having to use the Force, he knew a sandstorm was brewing off to the east. Most residents who lived on Tatooine for any period of time learned these signs quickly - or didn't survive long.
It had taken Luke most of the day to travel to the outskirts of Mos Eisely. The speeder he had rented was constantly braking down, and Luke had to make sporadic repairs to it throughout the day.
As he was nearing his destination, he began to think of the events that had lead up to this moment.
For over a standard month now, Luke had felt compelled to return to his home planet. At first, the feelings were vague, like a whisper in dreams. Lately however, he felt as if there were an actual presence screaming to his mind and body, almost physically pushing him toward Tatooine.
It had taken him some time to figure out that this was more than an ordinary urge to return to his roots, but an inner calling from the Force. Far too long, if Luke was to judge. And it was happening more of late, almost as if he was developing a deaf ear to the Force and its callings. It was confusing to him, for he was using the Force's power more than ever before, furthering his teachings while learning new skills. He had meditated on the situation, and brooded on it past all healthiness, but for now no answers were forthcoming. So he would have to continue to be patient.
Disembarking from his speeder he walked a few hundred feet while the increasing winds tore into his cloaks and whipped his skin. For a while he used the Force to create a low-level shield around his face, but it was difficult to maintain while trying to listen to the Force to guide his path. He abandoned the shield half way into his walk, and now his face felt grimy and his eyes were beginning to sting.
But he was close, he could sense it.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, he reached a spot near a small rock outcropping. The Force had guided him to this area, but looking around he couldn't readily tell why. Not that he could see much anyway; visibility had been cut down to almost nothing.
Luke enveloped his head deeper into his cloak, and while doing so looked down at the scorched sand beneath his boots.
A flash of insight struck his being, a grim parody of the way the sand was striking at his physical body.
Luke knelt down and started digging.
Quickly sweat beaded on his brow, and he occasionally had to rake dirty blond strands of hair away from his vision. It took twenty minutes of hard digging, but finally his hand struck something solid.
Shielding the item from the worst of the sand and wind he held it at eye level. Visibility was so bad now; he could barely see his hand in front of his face. However, by squinting he was able to make out the item.
An old weather worn data card.
A stronger gust of wind picked up and a particularly large grain of sand struck at his face, causing him to wince in pain. It did serve its purpose however, Luke realized he must move to shelter, or be eaten alive by the Teeth of Tatooine.
Opening himself to the Force again, he let it guide him in the general direction of the outcropping of rocks he had noticed earlier. The sandstorm was blowing in full intensity now, and Luke had to keep his eyes closed the entire way, and allow the Force to completely guide his actions.
Eventually he found a small cave set into the rocks. Without delay, as the sand tore into his back and legs, he moved into its darkness.
It was cramped, but he didn't seem to be intruding on anything, or more importantly anyone, so he set up his portable glow rod, and dug out his data reader from inside his cloaks. Gingerly he blew on the old data card to free some sand and debris, while at the same time trying not to damage any of the old circuitry.
When he felt satisfied enough with his efforts he plugged the card into his data reader. Luke felt some apprehension when the data card didn't respond after a moment, for he knew what a waste of time and energy this would be if he couldn't gleam some information from the old card.
It took a bit of re-adjusting, but after a few carefully Force guided modifications, a message appeared on the screen indicating an audio data relay.  Mildly surprised by this, Luke made a few adjustments to his data reader's audio terminal, when he was finished a voice crackled to life. Satisfied, Luke sat back and got as comfortable as he could. Listening to this foreign, yet oddly familiar voice, while he waited out the storm.

I am writing this under the night skies of Tatooine, a very baron, desolate planet.  But a planet that is safe for us for the moment for the Trade Federation has no presence here. I would guess that is how the residents want it, and why they endure these conditions. Those that have a choice that is. It is late, but I sense events tomorrow will shape history.  There is a disturbance in the Force. None like any other I have encountered. It is an odd disturbance, something just out of my sensory grasp. If I am destined to fall, the events that have transpired must be known. Please take this data card to the Jedi Counsel on Corscuant. Many lives hang in the balance.

Luke inwardly nodded to himself, as the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.  The Force had guided him here so that he could learn more about the Jedi.
Outside, the wind whistled at the cave opening and as Luke gazed out, he noted with a grimace that this sandstorm was particularly powerful, which meant he would be stuck here for quite a while.

My apprentice and I arrived on board a Trade Federation battleship for negotiations  - or so we thought. They never took place. Instead the Federation tried in vain to destroy us. After we arrived on Naboo, we liberated the Queen from her captures and fled in her Starship. Our ship survived the Trade Federation attack, but our hyperdrive has been rendered useless. We have been effectively stranded on Tatooine. We cannot risk calling for help, or the message might be traced to our location.  We must keep the Queen safe.
Disguised as a farmer, I took the astromech unit, the Gungan and one of the Queen’s Handmaidens with me into Mos Espa to purchase the parts for the ship. However, the only dealer with the parts we need has an innate ability to block the mind controlling aspects of the Force.  Annoying. The disturbances I felt in the Force are growing and we are running out of time. But I was sure another situation would present itself. It did.
As we were searching for another solution amid the crowded streets of Mos Espa, we met a young boy named Anakin Skywalker who kindly offered us shelter from a sudden sandstorm.

Upon hearing this name, Luke sat bolt upright in the cave, in the process bumping his head on the ceiling. He was reminded briefly of Dagobah and Yoda, but there was something more important that held his attention. His father, this Jedi knew his father! And his father was from Tatooine. But how could that be? Mysteries were unwinding and winding again in his mind. With heightened interest, Luke continued the recording.

We were forced to wait out the storm with Anakin and his mother in their home.  I was surprised to learn that they are slaves.

Luke's brow furrowed. Slaves?

As we talked over diner it soon became apparent that this boy was special. He seemed very strong to me, radiating the Force. He told us a little of their lives here, and it seemed that this child could hold the answers we were looking for. We had nothing to trade. We could not contact anyone for help.  So, with his mothers’ reluctant permission, we have decided that the only way to get the parts we need is to enter Anakin in a Pod Race tomorrow. If he wins we will have the currency we need to purchase the hyperdrive and leave Tatooine.  Padme doubts his ability, and does not think it wise to entrust our fate to this boy.  Obi-Wan mirrors her concerns, but –

Luke stared at the data reader in surprise, as if it would explain to him the mysteries it held. Not only did this man know his father, but he also knew Obi-Wan. An old proverb he had heard on Tatooine when he was young flashed into his mind - about circles in life and small galaxies. He continued the recording.

I made it a point to inquire about Anakin to his mother. We talked for sometime. She is a strong woman surviving a hard life, I find myself caring for her. We discussed Anakin, sharing in the knowledge that he is a special boy. When I asked about his father, her answer shocked me.
[PAUSE}
Could Anakin Skywalker be the one of the prophecy?

Again Luke looked at the data reader for answers that it wouldn't readily give. “What prophecy?”  He murmured aloud.
Tonight, Anakin and I talked for quite some time. He told me of his dreams. Of leaving Tatooine to free his mother and the other slaves. He is a very inquisitive child, full of questions about the Jedi and the galaxy in general. There is such warmth, such kindness, it flows through him. He has such potential to do good. He gives with no thought of what he can receive. I find myself saddened he is a slave. If I had the time to devise a way to free him, I would take him back to Coruscant with me. For his mother is right; he deserves better than a slave's life, he is very special.  I took a blood sample as I was cleaning a cut for him. I have just had the results of the midichlorine analysis from Obi-Wan. I am amazed! He has a count of over 20,000; higher than even Master Yoda’s! He is the one of the prophecy, now I am sure of it. He must be trained in the ways of the Jedi.

Luke probed his memory, but could recall nothing of the term midichlorine. Never had he come across it before in all of his studies. Was it yet another key to the Force that he was never taught? Could it explain why he was having trouble hearing it callings? It seemed that most of the revelations held in the old data card only contained more mysteries within them.

Thanks to Anakin, we have succeeded in obtaining the hyperdrive, and are returning to Obi-Wan and the Queen’s ship on the outskirts of Mos Espa.  I was able to strike a rather complicated deal with Anakin’s Master before the pod race. If Anakin was to win the race, we would get the hyperdrive and Anakin was to be set free. If he were to lose, then we would be stranded here for a very long time. Obi-Wan was quick to point this out to me in one of our transmissions.  But I was not worried, I knew he would win, I could feel it.  Something is very odd however.  I thought that after I freed Anakin the disturbances in the Force would cease. However they continue, they are still elusive and I can not pinpoint why.

I came back to retrieve the boy and I am now waiting in the streets of Mos Espa while Anakin says goodbye. The disturbances in the Force are growing much stronger and darker now.  And they do not center around the boy. I sense danger nearby. I have spotted something around a corner, a probe perhaps and have urged Anakin to hurry. This may be my last entry, for I am sure we are being followed!

Luke Skywalker stared at the data reader long after the final message had finished Absently he tucked both the card and the reader into his cloaks. His thoughts remained on the Jedi who had recorded the log. What had happened to him? Had he died on Tatooine? Did he have a hand in training my father? He had many more questions now, than he did before.
With a sign he glanced out of the cave into Tatooine’s night sky. The storm had blown out its fury, creating massive drifts that lined the outcropping of rocks.  Slowly, he crawled out of the cave and stood up in the night air. This day had held many revelations for him, but one stayed foremost in his mind. The one he must investigate. How did a child such as Anakin turn toward the dark path? Would he walk in his footsteps without even knowing it? The questions would have to remain unanswered for the time being, however. Deciding he had done all he could here, Luke headed back towards his speeder, his dark moon lit shadow following him all the way.