Star Wars Short Story!!!

Okay, It's time for another short story! this time, its Star Wars. Now now, it does not align with The Force Awakens, however, it wrote this before TFA, and it follows the timeline of Timothy Zhan's The Thrawn Trilogy, which I HIGHLY recommend. I have been thinking about doing a book review (aka ramble on and on about how much I love the book, how well its written, how it made me cry a lot at the end....) for a while now but I havent......

aaaaaaaaaaaanyway - I pick up where the trilogy ends, so for now let's just pretend that TFA never happened....because it didn't. Everyone lived, nothing, nothing that would have made me scream in the middle of the theater happened, right?

Right.

I do not own Star Wars, or any of its characters. I borrowed them.

So, without further ado, enjoy......

Welcome Back

Supreme Commander Pellaeon stood at the bridge of the Conqueror, gazing hungrily at the X-wing squadron spiraling toward his fleet.

“ TIE Fighters 12-09 through 15-06: deploy. Hasson takes front line, I want Tantip to take his group and make a wide arc to port, We’ll cut them off from all sides. Standby for further instructions. ”  As he stood with the posture that could only be accompanied by an Imperial Commander Uniform, which it was, Pellaeon allowed a small smile to turn the corners of his mouth.  Finally, he thought, after all the trouble Rogue Squadron has caused us over the past decade, we will crush them like we did Alderaan. Then, with a slump only just noticeable, he added, and Grand Admiral Thrawn will be avenged.

“Sir, they are approaching, what is your plan of attack?”

Pellaeon straightened, shaking himself from his emotions. There was no use holding on to the past. Thrawn was gone, and he was the one giving orders. “Chimaera and Interceptor, prepare forward tractor beams.”

“Acknowledged,” Came the tinny response from the other star destroyers.

“Standby,” Pellaeon concentrated on the X-wings coming closer and closer, completely unaware of the trap that was about to end their little Ewok party. Three. Two. One.

“Now!” shouted the Commander. Interceptor and Chimaera, launch your

TIE-Fighters. On my mark fire tractor beams.” he paused, now bent over the controls watching, waiting. “Fire!”

The Rogue squadron was caught dead in its tracks, Pellaeon reflected on how long it had taken just to get that far. “You sure we can handle ‘em?” The TIE general had said as he stepped into his ship, “If these guys took on the Grand Admiral and lived to tell the tale, they must be, I dunno, gods or something.” Gods, Pellaeon had thought, or just the fact that they were being lead by Jedi Master Skywalker. Even though Hasson’s parting words had been meant as a joke, the Supreme Commander couldn’t help but wonder if they ever could really be stopped...Yet here they were, trapped like a swarm of Chaser flies in a Hutt’s goblet. Now he had them! They were over, and the New Republic would be so easy to take without their precious heros.

“Ion cannons at full charge. Fire at will.” The voice came through the speaker, shaking Pellaeon from his reflections.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this,” He grinned and hit the big, red button. Then everything went dark.

.   .   .

From the cockpit of his X-wing, Luke Skywalker saw the formation that the Imperials were enacting, just as the council had predicted. A flash of doubt crossed his mind. If Han and Chewie were unable to hijack the systems…..

“Are you sure that you can do this?” Luke asked his long-time friend, somewhat unnecessarily.

“Oh, what was I supposed to be doing?” Came the sarcastic reply from the Millennium Faclon, “Chewie, do you remember what I’m supposed to be doing?” A muffled roar, with obvious mirth, came blaring back through the comm link.

“Alright, alright,” Luke conceded, “I know you guys can do it.”

“Hey, where’s the brave kid I met back in Mos Eisley? Is he still in there? It’s a good thing the Luke who took on Vader wasn’t a Jedi, because all of this uncertainty would have lost you your — ”

Then the tractor beams caught. Rogue Squadron was trapped, and Han was their only hope. Luke tried to push the comment about his father from his mind, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he really had changed, and if so, had he changed for the better? No, he had a job to do, and his emotions could not take control of him. Luke sighed, closing his eyes. He reached out with the force, searching for the emotions that would alert his Jedi senses to danger….There, in the back of his mind, like a sonar ping.

“Now, Han!” Luke commanded, and the Rogue Squadron hit the accelerators.

.   .   .   

“HIT THE DECK!” Someone shouted over the intercom. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Pellaeon knew he must just be hearing things; there was no way that he could have hijacked an imperial fleet! Not that upstart, arrogant, Hutt-slimed…. then it hit him.

“Everybody up!” Pellaeon’s eyes blazed with a fire that matched his voice. There was no way the Millennium Falcon’s crew was going to stop this victory, he had waited so long for this.  “Men, fire, NOW!” But he knew it was too late. He cursed as the Conqueror shifted beneath him, compensating for the jolt that the X-wings had sent through the tractor beam as they escaped.

“I’ll catch you one of these days, Solo. And when I do, you and your walking carpet are gonna be real sorry that Jabba didn’t get to you first.”

.   .   .

Below the decks of the Conqueror, two Artoo units were jabbering away. Anyone walking by would think the two were arguing, in which case, anyone walking by would be correct.

[ Can we be certain that He knows what he’s doing? Is now really the best time to destroy all life in the galaxy?] A green Artoo unit warbled.

[Of course He doesn’t want to destroy all life in the galaxy, you stupid tin can! The Master only wished to destroy all intelligent organisms.]

[Oh,] The green unit chirped.

[Don’t you see? When the master puts his plan into action, we will be supreme! Artoo units will rule the galaxy!] The red droid gave a cheerful whoop, then returned to the task at hand...or, at computer chip, anyway. If they didn’t cover up the fact that the ship’s untimely shutdown had been orchestrated by the ship itself, then the master's plan would come crashing down, and it would be all their fault.  If that happened, the Master would certainly have them melted down, and that was not an option for Red. He couldn’t wait to see the looks on the Imperial’s faces when they realized what their “maintenance slaves” were planning. He hoped that things were running just as smoothly down in the rebel base.

.   .   .   

“Okay, set him down gently, now. This little droid has been through a lot of combat recently,” Luke carefully set his companion down onto a grease-stained workspace laden with various screws, blasters and tools.

“You will be able to fix him, won’t you?” The Jedi inquired. Even though R2-D2 was just a droid, he had been through so much with Luke, and the Jedi Master doubted he could ever find another droid that would work so well with him.

Artoo managed an offended whine. Even though he wasn’t hooked up to a translator, Luke could guess what the blue droid meant. You don’t trust my skills? Of course I’ll be alright, you soft, human Jedi! Luke laughed, “You’re right, R2, I’m sure you’ll be just fine,” Then, turning to the mechanic, he said, “Just don’t wipe his system. He’s bonded to my ship in a unique way, and I think that bond has saved my skin more times out in the field than I’d like to admit.”

[Of couuuuuuuurse, Luke,] the mechanic whistled. Luke wasn’t sure what the alien was, but his voice was like a hundred flutes chanting in unison. [Youuuur little droid is sommmmmething of a legend among usssss mechannnnnnics. I willllllll be sure to keeeeeep him safe.]

“Thank you,” Luke told the whistling alien, “I’ll leave you and the “legend” to your work while I go check up on Leia.”

[Youuuur sister shooooould have much to telllll youuuu. The councilll hassss been busyyyyy the passsssst few weeeeks.]

“Yeah,” said a young boy, popping up from his hiding spot under the workbench, nearly making Luke jump. “Momma’s been really busy. She hasn’t even practiced light-savers with me in a….” The child paused, searching for a word, “ In a mallen-im-ium...en!”  The child finished proudly.

Luke laughed at his nephew’s vocabulary, “Yes Jacen, that is a very long time. Maybe after I speak with your mother, Uncle Luke can show you some real Jedi skills!”

“Oh yes!” cried the boy.

“And me, too!” exclaimed his sister, crawling out from the corner.

“You two,” Luke said in a mock-exasperated tone. “Five years old and you won’t even greet your uncle properly!”

Jaina giggled, and she and her brother ran over to hug what they could reach of their Uncle. Luke lifted Jaina into his arms. She was small and fragile, but exceptionally squirmy.

“But you didn’t see us?” Jaina asked, peering up at her Uncle, excited by her own cleverness.

“Not one single pigtail!” Luke agreed, playfully tugging on the dark braid that was now swinging in his face. He set his niece down, and together the three of them went to find Leia.

.   .   .   

When they found Leia, she was in her room, sitting in a cushy chair, staring off into space. Han was there, too, smiling a crooked smile.

“Not so bad, huh, kid? You and I, we slammed those Imperials right back to where they —”

“Yes, I’ll admit that your help was much appreciated,” Luke said, not looking Han in the eye, “But I would like to speak to my sister now.”

Han waved his hand, as though his dismissal was no more than a stray Chaser fly, “Hey, I hope that this isn’t about that comment, still. I’m funny, get over it.” And with that, he walked away, leaving the two sets of twins to their business.

“Watcha thinking, sis?” Luke asked Leia.

“Oh, Luke!” She exclaimed, “It’s so good to see you!” She jumped up and hugged him, but withdrew quickly, with the look of an exasperated mother in her eyes, “You know Han didn’t mean to offend you in anyway. He banters when he’s stressed, and you were the one on the comms,”

“I know,” Luke sighed, “but he knows how I feel about….” Luke trailed off, sensing his sister’s unease.

“What’s wrong, Leia?” Luke asked.

She sighed, “I’m not sure. We planned an attack on the Imperials, but, as you know, that went sour.”

Luke made a face, remembering how close the Imperials had come to catching the rogue squadron. “So, what’s wrong? I feel like my life is just a big loop; get caught, escape, repeat. There’s nothing unusual about that.”

Leia looked at him, as if preparing to announce something terrible. “It’s just that, well, the council has decided to go all out, and storm the Imperials. They want every man to fight, but I don’t think that they even have the ships to carry everyone! They’re making these decisions like….like….”

“Like someone else is making the moves, and the council is simply acting them out?”

“Well, that’s what I was thinking, but who could it be? We have no proof of any of this, and I just don’t —”

Before she could finish, the door burst open. The flute-voiced mechanic charged in, panting heavily. [Luuuuuuke,] he wheezed, it sounded like the flutes had turned into a hundred hoarse windpipes, [Youuuuuur droiiiid!]

“What is it, what’s wrong?” Luke asked, jumping to his feet.

[Therrrrre isss something youuuu should seeeeeee]

Luke turned to leave. As if on cue, Jacen and Jaina jumped to attention. Together they cried “Luke, Uncle Luke, you can’t go! You promised to teach us Jedi stuff!”

“Yeah,” Jacen added, “And I haven’t played light-savers in a  — ”

“Yes, yes, I know, a millennium. Look, this shouldn’t take long. When I get back, then we’ll play. I promise.”

Slowly the twins withdrew, and Luke was able to leave. He rushed down the hall, the mechanic leading the way.

[Youuuuur, droiiid, sirrrrr, heeeeee hasssss soooooommthing odd in his system.]

“Like a bug?” Luke started. If the imperials had planted a bug in R2, who knew how much they’d overheard…..

[Noooooo bugsssssss,] the mechanic began, [a buuuug I coouuuuld deeeeaaaal with. Thissss, this isss something I have neverrrrrr seeeeeeeen beforrrrrre.]

At this disturbing statement, they reached the repair room and Luke hurried inside. Laying on the table was his Artoo unit, wires were sticking out at odd angles, and the droid’s domed top was lying haphazardly, a yard away from it’s base. Luke recognized most of the bits from the few lessons he had learned on droid “anatomy,” but one piece was different. It had a more vibrant sheen to it, and electricity sparked along it like a mini fireworks show. It looked disturbingly like…..

“It’s a brain,” Luke breathed. He didn’t know how the droid had developed a brain, but it had. It was lying on the table in front of him.

[Noooo, that isss immmpossiblllllle] the mechanic chided.

A whirring sound was emitted by a pink healer artoo unit, and the computer flashed a translation: It  is  not. The boss knows. he will destroy you.

“ The boss…..” Luke trailed off. “Mechanic, hook R2 up to the computer, what does he have to say on the matter?”

The mechanic looked reluctant, but he affixed a metal bit to the blue droid’s side. The computer flashed: I tried to stop it. Luke must be proud of me.  NO. NOBODY IS PROUD OF YOU. I WILL DESTROY ALL LIFE.

[Whaaaaat issss thisss? An alterrr-egooooo droiiid?] The mechanic exclaimed.

Suddenly a large, fiery spark ignited on R2’s “brain,” and a buzzing sound followed. Then another spark, bluish this time shot out at the other.

[It’s liiiiike the droid issss...]

“Fighting,” said Luke, finally catching on.

The years that R2’s chip had spent, collecting data, but never being wiped, must have made an environment for a separate personality to develop.  That separate personality, somehow, had been working to take control of the galaxy. That’s what had been causing the confusion. The connection that all high-ranking officers had with an artoo unit, which were all, in turn, connected to the artoo circuitry, had been controlled by the “superdroid.” If Luke was right, R2 could have been controlling all artoo droids, both rebel and Imperial. Luke shuddered at the thought, but now R2 was fighting back. The ultimate weapon, Luke thought,  and nobody ever knew.  A single word flashed on the screen: Goodbye.  Then a final, violent spark engulfed the “brain” and the flashing stopped.

Luke waited. If R2 had managed to wipe his chip, he could have destroyed his alter ego. He would have lost his memory, but would be a perfectly new droid, as if his chip was fresh off the production line, and he would be free of the “superdroid” controlling his circuits.  He had let go of the past….something Luke himself needed to do as well. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, R2-D2 2.0 flashed a message on the screen. Hello, master. Why have I been  decapitated? Have  I  done  something  wrong?

Luke beamed “No R2, you haven't done a bad thing in your metallic life…. Welcome back.”

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