Archie Ilaiah's Star Wars Quests: Book I: Revenge of the Jedi

Chapter 1: The End of the Start

Captain CT-1635, also known as Captain Pako

I know he's somewhere in this forest.

No matter how much Chance begged to go into the forest with me, I just ignored him after a while. I have to do this alone. I'm the one who has the supplies and heart to bring Archie back. The others don't seem to have much hope for him, and that pisses me off, so I refuse to let them come with me. How can they have so much doubt? He's our general.

The slight mist turns into a drizzle which turns into a pour. The dirt gets wet easily, and I realize I'm walking pretty briskly, so I slow down. No need to slip where anyone could be watching.

In fact, no need to slip at all.

Everything's got me anxious. I need him back now before these Sith twin accomplices do anything more to him.

"Foolish, little clone..." A voice says. "A pathetic clone of a bounty hunter."

Archie.

I load my blaster and hold his lightsaber in my hand.

"And you even brought Archie's weapon with you."

"Your weapon." I correct. "You are Archie Ilaiah and I've brought back your weapon."

"Archie Ilaiah is dead." He hisses, finally jumping down from a tree, but hopping to another one. He giggles in the process.

"Snap out of it, Archie." I snap. "I don't like this. I know you don't either."

"It's not Archie. It's The Brother."

"That's a load of fierfek and you know it." I curse.

"You shouldn't be here." He says, his voice seems different. Fearful. "He'll destroy you."

"Let us help you." I say.

There's silence. His eyes flicker from that beautiful, familiar blue to a fiery orange. My heart drops, but then they go back to blue.

"Just drop your weapon, Archie..." I say slowly.

"What if you kill me?"

"What?!"

"What? I deserve it, Pako." He shivers. "Just admit it."

"No. You didn't do that."

"I could've stopped it."

"They did that to you, Archie." I grit my teeth, wishing I had a chance to kill the assassins at this moment. Seeing the effects of what Spear and Razer did to him is so triggering. "It's not your fault. We can settle this. We can set you free."

I throw his lightsaber and my blaster down to the ground.

"Now, just drop your weapon and we can all go home."

He purses his lips. "Pako, I'm scared."

"It'll be alright, babe." I whisper. "I promise."

Ten seconds later, two dark lightsabers fall to the ground. He starts to smile like he's relieved.

"Thank you..." He smiles, but it fades. "Now..."

He falls from the tree and lands on both of his feet, kneeling down. "You'll pay."

No... I think. Don't do this.

He dashes towards me as the lightsabers are sucked into his hand. I pick up his Jedi weapon and swing it at the left hilt he's holding. It works. The top part is sliced off as the blade retracts from the damage.

"Phwoar!" He curses in Mando'a. He swings aimlessly at me. I have to stay focused, but it's hard seeing him swing at me like he wants to kill me. It's like watching all our days, nights, and seconds fade away in seconds that feel like disgustingly slow hours.

I'm lucky his Master trained me in secret some nights. I know how to use Form I, Form IV, and Form V. I deflect his attacks, but being attacked is different from being trained.

"Why can't you just die?" He screams. I twist my lightsaber and it sends the lightsaber with a crimson blade behind him. I grab his arm, but he kicks me back and causes me to drop his lightsaber. I stumble and fall, rolling away from the punches he's throwing. He hits me once, but I jump and get up. I flick his neck. His eyes flicker again, but quickly go back to orange.

"Damn it!"

Focus, focus, focus. I'm not trying to fight him. I'm trying to bring him back to the light.

I twist my legs around his ankle and pull fast. He grunts as he falls into the dirt. He grabs fistfuls of the wet dirt and throws it at me. Some come close to hitting my face, but it hits my armor mainly.

"You don't deserve to live!" He roars. Tears begin to fill my eyes, but it's all rage. All the rage goes straight to my fist as I punch his forehead. It snaps back. My jaw drops in horror.

Did I kill him?

"Archie?" I whisper, almost crying. I crawl over. "Archie, wake up!"

This can't be over. I was so close to saving him. I wasted this whole mission.

Love. All thrown away.

I wasted everyone's time because...I'm a failure.

"Traitor!" He screams, grabbing onto me and headbutting my nose. I hold it in pain. He can feel him tug me again, but I shove him off. He grabs onto me and bites my left shoulder. I growl in pain and he claws into me.

"Don't forget me, Archie Ilaiah!" I scream, punching his face as we wrestle in the rain and wet grass. "Don't let this power get to your head. That's not the man I know!"

He tries to push me off, groaning as he holds the side of his head. He spits out the blood that's been collecting in his mouth. I feel horrible for doing this to him, but I need to do what I have to.

I lightly punch his neck. So that's where it is! That's the spot! It makes him dizzy. I only have so much time. This has to work and it has to go through now.

I stick the syringe in the side of his neck as he lifts up his hands. He screams out in pain, clutching my back after taking a deep breath. He grabs on tighter and his body shakes. I'm afraid that I've gone too far, that I've hurt him too much.

He's crying.

"Pako..." He whispers. "I'm so sorry..."

He's back.

I smile slightly, closing my eyes and returning the hug.

I did it.

I brought him back.

"I know. Me too."

"But...I killed people." He sobs. "I...I killed your brothers. I'm horrible..."

"Shh." I murmur softly. He falls limp into my arms. The others arrive in front of us.

"Come on." Chance lifts Archie up with the rest. "We'll get him into the medbay to remove that chip in his neck."

I slowly get up. My armor is dirty, I'm upset, but I'm relieved.

Success.

He's back.

I look around, finding my blaster and both of his lightsabers. I kick the broken one away, but it's not enough for me.

I aim my blaster at it. A bolt hits the handle and the lightsaber breaks. A red crystal inside is revealed. I pick it up.

No one but the Jedi should find use for this. I can't let this get in the wrong hands, just like I let Archie get in the wrong hands.