Star Wars Fanfic - Programmed to Obey

Chap. 5 - The Last of Us

A strange sound was heard in the distance. As if some wires shorted while sparks illuminated the place slightly. It was late at night, and the moonless night sky barely made it possible to see what was happening. Only the slight light of a lamp allow to see a few meters around.

A strange little being seemed to be snooping around Icarus' circuits. Used strange tools that constantly produced sparks, as if he was looking for something inside the droid. When he finished, he slowly walked away and began fiddling with a portable control panel.

????: - Very well. I hope it works. -

The strange being activated a switch and a large number of sparks began to fly from all sides while a strange sound broke into the place. A sound similar to that of electrical current flowing through wires. The system looked like it was going to collapse, but after a few seconds, the sparks stopped flying, implying that everything had stabilized. And after a short time, Icarus systems were put back into operation.

Ícaro analyzed his surroundings a bit and realized that he was in some kind of makeshift metal shelter. He didn't have enough energy to move, but he could see that he was being recharged from an external source. The flow was slow and it would probably take a few hours to reach 10 percent of charge. But it was better than nothing.

When he was able to move his neck joints, he raised his head and was surprised to see a huge welding mask a few meters from his face. But before he could react, the strange creature spoke to him.

????: - Well. At least it works. It's not like a breakaway ending... but it'll do some good. -

As he spoke, the strange being removed the welding mask from its face revealing a curious Lurmen. He was somewhat young, but had several marks on his face, probably scars from some conflict. Icarus looked curiously at a thick cable that came out of his chest and was connected to some kind of battery.

Icarus: - Thanks for the help. Who are you? -

Lurmen: - I... My name is Wag Too. And if anyone should be grateful, it's me. If it weren't for you now It would be a coat or a rug from those pirates. -

Icarus: - Where are we? -

Wag Too: - This is my modest refuge. It's not a big deal. But at least it will keep us safe for a while. -

Icarus: - Do you think you can make me charge faster? I must return to Separatist high command as soon as possible. -

Wag Too: - What are you talking about? The Separatist Alliance disbanded over five years ago. - Icarus didn't say a word, he just stayed trying to process what the Lurmen had told him. - What is the last thing you remember? - He asked with some concern.

Icarus told Wag Too his last memories, when he was engaging the Republic troops over the main bridget, and how the Venator dreadnought began firing on the city. After that, he only remembered falling into the void, and waking up just a few days ago. The Lurmen only listened to Icarus's story while looking at him with some concern, as if he knew something that Icarus didn't.

Wag Too: - The bad news is that it will take at least a few hours for you to consume the battery. The worst news is that there is a lot you have to know. -

Icarus remained silent as he listened, shocked at what Wag Too told him. According to the Lurmen, it had been over five years since Mygeeto was laid waste. Shortly after the massacre, the Republic became the Empire Galactic and now it ruled with an iron fist over the galaxy. The Confederacy of Independent Systems had been disbanded, and he had heard rumors that many other planets were razed just like Mygeeto, but Wag Too couldn't confirm that information.

Icarus was shocked to hear everything the Lurmen told him. It was just hard to believe, but that would explain what he saw in the bunker and why the ruins looked so corroded. Five years had passed, and now he had no one to serve. What was he to do now? Icarus questioned himself over and over again.

Finally, Wag Too let Icarus charge for the night while he slept. The night was dark, and the only sound audible was that of an old fan that Wag Too used to cool himself. This atmosphere provided a good setting for the droid to compute what he should do. After all, What purpose would a droid like him have without an army to command or an enemy to defeat? All of their programming was set out to defeat the Republic and process the best plans to take down the clones. But according to Wag Too, the clones had been replaced by stormtroopers. What good would such information do? All those questions and doubts saturated the droid's central computer.

Early in the morning, the Lurmen rose with the first rays of the sun, but was surprised to see that Icarus was not where he had left him. Wag Too left the shelter in a hurry hoping to find him, but to his surprise, Icarus was just outside the shelter looking at the scenery.

Wag Too's refuge was located on the side of a steep mountain. His only way of accessing it was through an improvised elevator that could be seen to have been made by Lurmen himself. Just outside the shelter was a small terrace from which one could see miles and miles of wasteland, and looming in the distance, the ruins of the ancient capital city of Mygeeto.

Wag Too: - And thinking that all this used to be lush forests. - He said while he stopped next to Icarus with a cup that contained a yellowish liquid.

Icarus: - How did this happen? -

Wag Too: - Nobody knows for sure. But this is what the Empire spreads across the Galaxy. -

Icarus: - They programmed me to kill the clones and the Jedi. But to think that the Republic itself was responsible makes me ask many questions. -

Wag Too: - I knew a Jedi once. He called himself Skywalker or something like that. He along with his clones and his apprentice saved us from an evil Separatist high command. Together with them we destroyed many droids and managed to save our town. - The Lurmen commented as if he didn't care about the fact that Icarus was an ancient separatist droid.

Icarus: - You fought alongside a Jedi? -

Wag Too: - Yes, I did. I hope that is not an inconvenience for you. -

Icarus: - It's... strange. -

Wag Too: - What do you mean? -

Icarus: - They programmed me believing that the Jedi were corrupt and that they were a supernatural force that must be destroyed. And that the clones were nothing more than puppets blindly following the orders of the Jedi... But after what I've seen... and what you've told me. I have many doubts if what they programmed in me was correct. -

Wag Too: - If I have learned anything. It is that we cannot blindly trust what someone tell us. - Icarus could see how the Lurmen was depressed with what he said, as if he was hiding something, and Icarus was curious to know what it was about.

Icarus: - And tell me. How did you get here? And Why? - The Lurmen lost his gaze on his drink for a few seconds, and after a long sigh he decided to speak.

Wag Too: - I lived in Maridun, a remote outer rim planet, which at the time was under "Republic protection." - He said ironically. - But when the Empire was proclaimed our planet suffered the same fate as Mygeeto. Without warning, the Venators descended into the atmosphere and began bombarding our peaceful village. It was a cold afternoon and I remember that I was hunting on the southern plains, but when I saw the shelling from a distance I turned back as fast as I could. - The sadness was present in the face of Wag Too. - When I arrived... everyone was... dead... I was the only one... who survived. - A tear fell from Wag Too's face into his drink. - I came here hoping to find a new place, but I never imagined finding the same scenario. Four years have passed since then... and now... I am just a wanderer in these lands. -

Wag Too returned to the interior of the shelter to assuage his pain while Icarus remained outside, looking at the horizon. The droid had the ability to understand emotions... but this was a situation for which he was not prepared.

Icarus computed all that amount of information trying to find an answer... a purpose... a meaning to his existence. But it wasn't something a droid could find on its own. That's when something strange happened on their mainframe.

A small discharge of energy made Icarus understand a very important fact, something that would mark his reason for existing from that moment on. The fact that the Republic changed for the Empire changed nothing. Indeed, now his enemy was the Galactic Empire. And his raison to exist would be to overthrow the Empire at any cost.