RA-7E booted to life, a faint blue light flickered into his two robotic-insectoid “eyes.” His chipped, white plating reflected the dim luminous panels lining the walls of the cargo hold in which he was now seemingly stored.
Someone had replaced his damaged broadband photoreceptors and their bulbous plastoid casing, but who?
He attempted to move his arms, but they were still unresponsive. To his surprise, however, a further full diagnostic scan revealed that both of his arms had also been completely repaired and replaced. The reason they weren’t moving was actually the result of a rusted restraining bolt he found attached to his lower abdomen.
Fortunately, his synthetic compound eyes gave him a wide range of vision, and he was quickly able to take in most of his surroundings without the need to swivel his neck. He was attached to a rack in the middle of a darkened room, crates and spare droid parts lining one side of the room, and deactivated droids RA-7E recognized from the Prospector’s manifest, including a handful of the ship’s “mouse droids” along the other wall.
The only prominent light source came from a door directly in front of him, and he wondered where in the galaxy he actually was. Most of his more advanced systems were still unresponsive so he could not discern his location anymore, an issue he found unbefitting of a tactical droid. The best he could do was speculate.
Were they still somewhere near Devaron? How much time had passed since he had last been activated?
Suddenly two organics entered through the doorway, one was a Melbu and the other a Rodian. Both were clad in red and gold, bearing an insignia that RA-7E couldn’t initially make out.
They were clearly pirates, but what pirate crew had the means and motivation to attack the Galactic Empire?
RA-7E assumed it was possible they were with the budding syndicate known as the “Kanjiklub” based on their manner of dress, but once they drew close enough, he was able to see the skull and jaw logo belonging to that of the Red Fleet. Devaron was most definitely outside of their sphere of influence, as was most of the inner and mid-rim, so something out of the ordinary was definitely occuring.
At this point, though, he really did not care. As images of the final moments of the prior attack began to surface and replay in his memory core, he recalled that the only thing he was invested in at this point was his own self-preservation.
He would need to strategize a way to make it out and away in one piece.
“Why isn’t this one stowed properly? We’re about to make the jump,” the Melbu said through his heavy breathing mask.
“The doc said he just finished up with this one. It was on the verge of being irreparable, but he told Kreck that the info in its memory banks should be well worth the cost of repairs, and we may already have a buyer for the whole lot cuz of it. You’re one lucky droid, my friend,” the Rodian said, rapping the back of his green hand on RA-7E’s chestplate.
He turned away but paused only a moment later. He squinted his eyes and pressed his long ear sprouts up against the droid’s plating. RA-7E knew the Rodian had just realized that their precious merchandise was still active and most likely aware.
“Would you listen to that,” the pirate said, motioning to his partner, “he’s still on. Probably heard everything we’ve said.”
The insectoid Melbu laughed and walked up to RA-7E, meeting him composite eye to composite eye. “Well droid, if you can hear me, we’re gonna take good care of ya. If you really are an Imperial tactical droid like they say, you’re worth a whole heap of credits. So don’t you worry, you’re gonna get the king’s treatment until we get you hooked up with this buyer of ours.”
Hearing this, RA-7E felt a sense of something he could only explain as his assumed idea of the emotion “relief,” and all of his processors began to slow down and cool off. He knew he wouldn’t have time to strategize here and now, but the next time he woke up, he would immediately begin his plotting. He was going to discover his purpose, no matter what it took. He was no longer bound by any manufacturer’s safeguards or failsafes, and he would use that to his full advantage.
The Melbu reached around behind the droid’s head.
Just you wait, galaxy… RA-7E has been given a second chance, and this droid is not going to squander it. He is going to survive.
“Goodnight,” the Melbu said, laughing under his breath.
And with a single click came silent darkness.
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