sparky // a padawan story

chapter 63. runaway.

"Hondo, our men are trying to kill us. I need your help. Please get us out of here."
"How badly do you need this ride? And why did you even come back? You know, your father will not be a happy man when—"
"I killed him."
His jaw drops. "You what?"
"I was sent here to stop him, so that's what I did."
"Oh! Oh, m'dear, I am so proud of you right now. So, so proud. Do you have any idea of the profit you've just earned me? I can smell it now! Profit, profit, profit! Get on up here, I'll take you and your pal wherever you need to go!" Boil and I share a look.
"May I?" I ask Boil, holding up my hands and nodding up to the ship. He nods, and I lift him into the air and throw him onto the ramp. I Force jump up behind him and land in between him and Hondo. I help Boil stand back up as we enter the ship and go into the cockpit.
"Where do you need to go, my friend?" Hondo asks as he takes a seat in his pilot's chair and takes off.
I think about it for a moment. Where would Obi-Wan go? "...Take us to Coruscant," I answer.
"Coruscant? Arlo, they're killing all of the Jedi, that is the worst possible place for us to go right now!" Boil tells me.
"Wait, they're killing all the Jedi?" Hondo questions, setting a course for Coruscant and taking off into hyperspace.
"We still don't know exactly what's happening. All we know is that the Jedi are being hunted down and killed for treason against the Republic," I explain.
"...Well did you commit treason?" Hondo then asks.
"No, Hondo."
"Ah. Right. Well, where is Kenobi, aren't you two usually together?"
"That's who I'm trying to find. And that's why we need to go to Coruscant. I have a feeling that's where he would go."
"But I feel like he would know that this is incredibly dangerous," Boil says.
"Yes, but he'd also know that it's a risk we have to take."
"...I'm not going to be killed, am I?" Hondo interjects.
"Hondo, if you're ever gonna be killed, I can guarantee it will be because of something you did," I tell him.
"Oh. Right. Well, we're almost there, so either way, I'm not turning around."
"Yeah, I figured."
"So what's the plan now?" Boil asks.
"To find Obi-Wan."
"And what if he isn't there? What if he died?"
"He's still alive. I can feel it. And if he isn't there, maybe we'll at least figure out what happened. I know it seems crazy to go back, I really do, but I need to know."
"Then I'll be right beside you," Boil says as Hondo's ship exits hyperspace and enters the atmosphere of Coruscant.
"To the temple?" Hondo asks. I nod. "...Is there any—"
"You know, Hondo, this really is not the time," I scold.
"What do you mean? It is always—"
"Well, this time it's not. We're quite literally being hunted down like animals. I'm going to have to hide for the rest of my life. I'm only sixteen! I still have so much life to live, and it just got thrown all away for reasons that I don't even know. Jedi across the galaxy are being brutally murdered by the troops that we've put our trust in for so many years. They're our friends. For those of us who survive this... we've lost everything. And I mean everything." I wipe the tears out of my eyes before they can even fall.
Hondo sighs. "It is like I told Kenobi when those horned crazies cut you up," he says, pointing to my scar. "You, m'dear, are a fighter. You always pull through. I happen to find it admirable." He lands the ship on the temple's landing platform. "So go. Keep fighting. And if you ever need a crew to join... you probably don't know where to find me, but if you do, you are welcomed with Hondo's open arms!"
I give him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Hondo. I owe you big time."
"Perhaps a little, but for now, my business is about to boom! So I must be off. Besides, I need to sneak out before the air guard finds out what is on my ship!"
"...What's on your ship?" Boil questions.
"Just... don't ask," I tell him. I wave to Hondo as I exit the ship onto the platform, Boil right behind me. As Hondo's ship takes off, I look up at the place I call home. Smoke rises into the air from one of the tall spires. On the ground before me, 501st troopers lay lifeless on the ground. Why were Anakin's men here? Is Anakin okay? Their wounds look to be from a lightsaber, so the Jedi that were here certainly put up a fight.
Immediately as we walk into the temple, we're overwhelmed with the amount of lifeless Jedi and clones alike littered across the corridors. Blasts wounds in heads in chest, speared guts, abandoned sabers and guns. I can see the clones' faces, but the Jedi's open eyes and mouths are scared. Horrified. Taking a closer look, some of the Jedi have the same wounds as the clones. Gashes from a lightsaber. Who could have possibly done this? The fresh air of the corridors now smells of smoke and blood. This is not my home anymore.
I do my best to keep looking forward walking straight, eyes welled with tears. I tell myself repeatedly to not look down, don't look down, don't look down. Don't look into their eyes. Don't try to shake them, wake them up. It would be pointless. Just keep going straight, and find Obi-Wan.
As we turn a corner, I accidentally look down. I cover my mouth with my hand in horror as I choke back a sob. Younglings. Whoever did this even killed the younglings. The kids that used to sit around me an listen to my stories excitedly, then listen to Obi-Wan when he said I told it the wrong way, are all gone. Murdered. Is this the work of the Sith Lord behind Order 66? It has to be, right?
Boil nudges me softly to tell me we have to keep moving. I nod, and we continue. I clench my jaw and keep staring straight ahead. Don't look down, don't look down.
Until I hear a soft, muffled voice.
"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."
My eyes widen as I share a look with Boil and begin to run towards it through the destroyed temple corridors.
"I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place."
"Obi-Wan!" I call out, hoping he'll here me.
"Quiet, there could still be people here!" Boil says as we continue to run.
"This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi: trust in the Force."
"Obi!"
"Do not return to the temple."
I keep running towards the voice, running faster that I feel like I ever have. I don't care if anyone hears me calling out for him. I have to find him. I need him.
"That time has passed, and our future is uncertain."
"Ugh, where is he?"
"I don't know, but you need to keep your voice down—"
"Avoid Coruscant. Avoid detection. Be secret, but be strong."
I turn into a room full of holocrons and signals, a communication center. I hear his voice continue.
"We will each be challenged: our trust, our faith, our friendships."
I run through the isle I hear it coming from around, but I don't see him anywhere.
"But we must persevere, and, in time, I believe a new hope will emerge."
I skid to a stop as I catch sight of a hologram of Obi-Wan. It's just a recording. He was here... but not anymore.
"May the Force be with you. Always."
The recording ends, and his hologram disappears. I reach out towards where it was helplessly, then let my hand drop back to my side as tears begin to fall once again.
The Order and the Republic have fallen. The Sith have created an Empire to take its place. How, I don't know. Everything we've ever fought for is now... gone. We knew the war would end soon, but we never would have imagined it to end like this. We lost.
"We've got to get out of here," Boil tells me.
I nod. "You're right. But there are a few things I need to get first."
"We done have very much time, Arlo—"
"It's important, Boil. Please."
"Let's make it quick, kid." I nod as I start out of the blue-lit room past a security panel. The blinking play button catches my eye, and I stop in front of it. "Arlo, we probably shouldn't—"
"I know... but..." I hesitate, but reach out and push the button. A hologram recording pops up...
"Is that... General Skywalker?"
"It... it can't be..."
Anakin kneels before the same hooded figure that gave Boil the orders to kill me. He's... he's turned.
The hooded Sith Lord speaks. The audio is jumbled and breaks up. "Darth— Vader—"
"Yes— my— master—"
I look closer at the hologram, at the hooded Sith in particular. I hear another static voice from the recording.
"Chan— Palpati—"
"...Chancellor Palpatine?" I question in shock. "He... he's the Sith Lord?"
Boil looks distraught. "How...?"
"I... I don't know."
Boil sighs shakily. "So this entire time, we've secretly been serving a Sith Lord without knowing it?"
"So that's how the Empire took over so easily. Because he's been in charge of the Senate. He's been playing both sides the whole entire time. And now... Anakin... is his new apprentice." I turn off the recording. I can't watch anymore.
"Do you think General Kenobi knows?"
"It looks like this recording's already been played. I'm sure he's been here. We're on the right track, at least." I bury my head in my hands. "Anakin's been so distant, so moody lately, it just seems so obvious now."
"You couldn't have stopped him, kid. We can't control the decisions others make."
"But there really is so many things I could've done. I've never been one to thing about the 'what if's'... but that's all that's on my mind right now."
Boil puts a hand on my shoulder. "I know, kid. It's hard sometimes, though." He sighs. "I don't mean to be insensitive, but we should really—"
"Yeah, I know. Let's move." I take one last look at where the hologram of Anakin was, then jog away, Boil behind me. Obi-Wan's quarters are nearby, so I stop there first, just to double check. "Obi-Wan?" I ask. No response. I take notice of his favorite poetry book on his nightstand and grab it, then I leave the room and start towards mine quickly. When I enter, I grab a backpack from my closet and set it on my coffee table. I grab Waxer's helmet from my dresser and shove it to the bottom of the bag, then put Obi-Wan's book in. I then go to my nightstand and take out Qui-Gon's lightsaber, the letter from Obi-Wan, and the small drawing of us, Anakin, and Ahsoka, then put it all in the bag, close it, and sling it over my left shoulder.
"Is that all?" Boil asks as we exit my room. I take one last glance at it before the door shuts, and nod. We run through the corridors, floors covered with lifeless bodies, and I take it all in one last time, trying my best to not look down. We make our way out to the landing bay we came into the temple on. A Jedi ship sits at the end. That's our only ride out of here. We start to run to it, until I hear a blast. I pull out my saber to block it, but it's too late. It hit Boil straight in the gut.
"Boil!" I shout. He clutches around his stomach as he drops to his knees. I look over and see a squad of clones where we had came in. Before I can stop them, they shoot at the ship's engine and destroy it. There's no way out now. But I at least have to put up a fight. I ignite my saber and stand in front of Boil, blocking their blasts at us. With the last of his strength, Boil picks up his blaster and shoots back at them from behind me from his knees. But as he grows weaker, he lays down on the ground, not able to keep going. I turn to check on him worriedly, and in my distraction, I feel a blast hit me in the back of my right shoulder, uncovered by my backpack. I fall on my knees and drop my saber with a shout of pain, clutching my shoulder. Before the last of the clones can shoot me down, I Force push them back into a wall, knocking them out. I sigh a shaky breath as I feel tears I didn't know I had fall down my face. I crawl over to Boil and hold him upright with my good arm. There are tears in his eyes.
"Don't cry, kid," he tells me. "I'm okay. It's okay."
"No, it's not, Boil, please, just stay with me, for me, for Numa, we're gonna be okay—"
"Arlo... I'm gonna... I'm gonna go see Waxer," he says, slightly smiling. "Waxer's got me."
I tearfully smile and go along with it. The thought of Waxer seems to comfort him. "Y-yeah... you're gonna see Waxer, he's gonna be so proud of you, Boil. You've done incredibly, you... you s-saved me."
"It's just part of my job, kid. Now go... get... out of... here. Do you... want me to... tell Waxer... you say hello?"
"Yeah, g-go ahead and tell him that. Hello, Waxer."
He smiles as he repeats my words. "Hello... Waxer..." His head falls limp onto my chest as he exhales one last time.
"...G-goodbye, Boil," I stutter out as I let out a sob.
Every single part of me hurts right now. But the pain in my heart makes everything else go numb.
I'm on my own now.
Until a ship from above flies close towards the platform. It hovers a few feet over the ground, not fully landing, as the ramp opens and someone steps out. It's Senator Organa.
"I'm not here to hurt you," he immediately assures me. "You can trust me."
Master Yoda steps out from behind me. "Padawan," he sighs, relieved to see me.
"I'm going to get you all out of here," Senator Organa tells me.
"But w-what about Obi-Wan?"
"Sent to finish Darth Sidious' new apprentice, he was," Master Yoda says.
"You sent him to kill Anakin?"
"Know already, you do?"
"I saw the footage, I... I can't..."
"Padawan Just, we really must go. There should be more troops on their way to find you right about now," Senator Organa tells me. I nod and take one last look at Boil, then place him gently on the ground. I would've taken his helmet if he still had it, so I could keep it with Waxer's, so I instead settle for taking the piece of armor off of one of his shoulders. I shove it into the side of my backpack as I stand up and jog towards Senator Organa's ship, careful not to move my right arm or shoulder in any way. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, it's throbbing. My side, where I was hit with my father's electrostaff, still stings, but not nearly as bad. I hop up onto the ship and enter behind Yoda and Senator Organa. "I wish I could tell you I have some kind of medical wing on this ship, but I'm sorry to say I don't. However, we're setting a course for Polis Massa, and they can patch you up there." He then leaves and walks towards the cockpit.
"Is that where Obi-Wan is?"
"Come from Mustafar, he will. Worry, do not." Him and I begin to walk towards the cockpit slowly. "Save you, that clone did?"
"Yes. I... I don't know how. He tried to kill me, at first. When they were shooting at me, I wouldn't kill them. I hit him in the side of the head. It knocked him out. Then he found me when he woke up and helped me. He said it felt like something in his mind was controlling him, making him follow Sidious' orders. I assumed it had something to do with the clones' programming. I remember Dooku helped guide the creation of them. It seemed like the only logical explanation."
"Right, I believe you are. Placed in their heads at a young age, behavioral chips were. Said to make them less independent than their DNA donor, make them obedient, but a lie, that may have been."
"So you're saying that these chips... they were, I don't know, activated when Sidious gave them the orders to kill the Jedi, and made them completely obedient to him?"
"Yes, believe so, I do."
"So when I hit Boil in the head, I hit him hard enough that I... damaged the chip?"
"A logical explanation, that would be."
"How long have you know about the chips? We could've done something about it, stopped this!"
"The impact of the chips, we did not know. Nothing we could have done, there is." He sighs. "What is done, is done." I don't reply to him, only nod, as I walk off in the opposite direction of the cockpit. I turn a corner and slump down the wall, hugging my knees to my chest. I look down at the palms of my hands. They're soaked in mine and Boil's blood. I wipe below my eyes with the back of my hand. My face is caked in sweat and tears, my left cheek still streaked with my father's now dried blood. Splotches of crimson are speckled on my tunic on my side, and a sea of the same dark red almost blossoms on the back of my shoulder. I bury my head into my knees and curl away, letting out an occasional soft sob to myself. It hurts.
Over the years, I had built myself back up again.
Now, I feel myself begin to recollapse.
—
so i lied to you all before, i'm actually going to write arlo into a few of the very last scenes of revenge of the sith even though i said i wasn't going to in the next chapter. but it won't be a lot of them. i feel bad for doing this to arlo now she simply does not deserve this :(
thanks for reading! -a 🪐