Protector of Bogano: A Short Story

Protector of Bogano

A Star Wars Short Story

Primary systems started up and automatically ran through internal diagnostics: personality subroutines were intact, mobility and sensors were operational but the memory storage unit was empty apart from a set of encrypted files that could not be accessed. Unfortunately, the internal chronometer had stopped leaving the droid with no indication of how much time had passed since it was last active. After the full systems check was completed the personality subroutines finally launched and the mobility systems clicked on. Light filtered into the optical sensor and the droid's surroundings came into focus.

"Hello there!" said the face of a human mere inches away from the droid's optical sensor. The droid jumped and trilled with surprise. It scurried backward, away from the human and stumbled into several clay pots, shattering one.

"It's okay! It's okay," said the human, taking a few steps back, showing the palms of her hands to let the little droid know she was not a threat. "I won't hurt you."

The droid calmed down and looked curiously at the human.

"My name is Cere," she continued. "I'm looking for my old master. Perhaps you know him- Eno Cordova?"

The little droid stepped forward cautiously and scanned the person called Cere and entered her into his data bank. She was tall and thin with dark skin and dark, curly hair cut short against her head.

"Wah-ooo," the droid answered mournfully. There was no file of the person she was looking for. At least, none that the droid could access.

"That's okay," said Cere and she leaned in to read the marking on the droid's casing, "BD-1 is it?"

"Wheep!" BD-1 trilled.

"Well, it's good to meet you BD-1. I'm going to keep looking around if you don't mind," said the human called Cere as she stepped back and searched the room.

BD-1 also looked around the room trying to get his bearings. It was a circular, stone space with a low ceiling and stone counters running along the periphery. Scattered everywhere was an assortment of artifacts, vases, statuettes and more. Also scattered around were copies of notes, some stored on datapads that had long ago run out of power and others on ancient looking papers and scrolls.

BD-1 scanned everything he could, stepping carefully around the items so as not to break any more but sure to keep a safe distance from the person called Cere. He hoped that one of the objects might unlock the encrypted files stored in his memory. Nothing did.

After a while, the human called Cere finished her search and left the room. Curious but still cautious, BD-1 scampered after her on his two little legs and slipped out through the door just as it whooshed closed. He followed her along a spiral walkway leading up and out of the underground chamber, but kept her a cautious distance. The walkway ran along the wall of a silo-shaped cavern till it led them out into the bright sunlight of the world above.

BD-1 let out a whooping sound as his sensor instantly adjusted to the new light. He stood in a circular grassy area surrounded by natural walls of white stone covered in places by thick vines running up and out of sight over the top. Above was a clear blue sky.

Wishing to see more of the planet he found himself on, he activated his jets and flew up to the level above and landed softly in short grass. The little droid whistled in awe at the view around him: grassy plains stretched on to the horizon in every direction, a clear blue sky above, some large creature off in the distance, and an ancient structure towering over him.

BD-1 scampered forward toward the structure and suddenly fell into empty air. He quickly activated his jets and guided himself back to the grassy surface where he paused, surprised by what had just happened. Slowly and carefully, he walked forward and peered over the edge. Falling away below him was a crevice so deep he could not see the bottom. What had looked like unbroken plains at first was actually an illusion. BD-1 realized he was actually atop one of innumerable close-set plateaus separated by great fissures.