The Light and the Dark - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 41

"Babu's in the back."

Zorii led the Resistance members through a cantina. Many creatures surrounded the area, having drinks and hanging out. The Resistance members kept their heads down, just in case anyone could recognize them. They just looked ahead and followed Zorii to where her friend, Babu Frik, was.

They entered a room, where a small alien creature was. Zorii spoke in a different language to him, telling him what was going on. The creature, Babu Frik, responded and they hooked C-3PO up to some wires. Babu began to work on him, going through his memory banks.

"I haven't the faintest idea why I agreed to this," C-3PO said. "I must be malfunctioning. I must be malfunctioning."

Rey gave him a pat on the shoulder as she walked over to Babu. "Babu Frik? Can you help us with this?" She asked him. Babu responded in a different language, leaving her confused. She turned to Finn, who shrugged in response. "Zorii? Is this going to work?"

Zorii and Babu quickly conversed in the alien language. "He says he found something in your droid's forbidden memory banks," she translated. "Words, translated from Sith."

Rey nodded at her. "That's it," she said.

Zorii looked over at Poe, completely baffled. "Who are you hanging out with that speaks Sith?" She questioned.

Poe ignored her question, not wanting to explain. "Can you make him... Babu, can you make him translate it?" He asked.

Zorii and Babu conversed once more, Zorii repeating Poe's question to the creature. "Yes," she translated. "But it will cause a complete-"

"A complete memory wipe," C-3PO finished for her.

"Wait, wait, wait," Poe said. "We make him translate it... he won't remember... anything?"

"Droid, memory go blank," Babu said. "Blank, blank."

"Oh!" C-3PO exclaimed, unsure of the procedure. "There must be some other way."

Alinah looked over at R2-D2, remembering something. "R2, don't you back up his memory?" She asked him. R2-D2 beeped back at her, which made her sigh in frustration. "He has it, but it's back at the base. If we go through with this, C-3PO's mind will be blank for a while."

"Oh please, he probably doesn't even have it anyway," C-3PO said. "His storage units are famously unreliable."

R2-D2 spat back at him, insulted. Rey looked at the protocol droid, knowing that he would know the answer. "You know the odds better than any of us," she said. "Do we have a choice?"

C-3PO paused, considering the odds. He stood up, walking a bit and looking away from everyone. "If this mission fails... it was all for nothing," he said, repeating Poe's words from earlier. "All we've done... all this time..."

C-3PO looked back at everyone, taking in the sight. Everyone looked back at him, awaiting a response from him. But none came. He just looked at the group, not having anything to say. It was as if he was seeing others there, not just the Resistance members. R2-D2 rolled up to him, making a few sad beeps. C-3PO rested a hand on his dome, as a way to reassure his friend.

"What are you doing there, Threepio?" Poe asked.

"Taking one last look, sir," C-3PO said, looking at everyone once more. "At my friends."

Everyone gave him a sad smile as Babu prepared for the translation. Padmè put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll have your memory restored in no time," she reassured him. "It'll be like none of this ever happened."

"Oh, I sure hope so," C-3PO said.

Just then, the group heard thuds from outside. "Night raids are going to start soon," Zorii said. "I'll keep lookout."