Archie Ilaiah's Star Wars Quests: Book I: Vengeful Entity

Chapter 7: The Phantom Apprentice [Part 2]

Jedi Knight Archie Ilaiah

The hologram shoots up and I let out a relieved sigh. I'm glad he answered.

"So where are you?" I ask him.

"Coruscant."

"Well, I know that." I roll my eyes. "But like, are you at the Temple or something?"

"Don't worry. I'm in a secure spot away from prying eyes. No one knows, but it would've been nice to know where you were if you'd told me you were going to Mandalore at the last minute."

"My people need me." I sigh. "And I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you. I wish there'd been more time, but Bo-Katan and Ahsoka needed me."

"Yeah, General Vegili told me. I'm glad you're helping them."

"Me too." I whisper sheepishly. "I'm just not...I'm not sure if it was the best decision."

His face twists. "What do you mean?"

"I'm glad I'm helping, but what if it's not a good idea for me to help?"

"Archie, you're a respected Jedi Knight and there's many reasons why. Your improv is incredible, you're passionate about your work and hobbies without letting it control everything you do, you care—"

I'm sick of him avoiding the issue. "But what happened to that respected Jedi Knight who was so passionate about his work and cared about the Republic?" I spit. "Pako, do you even know what they did to me? The places they took me? If I even dare say it was as bad almost as what the Separatists did to Echo. I was a slave. I was an experiment. A work in progress of a weapon that could've killed more lives than it already did."

The silence and the expression on his face are deafening. He sighs sadly.

But it's true. I went away. Who knows if I've even come back? Am I even meant to be here? Should I leave like Ahsoka did, because how can I trust myself?

"Babe," He says. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I know it wasn't you."

"If it wasn't me, Pako, then why can I still remember everything from when that dumb chip controlled me? Don't you get it? It wasn't just battling you that rocked me. It's the fact I could do nothing. I had much less than a percent of say. I was watching 'myself' from the outside as 'I' slaughtered thirty innocent clones. What if you had been one of them?"

"But I saved you."

"Yes," I smile, a tear coming to my eye. "You did, Pako, you did—as you've done before, and you do it so well. And I'm so grateful to you, but this is something I've got to figure out by myself. I need to search my soul."

"I can help you—"

"Can you?" I ask, knowing he can't say anything. The door opens from behind. It's Ahsoka, Rex, and Bo-Katan. "I've gotta go."

"I love you." He says. "Remember that, General."

The hologram shuts off. I turn around as Ahsoka arrives behind me.

"So...who was that?"

I blush. No answer.

"Did they change the rules of the Code?"

The top of my head feels itchy and I feel like I might start sweating.

I've been caught.

"Nope."

"So you've broken the Code." She concludes.

"Yes! Yes, Ahsoka! I've broken the Code! Just please—"

"Calm down." She says, throwing her hands up. Bo-Katan seems confused.