This journal starts off where my 2014 DDC fanfic, The Journal of Jax Pavan, left off. I simply changed the character POV. The DDC Challenge is where I have to keep a journal of a Star Wars character and post at least two posts per months for a year.

I was asked by a couple of my readers if I would write my journal in the POV of Jax's droid friend, I-Five. At that time I said no because I didn't think I could get into a sentient droid's head. I still don't know if I can do it, but I am going to try. I know where I left off in the last journal didn't leave me with much to write about. Jax was spared by Vader but told to disappear. Jax won't go back to the rebellion, but he does own a spaceship and is out of a job. I am thinking he could find work as a smuggler or a trader in the outer rim. I am not sure what I am going to write about. I am a seat-of-my-pants type of writer. I never outline or prepare in any way. Any plot suggestions would be appreciated.

The first entry is more of a character introduction than anything else.
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File location: Auxiliary memory and Removable Storage
Encoded: Cryptic

Entry 1

I am I-5YQ. I began my existence as an ordinary 5YQ-series protocol droid. Days after I was manufactured I was purchase by a wealthy couple that sadly reproduced and spawned the most disagreeable offspring I ever had the misfortune of encountering. For entertainment these foul creatures would order me to jump off buildings or perform other destructive activities until I was shattered and malfunctioning. I was then unceremoniously shipped off to a junk dealer who intended to dismantle and sell me for parts.

Fortunately, a human information broker named Lorn Pavan purchased me. Pavan was not a rich man and could not afford an authorized I-5YQ technician to perform my repairs. Instead, he refurbished my damaged systems himself. Either by design or by accident, my creative dampeners were disabled during Pavan's modifications and repairs. The alteration of my computer brain resulted in my ability to learn and think. Without computer processor restrictions I gradually became self-aware and developed free will. Simply stated, I am now sentient. Lorn Pavan was the first organic being to treat me as something other than a droid. He called me a friend and considered me his equal.

My friend had a unpleasant relationship with the Jedi Order, having once worked at the Jedi Temple. When the Jedi discovered his son Jax was Force sensitive the youngling was invited to train as a Jedi. Pavan allowed his son to go to the temple thinking he could see him daily, but as soon as Jax became a padawan the Temple fired the elder Pavan so the child would not develop an attachment to his father. Lorn felt betrayed. The loss of his son created marital discord with his wife and his spouse soon divorced him.

He failed to get his son back from the Jedi, but he continued to attempt contact with the boy. During a particularly perilous situation he gave me a mission in the event of his death—to one day locate and protect his son.

It wasn't until after Emperor Palpatine ordered the destruction of the Jedi Order that I finally encountered Jax Pavan. The young man was not particularly pleased to make my acquaintance. The existence of a sentient droid he found somewhat disconcerting. Fortunately, the younger Pavan had an innate ability to befriend people…including droids.

For the last year I have worked with Jax Pavan in an effort to overthrow Palpatine's empire. Jax's band of freedom fighters also include: Den Dhur, a Sullustan reporter turned insurgent; Sacha Swiftbird a former Antarian Ranger; Magash Drashi, a Dathomiri witch; Norro, a thirteen-year-old boy rescued from the prison planet Despayre.

Our small group fought to overthrow the new Imperial regime until recently. A few weeks ago Sacha and Jax became romantically involved and mated. This resulted in a pregnancy. After a run in with Darth Vader Jax has decided the only way to ensure the safety of his friends and family is to avoid contact with the new empire. We are currently searching for a world where we can live in peace.

I have never witnessed the fabrication of a new human. For this reason, I intend to record events during the gestation period, the newborn's release from uterine confinement and the growth of the nascent human.

As a droid I record everything I see and hear, but there is always the chance of file deletions. Therefore I am compiling my thoughts and observations in journal format and saving the information on my internal hard drive and an additional copy on a removable memory card.

Entry 2

Our group is currently onboard a Helix-Class light interceptor named Laranth for destinations unknown. Jax named the ship after Laranth Tarak, a Twi'lek rebel who died to save me, Den and Jax. She was Jax's first love and he deeply mourned her death for a year.

I also was affected by Laranth's death. I am unsure if what I felt could be classified as sadness, but I found myself replaying the circumstances leading to her death over and over through my databanks. It was an illogical information loop, but it did occur frequently for weeks.

Den told me he also experienced the same reoccurring thoughts and wished he could go back into time and change things. I informed him that while time dilation has been known to occur it usually allows movement only from the present to the far future and not into the past. At that point Den informed me his words should not be taken literally.

I am pleased that Jax is no longer depressed. He has fallen in love and has started the process of procreation. This morning I entered the ship's flight deck only to find Sacha and Jax in a close embrace and osculating. I quickly slipped out of the cockpit before they noticed me. I have determined they prefer privacy when performing their pre-copulation mating rituals.

Presently, I am occupying my Human Replica Droid body. I have various models to include an Artoo chassis and a 501-Z police droid model. My original protocol droid chassis was damaged in combat and patched together with cannibalized parts from other droids. If an inebriated monkey-lizard decided to build a deformed droid—it would probably look like my protocol chassis. At this time, I only have my droid brain transferred into that chassis if there is a good chance of a mission ending in my decapitation...which happens more often than I would care to admit.

I prefer my HRD body, especially when interacting with sentients. When in an Artoo form my friends often forget I am in the room. I become another machine akin to a food synthesizer or a hyperdrive.

I also favor the HRD frame because it is the most advanced chassis I have ever occupied. HRD droids were designed to function as decoys or spies. Their synthskin and biofiber outer shell is indistinguishable from humans.

I have downloaded the human behavioral programs from the original droid's brain, but, because of the complexity of the model, there are smaller droid brains located throughout the body that control behaviors that simulate human functions. It appears these brains' programs are triggered automatically. For example, my eyes will unnecessarily blink when exposed to bright light. When I sense cold temperatures my body simulates a pilomotor reflex causing small bumps to spread across my arms and legs. I am designed to react as a human.

I find human osculation extremely interesting and baffling at the same time. I do not understand why the pressing of the lips causes Jax and Sacha so much pleasure. I have researched the history behind the gesture and some scientists believe it was a form of pre-mastication in primitive man. Mothers would chew food and then deposit the bolus to the infant child's mouth. Humans no longer need to regurgitate food to feed their young, so I was curious as to why the behavior persisted.

I went to the dining area of the ship and found Magash sitting at a table and sipping a drink. I sat down across from her and gave her my most serious expression. "I would like to experience the sensation of kissing. Can you assist me?"

Magash, a Zabrak/human hybrid, started choking on her drink. When she recovered she gave me what I interpreted as a look of incredulity. "You want to kiss me?"

"Yes. It is purely for research. I would like to record this body's reaction to that particular form of intimate contact."

She laughed and shook her head which I interpreted as as a negative response.

"I understand. I will ask Den for his assistance."

She laughed at that suggestion. "Den is not only a Sullustan but a male."

"Does that matter?"

Magash smirked. "Your programing might be species and gender specific."

That was a logical possibility. "Perhaps I should ask Sacha."

She once again found humor in my suggestion. "Not unless you want to get Jax upset. Those two have bonded and bonded couples are possessive of each other."

"I understand." I rose out of my seat and began to walk away but Magash stood and grasped me by my arm. When I turned around she moved her hands to the back of my cranium and pulled me towards her until our lips were firmly pressed together. I was stunned at the programming responses activated by the various smaller brains controlling what would be involuntary responses in humans. I felt the pilomotor reflex activating. My eyebrows rose reflexively. My eyes dilated and I felt a shift of various hydraulic fluids. When Magash gently sucked on my lower lip I became concerned. I didn't want her damaging my HRD body. Fortunately Den walked into the room which caused Magash to pull away.

"Whoa!" Den gasped as his head turned back-and-forth between me and Magash in an almost comical gesticulation. "What is going on?"

Magash turned away and I noticed her skin temperature rose slightly. It was a human reaction I recognized as embarrassment. "I asked Magash if she would allow me to kiss her so I could record any reflex responses of this HRD body."

Den's eyes examined me closely before biting down on his bottom lip. He shook his head a few times before running a hand over his face. "I would say your droid body had a response." He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into our cabin. He looked down at my trousers. "I-Five, remember when you said those fleshy protrusions below your belt line were ornamental in nature…well, I think you were incorrect in that assessment."

I looked down to where he was gesturing and realized this body was more fully functional than I realized. I gazed at Den in disbelief. "Why would a droid be programed for this type of response?"

My friend laughed before dropping down on his bunk. "Because humans are a bit strange. I am fairly sure when the first human-like droid was created the first question was, 'Can we kriff it?'"

"I am extremely surprised at the results of my experiment. Smaller auxiliary brains throughout my body control these autonomic reactions. This was not a conscious response."

Den laid back on his bunk and started laughing in a near hysterical manner. When he caught his breath he grinned at me. "Are you saying your little brain was thinking for the big brain?"

I considered his words for a moment. "I believe my earlier comments could be interpreted as such."

Den picked up a pillow and put it over his head in an attempt to muffle his laughter.

"I fail to see the humor." I sat down next to Den. "How long will this reaction last?"

He sat up and shrugged. "I think when the stimuli is taken away you should return to normal." His gaze raked over me. "You look fine now."

My droid brain attempted to process the sensations surging through my circuits. I could analyze what happened in a detached manner as a droid, but as a sentient I was experiencing confusion…because I felt something new. It was a reaction unfamiliar to me, but not unpleasant. I need to research this matter in more detail.

This is a very interesting development.