Entry 9

Recovered Memory

When I woke I found Den sitting in a chair by my side. He smiled and stood when I started to move. "You're back."

I rolled to my side and propped myself up on an elbow. "How long was I unconscious this time?"

"Eighteen hours. We've been taking turns watching over you." He looked toward the door leading to the crew cabins. "I should let everybody know you're awake."

I reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his tunic. "Wait. I need to talk to someone and you're my oldest friend."

A small smile formed under his dew flaps. "Sure, we can talk." He grabbed his chair and pulled it up closer to me. "Just don't get too worked up. I am still trying to determine what's wrong with your memory core."

"About that." I looked down at the deck not knowing what to say. I already adamantly protested that I was human and not a droid and look what that got me. "I know you all say I'm a droid, but everything in my memories tell me I'm not. I recall working as a medical assistant in the Clone Wars on Drongar." I turned to him and smiled. "That's where we met. We used to play sabacc together. One time you got me drunk and we got into a bar fight at Rimsoo's Cantina. You can't tell me that didn't happen."

Den blinked his large dark eyes a few times before answering. "It did happen. You somehow managed to get yourself electronically drunk. If you recall you had your arm pulled off by a Wookiee during that cantina fight."

I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of my cot. "Yes, I did." I ran a hand over the shoulder that was injured but couldn't locate any scars. I looked to Den and shrugged. "Cybernetic limbs are common and they're indistinguishable from the original."

Den's shoulders slumped for a moment before he gave me an excited grin. "I know how to prove it. I can put your droid brain into your 501Z police droid body."

A feeling of abject terror surged through me. "No!"

"Why not? You've done it dozens of times before."

"How would you like it if I told you I was going to scoop out your brain and put it into a droid body?"

Den shook his head in frustration. "Since I am not a droid, I would find that prospect a bit disconcerting…because it would kill me."

"How about if I gave you a very convincing story that you are really a droid. Would you have confidence in the procedure based on my word?"

"I see what you mean." Den blew out a frustrated breath. "Wait. I don't have to do the transfer. Most of your body is sealed shut and you need a special tool to reseal the skin, but the entrance to your brain cavity is at the back of your head and the seams are concealed by your hair. I just have to peal that back and bring a couple mirrors to show you." He gave me a quizzical expression. "Would that work?"

I sat there feeling torn. I would like to put this argument to rest, but at the same time I know I won't react well if what Den claims is true. Would I go into shock again? "I…umm," I mumbled nervously not knowing what I should do. I received a reprieve from answering when Magash exited the crew quarters area and walked into the cargo bay. She obviously had just came from the 'fresher. She was wearing a knee length bathrobe and little else. She smiled upon seeing me and walked over to my location.

"Are you well?" She came to a stop directly in front of me. The cargo containers I was perched upon were tall so I sat about a head higher than Magash.

"I…ummm…yeah," I managed to mumble as my eyes moved from her mesmerizing green eyes, along her perfectly proportioned face, down the curve of her neck before ending their journey at her ample cleavage.

At that point I realized Den was full of Bantha scat. I felt a fluttering in my rib cage, my breathing grew rapid and I was becoming embarrassingly excited by her presence. There was no way I was a droid!

I tried to say something but only incoherent disjointed thoughts coalesced inside my brain. Magash must have noticed my discombobulation. She turned to Den concerned. "Is he going to be okay?"

To my relief, my friend realized my problem and covered for me. "He'll be fine." He reached up and put a hand on her elbow and guided her to the large storage room she had commandeered as her private quarters. "Just give him some time to get back to normal."

When Magash was in her room and behind closed doors Den returned to me while chuckling. "You have it bad for her!"

I threw my hands out in a frustrated gesture. "That should be proof enough that I'm human. A droid wouldn't notice…or get flustered by…stuff." I was totally rambling at this point—another indication that I'm human.

Den's grin grew wider. "Stuff? You mean breasts?"

I shook my head exasperated. "I didn't say that. And please don't objectify her in that manner. She is a friend. We're just friends."

"Kissing friends," Den joked.

At that moment a memory flashed through my mind. It was an image of me and Magash kissing. "That's right! We've kissed before." I pointed toward her quarters. "Why would she kiss a droid?"

Den stepped back and settled down on his chair before leaning forward and whispering to me conspiratorially. "So, you remember the kiss?"

I nodded. "That is not something one would forget."

"Do you remember why you two kissed?"

I thought back but the details were fuzzy. "I assume because she finds me handsome and with a pleasant personality."

My friend laughed. "That may be her reason, but your reported motive was to see how a Human Replica Droid reacted to kissing a female."

I made a face. That was the stupidest thing I have ever heard. "That doesn't make sense."

"Okay, why do you think you were in her room that night of the attempted abduction?"

My eyes went wide as I realized I indeed was alone in a hotel room with her. "Are you saying we're lovers?

Den make a choking sound that morphed into uncontrollable laughter. He had both of his hands over his mouth in an effort to muffle his amusement. "No, you're not lovers." He gave me a wink. "Unless there's something you haven't told me. No, she didn't want to be alone and you were a droid in an Artoo chassis. She felt comfortable with you in the room with her."

"That's ridiculous." I frowned at Den. "You're just jealous, aren't you? Jax is with Sacha, I romanced Magash and there are no female Sullustans for you."

Den chuckled while shaking his head. "That must be it." He stood and patted me on the knee. "If you want to believe you're human, that's fine. I suspect your full memory will return by itself in a few days to a month."

"But I am human!"

Den brought his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I am not going to argue. All it does is upset you. Besides, there's no real danger in believing you're human. Now if a human thought he was an Artoo unit, that might be a problem. A human can't survive the vacuum of space and I would be worried as to what appendage they would use to access a computer port…but take my advice."

"What?"

"Don't eat or drink unless you are hungry or thirsty. Okay?"

I nodded. "Okay."

"Good. I'll let the others know you are up and about. We may need your assistance. We got hired to do some private investigative work here on Phindar."

"Does it have to do with Magash's attempted kidnapping?"

Den grimaced. "Unfortunately, it does."