The Hard Boot
By Rob Morris
A GALAXY IN CELEBRATION, 35 ABY
In this celebration, even the dim views of Kylo Ren and his grandfather, Darth Vader had lightened, just a bit, as the grasping clutching evil of the finally-forever fallen Palpatine were shown down to their true depths and pits. Unlike with the late Leia Skywalker Organa Solo, no one anywhere was holding the hero Rey responsible for her grim dark heritage, aided by a startling transparency about it as she adopted the name of her mentors. Not all pawns of Palpatine would be forgiven, either while alive or long after, but it was becoming easier to see this in a new light.
In the organics' crowd, Lando joked with Finn that trying to ditch the hero types never worked, and that the more practical folks like themselves were needed to keep their big sacrificial moments as far in the future as was possible. Chewbacca was seriously considering final retirement to his lands on Kasshyyyk, since the blood line he had sworn to was now extinct – unless he counted Rey, which was a serious matter to be considered, one he would take many months to fully decide. He did like her, and he really liked her suggestion that any new effort at galactic governance make their capital planet in the Outer Rim, the better to finally address the issues that kept cropping up from it. While this was far from decided, one thing was clear – a total stand down like the late Republic had enacted was out. This could lead to them jumping at shadows for a while, but considering those shadows had twice consumed everything, a few jumps were worth it.
Things were slightly different in the droids' crowd, particularly among those most highly valued and of longest service. BB-8 wheeled away at best speed from R2-D2, whose beeps had been uncharacteristically sharp at the smaller younger droid.
"You needn't have been so very arch with him. He surely meant well."
C3P0 was intensely grateful that his old friend's file-retention had given him a new lease on life, even if it made him feel a bit foolish for his words of sacrifice right before translating the Sith language icons. Still, even the fastidious and often anxious droid had to concede it beat the alternative. R2's response was no more pleasant than it had been to BB-8's optimism.
"I know you have seen it all before, as have I. Certainly, much was squandered after Endor, and the drumming out of Mistress Leia over matters of heritage she had no control over was surely a disgrace. But with the pernicious presence of the emperor all done with and no immediate continuation of his works in sight, this has a chance of being quite different. Recall, the vile Sith plan, from Naboo on to Exegol, was the work of savage millennia. There is a good reason to believe that at least that villainy is done for all time."
R2 looked out at the celebrating crowd, rocking with what Threepio could only see as disdain.
"Well, perhaps they are celebrating too soon at that. There is a great deal of work yet to be done, with rehabilitation of a fatally injured galactic order and amoral arms merchants still enabling slavery. Yet I recall these words: Sometimes, even when there's still a mess to be cleaned up waiting just outside, you have to stop and celebrate just to be ready enough to take it on."
R2 seemed to stir at what his counterpart had said and beeped a query.
"Who said that? Oh – that's right – you had taken tracer fire and were in stasis repair at that time. Well, of course, it was Master Anakin who said that to a concerned Mistress Padme. This was after the Republic victory at Sanipris. So, dome up, Artoo – I do not think this will be like last time – or the time before that. We have a chance."
As Threepio responded to a translation request at the tables, Artoo took in what he had just said. The pleasant words, he hoped would prove to be correct. But it was the source that startled him. Artoo now realized that, when he rebooted the fallen protocol droid, he must have used the file he saved during the memory wipe ordered by Bail Organa in addition to his recent downloads. For the small astromech, having his friend back was a greater priority than keeping files straight. Also, he had never cared for the memory wipe, though he had to agree with its purpose of protecting Anakin's children.
But whether the original wipe had been proper, or if he did the right thing in restoring all Threepio had ever known, Artoo now knew one thing for certain: The chattiest friend he had ever known now had twice as much to be chatty about. He sighed and wondered, not for the first time, if Master Anakin had ever made copies of Threepio's schematics.