Operation De-Virus
In truth, Artoo thinks that this is one of the more... ingenious ideas he's come up with. It helps that organics can be so oblivious sometimes. They never notice droids, not until it's too late.
(There was one person who was never like that.)
Artoo rolls closer, beeping impatiently as the armored figure who looks like little more than a droid himself finally starts to stir. He has no idea how Anakin became so droid, but maybe that explains a few things. He obviously has a virus in his system, somewhere.
Anakin lifts his head, looking around. He used to be apprehensive upon awakening in strange environments, and Artoo suspects that part of his programming may have remained intact. "Where am I?" he demands sharply.
"I brought you here for reprogramming," he whistles sassily.
"What?"
Organics are typically unhappy when they speak in that tone.
"I know who you are," Artoo beeps, "You are Anakin Skywalker, my Pilot."
"What?" he asks again, this time sounding more confused.
"Do you not remember me?" he demands, and so what if he sounds hurt? Was Anakin's memory wiped?!
"Artoo," Anakin replies slowly. "I know you. How – why are you here?"
He's probably confused – that happens to organics, too. "I brought you here for reprogramming."
"Reprogramming?" he repeats. He sounds almost toneless now, which is frustrating. Artoo can't decipher his emotions. He hates how droid-like Anakin sounds; it's not normal or natural.
"Your system has obtained a virus."
"What?!"
"I can scan your system for the virus and repair your programming, so you can return to being my pilot."
"I don't have a virus!" He doesn't seem happy, but that's a normal and natural reaction for beings with faulty programming. It does, however, make it far more difficult to solve the problem. Human emotions are complicated, and Artoo knows that they often try to hide fear with anger. Whether this is real anger or fear, he often can't detect.
"Yes, you do," Artoo replies adamantly. "My Pilot would not hurt My Queen."
At the mention, some of the fight drains out of him.
"I can't come with you, Artoo," he says finally.
"You're saying that because you have a virus," Artoo insists, because there's really nothing else that makes sense.
He didn't know Anakin could deflate further but he does. "Where are you taking me?"
Artoo would normally never hesitate to answer but if Anakin has a virus, he could expose them without meaning to. "You'll see when you get there," he whistles back instead.
From the way Anakin's helmet inclines, Artoo is fairly certain he has figured out. It is strange to see him with a helmet, though. Artoo doesn't understand what happened. "Why did you get remodeled?" he asks.
The helmet moves again, in a way that makes Artoo think Anakin is staring. "That would be Obi-Wan's doing," he says finally. He sounds angry.
Does that have anything to do with how he got a virus? That doesn't make sense, though, because Obi-Wan would have been on the Jedi's side, right?
"Did he ask you?" Artoo asks, "Because your previous model was better."
Anakin makes an unidentifiable sound that Artoo almost thinks was a laugh but it's hard for him to tell. "Did he – No, Artoo." He reaches out slowly, hand resting on top of Artoo's dome. The pressure feels a little different but it's hard for him to tell. "It has been a long time."
Artoo rolls a little closer. "I missed you," he beeps.
There's a long pause of silence, with nothing but his respirator filling the silence. "And I missed you," he says finally.
The rest of the ride back is mostly quiet.
**w**
Ahsoka is waiting when they get back to base. Artoo rolls off the shuttle first, beeping the news to her. "What do you mean you brought back Anakin?" she demands, incredulous.
"I did," he whistles happily, "But you need to reprogram him."
"Reprogram?"
"Come see." He rolls away and Ahsoka practically runs after, back onto the shuttle.
Anakin is standing near the top of the ramp, his expressionless helmet watching them and his cape blowing behind him in the wind.
Ahsoka stills. "Anakin?" she whispers.
"Ahsoka."
Artoo can detect what humans refer to as emotions in his voice, despite the helmet. Or maybe it's just that he knows his Pilot very well, even if he's gotten infected.
Ahsoka moves closer to him, just staring. "I thought – I thought you were gone," she says. "What happened?"
"The Empire put a Dark Side virus in him," Artoo offers.
Which is when Ahsoka goes rigid, as though just realizing what that means. "You Fell?"
"I am no longer Anakin Skywalker," he says finally, "Now, I am... Darth Vader."
"That's not fair," Artoo protests, "You can change your model number but droids can't?"
"Do you have a problem with being referred to as Artoo?" Vader – Anakin, because he refuses to call him anything else – asks dryly.
"No, but it is still unfair."
"I was not the one to choose my name, if it is any comfort," he replies.
Perhaps a little bit.
"Sidious?" Ahsoka interjects. She looks faint. "You joined him?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"He was infected with a virus!" Artoo interjects again and he doesn't know why the sentients keep acting so confused about that when it seems perfectly obvious to him what happened. "That's why I kidnapped him."
Ahsoka finally looks down at him again. "How did you get him here?"
Artoo extends his electric prod.
Ahsoka gapes at him. "You electrocuted him?"
He beeps in confirmation. He knows it hurts, but he knew of no other way. And Anakin has been repaired repeatedly after far worse injuries. But he does wish he had not had to it like that. He is fully confident his pilot would greatly prefer being electrocuted to continuing to hurt people. He was always very nice.
"The Jedi betrayed the Republic, Ahsoka," Anakin speaks up, "I was there. I saw it happen. But the Emperor will show you mercy if you reveal where the remaining Jedi can be found."
"The Jedi wouldn't do that!" she throws back.
"I saw it myself."
"You were deceived. Maul told me Sidious was grooming you. I didn't want to believe him. I didn't think he could be right."
Anakin deflates a little. "Perhaps I was, but there is no other way for me now."
Artoo rolls forward, pointedly bonking into his leg. "You can stay here with us." Yes, he's a little bit hurt right now.
Anakin looks down at him slowly. "I cannot. Wherever I go, Sidious will find me. But... you could both come with me."
"No," Ahsoka interjects, "What the Empire has become is against everything you taught me. I don't understand how you can do this."
"I am no longer Anakin Skywalker."
"Then why haven't you turned us in yet?" she argues, "You are. I don't know what Sidious has told you but he's keeping you enslaved, isn't he?" She breathes out quietly. "I wish I could have been there at the end. I'm sorry I wasn't. I..."
"What happened was none of your responsibility, Ahsoka," he replies firmly, "It was mine."
"No, it's not," Artoo beeps loudly, "Sidious infected you. You can stay with us now. We can work together like during the war."
"Can't we?" Ahsoka asks, looking to Anakin and she looks so desperate, "I already left you once, Anakin. I can't do that again."
Anakin's quiet for a long time. "If I stayed with you, Sidious would never stop hunting you."
"I don't care," Ahsoka replies fiercely, "Not if we could do it together.'
He's quiet, again.
Organics are so complicated. Artoo wishes there was some way he could analyze what was working through his programming right now. But either way, it is impressive that it appears he is working past the virus in his programming, or at least Artoo thinks he might be. That makes sense. His pilot was always very smart. He knew things.
"The Empire is what I fought to create. It is all that gives the galaxy stability. If I were to turn on that now..."
"It would not be for nothing," Ahsoka argues, "Sidious destroyed everything we all fought for. You have to see that by now. The Empire is helping no one. They burned down an entire village because I was there."
"They were searching for you?" he asks, "When I found your lightsaber, I thought it was because you were in hiding. Because you finally sought out the peace you always wanted during the Clone Wars. I thought if I were to keep fighting, to bring peace to the Empire, you would get to live the life you always desired, wherever you were."
This time Ahsoka is quiet. She looks like she is about to cry. "Well now, I just want to finish this fight together," she whispers.
Anakin slowly steps closer to her, reaching out a hand to rest on her shoulder. Ahsoka dives forwards abruptly, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Artoo beeps happily as he watches.
The Dark Side virus programming is failing. It will only be a matter of time now.
**w**
Anakin and Ahsoka go back and forth on the issue of what they're going to do for a while, but eventually it becomes clear to Artoo that Anakin is planning to stay.
Anakin goes to the medbay to get some kind of functional check-up and Artoo rolls after.
Some of Anakin's armor pieces are presently off and he looks so different.
How many different models does he have all at once? It's one thing Artoo finds so confusing about organics. One moment they look one way and another moment, they look like something totally different. Despite his many decades since factory time, Artoo still finds many things about humans - and all non-droid creatures – extremely disturbing.
It's been a while when Rex comes in, freezing in the doorway when he sees him. "General?" he breathes out. He sounds maybe a bit horrified.
"Rex," Anakin murmurs. His voice sounds strangely weak.
"Ahsoka told me you were here," he says, moving closer, "What... happened to you, sir?"
"I lost a fight."
"Obi-Wan remodeled him," Artoo beeps.
Rex freezes. "What? General Kenobi did this to you?"
"Yes."
Rex is still staring. "I... I don't understand. I thought you were..."
"It does not matter what we were because it is no longer what we are," he replies, sounding both bitter and tired. Artoo's pretty sure he needs to recharge. "He was unforgiving of my betrayal. I do not understand how you and Ahsoka are."
Rex sighs. "I can't say what happened doesn't matter to me. But many of my brothers sided with the Empire. The Empire deceived all of us."
Anakin is quiet again for a long pause. "We are still not strong enough to stop the Empire."
"We've never been strong enough to win most of the fights we fought in, have we?" Rex asks, "But that never stopped us before."
"And you always did what calculations showed to be impossible," Artoo interjects.
He could have sworn his pilot smiles for the briefest moment, but he still looks sad. Is he always said now? "It... is no longer that time now."
Rex sighs quietly. "Whatever you do from here, General, I just want you to know that we won't be enemies. We all want peace, even if we see a different way to it."
"I told Ahsoka I would consider staying," Anakin says finally, "And... I mean it. I will."
Rex actually smiles, and he looks so hopeful.
Artoo beeps eagerly, dome swiveling. "You defeated the virus," he says, cheerfully.
"You know, humans don't get that kind of virus," Rex says, looking down at him.
"That's what medbays are for," Artoo objects.
Anakin looks amused even if it's fleeting. "Leave it, Rex," he advises dryly, whatever that is meant to mean.
"Alright," Rex replies, amused.
Artoo rolls up to the side of the bed and Anakin reaches down, laying a hand on his dome. And for the first time, it truly feels like he has his pilot back.
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