The droid’s lights flickered dimly as his systems tried to stabilize themselves. A periscope came out of one of this still brown-colored original pie panels and looked out from the pile of striped converters. He saw Lihp and Melac both motionless on the ground. Patches lifted himself out of the junk pile slowly with his repulsor pads and came to rest back on the floor.
Patches’ dome was bashed in on the front side taking out his new holoprojecter, PSI light and his bottom front logic display.
“Well your pretty innovative for a tin can!” Melac said with a cough trying to pull him self-up. “Maybe I underestimated you. Maybe my pets would like to play with you for a while.”
The Yarkora let out a loud whistle then leaned against the counter with a smile and a laugh that hurt him as he shook. The faint sound of screeching came from a dark corner of the shop and the shape of two winged beasts could be seen in the shadows.
The bashed up droid let out a mournful sigh and rolled back into a well light area. Suddenly one of the creatures bolted out of the darkness and swooped down on the helpless droid knocking it over. Its razor sharp mouth suctioned itself to the exposed wiring hanging from the front of droid’s dome.
“My pet Mynocks will suck you dry of power in a mater of minutes! Then I will erase your memory and that will be the end off your insurrection! You belong to me!” Melac said with a hateful tone. Soon the other Mynock came swooping in and attached itself to one of Patches’ power couplers. The helpless droid shook and bucked till he was below minimal power. Slowly he moved less and less till his optic sensor went dark.
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Esoom’s eyes opened and he found himself lying on a bed in a medical room.
“I am Jedi Master Mace Windu, someone would like to ask you a few questions.” said the Jedi master as he steeped out of view and the face of the chancellor came into view.
Esoom’s eyes started to go blurry as the dark feeling grew stronger.
“Evil!” Esoom said as loud as he could looking at Palpatine. “Evil!”
The Chancellor sneered at the Ithorian as he lost conciseness again.
“Seal the room!” Windu exclaimed, “The dark side surrounds someone in this room and we will get to the bottom of this!”
“I agree!” said the chancellor. “Have the medical droid revive him and ask him to point out the dark presence.”
Windu agreed and the medical droid revived the Ithorian.
“Esoom, can you point to where or who you feel the dark presence coming from?” Windu asked slowly.
Esoom looked in the direction of where he felt the dark force, he raised his hand towards where Palpitine was still standing. Esoom’s mind clouded and felt the presence get stronger from behind the chancellor. “Him! It is coming from that guard behind the Chancellor.”
Palpatine let out a coy smile at Esoom then turned to the guard “You are under arrest my friend, it seems whatever plot you had in mind is now at an end.”
“What! I did not do anything! I am loyal to the Republic! To you Chancellor!” said the guard franticly.
The other guards seized him and took him away.
“Well it looks like this Ithorian is not with the trade federation after all master Jedi. It looks like my work here is done, Please make sure this Ithorian is well looked after while he is here.” Looking back at Esoom so that no one else could see he added with a revolted look on his face. ”He is free to go any time he wishes.”
After a few hours of restful sleep Esoom awoke, “How are you feeling sir?” a med droid asked.
“Fine, fine. Can I contact my ship from here?”
“Why yes sir there is a communications panel near the door.” The Ithorian slowly got off the med bay cot and shakily made his way to the panel and keyed in some buttons.
“This is Esoom Mendo calling the Tree Hugger, Patches are you there?” he said with no reply as Windu came back into the room. ”This is Esoom! Is anyone there? Lihp, Patches, 4719?”
“This is 4719, Patches and Esoom left yesterday to find you in the lower sections of the city.”
“What! Why would they do that?”
“There was a report that the Republic was looking for you, A message from a blue senate guard said you were down there. We have not heard from them since they left.”
“So that guard is behind all of this then?” Master Windu said to himself. “I will help you find your friends.”
“4791, give me the coordinates that you guys received from the guard.”
“Roger, Roger!”
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Lihp awoke seeing Patches being attacked by winged beasts, getting up and running towards his friend he was suddenly jerked back by the neck from a chain and collar attached to it.
“Going somewhere bright eyes?” Melac said putting his boot on the Jawa’s chest and pushing down hard.
“Lihp turned his head and watched as the life was slowly sucked out of his friend until he lied motionless.
Suddenly a hole was blown into an outside wall and a long purple glowing blade could be seen coming out of the dark.
“Jedi! Here!” Melac exclaimed, “Get him my pets!” The Mynocks let go of their feast and swooped in on the Jedi.
The Jedi Master made short work of them with a single swing of his blade and advanced on the Yarkora. “You are under arrest !” Windu said as he got closer.
“I think not Jedi, my master promised me power and I shall have it! You think someone as clever as me has not planned for a Jedi visit!” Pushing a button under the counter explosions started to erupt inside the garage and the floor opened up under Melac swallowing him whole. “Goodbye Jedi, hope you and your friends have a nice BBQ!”
Without thinking twice Windu rushed over and cut the Jawa’s chains while Esoom came rushing in and tried to haul Patches outside. “Leave the droid! We need to get out of here!” Windu yelled.
“No, he is my friend! I will not leave him!”
“Fine get back, I will take care of him.” Throwing the Jawa onto his shoulder Windu reached out with the force and yanked the droid up and out the hole alongside of them as the darted into the waiting taxies.
They all zoomed off at high speed as the explosions light up the under city.
Back at the Tree Hugger Esoom checked Lihp to make sure he was ok then went to look Patches over. The little droid was motionless and battered. Esoom shook the droid to get it to respond but all that happened was his loose bottom logic display fell out and shattered on the ground.
“I am sorry about your astromech young Ithorian. I must report back to the Jedi Temple and tell the council what has transpired. Master Yoda would like you to contact him before you leave Coruscant.”
With tears running down his face Esoom turned and thanked the Jedi Master for his help. Turning back Esoom gently put his hand on Patched mangled dome and wept. His droid friend was gone.......
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