For keeva...
...who requested a while back that I do RR-verse Artoo and Threepio. :) *Sighs* Considering I'm feeling massively shitty *again*, now would be a good time. (Sorry it's late, BTW; I got really busy. :)
1. C-3PO never expected to meet up with R2-D2 the way he did. If anything, they couldn't have been from more different backgrounds -- he was a protocol droid built by a lonely farmboy to help his family around the farm, and R2 was the Princess' personal droid -- but in a bizarre way, Threepio mused, they managed to hit it off quite beautifully.
Even now, repairing Luke's old podracer (and having to endure the howls of Mace Windu's Wookiee companion) and talking with R2-D2 about old space battles the droid had apparently been involved in, Threepio muses that, in between the sand and the general unpleasantness of Tatooine life
only Master Luke really keeps him sane. If anything, there's something about the way the sand gets in his circuits and gears that makes him wish he could get off planet -- perhaps go soaring with Master Luke, but they can't afford to let Owen and Beru Lars fend for themselves. It's not an easy existence being a moisture farmer, after all
this, perhaps, isn't that bad.
2. Getting behind the cockpit of a starfighter for the first time
with Luke Skywalker, just to make things worse
is something he'd prefer to forget. In between the boy seeming to ignore everything he was trying to tell him and being determined to give him the most hellish crash-course in blowing up Centerpoint Station that R2-D2 never wanted to experience ever again, by the time they managed to make it safely back to Alderaan, R2-D2 was already looking forward to a fresh polishing -- perhaps spending more time with Mara. At least she was the only one who could even begin to make sense in this insanity.
"Oh, calm down, R2," Luke said, a hint of good-natured teasing in his voice. "It couldn't have possibly been that bad!"
"REALLY?"
"We managed to take out the station, didn't we?"
"THAT MAKES IT ALL BETTER THEN, DOES IT?"
Silence.
"Look, R2," Luke said. "I'm really sorry for what happened. I guess I got a little...caught up in the heat of the moment. I...do you know what it's like being stranded on Tatooine, never able to see the stars?"
"AND THAT'S AMPLE JUSTIFICATION TO PUT ME IN DANGER?"
"That wasn't my intention. Trust me." Tenderly, Luke patted R2's dome. "I'll try and pay more attention next time."
"PROMISE?"
"Promise."
3. When Master Luke finally returned to the homestead, things had changed. More than a few things, in fact. Even in between welcoming Master Luke back in relief and trying to inform him of everything that had happened, trying so desperately to distract him from the fact that his foster family had been killed by Tusken Raiders
it shouldn't have ended this way. Not like this
Threepio couldn't evade the look of utter murder in his Master's eyes -- towards him or the Tuskens, he wasn't sure. Even now, stepping away from Luke, he could hear Mara trying to comfort him, see Leia try and restrain him.
"I'm sorry, Luke," Leia said. "I'm so sorry. But don't make it worse. Don't -- "
But Luke had taken the speeder already -- sped out into the middle of nowhere, no doubt to "deal with" the Tusken Raiders.
"We have to go after him," Mara said, softer now. "Threepio -- stay with Artoo. Don't cause any trouble."
"But -- "
"Threepio," Leia said, "Please."
And something in her voice, firm yet gentle at the same time, was enough to allow Threepio to remember his position.
"Very well, Mistress Leia. Artoo's safe with me."
And so the two women left. Even as Artoo turned towards him, Threepio reached towards the astromech to gently stroke his dome -- for all they bickered, they wouldn't trade one another for anything.
"I do hope they know what they're doing, Artoo..."
And even the normally sarcastic astromech, Threepio mused, couldn't come up with an answer proper for the situation.
4. When Luke and the others came back -- no, even that wasn't right, because Mara was carrying Luke in her arms. If anything, Luke looked exhausted, and in pain, and perhaps worse --
Artoo beeped frantically, whirred towards Mara and Leia. "IS HE ALL RIGHT?"
"He passed out," Leia said. "I -- " Even the way she broke off was enough to tell Artoo that whatever happened, it couldn't be good.
Even staying by Luke's side didn't help; even now, overhearing Leia and Mara's conversations, to which he could mostly make out "sand people" and "slaughtered them all" and "he'd never -- it was like he was possessed" and "Dark Side", R2-D2, for the first time, felt a sense of fear and helplessness. This wasn't Luke. This wasn't his beloved Master. If anything --
"He'll be all right, R2," C-3PO tried to say. "He's quite hardy -- for a human being."
But even so, R2 couldn't help but feel that perhaps, Luke would never quite be all right. Ever again.
5. Even after he woke up from his brief bout of unconsciousness, Luke refused to tell Threepio about what happened at the Tusken camp. If anything, as months passed by, he seemed to become more restless, more aggressive -- whatever the Vong Wars were doing to him, Threepio didn't like it. There weren't any words for how he wished that his old Master were back. His old Master -- funny, sarcastic, loving and warm and friendly. This new Master -- he was far from cruel
if anything, he still acted a bit like Luke when occasions called for it -- laughing, smiling, making a few jokes
but something in him said that this wasn't the old Luke Skywalker he knew. This was a stranger.
So it was after bidding his Master farewell once more that Threepio turned to Mara. "I do hope he's all right."
Mara turned towards him, gave him an uncommonly watery smile. "I think he'll be fine, Threepio. He is, after all, quite hardy...for a human being."
6. Being out in the field with Luke was quite different from being stuck at home like Threepio was. Like Mara was, at times. And in the interest of fairness, he didn't know what it was like to be stuck at home like Threepio was, but R2-D2 knew that somehow, the way he saw Luke was...different than how Threepio would see him. To R2, in battle, Luke was the same Luke he'd known and loved -- and slightly feared, if only for his ridiculous piloting skills. Enthusiastic, practically bursting with light and life -- laughing and vibrant and free -- and yet capable of being firm if necessary. But late at night, when the troops were resting, it was only then that things became...clearer, one could say.
Brakiss helped, one could say. Mara and Han helped as well, as did Threepio and Dack Vesser -- and Scout, bless her. The girl was too devoted to Luke for her own good, but she was pleasant nonetheless. At the very least, she was perhaps the most approachable of the troops, perhaps.
But even then, it didn't hold off the nightmares that Luke kept having. Probably since Geonosis -- Caedus slicing his hand off -- even coming close to murdering him. And Mortis...worst of all was Mortis.
R2-D2 hadn't seen what Luke and Han had seen -- yet from the nightmares, he could slightly piece it together. Something had happened on Mortis -- something that had cut into Luke's soul so potently he doubted Luke would ever truly recover. The best he could do was try and be there for his Master -- but even that didn't seem like enough.
7. Around Mara, Threepio mused, was perhaps where Luke was the most content. And it was true even now. Even listening to them laugh with one another, joke with one another, share stories -- it was perhaps the most alive he'd seen Master Luke in a long while. It wasn't every day that C-3PO thought about it, but there were times when he
and perhaps Artoo?
wished that he were flesh-and-blood -- if only to decipher the strange mannerisms that humans seemed so oddly fond of. And yet...
C-3PO was fluent in over six million forms of communication, but this -- this was different. More than different. The best explanation he could give was that as long as Master Luke was happy, all was well. And perhaps that was all that mattered.
8. Even Luke's "explanation" as to why they needed to go to Mustafar sounded ludicrous. Worse than ludicrous, even. Mustafar was a molten death trap from what R2-D2 had heard -- why would anyone want to go there? Why would anyone want to hide there, even?
"It would be the last place anyone else would suspect," Luke had said. "They probably thought no one would think to find them." Silence. "Up until now, of course."
"ARE YOU EVEN SURE -- "
"No, R2, I'm not changing my mind."
"YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE THE TIME -- "
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Luke said, but there was a hint of teasing in his voice.
"NEVER."
Finally, they reached Mustafar -- landed safely, to boot. Luke turned to him.
"R2 -- stay with the ship. If there's any trouble, we'll prepare for takeoff."
"I SHOULD GO WITH YOU -- "
A warm smile suddenly broke across Luke's face -- perhaps the first genuinely warm smile R2 had seen in a long time. "R2, you're amazing. More than amazing, really. But you'll have to stay behind this time." Silence. "I won't be long. I promise."
And then, before R2 could even protest, he was gone.
9. Something had gone wrong. Worse than wrong. Even seeing Master Solo return to the ship -- tattered, exhausted, in pain , Threepio already had a sense of what had just happened. But Master Luke and Master Solo -- they would never -- they love one another -- they'd never come to blows --
"Is Mara okay?"
"We've got her inside the ship, sir. She's badly hurt, though. We have to get to a medical facility -- "
"Set the coordinates for Polis Massa."
"But sir! "
"Just do it." And there was something in Master Solo's voice that suggested that, somehow, the discussion was closed. Even setting the coordinates for Polis Massa, Threepio could hear Master Solo consoling Mistress Mara -- something that sounded like hold on, kiddo -- we're going to make it out all right --
But Threepio doubted it. Mistress Mara's injuries were serious -- worse than serious. And if they didn't get to Polis Massa on time --
The best he could do was do his duty, but even that didn't seem that simple anymore.
10. Even helping Han and Threepio get Mara onto the skiff, Artoo had a feeling that he had to be gentle with her. Whatever Luke had done to her -- perhaps a medical droid could sort out what happened, but even then, Artoo knew that somehow, Luke had hurt her. His beloved Master had hurt her. Hurt his own wife. Somehow, in between Qui-Gon trying to kill Chancellor Brie and this , nothing seemed to add up. Everything seemed to be backwards, borderline illogical --
The best he could do was be with Mara and the others throughout these numerous lapses in logic -- Luke was gone. Mara was hurt. The trio had been broken. But at the very least he and Threepio could try and help Mara -- do what they could. Perhaps that was the only thing that made sense anymore.
And yet...
Somehow, he doubted it was that simple. Because even approaching the asteroid fields of Polis Massa
perhaps the nearest colony where Mara could get any help
R2-D2 already had a feeling that it wasn't that simple anymore.
1. C-3PO never expected to meet up with R2-D2 the way he did. If anything, they couldn't have been from more different backgrounds -- he was a protocol droid built by a lonely farmboy to help his family around the farm, and R2 was the Princess' personal droid -- but in a bizarre way, Threepio mused, they managed to hit it off quite beautifully.
Even now, repairing Luke's old podracer (and having to endure the howls of Mace Windu's Wookiee companion) and talking with R2-D2 about old space battles the droid had apparently been involved in, Threepio muses that, in between the sand and the general unpleasantness of Tatooine life
only Master Luke really keeps him sane. If anything, there's something about the way the sand gets in his circuits and gears that makes him wish he could get off planet -- perhaps go soaring with Master Luke, but they can't afford to let Owen and Beru Lars fend for themselves. It's not an easy existence being a moisture farmer, after all
this, perhaps, isn't that bad.
2. Getting behind the cockpit of a starfighter for the first time
with Luke Skywalker, just to make things worse
is something he'd prefer to forget. In between the boy seeming to ignore everything he was trying to tell him and being determined to give him the most hellish crash-course in blowing up Centerpoint Station that R2-D2 never wanted to experience ever again, by the time they managed to make it safely back to Alderaan, R2-D2 was already looking forward to a fresh polishing -- perhaps spending more time with Mara. At least she was the only one who could even begin to make sense in this insanity.
"Oh, calm down, R2," Luke said, a hint of good-natured teasing in his voice. "It couldn't have possibly been that bad!"
"REALLY?"
"We managed to take out the station, didn't we?"
"THAT MAKES IT ALL BETTER THEN, DOES IT?"
Silence.
"Look, R2," Luke said. "I'm really sorry for what happened. I guess I got a little...caught up in the heat of the moment. I...do you know what it's like being stranded on Tatooine, never able to see the stars?"
"AND THAT'S AMPLE JUSTIFICATION TO PUT ME IN DANGER?"
"That wasn't my intention. Trust me." Tenderly, Luke patted R2's dome. "I'll try and pay more attention next time."
"PROMISE?"
"Promise."
3. When Master Luke finally returned to the homestead, things had changed. More than a few things, in fact. Even in between welcoming Master Luke back in relief and trying to inform him of everything that had happened, trying so desperately to distract him from the fact that his foster family had been killed by Tusken Raiders
it shouldn't have ended this way. Not like this
Threepio couldn't evade the look of utter murder in his Master's eyes -- towards him or the Tuskens, he wasn't sure. Even now, stepping away from Luke, he could hear Mara trying to comfort him, see Leia try and restrain him.
"I'm sorry, Luke," Leia said. "I'm so sorry. But don't make it worse. Don't -- "
But Luke had taken the speeder already -- sped out into the middle of nowhere, no doubt to "deal with" the Tusken Raiders.
"We have to go after him," Mara said, softer now. "Threepio -- stay with Artoo. Don't cause any trouble."
"But -- "
"Threepio," Leia said, "Please."
And something in her voice, firm yet gentle at the same time, was enough to allow Threepio to remember his position.
"Very well, Mistress Leia. Artoo's safe with me."
And so the two women left. Even as Artoo turned towards him, Threepio reached towards the astromech to gently stroke his dome -- for all they bickered, they wouldn't trade one another for anything.
"I do hope they know what they're doing, Artoo..."
And even the normally sarcastic astromech, Threepio mused, couldn't come up with an answer proper for the situation.
4. When Luke and the others came back -- no, even that wasn't right, because Mara was carrying Luke in her arms. If anything, Luke looked exhausted, and in pain, and perhaps worse --
Artoo beeped frantically, whirred towards Mara and Leia. "IS HE ALL RIGHT?"
"He passed out," Leia said. "I -- " Even the way she broke off was enough to tell Artoo that whatever happened, it couldn't be good.
Even staying by Luke's side didn't help; even now, overhearing Leia and Mara's conversations, to which he could mostly make out "sand people" and "slaughtered them all" and "he'd never -- it was like he was possessed" and "Dark Side", R2-D2, for the first time, felt a sense of fear and helplessness. This wasn't Luke. This wasn't his beloved Master. If anything --
"He'll be all right, R2," C-3PO tried to say. "He's quite hardy -- for a human being."
But even so, R2 couldn't help but feel that perhaps, Luke would never quite be all right. Ever again.
5. Even after he woke up from his brief bout of unconsciousness, Luke refused to tell Threepio about what happened at the Tusken camp. If anything, as months passed by, he seemed to become more restless, more aggressive -- whatever the Vong Wars were doing to him, Threepio didn't like it. There weren't any words for how he wished that his old Master were back. His old Master -- funny, sarcastic, loving and warm and friendly. This new Master -- he was far from cruel
if anything, he still acted a bit like Luke when occasions called for it -- laughing, smiling, making a few jokes
but something in him said that this wasn't the old Luke Skywalker he knew. This was a stranger.
So it was after bidding his Master farewell once more that Threepio turned to Mara. "I do hope he's all right."
Mara turned towards him, gave him an uncommonly watery smile. "I think he'll be fine, Threepio. He is, after all, quite hardy...for a human being."
6. Being out in the field with Luke was quite different from being stuck at home like Threepio was. Like Mara was, at times. And in the interest of fairness, he didn't know what it was like to be stuck at home like Threepio was, but R2-D2 knew that somehow, the way he saw Luke was...different than how Threepio would see him. To R2, in battle, Luke was the same Luke he'd known and loved -- and slightly feared, if only for his ridiculous piloting skills. Enthusiastic, practically bursting with light and life -- laughing and vibrant and free -- and yet capable of being firm if necessary. But late at night, when the troops were resting, it was only then that things became...clearer, one could say.
Brakiss helped, one could say. Mara and Han helped as well, as did Threepio and Dack Vesser -- and Scout, bless her. The girl was too devoted to Luke for her own good, but she was pleasant nonetheless. At the very least, she was perhaps the most approachable of the troops, perhaps.
But even then, it didn't hold off the nightmares that Luke kept having. Probably since Geonosis -- Caedus slicing his hand off -- even coming close to murdering him. And Mortis...worst of all was Mortis.
R2-D2 hadn't seen what Luke and Han had seen -- yet from the nightmares, he could slightly piece it together. Something had happened on Mortis -- something that had cut into Luke's soul so potently he doubted Luke would ever truly recover. The best he could do was try and be there for his Master -- but even that didn't seem like enough.
7. Around Mara, Threepio mused, was perhaps where Luke was the most content. And it was true even now. Even listening to them laugh with one another, joke with one another, share stories -- it was perhaps the most alive he'd seen Master Luke in a long while. It wasn't every day that C-3PO thought about it, but there were times when he
and perhaps Artoo?
wished that he were flesh-and-blood -- if only to decipher the strange mannerisms that humans seemed so oddly fond of. And yet...
C-3PO was fluent in over six million forms of communication, but this -- this was different. More than different. The best explanation he could give was that as long as Master Luke was happy, all was well. And perhaps that was all that mattered.
8. Even Luke's "explanation" as to why they needed to go to Mustafar sounded ludicrous. Worse than ludicrous, even. Mustafar was a molten death trap from what R2-D2 had heard -- why would anyone want to go there? Why would anyone want to hide there, even?
"It would be the last place anyone else would suspect," Luke had said. "They probably thought no one would think to find them." Silence. "Up until now, of course."
"ARE YOU EVEN SURE -- "
"No, R2, I'm not changing my mind."
"YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE THE TIME -- "
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Luke said, but there was a hint of teasing in his voice.
"NEVER."
Finally, they reached Mustafar -- landed safely, to boot. Luke turned to him.
"R2 -- stay with the ship. If there's any trouble, we'll prepare for takeoff."
"I SHOULD GO WITH YOU -- "
A warm smile suddenly broke across Luke's face -- perhaps the first genuinely warm smile R2 had seen in a long time. "R2, you're amazing. More than amazing, really. But you'll have to stay behind this time." Silence. "I won't be long. I promise."
And then, before R2 could even protest, he was gone.
9. Something had gone wrong. Worse than wrong. Even seeing Master Solo return to the ship -- tattered, exhausted, in pain , Threepio already had a sense of what had just happened. But Master Luke and Master Solo -- they would never -- they love one another -- they'd never come to blows --
"Is Mara okay?"
"We've got her inside the ship, sir. She's badly hurt, though. We have to get to a medical facility -- "
"Set the coordinates for Polis Massa."
"But sir! "
"Just do it." And there was something in Master Solo's voice that suggested that, somehow, the discussion was closed. Even setting the coordinates for Polis Massa, Threepio could hear Master Solo consoling Mistress Mara -- something that sounded like hold on, kiddo -- we're going to make it out all right --
But Threepio doubted it. Mistress Mara's injuries were serious -- worse than serious. And if they didn't get to Polis Massa on time --
The best he could do was do his duty, but even that didn't seem that simple anymore.
10. Even helping Han and Threepio get Mara onto the skiff, Artoo had a feeling that he had to be gentle with her. Whatever Luke had done to her -- perhaps a medical droid could sort out what happened, but even then, Artoo knew that somehow, Luke had hurt her. His beloved Master had hurt her. Hurt his own wife. Somehow, in between Qui-Gon trying to kill Chancellor Brie and this , nothing seemed to add up. Everything seemed to be backwards, borderline illogical --
The best he could do was be with Mara and the others throughout these numerous lapses in logic -- Luke was gone. Mara was hurt. The trio had been broken. But at the very least he and Threepio could try and help Mara -- do what they could. Perhaps that was the only thing that made sense anymore.
And yet...
Somehow, he doubted it was that simple. Because even approaching the asteroid fields of Polis Massa
perhaps the nearest colony where Mara could get any help
R2-D2 already had a feeling that it wasn't that simple anymore.