Jasper stood wordlessly at the wheel of the skiff he had stolen, looking on at the alien landscape with a blank expression. Composure. That's what he needed to have right now. A rustling in the scrap caught his eye, as the skiff was carrying with it various mounds of mechanical trash. Amidst them was a the upper torso of a QR-unit, which seemed to be functional. It made no attempts to move towards him, simply looking up at the Jedi.
"Aren't you a curious specimen," the droid whirred inquisitively. "Most flesh-bags don't risk said flesh to gain the upper-hand in a conflict."
"It was opportunity cost," Jasper stated plainly. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"You allowed your hand to be impaled by a harpoon so that the toe-cable would pull you aboard," the machine stated in response. "Categorically, most of your kind considered to be reasonable would find that, as you organics put it, 'mentally ill.' My estimates are that some core part of your flesh-processor has sustained noteworthy damage."
Jasper winced as he flexed his hand, the puncture wound in his palm still fresh. The bandage he had used to bind the wound was already needing to be replaced. Still, his bacta was already low. He needed to preserve as much as he could.
"That isn't even taking into account that your first decision was to fly through a cave system, uncertain if there was even a suitable exit-"
"You talk to much," the Jedi Master lamented. "What are you even here for anyways? Did those pirates like being berated?"
"Those hulking morons were unaware of my activation," the droid answered. "I've been laying dormant amongst their musk for days."
"Musk?" Jasper scowled. "You were given scent receptors?"
"Regrettably," the QR-unit buzzed. "My flesh overlords considered it vital for the removal of unsavory clients from the luxury vessel upon which I provided security functions. A foolish assignment given my advanced navicomputer interfacing capabilities. I found such a posting to be an insult."
A luxury cruiser? Someone else had been brought here, and recently it seemed. More importantly it would imply that somewhere around here there may be components of a hyperdrive. Anything to get him back home... whichever way that was. There was so much to think about that the thoughts cluttered Jasper's mind. What did he even begin worrying about first? Perhaps it was for the best that the adrenaline was keeping him fixated in the moment and moving. He didn't have time for a breakdown.
"You're a pilot droid?" the Jedi mused. "Do you know where we are?"
"Estimates place us deep within Firefist," the machine answered. "Prior to fatal wreckage, hyperspace anomalies were reported across the galaxy. Results show collision of satellite galaxies and the decay of long-established hyperlanes. Protocol was to seek refuge in the nearest system. The vessel's captain assumed himself too skilled to be lost in lanes he stated he knew like the back of his hand. My analysis concluded that he was an egotistical troglodyte."
"Firefist..." Jasper muttered. "Those green guys were the Tof then..."
"Affirmative. Placement of the system is presently unconfirmed. No recorded cluster of planetary bodies within Firefist were previously reported to house twin black holes. Estimates place such anomaly as a high risk factor that may decrease the odds of safe departure."
Of course there had to be something to complicate everything. At least he had an answer for where he was, partially anyways. From there, however, his mind drifted back to that shadow. Those pirates, they addressed her as 'sire' or something along those lines. Were they being lead by that thing? More strange was his recollection of her distinct aura. He was no adept at reading signatures in the Force, but her darkness was familiar... uncannily so. For a moment he almost mistook the feeling for what he felt on Ord Providence facing Lord Kalrath... Certainly not. This was something different.
"You seem to hold disdain for organic beings," the Jedi Master noted. "Why comply with my questions?"
"Escape from this hellhole has been identified as a preferable outcome," the droid stated. "Consider my compliance... business. Nothing more."
He always found the weird droids. Jasper sighed, turning his attention fully back to the sky ahead of him. The planet fell to night, a heavy mist setting in that shrouded the land below. It was a blanket of fog so thick he couldn't see. Jasper gritted his teeth in frustration before ultimately relenting to the will of nature, descending to land the skiff for the night...
