Private Sacrilege

[Prodigy]

Prodigy's quick reaction time betrayed him, as he couldn't move in time to prevent Arlo from being struck again. He stared in surprise, finding that his armor had stayed the plasma's impact. The boy swung again, only the have the beam caught in Prodigy's hand, which was also surprisingly unphased by the energy it was now holding. Arlo recovered not a moment later, and disarmed the boy of his saber entirely. Then, like a mere blemish, the Force was snipped from the boy's presence. Prodigy watched sadly as he collapsed. He couldn't claim to know what the Force felt like, but by all accounts it was a tragic sensation. The loss of a sense, especially one so universal as that.

“You shouldn’t have interfered,”

Prodigy simply stared as the man laid into him. He had no interest in arguing, "Next time, it would do well to share your stratagem with your allies," He placed a hand over his chest, "All the same, apologies. Were it not for your armor, my error would have had much worse consequences." He slowly turned around back towards the boy, "It hurts now, child. But in time, you will find yourself lucky. The Force haunts those who carry it. Celebrate your return to normalcy."

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

“I thought you were a spectator,” Arlo shot back. “Or at least, smart enough not to get between us.”

Truth be told, Arlo was a loner. Always had been. He’d given the droid the bare minimum of information because he wasn’t used to having a companion who could stand up for themselves against an FU.

"All the same, apologies. Were it not for your armor, my error would have had much worse consequences."

Arlo gave a wordless grunt. The boy continued to wail inconsolably, stripped of his power.

"It hurts now, child. But in time, you will find yourself lucky. The Force haunts those who carry it. Celebrate your return to normalcy."

Prodigy’s sermon fell on deaf ears. “Kill me,” the boy pleaded. “I-I murdered his sister, too! She was a witness, I had no choice—just kill me! My life is worthless now!”

“Kill yourself,” the Mystic retorted coldly. He snatched up the discarded lightsaber, stowing it in his pack. “My job is done.”

He walked away, heading back to the mouth of the cave, leaving the boy to his fate.

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

Prodigy balked amusedly, "Do you always invite a peanut gallery to your stakeouts?" No matter, what's done was done. Arlo didn't seem to make a grudge out of it either way. The boy had none of Prodigy's preaching, instead revealing more guilt.

"Ah," the machine replied disappointedly, "Only at his rope's end to he admit the full scope of his crimes. A Jedi indeed," He turned to leave alongside Arlo, "Your life is worth as much or as little as you make of it." Was the last advice he offered until they left sight of him.

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

"Shut up."

It was a pain-laced snarl, flung over Arlo's shoulder as he staggered out of the cave. Once he was outside, he had no choice but to stop, sinking to the ground. It wasn't the fight that had set his arthritis off, but the hike there. His joints simply weren't having it anymore.

He fumbled with his pack, dumping out a tube of ointment, a jar of pain pills, and vials of stims. The stims worked best for alleviating the pain, but turned his stomach afterward. The pills were opioids, filled out in the name of one Ethel Windtalker. He didn't know who she was, but he appreciated the relief.

After tossing back some of the pills, he rubbed the ointment on his knees, waiting for the pain to subside. Normally he would’ve just left without another word, sparing his machine companion a proper goodbye. But no, instead he was sitting here rubbing arthritic ointment into his joints. Not that he gave a chit if the droid stared at him. Let the clanker gawk.

“Now that the murderer’s been pulled down to earth with the rest of us mortals, I hope you don’t expect some kind of reward.”

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

Prodigy simply studied the man as he suddenly set to relieving his joints. It was a strange transition, but given his species, it seemed evident the man was older than he looked. "Slowing down?" The machine replied, already knowing the answer, and clearly referring to more than just their physical speed. Metal did not age, not in the way flesh and bone did. Provided he maintained himself properly and avoided any premature dismantling, Prodigy would live forever. He didn't have any concept of growing old, but he understood it was a complex subject to those who did.

“Now that the murderer’s been pulled down to earth with the rest of us mortals, I hope you don’t expect some kind of reward.”

If the droid could smirk, he would have. In fact, his hired jaw seemed to angle in a somewhat comparable expression, "Usually the show is the peanut gallery's reward." He contemplated turning and leaving the man be once and for all, but stopped himself. After another pause, he asked, "Do you intend to just keep doing this until it takes you? Until the next Jedi brat hits a little quicker than you?"

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

"Slowing down?"

Arlo shot the droid a glare that could’ve melted a glacier, but did not respond.

"Do you intend to just keep doing this until it takes you? Until the next Jedi brat hits a little quicker than you?"

“Until I figure out what the Force wants with me,” Arlo snapped. “I was brought back from the dead for a reason. Until I find it, I have nothing better to do.”

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

Prodigy remained unflinching. He paused again, debating whether or not to offer what he had in mind. Finally, he decided to take the chance, "Perhaps the Force brought you back so that we might meet." The machine extended a hand, "Have you ever heard of the Path of the Open Hand?"

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

The droid's words were jarring enough to Arlo that he looked up at it with sharp wariness, but undeniable intrigue. What could a machine possibly know of the Force?

"Have you ever heard of the Path of the Open Hand?"

"An ancient faith which worships the Force, and believes Force Users abuse its power." He set his jaw. "The Chaldean Potentium is partly descended from them. Last I heard, they tried to make a comeback a few years ago, led by a mysterious preacher known only as Prodigy."

Suddenly it all clicked into place. Arlo stared at Prodigy for a few moments, then covered his eyes with his hand. "Thanks be to the Force," he whispered. "I thought I was the last of my kind, all alone in the galaxy..."

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

Prodigy stared knowingly as Arlo spoke of the Open Hand. He offered a metal hand to the old man, "My attempts to revive the Open Hand were… frustratingly short-lived. Too many clashing tenets and methods." The machine sighed, "But it is nice to once again find a like-minded man."

"There's more out there than you realize."

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

This time Arlo studied the mechanical hand for only a moment before taking it. He hauled himself to his feet on arthritic knees, peering at the droid. “Yes,” he muttered. “I suppose I’ve seen stranger things than a religious robot.”

He straightened up, adopting a stoic expression as he asked, “What do you intend to do now?”

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

If Prodigy could smirk, he would have. "Can artificial life not find comfort in the divine, the same as flesh?" He looked up at the sky, falling into contemplation, "I… do not know." That was not something that happened to him often, "I've been ambling ever since the Path fell apart. Trying to preach a message few will listen to. Or at least, few will act on."

"What about you?"

Arlo Renard​

 

[Arlo Renard]

"Can artificial life not find comfort in the divine, the same as flesh?"

“Perhaps you were programmed to take comfort in it.” Arlo still seemed bewildered by Prodigy’s faith. “Or you somehow have an eternal soul that will live on in the Force forever…”

He listened to the droid’s answer, his brow furrowed. “I have nothing to tie me down anywhere. I was contemplating getting myself a ship and traveling wherever the cosmic winds take me. But now… This changes things.” He crossed one arm over his chest, laying his closed fist against his heart. “Our paths have crossed for a reason. I sense we are meant to accomplish something. Your Path of the Open Hand may have failed, but we could start anew. Rebuke these Force Users drunk on power, together. What do you say?”

Prodigy​

 

[Prodigy]

"Who knows…" Prodigy mused amusedly. He listened, hopefully about what Arlo had to say. He hadn't expected him to embrace the idea of a partnership, but it seemed this like-minded old Methuselan similarly took their meeting as a sign from something greater than themselves.

The machine lowered its head, "I say…" He proffered a hand, "The Force brought us together. And we would be fools to ignore its efforts."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Arlo Renard​