Icarus: - Impossible. -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - Surprised to see me? -

Icarus: - I saw you die with my own optical sensors. I walked to the place where you fell and saw your lifeless body. How is it possible that you are still alive? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - Hmm. "Staying alive" isn't exactly the term I'd use. -

Icarus: - This must be a mistake. Computer. It performs a diagnosis on my circuits and detects any failure or anomaly. - Still, nothing happened. - Computer? - He asked worried.

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - You should not be alarmed, dear friend. How can you see... This place goes beyond the reality you know. -

The droid did not understand exactly what the Cerean meant. It all seemed too strange, but somehow, he seemed to know what he meant. He turned his head in all directions to the immense column of gray miasma that surrounded him. There was nothing. There were no plants, animals, or metal structures. There was no sound, and he even doubted if it was light that he could see with his optical sensors. In that strange space of barely five cubic meters, there were only the two of them.

Icarus: - What is all this? Because I am here? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - Those are questions for which I don't have an exact answer. Or at least one you can understand. We are in a space between reality and fiction, a space created by the Force itself. A type of astral space. -

Icarus: - That doesn't make sense... And if true. Only organics are capable of achieving such "fantasies." -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - "Fantasies" you say. But here you are, in front of me. Talking to someone that supposedly shouldn't be possible. - The droid tried to give him a logical answer, but the truth, nothing occurred to him. - And to answer your second question... I don't know for sure why you are here. -

Icarus: - What do you mean? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - For some reason beyond my understanding and years of study, the Force has a strange connection with you. To be more exact, with that strange thing you have on your chest. -

Icarus: - My core? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - Do you know what it is? -

Ícaro: - My improved core allows me to process a greater amount of information in less time, and make a more accepted decision depending on the situation. - The droid's answer was precise, but it did not seem to convince the Cerean.

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - It seems that there is a lot about yourself that you still have to discover. -

The droid heard those words, and for some reason they managed to reach deep inside the droid. And that was because he knew he was right. Not understanding the principles of the Force, if they could be called that, he felt there was a lot he didn't know about himself and that strange "enhanced core" in his chest. All the information he collected explained the components of said kernel, but at no time did they explain its purpose or what it was designed for. Apparently, that was something he had to figure out on his own.

Icarus: - And tell me. How can he see you? What are you exactly? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - In the ways of the force, I am what is usually known as a "Force Ghost." But as far as I understood, that was a myth. Why I am here today and talking to you in this way is a mystery to me too. But it looks like it's related to what you're hiding in your forearm. -

Icarus: - Your lightsaber? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - It seems so. -

A few minutes of strange silence passed, quite uncomfortable for the droid, who saw that strange silhouette of ghostly tones in front of him. He was trying to find a logical explanation for everything that was happening, but unfortunately, logic couldn't help him in that situation. Then the Cerean spoke after a long breath, as if she were somewhat disappointed by the encounter.

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - As long as you try to see the world through logic, you won't get anywhere. There are things that calculations and mathematics cannot solve. -

Icarus: - But... I'm a droid. Calculations and computations is what defines me. -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - They don't define you. they slow you down - He sighed once more. - "To calm the mind is to put the Galaxy in firm hands." -

Icarus: - What does that mean? -

Ki-Adi-Mundi: - For you... nothing. At least not yet. But for the person in front of you... it will mean many things. Say those words to him and you can count on his help. -

Saying this, the Cerean's ghost began to slowly fade away, regardless of the droid's attempts to grab his hand to stop it. Instead, Icarus felt his body suddenly plummet down an abyss, a deep, dark abyss, but when he turned on his optics, he found himself back in the Felucian jungle. She had fallen out of her "meditation" pose and had to get back up to see what had happened.

Shaak Ti: - Did you have a good dream? - He asked something joking.

The droid stood up, only to see the togruta was still in the same meditative pose, the only difference being that various birds and animals from the local fauna gathered around it. As if it were a dryad from legends. Icarus did not know it, but he had a blue bird perched on his head. But after a gesture from the Jedi, all the animals withdrew into the forest.

Icarus: - What happened? -

Shaak Ti: - You were "out" for a long time. -

Icarus: - "Fuer"? How long has it been? -

Shaak Ti: - About four hours. More or less. -

Icarus: - And... Ki-Adi-Mundi. Where did he go? - Unknowingly, Icarus caused the serenity on the togruta's face to turn into a slight sadness. -

Shaak Ti: - Ki-Adi-Mundi died five years ago. He and many great Jedi died that day. -

Icarus: - No. He was here. A few seconds ago. You did not see it? -

Shaak Ti: - The Force only reveals what is necessary to those who need it. What he showed you, no one else can see. But I doubt very much that he has shown you a memory as painful as death. -

Icarus: - "To calm the mind is to put the Galaxy in firm hands." - He repeated as the ghost of the strength of Cerean told him, but without knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Shaak Ti: - Where did you hear that? - She asked surprised.

Icarus: - Ki-Adi-Mundi instructed me to tell him. He mentioned something about Force Ghost or something. He said you could help me. -

Shaak Ti: - Help you with what... exactly? -

That was a very good question. One that the droid had no answer to. What was he to do? What part of himself should he accept? Was it related to the famous Force that the Jedi talk about so much? To tell the truth, Icarus had no idea. The only thing he could think of was to open his forearm compartment and show Ki-Adi-Mundi's lightsaber to the togruta.

Shaak Ti: - Where did you get that from? - She asked a little angrily.

Icarus: - From battlefield over the capital city of Mygeeto. It took a long time to understand the clones turned against their own Jedi generals. It was all very... confusing... Incoherent. -

Shaak Ti: - And what do you plan to do with it? - He asked something challenging.

Icarus: - I don't know... - He said thoughtfully. - I suppose I should give it to someone who is worthy of carrying it. I don't have the ability to use it properly. -

The droid held its hand out in front, offering its lightsaber to the togruta. He didn't know why he was doing it, and he really computed that he didn't have to. However, deep inside, he believed that it was the right thing to do. But Shaat Ti's reaction left him very confused.

Shaak Ti: - If it was the will of the Force that you carry that saber, so it must be. I am not the one who should decide your fate. That decision is up to you. -

The droid stared at him, puzzled by the togruta's words. He was supposed to accept it, either because of the weapon's value to the Jedi, or because of its significance to his ancient order. The fact that he found it rejected by "the will of the Force" did not make the droid question how important that Force was to the Jedi, and what exactly it was.

Unable to reach a clear consensus on what to do, the droid and togruta returned to the Village before night fell. There they went their separate ways. Shaak Ti retired to his chambers to meditate on all that he had heard in the forest today, and Icarus withdrew to the command room, where he made contact with the group that came to the aid of the gossams.

Icarus: - Boil. Inform me of the situation. -

Through the comlink you could see the crouching clone trooper, engaged in combat against the Imperial troops. It was almost night, and darkness was closing in on the Felusian horizon.

Boil: - Commander. We're in the middle of a fight outside the gossam shelter. We droids and militiamen do our best to keep them at bay, but they are too much. We have managed to evacuate most of the civilians, but soon we will have to withdraw. -

Icarus: - Resist lieutenant. When the sun is hidden the stormtroopers will withdraw. Until then they must hold positions. -

Boil: - How are you so sure?... Shit!... - He exclaimed when a blaster hit near his position.

Icarus: - The night in Felucia is dangerous and they know it. The Empire is in no rush to capture the planet. They already know they will win. -

Boil: - So... Did you do the calculations? What are the chances of winning this battle? -

Icarus: - 2%. - The news was like a bucket of cold water about the clone. - Our priority is to survive to fight another day. Any news from Mirana? -

Mirana: - Yes. Here I hear you Commander. - She screamed a few meters from Boil, although Icarus couldn't see her through the holo-projector.

Icarus: - We have a lot to talk about, lieutenant. -

Mirana: - I'm glad to see you too, Commander. -

Icarus: - That's all. Prepare for a massive withdrawal. Follow the Felucians, they know the jungle better than anyone. -

Boil: - Yes, sir. You heard the commander! Hold positions and prepare to withdraw! -

Then the call ended. Icarus did not want to say it before, because he did not want to destroy the confidence in the resistance of Felucia, but he knew perfectly well that there was no possibility of victory. There never was. All they could do was fall back, take back Mirana and as many civilians as possible. Although he also knew that they couldn't take them all.

It was a long night, and just as he had anticipated, the Imperials slowed their advance once the sunlight faded. Felucia was a dangerous place, and whoever was in command of operations on Felucia knew they needed every troop alive if they were to subdue the planet. A tough opponent, Icarus thought. One that could prove to be quite a challenge to your strategies.

The droid spent the night monitoring the progress of the evacuee caravan to safety, while checking other sectors of the planet that were also in conflict. Thanks to Boil's leadership, casualties were nil upon their arrival, and they held off the stormtroopers long enough for them to withdraw.

He also gave Delta the coordinates for the Village, so they would land the Kestrel Nova somewhere nearby. Apparently, the campaign on Felucia was going to last more than a couple of days, and Tova wouldn't last that long alone locked in the ship with the droids.

Finally the sun began to peek over the horizon, marking the beginning of a new day, and a new battle. The droid had computed some plans to contain the Empire in some sectors, albeit provisionally, but enough to organize a mass evacuation. He only had to convince the residents to leave their planet, but he knew that this was not going to be an easy task. He was involved in his calculations, when he heard the voice of the togruta speak to him behind his back.

Shaak Ti: - Ready for the first day of training?