The moment he hit the floor everything had gone dark, his thoughts stirred, he felt awake but…at the same time he couldn’t see anything. He looked around started to panic “Mmgh, where am I…don’t know…have to save Ira…have to sa-” he was interrupted by a familiar voice, Ira’s voice.
“Good night, Little Brother…” the voice sounded sad and caused Andro to panic further starting to run, but was he actually moving? He couldn’t tell he could feel himself running and eventually stopped. He panted and cried out for Ira.
“Ira!? Come back! Have to save you still!” then a light seemed to shine down in the distance, he could see two people, backs turned to him, he started to walk towards them thinking maybe they knew something but they soon faded, with the light, the void he was in…it was uncomfortable but he felt heavy…tired, soon he closed his eyes only to suddenly wake up in a field somewhere, against a tall tree giving him and the rest of the hillside a good amount of shade.
He heard a whimper, he looked down to see Lotus, the Kath hound was looking up at him before looking up and starting to lick Andro’s face. Andro hugged the dog thinking maybe he had been having a bad dream Was it all real? Maybe…Maybe I’ve been asleep for a couple of days and this is just me waking up now…but…I’m not on Viscara. He looked around and stood, Lotus happily following him down the hill. His clothes had changed too, a plain purple shirt and black pants and rather normal shoes.
He came to a town, the people all seemed busy and content with that life. He eventually found his way out of the town and was drawn down a path. The sun was bright, the grass was vibrant and…everything felt calm. He continued to follow the path and into some nearby woods, here he found a woman with long blonde hair standing in front of a statue of a Phoenix sitting in a flame. He knew this woman…it couldn’t be her though. He stepped closer and finally spoke “Felicity?”.
The woman tuned and it was definately her, she smiled and suddenly ran to Andro hugging him tightly. “You’re here…I’ve missed you so much” she said tears flowing from her eyes as she looked up to him “And I’m so proud of you, you’ve been through so much and I haven’t been there to comfort you…but I’m so proud”. Then it hit Andro…this wasn’t a planet, it was likely a place people go when they die. The sudden realization sent him in a panic once more, his heart beating quickly, his breathing becoming quicker he pushed himself away from Felicity and eventually collapsed to his knees.
“Failed…failed to get Ira back…” he dropped to his hands and started to cry, the stress building, he was dead…so who else was dead too? How many of them are wandering around this plane as confused as he was? He didn’t know, he wanted to scream, he wanted to beg for a second chance. Felicity knelt next to him and rested a hand on his back.
“You didn’t fail Andro…she’s safe now…but a couple of your friends…they didn’t make it either…but it’s ok, they can be at peace…and so can you…you will see everyone again…and you can watch over those that aren’t here yet…like I’ve been watching over you, I’ve watched you through the good and bad times…but no matter what mistakes you made…I always loved every moment I watched you”.
Andro finally adjusted himself so he was sitting and nodded “Could always feel you there…even when in worst situations…could always feel you there”. He wrapped an arm around the woman and she hugged him back moving to sit next to him where he admitted “But don’t want to be dead…want to go back and wake up…so can help Ira…have to help her…”.
It was heartbreaking for Felicity to tell him this however, she hugged him tightly and spoke “You can’t go back Andro…at least…not as Andro…you can be reborn but…you’d be a different person…or…you can check on them occasionally…but it’ll be painful, should I show you how?”. Andro nodded again and stood and Felicity walked around the statue with him down a flight of stairs to another statue, this one was of a large goddess like figure praying. Felicity held Andro’s hand and pressed it against the base of the statue “Focus on who you want to see first and this will take you there”. Andro thought long and hard and he just wanted to see Zain again, maybe he’d be able to see him and possibly help him.
When he opened his eyes Felicity and Lotus were with him, the area was Zains home he saw Zain at the Armorers bench and he called out to him Felicity held Andro’s hand and shook her head “I’m sorry Andro…he can’t hear you…only strong force users can manifest their spirit…you aren’t strong enough to do that…but…” Andro pulled himself from Felicity’s grip and ran to Zain wrapping his arms around him.
“Zain…am here…help me…please…” he realized that while he was making contact with zain…he couldn’t feel it. Andro took a few steps back and he found himself at the statue again. Birds chirping, the general scene of a peaceful countryside. His hands rested on the sides of his head and he let out a frustrated shout. Felicity stayed with him, led him back to a house, she said it was hers and thus it was his home. His new home was nicely furnished…the stone house one like ancient times, the technology of the afterlife was one that was…confusing…there was Holovid technology but people were moving things in carts. It was a few hard days to finally come to terms with his own death but one early morning he got out of bed, Felicity found him approaching the statue of the goddess again and when he placed his hand on it and Felicity followed.
He found himself in the Viscara hospital, he saw Zain again, Ira was on a bed with several IV drips connected to her and someone he didn’t recognise, a man in a red outfit, black hair like his only a bit longer. The man in red looked out of the room and directly at Andro who was not very close to him. Andro accepted that he wouldn’t be the only friend Ira and Zain would have and he just spoke to the man, knowing he may never hear him. “Look after them…they kind of hopeless without me” he chuckled to himself before vanishing and returning to that country side.
Nate stared at the empty space, feeling like he saw someone, heard them speak to him then suddenly vanish. He stared at the empty space for a moment. “Hmm…thought I heard and saw someone…”.
Zain spoke up at that “Maybe it was a medical droid”
Nate shrugged looking back into the room “Yeah…you’re probably right.”
Back at the country side Felicity smiled to him holding his hand “You know…if you ever want to start life over, the statue you found me in front of…that’s the way to live again…and if you go…I go”. Andro turned to her and for the first time in years, Andro held her close and kissed her. The womans face turned red, she had completely forgotten what it was like to be held by him and when the kiss broke she was surprised at his words.
“Am not going anyway…will go when both are ready” he rested his head against hers and she couldn’t help but start crying with happiness. This was Andro’s fresh start, he wouldn’t return to a Galaxy far far away until both he and Felicity were ready.
Even though he’d miss those he left behind dearly, he’d remember them, he’d wait for them to join him here, someday he’d get to see his friends smiles again and as days passed he’d watch over them wishing them full and happy lives.
Andro Dra’kkon, loving friend, brother, warrior. Gone but never forgotten.