“I believe that with today’s technology, we can create a probe droid the size of the wart on my neck.” Chacoti, the esteemed scientist of the empire had not been assigned the job of finding Luke Skywalker. He did however, believe that if he found Skywalker rewards would follow, so it was a good way to spend his free time.
His assistant, Rodo, thought the task of creating a tiny probe droid was unnecessary and difficult.
“What would be the advantage of such a small probe droid?” he asked.
Chacoti was tempted to insult the obtuse assistant in a mundane fashion, however, being above such foolishness, he resisted. “It would not be noticeable. Even if it is noticed it will be regarded as a mere insect. That would be useful for a spy.”
Rodo responded with a stupid blank look on his face.
“Do you see that advantage to that?” Chacoti asked.
“You’re talking about finding Luke Skywalker. Lord Vader has been looking for him ever since the Death Star was destroyed.”
“Exactly. And when our miniature probe droid finds him I will be an Imperial hero.” Chacoti smiled at the thought.
Rodo didn’t get excited about the idea. “With all due respect, sir, I thought you were assigned to finding a non-explosive fuel.”
“That project is not looking at all promising, and I don’t want to look back at my Imperial career and see nothing. I will create one hundred small probe droids and send them to search the planets on the Galaxy.”
“One hundred won’t be enough.”
Chacoti hated it when Rodo said things like that. Of course he knew it wouldn’t be enough, but it would be a start, and with careful placement he could have a reasonably good chance of finding Skywalker.
Chacoti went to work immediately. The end result was better than could be expected. He called it the PB2. It could fly at 500 kilometers per hour. Its shell was acid resistant, since its size gave it a risk of being eaten. It could withstand 200 kilograms of weight, in case something stepped on it and of course it was water proof. Most importantly, it was programmed to recognize Luke Skywalker and to immediately send a signal to Chacoti’s comm link as soon as he was found. Chacoti built them continuously and sent them to planets as soon as they were complete. The sixty-fifth probe droid was sent to Dagobah. PB2-65 landed on Dagobah soon after Luke’s crash landing.
Having landed about 100 kilometers from Luke’s crash site it would take a while to get there. However, PB2-65 knew exactly which way to go, having picked up a star ship on its sensors on a planet that was usually without technology. It headed at full speed toward the man it was looking for--Luke Skywalker. But, PB2-65 did not know it was Luke Skywalker....yet.
When it came to Luke’s X-Wing, partially submerged in the swamp, it stopped, knowing this to be the ship it had located on its sensors. Buzzing around the X-Wing looking for a human who looked like Luke Skywalker, PB2-65 was noticed by a piko frog. The piko frog regarded PB2-65 as a mere insect, just as Chacoti had intended. This also meant food to the piko frog, who’s quick and sticky tongue grabbed PB2-65 out of the air and brought it to his mouth, swallowing it whole. PB2-65 had not yet seen Luke Skywalker and had therefore sent no message to Chacoti.
But this was not the end of PB2-65. It was equipped with an acid resistant shell just in case such a thing happened. PB2-65 could easily withstand the piko frog’s digestive juices until nature called. Then it would find Luke Skywalker!
The piko frog hopped around the swamp, looking for another tasty bug--or anything the move, looked, and buzzed like a tasty bug--unaware that he was being stalked. A small snake, named Sidel was hungry too, and the piko frog looked good to eat, even though piko frogs are known for their poisonous skin.
The attack was quick. The piko frog didn’t know what hit him and he was slowly devoured by the snake Sidel. PB2-65 had no idea this was happening to the frog, but even if it had this would have made little difference to it. Now it would just have to wait until nature called for the snake and it would find Luke Skywalker!
It just so happened that Luke was in the area setting up camp. Sidel crawled into some bushes near a dwelling to digest his tasty meal. However, as digestion started, Sidel realized that the piko frog’s poisonous skin didn’t agree with him.
Hours later, Sidel was in agony. The poison skin of the piko frog was making his stomach do things a stomach was not meant to do. There was only one thing to do. He would have to regurgitate his fine meal and find more food elsewhere.
As Sidel was attempting to hack up the piko frog he heard foot steps coming towards him. Yoda passed him, holding a light in his hand, not noticing Sidel, or not caring about him.
“Come,” he said.
Sidel had seen Yoda often. They were, in fact, neighbors.
Ugh, here it comes. Sidel brought up the partially digested piko frog. Now, the piko frog was no longer recognizable as a frog, and in fact it was almost digested enough for PB2-65 to break free of the frog’s intestines. PB2-65 would have even seen Luke Skywalker coming towards him, had it not been for the frog guts on its visual receptors.
When Luke stepped on the partially digested piko frog his boot pushed PB2-65 even further into the frog guts. And, being very sticky, the partially digested piko frog stuck to the bottom of Luke’s boot.
Luke felt something squishy under his foot. It felt like he had stepped on a dead frog. When he examined the bottom of his boot, he found it to be much worse, for this was a partially digested dead frog.
Luke made strange noises to express his disgust and scrapped the partially digested dead piko frog off on a log.
PB2-65 was still functional, however, its visual receptors were still hindered, as Luke followed Yoda into his home and out of sight. Sidel went in as well in search of food.
Artoo had seen Luke acting weird, and even though he had been told to stay and watch the camp, his curiosity as to what Luke was doing got the better of him and he went over to investigate.
When Artoo saw the partially digested dead piko frog on the log, he was as grossed out as a droid could possibly be. He incinerated the partially digested dead piko frog with his built in flame thrower, and in an instant that was the end of PB2-65, the miniature probe droid.
As this was happening Sidel was in Yoda’s house in a bowl on the table.
“Look, I’m sure it’s delicious. I just don’t’ understand why we can’t see Yoda now.”
“Patience. For the Jedi it is time to eat as well.”
Luke went over to the bowl and found Sidel in it. He calmly removed him, not realizing that Sidel had just done a big part in saving his life.
The End.
