His arrival had been more of a graceful crash than an emergency landing. Smoke and sparks sputtered in the cockpit as Bodhi struggled to detach himself from the ship. He gasped for breath as he pried open his X-wing’s canopy and found that the fresh air outside was just as suffocating. The oxygen was too rich for his lungs that were accustomed to the thin, brittle winds of Jedha.
But Bodhi ignored the panic beginning to fester beneath his ribs and peered over the edge of the cockpit at his copilot.
His astromech’s black conical head camouflaged her against the dark green walls that surrounded them, but Bodhi could see her outline. She was still rooted in her socket by the engine, but what frightened the pilot was that all her lights were off.
R4 hadn’t made a sound since her terrified squawks during their breach of the planet’s atmosphere and eventual collision with the tops of too-tall trees. A primal fear gnashed at Bodhi’s nerves at the thought of being lost here without her.
The Jedhan hoisted himself free of his seat and winced as his legs dropped to the soft earth.
❝ R4? ❞ He held himself steady against the X-wing and came up the astromech’s side. Close now, Bodhi could make out the dents and scratches their descent through the jungle canopy had caused.
❝ Oh, R4... ❞ The pilot reached out for his friend, ❝ I’m so sor- ❞ The moment Bodhi’s skin made contact, the astromech’s lights flickered to life. She snapped her head in his direction and rocked from side-to-side as she chastised him with a series of angry boops.
❝ I know, I know. I’m sorry, but I had no choice. ❞ Bodhi knew reasoning with her was a lost cause once her circuits were riled up but he needed her to run diagnostics if they were to have a chance at escape. ❝ Listen, I’m going to have a look around. I need you to take care of the ship while I’m gone, see what needs to be repaired. Okay? ❞
The astromech paused, then started to shiver violently and chitter in protest.
❝ No, no, you'll be alright. ❞ Bodhi stripped off his jacket and tucked it over the droid’s head. ❝ What can’t see you, can’t hurt you. ❞
It was a cruel lie. But the placebo appeared to comfort R4 as he could see her shivers subside and her prob peered out from under his coat as she began to her work with an anxious doot.
❝ I’ll be back soon. I promise. ❞