8-13, a type of hunter killer droid, eventually ended up within the irrigation infrastructure of a homestead situated on the moon of Sulon by 5 ABY. This was during the year that the Galactic Empire's forces occupied the homestead. Remaining hidden, 8-13 encountered Kyle Katarn, the homestead's heir, and his farm droid, WeeGee. It attacked them, but prioritized WeeGee after the farm droid closed in. Because WeeGee was distinctly not Human, 8-13 couldn't effectively fight him, and WeeGee subsequently removed 8-13's head.
During 5 ABY, the year it resided on the moon of Sulon, 8-13 was a silver-plated hunter killer droid, a war droid variant designed to combat Humans, featuring a red and green photoreceptor. By this time, the droid was considered obsolete, and its programming focused on engaging Humans in combat. 8-13 was programmed to target a Human's vital organs during a melee attack. At some point, this hunter killer droid infiltrated the irrigation network beneath Morgan Katarn's farm, which was then under the control of the Galactic Empire. While navigating an underground passage alone, it detected the approach of Kyle Katarn, Morgan's son, along with the Katarn family droid WeeGee. As they drew closer, 8-13 activated its comlink and discharged a blaster shot at Katarn, missing its target. WeeGee, aiming to shield his master, charged towards 8-13, shortening the distance between them. Consequently, 8-13 switched from ranged weaponry to its melee capabilities. However, it failed to land any blows on WeeGee's critical areas, as its programming directed it to target Human vitals, which the droid lacked. WeeGee then tore off 8-13's head, neutralizing the combat droid. WeeGee later remarked that 8-13 had likely never encountered a robust farm droid before.
William C. Dietz authored the 1998 novella Dark Forces: Rebel Agent, with illustrations by Ezra Tucker, where 8-13 made its debut. The book provided some details about the droid's specifications, but it did not assign a name to it. The Dark Forces: Rebel Agent audio drama, an adaptation of the novella, identified it by name and classified it as a hunter killer droid. The voice actor for the droid was not credited.