Doctor Aphra (2016) 13


Publisher's summary


  • Doctor Aphra's had a plan to auction off an artificial Jedi intelligence in order to make some major credits.
  • Unfortunately, things haven't exactly gone according to plan…
  • Darth Vader is back, and our rogue archaeologist is less dead than he thought he had left her.[1]

Escaping the slaughter house


As the two cross blades, Eternal Rur taunts Darth Vader that he is not a Sith and boasts that he is the last of the Ordu Aspectu. Vader responds that nothing stirs inside the droid and that all he senses is an abomination. Eternal Rur disagrees and says that one of them is mistaken. He says let them seek the truth. A fearful Dr Chelli Lona Aphra watches and remarks that she thought she left this part of her life behind. She flees just as Darth Vader hurls the droid against a rock.

Dr Aphra stumbles upon Yonak and the Son-tuul Pride who are being attacked by stormtroopers. To save himself, Yonak sacrifices one of his underlings as a sentient "shield" so that he can flee into the hangar. Borrowing a page from Yonak, Dr Aphra pretends to help Sutha the Hutt. Together, the two crawl to safety and manage to make it past the field of fire. Sutha vows vengeance from Jabba should any harm come to him but is killed by a stray blaster bolt that hits his head. Dr Aphra is pleased that she did not have to kill Sutha herself.

Yonak arrives in the hangar where he finds several dead stormtroopers outside a red freighter. Aboard the ship, he stumbles upon Triple Zero and Beetee, who tells the gangster that they are looking for a new working relationship. They agree to take Yonak aboard if he follows orders. Yonak submits to the droids and they fly their ship out of the hangar.

Vader's triumph


Meanwhile, Lord Vader slices off one of Eternal Rur's hands with his lightsaber. He then hurls Eternal Rur's possessed droid chassis to the floor. Though his host body is damaged, Eternal Rur is still able to possess the guns, which rain fire down upon Lord Vader. He also tries to penetrate Darth Vader's cybernetic circuitry. Meanwhile, Dr Aphra dodges a gun turret which kills several stormtroopers.

However, Vader reveals that he has made safeguard to his armor and uses the Force to shatter Eternal Rur's droid host body to pieces. As Vader grabs the Rur crystal, he tells the artificial intelligence that his trickery is inconsequential to the overwhelming power of the Force. Dr Aphra takes advantage of the fighting to flee aboard the Shadow University's ship, which is laden with artifacts.

A stormtrooper informs Lord Vader that some smaller ships are fleeing past the blockade. He asks if they should send the Star Destroyer after them while warning that they would lose other fugitives. Lord Vader senses an "infuriating presence" through the Force. He decides to maintain the blockade, reasoning that the Galactic Empire can afford to lose some smaller fish since they have gained the Rur crystal. Fleeing the Imperial Star Destroyer, Dr Aphra takes the Shadow University ship to hyperspace.

The spoils of victory


Dr Aphra returns the artifacts to both the Shadow University and the Museum of Bar'leth but keeps some of the artifacts for herself. She then travels to the beach world of Zeltros for a holiday. While enjoying Dantooine ice-twist, Dr Aphra bids farewell to the "killer droids", Black Krrsantan, and Lord Vader.

Meanwhile, in the Outer Rim Territories, the Xonti Brothers find themselves as trainee gladiators. As they are led out of their pen, they are greeted by a vengeful Black Krrsantan and several gladiators. The horrified brothers realize that the Wookiee is going to train them the same way that they trained him. Black Krrsantan beats them with a electric baton.

On Son-tuul, Triple Zero and Beetee help a horrified Yonak to eliminate his competitors by incinerating them. At the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, Darth Vader informs Emperor Palpatine that much of the underworld has been disrupted in the wake of the raid on the Sorca Retreat, allowing the Empire to focus on the Rebel Alliance. Darth Vader presents the Rur crystal to Darth Sidious, who orders that it be added to his collection of Jedi relics.

Back on Zeltros, Dr Aphra is cornered by Tukan, a friend of Dukan whom she killed on the Cosmatanic Steppes. Tukan wants to bring her to justice but she shoots him through the chest. Dukan and Tukan's vengeful colleagues decide to seek revenge. Dr Aphra wonders why this always happens to her as the story draws to an end.

Collections


  • Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 2: Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit
  • Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1

Appearances

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