A Race to the Finish

C-3PO, along with R2-D2, Thall Joben, Kea Moll, and Jord Dusat, are en route to the Boonta Speeder Race aboard the Sand Sloth, which has the White Witch secured to its exterior. Thall inquires with Jord about his readiness to secure victory in the impending race. Jord pledges his determination to win fairly. Kea directs her questions to C-3PO and R2-D2, inquiring about their progress in readying the speeder for lightspeed travel. C-3PO assures her that they are making good progress and that the necessary connections will soon be finalized.

As Artoo and Threepio work on preparing the speeder for lightspeed, a Lambda-class shuttle, seemingly out of nowhere, launches an assault. Jord struggles to open the hatch, intending to allow the droids back inside the ship. In the process, he injures his left arm after falling from the ladder. C-3PO and R2-D2 quickly determine that the attacking shuttle has disabled one of the Sand Sloth's propulsion systems. Kea demands to know the identity of their assailants. Thall urges her to engage the hyperdrive, but it remains unresponsive.

R2-D2 then activates the external control for the hyperdrive. At the helm of the attacking shuttle is none other than Sise Fromm, the disgraced crime lord seeking retribution for the racers' role in capturing him and destroying his Trigon One super weapon. Assisting him at the controls are Tig Fromm and Vlix Oncard, the only two henchmen Sise has left. R2-D2 decelerates the Sand Sloth just before the jump to hyperspace. Before Tig can obliterate the damaged vessel, the Sand Sloth successfully jumps into hyperspace. Tig expresses his dismay. Vlix attempts to shift the blame onto him, but Tig deflects, blaming the ship. Sise orders his son and Vlix to continue the pursuit. Tig attempts another hyperspace jump, but they instead revert back to their original location.

Upon exiting hyperspace and beginning their descent toward the planet Boonta, Kea checks on C-3PO and R2-D2. She expresses relief upon finding the droids unharmed, having successfully sought shelter during the hyperspace jump. The Starrunner then collides with a canyon wall, rendering the ship's landing gear inoperable. The Sand Sloth is forced to make a crash landing within the Boonta scrapyard. C-3PO and R2-D2 attempt to ride out the landing on the White Witch, but C-3PO is ejected and becomes entangled in cables.

There, C-3PO encounters an old Proto Droid identified as Proto One, who assists him in freeing himself. Proto One then introduces himself to the human crew. Proto-One also shares with C-3PO that he was abandoned by his former masters and has managed to survive by repairing himself. While C-3PO immediately dislikes Proto One, the older droid quickly bonds with R2-D2 and the three humans. Proto offers to repair Kea's damaged ship while they transport Jord to a medical facility. The droids depart with the humans aboard the White Witch. C-3PO cautions R2-D2 to be wary of associating with droids of questionable character, such as Proto-One.

Meanwhile, the Fromms establish a base in a dilapidated apartment. Sise Fromm longs for his past glory and vows to exact revenge on Thall and his companions. Sise Fromm has enlisted the services of Boba Fett to aid in his manhunt. Despite Jabba the Hutt having placed a bounty on Fromm's head, Fett agrees to assist the aging crime lord due to a past debt. Sise instructs him to use any means necessary to apprehend the meddlers. Boba promises that no one will escape him but warns Sise that he owes him nothing after this mission. Tig expresses his apprehension about working with Fett, but Vlix insists that Fett is capable and sympathizes with the racers' plight.

A medical droid is attending to Jord, who sustained a broken left arm. Thall advises Jord to rest, but Jord is disheartened. Kea shifts their focus to repairing the damaged White Witch, as failure to do so will result in their disqualification. C-3PO voices his opposition to R2-D2's suggestion of hiring Proto One, whom he derisively refers to as a "walking scrap heap." Jord remains open to the idea of hiring Proto-One, but C-3PO reveals that he has already secured the assistance of another droid named BL-17, claiming to have located him.

BL-17 offers them the use of his master's fully-equipped garage, explaining that his master is currently away tending to other matters. Thall expresses his gratitude to C-3PO, who receives a compliment from BL-17. However, R2-D2 is suspicious of BL-17's excessive flattery and expresses his doubts in Binary. Later that evening, Tig attempts to persuade Vlix that they must outmaneuver Boba Fett and convince Sise that they are capable of dealing with Thall and Kea themselves. Vlix reluctantly agrees to assist Tig in exchange for being addressed by his nickname, "Tiggy."

Back at the garage, R2-D2 and Kea are working on repairing the White Witch. Kea advises R2-D2 not to be upset with C-3PO, who is simply pleased to have found someone who shares his interests. BL-17 endears himself to C-3PO, informing him that they are graduates of the same droid manufacturing facility. R2-D2 inquires with C-3PO about his whereabouts, irritating C-3PO, who explains that he and BL-17 have been exchanging technical notes. C-3PO expresses his delight in associating with a droid of comparable intellect for a change. R2-D2 grumbles in response. BL-17 expresses his desire to converse with R2-D2, but C-3PO cautions that he is currently in a bad mood.

C-3PO soon departs to locate Thall at the parts depot. After C-3PO leaves, BL-17 locks Kea and Artoo inside the garage, creating a gas leak from the welding tank. Kea succumbs to the fumes. R2-D2 attempts to open the door, but it is locked. Concurrently, Tig and Vlix approach the garage with the intention of planting a thermal detonator on their speeder. R2-D2 utilizes a large roller droid to force open the garage door, scattering the two criminals. He then pulls the unconscious Kea out on a sled.

Thall attends to Kea, who informs him about the gas leak. She expresses her gratitude to R2-D2 for saving her life. Thall rushes to retrieve medical tablets for Kea. R2-D2 is about to leave when C-3PO returns with BL-17. C-3PO accuses R2-D2 of neglecting the welding tanks. BL-17 suggests a secure location for storing the White Witch. C-3PO instructs R2-D2 to leave, believing that he is hindering their master's plans. R2-D2 is saddened by this.

In another sequence of events, Tig and Vlix seize control of a roller bike. R2-D2 alerts Thall and Kea, who mistakenly believe that he is picking up a signal from C-3PO. Elsewhere, BL-17 informs C-3PO that the White Witch will be safe at a processing plant. They are soon confronted by Proto One, who exposes BL-17 as a deceitful character. BL-17 reveals his true intentions and attempts to deactivate Proto One. An unsuspecting C-3PO attempts to calm BL-17, but he reveals his hostile intentions to C-3PO.

Proto-One prevents BL-17 from deactivating C-3PO, but sustains damage to his replacement leg in the process. BL-17 discloses his plan to alert his master to the presence of Thall and his friends. C-3PO expresses regret over placing his trust in a stranger over R2-D2. The astromech droid arrives, and C-3PO shoves BL-17 into a scrap heap. BL-17 is crushed by the pile of scrap. C-3PO pleads for R2-D2's forgiveness.

Thall and Kea arrive, only to be attacked by Boba Fett, who descends using a grappling rope. Meanwhile, Tig and Vlix attach a thermal detonator to the White Witch, set to detonate on the tenth lap of the race. Thall powers up the White Witch and escapes with R2-D2 in an attempt to distract Boba Fett. Proto One warns C-3PO and Kea that Tig has planted a thermal detonator on the White Witch. Kea realizes that they must warn Thall before the race begins, but it is already too late.

At the Boonta stadium, Sise observes from a balcony, taking a particular interest in Admiral Terrinald Screed. Vlix expresses gratitude to two tied-up aliens for allowing them to use their private viewing box. Tig eagerly anticipates the explosion of Thall's speeder. Jord searches for Thall, but the race is about to begin. Boba Fett also participates, piloting his Silver Speeder as a late entry.

The Boonta Race involves participants navigating through several transparent tunnels. Boba Fett attempts to use grappling hooks to slow down the White Witch, but R2-D2 uses his welder to sever the hooks. The racers complete ten laps as the Fromms observe. On the seventh lap, Fett damages one of the White Witch's engines. Kea and C-3PO eventually locate Jord and inform him of the danger facing Thall.

On the tenth lap, Fett's speeder attempts to ensnare the White Witch with a tractor beam, but R2-D2 hurls the detonator at Fett's speeder. Thall Joben emerges victorious in the race, piloting the White Witch. Fett is forced to eject from his craft before it explodes, obliterating the vehicle and his droid. The announcer and Thall's friends congratulate Thall. C-3PO is also overjoyed. Kea expresses her gratitude to R2-D2 as well.

Following his victory in the race, Thall's team is contacted by the Zebulon Dak Speeder Corporation and offered positions designing and building speeders for them. He invites Thall and his friends to join his company. The humans and droids celebrate the good news. Thall expresses his gratitude to the droids, stating that he could not have achieved this without their assistance. C-3PO responds that it is their privilege to serve and that they appreciate their appreciation.

A vengeful Sise Fromm, accompanied by Tig and Vlix, confronts Thall and his friends. Before the Fromms can harm them, Proto-One fires at the Fromm Gang and orders them to surrender. The gangsters attempt to flee but are confronted by a vengeful Boba Fett. Having lost the race, his speeder, his droid, and nearly his life, Boba Fett decides that his debt to Sise Fromm is now settled, and turns him, Tig, and Vlix over to Jabba the Hutt. Fett refuses to listen to their pleas.

Before joining Thall and his friends for their meeting with Zebulon, C-3PO and R2-D2 bid Proto-One farewell. The older droid advises them to take care of themselves and extends an invitation to visit him anytime.

While traveling through space, R2-D2 overhears a conversation between Thall, Jord, and Kea over the intercom. Accepting the job would necessitate the reprogramming of C-3PO and R2-D2, a prospect that Thall, Jord, and Kea strongly oppose. Upon hearing this, R2-D2 and C-3PO decide that it is time to part ways with their friends, as this will enable the humans to accept the job while allowing the droids to retain their memories for the time being. The droids enter an escape pod and eject it into space as the Sand Sloth jumps into lightspeed. C-3PO and R2-D2 choose to sacrifice their companionship for the well-being of their friends.