Chik Apla, a male Human hailing from the planet of Coruscant, served as an Imperial commando and, for a period, was a member of the prestigious Emperor's Royal Guard. During his tenure with the Galactic Empire, Apla experienced an eventful career, ultimately acquiring a noticeable scar that marked his right cheek. He continued to wear and maintain his Royal Guard armor well into the era dominated by the New Republic. Following the Empire's collapse and the enactment of the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty in 19 ABY, Apla chose to retire to the planet Dolis 3 to live out his remaining years.
In that specific year, Moff Derran Takkar enlisted Apla, and he played a crucial part in Takkar's scheme to disrupt the highly publicized wedding between Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and former Emperor's Hand Mara Jade, two prominent figures in the New Republic whom Takkar held partially accountable for the Empire's demise. Stationed on Coruscant, Apla spied on Jade as she made preparations for the ceremony, and he eventually launched an attack on the bride-to-be while she was in the process of trying on a dress. However, he was decisively defeated by the accomplished Jedi Knight and subsequently taken into custody by the New Republic.
From the galactic capital planet of Coruscant came Chik Apla, a male Human. He dedicated his life to service within the Galactic Empire, functioning as a commando and, at a certain point, achieving membership within the Emperor's Royal Guard. During his period of service, a scar became visible on Apla's right temple. Apla's time in the military came to an end in 19 ABY after the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty was signed between the Empire and the New Republic. Apla then established himself on the planet Dolis 3, where he frequently socialized with other men at the local bar; however, money was scarce, and most of the men were interconnected through debts of favors and loans. Apla and his acquaintances often gathered in bars, expressing their discontent with the Empire's condition and exchanging updates on galactic politics. Aside from his bar visits, Apla also maintained a loose connection with the local Moff, Derran Takkar. Unbeknownst to Takkar, Apla was engaged in an affair with Takkar's wife, Anlys.
In 19 ABY, Apla and his bar companions learned that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and his fiancée, Mara Jade—a former Emperor's Hand—were planning an elaborate wedding on Coruscant, which had become the New Republic's capital world. Upon hearing this news, the men began to evaluate their circumstances, with one declaring that the New Republic was now "untouchable." However, Moff Takkar disagreed. He entered the bar and proclaimed that they could still significantly alter their situation and that of the Empire. Takkar invited the men to join him in striking a blow against the New Republic. Despite their lack of enthusiasm for Takkar's arrogance and condescending attitude, the men agreed to support the Moff's cause.
Takkar provided Apla and three other individuals—Chala Venan, Banner Sumptor, and Iry Danta—with a meeting location on Coruscant: a subpar apartment in the slums of the city-world, which the group rented by combining their resources. After arriving on Coruscant, Apla adopted a more professional demeanor, silencing the men and instructing them to avoid speaking their real names aloud. Takkar eventually contacted the group and assigned them their tasks. Apla was given a surveillance assignment, and he immediately began spying on Mara Jade, observing her movements and listening to her conversations. Upon discovering the wedding location, Apla and his comrades surveyed the area, identifying the most advantageous attack positions.
Following a lengthy day of work, Apla, Danta, and Sumptor visited the Red Rancor cantina. They ordered drinks and occupied a booth near the back of the bar to discuss their upcoming mission. Unbeknownst to them, Skywalker's friends Han Solo and Lando Calrissian were hosting a bachelor party for the Jedi Master in the main area of the cantina. As they assessed the situation, Apla and his group observed Skywalker and his companions becoming embroiled in a large-scale bar fight. During the altercation, a drunken Trandoshan nearly crushed Skywalker with a heavy table. Sumptor intervened by tripping the Trandoshan before he could slam the table onto the Jedi. Apla and Danta were irritated with Sumptor for "saving" Skywalker, but after the young Imperial explained that the Rebel hero's death in a bar brawl would not make a sufficient statement, Apla conceded that they had an Imperial standard to uphold. Unfortunately, Moff Takkar disagreed and reprimanded the men for failing to seize the opportunity to eliminate Skywalker.
Following this incident, Apla was assigned to Takkar's wife, Anlys. Anlys was planning to eliminate the dressmaker for the wedding, which would disrupt the event. Throughout their collaboration, Anlys flirted extensively with the former Royal Guardsman, implying that she would love to "celebrate" with him if he succeeded in achieving her goals. However, Apla doubted her ability to locate their target and dismissed any possibility of finding the mysterious dress designer. Anlys proved to be more capable than Apla anticipated, using her skills as a slicer to quickly uncover the identity of the important designer, Jari'kyn. With the target's identity in hand, Apla found the address of the Twi'lek and waited for Jade to arrive for her fitting. Dressed in full Royal Guard armor, Apla watched as Mara Jade arrived. He broke into Jari'kyn's headquarters and attacked the former Emperor's Hand with a double-bladed vibroblade, declaring that she needed to die for betraying the Empire. Regrettably for Apla, Jade reacted with incredible speed, parrying his attacks and destroying his weapon.
Her counterattack rendered Apla unconscious, and he was taken into Republic custody. Apla suffered internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen and a bruised liver. His armor provided minimal protection, and he also sustained a fractured skull and broken ribs. Fortunately for Alpa, bacta healed all of his injuries. After news of Apla's fate reached the rest of the group, Anlys became inconsolable, weeping for her lost love. Takkar and the group proceeded with their plan to disrupt the wedding, but their attempt was a resounding failure.
Chik Apla was a straightforward man and a dedicated soldier. He followed orders diligently and strove to maintain a sense of professionalism during his exploits. However, his retirement from active service had cultivated a slight sense of laziness, and he needed to be reminded of the required professional attitude during the mission for Takkar. In addition to his sense of duty, Apla generally respected rank and authority and treated his fellow comrades with respect. However, during his final mission for Takkar, Apla developed a romantic attachment to Moff Takkar's wife. Apla's professional attitude and demeanor were insufficient to overcome the abilities of a Jedi Knight, and even the element of surprise failed to give Apla an advantage over Mara Jade.
Chik Apla possessed considerable skill as a knife thrower and weapons expert. Apla could accurately hit a beetle from a distance with a throwing knife, and he was well-versed in military protocol. He maintained a reasonably good physical condition, even after several years of inactivity, allowing him to leap from an adjacent building outside Jari'kyn's apartment to confront Mara Jade. Apla also retained a complete suit of Royal Guard body armor, including a vibroblade, although the suit showed signs of wear, with several holes in the cape.
Chik Apla was brought to life by author Michael A. Stackpole and artist Robert Teranishi for the 1999 comic miniseries Star Wars: Union. In the series, Apla bears a strong resemblance to actor Jack Nicholson. Several other characters in Union also share similar appearances with real-world actors. These resemblances have been noted by author Nathan Butler during an interview with Stackpole for his Chronoradio website.
Apla's body armor is reminiscent of Carnor Jax's guard armor, which, according to Star Wars Handbook 2: Crimson Empire, was intended solely for the Master Instructor of the Emperor's Royal Guard.