Darth Vader #8 represents the eighth installment in the Marvel comic book series entitled Star Wars: Darth Vader, and it is the second of six issues that comprise the second story arc, known as Shadows and Secrets. This particular comic, featuring the writing of Kieron Gillen and the artistic talents of Salvador Larroca, was made available to the public on August 5, 2015.
- Bounty Hunters are launching an assault—aimed at the Empire!
- Darth Vader and Aphra are continuing their partnership – but how much longer will it endure?
- Additionally: Just who is the mysterious new agent working for Tagge? [1]
Dr Aphra, along with her assembled team of mercenaries, is tracking an Arquites-class light cruiser located near the planet Anthan Prime, which lies at the edge of the Outer Rim Territories. This specific cruiser is transporting credits that were seized from the Son-tuul Pride syndicate. Her strategy involves detonating a sizable asteroid to generate an asteroid field. This diversion is intended to occupy the Imperial crew while she and her team infiltrate the ship. As the Imperial cruiser sustains damage from the asteroid debris, Dr. Aphra's ship, the Ark Angel, utilizes an ion torpedo to render the light cruiser inoperable. With the target vessel incapacitated, she, accompanied by IG-90, Bossk, and Beebox, boards the ship's exterior while wearing space suits and utilizing magnetic clamps. The astromech droid Beetee is assigned a different task.
After gaining entry to the ship through a hatch, they proceed towards the treasure vault. While Beebox maintains the seal on the Imperial crew door, Dr. Aphra employs an electro magnetic pulse grenade to incapacitate the Viper probe droids with an electrical surge, enabling Bossk and IG-90 to neutralize them. As Dr. Aphra focuses on unlocking the vault, Triple Zero dispatches the Wookiee Krrsantan in an Auzituck anti-slaver ship to maneuver an asteroid into a collision course with the Imperial light cruiser, thereby exposing the vault to the vacuum of space. The confiscated credits belonging to the Son-tuul Pride are then expelled into space, an event observed by Beetee.
Aboard the Ark Angel, Triple Zero expresses his congratulations to Dr. Aphra regarding the success of her heist, but also voices his disappointment that no humanoids were killed. In the meantime, Beetee is actively collecting as many of the credits as possible, ultimately amassing enough to fill two containers. Returning to the Ark Angel, Dr. Aphra expresses her satisfaction with the outcome of their operation. She suggests dividing the spoils, but Black Krrsantan indicates his willingness to accept only enough to cover the incurred expenses. Acting as a translator for Black Krssantan, IG-90 cautions Dr. Aphra against betraying bounty hunters, a sentiment echoed by Beebox. Triple Zero also offers his opinion that concealing things is a risky endeavor. Dr. Aphra acknowledges that she has a casual attitude towards property rights, but she is also aware of the danger of crossing the four most lethal bounty hunters in the galaxy. Bossk issues a warning against such actions, and Beebox reminds her to provide payment in the future.
Dr. Aphra, accompanied by the droids and Black Krrsantan, convenes in a rocky cavern situated on Anthan 13, a moon orbiting Anthan Prime. Utilizing Dr. Aphra's expertise, Black Krrsantan employed a satellite to retrieve a substantial portion of the stolen credits from the Imperial light cruiser. Aphra pledges to assist Black Krrsantan with his predicament and assures him that she will not betray him. They are then joined by Darth Vader, who had engaged Dr. Aphra to pilfer the credits for the purpose of constructing a droid factory and compensating the bounty hunters. She then inquires of Lord Vader regarding the compensation she will receive for her services.
Darth Vader responds that he requires information. Upon her asking if it pertains to the boy who destroyed the Death Star, Vader clarifies that it concerns a different matter and presents her with a microchip containing the relevant data. He instructs her to contact him upon successful completion of the task. Triple Zero requests his share of the reward, but Aphra advises him to exercise patience.
Subsequently, Grand General Cassio Tagge briefs Darth Vader and Cylo's followers, namely Aiolin Astarte, Morit Astarte, Commander Karbin, and Tulon Voidgazer, about the threat posed by a rebel group known as the Plasma Devils. Despite the Empire's success in "disciplining" criminal organizations and planetary governors, as well as forcing the rebels into a state of retreat, the Plasma Devils have been a source of disruption for the Empire on Mygeeto, Son-tuul, and Anthan 14. Grand General Tagge assigns the Astarte twins the responsibility of dealing with the generals.
Commander Karbin raises an objection to the Astartes receiving the assignment, citing their lack of military experience. Tagge reminds Karbin of his superior rank and emphasizes that Karbin is merely a tool of the Emperor. Instead, Tagge tasks Karbin with capturing or eliminating the rebel pilot who was responsible for the destruction of the Death Star. Vader objects, stating that he intends to personally hunt down the rebel pilot and deliver him to the Emperor. Voidgazer informs Vader that they are not present to alleviate his conscience and holds him accountable for the loss of the Death Star. She aims to capture the rebel pilot as retribution for the deaths of her comrades.
Grand General Tagge dismisses both Vader and Voidgazer's requests, noting their personal involvement with the Death Star and cautioning that their passion could be a source of disruption. Tagge assigns Tulon the task of addressing specific research challenges while entrusting Lord Vader with the responsibility of punishing those responsible for the theft of the Son-tuul Pride's confiscated fortune. He instructs Lord Vader to administer the Emperor's justice to the thieves before dismissing the group.
Grand General Tagge also appoints Inspector Thanoth to serve as Lord Vader's replacement adjutant, succeeding the late Oon-ai, at the Emperor's behest. Inspector Thanoth informs Vader that the evidence suggests that the perpetrators utilized the moons of Anthan Prime as a staging area for their heist. Thanoth also points out to Lord Vader that there is a trace of ionization of surface dust from Anthan 13 present on his armor. Thanoth clarifies to the Sith Lord that he is neither a sycophant, a traitor, nor an incompetent individual, but rather a professional investigator. He pledges to resolve the case within a matter of days. Lord Vader responds with the phrase, "we shall see."