Doctor Aphra #21 represents the twenty-first installment in the comic book series titled Star Wars: Doctor Aphra. This issue was penned by Si Spurrier, with illustrations by Kev Walker, and it hit the shelves on June 27, 2018, courtesy of Marvel Comics. Featured within its pages is the story known as "The Catastrophe Con Part II," where Doctor Aphra endeavors to break free from Accresker Jail with assistance from Magna Tolvan.
"BROKEN INSIDE" rolls on! Though she finds herself within the confines of an Imperial correctional facility, Doctor Aphra is far from isolated. Whispers suggest the prison is haunted, yet our rogue archaeologist suspects a much more significant scheme is unfolding. Concurrently, Aphra possesses valuable intelligence – information the Rebellion desires. However, what sacrifices are they prepared to make, and which individuals are they willing to enlist, to secure it?
On the 3rd Moon, situated within the Outer Rim Territories, Sana Starros intercepts a distorted image transmission originating from Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra. Starros experiences initial surprise upon seeing her long-estranged associate. Subsequently, General Hera Syndulla of the Rebel Alliance establishes contact with Starros. Syndulla reveals that she also received a holo image from Dr. Aphra the previous day, transmitted by a droid lost during a space battle. Given Aphra's offer to sell crucial intelligence at an exorbitant price, the Alliance seeks to engage with her.
Starros hesitates to aid Aphra due to a painful rift in their past. Syndulla informs Starros that Aphra appears to be part of some kind of convict military force. Syndulla expresses her belief that persuading Aphra to collaborate with the Rebellion would be advantageous and assigns Starros the task of rescuing her. Starros consents to assist the Rebellion in exchange for monetary compensation.
Meanwhile, at Accresker Jail, Aphra utilizes Lopset Yas's transmitter to send an audio message to her friend Magna Tolvan. After offering apologies to those she has wronged, Aphra discloses that Darth Vader is secretly plotting to supplant Emperor Palpatine with Luke Skywalker. Aphra conveys to her potential rescuers her fear of being unable to withhold this information from her interrogators for much longer. Aphra also expresses concern that Lord Vader will pursue both her and Tolvan, as Tolvan is also privy to Vader's clandestine scheme. She implores Tolvan to come to her rescue. On Coruscant, a taken aback Tolvan receives Aphra's transmission.
A hubdroid identifies an unauthorized transmission and issues a directive to confiscate all equipment. Lopset notices a spectral figure within the corridor. Aphra calls out to Lopset, inquiring if he observed anything. Lopset finds himself trapped beneath debris and pleads with Aphra for assistance. Aphra extends her aid and reminds him that he is in her debt. Citing a pattern of inexplicable events and occurrences, Lopset suggests that Accresker Jail is haunted. Aphra dismisses Lopset's fears, expressing her skepticism and lack of apprehension towards ghosts.
Instead, Aphra becomes intrigued by Lopset's apparent abilities of shapeshifting. Lopset introduces his various identities, including the Abominatrix Kelko Dev, the renegade surgeon Doctor Cornelius Evazan, and Sandewar Mandewar of the Vex Crusade. While Aphra is impressed by Lopset's shapeshifting skills, Lopset explains that shapeshifters tend to isolate themselves because others seek to exploit them as resources rather than treat them as sentient beings. When Lopset questions whether Aphra would exploit his abilities, Aphra responds that "evil's just a measure of how much your choices take away other people's choices." When Lopset shows interest in Aphra's words, she attributes them to her late mother.
Twelve hours later, Tolvan makes her way to Accresker Jail. The Imperial prison warden is puzzled by her arrival and explains that his staff is in the process of thawing out a mairan, which he intends to use to extract Dr. Aphra's memories. The warden also hopes to leverage Dr. Aphra's expertise to quell the Bandit Purges in Senex-Juvex. Tolvan cautions the warden against questioning her further, citing her foul mood.
The warden begrudgingly grants Tolvan access to Aphra's cell. When a female guard informs Tolvan that no prisoner is permitted to interact with visitors without supervision, Tolvan asserts her authority and instructs the guard to face the wall and mumble inaudibly. To avoid raising the guard's suspicion, Tolvan subtly communicates with Aphra while questioning her about the components of an arc array.
While tracking Accresker Jail and its accompanying fleet, Sana Starros reports that the Imperial forces have incapacitated a pirate station. When General Syndulla inquires about Starros' interest in Aphra, Starros describes Aphra as someone she cared for so deeply that it frightened her. Starros also describes Aphra as someone she loved but who betrayed her trust and caused her pain. When Aphra expresses shock, she senses that the rebel general suffered a tragedy in the past but not treachery. By contrast, Starros likens her experience with love to fireworks. Below, Accresker Jail rams and bombards the pirate station.
Given the perilous situation unfolding, Syndulla instructs Starros to extract Aphra alive and unharmed. Knowing Aphra's resourcefulness, Starros infers that her former friend has likely devised a means of escaping danger. Starros reminds Syndulla that their primary objective is to obtain a decryption code for their intelligence.
As the prisoners initiate an assault on the pirate station, Aphra instructs Lopset to remain close. Utilizing the Imperial Authority Code Six-Six-Nine-Zero-Beta-One, Aphra disables an astromech hub droid equipped with a restraining bolt. With the droid neutralized, the two approach a parked TIE fighter. Upon reaching the TIE fighter, Aphra notices a ghostly figure atop the fighter. Tolvan attempts to dissuade Aphra from getting sidetracked via comlink, but Aphra is captivated by the ghost, believing it to be the spirit of her deceased mother.
While pursuing the ghost through Accresker Station, Aphra discovers the gundeck of a Penumbra-1 shattersprite, a starship previously piloted by Jedi centuries ago. Abandoning their escape plan, Aphra decides to scour the wreckage for relics. Tolvan angrily reminds Aphra that they have a limited window of opportunity to escape, but Aphra is consumed by her lust for treasure. Tolvan bemoans her affection for an "evil idiot."
- UPC 759606086290; June 27 , 2018 ; Marvel Comics [1] 02111; Cover A; Ashley Witter 02121; Cover B; Rod Reis