Doctor Aphra (2016) 6
Doctor Aphra 6 represents the sixth installment of the Marvel comic book series titled Star Wars: Doctor Aphra. Kieron Gillen is the writer behind the comic, with Kev Walker providing the artwork. Its release date was April 12, 2017.
Plot summary
Within the domain of "Eternal Rur"
A snowtrooper informs Captain Magna Tolvan at the Citadel of Rur that the "captives" have sought refuge in the levitating core. The snowtrooper suggests using an astromech droid to hack the system and reactivate the bridge, as they cannot access the core. Tolvan acknowledges the logic but points out that the area beneath the bridge directly opens into space. She orders them to signal the Lambda-class shuttle to bombard their target location.
Meanwhile, Chelli Lona Aphra makes an agreement with Eternal Rur, who communicates through droids, to provide him with the current time in exchange for information about the Citadel's history. Eternal Rur recounts that the traditional Jedi Order and Ordu Aspectu had established a peace treaty after the Entruvia Conflict, allowing the Jedi to inspect the Ordu's work for indicators of "dangerous heresy." Identifying himself as Rur, Eternal Rur claims to have been researching the creation of a duplicate of his own intellect.
However, Rur asserts that the research went awry, resulting in his consciousness being transferred into the computer core, while an evil entity inhabited his physical body. When the Jedi inspected the Citadel of Rur, Eternal Rur seized control of the machines and launched an attack on both the Ordu Aspectu and Jedi, resulting in numerous fatalities. Amon and "Fake Rur" survived and attempted to disable "Eternal Rur".
"Eternal Rur" states that he propelled the Citadel of Rur into space to prevent reinforcements from finding them. The Jedi were unable to track them down due to their lack of Ordu crystals. Amon managed to halt the Citadel's power generator before being killed. He claims that "Fake Rur" succeeded in dislodging the crystals, rendering him inactive for an extended period. "Eternal Rur" believes that the droids eliminated the organic beings until they ran out of power.
The Vengeance of Eternal Rur
"Eternal Rur" now insists that they fulfill their part of the bargain. Korin Aphra calculates that Eternal Rur predates the modern Galactic Republic, which had existed for a millennium, based on the Domancion Accord's calendar. Eternal Rur becomes furious upon learning that everyone he knew is deceased and his aspirations of building an empire have vanished. Unable to exact revenge on the dead, he decides to punish the living and activates his droids. Aphra defends against them.
With Krrsantan having deserted them, Aphra suggests to her father that they commandeer the Imperial's Lambda-class shuttle. A crystal is needed to activate the bridge. However, Korin advises her to destroy the console and retrieve the crystals from there. Aphra bandages her father's injured right arm. She then takes the lift into the computer core and proceeds to hack the machine using her blue lightsaber.
During this process, Aphra also steals a cylindrical green crystal. She then inserts an Ordu crystal into the bridge control panel, activating the bridge. Upon returning to the bridge, she discovers Captain Tolvan and her snowtroopers under attack by Rur's droids. Aphra initially attempts to guide them to safety but changes her mind and removes the crystal, causing the snowtroopers to fall into the abyss along with the droids. Only Captain Tolvan survives the fall.
Captain Tolvan demands to know why Aphra caused the place to self-destruct. Aphra denies any involvement and instructs Tolvan to signal her ship to come around. When Tolvan inquires about Aphra's ship Ark Angel II, Aphra responds that the situation is complicated. Aphra, Korin, and Tolvan escape aboard Tolvan's shuttle.
The End of the Ordu Aspectu
Inside the cockpit, the Aphras and Tolvan realize that Eternal Rur has taken control of the RA-7 protocol droid, which murdered the pilots. The possessed droid knocks Tolvan to the ground and attempts to choke Aphra. However, the Citadel of Rur explodes, seemingly destroying Eternal Rur. The protocol droid returns to its normal programming. Korin comments that this marks the end of the Ordu Aspectu.
Enraged, Tolvan draws a blaster and demands to know Aphra's identity. However, Korin injures Tolvan in the right arm using the salvaged lightsaber. Later, in the Outer Rim Territories, Aphra abandons Tolvan and the RA-7 droid on an unidentified planet. She remarks that killing her would have been the logical choice but that she finds her attractive. Korin jokes that his daughter has a "poor taste" in women. Aphra replies that it is a trait of the Aphra family.
Aphra reveals to her father the cylindrical crystal core she recovered from the Citadel of Rur. Korin regards the object as pure evil and is hesitant to reactivate it. However, Aphra persuades her father to store the crystal on Quarantine World III in Kallidahin Space. The Crystal core is placed in a secure vault.
After leaving Quarantine World III, Aphra assures her father that the planet is the safest location in the galaxy to keep something as perilous as Rur's crystal core. Korin acknowledges that he was mistaken to seek deliverance in the past. He hopes that this hope will be found in the future and endeavors to discover it. He expresses his gratitude to Aphra, who convinces her father to resolve her doctorate issue. With father and daughter on better terms, Korin agrees to eliminate the incriminating evidence.
Resuming Business
Upon returning to the Cosmatanic Steppes, Aphra convinces the droid Ergo to purchase several lightsaber artifacts. Although the droid accepts her goods, the payment she receives is less than she had anticipated. At a Cosmatanic Steppes bar, Aphra encounters Soo-Tath's brother who informs her that her debt has been settled. When he inquires about her ship, Aphra responds that it is a valid question.
At that moment, Black Krrsantan arrives and greets Aphra. She harbors no resentment towards him, understanding that he was simply protecting himself. Aphra acknowledges that she still owes him a debt. Aphra reveals that the green cylindrical crystal core she gave to her father Korin was a decoy and that she had retained the real one all along. She informs Krrsantan that the crystal presents them with an opportunity to amass wealth.