Mici Shabandar

Mici Shabandar, a Human woman and operative serving the Rebel Alliance, participated in a mission led by Princess Leia Organa to abscond with the Staraker. This Imperial prototype starship was under development at the Foundry. Shabandar's team included Luke Skywalker and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.

While Organa and Skywalker initiated an alarm to draw away a large number of stormtroopers within the construction facility, Shabandar devised a separate distraction. She donned a disguise as a computer techno, accompanied by her "two maintenance droids," and presented the launch bay guards with falsified credentials identifying her as a systech level 7 with Staraker clearance epsilon-omega. Before the stormtrooper could validate her identification with central security, the astromech R2-D2 feigned a malfunction, discharging foam to obscure the stormtrooper's vision and scanners. Shabandar then grabbed a blaster rifle and used it to strike three stormtroopers, disrupting their balance and preventing them from summoning reinforcements before Skywalker and Organa eliminated them with blaster fire. Subsequently, Organa directed her team to enter the Staraker while she covered their retreat. In contrast to Skywalker, who questioned their commander's orders, Shabandar immediately moved towards the ship. As the two Humans hurried toward the ramp, followed by the droids, Skywalker urged the group to expedite the ship's preparation for takeoff; Shabandar retorted that they were well aware, as stealing it was the purpose of their presence.

Following rapid preparations to make the ship flight-ready, Shabandar instructed Organa to head for the ramp while she provided covering fire. However, their numbers were insufficient, and a stun blast incapacitated the princess. Yelling for Skywalker to remain in the cockpit to pilot the ship, Shabandar personally escorted Organa into the airlock. She then shielded Organa with her own body from the intense acceleration during launch.

During their voyage to Rebel Alliance headquarters, Organa expressed her gratitude to Shabandar for saving her life as Shabandar assisted R2-D2 with adjustments. The ship's communication system signaled an incoming message from General Dodonna, who ordered them to change course to a desolate planet named Alashan. The Alliance had lost contact with an archaeological station and a scout team dispatched to investigate. The archaeologists' last transmission mentioned a "major discovery." Dodonna feared that the Empire might seize it as a weapon. He assigned the Rebel team a new mission to Alashan.

Following several days of uneventful travel, Shabandar and her fellow Rebels arrived at Alashan, where they were promptly attacked by TIE fighters. As Skywalker skillfully maneuvered the ship to evade enemy fire, Shabandar and Organa manned the Staraker's weaponry, successfully destroying the TIE fighters. Shabandar believed that the Imperial presence explained the fate of the archaeologists, but Skywalker remained skeptical. When the scanners detected additional contacts, Shabandar alerted the others to the presence of an Imperial cruiser. However, before the Rebels could react, a beam of energy emanating from Alashan's surface obliterated the cruiser. Another beam struck the Staraker, and its experimental shields barely withstood the impact. The ship sustained significant damage, causing it to plummet toward the planet's surface.

Shabandar proceeded to the rear of the ship to extinguish a fire, aided by R2-D2. Just as Skywalker warned her to secure herself before atmospheric entry, a computer panel exploded, propelling her against a bulkhead. Despite Skywalker's efforts to execute a crash landing, Shabandar was thrown once more, resulting in broken bones and internal injuries. Organa discovered her barely breathing. Unable to transport her to a medical facility, Organa instructed R2-D2 to activate his medical sub-bank.

Under the guidance of R2-D2, with C-3PO providing translation, Organa initiated the operation by setting Shabandar's fractured bones. However, her vital signs remained critically low, and she continued to suffer from internal bleeding. Skywalker, having meditated to prepare for his role, followed Organa's instructions and used his lightsaber to cauterize Shabandar's wounds without causing further harm. Eventually, the bleeding ceased, and her vital signs stabilized.

With Shabandar still unconscious but no longer in immediate peril, Organa and Skywalker discussed their next course of action. The Staraker had become embedded in lava that solidified around it. Skywalker ventured out to locate a path to the surface, while Organa and the droids remained with Shabandar. The princess emerged after Skywalker encountered a group of Imperials led by Major Wil'm Grau. Due in part to Shabandar's need for continued medical attention, the adversaries agreed to a truce.

After receiving medication from an Imperial sergeant, Shabandar regained consciousness and reported feeling no pain, instead describing her state as being "in wonderland." However, she became apprehensive when Skywalker informed her that he and Organa would accompany the Imperials to investigate the archaeological site, while the droids would remain with her. She voiced her fear of dying alone, and Skywalker embraced her, offering comfort as C-3PO observed the scene and pondered the nature of emotions that caused pain.

As the unexplained energy beam reactivated, C-3PO alerted Shabandar to imminent explosions. She surmised that whoever had shot them down intended to eliminate them. Despite her injuries and fear, she grasped her blaster with trembling hands, preparing to confront whatever was breaching the ship. R2-D2, detecting an approaching energy field, shocked Shabandar into temporary bio-stasis. C-3PO, believing his counterpart had killed her, demanded an explanation. A clawed sentinel entered and lifted Shabandar, but soon released her and departed, detecting no signs of life aboard the vessel. After apologizing for his outburst, C-3PO instructed R2-D2 to revive Shabandar immediately.

Several days later, Shabandar was conscious when the repaired Staraker departed from Alashan with Major Grau and Anarine aboard, although the Imperials soon ejected to return to the Empire. The Rebels had failed to acquire the technology of Alashan, but neither had the Imperials.

Mici Shabandar possessed brown skin and black hair characterized by a tightly curled texture, styled in a rounded fashion. She also exhibited a widow's peak and prominent cheekbones. R2-D2 demonstrated trust in her by allowing her to perform maintenance modifications on him.

Shabandar demonstrated proficiency in droid maintenance and the operation of ship-based weaponry in combat. She was also adept at using a blaster.

While on Foundry, Shabandar wore coveralls paired with high-heeled boots, and secured her hair with a bandana. In space, she adorned herself with dangling earrings, large bangle bracelets, and an arrangement of four thick, layered necklaces that encircled her neck.

Mici Shabandar made her debut appearance in Star Wars Weekly 107, which marked the beginning of the "World of Fire!" storyline within the comic book series Star Wars Weekly. Chris Claremont wrote the issue, while Carmine Infantino and Gene Day provided the artwork. The cover date was March 12, 1980.

Shabandar was featured on the cover of the April 16 issue Star Wars Weekly 112. The interior artwork for her appearances was rendered in black and white, but the cover depicted her with brown skin. However, when the issues in which she appeared were reprinted in the 1982 paperback edition of Star Wars 2: World of Fire, the front and back cover artwork portrayed her skin tone as light as Leia Organa's.