MSE-6 series repair droid
The MSE-6 repair droid series, often called the mouse droid, was a compact, rectangular, wheeled droid of the MSE-series family, typically employed for maintenance and delivery tasks. The most prominent deployments of MSE-6 units occurred on Death Stars and Star Destroyers during the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Specifications
Standing approximately 25 centimeters in height, the MSE-6 moved on four wheels. Despite being programmed with a variety of potential functions, the droid was fundamentally designed for a single, specific task. A modular circuit matrix, housing programming for one particular skill, was located beneath the droid's box-like exterior. Frequently, mouse droids performed basic repair work and cleanup duties, and they could also be used in security and communications roles. Because each droid was limited to a single skill, multiple mouse droids could link together to combine their capabilities for more complex jobs. It was common to see lines of MSE-6 droids guiding personnel through military facilities; this function required the mouse droids to be programmed with detailed maps of their assigned areas. Furthermore, due to their utilization in military locations, MSE-6 units were designed to self-destruct if captured, giving them a significant self-preservation drive.
History
The Chadra-Fan at Rebaxan Columni were responsible for the creation of the MSE-6. Rebaxan mass-produced these droids, manufacturing billions of them, and heavily promoted them as "cute" across more than four hundred sectors; however, the general populace found them irritating, and some even likened them to annoying pests. During the Clone Wars, the Republic Navy made extensive use of MSE-6 droids. The Confederacy of Independent Systems also utilized a number of these droids, along with MSE-4 droids (a similar, smaller model), within the Separatist Council War Room on Mustafar near the conclusion of the Clone Wars.
Facing impending bankruptcy due to their enormous inventory of droids, Rebaxan Columni sold their entire stock to the Empire, which was in desperate need of droids for use in the Imperial Navy. The Death Star became a common site for MSE-6s.
Gara Petothel and Tonin, her R2-series astromech droid, attempted to sabotage Warlord Zsinj's flagship, the Iron Fist, by reprogramming its MSE-6 droids and replacing their wheels with magnetic strips. The droids caused significant damage to the hyperdrive, effectively trapping the vessel in the Selaggis system so that General Han Solo could engage it. She also used the droids to manipulate holocam feeds, infiltrate the ship's primary computer system, and gain entry to restricted sections of the vessel.
Later, during the height of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances converted a number of mouse droids into YVH-M droids, which functioned as mobile surveillance units to identify and eliminate infiltrators on Mon Calamari.
In 137 ABY, MSE-6 droids were stationed on the world of Bastion.
Notable units
Behind the scenes
The MSE-6-series repair droid made its debut appearance in the film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Production designers tested the droid on March 15, 1976, where it was nicknamed "baby box." George Lucas directed the test run of the droid, which was filmed by cameraman Gilbert Taylor.