Droids (1994) 1

Within the vast galaxy of Star Wars, droids, even advanced droids, are often treated as disposable assets. Droids unfolds before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope and the rise of the Empire, chronicling the escapades of protocol droid See-Threepio and astromech droid Artoo-Detoo within the Kalarba system (as depicted in DHC #17, 18, and 19). Despite their differences, See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo understand that their best chance of survival lies in their unwavering partnership. Bless the maker!

On the planet Kalarba, the protocol droid C-3PO finds himself suspended from a tree by a rope, a victim of a trap set by R2-D2, his counterpart, and the child they are charged with supervising during his parents' absence. R2-D2 employs his arc welder to cut the rope, then turns the device on Nak Pitareeze, the child, delivering a shot to his backside. Enraged, Nak retaliates by using R2-D2's restraining bolt to punish the astromech, hurling insults at him. Just then, the Baron Pitareeze, Nak's grandfather, arrives and reprimands his grandson for his repeated torment of their guardians.

The scene shifts to an elaborate dinner within the Baron's factory, connected to their residence, where they briefly encounter a worker named Balto. A Pitareeze Cruiser, a starship designed by the Baron, hangs above as decoration. Nak inquires why his grandfather no longer produces them. The Baron begins to explain, but the arrival of Jace Forno prompts him to recount the tale to his grandson. Forno, representing Olag Greck, an old business contact of the Baron's, proposes that the Baron supply Greck with the MT-5 hyperdrive units developed by the Baron's company, Pitareeze Inc., which surpass contemporary components. Greck intends to use them in ships he is selling to politically influential buyers. The Baron declines, stating he would never associate with Greck, who had defrauded him in the past. When she suggests revisiting the discussion, the Baron dismisses her, and she complies.

Forno's mention of the potential wealth for Nak's family—despite his self-interest—piques his interest. He questions his grandfather, who explains that he had once hired Olag Greck to oversee the construction of the Pitareeze Cruiser. Greck betrayed the Baron's trust by stealing the ship's designs and producing an inferior model before the Baron could even create a prototype. Greck hastily marketed these flawed ships as "Greck Cruisers." When buyers encountered numerous design flaws, Greck pleaded with the Baron for assistance in rectifying the Greck Cruiser's defects. When the Baron refused, Greck publicly blamed the Baron as the ship's original designer. This tarnished the Pitareeze family name, but the Baron took pride in maintaining his integrity, even if it meant being unable to sell the Pitareeze Cruiser himself. Nak wears a mischievous expression after hearing the Baron's story.

The following day, Greck is orbiting Kalarba aboard a space station named Hosk Station, welcoming Torba, a Councilman from the Galactic Empire's Commerce Commission. They are in Greck's starship lot, and the salesman is attempting to convince Torba to purchase a Greck Cruiser. Torba is uninterested in complete starships but knows that the ships are based on Pitareeze Inc. designs. He seeks to acquire the MT-5 units, which the Baron refuses to sell due to Torba's plans to use them for military purposes. Since the Greck Cruisers lack this specific component, Torba tasks Greck with obtaining them, threatening to crack down on Greck's illegal activities on Hosk Station if he fails.

Greck then encounters Nak Pitareeze, who, with C-3PO's assistance, flew there to sell the MT-5 to Greck. They retire to Greck's office, where Nak presents Greck with the component he stole from his grandfather after the dinner. C-3PO interjects that the Baron would be upset by this sale, and Nak silences him. Greck, enraged, crushes the component in his hand, revealing that Nak had taken a hydrocompressor instead of the hyperdrive component.

The Baron receives a message from Greck at his home, informing him that Nak is in his custody. Greck claims that the boy attempted to steal a Greck Cruiser and demands the MT-5 in exchange for his return. Otherwise, he will send Nak to the next prison barge docking at Hosk Station. Greck leaves Nak tied up in his office to meet with Councilman Torba again, whom he intends to inform that he obtained the component from the Baron prematurely. The remote Nak used to deactivate C-3PO, now confiscated by Greck, lies on the desk. Nak wriggles over to it, presses the button with his chin, and commands the awakened droid to untie him. They escape and attempt to reach their ship to warn the Baron not to meet Greck, but find the hangar door blocked by Greck's henchman, Xob. They proceed to another hangar and steal a Greck Cruiser instead, pursued by Xob, and take off, only to be chased by probes. C-3PO, whose piloting skills are limited, struggles to control the defective ship, which begins to malfunction almost immediately: a control stick breaks off in the droid's hand. The droids fire on the ship as it enters Kalarba's atmosphere, where they burn up almost immediately. The ship is protected from the head of entry by a shield and C-3PO programs a landing sequence that will take them to the Baron. However, the ship's primary systems fail, the shields collapse, and the ship's hull heats up dangerously.

The pair crash land near the house on Kalarba, alive, though Nak sustains a leg injury. C-3PO offers to carry the boy. Nak then apologizes for his treatment of C-3PO and R2-D2. He explains that his parents are frequently away on business, and his grandfather is preoccupied with managing the Pitareeze Inc. factory, leading to his anger due to a lack of attention. C-3PO reassures him that he is not a bad person. After splinting Nak's leg, C-3PO fashions a sled from nearby wood and transports his master back to the house. During their journey, they discuss C-3PO's loyalty to R2-D2 and Nak, but C-3PO reminds Nak that he has no choice in the matter, as he is fitted with a restraining bolt by the Pitareeze family.

They encounter Balto at the factory, noticing that all the workers have left. Baron Pitareeze had closed the factory and sent them home before departing with R2-D2 on the last shuttle to Hosk Station. Nak suggests taking the Pitareeze Cruiser overhead. Despite its years of inactivity, Balto believes it will function if he charges the fuel cells.

Meanwhile, Greck informs Torba that the MT-5 has been installed in one of the Greck Cruisers since their last meeting. Torba demands proof, so Greck urges him to test it himself by making a hyperspace jump to the Alderaan system. Greck assures him that he will arrive in half the usual time. His plan is to react to the news that there is no MT-5 in the ship by accusing the Baron of sabotaging their transaction. Greck and Xob proceed to Bay 18, where the Baron awaits them as arranged. Greck no longer has the child but relies on the fact that the Baron does not know that to demand the part from him anyway. The Baron says that it is nearby and demands that Greck show him his grandson before he gives him the MT-5. Greck draws a blaster pistol and insists that the Baron provide the part. He complies, and R2-D2 retrieves the part from his internal storage. Their parlay is interrupted by a holographic transmission from a cloaked man who reports that his subordinate, Torba, died when the Greck Cruiser malfunctioned in hyperspace, destroying the ship. When Greck tries to obfuscate ignorance, the man Force chokes him and announces that his personal assistants would arrive the next day and take the MT-5 by force. As the transmission ends, Balto disables Xob and opens fire into the room.

As Greck is still recovering, he manages to take the Baron and R2-D2 with him to another hangar. Nonetheless, Greck and Xob catch up to them and Greck uses his blaster to shoot Balto's out of his grasp. He demands once more that the droid give him the component and the droid complies before the Pitareeze Cruiser arrives in the hangar. Greck and Xob, satisfied, allow them to escape. The Baron and Nak are reunited and Nak apologizes for all the trouble he caused. The Baron smiles joyously, responding knowingly that the Baron would be sorry as well, and they go home in a hurry. Greck examines the unit in his office. While he contemplates how many credits he would receive for selling it to the Empire, his face was squirted by a green fluid. The unit is a food hydrator the Baron had been able to disguise because Greck had never seen the real MT-5 himself. Greck thought aloud that he was a dead man.

Safely at home, the Baron tells Nak's parents, Jarth and Meg, of their adventure when they return from their trip. Nak's parents take the news happily because they came out of it relatively unscathed, but Nak is not excused simply because the situation was righted. Meg notices that he has been quite reserved since his parents' return. He tells her that he has been thinking quite a bit, acknowledging that what he did was wrong. He said that he had hoped Greck's money would give him security, but he realizes now that what he needs for that are friends—and not ones that stay with him because they are compelled to. He releases R2-D2 and C-3PO from their restraining bolts. The droids contemplate what they should do now that they have been released. R2-D2 suggests that they explore the galaxy and have more adventures. C-3PO says that he is insane: in his view, droids are not supposed to have stirring existences.