Doctor Aphra (2016) 34

Publisher's summary

UNSPEAKABLE REBEL SUPERWEAPON CONTINUES! Hiding out on the world where she grew up, everyone's favorite scoundreless, DOCTOR APHRA, takes a trip down memory [lane]. NB: Turns out memory lane is a hellhole covered in the agonizing thermal landmines of emotional honesty and family dysfunction. NB (2): Also bounty hunters. Lots and lots of bounty hunters.

Opening crawl

Rogue archaeologist Doctor Aphra has made
a name for herself as a brilliant scientist…as
well as a thief, swindler and obtainer of
ancient valuable artifacts.

But she's also collected quite a few enemies--
the Rebellion and the Empire, to name but
two. Though the rebels kidnapped Aphra and
her ward, Vulaada, they are willing to put
their differences aside due to Aphra's latest
score--a Jedi weapon called the FARKILLER.

Using plans stolen from the Empire, General
Cracken has a secret scheme to create the
Rebellion's own Death Star using the weapon
and with Aphra's help. But Aphra has no
intentions of joining the Rebel forces....

Plot summary

Aphra's childhood

In a flashback scene, Chelli Lona Aphra recounts her childhood on Arbiflux nineteen years ago. For two years, she did not see anyone but her mother Lona Aphra. While her mother preached about evil being taking away people's choices, Aphra thought it was hypocritical for her mother to take her away from her father Korin Aphra without stopping to ask. Aphra chafes under her overprotective mother who wants her to learn and stay sharp without ambition. Looking back, Aphra thinks that her mother was trying to protect her in her own "twisted way."

A reluctant parental figure

In the present, Aphra and Vulaada Klam have returned to her mother's homestead on Arbiflux. In the past nineteen years, settlers have cleared the surrounding forest and built a settlement next to a shipyard. Klam grumbles about Aphra taking her to a boring planet with a foul smell and asks why they could not have stayed with the Rebel Alliance. Klam thinks that the rebels would have been easy to scam. However, Aphra disagrees, saying that the rebels are purists. Klam thinks that Aphra wanted to avoid her estranged lover Magna Tolvan.

Aphra tells Klam that her late mother had stockpiled enough food for them. When Klam asks Aphra why she left if it was slave, Aphra tells her to go to bed. In a flashback scene, masked bandits riding speeder bikes attack the Aphra homestead. A mortally wounded Lona tells her daughter to take a blaster and flee into the forest. Later, Aphra awakes and receives a message from General Airen Cracken, who warns her that the Empire has tracked them down to Arbiflux. He warns that the Galactic Empire may have has dispatched mercenaries. As Aphra wakes up Klam, a group of mercenaries approach the Aphra homestead.

On the run again

Outside, a group of mercenaries consisting of a Herglic, his Corellian hound, a droid with a BX-series droid commando head mounted on a B2-series super battle droid, and the Wookiee Krrsantan approach the Aphra homestead. Klam watches the group through a pair of macrobinoculars. Recognizing Black Krrsantan, Aphra decides that they need to run. Klam is worried about her Qaberworm Gurtyl, who is being attacked by the mercenaries. As the two engage in a gun battle with the mercenaries, Aphra tells Klam that Gurty will give them time to escape. Though they managed to take out the Herglic and the Corellian hound, Gurtyl is wounded, and falls near them.

In the present, Black Krrsantan confronts Aphra and chokes her. Before he can throttle her to death, Aphra tells him that she has obtained a valuable relic. Changing his mind, Krrsantan hugs Aphra and the two reconcile. When Klam expresses surprise that Aphra is friends with Krrsantan, she explains that their friendship is motivated by self-interest. In a flashback scene, Aphra exchanges fire with the bandits in the forest. Her mortally wounded mother tells her to keep shooting because help is coming.

Back in the present, Aphra and her companions flee several stormtroopers. Klam rides Gurtyl while Aphra updates Krssantan about their situation. When Klam asks why the Empire is after her, Aphra says that she is implicated by association as her ward. The group escape aboard Aphra's starship Ark Angel II. Aboard the ship, Aphra tells her companions that she was hired by the Imperial propaganda minister Pitina Mar-Mas Voor to steal the Farkiller weapon. When Aphra speculates that it was a fake set-up, Klam asks if that means that there are no credits. Aphra shushes her and claims that there are plenty of credits.

As Imperial TIE fighters and TIE interceptors pursue the Ark Angel II, Aphra ponders why the Empire is so interested in her. When Aphra wonders whether her bad life choices are catching up with her, Klam responds that nobody is judging her but her. Aphra expresses regret for seeking refuge on her childhood world of Arbiflux. Before the Imperials can catch up with them, rebel starships from Indigo Squadron take out their pursuers.

Back with the Rebellion

In a flashback, a group of scout troopers find Aphra and her fallen mother. The lead scout trooper reassures her that the bandits have been eliminated and says that her mother did the right thing in calling for help. When the scout trooper tells her that her mother explained everything and that they will be sending her to her father Korin Aphra, Aphra reacts with grief and asks why she can't stay with her mother. Aphra realizes that her mother has died.

In the present, General Cracken thanks Aphra for changing her mind and orders his crew to search the Ark Angel II. Aphra asks Cracken if they can protect her and her companions in return for the Farkiller. When Klam asks about Gurtyl, Cracken reacts with alarm to the Qaberworm, which is terrorizing his crew. When Klam says that Gurtyl is friendly and affectionate, Cracken orders a squad to corral the creature. Cracken also orders TZ-2 to take Aphra to a laboratory and watch over her.

Aphra's plot

Aphra remarks that the rebels have little faith in her. As she follows TZ-2, Aphra gazes out through the viewport at Black Krrsantan, who is outside in a spacesuit and armed with a blaster. Inside the lab, TZ-2 reminds Aphra that the last time they met, she planted two sophisticated hijack units on his chassis. Aphra thanks TZ-2 for keeping the Farkiller weapon a secret from his superiors. When TZ-2 says that she has gained his trust, Aphra counters that he was mistaken and activates a third hijack unit, disabling the RA-7 protocol droid.

She orders the hijacked droid to unlock the safe for the Farkiller weapon. Aphra plans to deliver the weapon to the Empire in order to regain the Empire's favor. Her plot involves getting Krrsantan to board the rebel vessel using hullcutters. Before she can enact her plan, she is ambushed at knife point by Tolvan.

Media

Editions

• UPC 759606086290; July 17, 2019; Marvel Comics^[1]
  • 03411; Cover A; Ashley Witter
  • 03421; Cover B; Caspar Wijngaard

Cover gallery

Cover A

Cover A, cover art

Cover B

Collected in

• Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 6 — Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon
• Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1

Appearances

Notes and references

External links

• Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2016) #34 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
• Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2016) #34 (Variant) on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)

Aphra: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 The Screaming Citadel: 7 · 8 The Enormous Profit: 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 Remastered: 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 The Catastrophe Con: 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 Worst Among Equals: 26 · 27 · 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon: 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 36 A Rogue's End: 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 Trade paperbacks 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · The Screaming Citadel Other Annual 1 · Annual 2 · Annual 3 · Hardcover 1 · Omnibus Related media Doctor Aphra (2020) · Doctor Aphra – Chaos Agent Audiobook Original (script) · Epilogue
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