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The M4-series Messenger Droid was a model of messenger droid manufactured by Cybot Galactica. A sturdy and intelligent droid that stood about half a meter tall, it was propelled by a repulsorlift generator and equipped with a holoprojector and holorecorder. The M4-series was designed solely to deliver its message at any cost, and developed a reputation for successfully doing just that.
During the Galactic Civil War, the M4-series was considered one of the best messenger droids available, with many finding their way into service with the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The droids primarily delivered encrypted messages between rebel cells for the Alliance and took great pleasure in breaking through the security of the Galactic Empire, who rarely used the model, to do so.
Description
M4-series Messenger Droids were a model of dedicated messenger droid with a thin and blocky body that was pentagonal in shape and about half a meter tall. It was heavily reinforced and fitted with solid armor that allowed the M4-series to easily turn shots from both light-caliber slugthrowers or low-powered blasters. The droids had no external limbs, but their outer surface included a small and highly secure lockable compartment built into their right side and a large and high-resolution holoprojector lens dominating their front face. The droids were armed with a light blaster pistol with a stun setting.[1]
The droids' propulsion was provided by a repulsorlift generator that was small but high-output, allowing for surprising bursts of speed. Using a sophisticated navigation system that could connect to the HoloNet for real-time travel and navigation information nearly anywhere in the galaxy and a patented Cybot Galactica stealth routine, the droids could get where they needed to go while remaining largely unnoticed, with their size and shape also allowing them to squeeze through tiny spaces.[1]
The messenger droids was equipped with an long-range comlink and possessed a holorecorder and an on-board memory that could create and hold a single triple-encrypted holographic message of up to five minutes in length. Designed solely with the goal of delivering their message at any cost, the M4-series was highly overbuilt and packed full of redundant operating systems, but was relatively bright and remarkably clever.[1]
History
The Galactic Empire used the MSE-series (pictured) instead of the M4-series.
Costing 6,500 credits, the M4-series Messenger Droid was a popular and well-liked entry into the droid market by Cybot Galactica, although they were hard to find. They developed a reputation for successfully delivering their message no matter the difficulty or length of the trip or the amount of damage they sustained enroute, which was due to their design, sturdy build, and onboard systems. The model was considered among the best messenger droids available during the Galactic Civil War, but were rarely used by the Galactic Empire as Imperial Intelligence groups like the Imperial Security Bureau had their own bespoke messenger droids such as the MSE series or AS-M12-series droid.[1]
Many M4-series droids did however find their way into the Alliance to Restore the Republic, primarily running encrypted messages between rebel cells for Alliance Intelligence or courier services. A large number of these rebel droids took great amounts of pleasure in breaking through various levels of the Empire's security in order to deliver their messages, with one droid evening being rumoured to have broken into an Outer Rim Imperial stockade in order to deliver a message and hold-out blaster to a Alliance Intelligence agent who was imprisoned there.[1]
Behind the scenes
The M4-series as depicted in Legends
In the current Star Wars canon, the M4-series Messenger Droid was mentioned in the 2018 Star Wars Roleplaying supplement Cyphers and Masks, which was published by Fantasy Flight Games.[1] The droid originated in the Star Wars Legends continuity, where it was first mentioned as the "M4 message droid" in West End Games' 1995 Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game supplement Galladinium's Fantastic Technology.[2] The 2010 Star Wars Roleplaying Game supplement Galaxy of Intrigue by Wizards of the Coast was then the first source to use the name "M4-Series Messenger Droid."[3]
Sources
- Cyphers and Masks (First mentioned)