P2-series astromech droid

For other uses, see P2.

The P2-series astromech droid was Industrial Automaton's first astromech droid prototype for the R-series, using a rounded body design that would later prove popular with the R2-series astromech droids.

Description

P2 units were prototype astromechs standing 2.2 meters tall. They were equipped with three wheeled legs, a rotating head dome, three retractable manipulator arms, a heavy grasper arm, buzzsaw, and laser welder inside an armored housing.^[1]

P2s had a primitive version of the Intellex ship-configuration computer,^[4] the Intellex II,^[3] making them capable maintenance units aboard starships such as bulk cruisers and container ships.^[4] Technicians also installed a primitive navigation computer into the droid that gave it the ability to calculate a single hyperspace jump if given enough time and information.^[3]

The droids were large, cumbersome, clumsy, sluggish, and slow to learn,^[4] although they had a cheerful and positive attitude.^[2] They could only communicate through the use of its video display screen or by linking to a computer. Despite these drawbacks, many of the features including in the P2-series later became common on astromechs in Industrial Automaton's R-series.^[4]

Role

The P2 was an astromech, but was also intended by Industrial Automaton to be the first in a new kind of droid. The unit was designed to be a versatile mechanic that could perform a wide variety of functions. The P2 was described as a "walking toolbox," a nickname that would also be applied to its successor, the R2-series.^[5]

History

Schematics for a P2-series . — Schematics for a P2-series astromech droid.

As a prototype, Industrial Automaton sold P2s on a trial basis exclusively to the Old Republic shipping fleet. Although the P2s had their issues, they proved popular with the captains of the ships they were stationed on. Industrial Automaton was in the process of finalizing plans to make the P2-series publicly available when the company ran into trouble.^[4]

The Intellex computer used in the P2 had been developed by Industrial Intelligence before their hostile takeover by Automata Galactica to form Industrial Automaton. Former executives from Industrial Intelligence launched legal action against the board of Industrial Automaton for use of the system they developed. Due to the state of the Galactic Republic's bureaucracy at the time, the case was frozen for decades before it ever went to trial. Production of the P2 was stalled, and Industrial Automaton lost millions of credits in cancelled preorders.^[3]

The former employees of Industrial Intelligence eventually dropped the case when it became clear that the lawsuit would lay bare datafiles and business practices that they would rather keep secret.^[3] The damage was done however. The legal delays and bad publicity around the case killed the P2 line and forced Industrial Automaton to start over.^[4] Industrial Automaton designed a replacement model, the R1 unit, by recycling the shells of existing Mark II reactor drones to save costs that had been incurred by the company's legal battles.^[4]

By the time of the Galactic Civil War, any P2s still in operation were commonly found on independent or privateer vessels.^[3] One P2 droid, P2-D19, was stationed aboard the Black Ice. When a team of Alliance agents attempted to overtake the Imperial supply ship, chief engineer Skolos reprogrammed the droid to attack the intruders.^[6]

Behind the scenes

For the P2 droid's first appearance in the roleplaying game game supplement, Black Ice, artist Bob Dvorak based his illustration on early Ralph McQuarrie concept art of R2-D2.^[7]