3D - 4X administrative droid The 3D - 4X administrative droid was created by Genetech Corporation in an effort to compete with their rival Cybot Galactica ' s hold on the galactic protocol droid market . Realizing that they could not compete one - on - one with the 3PO - series protocol droid and its AA - 1 VerboBrain , Genetech opted to fashion a droid more suited to systems administration rather than diplomacy . The result was the 3D - 4X series , which was a highly intelligent droid capable of taking initiative in completing tasks and possessed of a large information database concerning business , administrative , and financial procedures . Fluent in over two and half million forms of communication and able to act as a negotiator in preliminary business meetings , the 3D - 4X was favored by senior executive s and traveling businessbeings throughout the galaxy . Constructed on the factory world of Mechis III , 3D - 4X droids were common sights in the galaxy , ranging from the Jedi Temple droid pool on the galactic capital Coruscant during the waning years of the Galactic Republic , to docking bays in Mos Espa on Tatooine ; they were even found in the employ of crime lords . Although successful , the reputation of the 3D - 4X series was damaged when it emerged that one of their number , 3D - 4X , had killed his master , Administrator Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun , during the takeover of Mechis III by a quartet of IG - 88 assassin droids . Despite 3D - 4X ' s reprogramming by IG - 88A to commit that act , sales of the 3D - 4X declined as confidence in the line wavered . Description . Genetech Corporation ' s 3D - 4X administrative droid was a third - degree humanoid - shaped unit that stood 1 . 7 meters tall and was possessed of a torso , two arms , two legs , and a cranial unit . The 3D - 4X ' s cranial unit was shaped like an inverted test tube , and contained the droid ' s vocabulator , and a single photoreceptor mounted off - center on the unit ' s right side . Three direct cranial uplink s were situated on the back of the head , and the interior was the location of the droid ' s heuristic processor and internal business database , which held a massive amount of information relating to business protocols , financial logarithms , and administrative techniques . Auditory sensors were located in the unit ' s neck , just above the 3D - 4X ' s sophisticated communications scrambler / transmitter unit , and the droid ' s internal database contained knowledge of nearly two and a half million forms of communication , allowing it to effectively communicate with both planetary officials and commercial entities . The unit ' s torso contained the droid ' s recharge coupling set into the center of the chest , while three storage compartments were arrayed on the droid ' s waistline , and at least one at the back , which was capable of storing up to two kilograms in weight . Systems power couplings were also located on the back of the torso . The right arm of the 3D - 4X contained a panel underneath which was located a microphone / stenographic recorder , and the index finger of the right hand also contained a laser pointer , which was employed when the droid made presentations to clients . A hidden storage compartment was located on the droid ' s left thigh , and circuitry cooling cable s were left unsheathed at the knee . The 3D - 4X was ambidextrous . The resulting droid was highly intelligent and meticulous in its work , and possessed of a personality that managed to sound aloof yet deferential simultaneously . Some units , if left without a memory wipe , developed a personality that could be described as sardonic ; a simple memory wipe would erase that , but in general owners were loathe to lose the experience that 3D - 4Xs accumulated during their operation . 3D - 4X droids were covered in a plating of polished silver chromite which was buffed to a gleaming finish . Under intense light , the droid shone like a landing beacon , while the plating became scalding to the touch under a hot sun . 3D - 4X units retailed for 5 , 500 credits . Role . The 3D - 4X administrative droid was marketed as a personal assistant to senior executive s and those traveling businessbeings who required the service of a personal aide capable of handling a multitude of tasks on its own initiative . The 3D - 4X series was designed to focus on systems administration , business tasks , and formal etiquette , but was fully capable of handling the day - to - day necessities required by the executives of large businesses and corporations , readily reacting to changes in routine or the emergence of problems . As a result , the 3D - 4X droids considerably lightened their organic executive ' s workload . In some cases , 3D - 4X droids had been discovered to have completely taken over their master ' s duties and responsibilities , and were often so capable in their work that their organic employers were left with little actual work to do . Droids of the 3D - 4X series performed many of the same duties as a standard protocol droid , including translation and the advisement of proper decorum and procedure , but its emphasis on business and administration matters made it popular with executives of major corporations . 3D - 4X units were commonly used by their owners to begin preliminary trade negotiations with rival corporations or merchant houses . However , the droids lacked the authority to finalize the deal , and the executives themselves would usually turn up to sign the paperwork . History . With Cybot Galactica ' s dominance of the protocol droid market , many companies attempted to emulate their success by producing their own units . However , the industry standard was set by the 3PO - series , and those companies that tried to replicate the unit precisely failed as they had no access to proprietary hardware like the AA - 1 VerboBrain . Genetech , realizing that it did not have the resources to take on Cybot Galactica , opted to design a limited services protocol droid that focused on systems administration rather than diplomacy . The result was the 3D - 4X administrative droid . Genetech contracted the factory world of Mechis III to construct the 3D - 4X administrative droid some time before 22 BBY . Sales of the droid were favorable , and they became a common sight throughout the galaxy . During the reign of the Galactic Republic , the Jedi Order maintained several 3D - 4X droids within the Jedi Temple on the galactic capital Coruscant , alongside 3PO - series protocol droids . Around 3 ABY , a quartet of independent IG - 88 assassin droids targeted Mechis III as the first step in a plan to secure droid domination over the galaxy . The lead droid , IG - 88A , transmitted a copy of the self - replicating sentience programming that the droids all shared to the planet ' s computer infrastructure and all the droids on the planet . Each unit was reprogrammed to become self - aware and loyal to the IG - 88s . Droids moved to eradicate the seventy - three Humans on the planet , including the administrator , Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun , who was killed by his own administrative droid , 3D - 4X . The IG - 88s ran Mechis III as though nothing had changed , with 3D - 4X maintaining the charade by answering messages and signing documents in the former administrator ' s name . The factory world still accepted orders , but the manufactured droids were modified with sentience routines to make them part of the IG - 88s ' plan for galactic domination . Before the plan could be executed , the four IG - 88s were destroyed in various altercations within a short span of time . Although Mechis III subsequently operated for several years lacking organic supervision without anyone in the wider galaxy knowing , the incident eventually became public knowledge , causing sales of the 3D - 4X line to drop as executives had no time to worry if their 3D - 4X intended to kill them or not . 3D - 4X administrative droids in the galaxy . In 22 BBY , a 3D - 4X administrative droid was in the employ of Mentis Qinx , a docking bay owner who resided in Mos Espa on the planet Tatooine . A young Boba Fett encountered the droid when he landed his " Firespray - 31 " - class patrol and attack craft , " Slave I " , at the bay prior to a meeting with crime lord Jabba the Hutt . Fett , bluffing the droid into believing he was in fact his father , Jango , was confronted over an outstanding fee on the docking bay that carried over from Jango ' s last visit to Mos Espa . Not having enough credits to cover the fee , Fett attempted to barter with the droid , saying that he would settle the full amount after meeting with Jabba . The droid insisted that Master Qinx was most insistent about the full amount being settled immediately ; Fett simply implied that the Hutt would be most displeased if the bounty hunter was late for his appointment . After communicating with Qinx , the 3D - 4X relented and allowed Fett to proceed . Around 3 BBY , a 3D - 4X administrative droid was part of the droid forces assembled by Iaclyn Stark aboard the Eclipse resort on the planet Reltooine . Stark set the droids upon Imperial Intelligence rank Jahan Cross , who was investigating something called " Iron Eclipse " — a virus created by Stark to subvert a droid ' s programming and make them serve him . Stark ' s half - sister , Elli , implored her sibling not to kill Cross , which he agreed to before he was impaled from behind by his own father , Iaco Stark . In 1 BBY , the Aleena crime lord Sollima used a 3D - 4X as an accounting droid . Sollima ' s gambling network and his casino - world , the Hollow Moon , were coveted by the Galactic Empire , the dominant galactic power at the time . However , the Hollow Moon was located in the Khorya system of the Si ' Klaata Cluster in Hutt Space , and the Empire was reluctant to move against it . One of Sollima ' s employees , Billal Batross , sold the droid to the Empire so that they could mine its datacore for information to use against Sollima . The Aleena pressed the smuggler Han Solo into service to retrieve the droid after he had incurred a large debt with Sollima . Forced to leave behind his regular partner , the Wookiee Chewbacca , Solo was partnered with Batross , whom Sollima was unaware had sold the droid in the first place . Solo and Batross infiltrated the Imperial garrison on Moog Mot VI ; during the recovery attempt , Batross revealed his involvement in the droid ' s acquisition by the Empire , and the pair were subsequently captured . During interrogation , Batross broke first , and Imperial Captain Taavin offered them a deal : they would be free to go if they delivered the remains of the droid , rigged with a bomb , back to Sollima , as well as overriding the Hollow Moon ' s security override to allow the Empire to attack , as they had convinced the Hutts that Imperial control of the Hollow Moon was in their best interest . Solo and Batross completed the mission , and escaped the Hollow Moon with Chewbacca and Sollima during the Imperial assault . Around 3 ABY , the administrative droid 3D - 4X served the administrator of the droid factory world Mechis III , Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun . The droid was always punctual with the administrator ' s afternoon tea and daily reports . After having his programming corrupted by IG - 88A , 3D - 4X promptly killed the administrator with a blaster and served the IG - 88s running the planet loyally , handling external communications and generally keeping up the charade that nothing was amiss on Mechis III . At some point , a Ranat spy in the employ of the Empire , searching for the IG - 88 droids as they had escaped from an Imperial facility on Halowan , contacted Mechis III to inquire if the IG - 88s had been seen on the planet . 3D - 4X spliced together holo - footage of Administrator Hekis to answer the Ranat ' s queries , and was commended for his actions by the IG - 88 units . Sometime later , 3D - 4X met Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader during his visit to the planet to seek assurances that their order of new probe droids would be completed on time . Again , 3D - 4X used holograph ic footage of Hekis and managed to fool Vader into believing that the administrator was on the other side of the planet tending to an emergency . Sometime prior to 24 ABY , the Alderaanian nobleman Tyko Thul bought the droid facilities on Mechis III and rebuilt the industry on the planet . 3D - 4X was still in operation , and served Thul . He attempted to bar the entry of several Jedi apprentices into the facility when they arrived in search of Thul — who was believed to be missing — but ultimately relented . In 25 ABY , during the war against the extra - galactic Yuuzhan Vong , a 3D - 4X administrative droid was employed at Government House in the city of Worlport on Ord Mantell . When news of an impending Yuuzhan Vong attack on the planet reached the building , the droid conveyed the information to the protocol droid C - 3PO , who was on the planet with Ambassador Leia Organa Solo attending the Conclave on the Plight of the Refugees . Behind the scenes . The 3D - 4X administrative droid first appeared in Kevin J . Anderson ' s " " , one of five stories included in the " Tales of the Bounty Hunters " collection published in 1996 . The story featured the droid 3D - 4X , but did not identify the droid ' s model . 1997 ' s " " , also written by Anderson , also included a brief appearance by the droid . In 1999 , " The Essential Guide to Droids " — written by Daniel Wallace with illustrations by Bill Hughes and Troy Vigil — established that 3D - 4X was part of the 3D - 4X administrative droid line , and greatly expanded on the model ' s features , history , and creation . The publication also featured the first visual depiction of the 3D - 4X , along with a schematic of the droid ' s major components . A 3D - 4X droid was included in " " by James Luceno in 2000 , while a feature called " Look Sir , Droids ! " by Cory J . Herndon that was included in Wizards of the Coast ' s " Star Wars Gamer 3 " in 2001 provided a small write - up on the droid . In 2002 , Wizards of the Coast ' s " Arms & Equipment Guide " included the 3D - 4X amongst a selection of droids that players could purchase and use , providing roleplaying statistics for the droid . It also stated that players wishing to roleplay as a droid character could choose to be a 3D - 4X model . A 3D - 4X droid briefly appeared in Elizabeth Hand ' s " " in 2003 , and was included in a list of droids available for purchase on the planet Cularin in " Standoffs , " an article published on Wizards . com for the " Living Force Campaign " in 2004 . Issue 120 of " The Official Star Wars Fact File " included an entry of the model and also provided new artwork of the droid . The class received mentions in 2008 ' s " " , and a visual depiction in 2009 ' s " " . In 2001 , a 3D - 4 administrative droid was briefly featured in the prologue of " " by Greg Keyes , and a 3D - 4 administrative droid was later profiled in 2010 ' s " Galaxy of Intrigue " by Wizards of the Coast . Several statistical differences between the 3D - 4X and the 3D - 4 exist , despite the droids ' similar names and shared manufacturer . 3D - 4X droids have no provision for a concealed weapon within their statistics , while owners of the 3D - 4 droid can include one if they wish . The retail cost for the droids differ , with the 3D - 4X costing 5 , 500 credits , while the 3D - 4 is more expensive at 7 , 520 credits . Internal storage capacity is listed at two kilograms for a 3D - 4X model , while 3D - 4s can store up to five kilograms . The major difference is the type of processor used by each model . 3D - 4Xs are stated to employ a heuristic processor , allowing them to learn by doing and use creative thinking and logical reasoning to solve problems . This is one of the major design attributes of the 3D - 4X which contributes to its success . The 3D - 4 series only utilizes a basic processor which means they do not possess this advantage and follow instructions literally with no provision for independent problem - solving . For the purpose of this article , it is assumed that the 3D - 4 and the 3D - 4X are separate models due to these differences .