Vors Voorhorian Vors Voorhorian was an Incom Corporation engineer who designed the T - 65 X - wing starfighter . After being arrested by the Galactic Empire following the seizure of the X - wing prototypes by Alliance to Restore the Republic agents , he escaped and set up his own factory on a remote world . Fearful of Imperial retribution , he set up several contingency plans securing his newly manufactured craft and even took to disguising himself as a used starship salesman to deter suspicion . Following the Battle of Yavin , Voorhorian was contacted by Leia Organa , who sought replacements for the starfighters lost in the battle . He obliged , although the Rebels inadvertently led Imperial starfighters to his secret factory . Luckily for him , his fighters were secure , and after a brief engagement with a squad of TIE Fighters , the new ships were securely in Alliance hands . Voorhorian decided that he would be better served helping the Rebellion and upon the delivery of his craft to Yavin 4 , he remained on the forest moon , at the Great Temple . His fighter would go on to serve the Alliance , and in turn the New Republic , for many years . Biography . On the run from the Empire . In his work as an engineer for the Incom Corporation , Vors Voorhorian designed the T - 65 X - wing starfighter , a space superiority craft . The prototypes for the craft eventually fell into the hands of the Alliance to Restore the Republic , stolen from the main Incom facility on Fresia . In retaliation , the Galactic Empire arrested Voorhorian and all the other Incom scientists who had developed the craft , and seized control of the main Incom facility on Fresia . Captain Raymus Antilles was able to liberate the majority of the Incom staff , and it is possible that Voorhorian was freed during the Space Battle in the Kessel Asteroid Field as well . While Incom was temporarily out of business due to the efforts of the Empire , Voorhorian set up his own production facility on a remote planet . He was highly suspicious of Imperial spies , however , and when the factory had produced a full complement of X - wings , he had them moved to a derelict GR - 75 medium transport orbiting the planet . In their place , he created X - wing chassis and had them stored in the factory for display . Contacting the Alliance . The Battle of Yavin , while a significant victory for the Alliance , cost them most of their fleet of X - wings . Voorhorian was contacted by Leia Organa , who hoped to replenish their supply of the lost fighters , and had just come across a considerable amount of credits . Voorhorian gave Organa the coordinates of a beacon he had set up , which would transmit a message from " Gears Gilhooey , " a local used starship salesman . The beacon would then transmit the coordinates of the planet , and self - destruct . Voorhorian was paranoid that the Empire would discover his location , and exact retribution on the citizens of the planet , just as they had done with Fresia . He had adopted the guise of " Gilhooey " to dissuade suspicion . Shortly thereafter , Organa arrived on the planet with Han Solo , Luke Skywalker , and R2 - D2 . Voorhorian , as Gilhooey , approached the group , and though they initially ignored his falsified sales pitch , Solo noticed that Gilhooey wore an X - wing cog for a ring , just as Voorhorian supposedly did . Not given the chance to explain himself , Voorhorian found himself in the grasp of Solo , who attempted to interrogate him . Voorhorian quickly turned the tables , however , and was able to throw the Corellian to the ground . At that moment , Voorhorian chose to reveal himself and his hidden factory . After explaining the need for the deception , he began discussing terms with Organa , while Solo , Skywalker , and R2 - D2 unloaded the credits from the Corellian ' s ship , the " Millennium Falcon " . During the discussions , R2 - D2 discovered that the X - wings in the factories were just empty chassis , prompting Solo and Skywalker to demand answers . They fought Voorhorian ' s guards , and began questioning the Incom engineer . Though Organa already knew , Voorhorian explained his second ruse , and although Solo and Skywalker were satisfied , the factory fell under Imperial starfighter attack . A group of TIE Fighters had followed the " Falcon " since its exit from hyperspace , and had began razing the structures on the remote planet . Quickly fleeing the Imperial attack , Voorhorian boarded the " Falcon " , while Skywalker put his Jedi skills to use and halted the advance of the enemy fighters . Once in orbit , Voorhorian directed Captain Solo to the derelict transport and explained his reasoning as to why he had hidden the fighters in such an inconspicuous place . While the Rebels inspected the fighters , the Imperials attacked them once again . Solo was able to lure them away from the transport for a short while in the " Falcon " , but Skywalker had a better long - term plan . He had Voorhorian divert power from the powerful batteries of the X - wings to the shields of the transport . Then , using the Force , Skywalker activated the shields just as the TIE Fighters flew within range , destroying them . The " Falcon " , using its tractor beam , then towed the transport back to Yavin 4 , where the Rebel base was located . Imperial spy . Voorhorian decided to help the Alliance , and upon reaching Yavin 4 , he stayed instead of returning to the now - destroyed Incom factory . Along with Skywalker , he helped shuttle Rebel pilots to the transport in a modified Incom T - 16 skyhopper , so they could take the new X - wings down to the Great Temple . On one run , Voorhorian and Skywalker encountered the " Bail Organa " , a ship of refugees from the destroyed planet of Alderaan . As the days went by , the Rebels anticipated an Imperial attack , and sure enough , their filing systems were sabotaged by a spy . When Organa accused Captain Solo of being the spy , Voorhorian was in disbelief . He expressed his feelings to Lieutenant Rogor , who was also apparently shocked , but believed it to be possible . Eventually , Rogor was the one revealed to be the spy , and he attempted to escape in one of Voorhorian ' s X - wings . However , it was not one of the new craft , and it had been drained of power . Although , eventually , the Rebels were forced to evacuate from Yavin , they were able to escape the Empire ' s grasp . The X - wing would go on to be a mainstay in the Alliance fleet , and would even serve the New Republic consistently . Personality and traits . Vors Voorhorian was a proud man : he had the utmost faith in both his ships and his plans . Though he was loathe to boast , he was quick to applaud his own work , especially the design of the X - wing ' s power cell . He hated the Empire for what they had done to him and Incom , and wanted to see his craft in action against their agents . Despite this , he was afraid of it , and created several successful security devices to divert attention away from his operations . Voorhorian was a skilled actor , and he was able to easily transform himself into " Gears Gilhooey , " a loud and simple man , which was a far cry from his quiet and passive demeanor . He was also a skilled unarmed combatant , and was able to defeat Han Solo . Voorhorian kept a constant reminder of his work on the X - wing : a cog from that ship ' s design that he wore as a ring . He would wear this even while in disguise , as a point of recognition for his potential clients . Behind the scenes . Vors Voorhorian was created by Mike W . Barr , and first appeared in " X - Wing Marks the Spot " . The character would go on to appear in the sequel , " Imperial Spy " . Following this , no references were made to Voorhorian in " Star Wars " media , despite him being the designer of an iconic vehicle in the " Star Wars " franchise . The drought ended , however , in 2007 , with the release of " " , which mentions him as the designer of the X - wing .