Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original

Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original is a canon audio drama written by Sarah Kuhn and performed by a full cast. It is based on the 2015 comic book series Star Wars: Darth Vader, in which Doctor Chelli Aphra first appeared, as well as material from the 2015 comic book series Star Wars. It was published by Random House Audio on July 21, 2020. A script of the audio drama was released on April 6, 2021. 
==Publisher's summary==
Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra, rogue archaeologist, is in trouble again.
A pioneer in the field of criminal xenoarchaeology, Aphra recognizes no law, has no fear, and possesses no impulse control. To her, the true worth of the galactic relics she discovers isn't found in a museum, but in an arsenal. This viewpoint has led to a lot of misunderstandings. After her latest plan goes horribly wrong, her roguish ways are on the verge of catching up to her, when suddenly Darth Vader, terror of the galaxy, swoops in with his lightsaber ignited and…saves her life?
Don't get her wrong—it's not like she's ungrateful. Sure, her new boss is a lord of the Sith. And OK, she may have just become a pawn in a deadly game being played by him and HIS boss, who happens to be the Galactic Emperor. And yes, the life expectancy of anyone who disappoints Vader can be measured in seconds.
But she's back doing what she does best. She's got a ship to fly, a heist to pull, and two unorthodox but effective metal buddies: Triple-Zero, a protocol droid specializing in etiquette, customs, translation, and torture; and BT-1, an astromech loaded with enough firepower to take down a battlecruiser. Together, they might just find a way to get the job done and avoid the deadly performance review that waits at its conclusion.
Just kidding. She's doomed.
==Plot summary==
===Escaping Maz Kanata===
The story opens with Dr. Aphra narrating her life story while being pursued by the pirate Maz Kanata, who is seeking to recover valuable artifacts that Aphra had stolen from her. These "valuable artifacts" turn out to be antique stealth microdroid dust and astromech droid scraps. While parleying with Maz, Aphra fires her ship Ark Angel astromech–modified weapons system on Kanata's ship, knocking out her pursuer's gravity system. Maz is forced to retreat in humiliation while Aphra taunts her opponent.
===Heist on Quarantine World III===
Using the stolen microdroid dust, Dr. Aphra dodges laser beams in a vault on Quarantine World III in Kallidahin Space. She recovers the Triple-Zero protocol personality matrix from a safe but accidentally triggers a laser with her elbow. Aphra is forced to flee several active automated laser guns and a droideka while fleeing through the archive. She is trapped by a bay door and is accosted by Utani Xane and several security droids. Xane chastises Aphra for attempting to steal the Triple Zero Matrix, which he regards as a dangerous object that has been rightfully quarantined for centuries. Xane's droids take Aphra into custody, clamping binders on her. Aphra had previously worked as an assistant curator under Xane, who had formerly worked as a museum curator on Coruscant. Aphra had assembled a droid out of old parts. The droid had gone on a rampage, destroying the museum and costing them both their jobs. Xane is still bitter towards Aphra for her actions.
Before Xane can imprison Aphra, Quarantine World III receives and unscheduled visit from Darth Vader, who forces his way into the vault facility. He uses the Force to scatter Xane's security droids. While Lord Vader fights with Xane's security droids, Aphra struggles for the Triple Zero Matrix with Xane. During the struggle, the Matrix tumbles over a ledge, causing Aphra to fall down with it. However, Darth Vader uses the Force to levitate Aphra to safety. The Sith Lord also kills Xane, stabbing him in the back with his lightsaber. Aphra recounts to the reader how she accepted Lord Vader's offer to work for him. In secrets, she resolves to learn his weaknesses and use it to her advantage.
===Vader's secret agent===
Dr. Aphra invites Darth Vader aboard the section of the Ark Angel where she keeps her droid tinkering projects. In her narration, Aphra talks about dealing with her fear of the destructive power of the Sith. After exchanging pleasantries with Lord Vader, she downloads the Triple-Zero Matrix into the ship's main computer and then installs it into the chassis of a protocol droid. The droid introduces himself as 0-0-0 ("Triple-Zero" or "Trip"), stating that he specializes in etiquette, customs, translation, and torture. To maintain control over Triple Zero, Dr Aphra imprints a "master" code on herself and Vader. She also introduces her "blastomech" droid prototype "BT-1 to Lord Vader.
Dr. Aphra then deletes part of the recording, reasoning that some adventures are best "left mysterious." Returning to the story, Aphra introduces BT-1 to both Triple Zero and Darth Vader. She explains that the blastomech wiped out its Tarkin Initiative base before setting the place to self-destruct and escaping into space. BT-1 decides to demonstrate his flamethrower but Triple Zero warns him not to, much to the relief of Aphra and Vader.
Getting down to business, Vader tells Dr. Aphra that he wants to recruit her and her droids as "private resources" to help him gain an advantage over his rivals following his "demotion" after the Battle of Yavin. While Vader wants her two new droids, Dr. Aphra explains that she was meant to deliver them to the Droid Gotra. Since Vader needs troops of "unquestioning loyalty," she offers to help get access to battle droids on Geonosis. Dr. Aphra decides to accept Vader's "job offer" since the Sith Lord recognizes her skills, talents, and potential for "greatness." She travels to Geonosis.
===Meeting Sana Starros===
In a flashback scene, Aphra as a first-year doctoral candidate attends one of Sava Toob-Nix's classes on archiving practices at the University of Bar'leth. Aphra despises the pompous academic, who acquired his positing through deception. At the time, Aphra had been in a romantic love triangle with two older doctoral students but had broken up with them after they discovered her infidelity. Running later, Aphra climbs into the lecture hall through a window.
When Sava Toob-Nix claims that the university library on the Fifth Moon of Thrinittik was destroyed, Aphra corrects him by telling him that parts of the structure are still standing and that some artifacts remain buried. Toob-Nix chastises her for being late, interrupting his lecture, and suggesting a foolhardy and dangerous enterprise. Sana Starros supports Aphra by pointing out that research from the archaeological think tank Maseonna Collective show that the library was not completely destroyed and that artifacts remain. She also points out that information about the Thrinittik university library is also available at the reading logs of Bar'leth University.
A humbled Toob-Nix is forced to back down and promises to study this topic on his next study break. After Aphra and Starros return to their seats, she notices Starros has developed feelings for her. She and Starros subsequently develop feelings for each other. Aphra is relieved that Sava Toob-Nix did not expel her for her unsanctioned expeditions, impertinence, and perpetual lateness. Back in the present, Aphra surmises that this story is not about her being stealthy but about trying to charm her way out of trouble.
===Mission to Geonosis===
Dr. Aphra, Darth Vader, Triple Zero, and BT-1 travel on the Ark Angel to Geonosis where a surviving Geonosian queen named Karina has produced an army of battle droids in the image of the Geonosian species in an attempt to rebuild the species. The Empire had earlier committed genocide against the Geonosians, leaving much of the planet and devoid of sentient life. Aphra finds the brooding Sith Lord indecipherable and unnerving.
While traveling through a Geonosian hive, the group encounter several Geonosian battle droids, which BT-1 incinerates with his flamethrower. Aphra and Vader eventually encounter Queen Karina, who has attached herself to a mechanical womb that produces battle droids. Karina regards the battle droids as her children. Following a battle with Karina's battle droids, Darth Vader cuts Karina off from her artificial womb. Vader retrieves the artificial womb using his repurposed Naboo Royal Starship.
After returning to the Ark Angel, Vader takes over the artificial womb, using it to produce his own private army of battle droids. While Triple Zero helps reprogram the battle droids, Vader speaks with Dr. Aphra. Since she has proven herself resourceful, he tells her that she is safe as long as he has user of her. However, he warns that if she blackmails him, her life will be forfeit. Aphra tells Vader that their interests are aligned since she needs him to win.
Shortly later, Triple Zero brings news that the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan has brought back a prisoner, whom the protocol droid proceeds to torture to death. During her narration, Aphra talks about Vader's interest in a certain "boy" and resolves that she needs to find out more about this person. She also ponders about Darth Vader's mysterious identity, wondering about the man that lies beneath the mask and helmet. Knowing that Vader is dangerous, she resolves not to show that she is frightened.
While reflecting on her partnership with Darth Vader, Aphra remembers one of her adventures with Sana at the University of Bar'Leth Library. She attempts to return an ancient tome called the Tome of Ancient Crait, which she had stolen from the Library's rare texts section. In the process, Aphra meets Sana and the two strike a conversation. Sana also takes an interest in the book. The two are confronted by a librarian, who realizes that Aphra has stolen the book. Aphra and Sana play a game of catch with the book much to the librarian's dismay.
===Chat with Boba Fett===
While Lord Vader visits Cylo's research base with Triple Zero and Beetee, Dr Aphra waits aboard Lord Vader's starship. She is contacted by the bounty hunter Boba Fett on an encrypted channel, who has news for Lord Vader. Fett is reluctant to speak to Aphra but she manages to convince him to deliver his report by claiming that she is the Sith Lord's attaché. Vader tells her that the boy who destroyed the first Death Star is Luke Skywalker. Dr. Aphra learns that Vader is interested in Skywalker, which piques her curiosity.
After unsuccessfully trying to contact Lord Vader, the Sith Lord himself returns. Aphra breaks the news to Lord Vader, who tend leaves to meet with the bounty hunter. The opportunistic Dr. Aphra decides to capture the rebel fugitive in order to please Lord Vader.
===Family flashbacks===
Dr Aphra then introduces the reader to a "vacation adventure" with her father Korin Aphra. In the past, Korin and Aphra's mother Lona Aphra argue about the former going on a trip to obtain research records relating to the Ordu Aspectu from the university library on the fifth moon. Korin wants to obtain the records before the Empire destroys them. Lona thinks that her husband is foolish for putting himself in danger of an Imperial firing squad.
The six year old Aphra finds her parents arguing, prompting the adults to claim they were having a discussion. Korin convinces his daughter to accompany him on the research trip despite Lona's protests. Aphra recalls that her father bribed the librarian in order to purchase the documents. In addition, Korin also used his daughter to distract the librarians while he was stealing books from the library. As a six year old, Aphra recalls that she did not understand what was going on but was fascinated with the sense of adventure.
Later, Aphra's parents split up with her mother heading to Arbiflux, a forested planet in the Outer Rim. The two settle in a homestead. At the time, the planet was experiencing a drought that caused the trees to wither and the grass to turn dry. Aphra is upset that her mom brought her to such a barren world. Aphra is present when a group of raiders attack the homestead, blasting her mother's arm off.
Lona tells her daughter to run and promises that she will be right behind her. In her last moments, she tells Aphra to take her blaster. Aphra flees into the forest. After watching her mother die at the hands of the raiders, Aphra exacts revenge by killing the raiders with her blaster. Reflecting on her mother's last stand, Aphra recalls feeling the same sense of excitement that she felt when attacking the Geonosian queen and liberating the Triple-Zero matrix. By working for Vader, Aphra rationalizes that she would be able to embark on an epic quest. She also desires to visit the lush world of Naboo.
===On Skywalker's trail===
Dr Aphra, Lord Vader, and the droids visit the ruined Lars Homestead, the former of home of Luke Skywalker. Aphra learns that Skywalker had defeated Boba Fett earlier while Triple Zero laments the destruction of the Lars family's droids. Later, the group to Obi-Wan Kenobi's former home, where Skywalker had fought with Fett earlier. Vader realizes that Skywalker was strong with the Force and that Kenobi had outwitted him by hiding the boy on the one place he vowed never to return. Prior to leaving, Aphra activates a molecular purge bomb to hide evidence that they had visited the site.
In a flashback scene, Aphra climbs a rock climbing formation at the University of Bar'leth. While climbing the jagged rock structure, she is distracted by Sana Starros, who has noticed her presence. Aphra loses her balance and crashes into Starros, who broke her fall. Following her near death experience, the two share their first kiss.
===Recruiting a team===
For their next assignment, Lord Vader sends Aphra, Triple Zero and Beetee onto the lush jungle world of Son-Tuul. Aphra regards this as her first solo mission to prove Vader's trust. Dr. Aphra visits a Son-Tuul bar that has an illegal backroom fighting ring. There, she meets up with the bounty hunter droid IG-90, the Trandoshan bounty hunter Bossk, and Beebox. Dr. Aphra intends to recruit the services of the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan, who is a fearsome gladiator, for her upcoming mission. Aphra and the others watch Krrsantan fighting another Wookiee, whom he rips from limb to limb.
Impressed with Krrsantan's fighting skills, Aphra and her associates decide to treat him to a drink. Due to the historical animosity between Wookiees and Trandoshans, Krrsantan is initially distrustful of Bossk until Aphra convinces them to cooperate. She informs them that the Empire has recently eliminated the Son-tuul Pride crime syndicate and seized their personal fortune. Aphra proposes proposes stealing the Son-tuul Pride's fortune, which is being transported to an Imperial vault.
===The Son-tuul Pride heist===
Aboard the Ark Angel, Aphra outlines her plans to IG-90, Beebox, Bossk, and Triple Zero. Having tracked down the Imperial cruiser transporting the crime syndicate's fortune to Anthan Prime, Aphra proposes that they board the ship when it enters an asteroid field in the system. When Bossk points out that he can only see one asteroid, Aphra uses the Ark Angel to detonate the asteroid, creating an asteroid belt. Triple Zero and Beebox compliment her as a genius but IG-90 disagrees. The second step of her plan involves disabling the Imperial cruiser with an ion torpedo.
While the Imperial crew were preoccupied with the apparent asteroid damage, Aphra along with Bossk, IG-90 and Beebox board the cruiser. They navigate their way towards the vault but are intercepted by three Viper probe droids, which Aphra disables with an electromagnetic pulse grenade. Bossk and IG-90 fire upon the droids while Aphra breaches the vault and plants a homing device. She then contacts Black Krrsantan and tells him to begin the fourth stage of the operation.
Krrsantan flies his Auzituck anti-slaver gunship into the asteroid field and lassos one of the asteroids, which he uses to break open the Imperial cruiser's vault. Aphra and her team space-walk along the underside of the Imperial cruiser while credit ingots spill out of the breached hull. Dr. Aphra is in a triumphant mood and hopes to curry Lord Vader's favor.
Upon returning back to the Ark Angel, Dr. Aphra is greeted by Triple Zero, who informs him that Beetee will procceed with the next stage of the plan: generating a magnetic field to scoop u the stolen loot. Beetee manages to salvage most of the stolen credits but some of it is lost in space. Despite the wealth they have accumulated through the heist, Beebox, Krrsantan, Bossk, and IG-90 are still dissatisfied. Aphra manages to defuse the situation by fronting the expenses of the operation. The hunters grudgingly accept but Beebox warns her to pay up front in the future.
After sending the bounty hunters on their way, Dr. Aphra travels with Triple Zero and Beetee to her cave hideout on Anthan 13, a moon of Anthan Prime. Unknown to the other hunters, Aphra had secretly instructed Black Krrsantan to gather the spacefaring credits but to only give the other hunters a fraction of the take. She told the Wookiee to stash the rest of the credits inside the cave. After learning of Aphra's deception, Triple Zero advises her that the bounty hunters would have been less enraged if she had shared all the ingots with them.
===Hunting Commodex Tahn===
While Dr. Aphra and Triple Zero gloat over their stolen treasure, they are joined by Black Krrsantan, who was also in on the scam and had feigned anger earlier to hide his involvement. After Krrsantan leaves with his share of the treasure, Dr. Aphra is visited by Lord Vader. Vader is non-committal about helping the Wookiee track down the people responsible for enslaving him and modifying him. After Aphra updates him about their successful heist, Vader seeks Aphra's help in acquiring information about the elusive Skywalker and hands her a datachip. He warns her to contact him only when she has succeeded. If she does not contact him within a month, he warns that he will contact her. Aphra resolves to discover the cracks inside Vader's armor.
Dr. Aphra, Triple Zero and Beetee travel to the city of Anthan Spire on the planet Anthan Prime to seek help in decrypting Vader's datachip. All that Dr. Aphra knows is that the chip contains information on someone named Commodex Tahn. While the droids play a game of chess near a gambling parlor, Aphra meets with a Givin infochant known as The Ante, who places the datachip inside a computer. The Ante reveals that Tahn was a military clerk who lived during the time of the Galactic Republic. Tahn later left the military and became a mortician. Tahn has been retired for the past twenty years.
Dr. Aphra, Triple Zero, Beetee, and their platoon of commando droids stage an attack on Tahn's villa on Naboo. Tahn fights back, firing on the commando droids with a blaster rifle. Under Dr. Aphra's orders, Triple Zero and Beetee overpower and capture Tahn alive. She orders the droids to make their raid look like an accident. Dr. Aphra interrogates Tahn, seeking information about how he prepared the late Senator Padmé Amidala's body for burial. Dr. Aphra also tells Tahn about the death of her mother Lona at the hands of raiders and how she avenged Lona's death. While Tahn empathizes with Dr. Aphra's traumatic childhood, he refuses to yield the information that Aphra seeks.
Aphra allows Triple Zero to interrogate him. While Triple Zero tortures Tahn, Aphra inspects the holopics inside Tahn's home. While most of the holos depict Tahn's family and friends, she discovers a holo of Senator Amidala which contains a recorded voice message. In that voice message, Amidala tells Tahn that she is setting out on a "mission" from which she might not return. She also discloses that she is pregnant with child and expresses her wish to be buried in the "traditional" way on Tatooine. Dr Aphra realizes that Tahn can help provide the information that Lord Vader seeks on the identity of Amidala's child.
Following the interrogation, Dr Aphra and Triple Zero learn from Tahn that Amidala's hologram at the time of her burial had been manipulated to make her appear that she was still pregnant. Aphra deduces that Tahn was perhaps the only living person who knew the truth. Tahn tells Aphra and Triple Zero that Amidala had a healthy son who was taken away by unidentified individuals. Tahn is remorseful about disclosing Amidala's secret. Having outlived his usefulness, Aphra allows Triple Zero to kill Tahn via electrocution. Amidala hopes to inform Vader about the news that Skywalker is a potential Naboo heir.
In a flashback scene, Aphra meets with Sana Starros. Though Aphra has been dating Kalandra and Yoshi, she tells Starros that she is her favorite partner. While discussing their relationship with each other, Aphra recounts her traumatic childhood experience of losing her mother. Aphra confides that she believes that love is a trap and that it does not guarantee safety or strength. When Starros asks if Aphra has ever felt safe, the two share a kiss.
===Unfinished business on Anthan Prime===
Dr. Aphra rendezvouses with Darth Vader at the cave on Anthan Prime. She briefs the Sith Lord about everything she and Triple Zero extracted from Commodex Tahn. Vader confirms that Amidala is the mother of the pilot Skywalker who destroyed the Death Star. He also informs Aphra that another Imperial agent has been sent to locate Skywalker and that they must find him first. Aphra tells Vader that the Ante was hinting that he knew a lot. Lord Vader tasks Amidala with arranging a meeting with the Ante while he assures his new "adjutant" of his loyalty to the Empire. Aphra senses that Vader resents the Emperor appointing an adjutant to report to.
Aphra meets with the Ante and bribes him into revealing the location of Luke Skywalker. The Ante reveals that Skywalker is on the planet Vrogas Vas just as Imperial raiders storm the gambling parlor. Dr. Aphra sends Triple Zero and Beetee back to the Ark Angel. Aphra survives the gun battle and an explosion in the gambling parlor. Amidst the chaos, Ante informs Lord Vader about her presence. Aphra dodges stormtrooper fire and attempts to escape to the Ark Angel but is trapped in the hangar by Vader.
Lord Vader has learnt from the Ante that Aphra was behind the Son-tuul Pride robbery. A furious Vader tells Aphra that he has taken great pains to hide her and criticizes her for exposing herself to his political rivals. Aphra tries to feign ignorance but Lord Vader reveals that he had killed the Ante before he could reveal more information about Aphra. Seeking an opportunity to prevent Aphra from causing further trouble to his plans, Lord Vader attempts to Force choke Aphra to death. Aphra manages to convince Vader to spare her by promising to reveal Skywalker's location.
Lord Vader helps Aphra escape from Grand General Cassio Tagge by using the Force to bring down the entire hangar ceiling. Vader makes it appear that Aphra prepared a trap. Dr. Aphra and the droids flee pursuing Imperial starships by flying the Ark Angel through the Spire's gas storms. During the chase, Beetee and Triple Zero admit to causing the explosion at the Anthan Prime parlor after Triple Zero lost a game of holo-chess. When the imperials arrived, Beetee took the opportunity to open fire on the game dealer, triggering the skirmish. Unsettled by the droids' love for violence, Dr. Aphra orders them to leave her alone while she reflects on her terrifying encounter with Lord Vader.
Aphra and the droids later rendezvous with Lord Vader at a different cave on another Anthan moon. Triple Zero questions the wisdom of Dr Aphra meeting the Sith Lord and warns him about the danger of blackmailing him. When Darth Vader arrives, Aphra reveals that Skywalker is on the planet Vrogas Vas. While Lord Vader has gained an appreciation of her talents, he warns her not to overstep her boundaries. Vader expresses skepticism about Skywalker's location but decides to check it out. Following Vader's departure, Aphra believes that Skywalker is the key to unlocking everything about the Sith Lord.
===Hunting Luke Skywalker===
Dr. Aphra and Lord Vader travel to the planet Vrogan Vas on their starships. Aphra arrives first and warns Lord Vader that three squadrons of Rebel Alliance starfighters are engaged in exercises above the planet. Despite Aphra's warnings, Vader insists on taking the rebel starfighters alone. Aphra and the droids wait for several hours but receive no contact from Lord Vader. Fearing that Vader is in danger, Aphra contacts Black Krrsantan for help. Triple Zero also briefs Aphra about Luke and his companions Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, R2-D2, and C-3PO.
Using algorithms, Dr. Aphra traces one of Vader's potential crash sites to an abandoned Jedi Temple. She and Triple Zero discover that Skywalker is there. While Triple Zero is eager to hunt down Skywalker, Aphra advises caution due to his Force powers. Since Vader has given her orders to capture Skywalker alive, Dr. Aphra settles for a plan that involves disguising Triple Zero as C-3PO.
The disguised Triple Zero approaches Skywalker, posing as C-3PO. Though R2-D2 is suspicious, Luke falls for the trap and is electrocuted by Triple Zero. However, R2-D2 attempts to defend his fallen master. Following a verbal exchange, Beetee uses his firepower to drive the astromech droid away. Before they can evacuate with Skywalker, Aphra is cornered by Han Solo, who is hiding behind several nearby rock formations. While Aphra deals with Solo, she sends Triple Zero away with the unconscious Skywalker.
Aphra's mission encounters a major problem when Solo's Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca ambushes Triple Zero and rips off one of the assassin droid's arms. However, Triple Zero manages to inject the Wookiee with Mandalorian xenotox, which knocks Chewbacca unconscious. Aphra and Solo discover that they are both positioned under hives of wasp-worms. Both shoot at each other and are stung by the wasp-worms.
===Setbacks on Vrogas Vas===
After escaping the angry wasp-worms, Aphra returns to the Ark Angel only to receive news from Triple Zero that the Mon Calamari Imperial cyborg Karbin has landed on Vrogas Vas and captured Skywalker. Aphra informs Lord Vader that the Imperial rival has captured Skywalker. Under Vader's orders, Aphra ram the Ark Angel into a bridge-like rock formation where Lord Vader has maneuvered the rival Imperial into. The resulting collision destroys the Ark Angel and incapacitates Karbin, allowing the Sith Lord to finish him off.
Aphra escapes in the Ark Angel ejector seat. Lord Vader orders Aphra to bring Skywalker to him. When Aphra asks about the Sith Lord's interest and connection in the kid, Vader asserts his authority and warns that that he will not be "spoken to like this by an upstart mechanic with delusions of grandeur." Continuing on her mission, Aphra encounters Black Krrsantan and Triple Zero. The latter has found "new arms" and tells Aphra that Black Krrsantan managed to delay the rebels. After learning that Karbin's ship has crashed, Aphra deduces that Skywalker is with his rebel friends.
Dr. Aphra plants several micromines around the rebels' starship Millennium Falcon. She ambushes Solo, Chewbacca, Skywalker, R2-D2 and C-3PO and threatens to detonate the micromines if they do not surrender. During the confrontation, Aphra boasts that she is a treasure trove of highly classified and top-secret information. However, Princess Leia sneaks up on Aphra and punches her in the head, knocking her out. Due to her knowledge of Imperial secrets, Leia convinces her friends to take Aphra prisoner.
===Prisoner of the Rebellion===
Dr. Aphra spends the next two weeks as a prisoner of the Rebel Alliance aboard the Volt Cobra. She makes three escape attempts but is subdued and restrained in binders. Aphra has a tense reunion with her former lover Sana Starros, who has fallen out with Aphra and joined the Rebellion. Starros spurns Aphra's plea to help her escape. During the meeting, Aphra manages to break free of her restraints and snatches a blaster from Starros. At the same time, Princess Leia and several rebel guards enter the cell.
Aphra threatens to shoot her captors if they don't turn the ship around. However, the ship's gravity is knocked out by friendly fire from the rebel prison Sunspot Prison. When the gravity is restored, Aphra is restrained by Starros, who had learned the move from a K'Jtari pirate. When Leia asks Starros why she did not transmit the clearance codes to Sunspot Prison, Starros replies that she was preoccupied with Starros. Leia reluctantly agrees to pay Starros extra for the damage to her ship.
Aphra is imprisoned at Sunspot Prison, a space station that has been repurposed as a high-security prison by the Rebel Alliance. The prison holds several war criminals, Imperial spies, mercenaries, and at least two moffs. Reflecting its name, the prison orbits a sun, bathing the facility in sunlight and warmth. Aphra remains defiant towards her captors, refusing to divulge any information to Alliance Intelligence officers.
After weeks of unsuccessful interrogation, Starros and Organa debate tactics. Starros demands harsher methods including torture but Leia believes that showing humanity is not weakness. Aphra eavesdrops on their conversation and baits Starros. Starros regards Aphra as a threat and suggests killing Aphra by tossing her into a star. Aphra interjects that Lord Vader is not going to let them kill his favorite associate. The warden brings Aphra back to her cell. Leia leaves Starros to talk with Aphra alone. Aphra makes a second attempt to reconcile with Starros. However, Starros is still bitter towards Aphra for hurting her in the past and suggests that she cooperate with the rebels.
After Starros leaves, Aphra experiences a flashback of her time as a PhD student at the University of Bar'Leth. A few weeks prior to her graduation, Aphra accepts a job offer by a shady but wealthy employer to retrieve artifacts from an abandoned fortress in the Sarjenn system. Aphra tells her friend Starros about the job offer. Starros is opposed to the idea of her friend going on an an sanctioned expedition and instead proposes going through the proper academic procedures and traveling on a proper expedition to the Sarjenn system offer.
Aphra spurns Starros' offer and departs on the unsanctioned expedition the following day. Aphra confides to the reader that she was motivated by a desire to go on adventure without splitting the take and to avoid being tied to someone whom she believed made her weak. While recording her monologue, Aphra settles for stating that she wanted to keep Starros save from harm. She also encrypts the recording to prevent herself from deleting it. Aphra hopes that Starros will forgive her for not letting her come on the Sarjenn expedition.
===The rogue spy===
Feeling guilty for fracturing her relationship with Starros, Aphra cries herself to sleep. When she awakes in the morning, Aphra is visited by an IG-RM bodyguard and enforcer droid, that has been programmed by the rogue rebel spy Eneb Ray to kill Imperial prisoners. Before the IG-RM droid can kill Aphra, it is shot and disabled by Princess Leia. After freeing Aphra, Leia and Starros reveal that the facility has been breached by a yet unknown "murderous madman." Leia and a reluctant Starros enlist Aphra's help in dealing with the intruder.
While Starros attempts to tap into the prison comm line in order to call for rebel reinforcements, she is grabbed by another IG-RM droid, which proceeds to choke her. Aphra leaps onto the back control panel of the droid and attempts to reprogram the droid. Before Aphra can complete her work, Leia shoots down the droid; saving Starros' life. Despite their differences, Aphra agrees to help her captors ensure that they get the other prisoners out alive. Despite their efforts, they discover that the assassin's droids have systematically mowed down most of the prisoners within the cell block.
As they head towards the prison command center, Eneb Ray taunts Leia over the comm system, claiming that he is a true soldier of the Alliance and that her tactics will cost them the Galactic Civil War. They find that Ray's droids have formed a barricade outside the command center. During the ensuing gun battle, Aphra's reprogrammed IG-RM droid takes out the last remaining guard droid. Inside the command center, they encounter C-3PO and R2-D2. Leia orders R2-D2 to plug into the computer and take back control of the prison.
Starros wants to shoot Aphra's reprogrammed IG-RM droid but Aphra protests. While the two argue, Han Solo contacts Leia over the comm system to tell her that he and Luke have gotten her message and are heading to the Sunspot Prison docking bay. However, Eneb Ray ambushes Solo and Skywalker, taking them hostage. When Leia confronts Ray in the docking bay, he offers her the opportunity to accept his violent tactics in order to win the war and to spare the lives of her friends.
To prove her worth, Ray demands that Leia kill the Imperial prisoner Aphra. Leia refuses to compromise but Starros seizes the opportunity to kill her estranged lover. Leia remonstrates with Starros, who points her blaster at Aphra's head. With Leia unwilling to compromise on her principles, Ray removes his helmet and shows his scarred face to Leia and the others. Leia recognizes the assassin as Eneb Ray, a rebel spy who led an ill-fated rebel mission to Coruscant. Spurning Leia's offer for help, Ray demands that she kill Aphra or watch her friends die.
As Ray initiates a countdown, Leia instructs R2-D2 to knock out Sunspot Prison's artificial gravity with an ion pulse. With Ray distracted, Leia punches him in the face. Starros grabs Aphra's throat and tells her former lover that she wants to kill her. Aphra pleads for her life, telling Starros that she cared. Starros reveals that she protected Aphra during her university days by blackmailing Sava Toob-Nix for teaching them inaccurate information to further his own academic agenda. Aphra apologizes for spurning Starros but Starros throws her into the path of Eneb Ray, knocking the rogue assassin away from Leia. Aphra punches Ray in the gut while Leia delivers a knockout blow.
Following the capture of Ray, rebel forces begin restoring control over the prison and evacuating the surviving prisoners and wardens. Aphra takes advantage of the chaos to make an escape attempt on an escape pod. However, she is cornered by Princess Leia and Starros. Aphra reminds Leia that she saved her life five times but Leia insists that she is still a prisoner. Aphra promises to be a better person. Leia warns her that Darth Vader is dangerous and advises her to "look her up" if she needs to escape her master. Leia discreetly arranges for Aphra to escape by permitting Starros to kick her into the escape pod. Starros warns her estranged lover never to come back.
===Trip to the Executor===
After escaping Sunspot Prison, Dr. Aphra goes into hiding in the Cosmatanic Steppes in the Outer Rim. While lying low at a bar, she is tracked down by Triple-Zero and Beetee, who have brought an entire battalion of commando droids to eliminate witnesses. While the droids proceed to kill the bar patrons, Aphra tells Triple Zero that she did not tell her rebel captors anything.
She attempts to order the droids to stand down. However, Triple Zero reminds her that protocol droids abide by protocol. Since they have a priority order from Lord Vader, they must comply with the priority order before progressing to anything else. However, Aphra manages to save her own life by asking Triple Zero to repeat the protocol order. Triple Zero reveals that Vader ordered the droids to bring her to the Super Star Destroyer Executor, and failing that, to silence her. With Aphra cooperating, Triple Zero orders Beetee and the other droids to cease killing the bar patrons.
The droids transport Aphra aboard Black Krrsantan's gunship to the Executor. Aphra is handed over to several stormtroopers. Now that Triple Zero has complied with his priority order, Aphra uses her status as his master to order him and Beetee to free her. Beetee complies by releasing a human-targeted neurotoxin that knocks all organics within the area unconscious.
When Aphra awakes in a cell, Triple Zero reveals that she survived due to an antidote which he personally administered. Aphra notices that the ship is moving and Triple Zero realizes that someone has stolen the Super Star Destroyer. Aphra warns that Vader will not let her escape. Over the comm system, they hear an Imperial officer ordering Squad Pheno-Six to converge on the Emperor's quarters and to bring him to the bridge. Prior to her meeting with Vader, Aphra tells Triple Zero that she has an escape idea up her sleeve.
===A risky gambit===
In the Emperor's chambers aboard the Executor, Darth Vader informs Emperor Palpatine via comm that he has successfully retaken control of the Super Star Destroyer. Aphra breaks through the triple lock and interrupts the meeting. In Vader's absence, she tells the Emperor that she is Vader's super-secret attaché. Aphra reveals that she built a secret droid army, robbed the Empire and killed several people in order to advance Vader's interests. While the Emperor is initially dismissive of Aphra, he relents and listens to her account of her adventures with Vader.
Later, Lord Vader enters Palpatine's chamber, having secured the Executor. Vader is shocked to learn that Aphra has been divulging his secrets to the Emperor. Though Aphra had hoped to supplant Vader as the Emperor's new favorite, she is surprised to learn that the Emperor is pleased with Vader's duplicity and secrecy, which he regards as positive characteristics of a Sith. To Aphra's dismay, he lets Vader spend some private time with Aphra. The Emperor orders Vader to return to the bridge once he has "taken care" of his lapdog.
Lord Vader orders Aphra to walk with him. Aphra pleads with Vader, claiming that she was doing him a favor and adding that she concealed his secret interest in Luke Skywalker. Lord Vader leads Aphra down a hallway into an airlock. A horrified Aphra reminds the Sith Lord that he promised to kill her swiftly with his lightsaber. Vader ignores her and seals Aphra in the airlock before ejecting her into space. Ejected into zero gravity space, Aphra slips into unconsciousness from trauma and shock.
===Escaping Lord Vader===
Dr. Aphra is saved from death by Triple Zero, Beetee and Black Krrsantan, who retrieve her using the same satellite/retrieval technique used during the Sontul Pride robbery. After awaking aboard Krrsantan's gunship, Aphra thanks Krrsantan for rescuing her and returns his ingots to the Wookiee; adding that they shielding her from the deadly atmosphere of zero gravity space. Reflecting on her adventures, Aphra tells her associates that Lord Vader was not going to let her live since she knew about his secret interest in Luke Skywalker.
Aphra tells the droids and Black Krrsantan that her plan to betray Vader to the Emperor envisioned two outcomes. The first outcome was threat the Emperor would take her on as his new attaché and dispose of Vader. The second outcome was that the Emperor would appreciate Vader's power and that Vader would throw her out the airlock. Aphra had prepared for the second outcome by stuffing her jacket full of Black Krrsantan's ingots from the Sontuul Pride heist and arranging with Black Krrsantan to pick her up.
Aphra decides to keep Vader's secret as an insurance policy. Following her adventures, Aphra decides to seek power on her own terms rather than through associating with someone powerful like Vader. Aphra also decides to make peace with Starros after learning that she blackmailed someone else for him. After ending her recording, Triple Zero and the others asks if she is ready for more adventures. Aphra appreciates the boys' enthusiasm but decides to settle for a well-earned rest in a bacta tank before taking on any new adventures.
==Development==
Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original was released on July 21, 2020, by Random House Audio. A script book of the audio drama was published on April 6, 2021. 
==Continuity==
Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original attributes the line "All this effort for a simple astromech?" to 0-0-0, however it was said by Darth Vader in Darth Vader (2015) 3, which this book adapts.Darth Vader (2015) 3
==Media==
===Editions===
*; July 21, 2020; Random House Audio; Audiobook download
==Credits==
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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Category:Canon audio dramas