Doctor Aphra (2016) 22

Doctor Aphra 22 is the twenty-second issue of the comic book series Star Wars: Doctor Aphra. The comic was written by Si Spurrier, illustrated by Kev Walker, and published by Marvel Comics on July 25, 2018. The issue contains the story "The Catastrophe Con Part III," in which Doctor Aphra discovers an infectious Force-imbued fungus aboard Accresker Jail.
==Publisher's summary==
STUCK IN A JUNKYARD JAIL AT WAR. IT CAN'T GET WORSE – RIGHT? I mean, unless you add a vengeful FORCE GHOST. And insane MURDERDROIDS. And a BOR BRAIN-LEECH. And a SENTIENT BIOHAZARD…Surely even rogue archaeologist DOCTOR APHRA can't find a way to make things even worse. Wrong. Because her current beau and her ex are just about to meet…
==Plot summary==
===The hunter===
In deep space, the bounty hunter Tam Posla records his mission log. Posla has spent the past 421 days hunting down the rogue surgeon Doctor Cornelius Evazan, the "Mutilator of Milvayne." Posla has killed six informants for lying about Evazan's whereabouts. Following the death of his partner Caysin Bog at the hands of the rogue archaeologist Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, Posla vows to avenge his death and exact revenge against Aphra.
However, he decides to focus on Dr Evazan for now. Posla recalls that Evazan escaped Jedha and was embroiled in a scuffle on Tatooine before infiltrating a biofram on Thannt. Since Evazan's trail has gone cold for over a month, Posla speculates that Evazan is either dead or incarcerated. To test his theory, Posla decides to scan all transmissions near Imperial custodial facilities. Posla regards Evazan as the most foul creature in the galaxy that he seeks.
===Crossing paths===
Back at Accresker Jail, Magna Tolvan flies her stolen TIE fighter while grumbling about Dr Aphra not sticking to their plan. Accresker command contacts her over the comlink and asks her to identify herself or be fired upon. Following a monologue about sticking to her "gut feeling," Tolvan flies away from the mobile prison but is fired upon by Sana Starros' starship Volt Cobra. Speaking to Tolvan, Stattos apologizes for firing upon her and tries to defuse the situation. Tolvan takes offense at being fired upon and fires a rocket at the Volt Cobra after ejecting from her starship.
Meanwhile, Lopset Yas hears the explosion and asks what is going on above. However, Aphra is preoccupied with the ghostly apparition, which has caused several metal components and tolls to float. When the ghost speaks to her about being mindful of the company that she keeps, Aphra realizes that the ghost is not her late mother since it would never destroy a "beautiful mad probability droid." She fires at the ghost.
Angered by their hostility, the ghost states that the unworthy will be digested before unleashing a horde of Gundravian hookspores, an infectious fungal lifeform that is hostile to most lifeforms. Aphra and Lopset fire on the hookspores, which causes the lifeform to retreat. Lopset describes the fungus as "exquisitely infectious," which leads Aphra to question his claim that he was an electrician. Lopset responds that he is "multidisciplinary" and questions why Aphra is not running away from a haunted mushroom.
While studying the wrecked starship, Aphra remarks that it is a mixture of mystic Force weirdness and weaponized biohazard hiding in the wreckage of a Jedi starship. The pair find the remains of a fallen Jedi and their lightsaber. While they are exploring the wreckage, Tolvan and Starros, who have put aside their differences, join forces to rescue Aphra. After shooting a hubdroid, they approach the wrecked Jedi starship that Aphra and Lopset were exploring.
Upon exiting the starship, Aphra and Lopset are surprised to see the Cult Cobra and Tolvan and Starros. An apologetic Aphra asks Tolvan if she could call their getaway TIE fighter. Before anyone can respond, a hubdroid orders the prisoners to disarm and return to their berth. The droid then drags Aphra away for interrogation. Aphra's associates do not intervene but watch with apathy.
===The interrogation===
Dr Aphra is restrained in a chair while the Mairan wraps its tentacles around Aphra. The gleeful Imperial interrogator tells Aphra that the creature feeds on her resistance, adding that emotional flagellation is the gift of the Mairan race. He explains that the Mairan uncovers all her memories including sins, guilt and shame. The interrogator adds that confession is the only relief she will find. Aphra talks about her mother Lona Aphra but the interrogator believes that she is trying to stall the interrogation. He warns Aphra that the creature can delete or distort past memories, leaving her unable to trust her memories.
The interrogator tells her that resistance is futile. Seeking to prevent the Imperials from learning about Darth Vader's secret plot, Aphra instead tells the interrogator and the lieutenant about the hookspore outbreak aboard the space station. The lieutenant quickly realizes that Aphra is telling the truth.
===Trouble at Accresker Jail===
Elsewhere on Lucrehulk Prime, an alien rebel officer informs General Hera Syndulla that they have lost contact with the Volt Cobra after the ship was hit. Syndulla attempts to contact Starros and asks if she found Aphra. Meanwhile, Tam Posla makes a note to investigate Dr Aphra once he has found Dr Evazan. He is also grateful to the droid from Son-Tuul that sold him his current starship. The droid seller turns out to be Aphra's homicidal protocol droid 0-0-0.
While Tolvan and Starros discuss their predicament, Lopset remarks that things cannot get any worse now that they are stuck at rock bottom. Shortly later, the prison authorities announce that Accresker Jail has been infected by the biotoxin hookspore. To avoid further contamination, the facility is decommissioned with all droids recalled and proximity bombs disarmed. The Imperials intend to propel the planet on a collision trajectory to a rebel planet. The announcer tells the doomed prisoners that their deaths will aid the "common good" of the Empire before thanking them for their services. Aphra realizes that she has only made their situation worse.
==Media==
===Editions===
*UPC 759606086290; July 25, 2018; Marvel Comics
**02211; Cover A; Ashley Witter
**02221; Cover B; Rod Reis
===Cover gallery===
File:DoctorAphra-22.jpg|Cover A
File:Doctor_Aphra_22_textless_cover.png|Cover A, unlettered
File:DoctorAphra-22-Reis.jpg|Cover B
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 4 — The Catastrophe Con
*Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 1
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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