Building Fiach Dubh’s astromech droid

[Fiach Dubh]

A WORKSHOP ON AJAN KLOSS

“Beep-boop-beep.”
– R2-D2

Ever since she’d signed up for Jedi Knight Nara Allam’s training, Fiach had developed a desire to build a droid from scratch. She repaired many, many droids in her time – but never created one from raw materials. But what type of droid to construct?

There was some value in a protocol droid – given she visited so many planets and met so many new races and therefore encountered so many different languages, as well as customs. But for the times she needed one, she tended to know in advance and therefore was provided with one. No, she surmised, a protocol droid felt like a luxury right now.

She instantly dismissed the notion of anything resembling a battle droid. This felt entirely inappropriate for a Jedi.

Which left one obvious choice – an astromech droid.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

‘No job is over this little guy's head.’ Fiach remembered the old poster she’d found in her fathers’ shop. Fiach was, at heart, a traditionalist and as such – given all of the stories she’d read about Jedi of the past and their exploits, she had no intention of creating a state-of-the-art droid in terms of contemporary looks. Instead she hankered after something far more nostalgic…an old R2 model.

The original R2-series astromech droid was a model that prevailed for a long period of history. A combination of excellent design and superb functionality meant it prevailed for longer than probably its inventors expected initially.

When not compared to each other, the R2-series shell was near-indistinguishable from that of the P2-series astromech droid, prototype of the entire R-series. The main difference was in its size – it was under half the height of the P2. But like its forerunners, the R2 astromech was designed to work in and around space vessels as a diagnostic and repair unit.

When plugged into starfighter, the R2 unit could monitor flight performance, pinpoint and correct technical problems, and perform power management, optimising shipboard systems. Its ROM library had reference and repair designs for innumerate starship models to ensure it was able to do its functions in repairwork. Throw in the fact it could find data patterns and debug computer codes, it was a truly versatile droid.

So, Fiach began by reviewing all of the things she needed to recreate one. Part of her wanted to replicate one down to the last bolt, but the pragmatist in her saw not only the benefit of upgrading where possible, but in saving credits as old parts often fetched a premium.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

She knew that pivotal to creating a functioning droid capable of doing the things she needed, it had to have a sophisticated central computer. One with copious memory and able to perform over 10,000 MPF operations every second. It also needed to be loaded with software, but that she would download and did not plan to code herself.

She scoured what the Order had to offer and identified telecom software as well as sophisticated sensor programs. Full-spectrum transceiver and electromagnetic, heat, motion, and life form indicators were a minimum as well as a video sensor.

Then she sketched out a list of core components to start her off. Things like a retractable jack that would allow it a direct hard-wired connection to most computers. A 360-degree rotational joint, with a decent reach.

Then there were the various tools required, as well as its durasteel exterior. Manipulator arms (one heavy duty and one fine – with micro-adjustment controls) an electric arc welder, a circular saw, a holographic recorder/projector unit, an internal cargo compartment. And even a fire extinguisher.

She wondered if she’d get all of these as scrap, but given she was not on a tight time-frame, she was sure she would assemble them all sooner or later.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

The key benefit of an R2 unit, as Fiach saw it, was that – unlike a BB droid – it would be easy to upgrade and modify. Plus, there were so many different units, with different after-market packages, that she would never fail to pick up parts on any given planet.

The aspect of the build she knew she would have most fun with – and for fun read challenge – was the R2’s personality matrix. The droid was designed to be obliging, quick witted, and sincere.

This blend meant that if the droid was not subjected to periodic memory wipes, it could develop a headstrong, self-reliant disposition. So, she had a decision to make. A vanilla, quirk free model or a droid willing to offer candid second opinions?

And unlike people – that she still struggled with from time to time – droids were primarily driven by logic.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach decided on a specification for her droid and found the parts in the Academy, but some she picked up on various missions – where she often made a beeline for any scrap dealers. So, she settled on:

1x Spotlight

1x Manipulator arm

1x Circular saw arm

1x Fusioncutter arm

1x Servodriver arm

1x Hydrospanner arm

1x Shock arm

1x Fire extinguisher

3x Magnetic feet

1x Integrated comlink

1x Computer probe

1x Reader socket

1x Standard I/O socket

1x Micro-missile launcher

1x Portable flame projector

She also fitted an upgraded power cell, given the range of additional features and their likely energy drain.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Aesthetics were not a consideration when Fiach built her R2 unit. But as she assembled it, she became aware that it looked slightly odd - due to the various colours of panels she'd had to use. And although this did not bother her in the least, she knew it would make the unit stand out - and be memorable. So, to ensure it blended in, she repainted the unit to something close to the original specification - with the majority of visible parts white and the remainder a deep shade of lilac.

Once she'd completed the work, she stood back and was pleased with her efforts. It didn't look brand new, which she was pleased with. In fact, it looked like pretty much any other R2 unit - which was the intention all along.

And now, having completed all of the necessary work, it was time to charge the unit and wait for it to be fully powered and switched on in its current state for the very first time.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Finally assembled, Fiach performed the most difficult task of all. Even though this was a droid with a programmed (albeit evolved) personality, Fiach found the initial communication a little challenging. Worst still was the subject she was about to broach…what to call the little droid.

Powered up, the R2 unit chirped and whistled at the indignity of being allowed to power-down for so long and the fact that so many modifications had been made without his say-so. And as a sentient would deserve her attention, Fiach listened intently.

When he finally ran out of steam (and from what she could tell expletives), she plucked up the courage to ask.

“Hello, I am Fiach Dubh, a Knight of the Jedi Order. I helped to repair you, and so the amendments were my doing. I trust you’ll help me going forward but in order to do that, I need to be able to talk to you – and ‘R2’ unit feels awkward. Tell me, what is your name?”

The droid responded but before Fiach could speak, he gave more information.

Fiach’s customary smile widened. “Well, R2-K3 – from this moment on you shall be known as Tookay, as you were most recently known.”