R4-K5

R4-K5 was an astromech droid originally owned by the Jedi Order. The droid would accompany Sith Lord Darth Vader, formerly Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, on early missions for the Galactic Empire after the destruction of the Order. R4-K5 was chosen by Vader for its dark hue, which reflected Vader's own darkness.

Biography
R4-K5 was stationed at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant as an astromech assigned to a Jedi pilot during the Clone Wars. In 19 BBY, Anakin Skywalker, newly minted as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, along with the stormtroopers of the 501st Legion, later ransacked the Jedi Temple and killed most of the Jedi in residence on the orders of Palpatine. The Temple's hangar was one of the areas raided, and much of its equipment was destroyed, including many astromechs. R4-K5 survived the assault, and was chosen by Vader as his new astromech. The Sith Lord saw its black shell as a reflection of his own darkness.

After Vader's injuries, earned at the hands of his former Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar, forced him to don a black suit of armor, he also acquired a black Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. Vader piloted this craft in an attack on several runaway Jedi over Murkhana, assisted by the socketed R4-K5, who was stationed on the Imperial Star Destroyer Exactor in Launching Bay Three, along with the interceptor. R4-K5 helped Vader grasp the tactical situation, supplying him with information regarding the escape plan of the Jedi and alerting him to their imminent absconsion by way of a hyperdrive ring.

R4-K5 did not share the close bond Anakin Skywalker had maintained with his former astromech, R2-D2; rather, the droid was simply regarded by Vader as another piece of machinery.

Characteristics
As with other R4-numbered astromechs used by the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars, R4-K5 featured an R2-series dome. Additionally, R4-K5 was able to interface with the systems of the Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor and analyse possible targets such as skiffs and hyperdrive rings, transferring this data to the interceptor's cockpit displays on the pilot's request.

Behind the scenes
R4-K5 made its first appearance in the Legends novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno, released in 2005. Not referred to by designation, R4-K5 is initially described as an astromech with a black dome, and is mentioned twice more as "the astromech". The R4-K5 designation was provided by Hasbro in 2006.

R4-K5 is presented inconsistently in terms of color across sources; in the 2005 book The New Essential Chronology, the droid is seen as having a black dome, with a white body. Later, figures of the droid displayed an all-black color scheme.

Appearances

 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader audiobook (Random House Audio)
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader audiobook (Talking Book Publishers, Inc.)

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Visions of the Blade