Doctor (tactical droid)

"Ah, doctor, of course you'd be a "man" of science." "Science is a flawed, organic construct, littered by hope, expectations, and denial. I deal in numbers, Argente. Not profits as you know them, but variables and probabilities."

- Passel Argente and the "Doctor."

Doctor was a modified T-series tactical droid commissioned by Magistrate Passel Argente to serve the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. A derisive and condescending unit, Doctor worked from a base on Moorja, where he devised Project Instinction&mdash;a Confederate initiative to render the agriworld of Ukio useless to the Galactic Republic. Gathering the photosensitive electro-magnetic Moorjan soil, Doctor planned to have the substance dispersed across Ukio's renowned planetary shield, causing a perpetual blackout and preventing the growth of crops. The droid predicted that the Ukians would drop their shield to disperse the cloud, which would allow him to land units on the planet's surface. Then, devices would be installed that would broadcast signals to living beings on the planet, driving them insane, and forcing them to destroy the vital crops.

When he was satisfied that there was no chance of failure, Doctor put his plan into effect. Storing the soil on modified seismic tanks, he took a Lucrehulk-class battleship to Ukio, and put his plan into effect. He was met by limited Republic resistance in space, but was able to move into phase two of the Project with a minimum of fuss. However, while the inhabitants of Ukio were being driven insane by Doctor's devices, the Confederacy suffered a setback when their positions were overrun by the Jedi Padawan Tyzen Xebec. The Padawan eventually destroyed Doctor's devices, and although the tactical droid was able to corner the young Jedi, he was in turn destroyed by Jedi General Keelyvine Reus.

Preparations on Moorja
"This world is worse than all nine Corellian hells put together&hellip; and yet it has what we need." "Cease your superstitions or ironic reflections, Magistrate. It is not befitting your rank."

- Passel Argente and Doctor

The modified T-series tactical droid known as "Doctor" served the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars, working under Magistrate Passel Argente of the Corporate Alliance. Argente had commissioned the creation of Doctor, a fact which the droid was fully aware of. Doctor kept a pet, named Seventeen&mdash;a non-sentient construct made from various parts from different animals, inlcuding the cannok, the blarth, and the boma. The droid worked from a base of command on the ion storm-ridden world of Moorja. There, he had an array of modified seismic tanks collect the Moorjan soil for later use. He was joined at the Confederate base by Argente, who consulted him on their preparations to claim the vital agriworld of Ukio for the Confederacy. The pair discussed the strategy briefly&mdash;Argente was impatient to move against Ukio, but Doctor was adamant that they exercise caution and patience while preparing for their assault, lest any unforeseen variable spell failure for their endeavor.

Doctor had formulated what he called Project Instinction. The first phase involved a singular battleship deploying the modified seismic tanks that had been collecting Moorjan soil, and deploying them just above Ukio's renowned planetary shield. The Moorjan soil possessed both electro-magnetic and photosensitive properties&mdash;to that end, it would both cling to the shield instantly, and move across it as Ukio orbited its sun. Essentially, the dark soil would create a perpetual eclipse on the agriworld, which would cripple the sensitive Ukian crop growth. This would prove damaging to the Galactic Republic, as the Ukian supplies fed both their troopers, and the entire Abrion sector, as well as the worlds along the Triellus Trade Route. As a result, the Ukians would be forced to drop their shields, even for an instance, in order to disperse the soil. Phase two of Project Instinction would see shuttles breach the dropped shield and land on Ukio. Devices would then be deployed that would broadcast a neural signal across the planet, causing all living beings to run rampant against their nature, effectively forcing the planet to reduce itself to a chaotic riot. In particular, the native gigauns would inadvertently stray from their usual paths, and ideally trample the sensitive Ukian crops, destroying the world's value and rendering it useless to the Republic.

Project Instinction
"Doctor! Your signal is coming in quite clear. I thought you were jamming&mdash;" "Minimize your pedantic queries. We control the jamming. We know the frequency cycles past it."

- Magistrate Argente and Doctor

Doctor had his seismic tanks filled with Moorjan soil, and then loaded on a Lucrehulk-class battleship. He then traveled to Ukio, where he put phase one of his plan into effect. Although Jedi-piloted Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptors briefly engaged his tanks, they were unable to stem the deployment of the soil. The Republic fleet defending Ukio moved to engage Doctor's battleship, as the Ukians predictably dropped their shields momentarily. Doctor and his assistants made their way to the surface in three Sheathipede-class transport shuttles, and began deploying the neural devices. Doctor contacted Magistrate Argente directly, and informed him of the progress. The Magistrate was concerned that Doctor was able to contact him in spite of the jamming, but the tactical droid had thought ahead, and was only using frequencies he had not had jammed. Argente then made sure that the devices would not affect Doctor's own troops, but the tactical droid dismissed the idea, although the concept piqued his curiosity. The devices were then deployed, and activated, driving the living beings on Ukio into a rage.

The Project proceeded as planned, as the world was sent into a violent frenzy. The gigauns acted as predicted, destroying the Ukian crops. However, Repbulic elements on Ukio's surface began to turn the tide, when Jedi Padawan Tyzen Xebec and Agricultural Corps member Sanya managed to destroy one of Doctor's devices. Xebec then destroyed another of the devices, before approaching Doctor's position. The Padawan was knocked from his commandeered Single Trooper Aerial Platform by a projectile, but was able to engage Doctor's units. The young Zabrak then decimated the soldiers, and destroyed the last Project Instinction device. Doctor picked up a blaster and shot the young Jedi in the shoulder, instantly disarming him. As the tactical droid bore down on his prey, he was decapitated by the Jedi General Keelyvine Reus, who was commanding the Republic task force and had recently arrived on the planet. Reus proceeded to inspect Doctor's remains. Although the Republic were able to tactically thwart Doctor's efforts, he had created a significant amount of economic turbulence on Ukio. Stock prices tumbled, and Magistrate Argente was merely able to purchase the planet, ultimately securing it for the Confederacy.

Characteristics
"Yes...of course. You are the expert.''" "''That is why you had me built."

- Passel Argente and Doctor

Doctor was contemptuous of organic beings, often questioning their multi-varying idiosyncrasies. When Magistrate Argente referenced the Nine Corellian Hells in regards to the desolate and storm-swept wasteland of Moorja, Doctor scorned him, finding such superstition to be contemptuous. Argente responded by labeling Doctor a "man" of science, but Doctor had little time for that concept either&mdash;he felt that science was a flawed organic construct, riddled with such other concepts as hope, denial, and expectation. Instead, Doctor found that he was safest to work with numbers, but not in terms of profit as he suspected Argente's mind worked&mdash;more in terms of variables and probabilities. Doctor was also confused by the illogicality and faulty nature of biological clocks, despairing when his pet Seventeen demanded food before the allotted time.

When planning for the assault on Ukio, Doctor dissuaded Argente from any rash action. He felt that since the Confederacy was nearing victory, that they should be patient, and make sure that their preparations were well and truly thorough. With this, Doctor hoped that they could claim Ukio with a minimum of fuss. When he finally landed on Ukio, Argente expressed concern that Doctor was still able to communicate with him despite the supposed Confederate jamming, forcing the tactical droid to condescendingly explain the principles of jamming certain frequencies, and not others. Doctor was fully aware of his status as a tactical expert, as he understood that it was for that purpose that he had been originally commissioned by Argente. Although he was unimpressed with the Magistrate's limited understanding of his plan, he was curious about the possibility of inventing similar neurological scramblers that could drive automatons beserk. Doctor was so fascinated by the concept that he dedicated 12 whole subroutines of his thought processors to further rumination.

In contrast to most T-series droids, Doctor possessed a circular right photoreceptor, which was red. His head also featured several cylindrical protrusions, with glowing yellow bands, as well as a larger apparatus attached to the back of his head. His right arm was also considerably different to that of the standard T-series unit&mdash;in contrast to the brown-colored plating on the majority of his "body," it possessed a more silver appearance and featured various functional tools, including a holoprojector. A smaller arm also extended from the right of his torso, with which he held the chain attached to Seventeen's collar. With his left arm, Doctor was able to wield a blaster pistol, which he employed effectively against the Jedi Padawan Tyzen Xebec.

Behind the scenes
Doctor made his first appearance in The Clone Wars: Act on Instinct, published in 2009 and written by Pablo Hidalgo. The character was introduced in the fifth installment of the comic, and was initially drawn by Jeff Carlisle.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: Act on Instinct

Notes and references
Doctor