Mungo Baobab

"Galaxy upon galaxy. Vast, unexplored realms of space. It is a wild, untamed universe we live in. There is much danger here and therefore much need for armies, generals, and soldiers. But along with those who wage war there is also much need for those who explore new worlds and make possible the exchange of knowledge and goods&mdash;who bring civilization. These are the merchants and scholars and I, Mungo Baobab, am proud to count myself among them."

- Mungo Baobab

Mungo Baobab was a Human merchant from Manda. During his youth, Baobab displayed a love of travel and adventure which left the family elders concerned about his suitability as heir to the famous Baobab Merchant Fleet. In 15 BBY, seeking to teach him some responsibility, the family dispatched him to establish a trading post on the planet Biitu, along with his droids, C-3PO and R2-D2. However, shortly after he arrived, the planet was invaded by Imperial forces under the command of the Great Heep and Baobab was taken prisoner. Escaping with the help of the young Biituian Fidge Tadrazan, Baobab and the droids helped to destroy the Great Heep and free the people of Biitu from the Empire.

Despite the new trading post on Biitu, the rise of the Galactic Empire had left the Baobab Merchant Fleet facing financial ruin and Baobab determined to save it by establishing a trade route to the planet Roon, source of the valuable Roonstones. Baobab made the journey through the Cloak of the Sith to the Roon system but his quest soon came to the attention of Governor Bisad Koong of Roon's Tawntoom province, who was negotiating to supply Roonstones to the Empire's Admiral Terrinald Screed. During his time on Roon, Baobab encountered Auren Yomm, a resident of the rebellious Umboo province. Yomm aided Baobab in his search for Roonstones and the two soon developed an attraction. When Auren and her doctor father, Nilz, were kidnapped by Koong, who was hoping that Nilz could cure him of the rooze disease, Baobab set off to the Fortress of Tawntoom to rescue them. In so doing, he discovered the source of the Roonstones&mdash;in the walls of the volcano beneath the fortress. Baobab escaped with the Yomms, but his fortune appeared lost when Koong destroyed the Roonstones to prevent the Empire stealing them.

After securing financial backing, Baobab was able to find an alternate source of Roonstones and established a trade route between Roon and Manda which revived his family's fortunes. He eventually married Yomm and took over the Merchant Fleet, overseeing the business from his home in the Roon system. Years later, he helped his friend Lando Calrissian to capture the bounty hunter Thune.

Early life
Mungo Baobab was born into the wealthy Baobab family on Manda around 45 BBY. The Baobab family was well respected in many sectors of the galaxy due to their Baobab Merchant Fleet, which had a reputation as one of the Galactic Republic's most reliable shippers, and the extensive library located at the Baobab Archives on Manda. Baobab's father managed the Merchant Fleet and, as heir to the dynasty, the young Baobab was expected to one day take over running the family business. However, Baobab seemed incapable of focusing on the business, instead focusing on his love of travel and adventure. On one journey to Socorro, Baobab met the young Lando Calrissian and the two became friends. From Calrissian, Baobab acquired the nickname "the Wook," a reference to his long, unmanageable beard which Calrissian frequently encouraged him to have styled. After much resistance, Baobab finally agreed and started wearing his beard shorter.

The family elders became increasingly concerned about Baobab's attitude in light of the rise of the Galactic Empire and the events following the dissolution of the Trade Federation after the Clone Wars concluded in 19 BBY. The Empire favored pro-Imperial shipping firms and the fiercely independent Baobabs struggled to be awarded contracts. Their position in the industry was shaken as a result. In 15 BBY, the Baobab elders decided to attempt to instill a sense of respectability and hard work in Baobab by sending him to the planet Biitu to establish a trading post and fuel ore mining operation. While staying at the spaceport hotel on Manda, Baobab encountered the droids C-3PO and R2-D2, who had been working at the hotel since they were dropped off on the planet by their former owner, Jann Tosh, on his way to join the Imperial Academy. Before leaving, Baobab decided to purchase the two droids, enlisting C-3PO as his personal aide and translator.

Capture on Biitu
"Well, Baobab, looks like the Empire got to this fuel mine first. How unfortunate for the great Baobab Merchant Fleet.''" "You know the fuel rightfully belongs to the people of Biitu." "I don't think they'll want it anymore. This drought is going to drive them out." "Or kill them." "''Don't worry yourself. Tomorrow you'll be leaving this planet. I'll be taking you back in hibernation. The Emperor doesn't want to lose such a valuable prisoner."

- Terrinald Screed and Mungo Baobab

Baobab soon departed for Biitu, arranging for Captain Cag to bring his new droids to him later aboard the Argo Moon. While he conducted his search for a suitable location for the mine, he quickly developed a friendship with the native Biituians and resolved to develop his mining operation to provide the inhabitants with a fair share of the profits. Baobab eventually discovered a large source of fuel ore near some old ruins on a crater near the Biituian settlement. However, as he returned to town with a sample for analysis, an Imperial vessel descended above the settlement, causing a large storm which uprooted trees and sucked all water from the nearby river. As the scared natives began to flee, Baobab attempted to get the Biituian child Fidge Tadrazan and his pet Chubb safely to his ship, but was struck by some falling debris and knocked unconscious.

The colony was soon pacified by Imperial forces under the command of the giant Abominor droid known as the Great Heep. The Heep constructed the "moisture eater," a tower that drained all moisture from the atmosphere, causing a drought that threatened to kill the natives, and established a droid-run mining operation to extract the fuel ore for the Empire. Baobab, meanwhile, was captured and imprisoned. After the Argo Moon was boarded by the Heep's forces, C-3PO and R2-D2 were also captured and taken to Biitu. R2-D2 was sent to the Heep's droid harem, where the Amominor stored astromech droids before draining their power to recharge himself, while the Heep took C-3PO to see Baobab. Baobab was relieved to see the droid but concerned about Captain Cag's crew, whose fate was unknown to the droid. Their reunion was short-lived, however, as C-3PO was taken away to work in the mine, lubricating the other droids to keep them working in the dry conditions.

C-3PO later managed to return to check on Baobab, who told the droid that a spring had once ran through the mine and sent him there to search for water. When the droid returned, he was accompanied by Tadrazan and Chubb, who had managed to infiltrate the mine looking for water&mdash;the group were pursued by a security droid. Tadrazan and Chubb took refuge in a nearby pipe, leading to the tunnels below but Baobab, thinking quickly, sprayed the contents of C-3PO's lubricant dispenser in the droid's path, causing it to lose grip and roll back into the mine. With the immediate threat eliminated, C-3PO presented Baobab with a canteen of water, before checking the pipe for any sign of Tadrazan. When C-3PO could not see the young Biituian, Baobab concluded that there must be a way out through the tunnels and told the droid to search the pipe system for Tadrazan and a way to escape the Imperial base.

Before the droid returned, however, Baobab was visited by the Great Heep and Admiral Terrinald Screed of the Galactic Empire, recently arrived to collect the first shipment of fuel ore. Screed taunted the captive Baobab and announced that he was to be taken to the Emperor aboard the admiral's ship the following day. That night, however, C-3PO returned, along with Tadrazan, who brought Baobab a saw with which to escape from his cell. Tadrazan also informed him that the network of pipes under the mine led back to the village, but Baobab realized that they needed access to a ship if they were to stop the Empire. He therefore planned to steal Screed's ship, but he would need R2-D2's assistance to fly it. While Baobab began sawing the bars of his cell, C-3PO, Tadrazan and Chubb set off to the droid harem to attempt to rescue the astromech droid.

Liberation of Biitu
By the following morning, Baobab had successfully weakened one of the bars to his cell. Before he could make his escape, however, Screed arrived along with two stormtroopers and an interrogation droid to administer an injection that would place Baobab in hibernation for the journey. Only the arrival of Tadrazan saved Baobab, when the Biituian started throwing rocks at the Imperials, providing enough of a distraction for Baobab to kick away the weakened bar and escape. The two fled into the nearby pipe, sealing the entrance behind them as the Imperials opened fire. Upon hearing that C-3PO had been captured during the attempted rescue of R2-D2, Baobab set off to find the droids. Tadrazan, meanwhile, returned to the harem to rescue another astromech in case Baobab was unsuccessful. Baobab planned to enter the Imperial base through a garbage chute, but his search proved short when the two droids fell from the chute into the dumpster below, having made their own escape.

Finally reunited, the group could attempt to infiltrate Screed's vessel. With the Imperials on the lookout for Baobab, he used droid parts from the garbage to disguise himself as a droid. He and C-3PO then loaded R2-D2 into a crate and carried him toward Screed's waiting vessel. With his disguise in place, Baobab appeared to be just another droid involved in the fuel ore loading operation and attracted little attention from the Imperial guards. Having successfully reached the ship, Baobab instructed R2-D2 to patch into its computer and attempt to activate its engines and turbolasers. Baobab planned to either use the ship's weapons to destroy the moisture eater or to leave the planet and seek help against the Imperials. However, R2-D2 inadvertently triggered an alarm, alerting Screed to their presence.

Baobad met Screed and his guards at the ship's landing ramp and, still wearing his disguise, attempted to delay them by complaining about the dry conditions. However, when his droid hand fell off, revealing the Human hand below, the guards moved to attack him. At that moment, R2-D2 succeeded in starting the ship's engines and Baobab, along with C-3PO and the Imperials was thrown clear as the landing ramp raised on takeoff. The Imperial forces moved to shoot down the stolen vessel, but the situation quickly descended into chaos when Tadrazan and Chubb arrived, along with dozens of astromechs from the harem which started to attack the stormtroopers. The commotion attracted the attention of the Great Heep, who attempted to take control of the situation. The Heep was able to hit the stolen cargo ship, but R2-D2 set it on a collision course with the moisture eater, leaving the ship only moments before it destroyed the tower.

The destruction of the moisture eater caused the release of the captured moisture in a violent storm. The enraged Heep turned his attention on Baobab, C-3PO, Tadrazan and Chubb. As the group fled, Tadrazan fell and Baobab turned back to fetch him, reaching the boy just as the Heep raised his massive fist to crush him, but the storm tore the droid's arm free, causing it to land harmlessly nearby. Moments later, the Heep's furnace was extinguished by the torrential rain, deactivating the droid.

With the Heep destroyed, the natives were able to round up the remaining Imperial troops, including the humiliated Screed, who vowed revenge on Baobab, and enlisted their help in restoring their destroyed crops. Soon after, Baobab received a signal from Captain Cag on the Argo Moon; and, with the Imperial forces gone, the supply ship was able to land, allowing Baobab to resume work on establishing the trading post. He eventually returned to Manda, taking C-3PO and R2-D2 with him, though Palpatine's forces continued looking for him for some time. Baobab's relative, Ebenn Q3 Baobab, later oversaw the retrieval and restoration of the Great Heep, which was placed on permanent exhibit in the Baobab Museum of Science.

The search for Roon
Despite Baobab's success on Biitu, the Baobab Merchant Fleet still faced financial ruin. Baobab hoped that he could save the family business once and for all by establishing a safe trade route between Manda and the Roon system, source of the valuable Roonstones, crystalline gems that could store vast amounts of data. The only route to the system at that time was the Death Wind Corridor, a largely unknown route which was tricky to navigate and used predominantly by smugglers. Baobab was not the first in his family to seek the Roonstones, and the quest had been a passion of his father, uncle and grandfather before him. However, Roon was an isolated world and the only files to contain information about the Roon system had, for centuries, been inaccurate and incomplete. Though the Baobab Archives contained the most accurate recorded information on the system, they did not provide enough detail to allow him to locate it.

Baobab's search eventually led him to a cantina on Manda, where he met with Krox, an acquaintance of his who claimed to possess a map to the Roon system. Krox informed Baobab that he was not the only person seeking Roon&mdash;Emperor Palpatine also sought the Roonstones and several stormtroopers were searching for Krox in the area. The two finished their deal quickly, with Krox handing a datacard containing the map to Baobab before making his exit as three stormtroopers entered the cantina. Baobab, however, was not so fortunate, and the stormtroopers approached him and C-3PO to take them into custody. Only the quick actions of R2-D2 allowed the group to escape, when the droid manipulated the cantina's jukebox to produce a high-pitch noise that jammed the stormtroopers' audio amplifiers, leaving them momentarily incapacitated. Baobab and the droids fled the cantina and escaped in his waiting landspeeder, as the stormtroopers opened fire behind them.

After losing the Imperials, Baobab returned to the Baobab Archives with the map. When he inserted the datacard in R2-D2, the droid projected a holographic map, which C-3PO was able to translate to determine that the Roon system was located in the dust cloud known as the Cloak of the Sith. Though the Cloak of Sith would prove difficult to navigate, Baobab realized that the rainbow comets, which were soon due to make their annual pass by Manda, must travel through the Roon system&mdash;if he followed the comets, they would lead him through the dust cloud to Roon.

The Cloak of the Sith
"New worlds open before us. What wonders will we see?"

- Mungo Baobab

Baobab presented his findings to the Baobab Merchant Council on Manda, but they rebuffed him and assigned him instead to carry out a mission to a non-descript world known as Hrill. Baobab ignored the council's order, however, and, together with the droids, set off aboard his ship, the Caravel. He was able to pick up the trail of the rainbow comets as they passed by Manda. Following the comets, the Caravel proceeded into the asteroid field on the outskirts of the Cloak of the Sith. Despite R2-D2's best efforts to navigate through the field, the ship was struck by an asteroid, jolting its stabilizers and leaving it drifting towards a radioactive cloud. While the droid attempted to repair the stabilizers, Baobab fired the aft thrusters into the cloud, allowing them to blast through it unharmed. Once the damage was repaired, the group picked up the comets' course and resumed their pursuit.

The Caravel sensors eventually detected a planetary system within the dust cloud. However, as the ship emerged into the Roon system, it was ensnared by a tractor beam and pulled aboard the new Umboo Lightstation. Baobab and the droids disembarked and were met by Governor Bisad Koong, the proprietor of the lightstation. Koong was expecting emissaries from the Empire and, mistaking Baobab's group for Imperials, welcomed them aboard his facility. When Baobab attempted to explain that they did not represent the Empire, Koong's guards approached him and the merchant decided it would be safer to go along with Koong's assumption.

Koong took the group on a tour of the station, attempting to impress them with his scheme to lure unsuspecting ships in and steal their cargo, but it was soon interrupted by the arrival of a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle carrying Admiral Screed and his stormtrooper guards. Baobab and the droids used the distraction to slip away, but when Koong realized his error, the stormtroopers chased the group, along with Koong's aide, Gaff. The group ran through the maze of crates in the hangar but were eventually separated. Baobab found himself reaching a dead end, where he was confronted by Gaff. The Kobok leaped through the air, catching Baobab off guard and knocking him unconscious to the ground. Gaff took his prisoner to Koong and Screed, who had him locked in a force cage with several mupples.

Baobab awoke to find the creatures crawling all over him. Disoriented, he attempted to swat them away, but the prisoner in the adjacent cell was able to calm the creatures by whistling at them. The other prisoner introduced himself as Noop Yeldarb, operator of the original Umboo Lightstation before Koong had taken over. They were soon interrupted by the cries of C-3PO, who had been captured along with R2-D2 and was about to be reprogrammed. Though Baobab was powerless to help, R2-D2 was able to produce a cloud of smoke, creating enough cover for him to cut free of his restraints. The droid approached the Human prisoners and Gaff fired after him&mdash;the Kobok's shot missed the droid and knocked out the force fields holding the prisoners in place. The two Humans fled with R2-D2, causing Gaff to follow with Screed's stormtroopers, but soon returned to release C-3PO. As the stormtroopers once more gave chase, their blaster fire caused several crates of highly explosive Nergon-14 to fall, hitting and destroying the lightstation's engines. As the lightstation began to drift towards the nearby asteroid field, Koong ordered an evacuation before fleeing aboard the Caravel, along with Gaff, Screed and the stormtroopers. Reaching the hangar to find his own ship gone, Baobab took Koong's vessel, leaving the station with Yeldarb and the droids before it collided with a large asteroid. He returned Yeldarb to the Umboo Lightstation before proceeding to Roon.

The Roon Colonial Games
"The Umboo team could use a rider like you against Koong's team at the games.''" "''Koong's team? Hmm. R2, 3PO, we're headed for the Roon Games and glory."

- Auren Yomm and Mungo Baobab

After reaching the planet, Baobab began prospecting for Roonstones when his vessel was spotted by a pair of Koong's drone fighters. The drone fighters gave chase and succeeded in hitting Baobab's ship, causing him to crash-land. After freeing themselves from the ship, Baobab and the droids were attacked by a group of mudmen, attracted by the shiny droids. They were rescued by the arrival of local doctor Nilz Yomm and his daughter, Auren, who used R2-D2's hose to soak the creatures, driving them away. The pair explained that they were headed for the Roon Colonial Games when they saw the crash and offered Baobab's group a lift to the Games, where they would be able to find somebody to repair the ship.

While they talked, Gaff tracked the group down&mdash;seeing them standing near a hibernating shamunaar, he fired at the creature, causing it to wake and attack them. The group fled as the shamunaar rose from the ground, with Baobab and the droids taking shelter in some nearby caves. However, they found themselves trapped as the creature relentlessly pursued them. Auren Yomm mounted her rockhopper and charged at the beast, distracting it long enough for Baobab to escape, but getting knocked off in the process. Baobab acted quickly, mounting the rockhopper and riding in to retrieve Yomm while the droids created a distraction. When the shamunaar turned towards the droids, Nilz Yomm retrieved them in his landspeeder and the group escaped, leaving the shamunaar to return to its slumber. Auren was impressed by Baobab's skill with the rockhopper and invited him to join her team for the drainsweeper event at the Roon Colonial Games, representing Umboo province. Umboo was the only province of Roon to resist Koong's rule, as well as the only true competition for Koong's Tawntoom province at the Roon Colonial Games&mdash;Auren, along with Gee Long and the droid Bix, had won the drainsweeper in the annual competition for the last three years. Excited by the prospect of going against Koong's team, Baobab accepted.

After reaching the Roon Colonial Games, the Yomms invited Baobab to join them for some refreshment, but Baobab was eager to get his ship repaired and declined, instead beginning a search for a repair team along with C-3PO. They were soon interrupted by R2-D2, who warned them that Koong's agents, in an attempt to damage Umboo's confidence, were attempting to sabotage the Umboo team and had successfully immobilized Long and Bix. However, the warning came too late&mdash;even as Baobab listened to the droid, he was attacked by Gaff. Gaff slashed Baobab's back with his arm spines, injecting him with a poison that caused him to lose consciousness. The droids returned Baobab to Nilz Yomm, who able to revive him, but both Long and Bix would be unable to race. Since a team of three was required for the drainsweeper, Umboo would be unable to compete in the decisive event of the Colonial Games, handing victory to Tawntoom, unless they could find a replacement rider. In desperation, Baobab and Auren Yomm selected C-3PO to complete the team.

The drainsweeper race itself was a three-lap relay on rockhoppers. Each of the four teams competing fielded three riders, who were required to pass both baton and rockhopper to the next rider after completing their lap. Baobab and Yomm decided to put C-3PO on the first lap and Baobab instructed the droid to simply keep them in the race, confident that he and Yomm could make up any lost ground. The Galaxeed rider was knocked off his rockhopper by the Tawntoom rider during the first lap, leaving only three teams in the race. C-3PO, however, managed to stay on his rockhopper and completed the lap in third place, with Baobab taking control of the rockhopper and starting his lap. He soon caught up to the rider in second place, who attempted to knock Baobab off his rockhopper. Baobab was able to counter, causing the other rider to fall and leaving just Umboo and Tawntoom in the race. Baobab continued to gain on the Tawntoom rider, but Umboo were still second when he swapped with Yomm at the end of the lap. Using her experience, Yomm was able to catch up to the Tawntoom rider, Bun-Dingo, who fell from his rockhopper while he attempted to knock Yomm off. Gaff's attempt to dazzle her were foiled by R2-D2 and Yomm finished the race, handing victory in both the drainsweeper and the Colonial Games to Umboo. After the race, Baobab and his teammates were presented with their medals and Yomm assured him that the victory would leave him with no trouble finding a repair crew for the ship. Baobab, however, was determined to stay and continue his search for Roonstones and Yomm offered her assistance.

Across the Roon Sea
"If we can find the source of the Roonstones, I could fulfill Uncle Oggem's last wish. Together, he and I would write a historic chapter in the Baobab Archives."

- Mungo Baobab

Baobab and Auren Yomm began to develop feelings for each other, but he remained too obsessed with his goal of finding Roonstones to act on his feelings. When his search failed, Baobab decided the time had come to leave Roon and return to Manda. Working with the droids, Baobab made the final repairs to Koong's ship at the Yomm family's home in Umboo. When the repairs were complete, the group prepared to leave, though Baobab was disappointed that he would not be able to say goodbye to Auren, who had gone on an errand with her father. However, the Yomms returned before they could leave and Auren presented a gift of a Roonstone to Baobab as a leaving present. When she explained that it had come from "Old Ogger", an old prospector who lived near the Bantha Graveyard, Baobab decided to visit him to find out what the old man knew.

Baobab and Auren Yomm, along with the two droids, set out to the Bantha Graveyard and soon came across the crashed agricultural freighter in which Old Ogger resided. They found the frail old prospector inside and he recognized the colors of the Baobab Merchant Fleet on Mungo's clothing, revealing that he was Oggem Baobab, Mungo's great-uncle who had been missing since he left Manda to search for Roonstones sixty years earlier. Oggem explained that his ship had reached Roon before crashing, leaving him marooned on the planet. During his time there, he had collected six bags full of Roonstones and come close to finding their source before old age overcame him. Oggem gave Mungo his kit bag, along with the Roonstones he had collected, and entrusted his great-nephew to continue his quest, though he warned him to put family and friends ahead of treasure. With that, Oggem Baobab died.

After leaving the ship, Baobab examined the kit bag left to him by Oggem. Inside he found a memling, a complex element with mutable properties, a seed launcher and a small pyramid covered in writing. Baobab gave the pyramid to C-3PO, who determined that each side was written in a different language. The droid could only read one side of the pyramid, but was able to translate a cryptic clue to the source of the Roonstones&mdash;"In fire and ice the white stones glow, frozen forever, yet warmed from below." Mystified as to its meaning, but determined to continue his quest and write himself and Oggem into history, Baobab set off to the nearby port town of Nime to get supplies and equipment.

After arriving in Nime, Baobab took his party to a cantina, where he planned to find a buyer for his Roonstones, in order to fund his expedition. He was about to secure a deal with a Lutki, when Gaff entered the cantina with a squad of Koong's troops. Under the guise of recruiting for the Koong Navy, Gaff approached Baobab's group and ordered them to proceed quietly to the exit. Baobab, however, threw his soup into the Kobok's eyes, causing him to stumble back into his troops and allowing the group to make a break for the exit. However, Gaff recovered in time and managed to block their escape. Using the seed launcher left to him by his great-uncle, Baobab shot a pellet into the wall behind him, causing a vine to sprout that wrapped around Gaff, holding him in place. The group made it outside but were met by Koong and more troops. Baobab told the others to run and started firing the seed launcher at the waiting troops. However, Gaff was able to free himself and captured Yomm and C-3PO. Baobab was forced to drop his weapon and surrender, though R2-D2 managed to evade capture.

Baobab, Yomm and C-3PO were taken aboard Koong's ship, the Roon Clipper, and forced to row along with several other slaves. Koong planned to sail across the Roon Sea to Koong Island, where Admiral Screed would meet them and take the prisoners back to Tawntoom for interrogation. However, R2-D2 was able to sneak aboard the ship and, during the night, cut the chains holding the group prisoner. Baobab instructed the droid to free the slaves while he retrieved the bags of Roonstones Koong had stolen during the encounter in Nime. As he emerged on to the deck, he ran into Gaff, knocking the Kobok off his feet and causing his blaster to go off, setting one of the ship's sails alight. Taking the Roonstones with him, Baobab joined up with the others, along with the droid Lin-D, and escaped in one of the ship's lifeboats.

Their escape was short-lived, however, as Koong dispatched two drone fighters to locate them. The drone fighters opened fire, destroying both the motor and sail on the lifeboat before Baobab could use its blaster cannon to shoot them down. The Roon Clipper soon came upon them, but both ships started to drift towards a whirlpool caused by an approaching storm. Baobab hastily used the memling his great-uncle had given him to improvise a sail in the hopes of steering around the whirlpool, but the lifeboat was too heavy and Baobab was faced with a tough decision; dump the Roonstones overboard, or let his friends perish. After Baobab threw the Roonstones into the water, the lifeboat was able to pull away. Koong, meanwhile, was forced to reverse course and abandon his pursuit.

The frozen citadel
"I know the carvings hold the key to the Roonstone fortune, but it's meaningless if we don't find Nilz and Auren. I bet you guys never thought you'd hear me say that!"

- Mungo Baobab, to C-3PO and R2-D2

Despite the loss of the Roonstones, Baobab was not disheartened&mdash;he still had the pyramid and believed that it could be the key to locating their source. However, C-3PO was unable to make any further progress at translating the markings, and soon the rainbow comets were due to depart Roon for Manda. Baobab knew that, if he did not follow them, he would be stranded on Roon for another year. In order to get a better view of the comets, Auren and Nilz Yomm led Baobab and the droids to the Pinnacles of Felth, high above the valley in which the Yomms resided. Baobab soon caught sight of the comets with his macrobinoculars and confirmed that he would need to depart within days.

As the group made their way back to Yomm residence, they saw one of Koong's ships approach and begin to spray a gas over the valley below. R2-D2 was able to detect the rooze germ in the gas cloud and C-3PO warned that the group that they should stay on high ground until the cloud cleared. Auren was worried about her mother, Bola, who had stayed behind at their home, but Nilz agreed that it was too dangerous to descend and the group were forced to wait. By the time they were able to reach her, Bola was already suffering from the effects of the nerve agent. Before Nilz could attempt to help his wife, however, Gaff arrived with a pair of stormtroopers&mdash;Governor Koong had contracted the rooze disease after a leak of the germ and required Nilz Yomm's services to find a cure. Auren grabbed a shovel and moved to attack the Kobok and Baobab leaped to her help, pouncing on the stormtroopers and knocking them to the floor. Gaff, however, used his arm spines against her, leaving Auren unconscious. Baobab took up the shovel and charged towards Gaff himself, but the Kobok was able to draw his blaster, firing a warning shot and causing Baobab to abandon his attack. Gaff ordered Nilz Yomm to be taken into custody, along with his daughter to serve as insurance against possible retaliation from Baobab. However, before they departed, Baobab was able to tear the his great-uncle's memling in half and hide one half on Auren's person. Baobab knew that the two halves of the memling would attract each other and that he could follow his half to Auren's location. Even so, he would have only three days to rescue the Yomms and find a cure or Bola would die.

Setting off in Koong's ship, Baobab and the droids tracked the memling to the Fortress of Tawntoom, Koong's citadel located atop a volcano in an otherwise frozen wasteland. So as not to alert Koong's forces to their presence, Baobab had R2-D2 scan for entrances other than the main crater. The droid soon located a small crack leading to a tunnel with high volcanic activity and Baobab flew the ship into the opening, navigating through the lava-filled caves until it was struck by a sudden flare in the lava. Baobab managed to fly back outside, through the other end of the tunnel, before losing control and crashing into the snow. Baobab and the droids survived the crash and resumed their search, the memling soon leading them to a cave containing what appeared to be a large mirror&mdash;unknown to the group, it was one of several molecular disruptors used by Koong as traps for intruders. C-3PO noticed that the writing on the pyramid was readable in the reflective surface, revealing that the Roonstone treasure was "buried above Tawntoom's fire." Baobab realized that the Roonstones must be buried in the walls of the volcano itself. Before leaving the cave, an eruption caused R2-D2 to fall against the molecular disruptor, and the droid was instantly shrunk to fraction of his normal size. Unable to wait for the condition to wear off, Baobab and C-3PO took the miniature droid with them and resumed their search for the Yomms.

Upon reaching the Fortress of Tawntoom, Baobab saw their means of returning to Manda&mdash;the Caravel sat on the citadel's landing platform. First, however, they needed to sneak past the base's guards and rescue the Yomms. Seeing a pair of approaching merchants, Baobab used his seed launcher to entangle them in vines before he and C-3PO took their robes and delivery of mupple pies. Disguised in the merchants clothing, Baobab distracted the guards with the mupple pies while R2-D2, still under the affects of the molecular disruptor, entered the building through a nearby air vent and assisted the Yomms in escaping. When the guards spotted the prisoners emerging from the building, Baobab charged them, knocking them to the floor, where Nilz Yomm incapacitated them with a spray of his newly developed cure for the rooze disease.

The group headed to the landing pad, hoping to escape aboard the Caravel. However, they arrived just as Screed, having run out of patience with Koong, was preparing to leave. Upon seeing Baobab's group, the admiral dispatched his stormtroopers to stop their escape. Taking some of the serum, Baobab instructed the Yomms to get the ship ready, while he and the droids approached one of the large turbolasers guarding the landing platform. Baobab had the droids take the controls of the turbolaser and, knowing that the Imperials would not fire while he carried the only means of curing Koong, presented his terms&mdash;in exchange for safe passage from Roon and freedom for Umboo, he would provide Koong and Screed with the serum and the source of the Roonstones. The droids fired at the walls of the volcano, revealing the Roonstones below, but Koong never had the chance to accept Mungo's offer&mdash;the double-crossing Admiral Screed placed the fortress under Imperial authority and claimed the Roonstones for the Empire. The furious governor hijacked the turbolaser and fired on the cache of crystals, sending the Roonstones falling into the lava below rather than see them fall into Screed's hands.

However, the Roonstones caused the lava to freeze, depriving the fortress of its only source of heat and leaving it vulnerable to the harsh climate. The Imperials fled in Screed's shuttle, while Baobab and the droids headed for the Caravel. Gaff attempted to prevent their escape, but R2-D2 charged into the Kobok and, as Gaff attempted to fight the droid, he injected himself with his own stingers and passed out. As Baobab boarded the ship, he paused to throw the serum to Koong, but it was too late to save the governor, who died moments after the Caravel launched. Auren offered her condolences on the loss of the Roonstone treasure as they flew away from the volcano. Baobab, however, informed her that he had found far more than treasure, and the two kissed. The young couple had little time to spend together, however. After returning to the Yomm residence, where Nilz used the serum to cure his wife, Baoabab followed the rainbow comets back to Manda to let his father know he was alright. He left the droids behind to help the people of Umboo recover from the recent attack and promised to return soon.

Fortune and glory
"I keep telling him to take time to enjoy all the great things he has here&mdash;not the least of which is me&mdash;but you know the Wook when it comes to gem-finding. Sometimes, I'm amazed he even stopped to marry me."

- Auren Yomm Baobab

Although Koong was defeated, the loss of the only known source of Roonstones did not improve the Baobab Merchant Fleet's financial situation. Baobab desperately needed to locate another source of Roonstones and approached his old friend Lando Calrissian to acquire funding for another expedition. Calrissian agreed and Baobab soon returned to Roon. Reunited with Auren and his droids, Baobab had time to study the single Roonstone to survive his previous adventures. He noticed some etchings marring the surface of the crystal which C-3PO was able to identify as writing. The droid translated the markings and discovered that the earliest known text of Dha Werda Verda, an epic poem chronicling the conquest of the Zhell by the Taung in an ancient battle on Coruscant, was encoded within the crystal. Baobab sent the droids back to the Baobab Archives on Manda to attempt to further translate the data contained within the crystal. However, C-3PO's pomposity and R2-D2's attitude made them unpopular with the researchers, who "mistakenly" sold them to Krellus Barzane, an Arkanian trafficker in used technology. The droids were eventually sold to Senator Wena Havid of Kalarba. Nevertheless, the evidence Baobab had uncovered suggested that the Roonstones had come to Roon from some ancient source and earned him a place in numerous history texts.

Over the following years, Baobab spent much of his time in the Roon system and pursued his relationship with Auren Yomm. His search for another source of Roonstones in the system was ultimately successful and he established an operation on Quilken in the Roon system to process and export shipments of the crystals to Sim'char'ser and other worlds throughout the Outer Rim Territories. He also established a laboratory where his staff could study the Roonstones. The Quilken facility included a resort and the Club Baobab casino for visitors to the system, though Baobab was usually too busy to take advantage of the facilities himself. His shipments to other systems benefited greatly from Baobab formally establishing a three-point trade route between Roon, Manda and Ryloth, the nearby Twi'lek homeworld. The Manda-Roon Merchant Route used automated lightstations throughout the Cloak of the Sith to guide the way from Manda to Roon and eliminating the need to wait for the Rainbow comets to pass through the system. Though the Manda-Roon Merchant Route was still considered a challenge, it was reliable and preferred by most pilots to the Death Wind Corridor.

Baobab eventually took ownership of the Baobab Merchant Fleet and the business prospered. Yomm, meanwhile became involved in a growing resistance to Imperial rule, working with groups aligned to the Alliance to Restore the Republic, including training the Caldera's Crest guerrilla fighters on New Bornalex. However, she remained devoted to Baobab and the two eventually married.

Repaying a debt
"I strongly advise you to re-think this, bounty hunter. We process and export precious gems here from the Roon system&mdash;you can't even begin to imagine the security I've got in place. If you think you can just stroll out of here with Lando after murdering two people, you're quite deluded, lady."

- Mungo Baobab, to Thune

In 1 ABY, Lando Calrissian became owner and Baron Administrator of Cloud City, a mining colony in orbit of Bespin, after winning it from the previous owner, Dominic Raynor, in a game of sabacc. Soon after, Raynor dispatched the bounty hunter Thune to kill Calrissian and his cyborg chief administrative aide Lobot. The pair fled Cloud City aboard Calrissians ship, the Cobra, but were pursued by Thune who had planted a tracking device on the ship. Realizing that they were close to the Roon system, Calrissian decided to head to Quilken and seek Baobab's help against the bounty hunter.

After arriving on Quilken, Calrissian met with Baobab and his wife in a bar at the casino, where the gambler explained the situation and Baobab agreed to help his old friend. The two planned to lure Thune to them and use Baobab's security personnel to capture her. Lobot, who had stayed near where the Cobra had landed to watch for Thune's arrival, soon informed them that the bounty hunter had reached the planet and was examining their ship. Calrissian had known about the tracking device and had made sure not to wipe the Cobra communication logs in order to lead the bounty hunter to the cantina where he would be waiting with Baobab.

By the time Thune arrived two hours later, Baobab and Calrissian were engaged in a mock game of sabacc in the casino's sabacc room, while Baobab's security personnel had taken the place of the room's staff and Lobot had positioned himself at the bar, disguised as a drunk Zeltron. The bounty hunter appeared to take the bait and approached the table, her blaster pointed straight at Calrissian. Seeing an opportunity, one of Baobab's security personnel attempted to draw her own blaster, but Thune reacted quickly and shot her dead before grabbing both Calrissian and the inebriated Zeltron as hostages. A second member of security attempted to intervene, but again the bounty hunter was too fast and he too was killed. Incensed at the death of his staff, Baobab warned Thune to surrender as his security would never allowed her to escape Quilken. With Thune's attention momentarily on Baobab, Lobot was able to quickly overpower and disarm her, before Baobab called for more security to take her into custody and attend to his fallen staff.

Baobab allowed Calrissian to use his sources to find information on Thune while his staff helped Lobot search the Cobra for the hidden tracking device. Although Thune had been captured, the threat to Calrissian's life remained while Raynor was at large. However, Baobab and Calrissian were able to devise a way to eliminate the threat. They visited the prisoner and injected her with kessum, a type of Roonstone that broke apart too easily to be valuable but which bounced electrical signals off surrounding objects and could be used as a tracking device. They explained that, if Thune were to go after either one of them, the other would know about it and arrange for some mutual acquaintances&mdash;former interrogators for Bwahl the Hutt&mdash;to go after her. Furthermore, they offered 20,000 credits, one tenth of the bounty on Calrissian, for her to capture Raynor instead. Seeing no alternative, and hoping to minimize her losses from the failed hunt for Calrissian, Thune agreed. Calrissian returned to Cloud City soon after, leaving Baobab to attend to his business once more.

Personality and traits
"Mungo's a decent guy despite his rather brutish name, and almost as resourceful as I am. Not much of a gambler, but then, no one's perfect."

- Lando Calrissian

As a young man, Baobab was considered ambitious and reckless. His love of travel and adventure and lack of focus in life left the family elders concerned about his suitability to eventually take over running the Baobab Merchant Fleet. It was in the hopes of instilling a work ethic in him that the family dispatched Baobab to Biitu. Baobab did mature over time, becoming a respectable businessman, though less jovial than in his youth. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, he was in charge of the Baobab Merchant Fleet and running a healthy business.

Baobab could become very single-minded, focusing heavily on whatever task he devoted himself to. This was most evident in his youth, when his search for the source of the Roonstones became an almost overriding obsession. He remained devoted to gem-finding throughout his life, focusing much of his attention on running his exporting business on Quilken and spending little time relaxing in his resort, despite his wife's attempts to encourage him to relax and enjoy all that he had. His lack of interest in the facilities available extended to his own casino&mdash;he didn't frequent it himself and Lando Calrissian considered him to be a poor sabacc player. Despite his commitment to his work, Baobab did acknowledge that there were higher priorities. Taking the advice of his great-uncle Oggem, on more than one occasion during his early time on Roon, Baobab sacrificed a fortune in Roonstones to ensure the safety of his friends. C-3PO noted that this was one of several changes in him after first meeting Auren Yomm. Baobab cared deeply for his droids and he considered C-3PO and R2-D2 to be among his best friends.

As a youth, Baobab sported a long, unkempt beard which earned him the nickname "the Wook". Though he eventually followed Calrissian's advice and had the beard styled, the nickname remained with Baobab into his later life. Baobab was broad and handsome, with a tail tied in his jet-black hair. He attracted the attention of Auren Yomm, then only fifteen years old and half his age, soon after meeting her. Their relationship took some time to develop&mdash;Baobab was initially uncertain about how she felt and concerned that his decision to leave Roon did not seem to bother her &mdash;but they were eventually married and Yomm was dedicated to her husband. Yomm was fond of his styled beard and Baobab took great care to look presentable after meeting her. Though his beard eventually started to turn gray, Calrissian considered him to have a glint in his eyes that gave him a youthful appearance.

Baobab was also an honorable businessman. During his time on Biitu, he was determined to strike a deal to export fuel ore that would be fair and profitable for both the Baobab Merchant Fleet and the native Biituians. After Calrissian helped to fund Baobab's search for Roonstones, he considered it a great debt&mdash;one which he was finally able to repay by helping to save Calrissian from the bounty hunter Thune.

Baobab was a capable pilot, successfully taking the Caravel through the treacherous Cloak of the Sith. He also had some skill in riding rockhoppers, which allowed him to play an important role in Umboo's victory at the Roon Colonial Games. During his time on Biitu, he began to learn the native language, though he was not fluent in it.

Behind the scenes
Mungo Baobab was created by Ben Burtt to act as the master of C-3PO and R2-D2 for the final story arc of the 1985 animated television series Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO. The character first appeared in "Tail of the Roon Comets", the first of a four-part arc which continued in "The Roon Games", "Across the Roon Sea" and "The Frozen Citadel". The four episodes were compiled into the feature-length film Treasure of the Hidden Planet. The character also appeared in the 1986 TV special The Great Heep, written by Burtt and set before the events depicted in the series. In all his appearances in Star Wars: Droids the character was voiced by Winston Rekert. Treasure of the Hidden Planet featured a brief prologue in which the character was voiced by Alex Lindsay. Baobab's most recent appearance was in the 2008 Hyperspace exclusive short story Lando Calrissian: Idiot's Array by Rich Handley.

Star Wars: Droids introduced two members of the Baobab family, Mungo and Oggem, but Burtt continued to explore the family, appearing as one of Mungo's relatives, Ebenn Q3 Baobab, in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, and expanding on that character in Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide. The Baobab Merchant Fleet, and Baobab's own role, were further expanded in several sources, most notably the 2004 Wizards of the Coast sourcebook Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds. His name was misspelled "Baobob" in the second edition of A Guide to the Star Wars Universe.

A Mungo Baobab action figure was intended to be released as part of the second wave of Kenner's Star Wars: Droids range. However, the line was canceled before the second wave entered production and only around a dozen prototypes of the Baobab figure were ever made.

Appearances

 * Droids
 * Treasure of the Hidden Planet
 * Escape from the Monster Ship: A Droid Adventure
 * Escape from the Monster Ship: A Droid Adventure
 * Escape from the Monster Ship: A Droid Adventure