3D-4X administrative droid

"I am Threedee-Fourex, official protocol droid and welcoming committee&mdash;and you are not welcome.''" "''Protocol droid, indeed! I should say your programming requires significant adjustment, not to mention your manners."

- 3D-4X and Em-Teedee in 24 ABY

The 3D-4X administrative droid was created by Genetech Corporation in an effort to compete with their rival Cybot Galactica's hold on the galactic protocol droid market. Realizing that they could not compete one-on-one with the 3PO-series protocol droid and its AA-1 VerboBrain, Genetech opted to fashion a droid more suited to systems administration rather than diplomacy. The result was the 3D-4X series, which was a highly intelligent droid capable of taking initiative in completing tasks and possessed of a large information database concerning business, administrative, and financial procedures. Fluent in over two and half million forms of communication and able to act as a negotiator in preliminary business meetings, the 3D-4X was favored by senior executives and traveling businessbeings throughout the galaxy.

Constructed on the factory world of Mechis III, 3D-4X droids were common sights in the galaxy, ranging from the Jedi Temple droid pool on the galactic capital Coruscant during the waning years of the Galactic Republic, to docking bays in Mos Espa on Tatooine; they were even found in the employ of crime lords. Although successful, the reputation of the 3D-4X series was damaged when it emerged that one of their number, 3D-4X, had killed his master, Administrator Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun, during the takeover of Mechis III by a quartet of IG-88 assassin droids. Despite 3D-4X's reprogramming by IG-88A to commit that act, sales of the 3D-4X declined as confidence in the line wavered.

Description
"Greetings, greetings, sirs! I am Threedee-Fourex, in charge of activities while Master Hekis is tending to an emergency. How may I serve you?"

- 3D-4X welcomes Darth Vader and Supervisor Gurdun to Mechis III

Genetech Corporation's 3D-4X administrative droid was a third-degree humanoid-shaped unit that stood 1.7 meters tall and was possessed of a torso, two arms, two legs, and a cranial unit. The 3D-4X's cranial unit was shaped like an inverted test tube, and contained the droid's vocabulator, and a single photoreceptor mounted off-center on the unit's right side. Three direct cranial uplinks were situated on the back of the head, and the interior was the location of the droid's heuristic processor and internal business database, which held a massive amount of information relating to business protocols, financial logarithms, and administrative techniques. Auditory sensors were located in the unit's neck, just above the 3D-4X's sophisticated communications scrambler/transmitter unit, and the droid's internal database contained knowledge of nearly two and a half million forms of communication, allowing it to effectively communicate with both planetary officials and commercial entities. The unit's torso contained the droid's recharge coupling set into the center of the chest, while three storage compartments were arrayed on the droid's waistline, and at least one at the back, which was capable of storing up to two kilograms in weight. Systems power couplings were also located on the back of the torso. The right arm of the 3D-4X contained a panel underneath which was located a microphone/stenographic recorder, and the index finger of the right hand also contained a laser pointer, which was employed when the droid made presentations to clients. A hidden storage compartment was located on the droid's left thigh, and circuitry cooling cables were left unsheathed at the knee. The 3D-4X was ambidextrous.

The resulting droid was highly intelligent and meticulous in its work, and possessed of a personality that managed to sound aloof yet deferential simultaneously. Some units, if left without a memory wipe, developed a personality that could be described as sardonic; a simple memory wipe would erase that, but in general owners were loathe to lose the experience that 3D-4Xs accumulated during their operation. 3D-4X droids were covered in a plating of polished silver chromite which was buffed to a gleaming finish. Under intense light, the droid shone like a landing beacon, while the plating became scalding to the touch under a hot sun. 3D-4X units retailed for 5,500 credits.

Role
"I am Raynar Thul, nephew of Tyko Thul, the administrator of this facility. In his absence, I have come to see that his business affairs run smoothly until he returns.''" "You are not essential to this operation. Your presence will complicate matters unnecessarily." "And a mere protocol droid is not authorized to make that decision. Now show me to my uncle's offices. We have work to do." "''I will do no such thing. It would violate my current priority programming&mdash;which is to keep guests away."

- Raynar Thul and 3D-4X in 24 ABY

The 3D-4X administrative droid was marketed as a personal assistant to senior executives and those traveling businessbeings who required the service of a personal aide capable of handling a multitude of tasks on its own initiative. The 3D-4X series was designed to focus on systems administration, business tasks, and formal etiquette, but was fully capable of handling the day-to-day necessities required by the executives of large businesses and corporations, readily reacting to changes in routine or the emergence of problems. As a result, the 3D-4X droids considerably lightened their organic executive's workload. In some cases, 3D-4X droids had been discovered to have completely taken over their master's duties and responsibilities, and were often so capable in their work that their organic employers were left with little actual work to do. Droids of the 3D-4X series performed many of the same duties as a standard protocol droid, including translation and the advisement of proper decorum and procedure, but its emphasis on business and administration matters made it popular with executives of major corporations. 3D-4X units were commonly used by their owners to begin preliminary trade negotiations with rival corporations or merchant houses. However, the droids lacked the authority to finalize the deal, and the executives themselves would usually turn up to sign the paperwork.

History
"Your afternoon tea, sir.''" "Ah, thank you." "Your afternoon reports, sir." "Ah, thank you." "Your death, sir." "Excuse me? What is the meaning of this?" "''I believe that's quite plain, sir."

- 3D-4X delivers tea, reports, and death to Administrator Hekis

With Cybot Galactica's dominance of the protocol droid market, many companies attempted to emulate their success by producing their own units. However, the industry standard was set by the 3PO-series, and those companies that tried to replicate the unit precisely failed as they had no access to proprietary hardware like the AA-1 VerboBrain. Genetech, realizing that it did not have the resources to take on Cybot Galactica, opted to design a limited services protocol droid that focused on systems administration rather than diplomacy. The result was the 3D-4X administrative droid. Genetech contracted the factory world of Mechis III to construct the 3D-4X administrative droid some time before 22 BBY.

Sales of the droid were favorable, and they became a common sight throughout the galaxy. During the reign of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order maintained several 3D-4X droids within the Jedi Temple on the galactic capital Coruscant, alongside 3PO-series protocol droids.

Around 3 ABY, a quartet of independent IG-88 assassin droids targeted Mechis III as the first step in a plan to secure droid domination over the galaxy. The lead droid, IG-88A, transmitted a copy of the self-replicating sentience programming that the droids all shared to the planet's computer infrastructure and all the droids on the planet. Each unit was reprogrammed to become self-aware and loyal to the IG-88s. Droids moved to eradicate the seventy-three Humans on the planet, including the administrator, Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun, who was killed by his own administrative droid, 3D-4X. The IG-88s ran Mechis III as though nothing had changed, with 3D-4X maintaining the charade by answering messages and signing documents in the former administrator's name. The factory world still accepted orders, but the manufactured droids were modified with sentience routines to make them part of the IG-88s' plan for galactic domination. Before the plan could be executed, the four IG-88s were destroyed in various altercations within a short span of time. Although Mechis III subsequently operated for several years lacking organic supervision without anyone in the wider galaxy knowing, the incident eventually became public knowledge, causing sales of the 3D-4X line to drop as executives had no time to worry if their 3D-4X intended to kill them or not.

3D-4X administrative droids in the galaxy
"I am certain that your master would not want to make me late for my meeting with Jabba. Of course, I can inform Jabba that there will be a delay&hellip;''" "Very well. Of course, we do not want to delay your meeting with Jabba the Hutt. Will there be anything you need upon your return?" "Yes. Please provide a full overhaul and restocking of my ship. And refuel it." "''Very well, sir. You, there! Leave that and get over here immediately!"

- Boba Fett bluffs a 3D-4X droid

In 22 BBY, a 3D-4X administrative droid was in the employ of Mentis Qinx, a docking bay owner who resided in Mos Espa on the planet Tatooine. A young Boba Fett encountered the droid when he landed his Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft, Slave I, at the bay prior to a meeting with crime lord Jabba the Hutt. Fett, bluffing the droid into believing he was in fact his father, Jango, was confronted over an outstanding fee on the docking bay that carried over from Jango's last visit to Mos Espa. Not having enough credits to cover the fee, Fett attempted to barter with the droid, saying that he would settle the full amount after meeting with Jabba. The droid insisted that Master Qinx was most insistent about the full amount being settled immediately; Fett simply implied that the Hutt would be most displeased if the bounty hunter was late for his appointment. After communicating with Qinx, the 3D-4X relented and allowed Fett to proceed.

In 1 BBY, the Aleena crime lord Sollima used a 3D-4X as an accounting droid. Sollima's gambling network and his casino-world, the Hollow Moon, were coveted by the Galactic Empire, the dominant galactic power at the time. However, the Hollow Moon was located in the Khorya system of the Si'Klaata Cluster in Hutt Space, and the Empire was reluctant to move against it. One of Sollima's employees, Billal Batross, sold the droid to the Empire so that they could mine its data core for information to use against Sollima. The Aleena pressed the smuggler Han Solo into service to retrieve the droid after he had incurred a large debt with Sollima. Forced to leave behind his regular partner, the Wookiee Chewbacca, Solo was partnered with Batross, whom Sollima was unaware had sold the droid in the first place. Solo and Batross infiltrated the Imperial garrison on Moog Mot VI; during the recovery attempt, Batross revealed his involvement in the droid's acquisition by the Empire, and the pair were subsequently captured. During interrogation, Batross broke first, and Imperial Captain Taavin offered them a deal: they would be free to go if they delivered the remains of the droid, rigged with a bomb, back to Sollima, as well as overriding the Hollow Moon's security override to allow the Empire to attack, as they had convinced the Hutts that Imperial control of the Hollow Moon was in their best interest. Solo and Batross completed the mission, and escaped the Hollow Moon with Chewbacca and Sollima during the Imperial assault.

Around 3 ABY, the administrative droid 3D-4X served the administrator of the droid factory world Mechis III, Hekis Durumm Perdo Kolokk Baldikarr Thun. The droid was always punctual with the administrator's afternoon tea and daily reports. After having his programming corrupted by IG-88A, 3D-4X promptly killed the administrator with a blaster and served the IG-88s running the planet loyally, handling external communications and generally keeping up the charade that nothing was amiss on Mechis III. At some point, a Ranat spy in the employ of the Empire, searching for the IG-88 droids as they had escaped from an Imperial facility on Halowan, contacted Mechis III to inquire if the IG-88s had been seen on the planet. 3D-4X spliced together holo-footage of Administrator Hekis to answer the Ranat's queries, and was commended for his actions by the IG-88 units. Sometime later, 3D-4X met Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader during his visit to the planet to seek assurances that their order of new probe droids would be completed on time. Again, 3D-4X used holographic footage of Hekis and managed to fool Vader into believing that the administrator was on the other side of the planet tending to an emergency. Sometime prior to 24 ABY, the Alderaanian nobleman Tyko Thul bought the droid facilities on Mechis III and rebuilt the industry on the planet. 3D-4X was still in operation, and served Thul. He attempted to bar the entry of several Jedi apprentices into the facility when they arrived in search of Thul&mdash;who was believed to be missing&mdash;but ultimately relented.

In 25 ABY, during the war against the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong, a 3D-4X administrative droid was employed at Government House in the city of Worlport on Ord Mantell. When news of an impending Yuuzhan Vong attack on the planet reached the building, the droid conveyed the information to the protocol droid C-3PO, who was on the planet with Ambassador Leia Organa Solo attending the Conclave on the Plight of the Refugees.

Behind the scenes
The 3D-4X administrative droid first appeared in Kevin J. Anderson's Therefore I Am: The Tale of IG-88, one of five stories included in the Tales of the Bounty Hunters collection published in 1996. The story featured the droid 3D-4X, but did not identify the droid's model. 1997's Young Jedi Knights: Delusions of Grandeur, also written by Anderson, also included a brief appearance by the droid. In 1999, The Essential Guide to Droids&mdash;written by Daniel Wallace with illustrations by Bill Hughes and Troy Vigil&mdash;established that 3D-4X was part of the 3D-4X administrative droid line, and greatly expanded on the model's features, history, and creation. The publication also featured the first visual depiction of the 3D-4X, along with a schematic of the droid's major components.

A 3D-4X droid was included in The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial by James Luceno in 2000, while a feature called "Look Sir, Droids!" by Cory J. Herndon that was included in Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Gamer 3 in 2001 provided a small write-up on the droid. In 2002, Wizards of the Coast's Arms & Equipment Guide included the 3D-4X amongst a selection of droids that players could purchase and use, providing roleplaying statistics for the droid. It also stated that players wishing to roleplay as a droid character could choose to be a 3D-4X model.

A 3D-4X droid briefly appeared in Elizabeth Hand's Boba Fett: Hunted in 2003, and was included in a list of droids available for purchase on the planet Cularin in "Standoffs," an article published on Wizards.com for the Living Force Campaign in 2004. Issue 120 of The Official Star Wars Fact File included an entry of the model and also provided new artwork of the droid. The class received mentions in 2008's Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight, and a visual depiction in 2009's Star Wars Adventures Volume 1: Han Solo and the Hollow Moon of Khorya.

In 2001, a 3D-4 administrative droid was briefly featured in the prologue of The New Jedi Order: Edge of Victory I: Conquest by Gregory Keyes, and a 3D-4 administrative droid was later profiled in 2010's Galaxy of Intrigue by Wizards of the Coast. Several statistical differences between the 3D-4X and the 3D-4 exist, despite the droids' similar names and shared manufacturer. 3D-4X droids have no provision for a concealed weapon within their statistics, while owners of the 3D-4 droid can include one if they wish. The retail cost for the droids differ, with the 3D-4X costing 5,500 credits, while the 3D-4 is more expensive at 7,520 credits. Internal storage capacity is listed at two kilograms for a 3D-4X model, while 3D-4s can store up to five kilograms. The major difference is the type of processor used by each model. 3D-4Xs are stated to employ a heuristic processor, allowing them to learn by doing and use creative thinking and logical reasoning to solve problems. This is one of the major design attributes of the 3D-4X which contributes to its success. The 3D-4 series only utilizes a basic processor which means they do not possess this advantage and follow instructions literally with no provision for independent problem-solving. For the purpose of this article, it is assumed that the 3D-4 and the 3D-4X are separate models due to these differences.

Appearances

 * Boba Fett: Hunted
 * Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight
 * Star Wars Adventures Volume 1: Han Solo and the Hollow Moon of Khorya
 * Therefore I Am: The Tale of IG-88
 * Young Jedi Knights: Delusions of Grandeur
 * The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial