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, effectively replacing Skywalker's former astromech R2-D2. 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, recently 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.

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 in the first days of the Galactic Empire. R4-K5, having survived the assault on the Temple, was chosen by Vader as his new astromech. The Sith Lord saw its black shell as a reflection of his own darkness. 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.

R4-K5 was stationed on the new Imperial Star Destroyer Exactor in Launching Bay Three along with the interceptor. The droid occupied the astromech socket of this craft during an attack on fugitive Jedi Knights Roan Shryne and Olee Starstone near Murkhana, assisting Vader in grasping 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 later flew with Vader during Phase Two of the Shrouded Offensive, an extensive campaign against a Separatist holdout on Ostor in 17 BBY.

Characteristics
Like other R4 units adapted for the Jedi Order after the success of the R4-P-series astromech droid, R4-K5 featured an R2-series dome. R4-K5's was black, as was the droid's plating and sensor. R4-K5 stood at a height of 0.96 meters. 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. The droid later appeared briefly in the 2008 non-canon Soul Calibur IV tie-in Star Wars: Visions of the Blade, socketed aboard Vader's interceptor. R4-K5 also featured in the fourth installment of the 2014 comic arc Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows.

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. In Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows, R4-K5 is shown with black plating and silver panels.

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.)
 * Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows 4

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Visions of the Blade