Collapsing New Empires

Collapsing New Empires is a comic featured in Star Wars Tales 19.

Plot
It starts out with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo blasting TIE Interceptors on the Millennium Falcon sometime after the Battle of Endor. Leia Organa, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 are also on the Falcon. The interceptors are guarding a cluster of Sand Crawlers floating out in space.Then, a TIE Advanced x1 advances toward the planet with the Falcon in hot pursuit. They follow it into a Sand Crawler. As they step into the factory, they notice remnants of old Imperial weapons and machines, such as a wrecked AT-ST. It's then that they meet Perek, an artist. He explains that he's making the weapons and machines into art.

Meanwhile, back on the Falcon, C-3PO and R2-D2 are attacked by robotic insects. These insects transform 3PO and R2 into giant war machines. At the factory, Han, Luke, and Leia see the same bugs. Luke explains that the look similar to the bugs that are attracted to the stench of a Jawa. Luke then senses Jawas nearby. He sees them, and kills them with his lightsaber. Han and Leia are surprised by this, but realize that the Jawas are robots. Chewbacca then arrives, being chased by the transformed 3PO and R2. They both capture Chewie, Leia, and Han and carry them away into the factory. Luke finds a secret passageway inside the factory and goes into it. Perek then reveals himself as an android and attacks Luke. Perek starts to explain how he uses Jawas and their "face bugs" to spread the infection. Han then throws a spark grenade in the main energy source and destroys it. This ultimately infects Luke's hand so he cut it off with his lightsaber, killing Perek. Wounded, the group leaves in the Falcon.

Characters

 * Palpatine
 * Han Solo
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Leia Organa
 * Chewbacca
 * C-3PO
 * Perek
 * R2-D2

Sentient species

 * Human
 * Wookiee
 * Jawa
 * Hutt

Creatures

 * Bantha

Droid models

 * 3PO-series protocol droid
 * R2-series astromech droid

Locations

 * Tatooine

Vehicles and vessels

 * TIE/In starfighter
 * YT-1300 light freighter
 * Millennium Falcon
 * Sandcrawler
 * TIE Advanced x1
 * All Terrain Scout Transport

Weapons and technology

 * Lightsaber
 * Corellian spark grenade

Organizations and titles

 * Galactic Empire
 * New Republic
 * Alliance to Restore the Republic
 * Jedi