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- "Zuke, he's all yours."
"Copy that sarge. Saying hi now." - ―Sergeant Kreel and Zuke while the latter prepares to fire on Rebel troopers'
"Zuke" was the nickname of an Special Commando Advanced Recon trooper in Task Force 99, a squad within the Galactic Empire's Stormtrooper Corps. Zuke served as the squad's specialist in heavy weapons and explosives. Zuke participated in Task Force 99's mission to the Ghost Moon in order to exterminate a group of Rebels hiding there.[1]
Biography
Skirmish on the Ghost Moon
Zuke served in Task Force 99 for years, growing close with his fellow Stormtrooper specialists. After the death of the Task Force's previous sergeant, the team was reassigned under the command of Sergeant Kreel. Early into Kreel's tenure with the team, an Alliance to Restore the Republic shuttle was shot down over the Ghost Moon, and Kreel and his team were sent in to learn what its crew were doing in such a remote area. Zuke deployed with the rest of his squad, and utilized his skill with heavy weapons to destroy a Rebel Sniper nest. When the Rebels fielded a Armored Assault Tank, Zuke claimed that his rocket wouldn't pierce the tanks armor, leading the new Sergeant to order a retreat into the sewers below. While Zuke was opposed to the retreat order and voiced his displeasure, he begrudgingly followed the order nonetheless. In the sewers, when Kreel was attacked by a Dianoga, Zuke prevented the rest of his squad from helping their new leader, allowing him his first opportunity to prove himself a worthy successor to the previous commander. When the SCAR squad detonated an explosive trap and knocked the tank into the sewers, Zuke was as surprised as the rest of his allies when their new leader drew a Lightsaber to finally disable it, allowing the Task Force to capture its valuable crew- Admiral Verette for interrogation.[1]
From their victory on the Ghost Moon, Zuke and the rest of Task Force 99 learned of a covert Rebel operation to hijack an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer, named The Harbinger. The mission was planned jointly by Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker, and Admiral Verette was on the way to meet them and take command of the Star Destroyer's helm when he was captured by the SCAR squad. After revealing this information, the squad informed Darth Vader, who sent them to retake the stolen ship.[2]
The Harbinger
The Task Force scouted out The Harbinger for several days before finally making their assault. First, they strapped the captive Admiral Verette to the outside of his own shuttle and launched it at the ship as a distraction. While Luke Skywalker and Sana Starros investigated the approaching shuttle, Zuke and his team covertly flew a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle into one of the many unguarded holes in the Star Destroy- confident that with more than half the vessel's scanners down, and the Rebels being forced to run a skeleton crew, they would enter undetected. Once inside, Zuke made his way to secure the engine room and stop the Rebels from reaching their destination. He first blindly fired a rocket into the room, hoping to take anyone inside unaware, but only succeeding in alerting Chewbacca to his incoming presence and giving the Wookiee the opportunity to hide. When Zuke informed the rest of his squad that the engine room seemed clear aside from C-3PO and R2-D2, Chewbacca assaulted him from the ceiling above, knocking his weapon from his hand. Thanks to his massive size and strength, however, Zuke was able to fight the Wookiee in hand-to-hand on even terms, but Chewbacca ultimately gained the upper hand and threw Zuke across the room, knocking him into the reactor controls and triggering an electric surge that both repowered the reactor and left Zuke scorched and unresponsive on the floor.[3]
Despite his injuries, Zuke was able to escape, capturing C-3PO along the way. While Darth Vader chided Kreel and his team for failing to stop the Rebels, they were able to avoid his wrath by presenting the captured Protocol droid as proof that the SCAR team "never comes home empty handed".[3]
Appearances
- Star Wars 21: The Last Flight of the Harbinger, Part I (First appearance)
- Star Wars 23: The Last Flight of the Harbinger, Part III
- Star Wars 24: The Last Flight of the Harbinger, Part IV
- Star Wars 25: The Last Flight of the Harbinger, Part V
- Star Wars 26: Yoda's Secret War, Part I
- Star Wars 36: Revenge of the Astromech
- Star Wars 37: Imperial Pride
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Storms of Crait
Sources
Elite Stormtroopers Are Coming in Star Wars #21 – Exclusive! on StarWars.com (backup link)- Elite Stormtroopers Prepare to Strike in Star Wars #21 – First Look! on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor
- Star Wars: The Rebel Files – Deluxe Edition
