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Human replica droids, or HRDs, were sophisticated synthskin and biofiber-covered droids designed to be nearly indistinguishable from Humans. Their design was similar enough to Human anatomy that even high-quality medical scanners were not always able to identify them as inorganic, although they were able to discern some differences from the typical Human. They were sometimes referred to as "meatdroids" or "droid clones." Unlike true clones, a droid clone could be created in under three months. HRDs were programmed to think that they were real humans, even having fabricated childhood memories.HRD experiments included Project Decoy, a plot by the Alliance to Restore the Republic to create Rebel-controlled Human replica droids used to replace Imperial officers. Unfortunately for the Alliance, it lacked the necessary funding to continue the project. However, the Alliance did make at least one HRD, a replica of Viscount Tardi. The Empire, however, managed to perfect HRD technology during the Galactic Civil War when it hired designers Massad Thrumble and Simonelle the Ingoian. They produced a Human replica droid named Guri, later purchased as an assassin by Prince Xizor of Black Sun for nine million credits. Following this success, Simonelle relocated to the Minos Cluster, establishing his own HRD workshop, while Thrumble remained in Imperial service, creating replicas of Governor Lexhannen Torlock of Corulag, and his daughter, Frija. These droids' self-awareness was so advanced that they ultimately rejected their programming as decoys, and fled to Hoth to start a new life.Following the death of Xizor over Coruscant, Guri sought out her creator, Thrumble, and asked for her memory to be purged of her assassination programming. The procedure, carried out on Hurd's Moon, was a success, and Guri became a fully self-governing droid. Approximately one year after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic completed Project Decoy, though its HRDs proved to be clumsy and inferior to Thrumble's designs. Project Decoy HRDs saw action in only a few missions, including one in which a duplicate of Leia Organa helped kill the would-be Emperor Trioculus. During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Stanton Rendar set up an operation in the Minos Cluster to transfer the life-essence of paying customers into HRD bodies. He used the entechment technology pioneered by the Ssi-Ruuk, hoping that the procedure held the secret to eternal life. Read more... |
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