CRX-9R, or Cracks Niner, is a converted light labor droid that
has served as an assassin for almost two hundred years. Cracks
still retains the shell that he was built with, but just about
every other components has been upgraded to the very top of modern
technology and beyond. Cracks has had heavy labor droid
servomotors installed, and one of his favorite disguise techniques
is to add on a chassis of a larger labor droid. The CRX line was
a fairly popular one, and many more modern light labor droids were
modeled on it, enabling CRX to go undisguised when stalking more
unwary prey.
While Cracks has no organic friends, he has built a large
network of sources among information processing computer systems
and galactic network servers, mostly by subverting their
programming, and occasionally by replacing existing systems with
those of his own design. Cracks uses this network to great
service, gaining all available information on his potential
targets. Cracks never takes more direct action against targets
through computer networks, such as identifying them as dangerous
criminals, or flooding their chambers with poison gasses, as he
feels that such attempts are both amateurish, and likely to expose
the existence of his information network.
Unlike many assassin droids, who simply chase after and shoot
down their prey, Cracks is not limited or mechanical in his kills.
Indeed, among professional assassins, a "Niner Kill" is a term
meaning a particularly artistic or subtle assassination. Cracks
has a fair knowledge of poisons and demolitions, and will use those
to great effect. Cracks seldom takes the obvious course in an
attempt, preferring plans of great, almost legendary subtlety. It
is not at all rare for the target of Cracks' attentions to flee an
apparently bungled attempt at his life, reach his ship, power up,
and perish in an unfortunate drive malfunction.
While Cracks prefers kills that leave the target obviously and
thoroughly dead (a faked death by a target taught him that lesson
years ago), he is aware that many of his clients prefer that the
world not know that his victim has been assassinated. Aside from
the over two thousand assassinations attributed to him, Cracks is
also responsible for an unknown number of suicides, random street
murders, hunting accidents, hyperspace drive failures, train
derailments, and in one spectacular instance, an out of control
Victory Star Destroyer, which happened to collide with an orbital
space station then holding a Grand Admiral's Gala.
Because of his skill and expertise, Cracks Niner does not come
cheap. Generally speaking, he charges a 5,000 credit non-
refundable retainer just to listen to prospective client, and then
charges from 20,000 -1,500,000 credits + for the assassination,
(based on a number of factors which he does not disclose) plus
expenses, payable at the completion of the job. Cracks seldom
turns down a job if the client is willing to meet his price, though
he sometimes does, having turned down (through an agent) then
Senator Palpatane's offer of 5,000,000 credits for Yoda, and the
Rebel Alliance's 10,000,000 credit offer for the Emperor.
Hands equipped with a variety of retractable knives and
stilettoes, both vibrotech and simple.
Protocol Droid language interpretation card
High power retractable jet pack
Retractable high power sniper slugthrower (Range: 10-
400/1.2km/2.5km, Damage 5D+1 or by Slug, ROF:1, Ammo:15 per clip,
2 clips carried, Fire Control 3D, when used with internal targeting
computer)
Computer interface spike
1 liter fluid reserve tank, with hidden access in fingertip of
right hand, 4th digit.
1/4 cubic meter scannerproof internal cargo area, commonly
used to hold explosives
Braincase shell capable of independent action, as mouse droid,
used as a last escape if Cracks Niner's body is damaged beyond
repair.
Other Equipment:
The one time that Cracks ever used his network of computers to
do anything other than gather information was to eradicate all
records of MMW-3R0-X9G, a white dwarf at the edge of the Outer Rim.
The star has only one planet, a small and frigid planetoid without
even a survey number. That planet is where Cracks lives, in a
palatial underground dwelling, inhabited only by Cracks and several
hundred mute servitor Droids. Initial contact with Cracks is made
by depositing the 5,000 credit retainer in one of Cracks' anonymous
accounts, and waiting. Cracks will research, and then appear.
Cracks' dwelling is equipped with a fully functional fighter
bay, containing from 15-35 fighters of various configurations.
Cracks has no attachment to any of these ships, and tends to use
them as disposable, untraceable methods of transportation. Because
Droids are not allowed to purchase their own tickets on passenger
liners, Cracks has to replace one of the ships droids when he takes
that form of transportation.
Over the years, Cracks has built up a substantial fortune,
currently over 27 million credits in various accounts and
investments. Despite his wealth, Cracks continues in
assassinations, as it is the only meaning that he has in his life.