Torniquet (R2-T1)

Pilot: Kyle "Gnoizic" Mandal

Body: Black

Dome: Black

Trim: Silver

Personality:
R2-T1 acquired the nickname "Torniquet" because he can fix just about anything, though his repairs are seldom elegant or neat, let alone covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. He is a talented scrounger and knows how to make things work together that were never meant to. He takes pride in his reputation and offers no apologies for his methods (it’s fixed; if you didn’t want it fixed, why did you call him?). The one person who seemed to be able to put up with the abrasive little droid was Lobo, and in return Torniquet would do anything to lift Lobo’s spirits when he was down. He resumed his standoffish quirks with his new pilot, Kyle "Gnoizic" Mandal, until the two had a talk in the droid’s own language.

History:
Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Torniquet and his pilot were shot down on a mission to a jungle planet. Both were added to the long list of those missing and presumed dead. Several weeks later, however, Torniquet emerged from the jungle and made contact with an Alliance operative in a town many kilometers away. After being debriefed, he went into seclusion and refused to fly with anyone else. A friend of the dead pilot stepped in to save Torniquet from a memory wipe, noting that the droid had been the private property of his previous owner; as the pilot had no heirs, R2-T1 was now a free droid, and should be allowed to mourn his former master in his own way.

Torniquet spent the next few years being traded from one Alliance base to the other, as various chief mechanics sought his services, then decided they didn’t like his attitude. During this time, Torniquet arranged for various modifications to himself, including more powerful motors for his wheels, more sensitive life sensors, and even a set of repulsorlifts. All of these were apparently a result of his experiences in the jungle. He eventually wound up in a training camp for Rebel commandos, where he apparently fit in better than most of his previous billets. It was after meeting and bonding with one of the commando trainees, a young man with a similarly troubled past, that Torniquet finally broke his vow not to fly a starfighter again. Since then, he has proven himself a valuable asset in combat (both in space and on the ground) as well as in the repair bay.

After his long run with Lobo, the pilot was reunited with his former commando unit, leaving Torniquet behind. The droid stayed aboard the Morning Star, helping in the Pappy with starfighter maintenance up until the Battle of Balfron when the newly promoted Kyle "Gnoizic" Mandal joined Red and needed an astromech. Torniquet grudgingly accepted the job, tending to keep his answers to any of Gnoizic’s questions or comments short and cold. Eventually, however, the two had a heart-to-processor talk, putting aside their skeptical feelings towards each other so droid and pilot could give each other a chance.