Star Wars Insider – July 2019

62 / STAR WARS INSIDER

BACTA BASICS

mechno-armreplicatesnerveendings
withanelectrostaticfingertipsystem.
Theyandothercyberneticlimb
replacementsaredurable,andmadeto
withstandeventheharshestelements
shouldtherecipientdecidenottohave
it coveredwithsyntheticskin,also
knownassynthskinorsynthflesh.That
said,thesynthskinonLuke’shandwas
goneinhislateryears.
Organreplacementsareanother
applicationforcybernetics.Inthecase
ofsevereorgandamage,mechanized
substitutescanbesuccessfully
integratedintoa body’sbiological
operations.WhenBrehaOrgana
sufferedsevereinjuriesfroma fallon
Alderaan’sAppenzaPeak,sherequired
cyberneticpulmonodestoreplaceher
heartandlungs.Suchmechanized
organscanbeleftvisible,aswith
Breha’s,butmostpatientsundergo
bactatreatmentstoregrowskinto
coverthepulmonodesandtheir
glowingstatuslights(re-growingskinis
anorganicprocessandnotthesameas
applyingsynthskin).

MedicineandTreatment
NoteveryinjuryinStarWarsis life-

threatening.Whatarethetreatments

likeforminorailments,suchas sprains,

abrasions,burns,orillness?Elementary

medikits,suchas theImperialmedpac,

arestandardforbasicfirstaidfor

householdsandspaceships.Theymight

includesynthskinpatchesorcurative

skinsealanttobridgecutsintheskin,or

a burnsalvetohelpsoothinflammation.

Medicalpersonnelcarrymuchmore

sophisticatedversions:DoctorKalonia’s

medikitincludeswirelessdefibrillators,

filtrationtranspirators(tohelpclear

airways),oxygentubes,injectablevialsof

antibiotics,adrenaline,anesthetic,and

bacta—themostwell-knownandmaybe

mostusedmedicineinthegalaxy.

Bactais a chemicalsubstanceimbued

withimpressivehealingproperties.

Applicable in critical emergencies and

minor situations, bacta is like a cure-all

med. If you want to heal a small cut or

recover from a severe internal injury,

bacta is the answer. It accelerates and

heightens a body’s ability to regrow

organic compounds, including skin,

muscles, and tissue. Bacta is such a

valuable asset for medical care, it’s a

miracle that a war hasn’t been started

over it.

One of the remarkable things about

bacta—a viscous liquid with the texture

of a thin slime—is the variety of ways

Mechno-arms are

completely practical

replacements for

organic hands and

arms, which can be

lost for reasons beyond

lightsaber injuries.

05

06

07

FOR MEDICINAL

USE ONLY

Though popular,

bacta is far from

the only medicine

used by droids and

personnel. A few

other examples:

Hadeiraserum

The serum is the only

known effective treatment

for bloodburn, a chronic

blood illness that affects

some starship pilots. It’s

administered through

injections. Doctor Kalonia

gave this serum to Greer

Sonnel, Leia’s personal

assistant.

Kyrprax

Delivered by injection,

thisw substance helps

relieve fevers.

Stimpack

Stacked with stimulants,

a stim pack delivers a jolt

to revive unconscious

patients.

Oraclesalve

Worlds without medical

facilities have developed

their own medicines. Clans

on Parnassos live by oracle

salve. The dark green, oily

substance is made using

fl uids and nutrients from

deceased clan members,

applied as preventive to

protect clan members from

the planet’s bright sun and

acid rains.