Chapter 1:
The hyperdrive was broken.
Again.
Han Solo, Captain of the speedy rust-bucket known as the Millennium Falcon, groaned in frustration.
"What is it THIS TIME, Chewie?"
"Gaaaaagh!"
Han's hairy companion waved wildly at the computer, the meaning behind his growls clear: "How should I know?"
"Beep beep whistle!"
"R2 says that the alluvial dampeners have malfunctioned, causing the hyperdrive to overheat. Unfortunately, a few components have melted."
Han snarled. "Can you fix it? We need to get outta here!"
"I am sorry sir, but it would take us three weeks to complete the repairs even if we had the necessary materials."
"Arrrrgh!"
"What's going on out here?" Frowning, Princess Leia emerged from the cockpit of the ship.
"Looks like we're gonna be here awhile, Your Highnessness."
"Oh, no...this bucket of bolts broke down AGAIN?"
"Hey! This ship-"
"Han! Leia!" Luke Skywalker poked his head into the room as well. "Forget the arguing for once—we're in trouble! The Empire'll catch up to us soon unless we get this fixed!"
Leia sighed. "You're right. Are there any friendly systems near here where we could get help?"
Han dashed into the cockpit and checked their coordinates on the computer.
"Nothing out here but a couple of seedy trade outposts. These pirates aren't friends of the Empire, but we're in the middle of nowhere. Finding the parts will be hard enough, much less finding a mechanic."
"But fixing this by ourselves will take weeks!" Luke whined.
"I KNOW" yelled Han. He sighed again, his anger draining away. "I know. But there's nothing else we can do."

A half hour later, the Falcon had successfully docked with a sleazy cargo freight whose captain had promised parts for ANY ship for prices "lower than the Emperor's conscience."
Han and Luke allowed them to be dragged along by "Captain" Zed, who had not stopped babbling about his wares from the moment they got onto his ship.
"...busted hyperdrive, eh? I've got everything you could possibly need—in 8 different colors, no less!"
"Now if only we could buy another pair of hands..." muttered Han.
Luke stopped in his tracks.
"That's it!"
He trotted up to the old captain and tapped one of his four shoulders.
"What kind of droids do you have?"
Zed somehow brightened even more.
"All kinds, all shapes, all sizes, my good man!"
"Wait just a moment, kid!"
Han grabbed Luke by the arm and pulled him out of hearing range of the captain.
"You've seen this guy's wares! What makes you think he has any working droids?"
"It can't hurt to look!"
With that, Luke caught up to the Zed, leaving Han to reluctantly follow.
"Now, what kind of droid do fellows need?"
"Well—"
Han broke in. "We're looking for one with engineering and mechanical knowledge. Do you have any astrodroids?"
"Plenty!"
"Do you have any DECENT astrodroids?"
Zed opened his mouth, then snapped it closed again.
"Maybe you'd better see for yourselves."
He led Luke and Han into a storage room, where five beat-up units sat, all leaking dark fluids and giving off strange gases. Scattered around them were rusted fragments of other droids.
Luke wrinkled his nose.
"What else you got?"
The captain looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Well, there's this one droid...we found it on a little broken shuttlecraft drifting on the edge of a nearby system a few years ago. I have no idea where it's from, how old it is, or who made it—but it's in great shape."
Han rolled his eyes; Zed looked offended.
"Well, maybe it's a bit scratched up, but the thing is working fine! We've plugged it into the computer, so it's thoroughly updated on the latest mechanic and engineering techniques. Perfect for your ship!"
Han looked skeptical.
"If it's so 'perfect,' how come no one else has bought it yet?"
"Er..." Zed bit his lip. "You'll understand when you see it."
He took an electronic key from his belt, and opened up a small closet in the back of the dingy cargo room.
"Get on out here! These fellows want to take a look at you!"
Luke and Han could see a humanoid, masculine figure rise slowly to its feet in the room. From the darkness, the droid emerged.
They both took a step backward in shock; this droid was unlike any they had ever seen. Instead of metal plating, it was covered in a chalky white latex skin. Over its skin, it wore clothing: a baggy, oversized tunic—judging from the four sleeves, probably one of Zed's—and a patched pair of trousers. It even had dark, wiry hair on the top of its head. However, the most disconcerting features were the droid's yellow eyes, which gleamed as brightly as the rays of Tatooine's twin suns.
"What the..." Han breathed. He had seen many strange things in his life of adventure, but this took the cake. "Who ever heard of a droid with hair?" He thought.
Luke was equally stunned. If it hasn't been for the large tears in the skin that revealed the machinery within, he never would have guessed that the figure in front of him wasn't an organic life-form.
Han looked at Luke.
"No way."
"We need the help, Han!" He stepped up to the droid.
"How good are you with engines?"
"I studied probability mechanics for four years, sir, and have over a decade of practical experience."
Luke turned to Han.
"You see? He'll do fine."
"I don't doubt it, but I just find it—er, him—a bit...well, you know...
"Unnerving?" the droid interjected.
"That's it!" Han said. "Kid, even the droid agrees with me."
"We don't have a choice, Han. Now pay the man, and let's get..." Luke looked at the droid. "What do they call you?"
"I am Data, sir."
"Let's get Data back to the Falcon."