RA-7-81 was an RA-7 protocol droid who was stationed on board one of the Galactic Empire's science vessels. After the vessel journeyed from Imperial Station 003 above the planet Coruscant to Tantiss Base on the planet Wayland in around 18 BBY, RA-7-81 discovered the stowaway clone Echo in the vessel's cargo hold disguised as a TK stormtrooper. When the protocol droid was not convinced by Echo's claim that he had been checking the manifest, the clone shot and destroyed the droid, taking its hand to hide his cybernetic scomp link.
RA-7-81 discovered a disguised Echo on the science vessel.
RA-7-81 was an RA-7 protocol droid manufactured by Arakyd Industries that served the Galactic Empire. Around 18 BBY, it was stationed on board a science vessel commanded by Lieutenant Novitz that was traveling from Imperial Station 003 in orbit of the planet Coruscant to Tantiss Base, a secret Imperial facility on the planet Wayland. Unbeknownst to the vessel's crew, the clone cyborg Echo had snuck on board at the orbital station and was hiding in the vessel's cargo hold, an area over which RA-7-81 held jurisdiction.
While the ship traveled through hyperspace, Echo looked at the vessel's manifest on a viewscreen until he heard RA-7-81's footsteps approaching. The clone then hid as the droid entered the cargo hold and checked the same screen Echo had been looking at. After the science vessel reached Wayland, Echo was once again alone in the cargo hold and disguised himself as a TK stormtrooper. The vessel then landed at Tantiss Base and was boarded by TK stormtroopers searching for any stowaways.
RA-7-81 was shot by Echo.
Passing some of the searching troopers in a corridor, RA-7-81 returned to the cargo hold. Hearing the droid approach, Echo began to leave but was spotted by RA-7-81, who called for him to stop and stated that he lacked authorization to be in the hold. Echo claimed to have been checking the manifest, but when RA-7-81 was unconvinced, the clone shot the droid in the chest with his blaster, destroying it. Echo then took the droid's right hand in order to hide the cybernetic scomp link he had in place of his own hand and escaped the vessel.
RA-7-81 was voiced by Stephen Stanton in "Flash Strike," the fourteenth episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batchs third season, which premiered on April 24, 2024. The character's name was not spoken in the episode but was listed in the episode's credits.