Sapphire (smuggler)

"You can count on Sapphire to provide first-rate transportation, even past the tightest Imperial blockades."

- Airen Cracken

Sapphire was a beautiful female Human whose parents died in an accident due to the incompetence of the Imperial officer Dane Tizzin. Sapphire became a smuggler and helped retiring scoundrel Kevas Startron in his last run. As a reward for her assistance during and after the run, he gave her his ship, a Hyrotil Crescent-class transport she named Sapphire's Gem. Becoming the captain and only crew member of the Gem', she also customized the ship with new technology to make it more stealthy and faster. Although young, she became an outlaw because of her smuggling activities in several systems.

Sapphire was secretly a courier for the Alliance to Restore the Republic and a contact to General Airen Cracken. During this time, she looked after Tizzin to get revenge on him for the death of her parents. Later, another woman masqueraded as Sapphire to save Tizzin from an assassin.

Biography
Born on 21 BBY or 20 BBY to two maintenance technicians specialized in TIE fighters, Sapphire spent her childhood in several bases of the Galactic Empire, because her parents had to travel due to their work. When Sapphire was a teenager, she wanted to join the Imperial Academy. Her parents were killed in the explosion of a bay caused by the incompetence of Dane Tizzin, a young Imperial lieutenant. As Tizzin's family was well-connected, he was not accused; instead, Sapphire's parents were blamed. From that moment on, Sapphire wanted to exact vengeance on Tizzin.

Unable to join the Academy, Sapphire turned to smuggling for a living. She happened to be friends with Kevas Startron, an old smuggler and owner of the Hyrotil Crescent transport New Cov Quasar. At that point, Startron wanted to retire after one last smuggling run, and he asked Sapphire to be his partner. Startron's health suddenly declined and Sapphire had to do most of the job in a challenging adventure. Still, Sapphire lied about her involvement so that Startron would get the credit for it. Grateful, Startron gave the ship to Sapphire as a gift. Sapphire re-named the ship Sapphire's Gem and made some customizations to it. As the ship required a crew of only one, Sapphire piloted it alone. Soon, she became a fugitive in several systems on charges of smuggling, bribery and avoiding arrest.

At the beginning of her career, Sapphire was also looking for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, a clandestine, rebel movement opposed to the Empire. Sapphire joined the Alliance and secretly became their courier, pretending to be a non-political smuggler. As a member of the Alliance, Sapphire worked along Rebel officer Airen Cracken, setting up raids on Imperial convoys. Sapphire modified her ship to make it both fast and furtive. She also added sensor-disrupting technology such as special shields that hid energy leaks. She replaced the energy weapons with fire-linked concussion missile systems that, while less aggressive, were easier to hide from enemy sensors. For a long time, Sapphire hoped to find Tizzin, but was unable to do so before he became a Captain.

Years later, Sapphire's relation with the Rebel Alliance was a not-so-well-kept secret. At that time, Tizzin had became a commodore and Naval attaché to the staff of the Moff of Kira sector. An assassination attempt was made against Commodore Tizzin. A young Imperial officer, Lynx Reglis, impersonated Rebel agent Sapphire to save Tizzin's life.

Personality and traits
In 2 ABY, at twenty-two years of age, Sapphire was an efficient smuggler who used her knowledge about Imperial naval procedures to her benefit. Her bright green eyes and short red hair attracted the attention of people first meeting her; many of them considered Sapphire to be a beautiful young woman. Although young, she had earned by-then General Airen Cracken's respect and admiration.

Sapphire dressed in a one-piece black body suit with blue highlights, not discarding other complements such as belts and vests. She used both a heavy blaster pistol and a vibro-sword as her weapons of choice. She also carried a datapad, a comlink and three medpacs with her.

Years after her parents' death, Sapphire still remembered Dane Tizzin's involvement in her death and intended to exact a vengeance.

Behind the scenes
Sapphire was first mentioned in Cracken's Rebel Operatives (1994), a supplement to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, published by West End Games, edited by Bill Smith and written by several authors. Dan Verssen is credited as the designer of the section mentioning Sapphire. The book included an image of Sapphire drawn by Doug Shuler. In 1997, Sapphire was mentioned in another role-playing book, Stock Ships, edited by Paul Sudlow and Eric S. Trautmann.