Sapphire (smuggler)

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

- Airen Cracken

Sapphire was a female smuggler, the captain and only crewmember of the Hyrotil Crescent-class transport Sapphire's Gem. Besides, she was secretly a courier for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, wanting to get revenge on the Imperial officer Dane Tizzin, whom she blamed on the death of her parents.

Biography
Born on 22 BBY to two maintenance technician specialized in TIE fighters, Sapphire spent her childhood in several bases of the Galactic Empire, as her parents had to travel because of their work.

When Sapphire was a teenager, she wanted to join the Imperial Academy. At that point, their parents were killed in the explosion of a bay caused by the incompentence of Dane Tizzin, a young Imperial lieutenant. As Tizzin's family was well-connected, he was not accused; instead, Sapphire's father were.

Unable to join the Academy, Sapphire turned to smuggling for a living. She happened to be friends to Kevas Startron, an old smuggler who owned the Hyrotil Crescent transport New Cov Quasar. Startron wanted Sapphire's help with the last smuggling run he would make before retiring. Startron's health 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 offered the ship to Sapphire as a gift.

Sapphire re-named the ship Sapphire's Gem and made some customizations to it. Soon, she became a fugitive in several systems on charges of smuggling, bribery and avoid arrest.

At the beginning of her career, Sapphire was also looking for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, a clandestine movement opposed to the Empire. Sapphire joined the Alliance and became a secret courier under the cover of being 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 weapons with fire-linked concussion missile systems that, while less aggressive, were easier to hid 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 attache 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.

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. Although young, she had earned by-then General Airen Cracken's respect and admiration.

Her bright green eyes and short red hair attracted attention of people first meeting her; many of them considered Sapphire to be a beautiful young woman.

Sapphire dressed in a one-piece body suit, black in color with blue highlights. She used both a heavy blaster pistol and a vibro-sword as her weapons of choice. She also carried with her a datapad, a comlink and three medpacs.

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.