Risha Drayen

Risha Drayen was a Human female who was a petty criminal, starship mechanic, woman of mystery, royal queen, and daughter of the notorious Crime lord Nok Drayen during the time of the Cold War. Considering her upbringing as a violent gangster’s child, it’s a wonder Risha turned out remotely normal. Wise and experienced beyond her years, she had led an adventurous life containing some extremely dark chapters.

Biography
Growing up, Risha had a very odd childhood. Her father, Nok Drayen, taught her how to survive in the galaxy. While Nok was running his pirate gang, a Twi'lek slave he freed, Vette, bonded Risha and they were like sisters until they later separated. By the age of eleven, when Nok was forced to freeze himself in carbonite to stave off a disease a traitorous lieutenant infected him with, Risha managed to successfully make her first hyperspace jump to Dantooine, where he had a hideout. For a few years afterwards, Dantooine's population doubled because of their presence.

By the age of fourteen, after studying many of Nok's holorecordings on the ways of criminals, she hid her father and left Dantooine under a new identity. In her travels in the intervening years, she befriended the Togruta couple, Juran and Audila Reb and had dealings with Beryl Thorne.

During the Cold War, Risha partnered with the criminal Skavak to search for her family crown, which her great-grandfather, King Arak Drayen III, hid away from the usurper of the throne of Dubrillion. However, the ship she was on belonged to a smuggler who was determined to get it back. When the smuggler reclaimed the ship, with Risha on it, she offered the smuggler the same deal she gave Skavak, promising her that her new partner will be "filthy rich" and chose to cut ties with him.

In searching for the Drayen crown, they would first have to upgrade the smuggler's ship. Thus, they made deliveries to Taris, Nar Shaddaa, Tatooine and Alderaan to acquire the necessary ship upgrades.

After getting all the upgrades, Risha received a holocall from Juran, who revealed that Audila had been kidnapped. Her kidnapper was demanding that Risha meet him on Tatooine otherwise he'll kill Audila. Risha knew this was a plot of the usurper king to draw her out and enlisted the smuggler's aid in rescuing her friend, though she did not disclose her past. The meeting place was in an old Czerka mine. Confirming information with her contacts, Risha is able to discover an ore processing shaft the smuggler could infiltrate and surprise the assassin while she seemingly complied with his demand.

Upon meeting, Risha demanded that the assassin let Audila go but the assassin stated that his liege specifically ordered no witnesses. Luckily, Risha,s partner is able to arrive in time and kill the assassin and his men. As a relieved Juran reunited with his wife, Audila demanded to know why she was kidnapped, to which Risha refused to answer. As a result, Audila threatened to sever ties with her but Risha and the smuggler persuaded her to give her friend another chance. Risha provided the happy couple some credits to start up elsewhere. Audila accepted but reminded that she would want an answer someday.

After getting off Tatooine, Risha brought the smuggler to Nar Shaddaa to introduce her to father, who was frozen in carbonite. Nok gave the smuggler the location of the crown's resting place in a region of space called the Long Shadow. Once the smuggler successfully returned with the crown, Nok instructed Risha to take the crown and retake the throne of Dubrillion. However, if she was to succeed, she would have to perform many questionable actions and ordered her to kill the smuggler, stating that one spacer would not be missed. Risha refused to kill her friend. With his dying breath, Nok expressed how disappointed he was in her. After he died, Risha instructed Doctor Chelah to dispose of her father's body according to his wishes and formally released the Selkath from her family's service.

Turning to the smuggler, she remarked that she only had a crown but no army or armada to retake Dubrillion. Thus, she chose to stay with her friend as their first-mate. Also, she informed the Galactic Finders Guild to credit the smuggler for finding the Drayen treasure.

In her travels with the smuggler, Risha began planning on retaking Dubrillion, starting by trying to find allies among the aristocracy who detest the current king's rule. When it seemed like she found one in a lesser baron, she quickly identified him as a spy for the king. Thus she set a trap for the spy on Nar Shaddaa with the aid of some Hutts who owed her a favour and promised to send a holorecording of the trap to the king.

Eventually, Risha found an honest ally in Count Merritt Rineld, who was rallying the aristocracy against the king. Communicating him via holo, Rineld explained he planned to depose the king without bloodshed. But to cement Risha's claim to the throne, he abruptly proposed marriage. Risha later met with Rineld on Coruscant in the Senate Tower and determined he was a good Samaritan and could find nothing bad about the man. Unfortunately, the usurper king condemned Rineld to death, starting a chain of events that set Dubrillion to civil war. Rineld managed to escape and contacted Risha, asking if she would accept his proposal. On the smuggler's encouragement, Risha told Rineld that they should put it off for Dubrillion's sake.

Personality and traits
Despite her biting sarcasm and general selfishness, one can never shake the feeling that Risha would be a better person if only she knew how. Years spent among the galaxy’s dregs have fostered layers of personal self-defense mechanisms and a cynical shell around her. Only the most persistent friend has any hope of meeting the "real" Risha hiding beneath the surface.

Behind the Scenes
Risha is voiced by Tara Strong.

Risha can be romanced by the male Smuggler character and can eventually marry.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Old Republic