Dominic Raynor

"Lando Calrissian&hellip;you believe you can beat me?"

- Dominic Raynor

Dominic Raynor was the Baron Administrator of Cloud City until 1 ABY. Though adept at corporate matters, Raynor was a corrupt and despotic leader who ruled his city ineptly, bringing its status down in the eyes of many, and turning the Bespin Wing Guard into a breeding ground of corruption. Raynor enjoyed a number of pastimes, chief amongst them gambling, and also his lover Ymile. In 1 ABY, a gambler named Lando Calrissian attracted Raynor's eye as an opponent in sabacc, and the Baron Administrator challenged him to a game. Their first match cost Calrissian his money and ship, and even the revelation that Calrissian's nemesis Barpotomous Drebble had cheated on Raynor's behalf, though angering the Baron Administrator, did not get Calrissian his money back.

Calrissian soon got an anonymous donation by way of Raynor's aide Lobot, secretly from a group of fifty thousand workers who wanted Raynor gone. The second match went into high stakes again, and Calrissian laid out his starship lot against Raynor's position as Baron Administrator. Raynor accepted, and Calrissian won the match and city. Raynor left with Ymile, but he was not through with Calrissian. The former administrator attempted to get revenge on the man who had taken his job multiple times, sending a number of bounty hunters and assassins after Calrissian with no success.

Baron Administrator
Dominic Raynor got the office of Baron Administrator of Cloud City, traditionally passed down by decree of the previous administrator. Though well-skilled in corporate issues, as the leader of his city Raynor proved to be a venal despot and inept at his job. Cloud City earned a reputation of infamy throughout the galaxy, and the opinion arose that it had declined under Raynor's watch. Thousands of workers in the city and gas mines were opposed to Raynor's methods and how they had affected the city. Corruption seeped into Bespin's Wing Guard under his rule as well, turning the unit into a disorganized band run by thieves and bureaucrats, only providing protection to those who could pay. Raynor's law was draconian, and a thriving black market trade in droids sprang up under his administration. Though officials of Cloud City were legally barred from gambling, Raynor was fond of the pastime and continued to do it anyway. He took on a lover, Ymile, though she was not fond of living on Bespin and wanted to travel. The Exex and Parliament of Guilds&mdash;the other two branches of Bespinite government&mdash;wanted Raynor out. Rather than use slow political means or more criminal methods of removal, they decided to set him up to fall.

A sabacc match
In 1 ABY, Raynor took an interest in a visiting gambler to Cloud City, Lando Calrissian. Calrissian was enjoying a winning streak, and Raynor sent his aide Lobot to him with an offer to play against Raynor in the Ecclessis Figg Room of the Trest Casino. With Ymile joining them at the table, they began their high-stakes game of sabacc with a large audience in attendance. The bet quickly increased; when it reached two million credits, Calrissian ran out of money and had to put the title to his ship, the Cobra, on the table. Raynor won the entire pot with an Idiot's Array, the highest possible hand. Lobot, however, soon discovered that someone had cheated by placing a skifter in the game, and they learned from the dealer that Barpotomous Drebble, a nemesis of Calrissian's, had paid him to cheat. Raynor was furious at Drebble and ordered him arrested, but refused to return his winnings because someone else had cheated.



Lobot, however, approached Calrissian with an anonymous donation of five million credits, claiming it to be from individuals who wanted the game to continue&mdash;but, unbeknownst to either player, actually a collection from fifty thousand workers who wanted Raynor out of office. Raynor was eager to begin a new game, and this one rose to four million credits before Calrissian added a new bet: his starship lot on Nar Shaddaa against Raynor's post as Baron Administrator. Raynor was amused and disinterested until Calrissian informed him that it included three rare pre-Empire Surronian Farstars, a collector's item. Raynor took the bet, and Calrissian laid down a Pure Sabacc, winning the hand and the city. Raynor, enraged, ordered Calrissian arrested, but the guards refused the now-former Baron Administrator's orders. Calrissian let Raynor go, and Ymile went with Raynor, delighted that she would now be able to travel. Raynor threatened Calrissian as he left, and he was in such a furor that he forgot to take Cobra with him when he departed the city. Though there was a question of legitimacy of Calrissian's ascension to the office, as Raynor had not actually nominated him, neither the Exex nor Parliament objected.

Revenge
"Men like Dominic Raynor have more than money: They have power, and that means they have friends who'll make sure I'm back on your trail before you even have time to wax that ridiculous mustache."

- Thune, to Calrissian

Raynor would come to make good on that threat. The former administrator believed Calrissian had cheated in their final game&mdash; and was unknowingly partially correct, as Lobot had cheated for him, using an electronic device concealed in a pendant of Ymile's to rig the game. With his underground contacts and leftover funds, Raynor hired the bounty hunter Bossk to get revenge on Calrissian. Bossk ambushed Calrissian in Cloud City, but the man survived.

Calrissian believed two further assassins&mdash;a Gank killer and a Human replica droid impersonating Queen Sarna of Drogheda&mdash;to have been sent by Raynor as well. Over a month after losing his position, Raynor hired the bounty hunter Thune to kill both Calrissian and Lobot for 200,000 credits. However, Calrissian outsmarted Thune and blackmailed her to call off the hunt for him, then hired her to capture Raynor instead. Raynor was taken in a matter of days and given to the interrogators of Bwahl the Hutt, an associate of Calrissian's. They pressured Raynor into dropping his grudge.

Personality and traits
"Winning is secondary, Baron. I just enjoy the games." "I only enjoy those I win&mdash;and I expect to enjoy this one!"

- Calrissian and Raynor discuss gambling

A gifted man when it came to corporate issues, Dominic Raynor was a corrupt and authoritarian leader, not competent at his job, and his time in charge of Cloud City saw the city's status decline in the eyes of many. His aide, Lobot, who had served under many Baron Administrators, considered Raynor to be the worst. Lobot saw him as a cruel tyrant. However, Raynor's power granted him influential friends and allies.

Raynor was extremely wealthy. A greedy man, he enjoyed gambling, but only when winning. When large sums of money promised to be thrown around in a game, Raynor was extremely eager to play. He was quick to anger, becoming furious if someone helped him to cheat&mdash;but not adverse to reaping the rewards of it. He had those under his rule who displeased him, such as Barpotomous Drebble, punished unpleasantly. Raynor also had a penchant for seeking revenge against those he felt had wronged him.

The Baron Administrator had other pleasures, as well. Raynor had an eye for collector's items, appreciating their worth and valuing them highly. His lover, Ymile, he called his "second favorite pastime" after gambling. Ymile was attached to him, though Raynor's desire to stay on Bespin did not please her.

Behind the scenes
Raynor was created in Jonatha Ariadne Caspian's Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, though he was not given his first name until the Star Wars Tales comic Lady Luck, by Rich Handley and Darko Macan, where the character also got his first visual depiction.

Appearances

 * Lady Luck
 * Lando Calrissian: Idiot's Array

Notes and References
Dominic Raynor