Spice Runners of Kijimi

"There's a way of doing things here. With the Spice Runners. A structure and hierarchy. We work together to get what we want. Some do tasks you think of as 'important.' Others, like us, have to do the rest. It's how we prove ourselves, Poe. It's how we show Tomasso and Vigilch and the rest of the people in charge that we deserve more responsibility and power. We earn our place, we don't inherit it."

―Zorii Bliss, to Poe Dameron^[3]

The Spice Runners of Kijimi were a gang of spicerunners that operated from Kijimi during the late Galactic Civil War and the New Republic Era. After the Battle of Endor, the Spice Runners worked for Grand Moff Ubrik Adelhard's coalition, before betraying the former Imperial and participating in the Battle of Jakku. After many years and much success in the underworld, the gang was effectively destroyed in 35 ABY when the Knights of Ren killed most of its members and the Final Order destroyed Kijimi.

Description[]

Finn: "You were a spice runner?"

Poe: "You were a stormtrooper?"

Rey: "Were you a spice runner?"

Poe: "Were you a scavenger? We can do this all day."

―Finn, Poe Dameron and Rey^[4]

The Spice Runners of Kijimi were active under the leadership of Zarah Bliss, but it was under the subsequent leadership of Zeva Bliss that the group was properly organized into a single force,^[2] with the human Tomasso acting as Zeva's second-in-command.^[3] The Anzellan droidsmith Babu Frik served as a member of the gang as well. Poe Dameron had joined the Spice Runners^[7] when their ship crashed on Yavin 4^[3] during his adolescence.^[7]

History[]

The end of the war[]

Zeva's rise and Ubrik[]

"It serves the Spice Runner to foment chaos. The uncertainty helps us."

―Zeva Bliss^[8]

ZevaBliss-BattleOfJakkuInsurgencyRising2 — Zeva Bliss, cunning new leader of the Spice Runners of Kijimi.

During the time of the Galactic Empire, the Spice Runners of Kijimi were under the command of Zarah Bliss until her passing handed over control of the group to her daughter Zeva. Some members of the Spice Runners were unsure of Zeva's new leadership,^[2] but she quickly proved herself to be a formidable leader, rising into power with the help of Bib Fortuna, the former majordomo of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt. After the Battle of Endor, the Spice Runners were visited on Kijimi by Grand Moff Ubrik Adelhard with an offer to join his new coalition,^[9] which they accepted to bring more chaos to the galaxy.^[8] Later, Zeva, Tomasso, and Vigilch visited Fortuna's Palace seeking allies for her proposed coalition with the rising Adelhard and his coalition. Fortuna laughed in Bliss's face, and the Spice Runners' promptly left. Tomasso questioned Zeva's plan, but she reassured him that the Spice Runners allying with Adelhard served to foment chaos, which in turn could aid in consolidating the underworld – her ultimate goal.^[8]

Anoat agents[]

"...Not Imperials either--not ours... But whoever they are-- they've got us completely surrounded."

―Rynn Zenat^[8]

AnoatSectorSpiceRunners-BattleOfJakkuInsurgencyRising2 — The Spice Runners confronting the New Republic mission.

After the Spice Runners allied themselves with Adelhard, a New Republic mission was sent to the Anoat Sector to investigate the rogue Grand Moff. Encountering the mission, a small group of Spice Runners led by Zeva Bliss surrounded the Republic's freighter Oggrud, its crew surprised to find the Spice Runners there. The Republic agents claimed they were just merchants, but Bliss saw through the veil.^[10]

Not wanting to be stranded in the Anoat again, Republic pilot Rynn Zenat then rammed the freighter into the Spice Runner ships, significantly damaging their vessels with explosives. Having been called by the Spice Runners, Adelhard and Reyna Oskure saw that the Ragged Claw and its crew survived the attack, while Oggrud's crew was captured onboard Adelhard's Star Destroyer Scepter.^[10]

Growing weary of Adelhard[]

"Adelhard is proving to be more powerful than we guessed, Tomasso.
and our alliance with him--must be reassessed."

―Zeva Bliss^[11]

KranorArrives-BattleOfJakkuRepublicUnderSiege4 — Spice Runner Kranor arrives on the Star Destroyer *Scepter*.

Continuing to work for Adelhard, Zeva and Tomasso began to suspect that the chaos they sought to bring as his allies was turning into a real threat. They sent Trandoshan Spice Runner bounty hunter Kranor after the Grand Moff's list of New Republic targets. Kranor killed Kel Dor Senator Mirim Kess on Kewwil,^[12] and then went to Chandrila where he was seemingly targeting Mon Mothma, but was stopped by Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa left, sending them the message that nowhere was safe.^[11]

Onboard Star Destroyer Scepter, Kranor appeared to attempt to assassinate Adelhard, besting Commander Bragh. But was revealed to be loyal to Reyna Oskure of the Acolytes of the Beyond, helping the Anzati depose Adelhard. Oskure took control of Scepter, broadcasting a threat to the retreating New Republic aligned ships attacking the Star Destroyer.^[13]

Into the New Republic era[]

Poe's time with the Spice Runners[]

"A pilot? He’s just a boy."

―Vigilch^[3]

WetyinsColony-ShatteredEmpire4 — Wetyin's Colony on Yavin 4, where Poe Dameron met the Spice Runners of Kijimi.

In 18 ABY,^[14] the Spice Runner freighter Ragged Claw was stranded on the jungle moon Yavin 4. There, the crew led by an undercover Zorii Bliss, using the surname 'Wynn'. Dameron offered his services as a pilot for the crew, and helped them escape the moon. Dameron began working for the Spice Runners flying the Ragged Claw, crewed by Vigilch, Gen Tri, Tomasso, Marinda Gan, and Zeva's daughter Zorii Bliss during his time with the group. Tomasso taught Poe to Hyperspace skip, and he was with the group for a year,^[14] forming feelings for Bliss in the process, and learning her true identity as daughter of Zeva. All of this time, Dameron was on the run from New Republic Security Bureau officer Sela Trune and his father Kes Dameron. Poe and the Spice Runners narrowly avoided Trune and Kes during this time.^[3]

The trap at a summit[]

"This isn't a meeting to form alliances, is it? It's a trap. And we're the ones pulling the trigger."

―Poe Dameron, to Zorii Bliss^[3]

ZevaBliss VariantIR4 — Zeva Bliss, organizer of the Kijimi Summit.

When the group's then leader, Zeva Bliss, planned to kill rival criminals during the Kijimi summit, having invited them under the guise of making alliances, Dameron and EV-6B6 betrayed the Spice Runners. Though Dameron was unable to defeat Bliss and was overpowered by the powerful leader, her daughter, Zorii, came to Dameron's aid and helped him fight. Zorii offered that they work together to defeat her mother and take control of the Spice Runners, but Dameron declined the offer and decided that he no longer wanted to be a criminal.^[3] He instead decided to return home^[7] after seeing a holo broadcast of Senator Leia Organa,^[3] but Zorii would rise to take control of the Spice Runners for the next several years, holding a long lasting grudge against the pilot.^[1]

Under the First Order[]

Occupation of Kijimi[]

"We're trying to find Babu Frik."
"Babu? Babu only works for the crew. That isn't you anymore."

―Dameron and Bliss^[4]

ZoriiBliss2-TROS — Bliss on Kijimi during the First Order occupation.

During the Resistance mission to Kijimi, Dameron as went to see if there were any First Order patrol officers. Seeing that the whole village was under First Order control, the Resistance tried to avoid running into any stormtroopers. Just as they were clear, a gun was pointed to Poe's head. Bliss told him that he was stupid to come back and displayed annoyance with his decision to leave the smuggling group and was convinced to help them. Bliss then led them to Babu Frik, the legendary droidsmith, as the Resistance needed to unlock forbidden translations in the systems of C-3PO. Bliss and Dameron left the room while Frik was working, and spied on First Order operations from the roof of the workshop, talking about how the occupation changed things. Poe made an offer to Bliss for her to join them, which she declined.^[15]

Destruction[]

KijimiGoBoom-TROS — Kijimi is destroyed by a Xyston-class Star Destroyer of the Final Order.

In search of the Resistance team, the Knights of Ren wiped out most of the Spice Runners of Kijimi, all but destroying the gang, with survivors fled the planet shortly afterward.^[16] One of the survivors, Zori, managed to escape before the planet was destroyed by the Sith Eternal along with Babu Frik in her Y-Wing starfighter and later avenged her gang by defeating the Sith Eternal at the Battle of Exegol as part of the Citizens' Fleet.^[15]