Tempest Runner

For other uses, see Tempest Runner.

Tempest Runner, or Tempest for short,^[2] was a position held by leading members of the Nihil, anarchistic raiders who were organized into three main divisions called Tempests, which each had its own Runner who wielded total control. Tempest Runners were responsible for leading their respective Tempests and lining the pockets of the Nihil in their Tempest, although everything in the organization revolved around the Eye of the Nihil, during the High Republic Era.^[1]^[3] The role of Tempest Runner could not be usurped; if the Runner did not appoint a successor and was killed, the Runner's Storms would share leadership of the Tempest.^[3] However, in the case of the Tempest Runner Xanaven, who was believed to be a traitor to the Nihil, a new Tempest Runner was to be established to replace him, with the Twi'lek Lourna Dee soon being crowned his replacement Tempest Runner at the blessing of Eye of the Nihil Asgar Ro.^[4] Each Tempest Runner had a vote in Nihil-related matters. Following the Battle of Kur, Eye Marchion Ro took sole leadership of the Nihil, though the Tempest Runner position still existed, albeit under his command.^[5]

History[]

LournaDee-CGSWG — Lourna Dee (pictured) became a Tempest Runner around 247 BBY after slaying the Runner Xanaven.

Around 247 BBY,^[6] the three Tempest Runners of the Nihil were Pan Eyta, Kassav Milliko, and Xanaven. All three plotted to kill the current Eye of the Nihil, Asgar Ro, until the Nihil Lourna Dee stepped in and slayed Xanaven in Ro's defense. Afterward, Dee was named the new Tempest Runner to replace Xanaven and slayed Ro herself, leaving his son Marchion Ro to take the position of Eye. Quickly, Marchion began to work to cement the Tempest Runners under his control^[4] and suspected one of them was behind his father's murder. At the time of the Great Hyperspace Disaster^[3] in 232 BBY,^[7] however, much was still the same, with Eyta, Milliko, and Dee the Tempest Runners while Ro stood as the Eye. As the Galactic Republic had begun to enter the Outer Rim Territories in earnest, however, Ro decided the time had come to fully evolve the Nihil. Ro brought the Battle of Kur into being to wipe out Milliko and his Tempest to turn them into martyrs for the Nihil cause. Calling on the Nihil to remember their supposed sacrifice and promising to offer the Nihil the whole galaxy,^[3] Ro reorganized the Nihil under his sole command, with the Tempest Runner existing under his control.^[5]

Ro appointed Zeetar as the new third Tempest Runner after the death of Milliko.^[2] Around a year later, Eyta was presumed dead after the Second Battle of Cyclor, and his place was taken by Kara Xoo.^[8] After the Destruction of Starlight Beacon and erection of the Stormwall, Ro appointed three new individuals to the Tempest Runner position^[7] under the new title of minister; replacing the Tempest Runner position outright, these three figures were Baron Boolan, General Abediah Viess,^[9] and former Senator Ghirra Starros, who operated the new Ministry of Advancement, Ministry of Protection, and Ministry of Information, respectively. To Ro, however, they simply represented new Tempest Runners and Tempest organizations.^[10] Despite this, however, the official rank of Tempest Runner nonetheless remained intact and a desirable position within the Nihil. While planning to capture Kitrep Soh^[11] — the son of Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh and a high-value target to the Ministry of Information^[12] — Karnos and the Mon Calamari Tara imagined that the accomplishment might elevate them to Tempest Runners.^[11]