Eventually, we all find out how far we're willing to go in the name of getting paid. It turns out I couldn't kill a bigwig Direx's secret mistress and their 'politically-compromising' lovechild...but I could kill a corrupt Direx. Go figure.
—Nika Jei
Nika Jei was a female Rattataki, who lived during the final decades of the Galactic Republic's reign. Born on the planet Ulicia, in the region of the galaxy known as the Corporate Sector, Nika was raised alone by her mother, after her father died in an industrial accident shortly after her her first birthday. As an adult, Nika took a job with the Corporate Sector Security Police. She used her time with the so-called "Espos" to learn how to handle blasters and other weaponry, in addition to studying the way high society worked across the sector. Though she earned a good standing with the organization, after a few short years, Nika departed for the more lucrative career path of a corporate fixer.
In the decade that followed, Nika made a name for herself as a premier operative for a wide array of clients, and made no small fortune in doing so. At the height of her successes, she purchased a home for her now aging mother on the resort world of Maryo, in addition to a couple of attendant droids, hoping to keep her happy, comfortable, and far from drab Ulicia. Nika, herself, took up residence in a plush hotel nearby, where she could be close to her mother while nevertheless free to indulge in the vibrant nightlife she so enjoyed in her off hours.
Despite these highs, Nika's prolific career would come to a dramatic end in 23 BBY, when she was hired by a member of the Corporate Sector's Direx Board to deal with a persistent blackmailer. Tracking her target to an impoverished neighborhood on Ammuud, Nika was shocked to discover that the "blackmailers" in question were actually the Direx's long-time mistress and their infant son. Informing the client only resulted in a formal kill order, with the promise of a significant bonus if she disposed of their bodies afterward. Nika refused, eventually gunning down the Direx and several security personnel in his employ in order to ensure the safety of his mistress and child. Consequently, Nika was forced to flee the Corporate Sector after a significant bounty was placed on her head, and she took to freelance mercenary work in order to support herself as she drifted around the galaxy.
The following year, in 22 BBY, Nika took a contract to protect the Hutt crime lord Gardulla, at an estate auction on the planet Nar Kreeta. While attending the auction with her latest client, Nika met another security contractor by the name of Ezgi Deshra. The two hit it off during their brief interaction, with Nika even asking the young Mandalorian woman out for drinks after the auction had concluded. Unfortunately, the chaos of a sudden shootout at the auction estate forced Nika to leave with Gardulla before the two could make good on their plans.
Behind the scenes[]
Nika Jei was conceived and developed by writer Mia Mesharad for her 2019 story, "The Nar Kreetan Job."
Appearances[]
- The Nar Kreetan Job (First appearance)