I will not risk my staff or Voryle's citizens coming to harm for the sake of preserving my own life.
—Countess Patrice LaLenna.
Patrice LaLenna – known simply as Countess by her associates – was a female Mikkian Countess who served as a member of the ruling council on the neutral world of Voryle during the Third Galactic War. LaLenna was the only member of the council who believed in and supported the Galactic Republic, secretly assisting agents of the Strategic Information Service.
In 27 ATC, she used her wealth to fund the creation of a street gang named the Cobbled Terentateks and entrusted its leadership to the former Sith assassin Isla Ahnkett, with the Cathar soldier Bibi Jotto, Gamorrean enforcer Yagogg and the failed Voss Mystic Bon-Yi serving as Ahnkett's lieutenants.
Although Ahnkett had no loyalty to the Republic – only posing as an ally after LaLenna mistook her for an unidentified Jedi promised by the SIS – she worked with LaLenna for the best part of a year to excise the influence of the Sith Empire from the world, freeing Voryle from both the threat of Imperial control and the apathetic leadership of the corrupt ruling council.
LaLenna continued to serve on what remained of the council after the Imperial sympathizers were expelled, using her political clout to strong-arm her peers into passing a bill that allowed the acting Prime Minister – Samantha D'callo – to disband the council completely, establish a monarchy and declare herself the first Queen of Voryle.
The Countess continued to support D'callo throughout her long reign, offering her advice and openly backing her efforts to combat centuries of industrial pollution and civil rights abuses. She was highly regarded by the citizens of Voryle and continued to be regarded as a champion of the people centuries after her death.
A statue commemorating her life remained in place all the way up to the Galactic Civil War thousands of years later, until a battle between the Galactic Empire and a terrorist cell led by Rune – a survivor of Order 66 – resulted in its destruction.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
I was a fighter pilot in the Republic navy, once upon a time.
—Patrice, explaining her relationship with the Galactic Republic.
Born on Voryle to an affluent noble family, Patrice never wanted for anything as a child. She was provided with all the luxuries the planet had to offer, her parents spoiling her not only with gifts but also with the best education money could buy.
By the time she was a teenager, Patrice became aware of how much better her own quality of life was than the majority of Voryle's citizens. Groomed for a political career, Patrice grew increasingly resentful of her parents' belief in their own superiority and began to rebel against their wishes.
When she turned 18, she left her homeworld to travel the galaxy primarily to spite her parents, though soon found herself enamored of the ideals of the Galactic Republic. She enlisted with the Republic navy, eager to help fight against the tyranny of the invading Sith Empire while also indulging her fascination with space.
During her career, she met her husband – a soldier in the Republic army – and befriended a Jedi Knight who flew alongside her on many occasions. Her Jedi friend was killed during a mission shortly before the Mikkian's wedding, leading to Patrice acquiring the crystal from the Knight's lightsaber as a memento.
A few years after her wedding, her husband was seriously wounded in the field, crippling him and leading to his resignation from the military. Patrice resigned shortly afterwards, and the couple retired to Voryle to better the galaxy in a different fashion.
Tragically, Patrice's husband fell ill less than a decade after settling down on the industrial world and eventually succumbed, widowing Patrice and driving her to devote her time exclusively to her political work.
Sponsoring the Cobbled Terentateks[]
Patrice discussing her plan for Voryle with Isla Ahnkett.
The city bleeds under the Rabid Akks’ control. Those who suffer will rally behind anyone who can provide them with hope for a better future. You are far more than just anyone, Miss Ahnkett, and what better symbol of hope exists in this galaxy than the Jedi?
—Patrice, on the subject of the Cobbled Terentateks, to Isla Ahnkett.
In 26 ATC Patrice was working alongside the Republic Strategic Information Service to combat the agents of Sith Intelligence deployed on Voryle to influence the world into aligning with the Sith Empire.
Unfortunately, during that year, the Empire's tactics changed, becoming more direct than expected and leading to the rapid deconstruction of the Republic's network on the planet. Their allies were killed, bribed or blackmailed and their operatives murdered at the hands of a previously unheard of gang, the Rabid Akks.
It quickly became clear that – due to their newfound efficiency and clever deployment of resources – the Rabid Akks had become agents of the Sith Empire, but before Patrice and her allies could weigh up the situation and implement a counter-strategy, the Rabid Akks had eliminated every SIS agent on the planet and seized almost complete control of the city.
Requiring LaLenna – as a member of the ruling council – to agree to any change in the planet's neutrality, all that remained was for the Sith Empire to assassinate the Countess to win control of the world – and its impressive orbital factories.
Forced to hunker down in her estate with only Rissessk – her Trandoshan butler and personal bodyguard – to defend her, LaLenna was promised the support of not just a number of new SIS agents, but a Jedi Master to lead the resistance against the Empire's proxy organisation.
For security reasons, the identities of the agents and the Jedi Master were kept secret until they arrived, even from one another. Three agents arrived towards the end of the year – former Republic solder Bibi Jotto, retired Hutt Cartel enforcer Yagogg and failed Voss Mystic Bon-Yi – but the Jedi Master did not report for duty.
Only a few weeks into the new year did LaLenna learn that a Jedi had been arrested on a charge of smuggling, having been caught attempting to sneak her disassembled lightsaber past customs agents. As all weapons were illegal on Voryle, the Jedi was arrested and imprisoned until her court date arrived. The penalty for smuggling on Voryle was, invariably, death.
Visiting the holding station, LaLenna introduced herself and learned that the Jedi – a muscular Human woman named Zhavi Waverunner – had not come to Voryle alone. En route, Waverunner and her Padawan Isla Ahnkett had been attacked by a Sith and the junior Jedi had been left close to death, forcing Zhavi to leave her in the care of the local hospital while she made her way off-world to source the money she would need to cover her Padawan's expenses.
According to Waverunner her superiors had told her next to nothing about the situation on Voryle, explaining why she had not reached out to LaLenna for assistance. Not wanting to compromise the operation before it started, Waverunner chose to find the money elsewhere rather than report the terrible circumstances to headquarters.
Sympathizing with her desire to ensure the operation continued and inspired by the revelation that Waverunner's Padawan was present on Voryle, LaLenna assured Waverunner she would do everything in her power to secure her release.
To that end, she immediately arranged not only to cover the costs incurred following Isla's arrival, but to pay for superior treatment as well, ensuring that the low-cost cybernetics the Chiss had been fitted with were removed and replaced with high quality substitutes that would ease the transition from flesh to metal and expedite the recovery process – to the benefit of everyone.