Who am I looking for?"
"Another old acquaintance of yours. The pirate, Harkonen."
"That is not even funny.
—Phiht Piroc and Brax
Tsunada Harkonen was a privateer who worked for the Rebel Alliance. She led a small fleet of pirate vessels, dubbed the Red Water Starfleet, from her flagship, the Faite.
Biography
Early life
Tsunada was born somewhere in the Outer Rim, several years before the outbreak of the Clone Wars. She was old enough to remember the destruction the war caused. Her parents were killed in the early years of the war, during a Separatist bombardment ordered by General Grievous. Harkonen was one of the last to escape aboard a refugee ship before the planet became uninhabitable. The refugee ship was hijacked a few days later by pirates using a captured interdiction cruiser. Tsunada was taken under the wing of the pirate leader, who despite his occupation was a moral and kind being. Harkonen came to view him as a father figure, and learned the pirate trade from him and his crew. She would eventually learn her mentor was a former Jedi, and would learn what she could from him, including building her own lightsaber. By the time Harkonen was thirteen, she commanded a small vessel of her own. She set out on her own at the age of sixteen, and managed to gather a small but loyal crew in a few short months.
Harkonen leaps into action
Red Water
Within two years Harkonen's organization grew to include several vessels, ranging in size from mid-sized frigates to small boarding craft. Her bold strikes, especially against Imperial targets, earned her fame within the criminal underworld and the Galactic Empire alike. She was known to be honorable and never took a life unless absolutely necessary. Word of her exploits spread quickly, and many more adventurers were drawn to her fledgling organization. Harkonen modeled her organization after genuine military organizations: all crew members were drilled and trained by professional soldiers, including retired ARC troopers and other veterans of the Clone Wars. Her soldiers and crew all wore uniforms and were required to maintain them. The paramilitary style of leadership Harkonen was attractive to many former soldiers and the like, and Harkonen found herself with a formidable fighting force. She even found herself with a small cadre of Mandalorian soldiers, including Phiht Piroc.
In many ways, Piroc changed everything in Harkonen's organization. He was the field commander she needed: while she led the fleet, he organized- and oftentimes personally led- boarding actions and the occasional ground assault. He was a true warrior with a code of honor not unlike her own. Harkonen found herself with a feeling she hadn't ever had before: love. The two began a romantic affair, which worked beautifully in the beginning. Things soon changed. Death Watch mercenaries were hired by Harkonen's first mate to remove the Mandalorian from Red Water permanently, and the trail led back to Harkonen. Piroc murdered the Death Watchmen, and soon came for Harkonen's blood.
Piroc demanded an honor duel of Captain Harkonen. Despite his superior training as a soldier, Harkonen managed to outwit the Mandalorian mercenary, leaving Piroc scarred over his eye. Disgraced, Piroc disappeared from Red Water, and Harkonen could only wonder if the Mandalorian would one day return. She began to train under another Mandalorian in melee combat, to be ready for their next meeting.
The Galactic Civil War
After the signing of the Declaration of Rebellion by Bail Organa, Garm Bel Iblis, and Mon Mothma, Harkonen pledged her fleet to the Alliance. She retained command of the fleet and pirated Imperial shipments in the Outer Rim on behalf of her new clients. Harkonen's ties to the Alliance were kept quiet, in order to better protect her and her clients from Imperial reprisal. Her allegiance was only known to a few outside the organization, mostly bounty hunters who worked for her on occasion. One such contractor, the former ARC trooper A-06, would send Piroc her way during the Tieres Affair, in order to provide safe haven to Naelah Tieres.
Harkonen demonstrates her weapon skills
While it was unknown if Piroc and his ward made it to Harkonen and her fleet, it was unlikely the reunion was a cheerful one.
Behind the scenes
The character was created for the fan-fiction Star Wars: Breaking Darkness. While she has not yet appeared within the work, she has warranted mention in the latest chapters. The name was suggested by a friend of author Tyrant19.
Appearances
- Star Wars: Breaking Darkness (First appearance)