Dirk Harkness Dirk Harkness was an independent Rebel operative from Salliche . He wore an eye patch over his left eye . Biography . Dirk Harkness was born on the planet Salliche in 20 BBY . After graduating from a technical school , he joined a private shipping corporation as an apprentice starship mechanic . In 0 ABY , at the age of twenty , he was Chief Engineer aboard the " Colders Watch " , a bulk freighter under the command of Captain Beezrul Granf . He was involved in a relationship with the ship ' s First Mate , Chessa Dohhenty ; the two dreamed of settling down and sharing a peaceful life . Unbeknownst to Harkess , Dohhenty was also an agent of the Alliance to Restore the Republic . During a stop on the planet Kelada , a squad of stormtroopers confronted Dohhenty as she was unloading a smuggled cargo of blaster weaponry . Dohhenty opened fire on the stormtroopers , and they responded in kind , killing her . Harkness grabbed a blaster and began firing before fleeing the docking bay . He stumbled into Lorana ' s Labyrinth , where he met Dohhenty ' s Alliance contacts , General Halomar Corros and Captain Tony Franco . They recruited him in the Alliance . Harkness initially worked as a mechanic at Reginard Base , but he was restless and wanted revenge on the Galactic Empire . He soon left the base to kill Imperial officers and diplomats , but eventually rejoined the Alliance in Intelligence and commanded several intelligence missions . At the Battle of Endor , he was assigned as Chief Engineer on a capital ship in the Alliance Fleet . Following Endor , Harkness was assigned to the New Republic Intelligence Service with the commissioned rank of lieutenant . His tenure with the New Republic Intelligence Service lasted only a few weeks before he resigned . Harkness organized several associates — including Platt Okeefe , Tru ' eb Cholakk , Jai Raventhorn , and Starter — formed the Black Curs , a mercenary group considered to be friendly to the New Republic . The unit carried out intelligence and commando missions against the retreating Empire ; during a failed mission , Harkness was injured in an explosion which blinded him in his left eye and left him with scars on his chest and arm . After taking command of the " Battle of Yavin " , he and his men were rescued from Hensara III by Rogue Squadron . Shortly after the Battle of Endor Harkness had been working with Platt Okeefe when he was captured by Imperial forces and imprisoned on Zelos II . Okeefe and Tru ' eb Cholakk managed to rescue him . At some point following after the Battle of Endor , Harkness and the Curs journeyed through the Core Worlds and wrote up an extensive report which they directed to Alliance High Command . It was generally well received though it was found to be lacking information on ground forces and army deployment on the worlds , though fleet deployment was well documented and comprehensive . The Bothan Borsk Fey ' lya criticized the accuracy of Harkness ' report . In 7 ABY , Harkness was present in the Gorkin ' s Rest cantina on Wroona with other members of the Black Curs . He recounted the tale of how Dohhenty was killed and how he joined the Alliance . Personality and traits . Dirk Harkness was two meters tall with a brooding , cold stare . As a young man , he was optimistic and dreamed of a carefree life with someone he loved . His entire personality shifted with the death of his lover , Chessa Dohhenty , at the hands of the Empire . He was subdued and unfriendly , and only trusted a handful of close friends . Harkness had little tolerance for any kind of droid . Skills and abilities . Harkness was a skilled engineer , capable of serving as chief engineer on both a bulk freighter and a military - grade capital ship . After joining the Alliance , Harkness became skilled in many combat techniques . Equipment . As an engineer , Harkness only carried a datapad and a hydrospanner . As of 7 ABY , Harkness carried a heavy blaster pistol and knife .