Hylo Visz

Hylo Visz was a female Mirialan smuggler active during the Great Galactic War and the Galactic War between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith Empire. She was born on the Colonies world of Balmorra, where her father was killed during the Empire's attack on the planet. Visz fled their home with her mother, who died of illness while their transport made a stop on the Hutt-controlled moon of Nar Shaddaa. Left to fend for herself, Visz joined a band of similarly orphaned children, ultimately finding work as a mechanic in the Hutt Cartel's shipyards. Visz soon found that her true calling was piloting and worked as a freelancer for several years before the Hutt Cartel officially hired her. In her beloved ship, the Crimson Fleece, the Mirialan made a name for herself as a proficient and talented privateer, but during a delivery to the Rendili Vehicle Corporation on Corellia, she lost the Fleece in a corporate ambush. Visz survived the incident and was able to escape Corellia aboard an experimental starship known as the Vanguard stolen from the Rendili facility.
After the Corellia incident, the Mirialan decided that she no longer needed to work for the Cartel, and abandoned Nar Shaddaa to become an independent smuggler. She began an on again, off again relationship with the Devaronian con artist Tyresius Lokai and eventually became the leader of her own smuggling ring. In the last decade of the Great Galactic War, Visz gained galactic renown after leading the attack that broke the Mandalorian blockade of the Hydian Way, clearing a path for her fleet of freighters to deliver much-needed goods to the Core Worlds. She was rewarded for her efforts and recognized as a hero within the Republic but found new troubles when Lokai absconded with all of her earnings. When the Hutt Cartel sought to recoup their investment in the breaking of the blockade, Visz was forced to go into hiding in Republic space. With the assistance of fellow smuggler Zale Barrows, she made her way to the Republic penal colony on the hidden Outer Rim world of Belsavis, where she entered a stasis chamber and remained in it for over a decade. During the Galactic War Lokai—now operating under the name "Gault Rennow"—tracked the Mirialan to Belsavis and released her from the stasis. Although the Devaronian attempted to make amends, Visz was still upset over his betrayal and the two went their separate ways.
Visz returned to the life of crime until several years later she was recruited by former SIS agent Theron Shan to work for the Alliance that opposed the Eternal Empire of Zakuul, which dominated the galaxy. Visz became the Alliance's underworld specialist and established a smuggling operation that delivered everything from the foodstuff to military vehicles to the Alliance base on the planet Odessen, while also providing the Alliance Commander with leads on potential recruits. Eventually Rennow contacted his old flame with a business proposition, and Visz set him up with the Alliance Commander, whom the Devaronian persuaded to join in a raid on Zakuulan treasury ship Gilded Star. The Mirialan followed Rennow and the Alliance leadership to the gas giant Vandin, where she picked up the Commander, Rennow and his Twi'lek partner Vette after the successful heist. The Devaronian decided to stay on Odessen and join the Alliance, and Visz welcomed the man back into her life. The Alliance eventually prevailed over the Eternal Emperor Arcann and his sister Vaylin, taking control over the Eternal Throne and transforming into the Eternal Alliance, which Visz continued to work for. She dealt with several anti-Alliance uprisings, while the information of her contacts proved crucial to the Alliance during the Order of Zildrog campaign.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Hylo Visz was a Mirialan female born on the factory world of Balmorra in the Colonies regionThe Essential Atlas shortly before the start of the Great Galactic War. She lived on the planet with her mother, a captain, and father, a droid designer in one of Balmorra's many development labs. The war began in 3681 BBY and gradually swept across the galaxy, engulfing world after world as the revitalized Sith Empire advanced towards the Core Worlds of the Galactic Republic. Due to its reputation for prolific weapon and droid manufacturing, Balmorra was one of the Sith's many targets. Although the Republic made a commitment to defending the people of Balmorra, the Empire's assault on the world was relentless. Visz's father was killed in the initial raid on the world, and hundreds of other Balmorrans were forced from their homes. Hylo and her mother were among the refugees that fled the planet aboard transport ships bound for more peaceful regions of the galaxy.
Despite escaping the carnage of the war on her homeworld, Visz's hardships were far from over. While the refugee transport made a short stop on Nal Hutta's city-moon of Nar Shaddaa, her mother was afflicted with a severe illness that she eventually succumbed to. The refugee transport departed Nar Shaddaa without Visz, leaving her behind as an orphan on the dangerous, crime-infested moon. The young Mirialan survived however, and joined with a gang of similarly orphaned alien younglings who operated out of Nar Shaddaa's Undercity alleys. The orphans stole and scavenged for a living until the gang was eventually disbanded. Many of the children Visz had once run with were either killed or went to work for the Hutts as hired muscle, but Hylo escaped both fates through her talent as a mechanic.
For years she worked as a mechanic in the cargo docks and shipyards owned by the Hutt Cartel in the Undercity. Although she spent much of her teenage life repairing machines, Visz found her passion when she first piloted a starship. She resolved to make a career out of it and saved every credit she earned in order to purchase her own vessel. She eventually reached her goal and used her money to buy the freighter Crimson Fleece, an old wreck of a ship that, while difficult to maintain, became Visz's prize possession. Thereafter the Mirialan began hiring herself out as a captain, hoping to attain the notoriety necessary to be hired by the Hutt Cartel as a smuggler. During this time, Visz accepted a contract from the Sith Empire, but quickly learned that the Sith cared very little for the well-being of freelancers. Although she survived the operation, Visz vowed never to work for the Empire again.
===Employed by the Hutts===
====Working for the Cartel====
As Hylo continued in her career, she became increasingly notable for her repeated successes and obvious talent as a smuggler. She owed much of her abilities to her belief in what she called the "Invisible Law of the Universe"—her theory that major issues were always foreshadowed by minor problems. The theory was derived from her experiences in smuggling, as well as the deaths of her mother and father. The day prior to his death, her father's landspeeder had broken down, and just before she contracted her severe illness, her mother had stained her favorite robes. Visz believed the events were all connected, and that if no minor problems arose, she had no reason to fear that a major one would. The "Invisible Law" granted her a confidence that, when combined with her connections among Cartel-employed mechanics, eventually earned her the notice of the Hutts.
As an employee of the Hutt Crime Cartel, Visz ran black market goods, contraband, and people across the galaxy. Over the years that she worked for the Cartel, she continued to foster her reputation for success, and was trusted by a majority of the Hutt crime lords. Although the Hutts were her primary employers, Visz began accepting corporate and government contracts at some point during the Great War. It was not uncommon for the Republic to offer contracts to smugglers, but the Empire had pressured most legitimate pilots into refusing to run goods for the Republic. Visz however, embraced the danger presented by running supplies for the Republic Military, as she was sympathetic toward its efforts. She preferred to work on government contracts rather than those from the Cartel, and she eventually resolved to leave the employ of the Hutts and work exclusively for either the Republic or corporate interests.
====The debacle on Corellia====
While she was planning to leave the Cartel behind, she was contacted by Barrga the Hutt, who needed her to run a shipment of experimental ion drives to Corellia. Visz was told that the drives were to be delivered to a Republic contact for usage in military wares, and that she would be accompanied on the run by two of Barrga's enforcers—the Nikto known as Musk and his Weequay partner, who were assigned to ensure that the Mirialan would not double-cross Barrga. She and the two enforcers departed Nar Shaddaa aboard the Crimson Fleece, with the Mirialan hoping the run would be the last job she would do for the Cartel. En route to Corellia, she examined the drives to ensure they were legitimate—she wanted no part in the operation if Barrga was attempting to cheat the Republic. Visz concluded that the drives were real and returned to the cockpit to sit with Musk. Much to Visz's chagrin, the Nikto spent the trip complaining about Barrga's business acumen and the inner politics of the Cartel while the Weequay sat quietly in the rear of the ship.
They eventually reached the Corellian system, and while heading towards the planet itself, Visz became particularly annoyed with Musk. She decided not to bother arguing with the Nikto, and instead focused on landing on Corellia. After transmitting her identification and clearance codes to an orbital security station above the planet, Visz reprimanded Musk for attempting to power down the hyperdrive generator. Because her experience in the field had taught Visz to never leave her hyperdrive unprepared for a swift escape, she always ensured that the generator was on standby during operations. Her seemingly strange demands drove Musk out of the cockpit, but the Nikto returned after an extended wait in Corellian orbit. Although he demanded that Visz ignore the laws and protocols of the Corellian Security Force and land on the world without proper clearance, his anxiety was sated when the orbital security station granted the Crimson Fleece permission to land at the Rendili Vehicle Corporation's corporate facility on the planet's surface. She was surprised by the fact that she was delivering to a corporate facility instead of a Republic Military spaceport, but Visz accepted the clearance and took the Crimson Fleece in for a landing on Rendili's landing pad A-17. After a quick check of the Fleece systems, the smuggler disembarked her ship and emerged onto the landing pad, where she was met by a protocol droid that informed her that she actually was not cleared to land on A-17 and that she would need to move her ship. After some argument, the droid agreed to verify her clearance, but took an especially long time to do so. During the wait, Visz remained on the landing pad to enjoy the fresh Corellian air, but was startled when she noticed an ominous silence which meant the hyperdrive generator had been deactivated. Rushing back into the Fleece, Visz accused Musk of directly contradicting her commands and deactivating the hyperdrive, but quickly realized that the Nikto was not to blame.
She hurried back into the cockpit where she found that the hyperdrive indicator had gone dead. Although Musk suggested it likely just needed recharging, Visz recognized its failure as something much more ominous—a sign of impending danger according to her Invisible Law. The Mirialan pieced this event together with the strange greeting from the protocol droid and the surprising order to land at the corporate facility and concluded that the operation was a trap. As she attempted to get the Crimson Fleece airborne and off Corellia, Musk, who was still operating under Barrga's directives, demanded that she keep the ship on the ground and continue with the job. The Nikto placed the barrel of his rifle against the back of Visz's neck, forcing the smuggler to halt the launch sequence. After a short scuffle, Visz drew her own blaster pistol from her holster and attempted to take control of the ship back from Musk. She disarmed the Nikto and began to pull him out of the cockpit, but was stopped when confronted by Barrga's Weequay enforcer, who smashed the butt of his rifle into her face. Visz was rendered her unconscious but awoke a short time later to hear the Weequay and Musk discussing her abrupt betrayal of Barrga's orders. While still acting as if she were still unconscious, Visz listened as Musk argued over whether or not to kill her. They ultimately decided to finish the job and take her back to Barrga. They dumped her body in the second cargo bay of the Crimson Fleece and left the ship to continue the operation; luckily for Visz, her dangerous profession had motivated her to install escape hatches in the cargo bays of the Fleece in case of an emergency. Once Musk and the Weequay had left her alone in the hold, the Mirialan sneaked through one such hatch and emerged outside the ship. While the Mirialan hid behind cargo containers, a Rendili businessman, accompanied by the protocol droid she had met with earlier, emerged from the facility to deliver the payment for the drives. Musk and the Weequay accepted the credits and completed the transaction before returning to the Crimson Fleece and preparing for liftoff.
====Stealing the Vanguard====
As Visz ran through different scenarios to board the Crimson Fleece once more and reclaim her ship, Musk and the Weequay took off from the Rendili Corporate facility, leaving the smuggler stranded on the landing pad. However, shortly after the Fleece began to speed away, the ship exploded. Visz discerned that she was correct and that the whole operation had been a trap, with the Rendili representatives having wired the cases of credits with explosives. Despite a degree of heartbreak at the loss of her ship, Visz realized that she had been correct about the signs of impending danger and survived as a result. Believing she was now safe to operate in confidence until more signs arose, the Mirialan took time to rest and relax on the landing pad. She stayed there until nightfall and then decided to make her way into the facility. Once inside, Visz explored various hallways until she emerged into a construction garage, where she donned a pair of overalls and a welding helmet to disguise herself. Before continuing through the facility, Visz stopped to check a holo-terminal for information on the facility's layout, but found only the layout for the building she was in, Building A. To her surprise, she also discovered information on something called the "Vanguard project." Visz researched the term and found that the Vanguard was an experimental starship created by the Rendili Corporation for the Jedi Order, and the first of these vessels was slated for a test flight on landing pad A-23 atop the facility.
Visz decided that stealing the Vanguard was her best option for escaping the facility, and so made her way into an elevator that would transport her to A-23. Upon arriving on the uppermost level of the Rendili building, she found that she was in A-23's observation room, where she was confronted by a businesswoman who demanded to know why a low-level mechanic was in an area reserved for clients and executives. Visz lied, claiming that she had been sent to A-23 to check on the Vanguard alluvial dampers. The woman allowed her to pass, and the Mirialan made her way onto the landing pad. Upon seeing the Vanguard, Visz was awe-struck, as she had never seen a vessel so advanced. She boarded the ship and entered the cockpit to begin launch procedures, but stopped in horror when she snagged the leg of her overalls against some instrumentation while hopping into the pilot's seat. The snag tore through her suit, which Visz took as a negative omen. Despite her common intuitive reaction to such instances, she decided that she had come too far to turn back now, and that she had to continue with her plan to steal the ship.
She began the Vanguard startup sequence, relieved to see that it was a basically standard starship control configuration. There was, however, one vital component missing—the ignition for the sublight engines. As she began a frantic search for the ignition, Visz heard footsteps ascending the boarding ramp. To avoid detection, she hid behind a chair in the rear of the cockpit as a man swept into the ship and sat himself behind the pilot's station. While he began the startup procedure, Visz glanced around her chair and was able to discern from his clothes and hair that he was neither a professional pilot nor a military man. She slid out and grabbed the welding mask she had used as a disguise in a plan to use it as an ad hoc weapon. Before she struck, however, she realized that the man in the pilot's seat was in fact a Jedi. Visz attempted to weigh her options, but her probing was cut short when the Jedi noticed her and spun around. Acting on reflex, Visz slammed the mask into the man's face, knocking him unconscious. She removed his limp body from the pilot's chair and prepared to kill him, but reconsidered after seeing that his wounds matched her own that she sustained from the Weequay. Visz instead lowered the Vanguard boarding ramp and dragged the Jedi out of the ship. Before once again boarding the vessel, she blessed the unconscious man with a kiss on the forehead for good luck. She then re-entered the Vanguard and lifted off in the swift and nimble ship. She escaped the Rendili facility and fled into Corellian orbit, from which she jumped into hyperspace, bound for Nal Hutta and Nar Shaddaa. Upon arriving in Hutt Space, Visz realized that everyone would believe that she perished with the Crimson Fleece, and that if she were to return to Barrga, she would have no way to explain the events that had transpired on Corellia. She resolved to forge her own path as captain of the Vanguard, and began by leaving Nar Shaddaa behind. She decided to go to Ord Mantell instead to visit an old friend.
===Independent smuggler===
====Breaking the blockade====
Visz continued to live as a smuggler throughout the Great War, utilizing the Vanguard as her personal vessel. During her career, Visz was regularly praised by fashion critics on the HoloNet, and her signature style of dress led to her winning the title of "Underworld's Best Dressed" for five straight years. However, she never showed up to any of the award ceremonies.Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia She eventually rose to prominence in the smuggling community and became the leader of an independent smuggling ring. During this period, she forged a close relationship with the Devaronian scoundrel Tyresius Lokai, and the two engaged in an intermittent but passionate love affair. They ultimately terminated their romantic relationship but remained friends and business partners in their professions as smugglers. Together, they faced a new opportunity two decades into the war, when the Empire sponsored the rise of a new Mandalore to lead the legendary Mandalorian warriors. This new Mandalore's debt to the Empire resulted in an alliance between the Sith Empire and the warrior clans that posed a formidable opposition to the Galactic Republic. This alliance led to the Mandalorian's staging of a blockade of the Hydian Way, a major hyperspace lane that linked the Core Worlds with the Colonies region and distant Outer Rim Territories. The blockade strangled this pathway and prevented the flow of goods and military wares, greatly hindering the Republic war effort and allowing the Sith to make considerable inroads in their warpath.Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side The galactic economy was also severely burdened by the conflict, as raw materials from the outer reaches of the galaxy were prevented from reaching worlds closer to the Core.
In 3661 BBY, the Galactic Senate successfully lobbied for the Jedi Order to intervene in the blockade. The Jedi were soundly defeated during their assault on the Mandalorians, and the Republic continued to suffer under the crippling offensive. As under-provided and under-protected Republic worlds on the Outer Rim began to fall to the Sith, starvation ravaged the lower levels of the Republic's capital world of Coruscant. By 3660 BBY, prices for raw goods had risen dramatically, and the Republic was willing to pay in order to survive. Visz saw the crisis as an opportunity for profit for herself and her smuggling companions, and so devised a plan to break the blockade and deliver much needed goods to the Core.
In the bowels of a Nar Shaddaa cantina,The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural the Mirialan and her Devaronian companion summoned their smuggler comrades to discuss the possibility of breaking the blockade and claiming the payment for food goods. Among them was the enthusiastic young captain, Zale Barrows, with whom Visz would form a good friendship. The group of bandits reached an accord and moved to set their plans in motion. Funding for Visz's scheme came from the Hutt Cartel, which agreed to bankroll the operation provided that they receive a considerable return on their investment. With her fellow smugglers in tow, Visz led a convoy of large freighters to the Outer Rim, where they were filled with raw materials from across the region. The vessels, now packed with goods bound for Coruscant, were then directed towards the Mandalorian picket line on the Hydian Way. When the freighters were less than a parsec away from the Mandalorian forces, they halted. Because the Mandalorians were distracted by the freighters, they easily fell victim to a surprise ambush orchestrated by Visz. She and many other smugglers in small vessels and starfighters emerged from hyperspace and engaged the Mandalorian cruisers in a large space battle. Although the smuggling ships had the element of surprise and the advantage of speed, Visz's small militia was still outmatched. Fortunately for Visz, the Republic Strategic Information Service received information of the battle and dispatched starfighters and corvettes from nearby star systems to aid the Mirialan and her band. With the addition of the Republic reinforcements to the battle, the Mandalorians were soon defeated.
====Going into hiding====
Following the battle, Visz brought freighters filled with raw materials into Coruscant, where she was greeted as a hero by cheering crowds. The Mirialan was generously paid for her goods—well above market value—and left Coruscant as an incredibly wealthy woman. Although a medal ceremony was organized in her honor, Visz, who had accomplished her objective, neglected to attend. The Republic officials who so appreciated her initiative were taken aback by her sudden departure but widely accepted her fame and did not object to her high fees, which ultimately amounted to both a payment for the goods and a reward for breaking the blockade picket line.
She fled Coruscant alongside Lokai, and the two of them agreed to split their earnings. However, the Devaronian was a consummate thief and con artist and found himself unable to comply with a legitimate business deal. Instead, he absconded with the money and abandoned Visz to recoup her losses. About a year after that, she fell into obscurity and rumors spread that she had been killed after double-crossing the Hutt Cartel. This was far from accurate, however. She had indeed been confronted by the Hutts, who were looking for a return on their investment into the breaking of the blockade. As Lokai had stolen all of her earnings, Visz was unable to fulfill her debt and was forced to go into hiding in Republic space. With the help of Zale Barrows, the young smuggler captain-turned-Republic admiral who had participated in the blockade run, Visz was able to avoid the Hutt's retribution. She cut a deal with her old friend, who agreed to take her to the hidden Republic penal world of Belsavis, which hosted a massive prison complex for Imperial and Mandalorian war criminals and other monstrosities. There, Visz was interred in a stasis chamber that kept her in suspended animation and hidden from the galaxy for over a decade.
While she slept, the rest of the Republic fondly remembered and reacted to her heroic operation on the Hydian Way. It granted the war effort against the Sith Empire a much-needed reprieve and furthermore allowed the Republic to continue its struggle for survival for seven more years, after which point the Sacking of Coruscant forced an uneasy peace. The sacking and subsequent Treaty of Coruscant were later partially attributed to Visz's success, as the Empire's failed plan to freeze the Hydian Way led them to adopt more risky and desperate strategies. During the Cold War that followed the Treaty of Coruscant, the Mandalorian's blockade of the Hydian Way and Visz's success against it was recounted by Kel Dor Jedi Master Gnost-Dural in the Jedi Archives on Tython, as well as in his wartime journal. In the years following the great war, Visz's sidearm was available to war heroes.Star Wars: The Old Republic
====Released from stasis====
It was not until over a decade later, during the renewed Galactic War between the Republic and the Empire, that knowledge of Hylo's survival resurfaced. Lokai, who had lived comfortably for many years, changed his name to Gault Rennow and began working alongside the bounty hunter Champion of the Great Hunt competition. The time spent with his new partner motivated Rennow to make amends for his past misdeeds—specifically, for having robbed and abandoned Visz. Around 3641 BBY, the Devaronian discovered his ex-lover's fate by tracking down Zale Barrows and Quan, another smuggler who had participated in the blockade run. He eventually discovered Visz's prison tomb on Belsavis and released her from stasis; the Mirialan, who had not been conscious and had not aged since her internment, was initially confused but quickly became furious upon realizing that it was Lokai who had freed her. She was prepared to kill her former partner, but ultimately decided not to attack. The two parted coldly, with Visz fleeing the world to return to the galaxy at large. Her anger at Rennow eventually subsided, and Hylo contacted him to establish a new relationship. She agreed to take him back, provided he could prove to her that she meant more to him than he meant to himself. The Devaronian eagerly accepted the offer, but it was too little, too late, and her relationship with Rennow soon soured and fell apart. Visz returned to the life of crime and threatened to shoot the Devaronian if she ever caught him again.
===Working with the Alliance===
====Hired as a specialist====
In 3636 BBY the galaxy was invaded by the Eternal Empire from the planet Zakuul in the Unknown Regions, that subjugated both Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire within a year, forcing them to sign peace treaties and pay heavy tribute to Zakuul. Five years later, in 3631 BBY former Sith Intelligence Minister Lana Beniko founded an Alliance against the Eternal Empire and its leader, Emperor Arcann. Having established a base on the planet Odessen, Beniko brought in her old associate from the Republic Strategic Information Service Theron Shan to lighten her load in managing the Alliance. To help tackle the big questions and find potential recruits, Shan assembled a team of specialists, hiring Hylo to work for the Alliance as an expert in underworld logistics by offering her a reasonable contract rate with hazard premiums and a discretion fee.
Visz joined Shan in the Alliance war room along with the rest of the specialists, including former Republic Navy Admiral Bey'wan Aygo, Hutt scientist Juvard Illip Oggurobb and Sana-Rae of the Voss Mystics in discussing the problem of Zakuulan Star Fortresses, massive battle stations placed by the Eternal Empire in orbits of the conquered worlds to prevent potential uprisings. Aygo insisted that any attack against the battlestations required detailed schematics, which Oggurobb suggested could be extracted in secret. Visz refused to take that task upon herself, noting that the Star Fortresses were more dangerous than any place she ever snuck into, after which they were introduced by Theron Shan to the Commander of the fledgling Alliance.
====Expanding the network====
Hylo moved to her new headquarters, where she was joined by Len Parvek and Ralo, crewmembers of Koth Vortena, captain of the Alliance vessel Gravestone. The Alliance Commander later approached her, and the two discussed the challenges facing the new Alliance. Visz used her net of underworld contacts to essentially run a massive smuggling ring from the Alliance base, delivering combat vehicles, munitions, provisions and other supplies, while avoiding the attention of Emperor Arcann's Eternal Fleet. The early days were tough on Hylo, as she had only a few captains to work with, straining whatever few supplies the Alliance had. Visz insisted that the Alliance needed additional supplies and recruits before it could go anywhere, promising to pass any promising leads directly to the Alliance Commander. Rumors reached her ears about a legendary smuggler Nico Okarr, last seen almost half a century ago, making a cantina crawl though Zakuulan city of the Spire, and Visz, though initially skeptical, asked the Alliance Commander to investigate. To her surprise, the rumors turned out to be true, and Nico Okarr, who spend the previous years incognito to avoid attention, agreed to join the Alliance, arriving on Odessen in his XS stock light freighter Redshifter. Visz held Okarr in great regard for his years of experience, connections in the underworld and skill with a blaster and was certain that he would be a huge help in her operations, figuring out that he was the one who passed on the rumors of himself in the first place.
When one of her smugglers brought a piece of unusual technology that defied all precepts of engineering, Visz tracked it to a salvager on Hoth and asked the Commander to find its gifted inventor. The Commander returned with Blizz, a Jawa scavenger and bounty hunter, who impressed Visz with his custom hardware, bravery in a firefight and contacts with other Jawas. Hylo was also contacted by the Wookiee Bowdaar, owner of the Platform 6 cantina on Zakuul, who only had time to mention to her his connection to Zakuulan underground fighting ring that used slaves before he had to break the connection. She asked the Alliance Commander to follow the lead, who managed to free the slaves and recruit Bowdaar for the Alliance to Visz's gratitude, who planned to use the Wookiee's experience, instincts and intimidation factor.
Another potential contact uncovered by Hylo's sources was the Wookiee senator Gryyzak, who could greatly benefit the Alliance's supply lines. Visz arranged a safe passage for him to Odessen, but lost communications with the senator in the Alderaan system, requiring the Alliance Commander's help to travel to his last know location on Alderaan and rescue Gryyzak from his pursuers, after which the Wookiee arranged supply runs through the Kashyyyk system for the Alliance. During a mission to recruit Galactic Republic Provost Marshal Fideltin Rusk and his Dead Man's Legion for Admiral Aygo, the Commander also secured the allegiance of Skadge, a Houk member of the Black Sun crime syndicate. Visz was initially skeptical about working with Skadge, as her experience with his type taught her to shoot them first before they could cause her trouble. However, upon further consideration, Visz agreed that Skadge's connection to the Black Sun could provide access to their territory to the Alliance smugglers to better cover their tracks, while the Houk himself could watch over the riskier runs, leading her to conclude that Skadge had the potential to bring more benefit than trouble. Eventually, with the new recruits and additional supplies Hylo was able to set up a pretty broad supply of basic essentials, continuing to work on acquiring more rare and exotic goods.
====Reuniting with Gault Rennow====
Having established supply lines running, Hylo found her operation strained for money, forced to borrow credits for everyday operations from people she could not afford not to pay up. At this time, her Devaronian ex Gault Rennow resurfaced and contacted Visz with a lucrative business proposition, for which he required outside assistance. Not in a position to dismiss his proposal outright, Visz invited her ex to the Alliance base and arranged for the Alliance Commander to meet him. Rennow explained to the Commander that he had a plan to rob the Gilded Star, a treasury ship used by the Eternal Empire to safekeep their valuables that was hiding deep in the atmosphere of the gas giant Vandin. Though Hylo was somewhat skeptical, the Commander accepted the proposal and departed to assist the Devaronian with the heist, along with the Alliance leadership. Visz eventually decided to follow them to Vandin, arriving in her shuttle in the middle of the heist. She called Rennow, who by this point was on "Plan C" and along with his Twi'lek partner Vette and the Alliance Commander was traversing the outer side of the Gilded Star hull trying to evade Eternal Empire High Justice Vaylin, while the rest of his accomplices have already escaped with the plundered goods.
Visz realized his situation and positioned her shuttle next to the hull of the Gilded Star so that Rennow, Vette and the Alliance Commander could jump off it directly onto her vessel. Once they got inside, Gault congratulated Hylo on the perfect timing and she gave him a kiss in return, welcoming the man back into her life. Everyone returned safely to Odessen, where during a small celebration Rennow planned to divide everyone's share himself, but Hylo was having none of it given her previous experiences with him. She paid the Devaronian, Vette and the Anomid identity slicer Dretcher herself, skimming the part that Rennow still owed her off his share. What remained was more than enough to fund the Alliance operations, and the Devaronian suggested to the Alliance Commander to invest the excess into another one of his schemes. Afterwards, Rennow announced his intention to stay and join the Alliance, giving him an opportunity to spend more time in Hylo's company, which she jokingly dismissed.
Sometime after that, the computer console in her headquarters broke, and when an unfamiliar face approached Hylo, she assumed that a technician arrived to fix it and went to have some caf, leaving the man to do his work. She was unaware that the man was the Shroud, a notorious criminal mastermind, who was planting bombs throughout the Alliance base, but was stopped by the bodyguard droid HK-55 before he could detonate them and cause any damage. Following the invasion of Voss in 3630 BBY, rumors spread that the Alliance Commander was killed on Dromund Kaas and former Republic Supreme Chancellor Leontyne Saresh arrived to Odessen attempting to take over the Alliance. Visz and Rennow were among the Alliance personnel gathered before Saresh as she made her speech, when the Alliance Commander arrived alive and well, apprehending Saresh with the help of Lana Beniko. Over time the monotony of coordinating smuggling operations and continuous supply runs on behalf of the Alliance took its toll, and Hylo began pining for the lost days of her infamous past, desiring more excitement, adventure, and glory.
====Neutralizing criminal threats====
The Alliance continued the fight against the oppression of the Eternal Empire, managing to dethrone the Emperor Arcann and kill his sister Vaylin, after she claimed the Eternal Throne in his place. Unfortunately, with her death the Eternal Throne was left empty and the GEMINI captains that commanded the Eternal Fleet have gone rogue, bombarding the capital worlds of Coruscant, Dromund Kaas and Zakuul into rubble. To claim the Eternal Throne and stop the carnage, the Alliance forces departed for Zakuul on the Gravestone, Visz and Rennow among them. After breaking the Eternal Fleet blockade and descending to the planet's surface, the Alliance Commander claimed the Eternal Throne and pacified the Eternal Fleet. The Commander then made a galaxy-wide address proclaiming the age of the Eternal Alliance, which unified the military might of Zakuul and the Eternal Fleet with the cause of the Alliance, which Hylo and Rennow continued to be a part of.
The new Eternal Alliance became one of the biggest galactic powers, facing new dangers from the very first hours of its existence, and Visz assisted with neutralizing several of such threats. When the Dust Vipers gang from Tatooine ambushed an Alliance supply convoy and obtained security plans for the Alliance base on Odessen planning to sell them to a highest bidder, Visz send a team after them. Under her instructions, the team stormed into Dust Viper Den in the Jundland Wastes by killing the beast master Jai Quallo, after which Visz suggested the team to use the Kaleesh's transponder to call some of the local wildlife to their side. Shen then alerted them to the presence of a dangerous criminal Rakesh, promising that they would do good for the galaxy by taking him out. Finally, the team confronted and killed the Vipers' leader Bel Nerodia, after which Hylo congratulated them for wiping the Dust Vipers off the galactic map and stopping the Alliance data from falling into dangerous hands.
When the Crimson Fang pirate gang took over Port Nowhere, a popular smuggler's hideout repurposed from on old Azalus-class Hutt dreadnaught, and planned to use the mobile space station as their base of operations, Hylo dispatched a team to remove the intruders from the space station. During the fighting she received a message from her old friend Alem Reesus, nicknamed "Whisper" ever since the Hutts cut out his tongue. "Whisper" was on Port Nowhere and was cornered by hostiles, and Visz asked her strike team to assist him, promising that "Whisper" would help them in return. The Alliance forces helped "Whisper" win a firefight he was in, after which Whisper joined them in dealing with the Crimson Fang leader Elarea Aldraste. By the time the fighting was over, all of the pirates were killed and the station was liberated, though Visz warned the team that "Whisper" would not join the Alliance, as the Twi'lek preferred to work alone.
====The Zildrog crisis====
Later that year, the Alliance engaged in a battle for control over a resource-rich world of Iokath, and Visz sent the Commander a private message, informing them that the galaxy was running short on raw materials necessary to rebuild from the devastation causes by the Eternal Empire. With even her underworld contacts unable to provide relief, she reminded the Commander that Alliance control over Iokath could be the key to the galaxy's future. Not long afterwards, Theron Shan betrayed and abandoned the Alliance, prompting the Commander to order a galaxy-wide search for him. Hylo Visz's contacts managed to intercept a partial transmission send to his shuttle, revealing that Shan was working for a group known as the Order of Zildrog, and the Mirialan relayed the message to the Commander.
On another supply run, her smugglers had picked up a signal from an Abandoned Listening Post with a message to the Alliance that spelled the world Zildrog over and over. Hylo Visz passed this lead to the head of Alliance Intelligence Lana Beniko, and the two reported their findings to the Commander together, after which Beniko and the Commander departed to investigate the listening post in a shuttle that Hylo prepared for them. Inside, they found another encrypted message from Shan with a set of coordinates on Nathema and departed there to stop the Order's plans, while Hylo gathered the Eternal Fleet in orbit of Odessen in case they needed to mobilize it. On Nathema, Shan approached Beniko and the Commander, revealing himself to be a double agent working for the Alliance interests the whole time, and the three rushed to stop the Order from awakening Zildrog, an ancient machine god from Iokath. However, they arrived too late and GEMINI 16, a rogue GEMINI unit working with the Order, trapped them in a force field and revealed that the machine she had awakened only held Zildrog's mind used to control his true form, which was the Gravestone itself.
After the activation, Zildrog used its connection to the Eternal Throne and the Dark Sanctuary to remotely take over the Gravestone, which was parked on Odessen. As the ship's systems suddenly came to life on their own and the vessel prepared to take off into the space, its crewmembers reacted with confusion before abandoning the ship in the escape pods. Witnessing the chaos first-hand, Visz contacted the Commander on Nathema, asking whether her situation was related to their mission. The Mirialan received the Commander's orders and relayed them to Admiral Aygo, but was unable to do anything to stop Zildrog from annihilating the entire Eternal Fleet, which sat defenseless in absence of orders from the Throne. Zildrog then targeted Odessen itself, but on Nathema Beniko and the Commander engaged GEMINI 16 and destroyed her and Zildrog. This triggered the self-destruct mechanism on the Gravestone, and the ship exploded above Odessen, though there were no Alliance casualties. Visz then sent a shuttle to Nathema for Commander and Beniko, which brought them home.
===Legacy===
Thousands of years after her death, Hylo Visz had become a legend of the Mirialan people. During the Galactic Civil War, Rebel Captain Hylo Sortuli was named after Visz. , p. 14
==Personality and traits==
Hylo Visz was an opportunist, taking an occupation which relied heavily on the current state of galactic affairs. She began this lifestyle as a street urchin in the alleys and sewers of Nar Shaddaa. Alongside a gang of orphans, the young Mirialan committed minor crimes in order to survive on the harsh moon. As she grew older, she hoped to maintain a more stable income, and so became a mechanic for the Hutt Cartel. Despite her talent in the repair and enhancement of machinery, Visz's true passion was in piloting. She dedicated herself to the goal of purchasing a ship and becoming a smuggler for the Cartel, and saw her dream realized after several years of committed labor. While on Corellia, Visz's opportunism gained her ownership of a new and advanced starship, the Vanguard. After leaving the employ of the Cartel, her ability to seize golden opportunities shined once more during the blockade of the Hydian Way, by taking what was seen a crisis by most as a chance for her own personal gain. Although the Mirialan fought for the Republic, she was primarily interested in the wealth that would be granted to her when she arrived on Coruscant with the much needed goods she carried.
During this time, Visz was leader of a band of smugglers. The group was directed by Visz to create a diversion for the Mandalorian armada, as well as take part in the main assault on the Mandalorian vessels. She viewed the crisis on the Hydian as a business opportunity not only for herself, but her comrades as well. Aside from the monetary reward for her success on the Hydian Way, Visz apparently was unconcerned with other forms of compensation. Even after being hailed as a hero by the starving people of Coruscant, she decided not to attend a medal ceremony held to honor her victory and her contribution to the Republic war effort. She instead collected her earnings and ventured far from the galactic capital, apparently retreating from her fame.
The Mirialan attributed much of her success as a smuggler to her ability to identify and read what she believed to be omens. Highly superstitious, she based many of her choices and actions on these omens—a habit rooted in her youth and the deaths of her parents. She firmly believed that all major disasters could be avoided by recognizing smaller issues that occurred beforehand and dubbed this belief the "Invisible Law of the Universe." When she didn't see any minor problems, Visz acted with confidence and was widely triumphant. She also placed heavy consideration on the value of luck and refused to kill the Jedi in the Rendili facility for fear of receiving years' worth of bad fortune in return. Her refusal to deactivate her hyperdrive while planetside was also the result of her reliance on luck, as was her choice to always carry a blaster by her side.
Visz sympathized with the Galactic Republic during the Great War and held a sincere respect for members of the Jedi Order. After an unpleasant contract with the Empire, the smuggler vowed never to work for the Sith again, and actively operated against Imperial interests during her assault against the blockade. Prior to leaving Hutt employ, she had already begun to accept Republic contracts, but operated independently of the government during the Hydian incident.
On her forehead and cheeks, Visz was adorned with traditional Mirialan tattoos in triangular shapes. At some point, she had dyed her short, black hair so that it would have red highlights, which was fashionable on Nar Shaddaa.
==Hylo's ships==
===The Crimson Fleece===
The Crimson Fleece was an aged freighter purchased by Visz during her teenage years. The Mirialan flew the ship for years and performed countless enhancements and renovations on the vessel. Because of its age, Visz was unable to buy any of the Fleece original parts for repairs, and so cobbled together pieces from other vessels to serve in their place. As she was often alone, the smuggler came to see her ship as less of a vehicle and more of a friend, who was always by her side. She was so intimately familiar with its workings that she could identify any potential problems by simply listening to its systems run for some of time. Although she knew she would eventually have to replace the vessel, Visz refused to do so until necessity dictated otherwise.
She eventually performed so many upgrades to the Fleece that the ship would be valued at three times the amount she had originally purchased it for. She understood, however, that she would never be able to sell it for that much, and so kept the ship during her journey to Corellia. Over her years as a smuggler, Visz had added personal, after-market features to the ship that aided her in her professional pursuits. One such feature was the addition of escape hatches in the ship's cargo bays. The smuggler used one of these hatches to escape the Crimson Fleece moments before it was destroyed in the skies over Corellia. The destruction of the ship caused Visz great distress, as she had invested incredible amounts of time and money into the Fleece and saw it as her ticket to freedom.
===The Vanguard===
The Vanguard was the first of its kind, the Defender-class light corvette. The ship was developed by the Rendili Vehicle Corporation in compliance with a contract for the Jedi Order. The ship was intended to be piloted by Jedi in the Great Galactic War, but was instead stolen by Visz during her escape from the Rendili facility.
The ship was incredibly advanced for its time, and included all the features and enhancements of modern vessels. The Vanguard exterior was sleek and adorned with a silver and red hull that sloped towards two rear thrusters which propelled the ship. The cockpit was in a hammerhead orientation, similar to the bridge design of Republic Thranta-class corvette, but was situated horizontally instead of vertically. The interior lounge was filled with state-of-the-art accessories and amenities, including a holocommunications terminal and red swivel seats. The cockpit was outfitted with a traditional starship piloting set-up, save for two features—backlit controls to allow for low lighting in the cockpit, and a thruster ignition knob which was located under the dashboard instead of its usual placement in front of the pilot. The cockpit had a pilot and copilot station, as well as two seats in the rear corners to allow for more passengers.
==Behind the scenes==
Hylo Visz was first mentioned in the pre-release promotional material for the LucasArts massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. She was first identified by name in the second installment of the Galactic Timeline, an in-universe account of the events surrounding the Great Galactic War released on the Star Wars: The Old Republic website.
Visz's character was greatly expanded upon by Robert Chestney in his short story The Old Republic: Smuggler's Vanguard, which was published on StarWars.com on March 25, 2010. Visz was not present in the game upon its release in December 2011, only being mentioned in Gault's conversations with the Bounty Hunter class and in the name of Visz's sidearm, a weapon available through crafting skills. In the game her rescue from Belsavis by Gault takes place entirely off-screen, but an early character model for Visz present in the game files since release indicates that she was at one point supposed to appear in person before the mission was cut.
Hylo made a proper appearance in the game in the 2015 expansion Knights of the Fallen Empire as the Underworld Specialist for the players' Alliance. Players can gain influence with Visz through select conversations and by turning in locked supply crates, unlocking progressive rewards, which include extra abilities during the Star Fortress missions and a Roche Gangster swoop mount. Visz also provides several Alliance alert mission for recruiting new companions, which can be done in any order and acts as the player's guide during "Crimson Fang" and "Done and Dusted", two Uprisings released with the Knights of the Eternal Throne expansion.
===Gameplay alternatives===
During the conversations with Hylo, if the player is a Smuggler, they can engage her in a friendly debate over which one of them is a more famous outlaw. Likewise, if the player is a Bounty Hunter, they will recognize Visz by reputation from their earlier conversations with Gault. The alert to recruit Nico Okarr will only appear for the players who were active subscribers on either August 10, 2015 or April 3, 2018. Players can choose not to recruit Skadge by either imprisoning or killing him, although recruiting the Houk is still presented as a neutral option. Hylo's request to rescue Wookiee senator Gryyzak is part of the alert to recruit the Talz Broonmark, though any options that allows him to join as a companion requires the player to make a Dark Side choice and allow the Talz to kill the Wookiee senator, in which case Visz will scold the player for not only refusing to help her friend, but also bringing in his killer along.
During the Fallen Empire and the Eternal Throne expansions players can make several Dark Side choices, which result in the death of the Gravestone captain Koth Vortena. In this case, Hylo is given command of the legendary vessel and takes a more proactive role during the final chapters of the Eternal Throne, assuming the role in the events otherwise played by Vortena. She learns to pilot the vessel and delves into the ship's inner workings, discovering a technological marvel of ancient alien origins unlike anything she'd ever seen. Visz becomes obsessed with unlocking the ship's full potential and oversees the installation of Iokath upgrades during the assault on Odessen, piloting the Gravestone against the Eternal Fleet. She later takes the Gravestone to Zakuul with the Alliance leadership onboard and uses the Iokath upgrades to the vessel's shields to break the Eternal Fleet blockade of the planet.
Several of post-Eternal Throne alerts are only available to players of certain classes. If the player is a Smuggler, she will inform them that a man named Skavak is trying to get ahold of them on Nar Shaddaa to take care of unfinished business; the mission results in the player reuniting with Corso Riggs and Risha Drayen. Both Smuggler and Bounty Hunter players receive Hylo's report of a bounty hunters duo operating on Tatooine, a Mandalorian named Akaavi Spar and a slicer named Mako. Both classes are reunited their original companion, while welcoming the other into their crew as well. If the player is a Sith Inquisitor, Visz will question a pirate named Andronikos Revel after he gets caught attempting to board an Eternal Fleet warship. Visz will restrain the intruder, after which the player will arrive and inform her that they will deal the man themselves.
During "The Nathema Conspiracy" flashpoint players can order Visz to evacuate everyone off Odessen in face of Zildrog's threat for Light side points, or stand their ground and protect Odessen at all cost for Dark side points. Hylo doesn't get the chance to do either, as the player destroys Zildrog themselves, neutralizing the threat without any Alliance casualties.
==Appearances==
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*Star Wars: The Old Republic 
*Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan 
*Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire
*Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne
*Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught
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==Sources==
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*The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural
*Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side 
*The Essential Reader's Companion
*Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia
==Notes and references==
Category:Captains
Category:Eternal Alliance individuals
Category:Females
Category:Hutt Clan individuals
Category:Mirialans
Category:Smugglers