Riko Vess

Riko Vess was a human female slicer and thief and the mother of Kay Vess. Born around 47 BBY, Vess became a famous slicer during the Clone Wars, but retired at the end of the war when she had her daughter Kay in 19 BBY. Riko raised her daughter to be a thief like her on the planet Cantonica, bringing her along on jobs that she ran for Bram Shano. After many years of crime, Riko decided it was best to distance her daughter from her world, leaving Kay at the age of 12 years old and in the care of Bram Shano. Riko and Kay did not see each other for a decade until Riko was hired by Jaylen Vrax to help Kay and her crew pull off a heist against the crime lord Sliro Ruback.
==Biography==
===Early Life===
Born around 47 BBY, the female human Riko Vess spent her early life as a slicer and thief, working with several criminal organizations and building up her reputation of being one of the most skilled slicers in the underworld. Vess is known to have infiltrated some of the most secure networks in the galaxy, some of which includes the Imperial Galactic Bank and the Imperial Court. Vess eventually retired shortly after the Clone Wars, living in Canto Bight after having her daughter, Kay Vess. 
===Raising Kay Vess===
Around 19 BBY, Vess lived and raised her daughter in the worker's district of Canto Bight, teaching Kay many skillsets which she would eventually use to become a slicer and thief like Riko. Vess would also pull off many heists with her daughter, where during one of which her daughter encountered and rescued the merqaal Nix, whom Kay kept as a pet against Riko's warning. However, Riko would ultimately leave Kay around 7 BBY after determining that she needs to return to her criminal lifestyle, which she believed was too dangerous for Kay to be involved in. She would leave Kay with a VM-19 blaster and a luck charm, which was secretly a tracking device to track Kay in her absence. Vess would have the bartender Bram Shano to deliver those items, alongside a hologram message of her farewell to Kay. 
===Continued Career===
After leaving Kay, Riko would become more involved in working with crime syndicates located in the Outer Rim. During the time, she spent nine years continuing to work with nine crews in total. In 3 ABY, Vess would eventually find her daughter with the tracking device, after being hired by the crime lord Jaylen Vrax for a major heist on the Westhill Palace as the second slicer for the job. 
===Reunion With Kay Vess===
After meeting and receiving information on the job from Jaylen Vrax in the EML-850 freighter Trailblazer, she would be reunited with her daughter Kay Vess, greeting her for the first time in ten years. 
Later, Riko Vess would meet up with Kay Vess over at Lake Amari. Riko tried to start a conversation with her daughter, but was turned down quickly. Riko would then give Kay a briefing of the ISB station that they would infiltrate with an Imperial Lambda shuttle in order to steal Sliro's vault codes. Even though Kay suggested that she can to do it alone with Nix, Riko reasoned that the job requires two slicers, and only she can pilot an Imperial shuttle. After settling to work together, they would then travel to the Derosha system to infiltrate the ISB station.
===Infiltrating Derosha Station===
With the Lambda shuttle, Riko, Kay, and Nix successfully arrived on Derosha Station. Riko would then arrive and stay at a terminal to provide directions on comms and turn off alarms for Kay while she is infiltrating the station. After assisting Kay through comms, Riko would learn from Kay that Sliro was actually an ISB director for the Galactic Empire. Even though Riko suggested that Kay retreat before things get bad, Kay insisted on getting the vault codes. Riko would then direct Kay to Sliro's private quarters, while warning her that it may be difficult. After Kay acquired the codes, Riko would also redirect some Imperial officers away from Kay to allow her to remove the records made by copying the codes, then providing her with an escape route. After regrouping with Kay, Riko made her way along with the group back to the shuttle, successfully completing the job. 
===The Heist===
After heading back to Canto Bight, Vess, along with the group, discussed over the structure of Sliro's mansion. Riko would point out the energy barriers guarding the vault, which she can bypass along with Kay, and also suggesting that the crew can escape through the Canto sewers with a transmitter. With the plans prepared, Riko would head with the crew to begin the heist.
After landing near Sliro's mansion, Riko would follow Kay to make their way to a hatch of a ventilation system leading to Sliro's mansion, then infiltrating near the palace along with Kay. After exiting the vent, Riko would use Sliro's codes to help slice through the energy gates leading to the vault. After Kay arrived to dual-slice with her, the crew was able to get through the energy gates. After using Ank's explosive to bypass the lock, Riko is able to slice through the safe, allowing the crew to extract the goods inside and escape through the Canto sewers. After that, Riko would split the crew between herself, Kay and Asara Deyn, to Ank and Gedeek. While attempting to escape through the Canto Casino and Racetrack, the group fought through Zerek Besh forces locking down the casino, blasting their way to escape with the Trailblazer, pulling off the heist. 
On the Trailblazer, Riko opened the crate, only to reveal a codex contained inside. Riko promised to Kay that she can be freed from her death mark pinned by Zerek Besh, but only if Jaylen Vrax have the codex and take over Zerek Besh with the data contained inside. However, Kay insisted on letting Deyn go, which made Vrax force the BX commando droid ND-5 aim at Kay. Riko would then step in to stop the situation, taking the blaster away from Kay. ND-5 then stunned Kay, with Riko receiving the payment from Jaylen Vrax and being free to go.
===Captured by the Empire===
At some point during 3 ABY, Vess would spend the credits paid by Vrax. However, it was revealed that Vess was backstabbed by Vrax due to how the credits were marked and therefore illegal, causing her to be arrested and detained by the Empire. In her cell, she was met again by Kay Vess, disguised as an officer to meet her. Kay revealed that she discovered the true identity of the chip of being tracker, then swapping it with a lockpick, giving Riko the ability to escape. Kay would then leave with the stormtrooper escort, leaving Riko in the cell.
==Personality and Traits==
Riko Vess was a human female with brown hair, brown eyes, and tan skin, along with a tattoo sported on her left arm. She was generally a collected person and was a cunning slicer and thief. When it comes to her daughter, Kay Vess, Riko is can be somewhat harsh towards her daughter. However, she can also show signs of caring, given by how she left her daughter believing that her lifestyle was too dangerous for her daughter to take part, alongside how she left a tracking device disguised as a charm to still locate Kay even after her departure.
==Skills and Abilities==
Riko Vess was an extremely talented slicer and thief, being renowned as one of the best slicers in the Outer Rim. She can also handle using a blaster, capable of holding her own in combat.
==Behind the Scenes==
Riko vess was created for the 2024 video game Star Wars Outlaws. She was portrayed by Nicola Correia-Damude.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars Outlaws 
==Notes and references==
Category:Cantonicans
Category:Females
Category:Humans
Category:Individuals with she/her pronouns
Category:Kay Vess' crew
Category:Slicers
Category:Thieves