Finhead Stonebone

The being known as Finhead Stonebone kept his origins shrouded in mystery. A member of an unknown insectoid species, he arrived in Republic space around a decade before 3999 BBY, unable to speak even a word of Galactic Basic Standard. He showed an aptitude for working as a criminal shortly after his arrival into the known regions of space, and within approximately one standard month, the mysterious insectoid had procured a position manning the guns aboard a pirate vessel in the Vorc sector. After two years of loyal servitude, Stonebone had become first mate of the ship, and he eventually pillaged enough credits to maintain a starship of his own. Finhead and his men ruined a mining facility in the Varl system and stole two modified Byblos Drive Yards E-2 asteroid mining vehicles. They named them the Marauder Starjacker and the Stenness Raider, with Stonebone choosing the Starjacker as his flagship. In appearance, the two ships resembled insects, with several large suction tubes and a mosquito-like pincer. Over one hundred meters long, the ships were heavily modified by the band of pirates to suit their needs.

He kept his real name and his species secret, operating through a series of aliases and nicknames. "Finhead Stonebone" was the name he went by after relocating to the Stenness system in the Inner Rim, over a dozen years after becoming a pirate. Finhead decided to set up a base in the mineral-rich system after a territorial dispute with the captain he once served in the Vorc sector. The feud was short, though the insectoid pirate decided to cut his losses and flee, as the conflict took many lives on both sides. Stenness was the home of a wealthy and merciless Hutt crime lord named Great Bogga, who resented any outsiders encroaching on his turf. However, Stonebone managed to strike a deal with the slug-like Hutt.

Fresh ore deposits had recently been discovered in the system, and Bogga saw the potential for exploitation held by the Nessies—the twenty-five near-Human species who mined the planets of the system and traded with offworlders. Using great hollowed insects known as Ithullan ore haulers, the Nessies were running a lucrative trade, which Bogga sought to disrupt. Stonebone was tasked with raiding and harassing the ore haulers, so that the Nessie corporations would be forced to enlist the protection of Great Bogga and his brutal enforcers. He gladly did so, earning a reputation as one of the best pirates in the system, and soon thereafter, the Nessie captains pleaded with Bogga to step in. The Hutt agreed, earning a great deal of money from the deal. However, rather than let Finhead successfully loot the occasional ship as was originally agreed, Bogga double-crossed the secretive pirate, countering his every move.

Every time Stonebone attempted to raid an ore hauler, Bogga had his guards intercept the pirate crew, meaning the captain always had low funds, with two starships desperately in need of repair. Finhead, however, managed to stay alive during these attacks, and began holing up in the numerous hideouts he had built in the system. Rather than fleeing Stenness, Stonebone counterattacked his former employer: he and his motley band of space pirates did their best to hit every single ore hauler than passed through the region. Bogga's clients no longer felt safe, even with the Hutt's enforcers protecting them. This enraged Bogga, who ordered the immediate capture of Finhead Stonebone and every single member of his crew. Great Bogga had a plethora of contacts in Stenness, which meant that he knew everything that went on in what he considered to be his own space. However, Stonebone was used to being secretive, and managed to elude Bogga's warriors and contacts, further infuriating the "The Merciful One," as the gangster liked to be called.

In 3999 BBY, Finhead Stonebone and his crew planned what they hoped would be a lucrative raid on an Ithullan ore-hauler captained by a Nessie known as Gruna. They landed their ships on top of the hauler, piercing the ship's hull with their msqito-like pincers. However, the ship's escort, provided by Bogga, did not take long to arrive, and began to fire at the pair of pirate vessels. Stonebone was prepared though, and his ships were well equipped to deal with the rookie pilots that Bogga employed. A gunner named C'borp dealt the fatal blow. With the advance guard defeated, Finhead's crew had a free run at the ore hauler. Using a tactic they had perfected in previous raids, they released their own cargo into space, creating a vacuum which sucked the valuable mutonium ore deposits from the ore haulers into their ships' cargo holds. After plundering the ships and kidnapping the Nessie females, the pirates prepared to leave the Stenness system with all the potential profits they had stolen. The pirates began celebrating, as they knew they had made an extremely lucrative raid. However, their celebrations turned out to be premature. Bogga had caught wind of the attempt, and sent his best and most loyal enforcer, a Weequay named Grimorg, to capture Stonebone. The dreadnought Enforcer One used a tractor beam to pull him in, finally apprehending the insectoid marauder.

Stonebone and his loyal brigands were taken to Bogga's fortress on Vo Dasha, the moon of the planet Taboon. They were brought before Bogga, who told the pirates that normally the likes of Finhead would be killed the instant they crossed the Hutt; however, a special set of circumstances meant he instead had a daunting task for the insectoid captain. A great Tchuukthai beast calling himself Master Thon, who lived on the planet Ambria in the Stenness system, was in possession of several extremely valuable Adegan crystals, which the Hutt desperately wanted. He ordered captain Stonebone to kill Thon and retrieve the crystals, telling him that if he did not, the whole crew would be fed to the Hutt's hssiss, vicious reptiles imported from Lake Natth on Ambria. Finhead knew of Thon's prowess in the Force, and told Bogga that he would rather face a hundred Gank Killers. Bogga reacted angrily to this snide remark, ordering his pet hssiss, a female named Ktriss, to kill Stonebone's loyal first mate Roko. The group of criminals watched in horror as Roko was shredded to pieces by the vicious creature, and their captain knew that he had to obey Bogga; he must go to Ambria and kill Thon.

Bogga asked the lowly pirate if he had reconsidered—Stonebone told him that he had, and that the crew would travel to Ambria and capture Thon. Great Bogga told Finhead that he would happily allow the pirate to operate out of other systems if he brought him back the crystals, and the head of Master Thon. Accompanied by a team of Bogga's Weequay, Nikto, and Ishi Tib enforcers, Stonebone and his crew piloted their ships to Ambria, a planet tainted by the dark spirits who had been confined to Lake Natth by Master Thon. They set down on the planet, and traveled to Thon's Jedi training center in a pair of Bogga's skiffs. Thon was with his apprentice, Nomi Sunrider, and her child Vima, in the mountainous region to the north of his home, but Stonebone had his men fired at the Tchuukthai's house regardless. Their cannon shots, however, inexplicably missed their intended target again and again. Perplexed, the pirates and enforcers searched for an explanation, and soon found one in the form of the massive Thon, who was using the Force to steer the salvos off course from a nearby hill.

As Thon approached the skiffs, Stonebone ordered his men to cease firing; it looked as if Thon was going to give himself up without any conflict. They exited the skiffs, and watched as Thon walked toward them, alone and unarmed. The marauders were perplexed, but in truth Thon was trying to convince his new student, Nomi Sunrider, to use a lightsaber. Nomi, though, was reluctant to, as she had already killed with her late husband's lightsaber, and did not wish to commit such an atrocity again. When Thon finally reached them, Stonebone's band of pirates and Bogga's enforcers shackled the massive Jedi Master in Mandalorian iron, and prepared to lift him onto the skiff using a crane. While Finhead and his men were busy attempting to shift Thon onto the skiff, one of Bogga's enforcers discovered the Adegan crystals in the Jedi's house, and loudly bragged that he would be the one to present them to Bogga. Stonebone reacted furiously, telling the Nikto mercenary that he would bring them to Bogga, or else keep them for himself. Nomi Sunrider, who had taken refuge nearby with her daughter Vima and the family droid A-3DO, took this opportunity to use her battle meditation, an ancient Jedi power capable of influencing and manipulating one's enemies' decisions and actions.

The group of mercenaries began to fight, with Stonebone's men turning on each other. During the fighting, the crystals spilled onto the barren surface of the planet, and each of the men attempted to grab hold of them. A hulking Zexx threw everyone, even his own captain, aside as he attempted to snatch the valuable crystals; meanwhile, Sunrider had finally picked up her lightsaber and charged at the group of thugs, killing C'borp and many others. She then released Thon, and together they fought off Stonebone and his crew, leaving few alive. Stonebone and the several additional survivors fled to the skiffs and returned to Bogga's fortress, fearing the Hutt's wrath.

Finhead Stonebone was very secretive, and preferred to keep his true name, planet of origin and species hidden from everyone, even those whom he trusted. In keeping with this aura of mystery, the insect-like pirate had dozens of well-concealed hideouts throughout the Stenness system, and managed to avoid detection even by Bogga, who was known to have had many contacts strategically placed all over his domain. Although he kept many secrets from them, Finhead was extremely loyal to his crew, and treated them with respect and kindness, which was rare for a pirate captain. Stonebone was brave, though he knew when to cut his losses and retreat. During the feud with the man who first employed him as a criminal, the criminal left the system, knowing that more conflict would result in more blood being shed. Once again, when facing Thon, the insectoid captain knew he would never achieve his goal, and retreated, taking the remainder of his crew with him. However, despite having several positive traits rarely present in members of the underworld, Stonebone was very greedy, and cared little if he had to resort to hurting others in order to get his hands on whatever it was that he wanted. Although Finhead was being subtly influenced by Nomi Sunrider's battle meditation, he happily participated in the squabble over who would bring the crystals to Bogga, turning on his friends and companions in an effort to make more profit.

Finhead Stonebone was created by Star Wars author Tom Veitch for the Saga of Nomi Sunrider story arc, featuring in the Tales of the Jedi sub-series, part of the Tales of the Jedi comic series. In the comics, he was illustrated by Pamela Rambo, David Roach and Willie Schubert. His backstory was later expanded upon in the RPG book Tales of the Jedi Companion. Curiously, in the audio adaptation of Tales of the Jedi, which covers the same events as The Saga of Nomi Sunrider, Stonebone does not appear at all; his role is instead filled by Gudb, a minor character from the comic's story arc.

• "The Saga According to Dave Dorman" — Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 2
• "Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 2" — Star Wars Insider 27
• "Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 3" — Star Wars Insider 28
• The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
• Tales of the Jedi Companion
• Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
• Star Wars: The Comics Companion
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook