Kassav Milliko

Biography

Early life

Kassav Milliko, a Weequay, came into existence on the planet Sriluur. Milliko never had any knowledge of his biological parents, speculating about the possibility of illegitimacy. He would eventually become a member of the Nihil, a band of anarchist marauders, and ultimately ascended to the rank of Tempest Runner alongside Lourna Dee and Pan Eyta. Observers considered him and his Tempest to be less intelligent, but more reckless, thrill-seeking, and possessing greater power than all other Tempests combined.

The Great Disaster

Following the Great Hyperspace Disaster in 232 BBY, his and Dee's Tempests gave assistance to Eyta's Tempest during a raid on Ab Dalis, which was largely successful. Eyta celebrated this victory at the Great Hall of the Nihil located in No-Space. Subsequently, the Runners convened with Marchion Ro, the Eye of the Nihil, for a crucial meeting. Ro declared that access to the Paths would be restricted until the Galactic Republic ceased their investigation into the perpetrators of the Legacy Run incident. Milliko reluctantly conceded after failing to intimidate Ro into reversing the order.

A new disaster

The Nihil initiated a scheme to demand credits from planets in exchange for destroying incoming Emergences. Milliko planned to extort the planet Eriadu with his Storms: Gravhan, Dellex, and Wet Bub. Aboard the New Elite, he attempted to extort Mural Veen, the governor. Although she paid the demanded sum, the Tempest failed to eliminate the Emergence, resulting in the destruction of Eriadu's inhabited moon. Veen vowed vengeance, and Milliko was stunned by the resulting deaths and the creation of a formidable new adversary. Milliko met with the Eye and the other Runners to discuss the ramifications, as the Republic and Eriadu now had the Nihil in their sights. Ro asserted his dominance by physically assaulting Milliko. Milliko attempted to retaliate, but Ro used vibro-stars to sever a significant portion of Milliko's right hand before he could draw his Blaster pistol. Defeated, Milliko obeyed Ro's order to travel to the Kur Nebula.

Battle of Kur

While awaiting the Republic's arrival, Milliko began to ponder his future within the Nihil. Milliko came to the conclusion that he should desert, starting a new existence with his Tempest in a different region of the galaxy. Milliko communicated this plan to his crew, but his Storms responded by holding him at blasterpoint. They revealed that Ro had ordered them to kill him if he disobeyed the Eye's command to remain at the Nebula. Milliko reluctantly complied, despite his growing animosity towards Ro. Shortly after, Republic and Jedi forces arrived. The battle commenced, initially appearing unfavorable for Milliko until he received a message. Ro had responded to Milliko's request for a Path to escape, but instead questioned whether Milliko had murdered Ro's father, Asgar. Milliko was confused, but Ro assured him it was irrelevant because all suspects, including the Tempest Runners, would suffer the same fate as Milliko. Ro had sabotaged the Path engines of the entire Tempest, causing most of it to be destroyed in collisions with Republic ships. Eriadu forces, led by Veen herself, stormed the New Elite amidst the chaos. Milliko attempted to save himself by offering information about the Nihil, but Veen rejected his offer and killed him.

Legacy

Marchion Ro deceived the surviving Nihil about the circumstances surrounding Milliko and his Tempest's demise. Ro portrayed them as martyrs, using their "sacrifice" to rally the Nihil under his leadership, promising to expand their operations throughout the galaxy and defend their way of life against the Republic and Jedi. The Republic, misled, believed they had destroyed the Nihil with Milliko's death and continued their activities as usual.

Personality and traits

Kassav Milliko was a cruel individual who perfectly exemplified the Nihil's nature. He disregarded their rules and was reckless enough to consider killing Marchion Ro, whose position and knowledge were crucial to the Nihil's success. Milliko lacked interest in strategy, preferring to simply raid with his Tempest and accumulate plunder. He and his Tempest were addicts who would ritualistically consume drugs like spice and smash while listening to wreckpunk before engaging in raids.

Milliko's ruthlessness had its limits, as evidenced by his distress over the billions of innocent lives lost when he accidentally destroyed Eriadu's moon. He also valued and respected his Tempest, always striving to protect their interests. Despite his bloodthirsty tendencies, Milliko recognized when it was necessary to retreat and prioritize his own safety. Examples include his decision to back down after being beaten by Ro and his attempt to negotiate with Veen before his death. He held a cynical perspective, viewing both the Republic and the Nihil as organizations that enriched those in power. He considered anything extravagant, such as Pan Eyta's demeanor, to be distasteful and contrary to Nihil values.

Equipment

Like all Nihil, Kassav Milliko wore a mask to conceal his identity and protect himself from the poisonous gases frequently used by the organization. His mask was a plain sheet of metal with slits for his eyes, nose, and mouth. He wore a fur cape, concealing a blaster pistol, which he was known to wield with exceptional skill.

Behind the scenes

Kassav Milliko made his debut in the 2021 novel The High Republic: Light of the Jedi, penned by Charles Soule as part of the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative. Soule expressed that Milliko was among the most enjoyable and straightforward characters to write. In the 2021 audio drama The High Republic: Tempest Runner, Neil Hellegers provided Milliko's voice.