Reginald Barkbone

Biography

Scourge of the Seven Sectors

Reginald Barkbone, a male individual belonging to the three-eyed Poss'Nomin species, operated as a pirate during the Imperial Period. He was a figure steeped in myth and speculation, achieving notoriety by the early years of the Galactic Empire and acquiring the title "Scourge of the Seven Sectors." Rufaan Tigellinus of the Imperial Navy remained uncertain about the precise "Seven Sectors" referenced in Barkbone's epithet. Throughout his career, Barkbone's activities spanned the Outer Rim Territories, the Mid Rim, the Expansion Region, the Inner Rim, and the Colonies, where he targeted a diverse range of objectives. His flagship, the Robber Baron, was a commandeered Star Galleon-class frigate, complemented by a fleet of Incom Corporation corsairs at his command. Renowned as a cunning and ruthless operator, he was frequently mentioned alongside Gir Kybo Ren-Cha, the Thalassian slavers, and the Black Hole Gang, all of whom were among the most infamous marauders in the Outer Rim. Barkbone frequently encountered the Imperial Navy and consistently irritated the Imperial officer Rovan Tresario, leading Tresario to establish House Tresario, a branch of the Bounty Hunters' Guild specializing in pirate hunting. Nevertheless, all attempts by the chapter to capture Barkbone proved unsuccessful.

Barkbone gained notoriety for a series of improbable, heroic feats. His most celebrated accomplishment was a successful navigation of the Fire Rings of Fornax, an exceptionally challenging endeavor that resulted in his loss of sanity. Rufaan Tigellinus claimed to have witnessed this voyage. The Poss'Nomin freebooter lost a leg while raiding palaces on Hapes, but he replaced the severed limb with a cybernetic peg and resumed his piratical activities. On another occasion, the Robber Baron was pursued for a month by the Loronar navy, yet Barkbone evaded capture. The pirate claimed it was his least favorite period in space, because the only COO-series cook droid in the galley was programmed to prepare only vegetarian meals.

Imperial pursuit

Barkbone engaged in conflict with members of the Imperial Guard on Axion in the Expansion Region at some point. After plundering the planet, he attached a limpet mine to a GNK power droid while fleeing from pursuing Imperial Guards. Although the shell of a Gonk droid was exceptionally durable, the internal generator exploded violently when breached. Barkbone's mine achieved this, enabling him to shoot his way to freedom amidst the explosion and ensuing chaos. While he escaped, the endeavor cost Barkbone an eye and half of his face.

The Imperial Navy intensified its pursuit of Barkbone shortly after the Battle of Yavin, and Grand Admiral Rufaan Tigellinus was assigned to capture him. Aboard his Star Destroyer, the Avatar, Tigellinus asserted that he relentlessly pursued the Robber Baron from the Colonies to the Outer Rim Territories. Around this time, Barkbone orchestrated a heist in the Tapani sector, acquiring a lightfoil among his loot. Although Tigellinus's attempts to halt Barkbone's plundering were unsuccessful, several of the Poss'Nomin's crew members were captured, and their interrogations helped corroborate the Empire's records on Barkbone, distinguishing fact from fiction. Following a prolonged and futile pursuit, Tigellinus wrote a concise report for Maximillian Seerdon of the Imperial Security Bureau. This report was subsequently given to Grand Vizier Sate Pestage, placing Barkbone alongside other troublesome figures for the Empire, such as smuggler Dash Rendar and outlaw tech Klaus Vandangante. Tigellinus, a fervent Humanocentric, had a personal motivation for capturing Barkbone, a non-Human. His report expressed disdain for the Poss'Nomin's character and mental state, yet Tigellinus recognized the threat Barkbone posed.

Personality and traits

Reginald Barkbone belonged to the physically imposing, three-eyed Poss'Nomin species. He was known for his flamboyance and peculiar speech patterns, using a dialect of Galactic Basic Standard that Grand Admiral Tigellinus described as "silly." Barkbone was also fluent in Lok Pirate's Cant, a secret underworld language used by the pirates of Lok. He owned a pet Kowakian monkey-lizard, which was invariably perched on his shoulder, repeating every word he spoke. Barkbone developed a fondness for the lightfoil, a weapon favored by the Tapani nobility, and began wielding a stolen lightfoil after a raid in Tapani territories. Tigellinus noted that his colleague, Grand Admiral Octavian Grant, was infuriated that a brigand like the "Scourge of the Seven Sectors" was flaunting a symbol of Grant's own aristocracy. Barkbone had a preference for meat and was angered by being forced to rely on a vegetarian COO droid while on the run.

Barkbone was dedicated to his buccaneering lifestyle and continued his career despite suffering several serious injuries. By the time Tigellinus began his pursuit of the Poss'Nomin, Barkbone had sustained damage to his face and lost a leg. Barkbone subsequently acquired a prosthetic replacement for his leg, transforming him into a cyborg. As Tigellinus attested, Barkbone became insane during his journey through the Fire Rings of Fornax.

Throughout his career, Barkbone proved to be an elusive target, evading capture on numerous occasions. The Loronar navy pursued the Poss'Nomin for a full month without success, and Tigellinus reportedly chased Barkbone from one end of the galaxy to the other, also without success. He was resourceful when attempting to escape from difficult situations. With Imperial Guards closing in, Barkbone attached explosives to a Gonk droid to hinder his pursuers. According to Tigellinus, Barkbone was a bloodthirsty pirate, even more vicious than the notorious Thalassians, but he was also capable of using trickery to deceive his adversaries. Throughout his life, Barkbone demonstrated a penchant for bold and audacious stunts, willingly navigating dangerous hazards.

Behind the scenes

Reginald Barkbone was created by Daniel Wallace for The New Essential Guide to Droids in 2006. Barkbone was designed with a "classic campy pirate feel" because Wallace had a fondness for such pirates. While working on Underworld Appendix: Swoops, Spice, and Wretched Rogues, the online supplement to Star Wars Insider 89, Abel G. Peña noticed the absence of pirates in the article. Having been amused by Barkbone's brief appearance in The New Essential Guide to Droids, Peña decided to include him in the article. Wallace approved the expansion of Barkbone's backstory, stipulating that he retain his character as an archetypal pirate. Underworld Appendix, co-written by Peña and Ryan Kaufman, was published several months after The New Essential Guide to Droids.

Sources

• The New Essential Guide to Droids (First mentioned)
• "Endnotes for The New Essential Guide to Droids: PART 3 OF 3" — Continuity, Criticisms, and Captain Panaka — Daniel Wallace's StarWars.com Blog (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Underworld Appendix: Swoops, Spice, and Wretched Rogues on Hyperspace (article) (content obsolete and backup link not available)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett

Notes and references