Zek Peiro, a human gifted with Force abilities, was widely regarded as the most skilled thief available for hire on the planet of Coruscant. His esteemed reputation eventually drew the attention of Darth Maul, a Sith Lord, who theorized that Peiro's exceptional thieving prowess stemmed from untapped potential within the Force. To test his theory, Maul adopted the persona of a minor criminal figure and enlisted Peiro's services, falsely representing the "Kaitis Cartel," to pilfer a consignment of scarn. After personally witnessing the thief's powers during the heist, Maul, driven by his insatiable bloodlust, proceeded to kill Peiro.
During the Republic Era, Zek Peiro made a name for himself as a highly successful thief within the underworld of Coruscant. Sometime between 33 BBY and 32 BBY, word of his skills reached the ear of the Zabrak Sith Lord Darth Maul. Maul, at this time, was secretly forging alliances in the criminal world under the guise of the "Kaitis Cartel," a fictional organization named in remembrance of Eldra Kaitis, a Padawan he had previously slain in a skirmish on the moon of Drazkel. Suspecting that Peiro's abilities were connected to the Force, Maul sought him out to ascertain the truth.
Peiro was subsequently contracted by the "Kaitis Cartel" to intercept a shipment of scarn, a pre-spice substance, scheduled for transfer between two rival criminal syndicates. Unaware of the hidden agenda behind his recruitment, Peiro accepted the assignment. Despite his preference for operating solo, Maul accompanied him, disguised as a Cartel enforcer. Peiro guided the Sith Lord to the designated transfer point, arriving just before the deal was set to take place. While Peiro suggested waiting, the impatient Zabrak launched an attack on the rival gangs. Reluctantly, Peiro joined the fray, and as they fought, Maul detected the unmistakable flow of the Force through the thief's movements.
After subduing the criminals, Peiro entered their transport and, guided by the Force, successfully located the concealed scarn. With the shipment secured, the thief awaited the arrival of the Kaitis Cartel. However, unbeknownst to him, Maul had become convinced of Peiro's Force connection and, yielding to his desire to eliminate the Jedi Order, fatally impaled Peiro with a piece of debris.
The death of Peiro did little to diminish Maul's fury, as he continued to long for a confrontation with a true Jedi. His actions drew criticism from his Master, Darth Sidious, who expressed concern that Peiro's demise could potentially alert the Jedi and jeopardize the Dark Lord's overall schemes. Seizing the opportunity for a lesson, Sidious brought Maul to the site of an ancient battle on the planet Malachor, where he imparted a lesson in patience to his apprentice.
Peiro was a highly skilled criminal, confident in his abilities and preferring to work independently. He demonstrated patience while observing the scarn dealers, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. He held a degree of disdain for Darth Maul, whom he viewed as an amateur in the criminal world, while acknowledging his combat prowess. Peiro also expressed admiration for the Kaitis Cartel's rapid rise to prominence in the underworld, believing they had the potential to become a major power.
Peiro was a human with light skin, brown eyes, and a mustache. His hair was brown in the back, with blond bangs falling across his forehead. A prominent scar ran across his face beneath his eyes, bisecting his nose.
Peiro's reputation as a renowned thief spread far and wide throughout the Coruscant underworld. His skills were so highly regarded that even the Sith Lord Darth Maul had heard tales of his exploits.
As an individual sensitive to the Force, Peiro could utilize it to enhance his thieving abilities, enabling him to accomplish feats beyond the reach of others in his profession. He possessed proficiency in both hand-to-hand and ranged combat, capable of engaging multiple opponents simultaneously. However, Peiro lacked formal Force training, leading Maul to describe his grasp of the Force as "clumsy" at best. Nevertheless, Maul recognized the potential within Peiro's abilities.
Zek Peiro made his debut appearance in Age of Republic - Darth Maul 1, the second installment of the anthology series Star Wars: Age of Republic. The issue was penned by Jody Houser, illustrated by Luke Ross, and published by Marvel Comics on December 12, 2018. Houser named the character in honor of her friend Zeke Pinheiro, who served as the game master for Star Wars roleplaying game campaigns played by Houser and her friends. Houser's inspiration for using Pinheiro's name stemmed from an incident where Pinheiro eliminated her player character for exhibiting latent Force-sensitivity, a trait shared by the individual who would become Peiro. To Houser's delight, Pinheiro subsequently incorporated the character's Age of Republic storyline into their campaign.