Lo Khan

Lo Khan, a seasoned and taciturn male smuggler, had a reputation for undertaking challenging smuggling operations even before the rise of notorious figures such as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. Khan's most significant score occurred along the Gamor Run, a hyperspace route located in the Mid Rim. Khan discovered that one of his smuggling rivals, Uxbeg, had secured a contract to transport a spice shipment intended for a criminal named Spadda. Uxbeg was preoccupied with delivering a load of bulk yeast paste to Stars' End, a prison in the Corporate Sector, which presented Khan with an opportunity to skillfully intercept Uxbeg's anticipated shipment. Upon acquiring the shipment, Khan was surprised to discover that it consisted of a spice consignment originating from the royal governor of the Thokosia system and destined for the [Aikhibba system](/article/aikhibba_system], a minor waypoint along the Gamor Run. With his fuel reserves running low, Khan decided to immediately depart with the shipment rather than allow his rival sufficient time to arrive and retrieve it.

During a refueling stop in the Deneba system, Khan encountered Luwingo, a Yaka cyborg he had previously met on another run. Luwingo expressed his despondency regarding his current circumstances, and Khan, sympathizing with the Yaka due to his own past experiences, decided to bring Luwingo along and offer him a small share of the profits, never expecting anything in return. Soon after, Khan and Luwingo were confronted by a group of Uxbeg's thugs. The encounter escalated into a firefight during which Luwingo took a blaster bolt to protect Khan. Fearing that Luwingo was dead, Khan was astonished when the Yaka simply shrugged off the injury. It was at that moment that Khan recognized Luwingo's usefulness and loyalty, leading him to hire Luwingo as his full-time bodyguard. Upon delivering the cargo to Aikhibba, Khan was shocked to discover that Spadda was the notorious crime lord known as "Spadda the Hutt" and was disappointed when the Hutt significantly shortchanged him. Nevertheless, Khan still received a substantial sum that allowed him to spend the following years relaxing in smugglers' bars across the galaxy, while occasionally undertaking small runs in his modified Xiytiar-class transport, the Hyperspace Marauder, at his convenience. At some point during the Galactic Civil War, he began hauling military supplies to the Deep Core for both sides of the conflict.

By 10 ABY, Emperor Palpatine had resurrected himself in a clone body and commenced the rebuilding of a revived Galactic Empire centered around the Deep Core world of Byss. Princess Leia Organa Solo and former smuggler Han Solo, both heroes of the New Republic, enlisted the assistance of smugglers Salla Zend and Shug Ninx in their attempt to rescue Leia's brother, Luke Skywalker, a Jedi Knight who had recently been captured by the forces of the new Empire. The group traveled to the Emperor's Citadel on Byss aboard Solo's YT-1300 light freighter, the Millennium Falcon, where Han and Leia intentionally allowed themselves to be captured as part of their plan to rescue Skywalker, while Zend and Ninx escaped with the Falcon. Zend and Ninx fled to the Imperial Freight Complex on Byss, where Lo Khan permitted his fellow smugglers to hide the Falcon inside the Hyperspace Marauder.

While willing to aid his fellow smugglers in need, Khan was also mindful of the safety of his ship and his own life. As Khan, Luwingo, and the two fugitive smugglers discussed recent events at the complex's cantina, the Byss Bistro, Ninx received a comlink transmission from Han Solo, requesting extraction from the Citadel. As Zend and Ninx made their way back to the Falcon, an Imperial Hunter-Killer probot designated Judgement 12-X7 scanned the Marauder and discovered the Falcon concealed within the ship's cargo hold. The probot managed to capture the Falcon using its tractor beams, but only after crippling and impounding the Marauder. Khan, however, remained unconcerned, confident that he could leverage his connections to free the Marauder.

It was not long before Lo Khan had an opportunity to recover his ship. Over the next few weeks, Khan and Luwingo found themselves stranded on Byss, where they once again encountered Salla Zend and Shug Ninx at the Byss Bistro. The two smugglers had returned to Byss with the intention of salvaging Zend's ship, the Starlight Intruder, and were able to bypass Imperial security by posing as maintenance workers delivering a set of obsolete repair parts to Khan. Khan revealed, much to Zend's disappointment, that the Intruder had already been stripped by Imperial-sanctioned scavs and melted down into slag. Khan's opportunity finally arrived in the form of a surprise attack by New Republic forces comprised of X-1 Viper Automadons led by Generals Wedge Antilles and Lando Calrissian. However, the Imperials soon unleashed their chrysalide rancors, alchemically mutated dark side beasts on the Viper Automadons. As the situation began to look dire for the New Republic, Salla Zend, feeling a sense of responsibility towards them, rallied Khan and numerous other smugglers to aid the New Republic forces.

Luwingo provided covering fire with his tripod laser as Khan and the other spacers rushed to their impounded ships. With Luwingo safely aboard, Khan lifted off in the Hyperspace Marauder and joined the small fleet of smuggler ships. Khan utilized the Marauder's newly installed 700-Penetrator laser cannons in conjunction with the other smuggler ships to rescue Antilles, Calrissian, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 from a chrysalide rancor. Khan and the smuggler ships escaped Byss's orbit and were surprised when the Imperials allowed them to reach a jumping distance without firing upon them, fearing damage to the nearby, partially constructed Galaxy Gun superweapon. The smuggler ships safely escaped to the New Republic-held Pinnacle Base. Shortly thereafter, Khan and the smuggler ships assisted in the evacuation of New Alderaan, a New Republic safe world where Leia Organa Solo's children, Jacen and Jaina Solo, were hiding, before finally heading to the New Republic base at Space City orbiting Nespis VIII.

Lo Khan, a relaxed and taciturn smuggler, had earned a reputation as one of the most easygoing individuals in his profession. He spent much of his free time indulging in drinks with old friends in cantinas, while occasionally undertaking small, low-risk runs in the Hyperspace Marauder to earn a living. As one of the older smugglers of his time, Khan preferred to avoid trouble. He typically stuck to well-patrolled routes and invested most of his money in upgrading the shields and hull of his ship, for which he possessed a beckon call. Khan sought to avoid conflicts and minimize his number of enemies, so he kept the Marauder unarmed for many years before ultimately deciding to equip it with twin 700-Penetrator laser cannons. In the event that the Marauder was ever seized by pirates, the ship's computer was programmed to override the computer on the pirating vessel, granting Khan complete control over all of the ship's systems. However, Khan was not without mercy and was willing to leave life support and low-level ion thrusters operational before stripping any valuable equipment from the pirate ship. While hauling in the Deep Core, he could often be found in the Byss Cantina with his fellow smugglers. Khan was also willing to assist a friend in need, provided that neither he nor his ship sustained any damage in the process. Khan established a long-lasting friendship and partnership with his Yaka cyborg first mate, Luwingo, which began with their first joint operation.

Lo Khan was created by author Tom Veitch for the fifth issue of the Star Wars: Dark Empire comic book series. He later reappeared in the latter half of the sequel series, Star Wars: Dark Empire II, and his complete backstory was provided by Michael Allen Horne in the Dark Empire Sourcebook. He also received brief mentions in various other sources over the years. He was voiced by Joe Hacker in the Dark Empire and Dark Empire II audio adaptations.

While the fifth issue of Dark Empire suggests that Khan was saved by Luwingo during a firefight against Imperials, the Dark Empire Sourcebook instead identifies the attackers as mercenaries hired by Uxbeg. This article assumes the Dark Empire Sourcebook is correct, as it is the most recent and comprehensive source on the subject.