Tanda Marelle
Biographical information
Homeworld	Alderaan[1]
Physical description
Species	Human[1]
Gender	Female[1]
Chronological and political information
Era(s)	Rise of the Empire era[2] Rebellion era[1]
Affiliation	Alliance to Restore the Republic[1]

[Source]

Tanda Marelle was a Human female senior reporter who worked for the NewsNet Galactic Resorts shortly before Clone Wars and during the Galactic Civil War. She was also a master art and jewel thief, called the "Tombat" and believed to be male by the galactic media. Despite her unsavory alternate profession, she was an important informant for the Rebel Alliance.^[3] Among other things, Tombat stole a pair of six thousand years old Manderon slugthrowers from Fitz Roi and the corusca gem necklace of Imperial Moff Landric's wife.

BiographyEdit

Tanda Marelle was a Human female born on Alderaan^[1] before the Clone Wars.^[2] A member of a prominent trading family, she became bored with her life and sought adventure and excitement. Even Marelle became a journalist, working for the Galactic Resorts holomagazine. Travelling the resort worlds of the galaxy, Marelle used her position to aid in her other career choice; a jewel thief. On assignment, she would use her cover to case targets and individuals.^[1] In 22 BBY, just prior to the Clone Wars, Marelle was a senior correspondent with Galactic Resorts, and contributed several opinions regarding the state of the galactic economy and tourism spending while the galaxy appeared to be gearing up for war.^[2]

As a jewel thief, Marelle established an alias for herself, the Tombat. Early in her career as a thief, an incident caused people to believe that the Tombat was male. Marelle did nothing to correct the mistake, and actively encouraged the misconception as it amused her. She found the ruse useful for evading capture and suspicion as authorities were always searching for a man. The Tombat became an infamous figure in the galaxy, known as a superb jewel thief who was invisible and could bypass any defense or security system and take whatever he wanted without a trace. Stories told of his prowess with woman, and his ability to captivate females.^[1] The Tombat always left behind a single quella stone in place of the items stolen as a signature.^[4] By the early part of the Galactic Civil War, arrest warrants were issued in 30 star systems for the Tombat.^[1] At some point, Tombat was rumored to have broken into Noval Garaint's base in the Kheedar system and discovered that the bounty hunter had rebuilt and reprogrammed the chassis of a half dozen F1 exploration droids to serve as bodyguard units.^[5]

Although Marelle was not concerned with any cause apart from her own, that changed in 0 BBY with the destruction of her homeworld by the Galactic Empire. Shaken by the destruction—mainly due to amount of gems she had stashed away on the planet—Marelle sought out the Alliance to Restore the Republic to offer her services. She tracked Alliance General Airen Cracken down to a safehouse on Albecus, and brought with her a packet of love letters that Cracken had written at the age of sixteen and lost long ago. Her display convinced Cracken that she would be a remarkable asset, although he lamented the fact that her commitment to the Alliance was sporadic at best.^[1]

Despite being Alderaanian, Marelle did not get along with her fellow exiles due to her reputation as a thief. During a briefing, Alliance agent Targeter angrily confronted Marelle for wearing a pendant that Targeter insisted belonged to the Alderaanian Royal Family. The pendant was later seen in the possession of Leia Organa.^[1]

In 0 ABY, Marelle reported on the preparations for the 2,367th annual Priole Danna Festival on Lamuir IV.^[6] During the festival, Marelle stole a pair of antique slugthrowers created by Andel Tanner during the Galactic Republic's Manderon Period which belonged to the Jatz singer Fitz Roi. Lifting them from the safe in the singer's hotel room, Marelle left leaving behind a blue quella stone in the weapon's leather holding case.^[7] Several months later, Marelle was on Spira, reporting on the annual Spira Regatta Open.^[8] She pulled the Spira Heist during the Regatta.^[9]

In 1 ABY, Marelle was on Tinnel IV when she raided the personal estate of Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, ruler of the Quanta sector. She stole several works of art from the Moff's vaults, but left data disks in place.^[9] A few months later, Marelle was on Elshandruu Pica, where she stole gems and setting valued at over six million credits from Lady Landric of Danteel who was staying at Margath's. Lady Landric, wife of Moff Landric announced that a full scale investigation into the theft was to be launched. Two days later, Marelle returned the gems and settings to the safe where she had looted them from, baffling investigators. Despite this, the Imperial Office of Criminal Investigations assigned Special Enforcement Officer Zanza Gata to the Tombat case.^[10]

In 2 ABY, Maralle reported on the release of Fitz Roi's newest sound slug, Tymin' Downband while on Arcopola. A month later, she looted the art collection of Whiphid business tycoon Baron Galrowk on Gambolla.^[11] A few months later, Marelle was on Brentaal IV reporting on the lavish production of The Kallea Cycle. During a banquet hosted by House Brentioch, Marelle arranged for quella stones to be baked into the bowls of shim-bay crispa served to the guests, which included Moff Jamson Caglio, Imperial Advisor Alec Pradeux, and Inspector Zanza Gata of the IOCI.^[12]

Personality and traitsEdit

Marelle was trained to use a blaster, and carried a palm blaster. She was also trained in unarmed and melee combat. Marelle was knowledgeable about bureaucratic procedure, alien cultures, and law enforcement. She could fly repulsorlift vehicles and swoops, and could operate security equipment. Marelle was able to program and repair computers, and program droids, and was skilled in demolitions and first aid treatment. An able thief, she was also able to con or persuade targets, was adept at sneaking and hiding, skilled in the art of forgery, and was a gambler. Marelle carried a doorjacker with her.^[1]

Behind the scenesEdit

Marelle's profile in Cracken's Rebel Operatives lists her age as 28, and is written from an in-universe perspective set just after the Battle of Yavin, indicating a birthdate of 28 BBY. However, HoloNet News articles set in 22 BBY list her as a senior reporter despite the fact that she would be only 6 years old. This article assumes that the age given in Cracken's Rebel Operatives is incorrect, and had been superseded by more current sources.

AppearancesEdit

•  Greyshade Proposes Gambling as Revenue—HoloNet News Vol. 531 52
•  Leisure Industry Suffers Record Losses—HoloNet News Vol. 531 52
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 3
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 4 (As "Tombat")
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 5
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 6 (As "Tombat")
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 8 (As "Tombat")
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 11
• "Galaxywide NewsNets"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 13

SourcesEdit

• Cracken's Rebel Operatives
• Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids (As "Tombat")
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (As "Tombat")
•  Moff Jerjerrod in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link on Archive.org) (As "Tombat")

Notes and referencesEdit