Nikto

"The Shuxl Brotherhood. My species. Very clever, very powerful."

―Nogba Quush, regarding a group of Nikto^[8]

The Nikto were a humanoid sentient species native to the planet Kintan in the Outer Rim Territories. There existed at least four Nikto subspecies, the Kajain'sa'Nikto (red Nikto), the Kadas'sa'Nikto (green Nikto), the Esral'sa'Nikto (mountain Nikto), and the Nikto Ijosap'sai. Many Kajain'sa'Nikto were employed by the Hutt Clan as enforcers during the Clone Wars, and centuries prior, while several green and red Nikto served the crime lord Jabba the Hutt shortly before the Battle of Endor. Some Nikto were members of the Jedi Order, such as the male Kajain'sa'Nikto Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di.

Biology and appearance

«You know what I love best about Kadas'sa'Nikto like you? It's your thick hide.»

―Greedo, to Takvaa^[9]

NiktoGuard-TCWCEJtB — A Kajain'sa'Nikto guard

The Nikto species had at least three subspecies: the Kajain'sa'Nikto (or red Nikto) and the Kadas'sa'Nikto (green Nikto) were both well-adapted to arid desert climates,^[4] while the Esral'sa'Nikto (mountain Nikto) occupied more temperate, lush environments.^[3] Another subspecies was the Nikto Ijosap'sai, which were commonly mistaken for the Prae'tus species.^[5] Both red and green Nikto were distinguished by their scaly, coarse skin and various facial horns and spikes.^[2]

The mountain Nikto were distinguishable from the red and green Nikto as they had no horns, possessing fan-like facial "fins" instead.^[3] Green Nikto offspring were born from eggs, thus they were referred to as hatchlings.^[10] This subspecies was incapable of blushing, as their skin only contained green pigments,^[11] and had a thick, stiff quality.^[9]

History

Early history to the Imperial Era

ImaGunDi-TtG2024 — Ima-Gun Di served as a Jedi General during the Clone Wars.

"The Niktos served the Hutts for centuries. They've never had a truly independent government of their own. Hardly even a world of their own, really."

―C-3PO^[12]

The Nikto originated on Kintan.^[4]^[2] Centuries before the New Republic Era, their home planet was discovered and taken over by the Hutts, who effectively enslaved the entire race. Under this Hutt rule, Nikto were not given any freedom to form a government of their own, and effectively lost control over Kintan itself.^[12] Some Nikto were appointed as guards and thugs for their Hutt overlords and became a common sight in most of their enslavers' entourages.^[1] The Galactic Empire brought oppression down on the Nikto species during its control over the galaxy, with later stories warning the post-Imperial generations of how stormtroopers treated their species.^[13]

New Republic

KintanStriders-BoBFCh4 — The biker gang known as the Kintan Striders

Some time after the death of Jabba the Hutt, the Niktos managed to break free from their oppressors and at least one Nikto cartel existed during the New Republic's existence. It was led by a Kajain'sa'Nikto named Rinnrivin Di.^[12] A gang of Nikto bikers known as the Kintan Striders raided local moisture farms around Tosche Station until they were eliminated by Boba Fett^[14] around 9 ABY.^[15]

Some 30-odd years later, the young male Kadas'sa'Nikto Neeku Vozo served as a mechanic at Yeager's Repairs, a garage bay aboard the Colossus run by Team Fireball.^[16] He would later be promoted as the Colossus' chief engineer, once the station left its home planet of Castilon, pursued by the First Order.^[17]

During the cat-and-mouse chase of the next months, the Colossus happened upon another Nikto in the person of Nenavakasa "Nena" Nalor, a female of unknown subspecies. After socializing with the station's inhabitants and helping with repairs, which were abundant, Nalor's real motives were revealed upon investigation of her ship, which she claimed had barely survived a First Order attack. Nalor had in fact been hired by the First Order to infiltrate the Colossus and sabotage it, so that Commander Pyre and Agent Tierny could finally get their hands on the refueling station they had been after for too long. The plan failed, however, due to the quick thinking and rapid fixes performed by Vozo, resident engineer of the Colossus. Nena fled the station, and her failure was taken by the First Order with a sentence of her summary execution should they ever encounter her again.^[7]