| abstract | - Simone Drake, known as Piper only to a select few, first entered the business arena as a Systems Analyst for the Corporate Sector Authority's Research and Development division about two years after the Battle of Endor. She quickly became VicePrex of the division, but days after her promotion, she was kidnapped off of the GDIStar station by an Imperial — Sabbathius Osbourne. She was released a month later on Palanhi and taken to Caspar on the Millennium Falcon by the group who found her, to attend the wedding of close friend Jessalyn Valios. After the wedding and the (unrelated) death of CDU Presav Lyr Dunwell, Simone left the Caspia system unexpectantly with ExO Sean Dillon's aide, Kuxli, in tow. Rumors were that the cub had been shot. Back on Etti IV, Simone found fugitives Han Solo and Chewbacca and tried to arrest them. With the aide of the Emperor's Hand, Alora Antieres, Solo was captured. The escaped Wookiee fled to alert the New Republic, who then sent a fleet of capital ships to Etti IV in support of the smuggler's release. As a result, the Imperials brought in a fleet of their own. The tension was palpable. It was inopportune that Dillon wasn't around to keep the warring factions in check. Simone was appointed Prex to keep the situation from escalating while the Legal Division prepared to take their case against Solo to trial. Pressure mounted as New Republic spies were caught attempting to free Solo, and the Falcon broke through the Authority patrol line with the renegade Chewbacca onboard. The ship was eventually found and impounded, but search crews failed to turn up the pilot. Even the Imperials were having trouble, as Simone had Grand Moff Ariak Caldny throw diplomat Chantinelle Thistleborn off the planet completely for threatening her during negotations about Solo. The Legal Division was taking forever. The presence of the two fleets was hurting the Sector's business. When Sabbath showed up asking for Solo, Simone gladly turned him over and the smuggler was removed from Corporate Sector space entirely. The New Republic fleet was chased out by the Empire, and the Imperial fleet retreated to their own space shortly after. When Dillon finally returned to Etti IV, Simone had him arrested for crimes against the CSA involving his connection with the 'escape' of Chewbacca from the Security Center a year before. The DIREX Board elected Simone Drake as the next ExO, and she served well in that capacity for several months before resigning without notice and disappearing from the Sector completely. Months passed. When the Black Krayt Swoop Arena in Plaxton opened, Simone returned to the public eye as a racer on her swoop, the Terminal Velocity. She raced for no team, but managed the McTavish Garage, and eventually founded her own swoop-oriented company, Avalon Enterprises. In addition to selling, repairing, and upgrading swoops, Avalon Enterprises formed its own racing team. Team Avalon went against the trend by allowing its racers to keep 100% of their winnings. Simone Drake continued to compete as both owner and manager of Team Avalon, and kept both the company and the team closely linked with its sister company, McTavish Enterprises. Together, both McTavish Enterprises and Avalon Enterprises have worked hard to help change the racing circuit from the inside out, advocating against teams who bled their racers dry of their winnings and those who went beyond healthy competition and were poor sports whether they won or lost. When the Black Krayt stagnated, Simone worked with Troy McTavish to build the Reckless Abandon Swoop Arena in Coronet City, Corellia. The track is owned and managed by Avalon Enterprises, and has long since been a favorite stop on the racing circuit for many because of its special design and frequent additions. Simone continues to race swoops professionally as her company thrives. She resides on Corellia within the Avalon Towers skyscraper in Galactic Dividend Square, a stone's throw from the Reckless Abandon Swoop Arena track where she spends most of her time.
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