Labor Pains is a monologue told from the point-of-view of the Snivvian Marn Hierogryph, a con-artist. This story is a spinoff of John Jackson Miller's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic series. While on Taris, Hierogryph's criminal activities had drawn the attention of the Tarisian authorities who sought the help of the Jedi Order, who had a presence on that ecumenopolis world. The local Jedi authorities dispatched the Jedi Padawan Zayne Carrick to apprehend Hierogryph but the crafty Snivvian succeeded in eluding the young Jedi on several occasions. Finally, Carrick succeeded in apprehending the Snivvian con artist. However, Carrick was then framed by the Jedi Covenant for the murder of his fellow Padawans and forced to go into hiding. The two former enemies were forced to join forces as they traveled across the galaxy, eluding the Jedi and Republic authorities. Eventually, Marn Hierogryph and Zayne Carrick's travels brought them to the Core World of Ralltiir. Using his new self-styled status as a "crime lord," Hierogryph intended to fleece what he dubbed "Stupid People." Collecting piles of what he called "junk" from their starship The Last Resort, Hierogryph and Carrick soldered together pieces of miscellaneous machinery, in the hope of selling them as statuary works of mechanical art. Heading to the Obohn Gallery of the Industrial Aesthetic, Hierogryph negotiated with the curators, Dremullar Obohn di Garthos, and a Rodian by the name of "Father." Claiming that the machinery was the work of Ineas Tikartine, Hierogryph initially failed to convince his marks, but Carrick was able to use a Jedi mind trick on them. Before Hierogryph could collect the money, however, Vandrayk barged into the gallery, demanding that the Snivvian return his machinery. Di Garthos did not tolerate the rowdy arguing in his gallery, and so set his Wookiee guards after the trio. Luckily for Hierogryph, though, he incorrectly assumed that Vandrayk was Tikartine, and that the creator of the artworks was aware that his work was stolen, which made the pieces more valuable. He paid Hierogryph double the Snivvian's original price. Carrick was displeased with the fact that he had aided in conning an innocent Muun, but Hierogryph was now able to further his plans.