"Last I saw her, she had several bullet holes and was lying across a pool table aboard the Righteous Rain. Haven't seen her since."
-anonymous raider
At some point during the early expansion of humanity into the cosmos, the famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, the Mona Lisa, was stolen from the Louvre. Government agencies tracked the painting onto a transport vessel, but when they searched the craft, they couldn't locate the painting. The Mona Lisa has been missing ever since.
The Theft
The Mona Lisa was stolen in the year 2118 by a highly skilled team. The Louvre's security systems never sent out an alert and the painting wasn't discovered to be missing until the following day.
Many theories have developed about who might have the skill necessary to conduct such a heist, but two names appear most often; Polly Bourk and Caleb Smith. Polly, an English-woman, and Caleb, an American, were highly-wanted criminals during the time. They had stolen various artifacts and had successfully infiltrated Fort Knox, stealing several hundred pounds of gold. Polly was notoriously silver-tongued, utilizing disguises and charisma to collect information about their potential marks. Caleb was a belligerent drunk, who incited fights in order to create distractions. Both were highly trained combatants.
The most prominent theory goes that Polly had used her charm to steal a key from the guards while Caleb was berating visitors and security alike just outside. That night, several security cameras and other protective measures were disabled for around 30 minutes, leading many to suspect there was an inside man, but no one was ever charged. The painting was missing by the time security equipment became operational again.
Where is She Now?
No one has been able to provide a reliable location of the Mona Lisa, but many claim to have witnessed her aboard ships of rich aristocrats or notorious criminals. Many accounts claim that the painting has been mutilated or damaged, some say intentionally and others by accident. The most commonly stated damage is that the bootlegger Norman Detwiler had intimidated potential customers by proving his marksmanship, and shooting out the eyes of the painting with a pistol at over 50 yards.
Myths and legends have arisen about massive wars between gangs in order to secure the painting. One such legend claims the Free Space Conflict, a massive battle resulting in over 400 killed, was due to a deal-gone-wrong for the Mona Lisa.
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