Keiji Shibazaki

Keiji Shibazaki was a Human male admiral in the Imperial Navy, first under the Galactic Empire and then in the Imperial Remnant. He was born to a former Republic Navy officer on Coruscant. Enlisting in the Navy in 4 ABY, he graduated from the Imperial City Naval College with the rank of junior lieutenant as the Battle of Endor commenced. After the deaths of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader over Endor, Shibazaki continued service aboard a Carrack-class light cruiser called the Yakuma. His commanding officer remained loyal to Admiral Gilad Pellaeon and his fleet.

By the time of the reunification of the remains of the Empire, Shibazaki was a captain and was commanding the Victory-class Star Destroyer Satsuma. He served throughout the years in minor conflicts in the Outer Rim Territories, often working with the New Republic. In 24 ABY, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral and was given command of the Allegiance-class battlecruiser Azuma. In 25 ABY, at the outbreak of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy, Shibazaki was part of the Imperial Second Naval Fleet and took part in several engagements.

He became most notable for his role of leading Imperial forces at the Battle of Vortex in 27 ABY. He first commanded a fleet of warships, but as they were overwhelmed, Shibazaki and several thousand troops took dropships down to the surface of the planet Vortex. There, they held out against Yuuzhan Vong ground forces. With only several hundred troops left several days later, Shibazaki led a final charge against Yuuzhan Vong attackers. Following their deaths, Shibazaki was awarded the Imperial Medal of Courage.