Derdram Zarek

Derdram Zarek was a pirate who later became a member of the Galactic Empire, a member of Imperial Intelligence, and a Corporal in the Imperial Security Bureau. When he served aboard the Death Star, the Empire's superweapon, Zarek offered to sabotage the Death Star for the Rebel Alliance, the Empire's enemies. During his attempt at doing so, he was killed.

Early life
"A business deal. That's what I want. Employment."

- Zarek to the Hutt Cartel.

Derdram Zarek was a human male born on the planet Bastion. Bastion was governed by the Galactic Empire at the time of Zarek's birth. As a young adult, Zarek travelled to the planet Carida to study at the Academy of Carida, in order to gain the qualifications required to join the Imperial Starfleet. During his time at the academy, Zarek gained the skills necessary to pilot starships such as TIE Fighters, the standard starship of the Imperial Navy.

In the academy, Zarek became the subject of racial abuse from other students born on Carida. Bastion, located in the Outer Rim, was perceived as unintelligent by Zarek's fellow pupils. This caused Zarek to leave the academy at the age of sixteen, and Derdram returned to Bastion. Disenchanted with the Imperial system due to his experiences at the academy, Derdram then moved to live on the planet Tatooine. On Tatooine, Derdram involved himself with a large crime syndicate, the Hutt Cartel, and earned a position which made use of his starship-flying abilities.

Crisis on Caamas
"You want to think about the Hutt Cartel now, and surrender."

- Urai Fen.

During the construction of the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station, a planned Imperial superweapon, Zarek worked with the Talortai Urai Fen. Fen was the bodyguard of Tyber Zann, leader of another crime syndicate, the Zann Consortium. In an attempt to establish better relations between the Hutt Cartel and the Zann Consortium, employees of both factions were working together. The two factions planned a raid of an Imperial supply convoy on the planet Caamas, led by Fen and Zarek.

The supply convoy was transporting a cargo that was more important to the Empire than Zarek knew. Fen, however, knew of the importance of the cargo and had orders to sacrifice Zarek to ensure the success of the mission if it were needed. The Empire's xenophobia meant that it was impossible to disguise Fen as an Imperial security guard, and so it was left to Zarek to infiltrate the convoy, before it left to go to another location. Dressed as an Imperial officer, Zarek managed to remove key items of the convoy and take them to the rendezvous point with Fen.

At the rendezvous point, Zarek handed over the goods to Fen. Although the pair were collaborating on the mission, Fen felt that he would receive a better pay off if it seemed that the mission was harder than it had been. Having already informed the Empire of Zarek's attempted escape, he shot Zarek before leaving with the goods. In his haste, he hadn't ensured that Zarek was killed, and so Imperial forces found the wounded Zarek. Zarek claimed that he was an Imperial officer who had been unofficially working with the convoy prior to the raid, and had been taken hostage. Due to Zarek's qualifications from the Academy, the Empire accepted this fabrication.

Imperial officer
"I want to set this galaxy on a path to freedom."

- Zarek's words to the Rebel Alliance.

Once fully healed, Zarek assumed that Fen had been instructed to do as he had done by the Hutt Cartel. As such, Zarek felt no obligation or desire to return to them, and instead felt that he could make more credit by working for the Empire. Applying to be trained to become a member of the Intelligence branch of the Empire, Zarek's application was accepted. Prior to the Battle of Hoth, Zarek infiltrated the Rebel Alliance, the principle opposition to the Empire. Whilst posing as a member of the Rebel Alliance, Zarek discovered the means of contacting the Alliance that he would later need.

For a time, Zarek served on board an Imperial ship, the Avenger, and witnessed the escape of the smuggler Han Solo and his allies. From there, Zarek began returning to general missions for Imperial Intelligence once more. After a failed mission on the planet Felucia, Zarek was demoted from his position with Imperial Intelligence, and redirected to the Imperial Security Bureau. Having failed a mission, Zarek was punitively placed on service on board the second Death Star, the Empire's attempts to rebuild their superweapon. This was deemed to be a low position with no job satisfaction. Zarek accepted the position, although began to plot against the Empire, due to his outrage at being punished after one failure.

Having discovered means of contacting the Rebel Alliance on a previous mission, Zarek offered to sabotage the work on the Death Star to give the Alliance a strategic advantage in the Galactic Civil War. In return, Zarek demanded a hefty reward, a high position within the Rebel Alliance, and his own safety. The Alliance accepted, and Zarek began his plans. Redirecting construction teams to areas already constructed from inside the system was a common method Zarek used to hinder Imperial construction plans. However, when Darth Vader, a Sith Lord and important member of the Empire visited the station, he witnessed the sabotage attempts. Using the Force, Vader eventually discovered Zarek behind the sabotages, and had him executed.

Personality and traits
"He's good. If he weren't so arrogant he'd be great..."

- A tutor at the Academy of Carida.

Zarek was known for his outspoken demeanour and general will to initiate conversation. In addition, Zarek had a fascination for starships and weaponry. Prior to joining the Academy of Carida, Zarek considered becoming a member of the Imperial Senate, and using his speaking prowess. He had a tendency to appear as arrogant to his peers, due to his confidence in his own abilities. This was predominantly due to the support he received from various tutors at the Academy of Carida towards his opinion of his own abilities. Zarek was also known for his lack of strong loyalty towards those he served.

Zarek took very little interest in political affairs after choosing to become a fighter pilot, and took even less interest after he left the Academy. This was in contrast to his initial interest in politics, which defused after his choice to join the Academy of Cariba. Considered by many to be devoid of morals, due to his lack of overall loyalty and indifference to the violent methods employed by the Empire to keep control, Zarek's main issue with the Empire was with their xenophobic ideals. Despite the fact that Zarek was xenephobic towards non-humans, particularly so after Fen's betrayal, Zarek felt that the human species were equal amongst one another.

Zarek's personality led many of his working colleagues to see him as manipulative and always having different motives to his plans than would be expected. This also led him to be seen as selfish by his peers.

Talents and abilities
"I'm good with ships. Always was."

- Zarek on his own abilities.

Zarek's main talent lay with his skills as a pilot. Specifically adept at handling a TIE Fighter, Zarek experienced piloting of many ships over his career. In addition to this, Zarek's career as a criminal, and his training as an Imperial officer, led him to be adept with firearms such as blasters.

Besides the skills he had been trained in, Zarek was considered by his peers to be "naturally able" as an orator. His peers described him as being able to inspire them to follow him into dangerous situations. This made him a reasonably well paid employee of the Hutt Cartel.

Behind the scenes
Derdram Zarek was a character initially featured in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, an episode of the original Star Wars saga. In The Empire Striks Back, Zarek appeared simply under the name "Derdram". Thomas Rattim, the author of the article on Star Wars Fanon, expanded upon the character Derdram, giving him a second name and a backstory in addition to the certain elements included from The Empire Strikes Back.

The last name, Zarek, is a homage to the Battlestar Galactica character Tom Zarek. The character of Tom Zarek and Derdram Zarek share a number of similar features, with both being portrayed by the actor Richard Hatch. In addition, elements of Derdram's personality and similar to those of Tom Zarek in the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica. In Battlestar Galactica, Tom Zarek experienced racial discrimination, as the young Derdram Zarek did.