I will not allow this empire we have worked so hard to maintain fall apart.
—Aigeus Sarkev to the Imperial Ruling Council
Aigeus Sarkev was a Human male statesman, administrator, and reformer who held a number of prominent posts in the Galactic Empire. Before the creation of the Empire, Sarkev held minor positions in the bureaucracy of the Galactic Republic, and acquired a reputation of being a good administrator. When Palpatine declared himself Emperor and founded the New Order in 19 BBY, he continued to advance on the rank ladder. His reputation was known by the Emperor and for a time he was the director of the Imperial Security Bureau. By the time the Galactic Civil War began in 2 BBY Sarkev had left the post of security director and served as an Imperial Advisor to the Emperor. His actions during the early years of the Galactic Civil War were unknown, but by 10 ABY Sarkev was serving the reborn Emperor Palpatine.
However, he realized that the cloned Emperor was insane and unstable, and thus participated with a plot to sabotage the rest of the Emperor's clone bodies by Emperor's Royal Guardsman Carnor Jax. The plot turned out to be successful and Palpatine died for the final time, with Jax taking the throne. But shortly afterwards Emperor Jax was killed by Royal Guardsman Kir Kanos. Taking advantage of the moment, Sarkev became the head of the Imperial Interim Ruling Council as the "Grand Secretariat". He managed to evade several assassination attempts by Yuuzhan Vong agent Nom Anor and strengthened the Empire, reforming the government to end its Humanocentric policies and promoted Gilad Pellaeon to the position of Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet.
In 14 ABY, Nom Anor caught up to him and carried out a successful assassination by planting a bomb on Sarkev's shuttle, killing him and everyone else aboard in the explosion. The aristocrat Burr Nolyds succeeded him as the Grand Secretariat.
Biography[]
Early career and origins[]
Sarkev was a Human male who was born around 53 BBY, working as an administrator for the Galactic Republic since before the Clone Wars. He gained a reputation of being a skilled statesman, and when Supreme Chancellor Palpatine reformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire, he rose up the ranks. Palpatine recognized his skills and placed him in charge of the Imperial Security Bureau around 12 BBY. Sarkev served in this position until about 7 BBY, when he left the office of ISB director and became an Imperial advisor to the Emperor. His actions during the period from 2 BBY to 10 ABY were mostly unknown, though he was thought to have left Coruscant and fled to the Deep Core after the New Republic captured the planet.
Leading the "Council of Blood"[]
We are not here to see how we can gain more personal power, Councilor Nolyds. We are here to preserve the New Order and to make sure that the Rebellion is crushed.
—Sarkev to fellow advisor Burr Nolyds
By 10 ABY, Sarkev was part of the Imperial Ruling Council under the reborn Emperor Palpatine, who was able to return in a clone body after his first death at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. However, he became increasingly disillusioned with the reborn Emperor as he saw him causing massive destruction, and thought that this Palpatine was not the same as the one who died at Endor. That was why in 11 ABY, Sarkev got involved in a plot with Emperor's Royal Guard and aspiring Sith Lord Carnor Jax to sabotage the remaining clone bodies. They paid off the Emperor's physician to sabotage them, who did so, preventing Palpatine from returning to life after he was killed on Onderon. With Palpatine dead permanently, Carnor Jax became the new Emperor. His reign was short, though, as he was murdered by Royal Guardsman Kir Kanos on Yinchorr. When this occurred, Sarkev realized that something had to be done to keep the Empire from completely falling apart. He declared himself the new head of the Imperial Interim Ruling Council as the "Grand Secretariat".
The council convened at a villa in the capital city of Ord Cantrell. As the leader of the council, he began massive reforms. Sarkev ended the anti-alien bias of the original Galactic Empire and appointed several aliens to the council. He also created a new Imperial High Command for the military, placing first Admiral Natasi Daala, and after her resignation, Gilad Pellaeon as the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet. The military was able to fight off New Republic advances into the remaining Imperial space. These actions made him a popular leader among both the citizenry and the military, solidifying his position as the head of state. Sarkev negotiated with the remaining powerful warlords, reunifying much of the Empire and bolstering its strength. His main opponent on the council became the aristocrat Burr Nolyds, who wanted more power for himself. Sarkev continued to to lead the Empire until 14 ABY, when he was assassinated by Yuuzhan Vong agent Nom Anor, who planted a bomb on his personal shuttle.
Legacy[]
Sarkev's death came as a shock to the Empire, since by then he was viewed as the man who held it together, strengthened it, and basically saved it. After his death, Burr Nolyds got himself in office as the new Grand Secretariat and undid much of what Sarkev accomplished. Nolyds resigned in 18 ABY, with Xandel Carivus becoming the Grand Secretariat before being assassinated. After the death of Carivus, the Empire fell apart and was reformed into the Imperial Remnant.
Personality and traits[]
Sarkev was considered to be a good statesman and administrator by many, including Emperor Palpatine. He was a staunch Imperial loyalist that hated those who only joined the Empire for their own personal gain. He considered the Rebellion to be the cause of many problems in the galaxy, and did not recognize the New Republic.
Behind the scenes[]
The character is based on Pyotr Stolypin, who was a famous prime minister of the Russian Empire who enacted reforms and was thought to have been able to save the Empire from collapsing if he was not assassinated.