My loyalty is to the New Order.
—Cesar Korupt
Cesar Korupt was a long-serving naval officer, first of the Galactic Republic and later under the Galactic Empire and its eventual successor, the Imperial Remnant. Korupt's long and fruitful career in the navy began at the age of 19, when he participated in a short and successful campaign against pirates in his home system, in which he showed both bravery and skill, earning himself a promotion up from Ensign to Second Lieutenant. Further displays of command ability ensured that by the time of the Invasion of Naboo, Korupt had attained the rank of Captain.
During the Trade Federation's occupation of Naboo, Korupt helped to lead an underground resistance movement, operating mostly from the city of Theed. The resistance movement's eventual success in helping Padme Amidala regain the throne of Naboo cemented Korupt's reputation as a hero of Naboo. During the celebrations after the overthrow of the short-lived Trade Federation government Korupt met former Naboo Senator, and newly-appointed Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine and immediately got on well with the Chancellor. This early rapport with Palpatine would go on to help Korupt's career in the future.
By the end Clone Wars, Korupt managed to attain the rank of Admiral after engineering some of the Republic's most decisive victories. During the war Korupt supported Palpatine's increased use of emergency powers, believing that civil liberties needed to be sacrificed in order to achieve victory. When Palpatine transformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire, Korupt supported the move, believing that law and stability were more important in the aftermath of the devastating war than freedom of speech. Indeed, Korupt believed that it had been because of the Separatists' free speech that had caused so many thousands of systems to leave the Republic and cause the war in the first place.
The Galactic Empire was a kind regime to Korupt. His personal friendship with the Emperor, Palpatine, secured his position within the Imperial Navy. Korupt's xenophobia and humanocentrism, which he had always repressed, was allowed, and even encouraged, to pour from him. Korupt held a special hatred for Thrawn, his fellow Grand Admiral, as he was a Chiss. Thrawn, on his part, held just as much loathing for Korupt, but also a grudging respect for his colleague's abilities. Korupt later served under Thrawn during his war against the New Republic. After Thrawn's eventual defeat, Korupt became a minor warlord for a brief period, leading a small fleet of Imperial ships to conquer as much of the Outer Rim as possible. This only lasted for three years, however, before Korupt and his small force joined the Imperial Remnant.
In 14 ABY, Korupt was assigned to the Caedo. The Caedo was the ship that the Remnant had allocated to lead its operation to assist the Disciples of Ragnos in their mission to resurrect Marka Ragnos on Korriban.