Zeth Kord was a member of the Trade Federation and later leader of the Trade Federation Remnant, which was a group of Trade Federation rebels who wanted to bring them back to former glory and also gain wealth by offering to settle dept for people. The TFR were a powerful underground force in Outer Rim trade.
Zeth had spent most of his early life on the planet Duros but moved to Deko Neimoidia to get a job in the Trade Federation. He became a diplomat and even helped prevent war on several occasions. But when the Clone Wars came around he found himself focusing more on military tactics instead. After 19 BBY he became Viceroy of the Trade Federation Remnant. He was killed in 12 BBY defending Zealand 6 from the Galactic Empire
Biography[]
Early Life (75 BBY-33 BBY)[]
While most Neimoidians spent their lives on Neimoidia and its purse worlds such as Cato Neimoidia, Deko Neimoidia and Koru Neimoidia Zeth had a harder life on the planet Duro which is where the a similar species lived the Duros. Unlike Neimoidians there were blue and alot more adapt at survival and stronger. The opposite to the stereotypical Neimoidian. Zeth found himself an ally in the Duros and this would become crucial in the coming years. Zeth decided to leave Duro behind to apply for a job in Deko Neimoidia in 48 BBY. But during this time tensions between Neimoidians and the Duros had fallen to tatters with Duros launching terror attacks and the Neimoidians threatening to invade Duro. In 47 BBY the Galactic Republic sent in peace negotiators and Jedi knights, Dooku and Qui-Gon Jinn. Zeth used information from his past life on Duro to help reinforce the good nature of the Duro. After 48 hours of negotiations between the two factions and treaty was made and several trade deals were made to enhance a possible friendship. Zeth earned great praise from his Neimoidian and Duro peers for his actions. Zeth was offered a job in the Trade Federation as a Negotiator but in 32 BBY he meet his match in the face of Queen Amidala.
Invasion of Naboo (32 BBY)[]
When a blockade was set up over the peaceful planet of Naboo Zeth expressed concern but his thoughts were silenced by the fairly new Viceroy, Nute Gunray. Zeth wrote out the treaty that the Queen of Naboo was intended to sign. Unlike most of the Neimoidians who were there Zeth expressed sympathy while going over the treaties terms and conditions with Governor Sio Bibble, telling him that he would make sure that no genocide would occur to his people.
Zeth (left), overlooking Naboo, just before the Invasion is commenced.
Zeth decided to travel to Coruscant to meet with the senator of the Trade Federation and Neimoidia: Lott Dod to discuss an alibi. Zeth decided to reside in Coruscant for longer than expected and while staying there he saw the Jedi, Queen Amidala and her bodyguards leaving for Naboo, Zeth ordered his Droid Bodyguards to snipe the queen but they missed and the ship left the planet. Zeth returned to Naboo to find the blockade had disbanded and now a single droid control ship was left. Upon making it down to the surface he passed the plains in front of the naboo palace and saw all out war had broken out. Viceroy Gunray called him and asked him to aide in the battle on the plains. Zeth soon scored a decisive victory over the Gungan people but celebrations were soon cut short when the control-ship was destroyed by a young boy named Anakin Skywalker.
Zeth managed to escape by hiding out in the swampland for several days until it was safe to leave the planet. Zeth made his way back to Neimoidia and learned that Gunray and Rune Haako had been arrested, along with the occupational council, and the entire control-ship crew had perished. Zeth flew through the ranks following these deaths. Zeth was a top contender to become Viceroy but turned the opportunity down, instead he stayed at his job as a Diplomat.
Verge of War (31 BBY-23 BBY)[]
After serving a surprisingly short term for invading a planet, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako were released at some point prior to 23 BBY, hellbent on revenge Nute Gunray hired bounty hunter, Jango Fett to have her killed. Zeth suggested Cad Bane to do it instead, a known Jedi killer. Nute felt uneasy about working with the Duro and declined the idea. Zeth was on Cato Neimoidia, a Neimoidian purse world, when he was informed that Gunray had signed an arms agreement with several other companies, such as the Techno union, and former jedi, Count Dooku. Several hours later, Gunray arrived on Cato and told them that war had begun.
The Clone War (22 BBY-19 BBY)[]
Zeth made the decsion to stay on Neimoidia and serve on the Confederacy of Independent Systems Parliament for the Trade Federation and Neimoidia.
After several months working in parliament, Zeth was requested to resign by Gunray as there was a need for more humanoid military officers in the army.
Zeth informs Bane of his intention to abandon his ship.
In 21 BBY Zeth commanded a fleet of Starships along side his long time ally, Cad Bane, who had been hired by the Separatist (but in reality the Sith) to steal a Jedi Holocron from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Bane was successful and also stunned and imprisoned a Jedi Master to open the holocron. While above the Planet Devaron Cad and Zeth's fleet was ambushed by republic cruisers. CIS ships quickly began to be shot disable and destroyed. Bane was contacted by Nute Gunray about the destruction of his ships. Bane did not care about the safety of the Viceroy's fleet but Zeth did, as he would be most likely held responsible for Bane's actions. When Zeth's ship was disabled he told Bane that he would be making his escape via Escape Pod and would need to be picked up but before he could be rescued by Bane, a Republic ship retrieved him and Kord was arrested.
Bane managed to make a getaway by hijacking a republic V-19 Torrent star-fighter. Zeth was less lucky as he was traild and found guilty in court and was sent to a high security prison since he had previously escaped republic capture during his days living on Duro.
At a certain point during the war, Bane was apprehended by the Republic for his crimes and imprisoned in the same high security prison as Zeth Kord was. However, he merely allowed himself to be captured as part of his latest job. He had been hired by Moralo Eval, a criminal mastermind working for Count Dooku, to break him out of prison. Eval was highly involved in a Separatist plan to kidnap Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was also planning on recruiting Bane in his plan.
Zeth and Cad Bane catch up in prison.
After a quick catch up with his friend, Bane informed Zeth of his plans to create a riot and break out. Zeth asked him to tell him when the riot would occur so he would be in an area for a quick getaway. The following morning, Cad requested that a young Boba Fett start a fight with Rako Hardeen (who was actually Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi). Boba obliged and got started. Once Shock Troopers arrived to break the fight up, Trandoshan, Bossk come from behind and attacked the guards, escalating the fight. Now with the prisoners armed the prison fell into mayhem, allowing to Zeth make his escape via a rubbish chute. Zeth took a refugee transport to the Outer Rim. Zeth headed to Serenno to meet with Count Dooku and inform him of his escape. Before he could leave, Dooku asked if he would want to watch his tournament, which he called: The Box. Zeth was shocked to see one of the contestants was Cad Bane and the creator of the tournament turned out to be Eval. Zeth watched all the challenges nervously hoping his long time friend would pull full. Bane, Hardeen and several other impressive Bounty hunters pulled through and w
Bane uses a Digital Alias of Zeth Kord.
ere deployed to Naboo to capture the Chancellor. All of the bounty hunters were given Digital Projection Alias. Most of the bounty hunters had Senate Guard uniform but Bane had a digital projection disguise of Zeth, whom Bane would being using as an "innocent citizen". Zeth was saddened but not surprised to learn that Bane had failed the mission and had been put under arrest.
In the final days of the Clone Wars Zeth was ordered to help defend Cato Neimoidia which was close to collapse after months of brutal attack. Nute Gunray evacuated to go to Utapau for a meeting with the new leader of the Confederacy, Grievous. Nute then went to Mustafar where he his closest aides Rune Haako and Rute Gunnay were murdered by Anakin Skywalker in the Mission to Mustafar.
Foundation of the Trade Federation Remnant (19 BBY-16 BBY)[]
Zeth, who was on Cato Neimoidia at the time of the assassination with Sentepeth Findos, whom was now Viceroy of a lost and distraught Trade Federation. Sentepeth gave Zeth the location of a sizeable portion of the remaining hiding fleet, a manual activation code for several hundred battalions of B1 and B2 droids and told him to retreat to the Outer Rim Territories or Unknown Regions of the Galaxy. Zeth learnt of Findos foreced resignation and proclaimed himself leader of the Trade Federation Remnant. Zeth new top aides included: Marz Suvan, Rute Findos and Skakoan, Esmir Bolt. Zeth took emergency measures to preserve the droids he had been given. Such as lower their power usage so low they couldn't even run. The next few years was mostly made up of scavenging lifeless planets for spare parts and other supplies. The majority of the fleet was kept hiding with extreme secrecy whilst smaller shuttles made trading missions to planets such as Tatooine.
In 16 BBY they colonised the lush planet, Zealand 4 and settled down there. Marz Suvan and Rute Findos colonized the neighboring planets: Zealand 3 and 6 over the following months. The remaining planets were guarded but were not safe enough to live on.
Mass Expansion (16 BBY-12 BBY)[]
The TFR decided to expand beyond the Zealand System after all habitable planets were colonized. Planets included the Neimoidian purse world, Deko Neimoidia. The people of Deko Neimoidia silently allowed the TFR to run the planet. The Empire was oblivious to these silent underground takeovers.
Discovered by the Empire and Death (12 BBY)[]
In 12 BBY, four years after arriving at the Zealand System. A small Imperial Patrol Ship discovered that Zealand 6 was being run by former Trade Federation Officials. The TFR's artillery tried to shoot it down but the patrol ship escaped and informed Admiral Armos who was in the Oceanus Sector at the time. His fleet attacked Zealand 6 but Armos' forces themselves struggling to beat them due to the sheer number of Droids in use and the freezing cold/swampy environment of the planet. It wasn't long until the Battle of Zealand 6 ended up in the death of Armos and nearly all Imperial ground forces.
Despite a crushing defeat the empire still managed to kill Zeth as he ended up isolated from his army during a retreat near the beginning of the battle. Zeth took out his blaster and attempted to escape but was shot during a driveby from a Imperial Speederbike.