Danik Kreldin

Danik Kreldin (40 BBY–15 ABY) was the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander, and Military Executor of the Galactic Empire, and nearly forty year veteran of both the Old Republic and Imperial navies. Prior to his promotion to Grand Admiral, he was the Imperial Advisor to Darth Malign and later Aleister Vadim. He initially retired as a High Admiral and went on to serve as the Advisor, but was later brought out of retirement in the wake of the Battle of O'paal and elevated to his post of Supreme Commander as Grand Admiral, in order to fill the power vacuum that would have resulted in a fourth Imperial Civil War. He was the founder of the Black Stars squadron, considered the most infamous Imperial fighter squadron, and the most decorated officer in Imperial history. His trademark was his starfighters painted crimson red.

Generally considered to have been the best pilot in the Galactic Empire, with a kill count of five hundred seventy-eight confirmed kills, Danik was also a cunning military strategist and tactician, plotting many of the Empire's victories throughout his tenure as an admiral and military advisor. He was known as The Nightmare of Athaniss, a title bestowed upon him following the Second Battle of Athaniss during the Second Imperial Civil War after shooting down over twenty-three enemy fighters in a single confrontation. Despite popular belief, Kreldin is not a "member" of the Old Guard, the group of high-ranking Imperial officers who were trained in Old Republic Naval Acadamies and served in the Clone Wars, as Kreldin was never put through an Academy - instead, he was enlisted in the Navy and given a field commission early in the war for his leadership skills and combat capability in a starfighter.

Considered a hero by the Empire, Danik was also known as a war criminal to the New Republic, with such actions as the Chandrilan Massacre, Desolation of Cochran, and other brutal acts earning him the ire of the Republic. He was also the secret orchestrator behind the Dacan Pandemic, the galaxy-wide viral outbreak that served as the precusor to the Imperial Blitzkrieg. Despite his years of service to the Empire, Danik was partly responsible for the Third Imperial Civil War, but upon the completion of the war and the ousting of Darth Malus from power, Kreldin was returned to an even higher position of power for his steadfast loyalty and commitment to the New Order. Besides his reputation as one of the galaxy's best pilots, Danik was also known for his uncanny ability to be present at nearly every major battle and campaign throughout the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, and to have only been shot down thrice throughout his entire career in the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire before his death over Coruscant in 15 ABY. Out of the military, Kreldin was considered one of the best Swoop racers in the galaxy, as evident by his many racing victories, and was one of the managers of the Galactic Swoop League.

At the beginning of 15 ABY, several months before his death, he discovered his true heritage when he happened upon a Sith Holocron, kept hidden for millennia in the vaults of the Kreldin Estate and passed down by his ancestor, Davin Kreldin, a Sith Lord in the Brotherhood of Darkness. His death, however, would put an end to his ambitions to be a Dark Lord of the Sith.

Early life (40 BBY–22 BBY)
Danik was born to Kennith and Tesera Kreldin on Corellia in 40 BBY. His early lifes saw him raised within the confines of the massive Kreldin Estate and in a wealthy, upper-class family. Their wealth was largely generated by the Sindahar Mining Corporation, founded by Johan Kreldin generations ago, though the greedy hands of the Kreldin family could be found within other business interests throughout the Corellian sector, as well as in the government of Corellia itself.

Danik, however, saw very little of his father. Kennith was considered the black sheep of the family at the time, who, after his failed political campaign, joined the Republic Judicial Department. When Danik was fortuante enough to see his father Kennith would tell the young boy stories of his adventures across the galaxy, flying aboard spaceships and starfighters and combatting enemies of the Republic. Danik's interest in space flight grew from these stories. Nevertheless, Danik could not go with his father aboard these spaceships and join him. Danik focused on his studies, but was always considered mediocore with his academics.

But while Danik could not see much of his father, his grandfather, Jarth Kreldin, finally introduced young Danik to the wonders of spaceflight. Bringing Danik aboard his private yacht, Jarth took Danik behind the controls and blasted off into space. Jarth gave lessons to Danik each day, and Danik slowly but surely learned. Eventually Jarth purchased a fully-functional Swoop for Danik and the young man took the opportunity to register himself for several races on Corellia. While he never won any tournament, he continued to hone his skills and vowed to one day win the championship.

Danik began to neglect his studies, spending time out in the "real world," as he put it, finding the strict confines of the Estate dull. He explored across Coronet City and beyond, familizaring himself with the underworld that would one day in the future come in handy for him during the Third Imperial Civil War. He also flew his grandfather's private yacht virtually every day, back and forth between Corellia and her sister planets. On his sixteenth birthday, his grandfather allowed him to venture through hyperspace for the first time, travelling along the Corellian Trade Spine to Coruscant, his first visit to the planet. There Danik was finally able to meet his idols face-to-face for the first time: the Jedi knights.

For as long as Danik could remember he idolized the Jedi. They were his heroes, his rolemodels. Even from an early age Danik was highly alert of the galaxy around him, constantly paying attention to IGNews reports and stories from locals around the city. The Jedi were nearly always the focus of Danik's attention. Their bravery, skill and apparent invincibility provided a world for Danik to fall into, where he dreamed daily of one day being a Jedi Knight, travelling the galaxy and combatting evil. Meeting them face-to-face dazzled Danik. He returned home to Corellia, vowing to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Judicial Department, so that he could serve alongside the Jedi.

However, the drums of war were beating, and the Clone Wars were just on the horizon.

Republic career (22 BBY–19 BBY)
At the age of eighteen, Kreldin enlisted for service in the Republic. He was assigned to a Judicial Department corvette months prior to the Battle of Geonosis after completion of basic training. At first Kreldin was bored; the Judicial Department did not provide him with the thirst for adventure he seeked. Worse yet he was not fighting alongside his heroes. Things would change for the young adventurer soon however. The charismatic Count Dooku and his Confederation of Independent Systems had more or less declared war upon the Republic on Geonosis and the Clone Wars were in full-swing. Kreldin was transferred over to the newly reformed Republic Navy and stationed aboard a new Acclamator-class assault ship, the Aken, just days prior to the battle. He was assigned to a turbolaser battery, having specialized in capital ship weaponry during basic training.

At Geonosis, Kreldin was credited with downing two enemy fighters and scoring a critical hit aboard a Trade Federation Lucrehulk-class battleship. Still, Kreldin remained unenthused: his passion, as always, was flying. Unfortunately for the young man, he was not qualified to fly a starfighter as he was not an officer. It would be several years before Kreldin could qualify to be an officer through an academy. The war was going on, and he was stuck behind a turbolaser battery.

He remained steadfast, however, confident that one day he would get his chance. From Geonosis to Alaris Prime, Kreldin shot down fourteen enemy fighters as a gunner and scored numerous damaging blows upon enemy capital ships. The Battle of Thule, however, would change everything for the young man.

There was a shortage of pilots aboard the Aken due to heavy casualties at Thul, and Danik was offered to pilot in combat by the ship's captain, who saw no other alternative. Danik proved himself to be a better-than-expected pilot, shooting down four enemy craft and surviving the intense battle, his lessons from his grandfather proving their worth. He was allowed to continue piloting, and shortly after the Battle of Sarapin Danik received a field commission to ensign. He had now reached his goal.

Danik's reputation steadily grew throughout the war. He became an ace after only a few confrontations in a starfighter, and his knack for survival earned him the nickname Lucky Kreldin aboard the Aken. Indeed, Danik lost many squadron mates, but always managed to pull through, usually against staggering odds. As the war raged on he found himself transferred in and out of new stations frequently, each station usually ending up destroyed or rendered inoperable after engagements with the enemy. Nevertheless, Kreldin somehow survived, and eventually found himself as squadron leader of Red Squadron aboard the Jabiim's Ghost.

The Battle of Jabiim itself left a large scar on the hardened pilot's mind and emotions: the overwhelming death toll and raw carnage proved too much for the still relatively young man and Kreldin found himself in a sick bay after the battle ended for emotional stress. He would begin to develop severe depression and mood swings after his release from the sick bay, and at times symptoms of a split-personality began to show. He managed to keep his emotional problems under wraps, however, his devotion to the Republic, his comrades, and their cause too great for him to give up on.

He would continue fight on at dozens of confrontations, including the titanic Battle of Coruscant, but by then the war was drawing to a close, and the rise of Emperor Palpatine had arrived.

By the end of the Clone Wars, Danik was an established lieutenant, ace and leader, one of the few famous non-Jedi pilots in the Republic. Throughout the war, Kreldin looked up to the Jedi as he always had - as his heroes, his rolemodels. He fought alongside them through countless battles. But with their "rebellion" against the Chancellor, Kreldin's morale was crushed and his childhood idols had turned into his greatest enemies. He swore revenge against the Jedi, and this thirst for revenge would continue throughout the rest of his life. He made it his personal goal to kill every last Jedi for what they had to the galaxy - and more importantly, him.

Imperial Career (19 BBY–15 ABY)
Danik's Imperial career began just as his career in the Republic ended. The Galactic Republic had become the Galactic Empire and Danik remained in the Navy, agreeing with the changes brought about by the New Order. Danik's reputation would increase exponentially during his time in the Empire.

Inter-war period (19 BBY–0 BBY)
Just days after the end of the Clone Wars, Kreldin's loyalty to the new regime was tested for the first time. The captain of the Jabiim's Ghost, Commander Rickar Cardi, refused to acknowledge the new government and its Emperor. Planning to seek out the last of the remaining Jedi, Cardi alerted his crew to his decision and his reasons why. Still loving the Republic he fought so hard for, Cardi gained the support of several of the crew. Unfortunately for the Commander, Kreldin and a significant portion of the crew opposed Cardi and executed a mutiny. Storming the bridge, Kreldin and the others siezed the bridge and the ship's captain. Cardi was executed weeks later for high treason, though this fact would remain hidden to all.

Immediately after the mutiny aboard the Jabiim's Ghost, the warship and her crew were deployed to Kashyyyk to participate in the Battle of Kashyyyk. Their objectives were simple: led by the Military Executor, Darth Vader, they would crush the Wookiees and bring the Jedi they were harboring to justice. Flying cover and providing air support for the Imperial Stormtroopers, Danik received his first taste of the new military's brutal tactics upon witnessing the orbital bombardment of Kashyyyk in the wake of the battle. At first Danik was shocked by Vader's actions, but further Imperial indoctrination and propaganda would do much to soothe the still-young Danik's mind and turn him completely over to the new government and it's New Order. Immediately thereafter, the Jabiim's Ghost would be deployed once more under Wilhuff Tarkin's command to assist in the subjugation of Dac. The Mon Calamari would end up enslaved, and once more Danik would be exposed to the harsh reality of the Imperial warmachine. His loyalty and commitment to the New Order, however, would not faulter.

After several years of mop-up operations against isolated Jedi resistance, Kreldin would be transferred to the Victory-class Star Destroyer Emperor's Might and given command over Razor Squadron in 16 BBY. Six years later, Kreldin and the Emperor's Might would be called into immediate action during the Reslian Purge to fight back and defeat the expansionistic and fanatical Lortan. With the war over, the Emperor's Might would be redeployed to Dac to serve in the continuing occupation force still present in the system since its subjugation by the Empire nine years earlier.

By now Kreldin had entirely warmed up to the Empire's tactics and policies. But he was not entirely swayed by certain policies put out by the Imperial Ruling Council, as evident by the fact Kreldin never took part in the High Human Culture present in the Empire. He never became a speciest, instead seeing the value and importance of other species. Still, Kreldin would never make light of this fact, and remained loyal to the Empire nonetheless.

Seven years later, the Emperor's Might would be called into action and redeployed from the Dac occuption fleet to join in the Imperial force sent to exterminate the Oswaft in the Battle of ThonBoka. The Imperials, however, would be met with one of their first defeats since the end of the Clone Wars. Startled by the defeat, and the heavy toll suffered by the Imperial fleet, Kreldin would shift his focus from pure starfighter tactics and combat to the larger scale. He began to write up his own strategies and tactics for use by the Imperial fleet against the enemy, putting his mind to work. During an engagement against pirates upon the Emperor's Might return to the Dac occuption fleet, Kreldin would offer his new strategic advice to the ship's captain, Reinth Helarc. As the Victory-class Star Destroyer squared off against the pirate forces, Kreldin's tactics would come into play, Reinth having decided to use them, and after only ten minutes of combat the engagement would come to an end. The pirates were entirely decimated, with Imperial losses at only three downed starfighters and a damaged turbolaser battery on the port hull.

A year after their defeat against the Oswaft, the Alliance to Restore the Republic would officially come alive with the signing of the Corellian Treaty and the issue of the Declaration of Rebellion. The military would be put on a higher level of alert. Kreldin prepared for the coming war. He began to study the Rebellion and its leaders, examining battle records from previous engagements against the rebels. He began to realize the Empire was not prepared for a small insurgency such as the Alliance, as the Imperial warmachine was built to combat large-scale forces in some comparison to its own. Kreldin put his mind to work on anti-insurgency strategies and tactics for use against the growing insurgencies across the galaxy.

With all this in mind Kreldin would have an opportunity to test some of his strategies against the insurgents on Dac who rose up against the Imperial occupation force in 2 BBY. After the Imperial fleet executed an orbital bombardment of three of Dac's floating cities in an effort to cow the population and end the rising anti-Imperial insurgency, the Mon Calamari and Quarren banded together in a concerted effort to throw out the Imperial force for good. The resulting battle would be intense, with the Empire caught off guard by the attack and unable to respond properly in the ensuing confusion. Dacan saboteurs in the shipyards orbitting the planet rendered many of the Empire's warships crippled or inoperable, including the Emperor's Might. Kreldin was already deployed with Razor Squadron before the sabotage of their home ship, providing air support to the bewildered Imperial Army units stationed on the planet. Despite the Empire's best efforts they would be unable to fight back the Dacan. As the Imperial forces retreated from the system Kreldin looked back on the battle as a lesson, knowing the Empire stood no hope of success if they kept at their current state of complacency. The insurgents would have to be dealt with across the entire planet, and Kreldin knew cowing them into fear would not work.

Due to the destruction of the Emperor's Might Kreldin was transferred to a newly built Imperial-class Star Destroyer, the HIMS Tyrant. There he would be put in command of Shadow Squadron. As Kreldin settled into his new home, the flames of war would engulf across the entire galaxy. The Galactic Civil War had begun.

Early Galactic Civil War (0 BBY–4 ABY)
The Galactic Civil War was in full-swing and war was now raging across the galaxy. Kreldin, however, was surprised by the lack of effort on behalf of the Empire to respond to the threat in full. Only a portion of Imperial resources were used to combat the rebels, as they were seen as nothing more than a bothersome fly, nothing to threaten the power of the Galactic Empire. Kreldin, however, now a commander in the Imperial Navy, knew better. Fortunately for Kreldin he had an open-ended and capable captain, Captain Lennox. Lennox took on Kreldin as one of his tactical advisors, agreeing with Kreldin's assesment of the threat posed by the Alliance.

Imperial Intelligence discovered a secret build-up of Alliance forces in orbit over Turkana. Not seeing a large threat, Naval High Command dispatched several Star Destroyers led by the Tyrant and Lennox to take care of the enemy fleet. Not one to underestimate an enemy, Kreldin took time to prepare for deploying into battle. This preparation would pay off, as the Imperial forces were put up against a new and unexpected enemy: the X-wing starfighter. Taken by surprise, the Imperial units were no match for the X-wing starfighters. Kreldin and Shadow Squadron managed to destroy seventeen of the enemy fighters at the loss of four in Shadow Squadron alone, but, ultimately, the Imperials were forced to retreat.

For Kreldin, however, he was able to guage the effectiveness of the Rebel forces. The engagement allowed him to formulate further strategies for use against the Alliance forces and their new starfighters. Kreldin knew the aging TIE Fighter would be no match against the better equipped starfighters of the Alliance, despite the Imperial numerical supreriority in terms of starfighters. Kreldin wrote a memo to the Chief of Naval Operations, alerting the Admiral to the obvious drawbacks of the TIE Fighters and their inability to properly fight against the enemy. Kreldin requested the development of a new line of fighters with shields and better weaponry, presenting the Battle of Turkana as a model for why this new line of fighters was needed, Kreldin hoped he could sway High Command to respond more fully to the Alliance. Kreldin, however, was able to convince High Command to have Sienar Fleet Systems begin development of a new line of fighter, the TIE/ad starfighter, otherwise known as the Avenger. Unfortunately for the Empire, the development of this fighter would never go into mass-production, and only a small number of them would ever see any combat during the Galactic Civil War. Kreldin and the Imperial Navy were left with their aging TIE Fighters for the time being, and never one to accept defeat, Kreldin threw all his efforts into training his squadron to survive against the Rebel starfighters and beat them.

The Tyrant would be called to support Lord Vader in his hunt for Moff Kalast. The hunt took Kreldin back to Jabiim, the planet during the Clone Wars where all of Kreldin's problems with depression began. Refusing to allow himself to succumb to his fears and depression any longer Kreldin put all his efforts into defeating the Alliance forces. Utilizing his new strategies, Shadow Squadron earned a reputation following the battle for their skill and bravery. Not a single fighter from Shadow Squadron was destroyed, and the squadron as a whole was responsible for destroying at least thirty enemy fighters. The Empire would succeed at Jabiim, and Kreldin considered the victory to be partly in due to the tactics he had put together. Nevertheless, the Empire's victory at Jabiim would help quell Kreldin's depression: having come back to the planet and succeeding so brilliantly boosted his morale and mental state of mind. Kreldin was ready to finish off the rest of the Alliance.

After Jabiim, the Tyrant would be redeployed to the Kwymar Sector to take part in what would become known as the Kwymar Suppressions. Kreldin would continue to advise Lennox throughout the campaign, which took them from Doniphon all the way to Telos IV. The Empire would roll across the sector, putting down the Alliance forces and subjugating the sector entirely. The entire campaign would be a major victory in the war against the Alliance, and for the first time Kreldin finally saw that the Empire was now taking the rebel threat seriously.

After the Battle of Kalaan, in which Kreldin participated in as air support for the ground troops, the Tyrant would be transferred to the now fully functional Death Star. The Tyrant would be stationed at the Death Star for several months, taking part in the battlestation's defense fleet. On the very day of the Battle of Yavin, however, the Tyrant would be redeployed to Ord Biniir to assist in the Second Battle of Ord Biniir, saving her crew and particularly Kreldin from certain destruction aboard the doomed battlestation just hours later.

With Ord Biniir under Imperial subjugation, Kreldin received news of his near-death experience aboard the Death Star the next day. At first Kreldin was relieved he survived, but as the news settled in, with millions of Imperial servicemen now dead and years of construction down the drains, Kreldin grew angry and resentful. He began to feel he should have been there, confident he could have altered the outcome of the battle. Why didn't Tarkin deploy a larger defensive screen? The thought boggled his mind. Nevertheless, Kreldin continued onward, his hatred of the Rebellion intensified several dozens of times over. He did not even bother to pick up the news of Alderaan's plight just hours before the Death Star's destruction.

The Tyrant was immediately recalled from Ord Biniir to supplement Lord Vader's task force in the Yavin system to crush the Rebel base on Yavin IV. The Tyrant provided an essential part of the Imperial blockade in the system, and Kreldin's Shadow Squadron ran daily runs through the atmosphere for reconaissance work. Kreldin urged Lennox to voice his concerns over the blockade, however. Kreldin felt the blockade was taking too long, as six months had already passed with little or no progress. The Rebels were merely slipping through holes in the blockade daily and preparing themselves even further for an attack. But Lennox knew better than to question Vader, a lesson which he would pass down to Kreldin.

After six months of preparation and anticipation, the final push would be made against the Rebels. The Battle of Massassi Temple would be a victory at relatively minimal loss, but the accidental collision of several Star Destroyers and the death of Admiral Griff would prove humiliating for the Empire, especially for the Kreldin, who felt Imperial proficiency was rapidly declining.

After Yavin was finally subjugated and the Rebels routed, the Tyrant was dispatched as part of the Imperial missions to supress rebel activity across the galaxy. The Tyrant's first mission was Solem. Led by Governor Malvander Bren, the Imperial task force fought against the Yolan Bren-led rebels and were ultimately defeated. Kreldin and Shadow Squadron provided air support throughout the battle and escorts for tactical bombers. Despite Kreldin's best efforts, the Imperials were defeated with the capture of Malvander.

Kreldin grew angry. He knew Lennox was a capable commander, but other units were merely a joke. The loss at Solem, and the previous destruction of the Death Star, proved to Kreldin that the Empire was in serious need of repair. But who could he voice his concerns to? Certainly not their Commander-in-Chief, Lord Vader. The Grand Admirals were not one to openly discuss issues with such a low ranking individual as himself. Despite his concerns, Kreldin remained loyal to the New Order, confident the issues would eventually be sorted out by Palpatine. After Solem the Tyrant would be dispatched once more to Jabiim to put down the rebel uprising on the planet. After yet another intense engagement on the surface, Vader would order the decimation of the planet's surface in a vicious Base Delta Zero attack. Kreldin witnessed this first-hand, his first Base Delta Zero, but certainly not his last. As he watched he felt as if his demons from the past were washed away in the ensuing explosions across the entire planet. He finally put Jabiim behind him and looked forward to a bright future rid of the Alliance.

As the war raged on across the galaxy the Empire began a massive hunt for the main base of the Alliance in the wake of their route from Yavin. To achieve their objective of discovering this new base, Lord Vader assembled a new task force led by the powerful and awe-inspiring Star Dreadnought, the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Executor. Several Star Destroyers were assembled to assist the Executor, and one to be given this notorious position was the Tyrant. Anxious to see how Vader would lead the Death Squadron, as the task force was named, Kreldin prepared himself for immenient battle.

The search for the rebels would not be easy, however. For months Death Squadron scoured the galaxy, until a lucky probe droid discovered a shield generator on the far-away barren ice world of Hoth. As the Imperial fleet came down on Hoth, Kreldin was deployed ahead of the main force with Shadow Squadron to perform reconaissance on the system and guage the defenses of the Alliance. A planetary shield was soon discovered, and Kreldin reported back to Lennox. During the ensuing battle, Kreldin would assist in the battle against Rebel starfighters and escorting landers to their drop zones. The battle would prove to be an amazing victory for the Empire, one that led many in the Empire, including Kreldin himself, to believing the Alliance was practically dead.

With the Alliance routed from Hoth, Kreldin's job would not yet be over. The Tyrant would be at the forefront of the chase after the Millennium Falcon through the Hoth Asteroid Field. Shadow Squadron would bring up the rear of the Imperial fighter pursuit; Kreldin, however, disobeyed orders and kept his unit from directly entering the dangerous field. With his unit pulling back and accelerating ahead above the field, in hopes of cutting off the Falcon, Kreldin decided, against the wishes of his squadron mates, to give pursuit in the field. The decision would prove nearly fatal; once too many Kreldin came near colliding with wayward asteroids. But with superb flying and a bit of luck, Kreldin managed to survive long enough for him to come to reason and pull out and rejoin his squadron. The Falcon would escape, but at least Kreldin was alive. His unit would go down in distinction at Hoth for suffering zero combat casualties.

From Hoth, Kreldin would next be taken to Bespin to participate in the Siege of Bespin. While not directly involved, Kreldin would be one of the fighter pilots giving yet another chase to the Falcon in its escape from the gas-giant. Death Squadron would be redeployed away from the region following its failure to capture the Falcon to Coruscant. Kreldin learned at Coruscant that, despite their defeat at Hoth, the Alliance was still continuing its fight against all odds. Before long, Kreldin would once again be sent out with the Tyrant to the Vergesso Asteroids to fight against the Alliance in the Second Battle of Bajic. The Alliance would once again be soundly defeated. Kreldin could not contemplate as to why the Rebels were continuing the senseless fight. Defeat after defeat, blow after blow, they continued onward against all odds and with every one death seemed to recruit two more good men to their ranks. Growing disheartened, Kreldin just wished for a quick end to the war. Little did he know, that opportunity would soon present itself at far-away and seemingly unimportant Endor.

Before being deployed to Endor, the Tyrant, along with the rest of Death Squadron, were recalled to Coruscant for R&R. But not even Coruscant could hide itself from the war. Black Sun leader Prince Xizor had betrayed the Empire and his death was sealed over Coruscant when Vader ordered the destruction of Falleen's Fist, the Prince's skyhook which he was currently aboard. The Tyrant and the rest of the Imperial fleet, in a strange battle assisted by the Alliance, converged upon the skyhook and obliterated it, along with the Black Sun defense forces and the Prince himself. Kreldin took the battle as a good learning lesson; for the first time since the war began, he flew alongside Rebel starfighters against a common enemy. Taking note of their tactics and flying capabilities, Kreldin drilled his squadron for further confrontations against their resilient enemy.

Weeks later the Tyrant was redeployed to Endor with new orders: they were to safeguard the new Death Star and prepare for Emperor Palpatine's imminent arrival. Kreldin arrived and was rather surprised to see a new battlestation under construction, especially so soon. Wondering how draining the construction was on Imperial resources, especially since the new battlestation was nearly nine times as large as its predecessor. Kreldin considered the station an impractical warmachine; he personally would rather have ten thousand more Star Destroyers and new TIE designs under mass-production rather than one more Death Star. Kreldin was ordered by Lennox, who had recieved orders from High Command, to begin drilling his squadron for a massive upcoming battle. Not sure as to High Command's plans, Kreldin did as he was told and watched as, day-by-day, more and more Imperial warships arrived over Endor. As Kreldin drilled his men, he received a new gift from Lennox: a custom-built TIE Interceptor Mark 2, a new design from Sienar. His model, however, was heavily modified, given an advanced engine and shield generator and covered in a more durable and resistant armor coating. In addition his new fighter was painted entirely red, an unique color scheme he would keep throughout the rest of his career.

As the drills went on, Kreldin began to see what was unfolding. Palpatine had by now arrived, and the Imperial battlefleet assembled was massive. He had heard rumors that the Death Star was to be attacked soon. It all came together to the Imperial ace, and hours later he was locked in battle against the surprised Rebel forces.



The battle was intense. Kreldin hadn't recalled a battle so large in scale since Coruscant's invasion by the Confederacy in 19 BBY. As the Death Star began picking off Alliance capital ships one-by-one, Kreldin was confident in total victory and the entire annihilation of the Rebel fleet and its leadership. Kreldin scored at least thirteen enemy fighters destroyed before events began taking a turn for the worse; observing the Alliance tactics, Kreldin saw the Rebel capital ships were now at point-blank, and yet the Imperial battlefleet was not returning fire. Wondering whether it was pure idiocy or if the Imperials genuinely thought they had the situation under control, Kreldin pleaded with Lennox to disobey his orders and return fire. All was hopeless, however. Before Kreldin could convince any of the fleet commanders to do their proper duty, the Rebels were already beginning their assault on the Death Star itself. Palpatine was in danger, and Kreldin could not allow his idol to be put into danger.



Giving chase to the Rebel starfighters and his old nemesis, the Falcon, Kreldin was one of the few Imperial pilots who flew into the superstructure of the Death Star in hot pursuit. The cramped conditions inside the Death Star provided a dangerous obstacle for the Imperial, but his skillful flying and precision enabled him to stay alive and keep up the pursuit. Kreldin surely would have died inside the Death Star if it were not for the decoys deployed by the Alliance. Unsure as to where to proceed, Kreldin gave pursuit after the A-wing starfighters. Before Kreldin could realize he was tricked, he was unable to turn around and was once again back in the space battle.

Kreldin knew he could not re-enter the Death Star at this point, and a more urgent situation had arisen that he was ordered to attend to: the Executor was under heavy attack and in danger. For reasons he could still not contemplate, Piett had still not ordered any return fire. Growing furious, Kreldin accelerated at full-speed to assist the Executor. But it was too late. An A-wing had lost control and slammed into the bridge of the Executor. Losing control and with additional fire from Alliance capital ships, the Executor plummeted into the Death Star and was consumed in a massive fireball. At a loss Kreldin hesitated. Before him the Empire was crumbling and there was simply nothing he could do about it.

In a fit of rage Kreldin accelerated at full-speed towards Home One, the flagship of the Alliance fleet. At the time he was not sure exactly what he was thinking; blinded by fury, Kreldin intended very much so to take out the Home One at any cost. Suicidal or not, Kreldin launched his attack. He came under heavy fire, but he ignored all dangers; moments before coming up to the bridge of the cruiser, he was hailed by fellow Imperial pilot Fianar Sukhoi Reanus, unknown to Kreldin at the time. Reanus managed to talk Kreldin out of his suicide charge, and, in a hail of enemy fire, Kreldin pulled back and rejoined his squadronmates to continue the battle. Danik would later become best friends with young Reanus. During the battle Reanus would be shot down and forced to crash land on the moon, and Kreldin would aid in the rescue of the Imperial pilot after the battle.

As the battle raged on, Kreldin watched firsthand as the Death Star exploded. Confusion fell upon the Imperial fleet. Was Palpatine and Lord Vader, along with the rest of High Command stationed aboard the battlestation, dead? No, of course not. Palpatine escaped aboard his personal shuttle. He was seen being escorted out. There was an espace pod seen jettisoned from his throne room. All conflicting reports were tossed back and forth across Imperial radio waves, but in the confusion of it all Kreldin knew that Palpatine was dead.

The retreat order was given, and Kreldin returned to the Tyrant a changed man. Slipping in and out of depression, Kreldin confined himself to his quarters as the Tyrant slipped into hyperspace and safely escaped from the havoc to the safe haven of Coruscant. There the Imperials would reorganize and live to fight another day - or so Kreldin thought as he put himself to sleep that night.

Mid-Galactic Civil War (4 ABY–11 ABY)
A state of confusion came upon the Empire. The Emperor was dead. The man who had been ruling the Empire ever since there was an Empire. Even before there was an Empire, it was Palpatine who led the Old Republic throughout the dark days of the Clone Wars. Who could possibly step up and take his throne? Danik pondered this question as he gathered the survivors of Shadow Squadron aboard the Tyrant as the Star Destroyer fled with several other Imperial warships from Endor to the safe-haven of Imperial Center.

When Kreldin arrived at Imperial center he saw the planet in a state of mass-panic. Riots were being conducted by civilians, only to be put down with heavy force by Imperial Stormtroopers under orders of the Imperial Ruling Council. A sizeable fleet was already in orbit over Imperial Center, consisting of elements of the normal defense fleet and several survivors from Endor. But already reports were coming in from Intelligence channels of certain Imperial commanders taking what they considered "theirs" and going Warlord. The Imperial Ruling Council, currently being led by Sate Pestage and Ars Dangor tried their best to keep the Empire from breaking into a million pieces without the leadership of the Emperor.

Imperial Civil War (4 ABY–8 ABY)
But the Ruling Council could not achieve this goal. The Imperial Civil War began and the Galactic Empire which had reigned over the galaxy for over two decades was fragmented. Kreldin watched around him as greedy Imperial commanders split off and began carving out their own "kingdoms", some even daring to call themselves the new "Emperor". But Lennox and the crew of the Tyrant remained loyal to the Empire, and thus the Ruling Council currently set on Imperial Center. Imperial forces began to dig in on Imperial Center, preparing for a long, exhausting campaign against the Alliance which, in the aftermath of their victory at Endor, were attracting even more recruits and member worlds.

Imperial Center would be the key to it all, or so the Imperial strategists figured. If Imperial Center was to be lost, so would all hope for the Empire. After months of building up defenses and adding new warships to the defense fleet that arrived upon request of the Council, the Alliance launched their attack on the Imperial capital. The Battle of Coruscant would be even larger than Endor and result in the destruction of a large number of warships on both sides. Kreldin fought long and hard against Rebel starfighters, and was tasked with Shadow Squadron to shoot down as many Alliance troop transports as possible before they touched the surface. Despite Kreldin's best efforts the Alliance gained a foothold on the capital and after weeks of fighting the Imperials were forced to retreat, largely due to the number of Imperial commanders who simply abandoned the Empire during the fighting.

Kreldin survived the engagement, but loss sixty-percent of his squadron. Amazed at the Empire's defeat and the Warlords springing up daily, Kreldin bunkered himself up in his cabin, fighting back his depression as best he could. His beloved Empire was dying. After Imperial Center's fall to the Empire, the Imperial Ruling Council - now at half its previous roster - fled to the distant Faylar system, deep in the Outer Rim, where they set up their remaining council on the dark world of Dreven. Dreven was announced as the new Imperial capital and the Tyrant arrived promptly to boost the planet's defenses and contribute its expertise and power to the dwindling resources of the "Galactic Empire". Warlord Tagger would eventually be declared the new leader of the Imperial Ruling Council, now called the Interim Ruling Council. Tagger had recently contributed his massive fleet to the Council, seeking to gain control of it and its territory and resources.

Kreldin looked upon Tagger with disdain, seeing an incompetent and foolish political commander who seeked only more power. A man like that could not revive the Empire, Kreldin was sure of. Nevertheless Kreldin did not want to splinter the Empire any further and he cast his loyalty in with Tagger and the Interim Ruling Council, as they represented the only legitimate form of power left in the remnant of the Empire. Kreldin managed to convince Lennox to remain loyal as well. The Tyrant was viewed as an impressive warship in the remains of the Empire, due to its past history and crew. Kreldin became a poster-boy for the Empire which hoped to regain the confidence of its soldiers and remaining populace, and the Tyrant itself became an icon of the Imperial Navy. Kreldin and the Tyrant were added to the roster of Tagger's newly constructed fleet, the Emperor's Pride Fleet, which he ordered with the retaking of Imperial Center from the newly declared "New Republic".

The Emperor's Pride Fleet took off from ports throughout the Faylar system, Bastion, and Yaga Minor and met at Toprawa. The plan was to sail across the Hydian Way, picking up reinforcements along the way and crushing any Republic units that came onto their path before crossing onto the Perlemian Trade Route at Esseles and heading straight for Imperial Center. When Kreldin first saw the entire fleet in formation at Toprawa he felt a boost of confidence and morale - the fleet was an awe-inspiring spectacle to behold. Unfortunately for Danik, Shadow Squadron was now full of raw recruits. The losses at Endor and Imperial Center took a toll on his fighter unit and he was left with only three veterans, not including himself. He knew it would be up to the veterans like himself to see the battle through. But with incapable commanders like Tagger leading the charge, he was unsure as to how successful the campaign would be. But as the fleet departed from Toprawa it was already doomed.

New Republic Intelligence picked up on the Empire's plan for attacking Coruscant from the Hydian Way. The fleet was sent from Coruscant to intercept the Empire at Bandomeer. The two fleets clashed, and Kreldin was caught in the middle, his green squadron performing far below average and simply losing outright to the hardened units of the Republic fleet. The Imperials were battered, but continued the advance from Bandomeer. Kreldin knew it was over, however: the Republic would continue to intercept them at various points along the Hydian Way and the Perlemian, weakening them bit by bit. And the Republic did just that. Kreldin survived each engagement all the way to the Empire's final arrival at Coruscant. But by the time the Emperor's Pride Fleet arrived at Coruscant they were so far weakened and exhausted, with morale at an all time low, that they lost nearly immediately. Kreldin's morale plummeted and all hope for a speedy recovery from their defeat at Endor and Coruscant vanished. The Emperor's Pride Fleet fell apart on the way out of Coruscant. Several units, including the Tyrant, returned to Dreven with Tagger. Others simply broke apart, to join other Warlords and would-be Emperors or to go on their own to add more fuel to the fire of the Imperial Civil War.

Upon their return to Dreven the survivors of the mission were met with scorn, including Kreldin, who had previously been touted as the Empire's poster-boy. Tagger vanished, believed assassinated, and Dobbs took over in his place to rule the Council. The Empire was radically weakened and the Imperial Civil War was raging like never before. All hope seemed lost for Danik.

Kreldin found no rest in the wake of the failure at Coruscant. Daily they were called to duty to combat attacks by various Warlords throughout Imperial territory. Attacks by the Republic were rare but did occur, as the Republic was concerned with adding new states through diplomactic means and fortifying their territory. As far as the Republic was concerned the Empire was dead, devoured by its civil war. Kreldin felt the same way. He saw no hope for a revival of the Empire. He considered retiring and simply living his life out on some Outer Rim world, but upon seeing the faces of young Imperial servicemen aboard the Tyrant, green and ready for battle to save their New Order, he second thought it and remained aboard the Tyrant.

Two years would pass with constant fighting against the Imperial Warlords, with some gain. The Empire itself was on its last breath, exhausted of resources and manpower. But with each battle and skirmish against the Warlords, they were slowly but surely winning the Civil War. But it was not helping that the Empire was constantly plagued by ineffective leadership, and the Council caught up in political infighting on a near daily basis. The Council would go through several leaders after Tagger; Dobbs would be executed by Wyth Skellheim, who in turn would disappear after only several months of leadership and replaced by Alaric Darkstar. Danik merely saw pathetic politicians squabbling for power when they should have been focusing their attention on the two wars the Empire was caught up in. Wyth would return sometime later, causing a division admist the Empire as Skellheim attempted to regain power from Darkstar. Danik took neither side during the fighting, and managed to convince Lennox to keep the Tyrant outside the fighting as well. Alaric Darkstar would eventually beat out Skellhim in the battle for the throne, but Darkstar himself would eventually step down and be replaced by Grand Moff Ariak Caldny.

As events settled down, and the flame of the Imperial Civil War begun to die down, the Empire was able to launch attacks against the Republic itself, which had been growing ever so in the wake of its capture of Coruscant. Danik and the Tyrant were ordered by Caldny personally to deploy immediately to far-away Kessel to boost its defenses against Republic attacks. Kreldin had been drilling his squadron ever since the failure at Coruscant, and the green rookies that had set forth on the mission to Coruscant were now all hardened veterans. The Tyrant and Kreldin were restored to their former prestige, and with a victory at Kessel impressing the Council and delivering a message to the Republic that the Empire was not dead yet, things were looking up. Danik, a commander now, received the Navy Cross from the Grand Moff himself for his actions at Sluis Van during the Battle of Sluis Van, which, while a defeat for the Empire, was an important and decisive battle for the fledging Empire.

All the skirmishes and battles during the Civil War, however, would pale in comparison and importance to the Battle of Etti IV. Two months after the battle at Sluis Van, Danik awoke within his cabin to a battle alert. The fleet was to deploy immediately to Authority territory. In the hangar bay of the Tyrant, Kreldin delievered orders to his squadron. Han Solo had been captured at Etti IV, and now the Imperial and Republic fleets were at a stand-off over the capital of the Authority. Tensions were high, but back-scene politics and interference from a Dark Lord of the Sith by the name of Sabbathius Osbourne had enabled the Empire to receive Solo as a prisoner. Danik flew daily runs with Shadow Squadron through Etti IV space, as reconassiance and escorts. Kreldin ordered his squadron to prepare for imminent battle, although no one knew if battle would actually break out in neutral territory. But when news of Solo's hand over to the Empire came to light, the Republic was the first to attack. The Imperials responded immediately and swiftly. Kreldin flew with his expert precision and timing, taking down at least thirteen enemy fighters throughout the battle. The Republic would be defeated at Etti IV, a decisive blow to the New Republic and the Empire's largest victory since the Second Battle of Bajic.

Morale soared high through the ranks, and Kreldin was restored with confidence. Buying drinks for his squadron, Kreldin and his unit celebrated back on Dreven, and Kreldin himself was honored with a toast by Lennox. Despite the hard-won victory, the Empire was still in no position of restoring itself. The Republic saw their defeat at Etti IV as a minor set-back and remained complacement about the Empire, confident they would eventually swallow themselves whole in civil war and become a thing of the past.

After Etti IV, Caldny stepped down and replaced by the charismatic and mysterious Bacharan Valak, a former admiral in the Imperial Navy turned Warlord. Kreldin saw a calculating and brilliant mind in Valak, one that could restore the Empire to its former glory. Valak's leadership would take the Tyrant and Kreldin to outward planets like Tatooine, where Danik would participate in the eradication of the V'ez-Tcha criminal syndicate, and Sullust, where the Third Battle of Sullust would see the Empire's capture of the strategic Republic world and its facilities. Danik, now a Captain, was witness to the genocide unleashed upon the Sullustan population, but his hatred of the Republic burned far too much for him to care. They were all traitors, and they were all destined to die traitors. The Imperial occupation would last several months before the Imperials were forced to give up and retreat by constant Republic attacks. The Tyrant would be given a hero's welcome at Dreven, and commenorated by Valak himself for its actions at Sullust. Danik remained the Imperial poster boy, his reputation spreading throughout the galaxy as a feared pilot.

The next year would see a radical change in the galactic climate. Kreldin would participate in the campaign against the Griffon Alliance at Pride-1, participating in its capture and eventual liberation by the Griffons and a task force sent by the Republic. Afterwards, the Vigiliant Movement would see its rise and fall, effectively putting an end to the Imperial Civil War. Kreldin remained absolutely loyal to Valak, who was whispered to be coronated Emperor by the Interim Ruling Council and the Empire as a whole. After the Movement was crushed and its leaders, including Lorn Rhys, put down, the Empire was free at last of the Civil War and Kreldin saw an opportunity for reconstruction and a renewed war against the Republic.

Valak's Great Campaign (8 ABY–10 ABY)
Danik would receive his second Navy Cross after the Battle of Caspar, a campaign initiated by Valak to capture the vital Caspian sector and annex the Caspian Democratic Union. Danik would score four killing shots against Caspian spacecraft and Shadow Squadron itself lost only one pilot. The campaign, led by Valak's Warlord, Jarl Rellik, would come to an end after the signing of a non-aggression pact between the two states. Valak would be coronated Emperor soon after, the first since Palpatine, but Danik would unfortunately miss the coronation. The aftermath of the Caspian campaign split up the fleet, with most of the Imperial fleet redeploying to Dreven and other vital Imperial planets, but the Tyrant was picked for a task force to be deployed to Tatooine to halt an attack by the Republic. Danik would once again fight over the desert planet, this time to save it from falling into the hands of the Republic. As the battle raged on, Kreldin pondered the importance of such a desolate world and why men were giving their lives for it. Orders were orders, but senselessly throwing away lives was pointless. The Empire would fail at holding Tatooine, its defenses too undermanned to hold back the Republic attack. After Tatooine fell, the Tyrant and the Tatooine defense fleet survivors were quickly redeployed to Bespin to halt yet another Republic attack, but the Imperials were yet again met with failure. Kreldin was nearly shot down over the gas-giant, a direct hit by a Republic A-wing damaging his starboard solar panel.

Kreldin kept asking himself the importance of such backwater worlds and why the Empire was senselessly throwing away lives to defend them. It all came clear to Danik, however, when the Tyrant was ordered to Gastus IV. There Danik witnessed a massive battlestation appear out of hyperspace, and after a battle against the Republic fleet, destroy the planet with a single shot from its superlaser. The Death Star III was introduced to a stunned galaxy, and the Imperial warmachine was in full-swing. Danik, stunned himself, realized the Tyrant and himself were acting as distractions for the Republic, moving from planet to planet, defending backwaters like Tatooine and Bespin, to attract the attention of the Republic, who had since built up a hatred of the infamous Imperial warship and its crew of battle hardened experts. All a distraction to keep the Republic away from the real threat: the Death Star and Valak's new warmachine that had begun to sweep across the galaxy, taking planet by planet.

But Danik did not remain so optimistic. He knew the past failures of the Death Star battlestations, both destroyed by the Republic. What were to stop them from destroying this battlestation in particular? But Kreldin did not allow his negativity to show to his crewmates, whom were booming with optimism and morale. For the first time the Republic was on the defensive, falling back before a powerful Imperial advance. From Gastus IV, Valak's campaign would take Danik back to Pride-1, Dac, and Sluis Van, leaving a path of destruction in the wake. Sluis Van itself would be entirely wiped out like Gastus IV, and Dac would fall to Imperial occupation and its shipyards wiped out from a blast emitted by the Death Star III. The Republic was on its knees, and the tip of the Imperial spearhead was pointed at Coruscant, with the Tyrant and Kreldin leading the charge.

Danik had been promoted to Commodore a year earlier after the Caspian Campaign, his fame throughout the Empire and Republic growing. He would help in the planning of the invasion of Coruscant, his expertise in starfighter tactics greatly contributing to the overall battleplan. Danik would lead the 301st Starfighter Battlegroup into battle over Coruscant, and after the route of the Republic fleet, his starfighters would fly daily runs over Coruscant's cityscape, dropping bombs and running reconassiance as the month-long siege of the planet drew on. When the Imperials launched their final attack, Kreldin flew his crimson starfighter over the Imperial Palace after its capture by Imperial forces, his squadron shooting off fireworks and escorting Lambda-class Shuttles equipped with speakers playing The Imperial March to signfy the end of the battle.

After the successful capture of Coruscant by the Empire, Kreldin was awarded with yet another Navy Cross, adding to his growing collection of medals and other awards. The victory was not met without hardship, however; the Tyrant was signficantly damaged during the battle, and Lennox was seriously injured. Talks in High Command were said to be about scrapping the old warship, but with Lennox's recovery and Danik's pull as a Commodore, the 'Tyrant'' was saved from the scrapyards. Danik did not want to see the Tyrant smelted for scrap, the ship holding special meaning for Danik. Unfortunately for Danik, he was transferred off the warship to the Imperator II-class Star Destroyer HIMS ''Malevolent.

After the liberation of Coruscant, the Empire was back on its road to full victory. Hope was on the horizon, and Kreldin's morale was back to its pre-Endor levels. In 10 ABY, he would lead a special task force to Mutanda to assist the Authority in combatting the Griffons, and would later assist in the subjugation of Kashyyyk. Afterwards, Danik would return home for the first time in decades, assisting the Empire in attacking Corellia and ousting the Republic fleet. The plan, however, was not for the subjugation of the planet, but rather to force the withdrawal of the Republic from the system and set the Corellians up for a bid for independence, which many on the planet greatly seeked. All these victories, however, would be shortlived.

Second Imperial Civil War (11 ABY)
After his transfer to the Malevolent, Danik finally encountered his old friend from Endor, Fianar Reanus. The two pilots grew closer and formed a close bond; they eventually became wingmates, and the two would discuss plans for an elite fighter squadron/commando unit for use on special operations throughout the galaxy. For now, though, their attention was on the matter at hand: the Republic, with the help of the Griffons Alliance and Talon Karrde, a man who would later become one of Kreldin's greatest adversaries, had discovered the location of the Death Star III and had sent an infiltration team to sabotage the station prior to its assault. Deep in the asteroid field of Sluis Van (created by the destruction of the planet several years prior), the Republic launched its assault, and Kreldin was prepared to defend the Death Star at all costs. He still partly blamed himself for the destruction of the previous two Death Stars; he felt if he had been at Yavin he could have avoided the destruction of the Death Star, and he also felt that if he had went down the other path within the Death Star II he could have shot down the Alliance fighters before they hit the reactor. Kreldin was adamant on stopping the Republic at all costs.

He was given command over the fleet's starfighter squadrons by the Chief Naval Officer, Dyne Haederfeld, a skilled and abled, albeit young, commander. The two opposing fleets clashed, and in the end, after a kamikaze run by countless Republic warships, the Death Star was destroyed. Kreldin was close to the explosion, and his Interceptor was nearly wiped out. He narrowly escaped to take charge of the Imperial fleet after Haederfeld's death, and ordered a retreat. The Imperial fleet regrouped at Selene and plans were made for the next step. Valak was still alive and in control, but the destruction of the Death Star loosened the Empire's grip on the newly developed Galactic Confederation and the galaxy as a whole. As defiance towards the Empire grew, a certain group took the opportunity to launch their surprise attack on distant Dac.

Led by a man saying he was noneother than Palpatine, this group siezed control of Dac, its resources and military force, and with "Palpatine" leading it, attracted a significant amount of soldiers and warships. "Palpatine" declared Valak a traitor to the New Order and himself, and declared war. The Second Imperial Civil War had begun.

The Empire was taken by surprise. An exodus of military personnel flocked to Palpatine and his banner. But the Empire was not entirely weakened, either. Danik saw through the fog of deceit; he was at Endor, he saw Palpatine die. There was no way it could have been Palpatine leading the opposition. And where was he all these years as the Empire ate itself up, until Valak saved it at the last moment? Kreldin made up his mind and remained loyal to Valak, and used his pull as a famous pilot and leader to keep many others from defecting. The war was in full-swing, with Outer Rim worlds falling at a deadly pace to Palpatine and his supporters. Palpatine's military eventually reached the Core, setting up a foothold on the vital Tarkin Corridor by taking Athaniss. But the Empire would allow no further advance of Palpatine into the Core; Admiral Sabbath Osbourne was given charge of a task force by Valak to reclaim Athaniss and drive Palpatine and his supporters from the Core and back to Dac. Danik, now a Rear Admiral himself, was given charge of the task force's starfighter wings and assisted in the planning of the war.

No less than three battles would ravage Athaniss for control of the world, but finally the military force of Palpatine was forced to retreat. The Imperial fleet advanced full-speed, driving Palpatine back to Dac. Kreldin was given joint leadership over a special task force with Admiral Salin Fawzy to break-off from the main Imperial fleet and launch a surprise attack on the Griffons at Mutanda, as the Imperial fleet was nearby. The Empire had been craving for revenge against the Griffons since their betrayal at Sluis Van, and now was the opportunity, while they were looking the other way in light of the second civil war still ensuing within the Empire.

Mutanda fell swiftly, thanks to tactics employed by Fawzy and Kreldin. Danik received the Order of Liberation after the fall of Mutanda, handed to him by an aid of the Emperor himself. Bolstered by his award, Kreldin vowed to put an end to the rebels for all. He was once again given command of the fleet's starfighter wings prior to the final push against Palpatine, who had holed himself and his supporters up at Novar III after his defeat at Dac by a joint Republic-Griffons task force.

Danik would emerge victorious from the battle at Novar III. Palpatine was captured and revealed to be an imposter to the entire galaxy; he was then swiftly executed on live holonet for the Empire to see. The civil war ended, and the Empire put itself back on the road to recovery. While the Empire received a damaging blow to its infrastructure and strength, Danik emerged from the civil war as a hero and capable and admired leader. He was given the nickname Nightmare of Athaniss after ravaging the forces of "Palpatine" during the Athaniss campaign, a nickname he would come to be feared by for years to come. His crimson starfighter would be his trademark, signifying the presence of the Nightmare on the battlefield. Danik refused to allow himself to get swept up in his own ego, however, and put himself hard at work to rebuilding the Empire and preparing for the future.

Retribution against the Griffons (11 ABY)
Immediately after the destruction of the Death Star in Sluis Van, the Empire struck back with a swift strike at Cochran, the capital of the Griffon Alliance, seeking revenge for the Griffon betrayal. Danik fought long and hard, taking down four Mantarays and three Stingrays before ordered to retreat. The Griffon defense proved too tough to overcome. The Empire was forced to halt its revenge during the Civil War, and the Griffons recovered their losses in the mean time.

After the end of the Civil War, the Empire brought its attention back on the Griffon Alliance. The retribution was also underway during the Civil War when the Imperial task force led by Fawzy and Danik captured Mutanda, but more was to be done. Danik was given his first real fleet command, hundreds of warships assembled under his authority as a rear admiral, and charged with launching a massive assault on Pride-1, the famous space station sitting in the middle of Talon's Cut. Danik led his fleet well, earning the admiration of his personnel; his tactics were cunning and brutal, but despite his efforts, he could not punch a hole through the Griffon defense line at Pride-1. He was simply outnumbered far too much. Fortunately for Danik, the second attack wave arrived several hours into the engagement, led by Admiral Fawzy. The combined assault overwhelmed the Griffons. Danik watched as countless turbolaser and missiles poured into the spacestation. Before it could be destroyed entirely by the Imperial fleet the crew aboard the Pride-1 detonated the self-destruct, destroying it and several nearby ships and robbing the Empire of their sweet revenge.

The Empire was unable to fully complete its desired retribution; Cochran remained as the final Griffon stronghold, and after the failed attack on it months prior, the Griffons were put on the shelves by the Empire as Valak ordered to focus more on the Republic itself. Kreldin would have to wait several more years before enacting the Empire's revenge in full.

Late Galactic Civil War (12 ABY&mdash;)
With the Second Civil War over and now a prestigous, famed and feared admiral, Danik looked to the future. A long and difficult road was ahead, filled with victory, defeat and sorrow. It would all culminate in his death in 15 ABY.

The Black Stars (11 ABY–12 ABY)
During the midst of the Second Imperial Civil War, Kreldin and Reanus, squadronmates aboard the HIMS Tormentor, went through with their plan devised months earlier and founded the Black Stars commando unit after discussing the plan with both Admiral Sabbath Osbourne and Vorn Paro, Director of the Imperial Security Bureau and Imperial Army general. The Black Stars were to be an elite squadron of pilots who doubled as commandos and spies, independent of the main military and free to execute missions and tasks on their own outside High Command's authority, while also accepting missions ordered by the Emperor, Osbourne and COMPNOR.

The team would consist of five highly trained soldiers flying five TIE Interceptor Mark IIs and stationed aboard a modified Corellian Corvette, the HIMS Admiral Canis, named after the late Admiral Russel Canis. Danik was given command of the unit, while Reanus was made captain of the Admiral Canis. The other three original members were Tynan Aileron, Gorian Ingsa, and Jermaine Kerexis. The three were hand-picked by Kreldin and Reanus after intensive searching.

On the very first day of their conception, the Black Stars deployed on a mission to prove their worth to High Command by launching a solo assault on Athaniss, then controlled by Palpatine. The Black Stars managed to deliver a mocking blow against the armed forces of Palpatine, before withdrawing when faced with simply overwhelming numbers. Their effectiveness earned them the right to maintain their independence. Danik was proud of himself, and his unit, and put his unit to good use throughout the Second Civil War and the subsequent assaults against the Griffons.

Danik's reputation multipled several times over. He rose to the top of the Republic's wanted list, just below Valak, and earned the ire of Republic starfighter pilots the galaxy across. Danik led missions to Oro IV in a in a daring assault, and successfully defended Charad from a Republic attack, all with the Black Stars leading the way. They were given missions from COMPNOR's Vorn Paro, such as the much-acclaimed attack on the RMS Daedilus.

Danik began a personal rivarly with the smuggler Axel Vichten, who, during his time with the Republic, fought the Black Stars several times and each time eluded capture or death. Due to his growing power and influence in the Empire, Danik was awarded a spot on the highly secretive and influential Select Committee, the ruling body of COMPNOR. He would use this position to great degree, seeing to it that all went well in the Empire and for the Black Stars.

Danik and the Black Stars would assist at the Battle of Kappa, which saw the route of the smugglers and criminals, and the believed destruction of the asteroid base. Axel would once again engage the Black Stars in battle in an attempt to lure them away from the main battle. Danik and his squadronmates would chase the smuggler through the dangerous Kappa Asteroid Field, dealing heavy damage to the smuggler's ship, the Boomstick, but Kreldin and his men were unable to capture Axel before his jump to lightspeed upon clearing the field.

Danik grew obsessed with tracking down and killing Axel, and ending his rivarly, but all this would have to wait. The unit would be disbanded by Osbourne, who had taken over the throne from Valak in the wake of the latter's mysterious disappearance. The unit had grown too far in popularity and had been attracting too much attention, as well as growing far too distant from the main Imperial military body. Kreldin was angry with the decision, but kept his mouth shut and went along with the decision. He was given command of an Imperial fleet and ordered to deploy to Kessel for fleet movements.

The Neo-Empire (12 ABY–13 ABY)
Valak had abdicated the throne, Admiral Osbourne his replacement. Only a few months later, however, Osbourne was overthrown by Lorn Rhys and the Empire thrown into turmoil in the Third Imperial Civil War after the destruction of Selene and the HIMS Dark Eminence. Danik, a supporter of Osbourne, launched his own coup against Rhys in the midst of the war, which failed. Danik was forced to flee, meeting up with his old friend Fianar Reanus and the two established the Neo-Imperial Movement.

Based off of the Truth and Reconciliation, a Marauder-class Corvette, the Movement gained many supporters and the ire of Rhys's Empire. Troubles brewed in the Movement, however, and Danik soon found himself in a trap set by the Empire on Etti IV. Unable to fight his way out, Danik was captured by the Authority and imprisoned.

Realizing he was as good as dead, as the Authority would merely hand him off to the Empire's Lord Korolov, Danik attempted suicide - and failed, thanks to the intervention of one Scaven Marx. Marx, an influential man in both the Empire and the Authority, helped Danik fake his death and assisted in smuggling Danik out of prison and off of Etti IV.

Return to Power (13 ABY&mdash;)
Danik remained in hiding, under Marx's protection, and worked as an agent for the future Grand Moff. Danik infiltrated Coruscant in 13 ABY, knowing full well it was the target of a Republic attack in the coming months, and helped prepare defenses and organize resistance on the planet. When the Republic invaded, Danik fought against the invading troops on the ground, but was forced into the lower levels after the Imperial defeat.

Danik remained on Coruscant for several more months, operating as an underground insurgent, damaging the Republic's effort to pacify the planet. Eventually, Danik and his underground movement were crushed, and Danik was forced to flee the planet. To his good fortune, however, Lorn Rhys was overthrown shortly after, and Warlord Malign had ascended to power in the Empire.

Danik was welcomed back to the Empire as a hero. He quickly climbed back up the rank ladder, until his retirement in 14 ABY where he was given an honorary promotion to high admiral. His retirement from active duty, however, did not mark the end of his Imperial career. He served as Malign's military advisor, given new powers and responsibilities, and orchestrated both the Dacan Pandemic and the great Imperial blitzkrieg in the early months of 14 ABY, where the Empire reclaimed Bothawui, Corellia, Chandrila, and Bespin, as well as claiming to annex the Caspian Democratic Union.

Post-Blitzkrieg
With the successful completion of the blitzkrieg, the Empire had reclaimed nearly all of its territory lost during the Civil War and the fragmentation of the Empire, and Danik was hailed as the finest commander in the Imperial military.

Several months later, however, he would lead the ill-fated Second Battle of Etti IV, losing two Star Destroyers under his command, both famous Star Destroyers, the Conqueror and the HIMS New Order. Despite the loss, heavy damage was inflicted upon the Republic fleet, as well as the destruction of the iconic Crusader, thus salvaging Danik from any serious repercussions.

No Rest
The Battle of O'paal resulted in the collapse of Imperial High Command. A power vacuum erupted, one that could bring an end to all the Kreldin had achieved. Thus, in order to prevent another Imperial Civil War, Kreldin was brought out of retirement to take charge of the Imperial Military, and was given the rank of Grand Admiral by Warlord Vassily Korolov.

With his white uniform and new rank bars, Kreldin set out to restructure the Military and bring an end to the Republic for good, setting his sights first on Cochran.

Ultimate Retribution
Months prior to receiving his new rank, Kreldin proposed a plan to destroy the Griffons Alliance once and for all. The plan called for the destruction of Cochran, utilizing the seldomly used Imperial tactic of Base Delta Zero.

Just a week before commencing with the operation, Kreldin was kidnapped by the Dark Jedi Johanna Siri te Danaan, and, under the influence of the Force, was forced to divulge the secrets of his grand plan. Johanna, however, decided not to go to the Republic with this knowledge, and the plan to destroy Cochran went ahead as planned.

Stuck to a medical bed due to injuries received from Johanna, Kreldin led the battle from the bridge of the Malevolence, overseeing the destruction of the Griffon Navy and the overall execution of the campaign.

At the end of the battle, Kreldin issued the code word: Base Delta Zero. The heaviest bombardment in galactic history commenced, and in less than one hour, Cochran was no more.

The Sith
After the desolation of Cochran, Kreldin returned to Corellia and to the Kreldin Estate. With the death of his father, Kennith, he no longer felt bound to his father's rule of venturing into the family vault, deep within the grounds of the Estate. After searching the vault, he discovered a pyramidal-shaped object, which, upon touch, displayed the image of a human male, who revealed himself to be Davin Keldan - or Kreldin, as he later changed his name to.

Davin was a Dark Lord of the Sith in the Brotherhood of Darkness, nearly one thousand years prior to the Battle of Yavin. Davin survived the annihiliation of the Sith Order at the battle of Ruusan. Davin Keldan changed his name to Kreldin and hid from the Jedi, and started the Kreldin family line.

Taking the Holocron with him, with hopes of fulfilling his revenge against the Jedi, Kreldin sought out Darth Malign.

End in Sight
With his Sith training underway, and the New Republic crumbling on all sides, Kreldin was made Commander-in-Chief of the Galactic Empire and the military's Executor and Supreme Commander, giving him unprecendented powers over the entire Empire and the third highest ranking individual, under Warlord Korolov and Emperor Vadim.

Kreldin prepared for what he believed to be his final hour - the capture of Coruscant. After months of planning and infiltration of Republic infrastructure and government, the attack was launched. The Sixth Battle of Coruscant was massive in its scope and scale, but Imperial superiority and Kreldin's leadership ensured victory.

Towards the end of the battle, a Republic task force was sent out in a last ditch effort to cut off the head of the Empire in the battle, in hopes of turning the tide. Hundreds of starfighters fell upon Kreldin in his signature crimson starfighter. Kreldin and his escorts put up a tough fight, but the Nightmare of Athaniss, his ship already damaged from previous fighting, could not take on the overwhelming numbers. Black Star I fell apart piece by piece, until one hit by Kyrin Sh'vani caused the entire ship to explode. Kreldin was killed instantly.

Weapons Collector (13 ABY&mdash;)
In 13 ABY, Danik began collecting weapons and other rare items, and is currently the owner of one of the largest private weapons collection in the galaxy, including many rare and valuable weapons (found through his many black market connections). It has been said that Kreldin can supply a small army, and he has attracted many enthusiasts and prospective buyers to browse his collection. In late 14 ABY, Kreldin showcased his collection at CDEW on Etti IV.

Bounty Hunting and Galactic Swoop League (13 ABY&mdash;)
Shortly after his retirement from active service, and before the Blitzkrieg was put into action, Danik picked up bounty hunting to keep himself active, and indeed collected several high bounties, notably on Tatooine, with the help of his future aide, Sandor Woden. Danik, however, would eventually stop actively participating in the occupation, in order to lead the Empire during the Imperial Blitzkrieg.

In addition to his bounty hunting, Kreldin earned a spot as one of the managers of the Galactic Swoop League, being one of the famous swoop racers throughout the galaxy.

Black Sun (14 ABY–14 ABY)
At the urge of his savior, Scaven Marx, Danik was brought into the fold of the highly secretive criminal organization, Black Sun. Danik, however, was uneasy about this new appointment, fearing what the Empire would do to him if he was discovered, or what Black Sun would do to him if they discovered his involvement in their destruction in 3 ABY over Coruscant.

Danik was made Captain of Expatra, the military branch of the organization, but before long, Danik quit the organization and severed all ties with the group and its members.

DIREX Board (14 ABY&mdash;)
During the Etti IV Crisis of 14 ABY, Danik was appointed as the Imperial Advisor to the Corporate Sector's DIREX Board.

Appearance and Equipment
Danik Kreldin stood at a less-than-intimidating 1.8 meters, and was, for all intents and purposes, average in his appearance. Following his retirement from the military, Danik was often seen wearing a fedora atop his head, covering his ever graying brown hair, and a trench coat over a Corellian-made suit. Eventually he would wear his white grand admiral's uniform upon coming out of retirement.

At least three sheaths were worn under his trench coat, holding a variety of melee weapons, typically Vibro-Rapiers, and throughout his body he had many Rodian Daggers and assorted knives concealed, as a last line of defense.

From time to time, especially during his bounty hunting days, Danik could be seen in Enhanced Armor and its attached jetpack, carrying high-class weaponry, including two ZCF Grenade Launchers and two MWC .48 Enforcer Pistols.

In space, he came known by his trademark crimson-painted starfighters and starships, including the infamous TIE Interceptor Mark 2, the Black Star I, known to his enemies as SF-5085, its transponder.

His other vehicles were the Z-95A Head Hunter II, the Red Comet; the Z-96 Headhunter, the Der Kummer; the Scimitar Assault Bomber, the War Horse; the A-wing, The Nightmare of Athaniss; the Lambda-class Shuttle, the Corellian Hope; and prior to the fall of the Neo-Imperial Movement, the Marauder-class Corvette, the Truth and Reconciliation. All of these vehicles were purchased by Kreldin over the years, with the exception of The Nightmare of Athaniss, an A-wing which he disabled in combat and took as his own.

Medals and Awards
See Danik's Military Awards.

Battle History
Danik Kreldin's battle record is highly extensive, spanning thirty-six years and numerous conflicts.

See Danik's Battle History.

OOC Info
Danik (real name Rob) joined the MUSH in March of 2001, joining the Imperial Navy as a starfighter pilot. He rose through the ranks quickly, and in 2002 became a MUSH legend along with his IC rival, Axel.

In 2005, Danik became an Original Feature Character and the Imperial Assistant Faction Head, though stepped down as an Original Feature Character in December of 2005. On July 20th, 2006, his character was killed in action over Coruscant. He stepped down as Imperial AFH and retired from the MUSH.