Sarkli

"The Empire maintains order, and people like you disrupt that order."

- Sarkli

Sarkli was a Rebel-turned-Imperial around the time of the Skirmishes of Yavin 4.

Biography
Sarkli was Admiral Firmus Piett's nephew, and was presumably from Piett's homeworld of Axxila.

He originally worked on a Rebel blockade runner. After the death of Biggs Darklighter, he became a Rebel pilot, and was included in the ranks of Rogue Squadron. He wasn't as respected a pilot as Luke Skywalker or Wedge Antilles, and didn't get the attention he thought he deserved. Months after the Battle of Yavin, the Imperials attacked the Rebel base, resulting in one of many attempts to drive the Rebels off the planet. General Jan Dodonna was trapped in the Great Massassi Temple. Luke and Wedge landed in the temple to rescue Dodonna, leaving Sarkli to fight off TIE Fighters outside. After finding the General, they escorted him to the hangar, where they were pinned down by two AT-STs. Sarkli saved them by destroying the walkers, but General Dodonna only saw the heroic actions of Luke and Wedge that saved him from the stormtroopers in the Temple. On a mission with Skywalker to rescue Tycho Celchu on Dantooine, he was ordered by Luke to wait with the ships while he went to go rescue Celchu after he easily dispatched some scout troopers.

Sarkli had enough and suddenly defected to the Empire during a mission on the planet Ralltiir during the Battle of Ralltiir, months before the Battle of Hoth, in which he was replaced by Dak Ralter.

He became an Imperial Storm Commando captain and commanded an Imperial Escort Carrier. He encountered his former Rebel friends on a number of worlds including Bakura, where he intercepted, boarded, then destroyed a rebel transport, and Geonosis, where he nearly killed Wedge Antilles with a LAAT/i. The gunship was disabled, and it crashed into a cliff. He barely survived the incident.

During his time with the Empire, he was well known for being one of the Emperor's best spies, and was always seeking a promotion. He was present on the second Death Star during Emperor Palpatine's visit.

Sarkli was reassigned from the Death Star to the shield bunker on Endor, commanding a storm commando sentry unit. During the Battle of Endor, he attempted to block Han Solo's escape from the burning bunker, but backed away when Solo tried to move past him. Firing his rifle, Sarkli backed away from Solo all the way to the entrance. He received a fatal wound from Solo's blaster, and fell to the floor, dead. His body was destroyed when the shield bunker exploded.

Behind the scenes

 * Sarkli first appeared fleetingly in the background in Return of the Jedi, but was given a name and a backstory in Rebel Strike and the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi