Kintaro

"That's Grand Moff Kintaro's sector, is it not? He has been lax in allowing such a base to become established. We will speak to him."

- Emperor Palpatine

Kintaro was Grand Moff of the Galactic Empire. His headquarters were on Talofan.

The first Grand Moffs
"The regional governors now have direct control over their territories."

- Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin

The Galactic Republic prosecuted the Clone Wars by dividing its armed forces into twenty Sector Armies, each designed to protect a specific oversector, or priority sector, of the galaxy. Near the conclusion of the war, in 19 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine enacted the Sector Governance Decree, which created a system of twenty of the most powerful regional governors, called Moffs, who were placed in command of each of the twenty Sector Armies to maximize the Republic's war effort. This command structure allowed the Moffs to act without needing to consult with squabbling senators. Moff Kintaro was given the responsibility of supporting the Republic's Fifteenth Army, also known as Hook Nebula Command, in the Sarin Oversector, with sector headquarters at Qeimet. The Fifteenth Army was envisioned as primarily a reserve force to reinforce Republic troops fighting on the Corellian Run, Hydian Way, and Rimma Trade Route hyperlanes.

After the war's end, as the victorious Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire under the authority of Emperor Palpatine, the Sector Armies remained. The Empire's militarization eventually reorganized the Republic's wartime boundaries into a more efficient and permanent set of oversectors, and the twenty original Republic Moffs became the first Grand Moffs of the Empire. In the face of a largely superficial Imperial Senate that wielded no real legislative power or military control, the responsibility fell to Kintaro and the Grand Moffs to maintain peace, coordinate the vast resources of the Imperial Military, and ensure the doctrines of Palpatine's New Order. The Emperor ultimately dissolved the Senate in 0 BBY, granting the Grand Moffs complete dominion over their territories.

Corruption in the Bajic sector
Kintaro's sovereignty over the Sarin Oversector continued into the Galactic Civil War and the year 3 ABY, by which time he had established his capital on the planet Talofan. The Grand Moff also allowed a lucrative and illicit spice trade to operate within his domain. Ororo Transportation, a front company for the criminal Tenloss Syndicate, built a large, hidden shipyard in the remote Vergesso Asteroids, within the Lybeya system of the Bajic sector. The facility served as the main distribution, storage, and repair hub for the Tenloss Syndicate's spice trade and other illicit dealings. Indeed, Kintaro's sector authorities were well aware of the hidden Ororo base, but the Grand Moff refrained from classifying the criminal enterprise as a threat to sector security and did not bring the matter to the attention of Imperial Military forces. Ororo paid Kintaro well for his silence, delivering a hefty monthly tribute to his capital on Talofan. Kintaro was thereby satisfied with overlooking and even going so far as to conceal the operation from his own staff and officers.

Kintaro did not know, however, that the Ororo base also served as a major safe port for the Rebel Alliance and that much of the contraband that passed through the shipyard ended up in Rebel hands. Many types of Rebel and other starships, from starfighters to cruisers, underwent repairs at the base right under Kintaro's nose. Ororo developed sympathies for the Rebellion after too many encounters with the might of the Imperial Navy and privately wished to see the Empire replaced with a government that would prove less efficient in hampering its criminal operations. In 3.5 ABY, Ororo's growing spice business came to the attention of Prince Xizor, leader of the Black Sun criminal organization, a major competitor of the Tenloss Syndicate. To both damage his rival and curry favor with the Emperor, Xizor informed the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader of the Ororo shipyard. The Emperor, displeased with Kintaro for allowing such a Rebel base to operate under his watch, ordered Vader to destroy the shipyard.

The ensuing Battle of the Bajic Shipyards resulted in a tremendous Imperial victory. Vader's forces destroyed hundreds of Rebel ships and thousands of pilots and crew members. The Emperor had Kintaro executed for failing to secure his territory against Rebel invasion.

Appearances

 * Shadows of the Empire novel