Sate Pestage/Legends

Sate Pestage (– 11 ABY?) was a long-time adviser of Palpatine and one of the few people who truly knew him. He was a staff aid to Palpatine when he was a senator, and controlled the Executive agenda after Palpatine was elected Chancellor. He also covered up Palpatine's secret assassinations, and may have known Palpatine was Darth Sidious. Mace Windu actually suspected Pestage might actually have been Sidious, discounting Palpatine as he was chancellor.

When Palpatine became Emperor, Pestage was appointed his Grand Vizier. His daily tasks ranged from managing Palpatine's schedule to tasting his food to see if it was poisoned. As time went on, Pestage gained more power. Pestage became a member of Palpatine's Inner Circle; some even accredit him with creating the "Human High Culture" concept of the New Order (possibly as a means of elevating himself above his non-human rivals in Palpatine's cabinet, such as Sly Moore and Mas Amedda).

The other members of the Inner Circle were Janus Greejatus, Sim Aloo, Ars Dangor and Kren Blista-Vanee.

By the Battle of Hoth, Pestage was actually running the Empire day to day. After Palpatine was killed at the Battle of Endor, he assumed control of the Imperial Center until Ysanne Isard betrayed him by revealing he would allow Coruscant to be captured by the New Republic. His credibility gone, Pestage fled to the Ciutric Hegemony, his private holdings. Isard sent Admiral Delak Krennel to kill Pestage. Despite a rescue attempt by Rogue Squadron, Krennel killed Pestage, seized the Hegemony, and declared himself a Warlord.

Yet the circumstances of Pestage's death are uncertain. Krennel's strangling appeared rather fatal, but Pestage was never seen dead. Furthermore, he was seen later with the reborn Emperor Palpatine. It is mainly believed that the Pestage killed by Krennel was an insane clone. The Pestage seen on Byss is believed to have died when the Galaxy Gun destroyed the planet.

Appearances

 * Cloak of Deception
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization
 * X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Masquerade
 * X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Mandatory Retirement
 * X-Wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service
 * Dark Empire