Sander Delvardus

"I'm not sharing my glory."

- Sander Delvardus

Sander Delvardus was an admiral in the Galactic Empire who became an independent warlord after the Battle of Endor. Delvardus originally served under Grand Moff Ardus Kaine, but after the death of Emperor Palpatine at Endor, he broke away from the Empire and formed the Eriadu Authority. He succeeded in claiming part of the Rimma Trade Route before being forced to retreat to the Deep Core, where he joined forces with the reborn Palpatine. After the final death of Palpatine in 11 ABY, Delvardus again set out on his own, and continued to build up his forces, which included the Super Star Destroyer Night Hammer.

In 12 ABY, he traveled to a conference at Tsoss Beacon with twelve other Imperial warlords. There, Admiral Natasi Daala proposed that the warlords ally to defeat the New Republic. However, they refused to unify, as they were hesitant to share their resources with the other warlords. Delvardus, for his part, saw the rest of the warlords as his rivals, and did not want to share the glory that he felt awaited him when he defeated the New Republic. Daala responded to their decision by executing all of them, Delvardus included, with a nerve-gas.

Biography
Sander Delvardus, an extended member of the Tarkin family, served under Grand Moff Ardus Kaine in the Seswenna sector. After the death of Emperor Palpatine in 4 ABY in the Battle of Endor, Admiral Delvardus refused to follow Kaine as he formed the Pentastar Alignment, his break-away government. Instead, Delvardus became one of the first Imperial warlords, forming the Eriadu Authority and at some point taking the title of Superior General. Gaining a number of supporters, he moved Coreward from Eriadu, his headquarters. He was able to claim the Rimma Trade Route from Eriadu to Yag'Dhul, although it was not long before he lost the approval of the ruling families on Eriadu, as Delvardus sought to invade the Core, whereas the families were merely content for him to defend the Eriadu system. In 5 ABY, Delvardus tried and failed to take control of Sullust, being defeated by Sien Sovv.

He fled to the Deep Core, where he began construction of an Executor-class Star Dreadnought named the Night Hammer, though construction of the Super Star Destroyer cost a great deal. Delvardus eventually allied himself with the reborn Palpatine. In 10 ABY, when Palpatine launched Operation Shadow Hand, Delvardus attacked the Core planet Metellos, where a New Republic fleet was stationed. The New Republic vessels were destroyed, and Delvardus then unleashed an orbital bombardment on the planet, killing over five billion people. After the final defeat of Palpatine in 11 ABY, Delvardus struck out on his own. Using a small, abandoned desert world far from its system's sun, Delvardus built up his forces, and continued construction on the Night Hammer.

In 12 ABY, Delvardus was one of thirteen Imperial warlords summoned by Admiral Natasi Daala to Tsoss Beacon for a conference. Daala proposed that they ally, creating a mighty force that could bring down the New Republic. However, the warlords, Delvardus included, were not receptive to the idea. Delvardus remarked that he would not share his glory, and felt that it was merely an attempt by Daala to seize power for herself. When he rose to leave, Daala triggered a switch, locking the doors in the conference room. She then informed them that the doors would remain locked for three hours, during which time she hoped the warlords would come to an agreement.

However, the thirteen warlords failed to come to a deal, refusing to let their rivals share any of their war materiel and the triumph that they felt awaited them. Angered, Daala released a nerve-gas into the room. As the doors remained locked, and she and her ally, Gilad Pellaeon, were the only ones with masks, the warlords had no way to escape certain death. Struggling to say conscious, Delvardus assembled a crude yet deadly knife from several of the medals that he wore. He attempted to stab Daala, but collapsed and died before he could reach her.

With the warlords dead, Daala became Supreme Commander. She traveled to Delvardus' fortress, with several stormtroopers carrying his dead body on a frame. Informing Delvardus' second-in-command, Colonel Cronus, that he would have one hour to decide if he wished to ally with Daala or be destroyed, Daala left both Delvardus' body and a holocube containing a recording of the meeting outside his fortress. Cowed by Daala's show of force, Cronus agreed to join with her, presenting the Night Hammer to her.

Personality and traits
"I've heard enough. This is just a poorly disguised power grab."

- Sander Delvardus, to Natasi Daala

Delvardus was determined not to ally with any of the other warlords. He did not want to divide any of his resources with them, and felt that none of them deserved to share in the glory that awaited him when he triumphed over the New Republic. He was very confident in himself, and despite being outmanned and outgunned by the New Republic, believed that he would be able to defeat the New Republic. Daala believed that Delvardus, like all the warlords, was a fool for his extreme self-confidence and staunch refusal to ally with the other warlords for the good of the Empire. Delvardus in turn believed that Daala's attempt to unify the warlords was nothing more than a thinly-veiled power grab. When she poisoned the warlords, his last act was forming a knife out of his medals and insignias, planning to stab Daala so that he could have revenge on her for unleashing the deadly toxin.

Behind the scenes
Sander Delvardus was created for Kevin J. Anderson's novel Darksaber, where he serves as a minor character. Later sourcebooks, such as Coruscant and the Core Worlds and The Essential Atlas would provide more information on him, including a first name, which was revealed by The Essential Atlas.

Appearances

 * Darksaber

Notes and references
Delvardus Sander Delvardus