Nil Spaar

"Tell them that beginning today, their lives depend on their being useful to us."

- Nil Spaar

Nil Spaar was a male Yevetha and the darama of N'zoth, the Yevetha homeworld, as well as head of the Duskhan League during the Black Fleet Crisis. Years earlier, Spaar led a rebellion shortly after the Battle of Endor in which the Yevetha overthrew their Imperial masters. As the leader of the insurrection, Spaar gained popular acclaim among the Yevetha and was widely supported after replacing the previous regime in a bloody coup.

In 16 ABY, Spaar extended his ambitions into the galaxy at large, meeting New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, ostensibly for trade negotiations. However, Spaar's visit was a pretense to gather intelligence and sow distrust among the New Republic to hide their planned takeover of the Koornacht Cluster. Though the Yevetha managed to cause much turmoil and conflict in the New Republic Senate, the plan ultimately failed, largely due to the actions of Leia Organa Solo. When she refused to turn a blind eye to the obliteration of the populations of worlds in the Koornacht Cluster, Spaar led a military effort against the New Republic's Fleet in the Koornacht Cluster. The Yevetha were initially successful and even captured Commodore Han Solo, whom Spaar physically assaulted after the New Republic attacked a Yevethan shipyard, transmitting the feed to the New Republic. Though horrified, Spaar's brutality only stiffened the New Republic's resolved and they launched the Battle of N'zoth in an all-out attack on the Yevethan homeworld. As the Yevethan fleet, led by Spaar, was preparing for battle, the captured Imperials who served as slaves on the Yevethan ships struck and seized control of the vessels that once had belonged to the Empire. Spaar was captured and ejected into hyperspace by Sil Sorannan, and he was left for dead.

Imperial discovery
"You are vermin."

- Nil Spaar to Paret before killing him

During the reign of Palpatine, the Galactic Empire invaded the Koornacht Cluster and took control of the planet N'zoth, after much fighting. The Yevetha were taken as slaves by the Imperials and the Black Sword Command was housed in the cluster, along with several shipyards. However, many Yevetha used their enslavement to learn much about the art of shipbuilding. After several years of Imperial rule, they began plotting a rebellion, and Nil Spaar was one of the leaders. In his tenure, he put an end to quiet acts of sabotage, encouraging the Yevetha to cultivate the trust of the Empire so they could turn on them later. Eventually, after the Yevetha had virtual run of the shipyard, Spaar had his chance. Eight months after the Battle of Endor, in which Palpatine was killed and the Empire began a slow decline, the Yevetha, led by Nil Spaar, seized the moment. The Imperial fleet at the shipyards was undermanned and poorly defended, with many of the ships incomplete or damaged; a perfect opportunity for a surprise insurrection. Imperial forces in the Koornacht Cluster were being withdrawn to assist in the defense of the Core Worlds, and security was lax, to the point where Spaar knew the details of the supposedly sudden Imperial departure.

As the Black Fleet prepared to leave the N'zoth system and the Yevetha behind to aid Ysanne Isard in the defense of Coruscant, Spaar and his followers put their plan in motion. The Imperial commander, Paret, had ordered an evacuation, sending all Yevetha off the Imperial ships and facilities. He found the aliens despicable, and was happy to leave the Koornacht Cluster. The Imperial had kept this a secret from the Yevetha, knowing the aliens would interfere if they learned of their upcoming escape. However, Spaar was aware of this, and his engineers had altered the sensors on the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Intimidator, flagship of the fleet, so some hatches would appear to be closed when they were not. A Yevethan task force then invaded the ship, and made their way to the bridge, slaying or capturing any Imperials in their path. Spaar had numerous other contingency plans in effect, including a series of bombs that would destroy Intimidator if it activated its shields.

Spaar personally led one of the two commando teams to penetrate Intimidator, working his way across the ship with cold efficiency. They easily reached the bridge of the ship and took control of the vessel, as Commander Paret and his men were completely surprised by the Yevethan attack. As the Imperial troops rose from the surface of N'zoth in transports per the evacuation plan, Spaar ordered the batteries on Intimidator to destroy them. The Yevethan commandos complied, to the horror of Paret, whom Spaar executed thereafter.

The Yevetha repeated their operation across the Black Fleet and took command of the fleet entirely. The largest of the ships they captured was the Intimidator, which they renamed the Pride of Yevetha. More importantly, they also brought the Koornacht Cluster fully under Yevethan control. Spaar became very popular for his actions, and not long afterwards, he killed Viceroy Kiv Truun of the Duskhan League, becoming viceroy himself.

Revealed to the galaxy
"I don't think there's any question but that Nil Spaar represents more worlds, a larger population, greater material riches, and a more advanced industrial-technological base than anyone who's come to Imperial City in the last twelve years. And he probably knows it, too."

- Leia Organa Solo

Thirteen years later, Spaar opened talks with the New Republic, but it was in truth a ruse to cause mistrust of Chief of State Leia Organa Solo in the New Republic Senate and to gather intelligence on the New Republic. He pretended to be seeking an alliance with the New Republic, and even led President Organa Solo to believe that he was interested in the Yevetha joining as a member species. However, it was all a ploy, and Spaar strung the negotiations along without ever reaching any sort of agreement with Organa Solo. New Republic councilors disagreed on Spaar's true actions, with many feeling Organa Solo was mistaken in her view that Spaar was sincere. Finally, Spaar decided that his negotiations were complete.

On Coruscant, after weeks of negotiations, Spaar and the Yevetha suddenly took off in their ship, an Aramadia-class thrustship, causing damage to surrounding ships, buildings and even some people. Spaar then came on the HoloNet, apologizing for his evacuation. He claimed the New Republic intended to take control of the Koornacht Cluster, and had already sent spies into the area. To back up his point, he showed a piece of wreckage from a ship that bore the New Republic insignia. This wreckage had come from a scout ship, not a threatening spy ship, as Spaar claimed, although fewer than half a dozen individuals knew this. The scout ship was part of a survey team was sent to the system to explore the area under the order of Kiles L'toth, director of the Astrographic Survey Institute. L'toth had sent the team at a request from his friend Etahn A'baht, commander of the Fifth Fleet, who had been given the order from Hiram Drayson, leader of Alpha Blue.

Once the Republic was paralyzed by political infighting, Spaar ordered the Yevetha to begin the purge of the Koornacht Cluster, killing or enslaving most remaining non-Yevethans in the Cluster. He even claimed that attacks on all non-Yevetha in the cluster, which had killed millions, had been orchestrated by the New Republic. In truth, the Yevetha, who viewed all other species as vermin, had begun to eliminate all others in the Koornacht Cluster. Only one being escaped, a Grannan named Plat Mallar, who managed to make his way to Coruscant, and informed the New Republic of these events.

Many believed Spaar, and the New Republic Senate was divided. Immense pressure was placed on Organa Solo, who knew Spaar's allegations were false, and that the Yevetha were aiming for dominance of Koornacht. This was made worse by the fact that she blamed herself for speaking with Spaar for many hours and never seeing his true intent.

Following the purge, Spaar and the Aramadia returned home. Spaar was greeted by thousands of adoring Yevetha, who now viewed him as god-like. Once on N'zoth, Spaar traveled to Giat Nor, capital of N'zoth. Later on, he contacted Belezaboth Ourn, a Paqwe diplomat on Coruscant. Spaar's thrustship had damaged the Paqwepori's diplomatic vessel, [[Mother's Valkyrie], and Spaar had promised Ourn a new ship. Acting in secret so no one would realize he was aiding the enemy, Ourn gave Spaar information regarding the state of the divided New Republic Senate.

End of the crisis
Following the failure of the previous mission, the Fifth Battle Group, commanded by Etahn A'baht was then sent to the Koornacht Cluster. Han Solo accompanied the fleet, sent by Organa Solo to keep an eye on the happenings there. However, Solo's shuttle was abducted by the Yevetha, who took him onboard their flagship. Solo was taken before Spaar and interrogated, then beaten by the darama. Spaar then sent Organa Solo a message, telling her that her husband would die if the New Republic battle group did not retreat. Organa Solo, faced with one of the toughest decisions of her life, chose not to order a surrender. Solo would later be freed by a group of Wookiees led by Chewbacca, who boarded the Pride of Yevetha and made their way to the cells. Spaar was furious when he learned of both Organa Solo's decision and Solo's escape.



The New Republic then prepared for a pivotal confrontation, and sent the Fifth Battle Group to engage the Yevetha fleet. Luke Skywalker, who had been missing throughout the whole conflict to search for his mother with a Force-user named Akanah, had finally reappeared, accompanied by the Fallanassi. The Republic was aided by the Fallanassi, who used their Force powers to craft illusions of cruisers fighting the Yevetha. The Yevetha eventually penetrated the illusion when Wialu, who was creating the illusions, could not hold up under the strain. The battle raged on until the Yevetha were hit from a blow that no one suspected. The surviving Imperials, now serving as slaves, had been planning a rebellion for the past decade. Now, they put it into motion, invading the ships of Black Sword Command. The Yevetha were caught by surprise, and the Imperials were able to take control of the ships. The Imperials then announced to the New Republic that they were leaving, headed for Byss in the Deep Core. Sil Sorannan, the highest ranking survivor, crammed Spaar into an escape pod and ejected him out of the Intimidator while still in hyperspace. As the escape pod lacked a hyperdrive, Nil Spaar was trapped in hyperspace until he eventually died.

Personality and traits
"Your wars are decided by the death of a tenth of a population, a third of an army. Then the defeated surrender their honor and the victors surrender their advantage. This is called being civilized. The Yevetha are not civilized, General. It would be a mistake to deal with us as though we were."

- Nil Spaar

Nil Spaar was very arrogant, believing the Yevetha to be superior to all other species, like all of his race. He considered all non-Yevetha vermin, and believed they should be killed. His hatred of other species, as well as his bloodthirstiness was demonstrated when he ordered the Great Purge. Spaar demanded complete obedience from his subjects, and would frequently test their loyalty. He would sometimes kill his subordinates if they failed in battle or swayed in their loyalty, a trait common among the Yevetha and likely enhanced from his involvement with the Empire, where many officers practiced similar tactics. As the darama of his people, all other Yevetha were not allowed to question him, or face death. As such, he did not understand why the New Republic allowed Senators and the media to question their leader. Due to this, he found the leader of the New Republic, Leia Organa Solo, weak, and believed she would choke under pressure.

Behind the scenes
"... Nil Spaar, the canny, ruthlessly machiavellian Viceroy of the Yevethan Protectorate, sees that as an opportunity he can exploit...an opportunity to shatter the New Republic from within."

- Michael P. Kube-McDowell on Nil Spaar

Nil Spaar was first created by author Michael P. Kube-McDowell as the primary antagonist of the The Black Fleet Crisis. Spaar has also appeared in a number of reference materials that discuss the events of the Black Fleet Crisis, such as The New Essential Chronology, Cracken's Threat Dossier, and The New Essential Guide to Characters.

Appearances

 * Before the Storm
 * Shield of Lies
 * Tyrant's Test
 * The New Rebellion