Sheard

"This is Station Control West, Commander Sheard. This is a priority red request. Put us through to the grand moff immediately."

- Sheard

Sheard was a human male who served as station commander of Station Control West onboard the Galactic Empire's DS-1 Orbital Battle Station. In the year 0 BBY, the crew of the YT-1300 light freighter known as the Millennium Falcon set off alarms in Detention Block AA-23 of the Death Star while trying to rescue Princess Leia Organa just as Sheard's shift was starting. He and the previous shift commander Pamel Poul then attempted to discover what was going on in the detention block and listened to Ensign Toos speak to the smuggler Han Solo, who was trying to convince them everything was fine in the block.

A problematic handover
"Show me the ship, main screen."

- Sheard asks to see the Millennium Falcon

Sheard was a human male who served the Galactic Empire as a station commander onboard the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station, sharing command of Station Control West with Commander Pamel Poul. In the year 0 BBY, he arrived in the station control room by turbolift to relieve Poul at the end of her twelve hour shift. They casually saluted each other and the Poul handed over her datapad and informed Sheard of the events of her shift, particularly focusing on the arrival of the YT-1300 light freighter known as the Millennium Falcon in Docking Bay 327, which fell under their jurisdiction. The freighter had been pulled into the dock by a tractor beam and was holding up incoming traffic while an inspection team led by Captain Edmos Khurgee was checked it out.

Sheard ordered Ensign Toos to show him the vessel on the main screen and then he, Poul, Toos and Sublieutenant Slallen discussed the heavily modified vessel and Slallen's brother. Just as Poul was about to leave, an alarm began to sound and Toos informed the commanders that all the sensors in Detention Block AA-23 had just gone down. Unbeknownst to the occupants of Station Control West, the crew of the Millennium Falcon had taken out the scanning crew and made their way to the detention block in order to try and rescue Princess Leia Organa, who was being held in a cell there.

A boring conversation
"All yours, Commander.''" "''Thank you. Put me through to the detention block."

- Poul and Sheard

Poul ordered Toos to open comms, but as the detention block held political prisoners it had secured comms and so they would have to wait for someone to answer. The smuggler Han Solo, captain of the Falcon, answered the comms as he and his allies had already incapacitated the Imperial staff of the detention block. Solo unconvincingly attempted to persuade Toos and the others that everything was fine, but the ensign informed the smuggler that they were sending a squad to investigate. Solo then claimed there was reactor leak in order to try and dissuade them. Sheard asked who was commanding the detention block, and when Poul answered that it should be Shann Childsen, Toos stated that Solo's voice clearly wasn't Childsen's and asked for the smugglers operating number. Panicking, Solo shot the comm unit with his blaster and ended the conversation.

After Poul had Toos verify that there was no reactor leak she ordered she ordered the ensign to send in a security squad and contact Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Tarkin initially was not available, but when Sheard declared it a priority red request the Grand Moff answered and upon hearing the alert was from Detention Block AA-23 ordered that all sections be put on alert. Sheard invited Poul to remain while the situation played out, but she chose to leave and get some rest. The crew of the Falcon soon managed to escape with the princess on their freighter and return her to the Rebel Alliance's headquarters on the moon Yavin 4. The Death Star tracked them there, but was then destroyed above the moon by the Alliance.

Personality and traits
"I didn't even know these things were still flying."

- Sheard comments on the Millennium Falcon

Sheard had a thick moustache, and drew a finger along its underside while Poul updated her on the events of her shift. He was surprised to see an YT-1300 still active in 0 BBY.

Behind the scenes
Sheard first appeared in the short story "End of Watch", which was written by Adam Christopher and published in the From a Certain Point of View anthology book on October 3, 2017.