Telan Desaria

Overview

Telan Desaria is a Grand Admiral in the service of the Galactic Empire. He is currently serving as commander of border forces along the Imperial Frontier abutting the Unknown Regions. He is most commonly known as the officer who lead the Imperial Fleet to victory at the Battle of Endor.

History

Telan Desaria is from the industrial world of Kuat and the son Aldar and Kassarine Desaria, both large-lot shareholders in Kuat Drive Yards. His family's noble title is over the province of Raenoria. Kuat's upper nobility is a femnocracy, though because his parents had only sons, Telan as the eldest is titled Baron of Raenoria simultaneous to his father and mother (Baroness), as allowed under Kuati law.

Military Training

Baron Telan entered military service as a Cadet at the Imperial Military Academy on Raltiir at the age of fifteen, having used his family's connection and wealth to purchase documents that falsely made him older. He initially took Army classes, but officially transferred into the Naval program before his second year.

During a training exercise where the Academy's frigate "Despot" came under unexpected attack, Baron Telan took control of a turbolaser battery, commanding a crew of cadets. For his service, he was awarded the Imperial Cross, 2nd Class. He was later awarded the 1st Class while still at the Academy, becoming the first Cadet at Raltiir to have done so. He graduated 47th in a class of 930 and was commissioned Ensign.

Early Military Career

Desaria took an early elective posting with the Imperial Customs Service, agreeing to a one-year deployment in return for early promotion to Junior Lieutenant. He found the duties of law enforcement exciting but unrewarding. He was in constant combat with pirates and lawbreakers but felt that something was missing from his career. Even though his service specialty was gunnery, Baron Telan volunteered for every boarding party and was even reprimanded once for "conspicuous and excessive zeal" by his commanding officer.

After the deployment was over, Desaria returned to the Fleet as a Junior Lieutenant and was posted as an executive battery commander on the then-new Carrack-class Light Cruiser Z9-15. It was on the Xenon (as the crew referred to it) that Desaria was promoted to ship's gunnery officer, serving on the bridge as a member of the command crew. During the Battle of Bpfassh where Task Force 4 of the Allumhari Sector Fleet was ambushed by the Rebels, Baron Telan assumed command when a Skipper Missile incapacitated most of the command crew. The Imperials drove off the Rebels after sustaining heavy casualties. It was during this engagement that he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Imperial Cross, the decoration of which the Baron is the most proud.

Command Experience

The Baron took various command and Staff courses before rising to flag rank on the 20th anniversary of his Academy graduation. As a Commodore and independent Division commander, Desaria earned a reputation for tactical skill and daring, though critics often complained that he tried to use cruisers like battleships. Desaria himself admitted this was true as he had specialized his command training around heavy battle lines. Immediately prior to the Battle of Yavin, now Rear Admiral Desaria was given command of the 16th Squadron of the Line, comprised of five Star Destroyers and their escorts. Desaria used his command in a unique way, often using his lighter ships like hounds to drive enemy forces towards his battleships. The tactics were very effective, more so after he developed the 'checkerboard' pattern of anti-fighter fire (by battery), still in use by Imperial ships of the line.

Desaria was promoted Vice Admiral and commander of the Ty'vaant Sector Fleet where he lead the raid against Rebel forces near Derra IV. Shortly thereafter he wrote a scathing paper criticizing some commanders' use of forces composed exclusively of battleships, reminding all officers how vulnerable his precious ships of the line were.

Battle of Endor

Baron Telan was present at the Battle of Endor where he commanded the Fleet's right wing. He vocally opposed the Emperor's orders shackling the fleet and was told he could expect censure (and possible execution.) After the Emperor's death and the destruction of the flagship, he assumed command of the remaining Naval forces. Contraversially, he ordered wounded battleships to drive in at point blank range against the Rebels while the undamaged ships withdrew and used their heavier weapons and longer range to pound the Rebels into submission. By the time they withdrew, the Rebel fleet had suffered humungous casualties, while the Imperial fleet had lost half of its battleships. Desaria was very badly wounded during the action, and was in intense surgery while in transit to Coruscant.

As a result of his wounded, he had to have an augmetic eye emplaced and underwent extensive skin grafts. To hide the augmetic, Desaria began wearing a monocle in an old Kuati tradition. Only his closest friends and doctors know that the wounds were deep as well as broad and the Admiral now suffers from extreme migraines.

Current Activities

On Corsucant and across the Core, Desaria was feted as the Hero of Endor. Reacting to the public clamor (and to fill ranks depleted with those who died on the Death Star with the Emperor) the Grand Admirals voted among themselves and elevated him to one of their number. The ceremony was appropriately solemn as it came only a month after the funeral pageants for the Emperor and Lord Vader.

Grand Admiral Desaria took an active role against the Rebel forces, taking any and all steps to engage enemy capital ship formations in pitched naval battles, requisitioning large numbers of Interdictors for this purpose. Though often stymied by the Rebels flighty-ness, he did pin down and defeat large Rebel formations at Kashyyyk, Eriadu, and Jumanda VII.

The Starkiller crisis and the peace negotiations infuriated the Grand Admiral who believed that no peace could be had in a civil war that was tearing the Empire apart. He was respectful but firm when he informed the Empress herself that while he would always be loyal, he opposed the peace. For his honesty, he was elevated to Lord of the Empire. For his opposition, he was assigned to command Frontier Forces along the Unknown Regions - where many said "he could do no harm to the status quo."