Zsinj Zsinj ( ) was a Human male from Fondor . Though he bore no first name per the traditions of his father , a Fondorian shipyard mechanic , Zsinj preferred to follow in the footsteps of his more famous mother , Mme . Maarisa Zsinj , a Chandrilan Admiral in the Republic Outland Regions Security Force popularly known as the " Ace of the Spacelanes . " Zsinj served under his mother until the end of the Clone Wars and the birth of the Empire , at which point she refused the order to return her starship , the " Venator " - class Star Destroyer " Retaliation " , to port for decommissioning . The elder Zsinj denounced the new government as corrupt and went rogue , preying on ships of the Empire as a pirate . Young Zsinj was granted command of the aging " Victory " - class Star Destroyer " Iron Fist " to hunt down his own mother . The campaign was intense but ultimately successful , and Maarisa Zsinj was killed by her own son . The younger Zsinj was officially named the first Warlord of the Empire , and the elder Zsinj was expunged from Imperial history . This was the beginning of a string of victories that would lead to ever greater power for Zsinj , but also initiated a pattern of absurd thinking that would confound future opponents and analysts . Shortly after the Battle of Yavin , Zsinj was promoted to admiral and given command of the " Executor " - class Star Dreadnought " Brawl " — which Zsinj later renamed " Iron Fist " after his first command — by Emperor Palpatine himself . Zsinj quarantined the planet Dathomir and prevented the escape of the Force - sensitive Nightsisters , and Palpatine was personally grateful to Zsinj for halting this potential threat to his rule . Soon after this , Zsinj became High Admiral of the Crimson Command , a fleet of " Victory " - class Star Destroyers , and gained the position of Grand Moff over the Quelii Oversector , a large portion of the northern quadrant of the galaxy . It was from this position that Zsinj established himself as an independent warlord after the Battle of Endor . After what was believed by the galaxy at large to be the death of Palpatine , Zsinj was recognized by many as the most powerful of the post - Imperial warlords . In fact , his official title of " Warlord of the Empire " popularized the term " warlord " for the renegades who broke away from the crumbling Empire , as in the initial chaos following the Battle of Endor he proclaimed loyalty to the Empire and used his legal title to foster an appearance of legitimacy . However , he set up a base on Serenno , locked down his Oversector , and began to absorb the forces and territories of his rivals like Terrinald Screed and Nigel Nivers . Along with his formidable fleet , Zsinj built a supporting financial infrastructure unlike that of any other warlord , and at the height of his power he controlled a third of the known galaxy , rivaling both the New Republic and the Galactic Empire . After the defeat of Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard , Zsinj became the target of a New Republic campaign against him , which was led by General Han Solo , who became a personal enemy of Zsinj . Zsinj ' s forces fought Solo ' s task force on several occasions , each taking turns laying traps for the other . In 7 ABY , " Iron Fist " , Zsinj ' s personal command ship , narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of Solo ' s fleet twice , the first time due to New Republic collaboration with Imperial Admiral Teren Rogriss while the second engagement was precipitated by a double agent on " Iron Fist " , Gara Petothel . Zsinj faked the destruction of " Iron Fist " and escaped to his hidden base over Dathomir to plan his next move . However , his outpost was attacked by the Hapan war fleet . During the battle , Solo , who had won Dathomir in a gambling match and had journeyed to the world , flew his personal craft , the " Millennium Falcon " on a strafing run on " Iron Fist . " Firing concussion missiles at the bridge of Zsinj ' s flagship , Solo slew the warlord and brought about the collapse of his empire . Zsinj ' s former forces scattered to join other warlords or strike out on their own , but no other independent force ever matched Zsinj ' s power . Biography . Rise to prominence . Zsinj — he had no first name , in the ancient tradition of his father ' s Fondorian caste — was a male Human born on the planet Fondor . Zsinj was the son of a shipyard mechanic , who passed on some of his technical aptitude to his youngling , but young Zsinj chose to follow in the footsteps of his more famous mother , Mme . Maarisa Zsinj . A native of Chandrila and an admiral in the Republic Outland Regions Security Force in the waning years of the Galactic Republic , the elder Zsinj was popularly known as the " Ace of the Spacelanes , " and she inspired her young son to join the Imperial Naval Academy at Prefsbelt IV upon reaching the minimum enrollment age . He did not really stand out among his classmates — in fact his instructors and classmates at the academy considered him quite dull — however he showed amazing technological insight and a great deal of promise as a tactician . His instructors tried to persuade him to consider a career in support services , but Zsinj insisted that he was " destined to become a great warrior , " and he graduated in the top third of his class . Zsinj served competently under his mother during the Clone Wars , and the early years of the Galactic Empire brought upon a wave of chauvinism that propelled the young Zsinj up the ranks while his elder mother was relegated to less important duties . When Mme . Zsinj ' s " Venator " - class Star Destroyer , " Retaliation " , was scheduled for decommissioning , her son volunteered to take command to bring the vessel back to port . This was not to be , however , as Mme . Zsinj refused her orders from Naval Command , and instead publicly denounced the Empire as corrupt . Turning to piracy , the " Ace of the Spacelanes " was now an enemy of the Empire , and to hunt her down the Empire turned to the one who knew her best : her own son . The younger Zsinj was granted command of the " Victory I " - class Star Destroyer " Iron Fist " , which was one of the oldest ships of its class and was itself due for retirement , to hunt down and destroy the " Retaliation " and Mme . Maarisa Zsinj . Putting aside his feelings , young Zsinj waged a ferocious and ultimately successful campaign , killing his own mother . The elder Zsinj was retroactively stripped of her rank and expunged from Imperial records , and the younger Zsinj was granted the first official title of Warlord of the Empire . By 8 ABY , Zsinj ' s early life had been so thoroughly obfuscated as to prevent even the New Republic Intelligence Service from compiling any significant details prior to his military career . Zsinj ' s campaign against his mother marked the beginning of his pattern of absurdist thinking , and a reported disdain for everything that hailed from his mother ' s homeworld of Chandrila . He also began a pattern of innovation , and of efficient use of resources . During his early career , he developed a tactic of retreating inside an asteroid field when faced with a superior starfighter force , waiting for the pursuers to move in using the asteroids as cover , and then blowing up the asteroids to smaller pieces with turbolaser blasts , with the resulting debris clouds being extremely effective in destroying , damaging and / or forcing the attackers to abort their attack . This tactic was later adapted into a training simulation by the New Republic . It was also during this time that Zsinj would meet his future right - hand man , Melvar . Around the time of the Battle of Yavin , the " Iron Fist " was assigned to patrol the area in the Quelii sector around the planet Dathomir . Dathomir was a backwater world , where the Imperial garrison was still equipped with broken - down A5 Juggernauts and even basic supply shipments were irregular , but the Empire built a prison complex on the planet for political dissidents and intellectuals . Emperor Palpatine eventually realized that the Force - sensitive Dathomiri Nightsisters were too much of a threat to be allowed off - planet . To eliminate this threat , Zsinj attacked the prison from orbit , destroying every spaceworthy craft . Though this stranded all the Imperial personnel on the planet along with the Nightsisters , Palpatine applauded Zsinj ' s actions , promoted Zsinj to Admiral , and gave him command of the newest " Executor " - class Star Dreadnought , " Brawl " . The " Victory " - class Star Destroyer was sent to the Unknown Regions under Thrawn . With the " Brawl " at his command , Zsinj became the heart of Imperial authority in what was now the Quelii Oversector , with the ranks of Grand Moff and High Admiral of Crimson Command — a fleet of a hundred refitted " Victory " - class Star Destroyers plated with red havod alloy hulls . In this lofty new position , one of Zsinj ' s duties was to conquer the Drackmarian s and control the Rimward stretch of the Hydian Way super - hyperroute . To this end , the Quelii Sector Fleet was the single largest in the Imperial Navy . Even as he gained power and prestige , Zsinj maintained a public persona that belied his genius . With his portly figure and piratical moustache , he put his enemies off guard before he destroyed them . From admiral to warlord . After the Imperial defeat at the Battle of Endor , the Empire began to fracture and core elements of Imperial power were brought under the control of the Imperial Ruling Council . Zsinj broke away from the Empire with the forces under his command , renaming the Star Dreadnought " Brawl " to " Iron Fist " in honor of his first command , and making it the centerpiece of his military forces , making the planet Serenno his headquarters , and ruthlessly dealing with any Rebel threat within his holdings . However , Zsinj ' s breakout from central authority was not entirely evident , and the Ruling Council ' s advisers could find no fault with his tactics at first , because he loudly proclaimed loyalty to the true Empire , having learned a hard lesson from the downfall of his mother . Instead of trying to seize more power and territory by force , Zsinj began to work to solidify his power base . Zsinj sent emissaries to the Alliance of Free Planets and later the fledgling New Republic , causing them to initially leave him alone as they focused on nibbling at the Imperial forces based on Coruscant , though the Mon Calamari harassed his borders in 4 ABY . During this time , a growing rivalry began to develop between Zsinj and warlord Treuten Teradoc , whose own pocket Empire , the Greater Maldrood , bordered Zsinj ' s territory to the south . Throughout the following years , the two would engage in a series of border skirmishes — of all his fellow warlords , Teradoc was the one for whom Zsinj had the greatest antipathy . Beyond those conflicts , however , Zsinj coexisted peacefully with the Ciutric Hegemony and the loyalist Empire , and had only occasional minor conflicts with Grand Moff Ardus Kaine ' s Pentastar Alignment . In the earliest days after the death of the Emperor , many warlords found it difficult to maintain the respect of their subjects . With most true stormtroopers remaining loyal to the Imperial Ruling Council , some warlords chose to equip regular infantry with stormtrooper armor . Zsinj took a different route , choosing instead to form his own elite military force . The Raptors combined aspects of the stormtroopers and the Emperor ' s Royal Guard , and they were loyal only to Zsinj . Zsinj ' s industrial complex created or purchased unique equipment for the Raptors , like Incom Y - 4 " " Raptor " " transports and TIE Raptors . The Raptors defended Zsinj ' s holdings , protected his allies , and terrified his enemies . Zsinj made overtures , both friendly and aggressive , to planets spread throughout the galaxy . He also made efforts to recruit Imperial officers into his forces , focusing especially on those with an Intelligence background . Many joined him , like the pirate queen Leonia Tavira , the ex - Inquisitor Lanu Pasiq , and the Hutt economist Teubbo . Others , like Sair Yonka , remained loyal to Coruscant . A few persistently rejected Zsinj ' s attempts at both bullying and bribery , like Zel Johans and his 112th Repulsorlift Armor Regiment . Through subordinates like Zurel Darillian , Zsinj operated like a rebel force unto himself . Outside of his official borders , his cells controlled territories of varying size , from entire planets down to individual companies . Using a variety of aliases like " Cortle Steeze " and " Lord Houghten Ween , " Zsinj built up a support network independent from his military force . Having consolidated his forces , Zsinj took over the Tion Hegemony , extended his protection to the Corporate Sector , and annexed some territory along the Hydian Way abandoned by Ardus Kaine , extending his Empire as far as to Bogden in the Inner Rim . During this time , Zsinj built his Dathomir shipyards , started mining operations on Dathomir ' s fourth moon and initiated some of his many special projects . One of the first of his plots to bear fruit was Project Chubar . Zsinj took control of Binring Biomedical Product , a company based on the Corporate Sector world of Saffalore . There , ex - Imperial scientist Tuzin Gast and his subordinates used genetic and chemical therapy to increase the intellect and human - like qualities of nonhuman species such as Gamorreans , Ewoks , and Talz . Zsinj personally captured samples for the project . Gast eventually chose to commit suicide in his laboratory with a small explosive device , and the most notable success of this project , an enhanced Gamorrean subject named Gamma - 9104 , was allowed to escape . Gamma - 9104 later took the name Voort saBinring and went on to join the New Republic Defense Fleet . Despite this setback , Project Chubar continued on Saffalore and in a secondary laboratory aboard " Iron Fist " . In 4 ABY , one of Zsinj ' s allies , Llon Banjeer , acquired military assets from one of his own allies , the D ' Asta family , and assaulted the New Republic ' s hidden Hast Shipyards . This attack sidetracked the New Republic ' s plans to attack both Zsinj and Teradoc for some time . In 5 ABY , Zsinj repelled an attempt by Mon Calamari Admiral Kalback to gain a foothold on the Hydian Way at Corsin . Kalback was overwhelmed by the " Iron Fist " and forced to retreat , and the New Republic had to shift their focus to eliminating the mysterious Lord Shadowspawn . In 6 ABY , another Mon Calamari Admiral , Ragab , attempted another push up the Hydian Way to cut off some of Coruscant ' s support from the Pentastar Alignment and the New Territories . However , Zsinj ' s Raptors secured a key victory at Paqualis III , stopping their advance . Viewing both his Imperial and New Republic opponents as inferior , and driven by his stubborn pride , Zsinj eventually felt secure enough in his power to challenge the New Republic directly . First strikes . While the Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard controlled the Empire proper , Zsinj kept a respectful distance from her territory . Isard herself believed Zsinj was afraid of her . As the New Republic made inroads toward their conquest of Coruscant , however , Zsinj ' s ambition compelled him to test their resolve . After the New Republic took Borleias , Zsinj sent a small force to probe the Pyria system . A modified " Dwarf Star " - class freighter bearing a name that followed New Republic conventions , " Vengeance Derra IV " , arrived in orbit of Borleias and used a secret backdoor in the New Republic ' s identification system to fake a correct ID . Only Rogue Squadron pilot Corran Horn ' s instinct allowed the New Republic forces to destroy the freighter ' s TIE fighters and TIE Bombers and drive the freighter out of the system . The New Republic sent Rogue Squadron on a retaliatory strike against " Vengeance Derra IV " in orbit of Mrisst . Rogue Squadron crippled " Vengeance Derra IV " , hurt another Zsinj - allied transport , and destroyed a squadron of TIE fighters . Zsinj ' s pride would not allow him to let this challenge go unanswered . The New Republic ' s reprisal set off a series of hit - and - fade strikes against the New Republic by Zsinj ' s forces . Zsinj seriously damaged the New Republic base on Noquivzor , believing he was hitting Rogue Squadron . This caused the New Republic to accelerate their timetable for taking Coruscant . During the subsequent Krytos virus crisis , Zsinj made efforts to steal bacta from the New Republic . Rogue Squadron and General Horton Salm ' s Defender Wing retook a shipment of bacta from a Zsinj - controlled space station orbiting Yag ' Dhul . Zsinj then acted on intelligence provided to him by Isard to attack a bacta convoy in the Graveyard in the Alderaan system . " Termagant " , one of Zsinj ' s " Strike " - class cruisers , destroyed a fake Rogue Squadron that Isard ' s agent Kirtan Loor had planned to use to turn public sentiment against the New Republic . The real Rogue Squadron destroyed " Termagant " , but not before Zsinj prepared a HoloNet broadcast to Coruscant claiming that he had destroyed the convoy and Rogue Squadron for Humanitarian reasons . Zsinj claimed that the bacta was deliberately tainted by New Republic agents to get rid of the aliens on Coruscant , and implored the population to support him . This HoloNet broadcast was aired worldwide , however his broadcast had the misfortune of being sent nearly twelve hours after an official report showing the survival of Rogue Squadron . Zsinj was made to appear foolish once again , but the attack caused the New Republic Provisional Council to make the difficult decision to commit forces to hunting Zsinj . After the fall of Coruscant . The fall of Coruscant and Isard ' s apparent death caused many previously loyal Imperial officers and warships to flock to Zsinj ' s banner , including Admiral Apwar Trigit and his " Imperial II " - class Star Destroyer " Implacable " . Zsinj also picked up many parts of Isard ' s Imperial Intelligence network , and implemented new special projects . He absorbed the territory of many smaller warlords like Terrinald Screed , whom he executed , and Nigel Nivers . Controlling his forces from Rancor Base on Dathomir , Zsinj became increasingly ambitious , going as far as to attacking the New Republic fortress world of New Alderaan . But with Isard out of the way , the New Republic was able to commit a substantial force , under the command of General Han Solo , to hunt Zsinj . The deployment of this " Solo Command " solely to hunt for Zsinj would later be considered one of the most famous demonstrations of the flexibility of the New Republic Defense Force . Following his success in liberating Thyferra , Rogue Leader Wedge Antilles and his unit was assigned to this force . Rogue Squadron was assigned to " Mon Remonda " , and Antilles formed a new X - wing unit , later known as Wraith Squadron , to counter Zsinj ' s tactics with their own innovative ideas . Zsinj allowed his subordinates a degree of freedom in their fight against the New Republic . Admiral Trigit ordered Gara Petothel to plant false intelligence in New Republic databanks that allowed a small force under his command to destroy Talon Squadron in the Gravan system . Then , unlike Isard , he retrieved his agent rather than killing her . This action , and the attitude behind it , met with Zsinj ' s approval . Zsinj and Trigit also implemented Project Morrt , which allowed Trigit to locate and nearly destroy the New Republic forces on Folor . Only a creative decoy tactic by the Wraiths , who taunted Zsinj ' s subordinate by labeling themselves with the comical names of " Dinner Squadron " and " Silly Squadron , " allowed the New Republic to escape the base . An empion mine , placed in the Xobome system as part of this project , could have destroyed Wraith Squadron . Unfortunately for Zsinj , they were able to use another creative tactic to foil Trigit . They captured the modified corvette " Night Caller " , killing Captain Darillian in the process , and began the process of collecting intelligence on Zsinj and destroying Trigit . By impersonating Darillian , Wraith Garik " Face " Loran was able to fool both Trigit and Zsinj long enough to destroy " Implacable " in the Battle of Ession . The Wraiths discovered that the 181st Imperial Fighter Group under Soontir Fel was apparently serving Zsinj . In reality , the " 181st " were merely pretenders led by actor Tetran Cowall . They also collected significant amounts of data about Zsinj ' s secret support network – much of which they attacked along the way . The fact that Zsinj was negotiating for the services of pirate forces gave the Wraiths a new avenue of opportunity in their fight against Zsinj . The Halmad lure . Zsinj learned the identity of the squadron that had deceived him so effectively , and decided to target them specifically . An assassination attempt against the Wraiths on Coruscant itself gave the New Republic an idea of how deeply he had infiltrated their sphere of influence . Acting on recommendations from Wraith Squadron personnel , the New Republic Fleet allowed the squadron to set themselves up as a pirate band and harass the planet of Halmad for the purpose of attracting Zsinj ' s attention . The squadron was joined in this operation by Lara Notsil , who they believed to be an orphan from Aldivy . In fact , Notsil was really Gara Petothel , who initially joined the Wraiths for the purpose of aiding Zsinj and joining his faction . Zsinj did take notice of the actions of the Hawk - bat Independent Space Force , and after bringing " Iron Fist " into direct conflict with them over Halmad , he invited the " Hawk - bats " to meet him aboard his flagship . Zsinj put on a show for the Hawk - bats , intending to mislead them about his personality and the discipline of those under his command while he gained intelligence about the pirates . Zsinj ' s interest was piqued by analysis of the Hawk - bats ' combat communications , which had been filtered by communication system modifications performed on their TIE interceptors by Castin Donn . The intercepted signals led Zsinj to believe that an Ewok was flying with the Hawk - bats . During dinner with Zsinj , " General Kargin " of the Hawk - bats — in reality , Garik Loran — spun a tale about his " most ferocious pilot " , Kettch . This story vexed Zsinj , as it caused him to doubt the security of Project Chubar . The meeting ended with Zsinj asking General Kargin to execute a captured infiltrator – Castin Donn . Donn had been captured while attempting to infiltrate restricted areas of " Iron Fist " – a mission which Antilles had already disapproved . One of the Hawk - bats , " Seku " — a role assumed by Dia Passik — agreed to execute the prisoner as a private commission for Zsinj . Being an expert in body language , Passik believed that Donn had already been killed and that Zsinj ' s people had installed a pump in Donn ' s chest to simulate breathing as a test for the Hawk - bats , so she acted before any of her fellow pilots could do anything rash . After Donn ' s death , the Hawk - bats departed " Iron Fist " without incident , and Zsinj was left with little doubt about their veracity . Soon afterward , Zsinj demanded an inquiry into the Saffalore facility , and initiated experiments on a real Ewok , Kolot , to determine the plausibility of Kettch ' s existence . At the same time , Myn Donos , the only surviving member of Talon Squadron , escorted Gara Petothel to a meeting in New Oldtown on Aldivy . Zsinj had received her request to join his forces , and dispatched one of his officers , Captain Todrin Rossik , to make contact with Petothel through the real Lara ' s brother , Tavin Notsil . Petothel , who had been having second thoughts about joining Zsinj , resisted Rossik ' s plan . Donos killed Tavin Notsil from his sniper position , and Petothel killed Rossik . Petothel and Donos returned to the Wraiths , and Zsinj was left confused about Petothel ' s intentions . Even without Petothel ' s aid , however , Zsinj soon embarked on one of his most audacious operations . The raid on Kuat . During the meeting with the Hawk - bats on " Iron Fist " , Zsinj provided the Wraiths with data on a large - scale attack on " an orbital refueling and trade station " for which he was contracting numerous private space forces . The information from Zsinj showed that the facility was defended by a large New Republic force , and implied that the facility orbited Coruscant , though the Wraiths were uncertain what could be in orbit over Coruscant that would merit the risk of a raid . However , the information about New Republic forces was a ruse on Zsinj ' s part , to guard against betrayal by his pirate allies . Analysis of the battle plan by Petothel , the Wraiths ' acting computer specialist , revealed the fact that the raid was not on a New Republic facility at all . The attack was against the space facilities of Kuat Drive Yards . Zsinj had learned that KDY , still allied with the Empire , was very close to commissioning a new " Executor " - class Star Dreadnought , " Razor ' s Kiss " . The Empire was about to gain a ship that could challenge Zsinj ' s own flagship , and Zsinj badly wanted " Razor ' s Kiss " for himself . He found the weaknesses in the construction facility ' s security by helping a Colonel in the ship ' s complement to set up a smuggling operation . The plan for capturing " Razor ' s Kiss " was twofold : a boarding party would seize the ship ' s bridge while Zsinj ' s space forces , including the pirates , provided a distraction for Kuat ' s defense fleet . The plan worked flawlessly until the Wraiths initiated several acts of sabotage . " Razor ' s Kiss " left the Kuat system under Zsinj ' s command , but Shalla Nelprin had uploaded a program into the ship ' s computers which would transmit the vessel ' s coordinates to the waiting New Republic fleet , then she stole a senior officer ' s hyperdrive - equipped TIE interceptor and landed on the hull of " Razor ' s Kiss " . At the same time , Voort saBinring crash - landed his interceptor on " Iron Fist " . Zsinj ' s right - hand man , General Melvar , paid the pirates , and " Iron Fist " went to rendezvous with " Razor ' s Kiss " . As soon as " Razor ' s Kiss " dropped out of hyperspace , she began broadcasting her location . " Mon Remonda " was waiting and Solo positioned his fleet to intercept . Zsinj was stunned , but he steeled himself for a fight and vowed to destroy Solo . This was not to be , however , as the Wraiths ' saboteurs made their moves . Nelprin destroyed the bridge deflector shields on " Razor ' s Kiss " , and the New Republic fleet pounded the undermanned and poorly - defended ship . Zsinj moved to protect his prize , and launched swarms of TIEs . " Razor ' s Kiss " lost her bridge during the fight . Trooper Gatterweld , an Imperial loyalist , decided it would be better for Zsinj to own the ship than to let it be destroyed and attempted to save the ship using the auxiliary bridge . It appeared as if Zsinj would once again turn defeat into victory , but then saBinring reactivated his crashed fighter and attacked " Iron Fist " own shield generators , forcing Zsinj to retreat as " Razor ' s Kiss " exploded . Special projects . The loss of " Razor ' s Kiss " disturbed Zsinj more than he expected . Solo had used Zsinj ' s own ambition against him , and turned his desire to protect his new possession into a means to hurt him severely . Zsinj resolved not to be as predictable , and began some of his most ambitious plots yet . Project Minefield , an offshoot of Project Chubar , brainwashed a significant number of nonhuman members of the New Republic government and fleet , Project Funeral involved the placement and activation of these operatives , and Project Blunted Razor involved the collection of as much of the " Razor ' s Kiss " debris as possible and transporting it to Rancor Base , where the remains were used to create the " Second Death " , a crude vessel resembling " Iron Fist " remains . By executing carefully calculated Raptor raids , Zsinj led Solo into a trap . At the Battle of Levian Two , Zsinj brought in a fleet larger than Solo thought possible . Neither side took major losses , but Solo was forced to reevaluate his course of action . With Solo ' s approval , the supply officers of Wraith and Rogue Squadrons located a decoy to use as bait for Zsinj . Meanwhile , Wraith Squadron set out to infiltrate Binring Biomedical and investigate its connection to Zsinj , unaware it was a trap . After learning the truth about Voort saBinring and Kettch , Zsinj consolidated the Saffalore laboratory into the secondary lab on " Iron Fist " . He then called the heads of the Saffalore facility to " Iron Fist " . Novin Bress and Tuzin Gast ' s niece Edda Gast were brought before the warlord to report on possible lost specimens . Bress was forced to admit the possibility that specimens were unaccounted for in the aftermath of Tuzin Gast ' s suicide . Edda Gast remained calm during the meeting , and when Zsinj presented the doctors with a pair of pistols as if inviting them to commit suicide , Gast instead executed Bress . This caused Zsinj to declare her both blameless , for obeying her superiors ' orders as best she was able from the limited information they passed on to her , and not stupid , for not killing herself on his implied command . Zsinj then put her in charge of trapping the Wraiths . Plans within plans . Zsinj sent Captain Radaf Netbers to assist Gast and Binring ' s own security forces in turning the Binring facility into a trap . Unfortunately for Zsinj , further unorthodox tactics on the part of the Wraiths allowed them to kill Netbers and escape with Doctor Gast in their custody . Zsinj flew into a fit of rage , and practically destroyed his own office on " Iron Fist " . He knew Gast ' s loyalty was only to herself , and made plans to eliminate her . He also accelerated the Project Funeral timetable . Project Funeral was an ambitious endeavor . By rapidly brainwashing nonhumans and placing agents near them who would activate their programming with unique code phrases , Zsinj would accomplish two objectives : hurting the New Republic directly by assassinating key personnel and destroying New Republic assets , and hurting it more subtly by causing a schism between Humans and nonhumans . In a short time , Zsinj was able to sow chaos throughout the New Republic . Shortly before the Saffalore operation , Twi ' lek Jart Eyan was activated to attack Admiral Gial Ackbar . After Saffalore , and Zsinj ' s decision to proceed more rapidly , several more attacks occurred almost simultaneously . Tolokai , a Gotal aide of Mon Mothma , nearly killed the Chief of State . Two other Gotal soldiers attacked a barracks and a holotheater . Galey , a support staffer aboard " Mon Remonda " , activated the Twi ' leks Tal ' dira and Nuro Tualin just before the Battle of Jussafet Four , and then tried to kill Edda Gast , but failed to do so . Tualin , a pilot in Polearm Squadron , fired on " Mon Remonda " with his A - wing , and would have successfully destroyed the bridge if Force - sensitive pilot Tyria Sarkin had not anticipated his action . Tal ' dira , a pilot in Rogue Squadron , attempted to kill Antilles , but another Force - sensitive , Corran Horn felt his attack coming and killed the Twi ' lek before he could harm Antilles . Despite the actions of the brainwashed Twi ' leks , Solo ' s fleet won the day at Jussafet . Zsinj ' s attack force was driven off , the Raptors on the ground were destroyed , a number of Raptor craft were captured , and the New Republic ' s effort to defend Jussafet Four , an Imperial world , drew the attention of Imperial Admiral Teren Rogriss . Rogriss requested an emissary from Solo ' s fleet , and Solo sent Loran to the Star Destroyer " Agonizer " . Rogriss and Loran recognized that despite their differences , they had a common enemy in Zsinj . They made an informal agreement to share intelligence , and Loran learned that the fighter unit that was apparently led by Baron Fel was not the real Imperial 181st , as the real unit was still serving the loyalist Empire . When Loran returned to " Mon Remonda " , Solo took it upon his own authority to accept Rogriss ' offer without even consulting Fleet Command . Redirection and misdirection . Project Funeral was working precisely as Zsinj intended . The actions of the brainwashed Gotals and Twi ' leks caused their species to fall under suspicion , and preventative actions that the New Republic authorities felt they had to take caused tension between minority species and the human majority . In response , Antilles convened the Wraiths and Rogues for a planning session , during which they divined Zsinj ' s plans and proposed countermeasures . They forwarded their conclusions to General Airen Cracken , who dedicated resources to testing the plausibility of Antilles ' report . The Wraiths ' predictions came true , and the New Republic Intelligence Service thwarted an attempt by Sullustan pilot Rostat Manr to crash the cruise liner " Nebula Queen " . Since they did so by using one of Manr ' s Sullustan subordinates , Nurm , as an intermediary , further Human - alien enmity was avoided . NRI also stopped a similar Bothan effort to cause a computer - induced explosion at a power plant . Project Funeral was effectively over . Zsinj had been leading Solo ' s fleet into traps , so Antilles decided to use even more unconventional methods to lure Zsinj . A mock - up of the " Millennium Falcon " , cleverly dubbed the " " Millennium Falsehood " " , flew to Kidriff 5 to make it appear that Solo himself was fomenting rebellion . The ruse went according to plan , but a miscalculation on the part of Captain Loran caused Petothel to flee the Wraiths . Petothel joined Zsinj on " Iron Fist " , but her loyalty was still to the Wraiths . She embarked on a plan to plant false intelligence and cripple " Iron Fist " . Based on their estimation of Petothel ' s character , Antilles and the Wraiths decided to continue the " Millennium Falsehood " plan . With Rogriss ' task force operating on one side of Zsinj ' s space and Solo ' s fleet working the other , Zsinj ' s enemies nibbled at his territory . Within a week , Zsinj had lost millions of credits , eight percent of his income . Worlds rejected Zsinj ' s rule , like Vispil , where he lost the " Carrack " - class light cruiser " Counterpunch " to planetary defense forces . Zsinj was despondent . Even General Melvar was concerned ; Zsinj was acting more pessimistic than he had ever seen . Together , the warlord and his general formulated a plan to stop Zsinj ' s ongoing losses and restore his sagging confidence . Turning the tide . Zsinj ' s plan for recovery was fairly simple . He wanted to retain control of " Iron Fist " and as much of his support network as possible , eliminate Solo , and retreat to Rancor Base to mend his fleet and formulate his next scheme for galactic domination . To this end , he followed the advice of the apparently - loyal Petothel . She told him Solo was likely to be found on worlds with prior relations with Alderaan , starting with Comkin V . When Zsinj ' s forces engaged the " Millennium Falsehood " , Petothel made a clandestine transmission to the Wraiths telling them of her effort to mislead Zsinj . Petothel told them that she listed Vahaba as the next likely target in her briefing for Zsinj . Neither side took heavy losses at Comkin , because neither side brought in the bulk of their fleet . Zsinj ' s own long - established doctrine prevented him from fighting on a battleground chosen by the enemy , and Solo believed Zsinj was spooked . Before the " Millennium Falsehood " put in an appearance at Vahaba , Solo had Captain Loran contact their Imperial ally , Rogriss . After a bit of verbal sparring , Loran got Rogriss to agree to loan an Interdictor to Solo ' s fleet . After " Iron Fist " crept into the Vahaba system , the Interdictor " Stellar Web " activated its gravity well projectors . Zsinj was trapped , until he could disable or destroy " Stellar Web " . Zsinj focused his fleet ' s efforts on facilitating " Iron Fist " escape . When " Stellar Web " was forced to reverse her gravity generators to avoid the impending collision of the crippled " Victory " - class Star Destroyer " Serpent ' s Smile " , Zsinj jumped away , believing himself safe . Believing he had Petothel under sufficient surveillance , Zsinj did not expect her droid - assisted sabotage . Tonin , Petothel ' s R2 unit , had used an army of MSE - 6 mouse droids to gain a limited amount of control over " Iron Fist " . Before leaving the Vahaba system , Tonin erased the Selaggis system from the Star Dreadnought ' s primary databank and subtly altered her course to take the ship there . Then Tonin ordered his diminutive droid soldiers to attack " Iron Fist " hyperdrive . Petothel sent a HoloNet transmission to apprise " Mon Remonda " of " Iron Fist " incapacity . Zsinj knew it was time to implement his escape plan . He called in as much of his fleet as he could muster , along with any of his pirate allies that could join him in time . He also summoned " Second Death " for her intended purpose . Since the connection between Wraith Squadron and the Hawk - bat pirates was still a secret to him , Zsinj did not realize that summoning the pirates was what confirmed Solo ' s decision to engage him . The Battle of Selaggis was not a long one . Zsinj managed to bring in his third battle group , and launched all of " Iron Fist " fighters except the ersatz 181st and experimental units . Hiding in the belt of Selaggis VI , Zsinj used a tactic he invented on the original " Iron Fist " to attack Solo ' s fighter groups by blowing the asteroids into flak . Only by heeding Myn Donos ' hard - earned danger sense were most of the New Republic fighters able to frustrate Zsinj ' s plans for an ambush . Meanwhile , Petothel escaped " Iron Fist " in her X - wing , with most of the Project Chubar subjects accompanying her in a " Sentinel " - class landing craft piloted by Kolot , the real Ewok pilot . Zsinj was getting depressed again . His enemies were anticipating him . And without his knowledge , Petothel ' s sabotage caused his own ship to transmit detailed tactical data to the enemy . Zsinj ' s mood brightened , however , when his chief engineer announced the restoration of hyperdrive capability . Zsinj sent the fake Baron Fel and his squadron to cover " Iron Fist " retreat . Retreat and recovery . The " 181st " chose to engage " Mon Remonda " fighters over the ruins of the colony on Selaggis VI ' s moon . The New Republic forces were obligated to try to protect anyone who might have survived when Zsinj attacked the colony five months earlier . Zsinj ' s fighters effectively distracted the fighters under Antilles ' command , but Solo ' s main warships were still bearing down on " Iron Fist " . Zsinj made his move to escape . The decoy ship " Second Death " deployed its nightcloak and made ready to cover " Iron Fist " departure . Meanwhile , Voort saBinring cut Zsinj ' s diversionary fighter force in half by jamming their communications – every fighter in the mock 181st had a droid companion . Zsinj used rigged asteroids to slow the pursuing " Mon Remonda " , and deployed the experimental TIE Raptors . After pursuing " Baron Fel " to the surface of Selaggis ' moon , Antilles learned that the leader of the false 181st was actually Cowall , impersonating Fel to distract Antilles . Petothel protected Antilles from a Raptor attack before making her own exit from the battle , which was coming to a close . Though retreating from a losing battle seriously hurt Zsinj ' s pride , " Iron Fist " moved into the concealment of " Second Death " Nightcloak . They successfully jumped , and " Second Death " detonated – turning back into the debris that made up most of her bulk . To outside observers , it looked like " Iron Fist " destroyed herself with a faulty hyperdrive . But " Iron Fist " was intact , and she escaped to Zsinj - friendly space . Zsinj put in a hypercomm call to Han Solo from the cockpit of a " Lambda " - class shuttle , and the two commanders exchanged unpleasantries . Solo offered to let Zsinj kiss Chewbacca , causing Zsinj to unleash a colorful series of profanity in several languages for almost a full minute , including a Rodese phrase Solo recognized as mocking his familial makeup . Solo felt relieved as the conversation ended , not knowing Zsinj had returned to " Iron Fist " . Though Solo believed he was victorious , the game was not quite over . The fall of Zsinj ' s Empire . Upon returning to Coruscant , Solo learned that the woman he loved was considering a political marriage to Isolder of the Hapes Consortium to strengthen the New Republic . Solo knew he had nothing to offer Princess Leia Organa to counter Isolder ' s incredible wealth , so he decided to win her a gift in a way only he could – a sabacc game with high stakes . He won the planet Dathomir from the Drackmarian warlord Omogg . He offered the planet to Leia to replace New Alderaan , which Zsinj had previously attacked . Unfortunately for Solo , Omogg had deceived him – Dathomir was in the heart of Zsinj ' s space . Though no one realized it at the time , Omogg had deliberately drawn Solo to Zsinj ' s location to eliminate Zsinj ' s presence in what was once Drackmarian space . In Solo ' s characteristic fashion , he resigned his commission , kidnapped Leia , and took her to his planet . Solo did not realize that his impulsiveness was about to bring him back into conflict with his nemesis . When Solo arrived at Dathomir , he immediately spotted Zsinj ' s shipyard – and the massive fleet assembled there spotted Solo . Solo ' s attempt to disguise the " Falcon " as one of Zsinj ' s Incom Y - 4s did not last long , but he managed to fire concussion missiles into an unshielded frigate . The " Falcon " rode the ruined frigate into Dathomir ' s atmosphere , but there was a surprise waiting on the surface : the Witches of Dathomir . The Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker pursued Solo with Isolder ' s Battle Dragon , " Song of War " . They arrived at Dathomir only to watch the " Falcon " crashing . Isolder and Skywalker followed them in , but they were also captured by a Force Witch . Skywalker was soon reunited with Han and Leia , but in the skies above Dathomir , Zsinj ' s forces braced for an attack and , having learned of Solo ' s presence , General Melvar began to negotiate with the Nightsisters for custody of Solo . As the Rebel intruders made efforts to escape the planet , Zsinj deployed the orbital nightcloak to cow the planet ' s inhabitants into submission . Zsinj directly contacted Gethzerion , the leader of the Nightsisters , to demand the transfer of Solo . The Nightsister captured Solo , and Melvar took two shuttles to the surface to claim him – an armed one for himself and Solo , and an unarmed one for the Nightsisters to depart the planet . In a display of treachery Zsinj did not foresee , Gethzerion killed Melvar and stole the armed shuttle . Unfortunately for the Nightsisters ' plans , Skywalker drew more deeply on the Force than he ever had before in order to fight them . He staged an attack to free Solo , and then pursued the Nightsisters ' shuttle into the Dathomir sky in the " Falcon " along with Solo . With newfound confidence , Skywalker used his Force - enhanced skills to help Zsinj ' s forces destroy the Nightsisters , and then he attacked the Nightcloak . Zsinj deployed hundreds of starfighters to stop the " Falcon " , but he could not keep Skywalker from shutting down his planet - killing satellites . When Skywalker realized that " Iron Fist " was within range , Solo reclaimed the helm of the " Falcon " . Slipping beneath " Iron Fist " shields , Solo put in a priority communication directly to Zsinj . The last words Zsinj ever heard were Solo telling him to kiss his Wookiee . With his last two concussion missiles , Solo obliterated the bridge of the Star Dreadnought , killing the warlord . Aftermath . With Zsinj gone , the Hapan fleet moved into Dathomir space and destroyed the shipyard , capturing or destroying many of the late warlord ' s ships . The planet was free from Zsinj , the Nightsisters were destroyed , and Solo transferred legal ownership of Dathomir to the witches . The grateful world of Dathomir quickly joined the New Republic . Shortly thereafter , Organa married Solo . Isolder took a Dathomir native , Teneniel Djo , as his wife , but due to internal Hapan politics the Consortium committed only to a very limited alliance with the New Republic . Though his reign lasted a mere four years , Zsinj ' s death had widespread repercussions . The greatest " single " threat to the New Republic was eliminated , but Zsinj ' s death also left the Empire free to return their focus to the New Republic . Even worse , Zsinj ' s forces remained active , but lacked direction . Many of the Raptor commandos independently committed terrorist acts against the New Republic , or joined hardline Imperial factions like Ennix Devian ' s Kaarenth Dissension . Much of his fleet was claimed by a number of independent warlords , most notably Teradoc , who waited until Zsinj ' s demise to declare himself " High Admiral of the Mid Rim , " and rushed to seize the worlds along the Gordian Reach , only to find himself in a three - way war against New Republic ' s Admiral Ackbar and Imperial Admiral Rogriss . In the end , Teradoc was soundly defeated and was forced to flee to the Deep Core , establishing a new regime there , the core of which was based on the remains of Zsinj ' s former Crimson Command . Although the western part of Zsinj ' s holdings was annexed by the loyalist Empire , most of the territory of Zsinj ' s Empire fell to the New Republic , and it wasn ' t until after Zsinj ' s death that the New Republic was finally able to take Kuat . Personality and traits . Zsinj was almost comical in his outward manner and appearance . Eventually , he took on the white uniform of a Grand Admiral , a rank he never earned , which lent an element of incongruity to his appearance when combined with his corpulence and his handlebar moustache . In truth , Zsinj believed that misdirection was the greatest weapon at his command . Some considered him rough and piratical , others saw him as a psychopath , a few thought he was a buffoon . For strategic reasons , Zsinj did not want anyone to have an accurate picture of his personality , but his various personas were also necessary to keep the hyperintelligent admiral from becoming bored . As he was such a proficient technician , Zsinj ' s instructors at the Imperial Academy tried to guide him toward a career in support services . New Republic Intelligence believed he had received technical training in his youth , but as with many details of his early life NRI was never able to verify this . Zsinj had a fair degree of skill with general computer use , astrogation , and starship and starfighter engineering . His Raptors were outfitted with advanced vehicles and armor , and Zsinj personally designed their TIE / rpt starfighters . Zsinj was also an expert tactician . He invented a number of combat maneuvers which would later be taught in various military academies , such as the use of asteroids as a natural flak screen . He also had excellent organizational and management skills , as shown in his creation of an entirely new military force , the Raptors , and his ability to maintain a fleet composed of several disparate ex - Imperial elements . In personal combat , he was proficient with various blasters and vibroweapons . He almost always carried a blaster pistol , which he once used to obliterate his own office furnishings during a tantrum . In addition to his military and technical skills , Zsinj also had the business acumen to maintain a hidden financial empire throughout New Republic and Imperial territory in addition to his own . Until Wraith Squadron assumed the mission of one of Zsinj ' s underlings , the New Republic was totally unaware of this . He was able to use the protection of his military forces as an incentive for planetary governors to provide him with secret assets , as he did on worlds like Viamarr 4 , Ession and Xartun . His secret business empire supported his publicly known military forces . He kept these financial holdings under numerous alias , including Cortle Steeze , Houghten Ween , and Oan Pakkerd . Zsinj spoke several non - Basic languages , including Huttese , Mon Calamarian , and Rodese . Han Solo recorded Zsinj ' s final communication to " Mon Remonda " in order to have it translated by a 3PO unit . He determined that Zsinj used nearly sixty different languages during his minute - long tirade . Behind the scenes . Character development . Warlord Zsinj was originally created as the antagonist for Han Solo in " The Courtship of Princess Leia " , a 1994 novel by Dave Wolverton , but his character was not very elaborately described . His background and his empire were described in more detail in the West End Games sourcebook " Cracken ' s Threat Dossier " , which detailed the technology and supporting characters of three major story arcs . Zsinj ' s entry made him seem like a devious opponent , but said little about the personality that would later be revealed . Readers learned more about Zsinj in the " X - wing " book series , where he served as a background threat in the first four books and the primary antagonist of the three " Wraith Squadron " books . Aaron Allston turned Zsinj into a more elaborate character , who used deception and theatrics to prevent his enemies from knowing him too well . The " Wraith Squadron " books provided the foundation for Zsinj ' s entry in " The New Essential Guide to Characters " . " The Official Star Wars Fact File " suggests that Zsinj was actually delusional , but his depiction in the " Wraith Squadron " novels suggests that , while eccentric , he was far from insane . The StarWars . com blog " " by Abel G . Peña and Daniel Wallace created a new backstory for Zsinj set during the Clone Wars , giving Zsinj a previously unknown mother , yet wiping her from " official " Imperial history in a manner that fits with Airen Cracken ' s previously known difficulty in assembling Zsinj ' s profile in " Cracken ' s Threat Dossier " . Zsinj ' s rank and uniform . Zsinj is specifically described in the novels in which he appears as wearing a Grand Admiral ' s outfit , but prior to the publication of " The Essential Atlas " , none of the four available images unambiguously depicted him in the white uniform of that rank , nor was he seen wearing the epaulets generally worn with that type of uniform . The earliest illustration , in " Cracken ' s Threat Dossier " , shows Zsinj wearing a dark uniform , with the 3 - by - 2 rank plaque , which is usually typical of a Captain or Commander , but here , unusually , worn with no code cylinders . The same rank insignia is shown in " The Essential Chronology " , though here the shade of his uniform tunic is not so clearly defined . The two more recent sources , " The New Essential Guide to Characters " and " The New Essential Chronology " , unambiguously depict a green uniform , with a rank plaque not seen before , similar to some worn by Moffs or Grand Moffs , but again without code cylinders . It is likely that all these illustrations depict him in his Imperial days , before becoming a rogue warlord and assuming the Grand Admiral ' s uniform , and the " Rebellion Era Sourcebook " attributes him at least one cylinder as a warlord after Endor . Zsinj ' s rank before rejecting the authority of the regime on Coruscant was another curiosity . He is identified as an Admiral in " Cracken ' s Threat Dossier " , while " Wraith Squadron " calls him " a onetime Imperial admiral " ; but in an often - overlooked line of dialogue in " Courtship of Princess Leia " , Han Solo makes a reference to " Zsinj or some other Grand Moff " . It was known , however , that he commanded the Quelii Sector Fleet , and no separate Grand Moff of the oversector is known . These details were finally resolved with the publication of " The Essential Atlas " , which provided confirmation of Zsinj ' s position as Grand Moff of the Quelii Oversector , and depicted him in a uniform that combined details of all the prior visual and text depictions : a white Grand Admiral uniform complete with epaulets , the unique rank plaque depicted in " The New Essential Guide to Characters " and " The New Essential Chronology " , and code cylinders , which are not normally depicted on Grand Admirals .