Rukh / Legends Rukh was a male Noghri warrior who served as the personal bodyguard , and then later the assassin , of Grand Admiral Thrawn . Raised at a time when his homeworld Honoghr was ravaged by ecological disaster , Rukh was fiercely loyal to the Galactic Empire , which claimed to be working to restore the planet . After serving as one of the Emperor Palpatine ' s Noghri Death Commando s , Rukh was handpicked by Thrawn in 9 ABY to serve as his bodyguard , traveling the galaxy aboard Thrawn ' s flagship , the " Imperial II " - class Star Destroyer " Chimaera " . A deadly and stealthy warrior , Rukh was often at Thrawn ' s side while the Grand Admiral waged his military campaign against the New Republic . He was present with Thrawn during several important missions , including the recruitment of the Dark Jedi Joruus C ' baoth on the planet Wayland . Rukh accompanied Thrawn to Honoghr to interrogate the Noghri Khabarakh after his failure to capture Princess Leia Organa Solo , and Rukh unsuccessfully attempted to stop the Jedi Luke Skywalker from breaking the smuggler Talon Karrde out of imprisonment aboard the " Chimaera " . Rukh soon learned Thrawn was not actually restoring Honoghr , but was secretly keeping it in a state of poor health so the Noghri would remain perpetually indebted and effectively enslaved to the Empire . Furious , he resolved to assassinate the Grand Admiral , but decided to wait for the right moment to strike . During the height of the Battle of Bilbringi , Rukh drove his assassin ' s knife though Thrawn ' s chest and killed him . Shortly thereafter , the Noghri was killed by a clone of Imperial Major Grodin Tierce . Rukh became revered for his role in the assassination , which led to division within the Empire and helped the Noghri escape their Imperial enslavement . Biography . Early life and service to Thrawn . A male Noghri born on the planet Honoghr , Rukh was a member of Clan Baikh ' vair who came of age at a tumultuous time for his species . Before his birth , Honoghr was ravaged by an ecological disaster that stemmed from a " Lucrehulk " - class core ship crashing on the planet ' s surface in 19 BBY during the Clone Wars . Much of the world ' s flora , plains , and jungles had been destroyed , and the Noghri were forced to travel across the planet in a mass exodus , seeking a place where they could survive . By the time Rukh came of age , the Noghri had pledged their allegiance to the Galactic Empire in gratitude to the Sith Lord Darth Vader , who had brought his Imperial forces to Honoghr under the guise of working to restore the ecosystem . Rukh was among those Noghri who grew fiercely loyal to the Empire and served it as private assassins known as Noghri Death Commando s . Rukh personally held such a strong sense of loyalty toward the Empire that he was willing to execute those who even spoke about the Imperials in a negative light . Rukh was trained from childhood as a hunter and warrior , and during his youth developed a rivalry with Cakhmaim , a Noghri from Clan Eikh ' mir . In 3 ABY , Vader turned command of the Noghri over to Grand Admiral Thrawn , one of the highest ranking officials in the Empire . When the Chiss Grand Admiral visited Honoghr in 9 ABY after returning from the Unknown Regions , Rukh was one of his earliest recruits . Showing no sign of intimidation in the face of the Empire ' s far more advanced technology , Rukh impressed Thrawn so much that he made the Noghri his personal bodyguard . Serving a figure of such reverence to the Noghri was considered an incredibly prestigious honor for a clan warrior , and Rukh believed his service to Thrawn brought honor to both Clan Baikh ' vair and himself personally . The position gave Rukh one of the greatest in stature of all the Noghri serving in the Empire . Armed at all times with a holstered blaster on his belt and an assassin ' s knife concealed in the sleeve of his tunic , Rukh left Honoghr and traveled with Thrawn aboard his flagship " Imperial II " - class Star Destroyer , the " Chimaera " . Rukh was seldom far from his master ' s side , but usually stayed hidden among the shadows until summoned , moving so silently that he often startled other Imperials around him . He provided general protection and executed Thrawn ' s enemies upon command , often in a brutal and terrifying way so as to make an example of them for others . He gained a high status in his service to Thrawn and became privy to sensitive and confidential information , which the Grand Admiral discussed freely in the Noghri ' s company . Recruiting Joruus C ' baoth . Rukh was present with Thrawn when the Grand Admiral took control of the Galactic Empire and waged his military campaign against the New Republic in 9 ABY . During that time , Captain Gilad Pellaeon , a high - ranking Imperial officer and Thrawn ' s right - hand man , developed a strong distaste for Rukh because of the Noghri ' s tendency to sneak up on him from the shadows . Pellaeon even secretly harbored a hope of one day convincing Thrawn that Rukh ' s protection was unnecessary and having the Noghri subsequently killed . Rukh was privy to some of Thrawn and Pellaeon ' s most secret and important discussions , including Thrawn ' s plan to recruit a Dark Jedi in order to use the being ' s battle meditation powers to coordinate Thrawn ' s attacks against the New Republic . Rukh accompanied Thrawn and Pellaeon to the planet Wayland , where the Grand Admiral sought the Guardian of Mount Tantiss , a secret storehouse once used by Emperor Palpatine . Expecting the Guardian to be a Dark Jedi , Thrawn and Pellaeon wore nutrient frame s containing ysalamir i , lizard - like creatures with the ability to repel the Force . Rukh had no such ysalamir protection , but he accompanied Thrawn and provided protective cover with a blaster rifle . Shortly after landing on Wayland , a hidden villager fired an arrow at Thrawn from a two - story building . Although the arrow bounced harmlessly off the body armor under his uniform , Thrawn ordered Rukh to set an example by destroying the building from which the shot had been fired . The Noghri opened fire on the structure , systematically targeting weak points in the foundation until , after twenty shots , it collapsed in on itself . Eventually , Thrawn and his company found Joruus C ' baoth , the insane clone of the deceased Jedi Master Jorus C ' baoth . After revealing he had killed the original Guardian of Mount Tantiss , C ' baoth attempted to kill Thrawn , Pellaeon , and Rukh with a blast of Force lightning , but was surprised when the ysalamiri ' s protective bubble deflected the attack . C ' baoth agreed to hear Thrawn ' s request , but one of C ' baoth ' s guards suddenly fired his crossbow at the Grand Admiral ' s party . C ' baoth stopped the arrow with the Force and explained that the guard owned the home which Rukh had earlier destroyed . Thrawn ordered Rukh to execute the guard , but C ' baoth stopped the Noghri ' s blaster shot and insisted it was up to him , not Thrawn , to impose discipline upon the man . Later , when Thrawn and Pellaeon met privately with C ' baoth to discuss their offer to him , Rukh monitored the meeting from afar , crouched in a combat - ready position with his blaster rifle . Thrawn convinced C ' baoth to leave Wayland and join his campaign by promising to deliver to him the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker , as well as his sister Leia Organa Solo and her unborn twins , all of whom C ' baoth hoped to convert into Dark Jedi disciples . Despite their alliance , Rukh did not trust C ' baoth , who was openly hostile toward Thrawn and often chided the Grand Admiral for not delivering the Jedi to him more quickly . Rukh became especially anxious and watchful whenever C ' baoth threatened Thrawn , and was always ready to attack the Dark Jedi if the need arose . Nevertheless , C ' baoth proved a valuable asset to Thrawn during the Battle of Bpfassh , when he first used his battle meditation powers to guide Thrawn ' s forces to victory over the New Republic fleet with great efficiency . Rukh watched C ' baoth from the shadows of the " Chimaera " bridge during the battle , and although the Jedi acted in his usual disrespectful way toward Thrawn , he gave no reason for the Noghri to attack him . The Thrawn campaign progresses . Rukh continued to remain at Thrawn ' s side as the Grand Admiral escalated his military campaign , including when Thrawn attempted to capture Luke Skywalker while the Jedi traveled to the planet Jomark . As Rukh watched from the shadows , the " Chimaera " managed to capture Skywalker ' s X - wing starfighter in a tractor beam , only to see the Jedi escape after reverse - triggering his acceleration compensator and breaking free of the beam ' s lock . When the tractor beam operator Cris Pieterson refused to accept responsibility for the escape and tried to blame his commanding officer , Thrawn ordered Rukh to kill Pieterson for his insubordination . The Noghri immediately emerged from the shadows and decapitated Pieterson with his assassin ' s knife while the rest of the bridge crew looked on in horror . Later , Thrawn brought the " Chimaera " to the planet Myrkr , where the smuggler Talon Karrde had established his base of operations . The Grand Admiral asked for an audience with Karrde to discuss seeking the smuggler ' s help in procuring capital ships for Thrawn ' s campaign . Rukh accompanied Thrawn and his forces to Myrkr and remained at his side throughout the meeting with Karrde . Unbeknownst to Thrawn or Rukh , the New Republic Captain Han Solo and his ally Lando Calrissian were present at Karrde ' s base and watched them with a pair of electrobinoculars from a hidden location . It was the first time anyone associated with the New Republic had seen Thrawn in person , and Solo further recognized Rukh as belonging to the same species that had previously attempted to kidnap his wife , Leia Organa Solo , although Solo did not know the species ' name . Shortly after leaving the planet , Thrawn and Pellaeon learned Karrde had found and imprisoned Skywalker shortly after the Jedi escaped from Thrawn ' s attempt to capture him . Rukh was present with Thrawn on the bridge of the " Chimaera " when the Grand Admiral launched an assault on Myrkr as retribution for Karrde ' s failure to turn Skywalker over to him . During this time , Thrawn announced the Noghri Death Commandos had repeatedly failed to capture Leia Organa Solo and that he was taking them off that assignment . Aware that the Noghri hated leaved a mission uncompleted , Pellaeon feared the Noghri Death Commandos and Rukh himself would be personally affronted by the decision . Nevertheless , Rukh showed no indication of dissatisfaction , even as Thrawn discussed the Noghri ' s failure in his presence . Later , Rukh accompanied Thrawn and Pellaeon to Honoghr , where the Grand Admiral planned to make a demonstration of power and remind the species of their obligations to the Empire . After landing on Honoghr , Thrawn was notified that a spacecraft belonging to the Noghri Death Commando Khabarakh had nearly been late in returning a recognition signal . This unusual occurrence sparked Thrawn ' s suspicions , particularly since he recognized Khabarakh as the sole survivor of Noghri Death Commando Team 22 that had unsuccessfully attempted to capture Leia Organa Solo on Kashyyyk . Rukh accompanied the Grand Admiral as he interrogated Khabarakh at his home village , the Kihm ' bar area of the Clean Lands . Rukh closely observed Khabarakh during this time and noticed subtle body language in his hands and face that made him appear unsettled . When Thrawn and Rukh left Honoghr shortly after the interrogation , Thrawn asked Rukh for his input , and he told the Grand Admiral of his suspicions . This offended Ir ' khaim , the Dynast of Clan Khim ' bar , who was also in their presence . When Ir ' khaim spoke up in defense of Clan Khim ' bar member Khabarakh , Rukh insulted the clan by mocking their failure to capture Organa Solo , and the two Noghri seemed on the verge of fighting each other before Thrawn calmed them both down . When Thrawn later learned Wookiee hairs were found aboard Khabarakh ' s transport , he concluded the Noghri must have been imprisoned after his failed mission on Kashyyyk and may have been compromised . Rukh accompanied Thrawn and his forces as they returned to Khabarakh ' s village to arrest him . When Khabarakh spoke defiantly to Thrawn , Rukh responded harshly and demanded the Noghri show respect to the Grand Admiral . As Khabarakh and his Khim ' bar clan maitrakh continued to defy Thrawn and maintain their innocence , Thrawn ordered a turbolaser attack on the hills surrounding the village as a demonstration of power and punishment for their insubordination . Rukh watched as this demonstration occurred , but voiced no opposition or discomfort with the attack against his home planet . Thrawn ordered Rukh to bring Khabarakh to the center of Nystao , the ruling city of Honoghr , for three days of public shaming before his Imperial imprisonment began . Rukh chained Khabarakh ' s arms and legs to posts at the center of the town and left him there for all passersby to see . Rukh was also present with Thrawn when , on two separate occasions , he interrogated Talon Karrde ' s second - in - command Mara Jade aboard the " Chimaera " shortly after she was captured at the Abregado - rae manufacturing planet . When she was first brought to the Grand Admiral , Jade took immediate notice of Rukh , recognizing the threat he presented . Jade promised she could convince Karrde to trade the " Katana " fleet , a long - missing capital starfleet from the Clone Wars , to the Grand Admiral in exchange for their freedom . Thrawn agreed and released her , promising her eight days to arrange the trade . Instead , however , he arranged for Jade to be followed , which ultimately led to Karrde ' s arrest . Later , during a second meeting with Thrawn , a furious Jade lunged at Thrawn , but Rukh hurled her to the ground and wrapped his forearm around her neck , choking her to the point of near - unconsciousness . As she struggled , Jade attempted to Force choke the Grand Admiral , who threatened to have Rukh hurt her if she did not release him . Unable to maintain the Force connection as Rukh choked her , Jade conceded defeat and released Thrawn . She was then set free without any further incident . Later , Jade secretly infiltrated the " Chimaera " with Luke Skywalker to rescue the imprisoned Karrde . Upon learning that Karrde had escaped from his detention cell , Thrawn correctly deduced that Skywalker was among the party rescuing the smuggler . The Grand Admiral ordered Rukh to collect all the ysalamari from the Star Destroyer ' s engineering and systems control bays and bring them to the hangar , with the hopes of preventing the Jedi from escaping . Since there were not enough ysalamari to cover the whole area , Thrawn asked Rukh to use his hunter ' s instincts to determine the best spots to strategically place them . Rukh immediately followed the Grand Admiral ' s orders , but Skywalker , Jade and Karrde nevertheless escaped with the starship " Millennium Falcon " , which Thrawn had previously captured orbiting the moon of Endor and placed in one of the " Chimaera " deep storage hangars . Assassinating Thrawn and death . Rukh was sent to debrief a Noghri Death Commando team in one of the " Chimaera " hangar bays , one of his regular duties . Due to Thrawn ' s practice of limiting contact between Noghri teams and Imperial troops , the deck was almost completely deserted as Rukh entered the team ' s shuttle . There he met Akh ' laht , a Noghri from Clan Khim ' bar , and immediately sensed something was wrong based on the disturbed and angry mannerisms among the Noghri team . Akh ' laht informed Rukh that Thrawn had deceived the Noghri people . Rukh ' s initial response was one of shock and fury toward Akh ' laht , as he had never before heard a fellow Noghri warrior show such disrespect for the lord of a Noghri Overclan . However , Rukh recognized that Akh ' laht must have some reason for the remarks and agreed to hear him out , but warned Akh ' laht could be killed if the explanation was not satisfactory . Akh ' laht explained that Leia Organa Solo was the mal ' ary ' ush , a Honoghran word for " daughter of the savior " , a reference to Darth Vader . He related that Organa Solo secretly visited Honoghr and proved that the Empire ' s Decon III droids , which were believed to be cleaning the planet ' s ecosystem , were actually ensuring the world remained poisoned by planting a deadly " kholm " - grass that killed the remaining plant life . This led to the realization that Thrawn and his Imperial forces were intentionally keeping the Noghri in a state of perpetual service and virtual slavery . Realizing that Thrawn had deceived his entire people , Rukh ' s previous sense of devotion toward Thrawn was replaced with one of rage toward the Grand Admiral . He believed Thrawn had to be killed for his deception , but also recognized that he had to operate carefully , as he was in the best position to exact revenge for his species . Rukh told Akh ' laht he would continue to pose as Thrawn ' s faithful bodyguard and wait for the right opportunity . He planned to strike the moment Thrawn learned the Noghri no longer served him , as he felt the appropriate time to punish the Grand Admiral ' s deception was the moment Thrawn realized he himself had been deceived . Both Rukh and Akh ' laht recognized this would likely be a suicide mission , and Akh ' laht respectfully saluted Rukh for his sacrifice . Rukh was then filled with anger toward Thrawn and his fellow Imperials . As Thrawn moved forward with his campaign , Rukh continued to serve him without showing any signs of his anger or plans to betray him . At one point , Thrawn had the smuggler Niles Ferrier brought to the " Chimaera " after Ferrier bribed Imperial Lieutenant Reynol Kosk to attack the first meetings of Talon Karrde ' s Smugglers ' Alliance . Thrawn intimidated Ferrier by threatening to kill the smuggler and summoning Rukh , who drew his assassin ' s knife . Ultimately , Thrawn opted to give Ferrier a second chance . Likewise , Rukh was present when Thrawn summoned the Imperial General Theol Drost to chastise him for a failure . Drost was in command of the shipyards at the Bilbringi system when the smugglers Mazzic and Ellor launched a raid there that led to the destruction of a nearly - completed Imperial Star Destroyer under construction . Rukh stood by Thrawn ' s side during the meeting and Pellaeon believed the Noghri would be ordered to execute Drost for his failure to stop the raid . Instead , Thrawn concluded the raid would inspire Drost to work harder to prove his loyalty to the Empire , and decided to give the general a second chance . Rukh was also present when Thrawn and Pellaeon learned of the death of General Freja Covell after Joruus C ' baoth attempted unsuccessfully to take full control of Covell ' s mind with the Force . Later , Rukh was on the " Chimaera " bridge during the Battle of Bilbringi , one of the most crucial conflicts of Thrawn ' s military campaign . New Republic forces intended to capture a crystal gravfield trap from the Empire , and Thrawn correctly deduced they would seek the one stored at the Bilbringi Shipyards . Thrawn arranged for much of his fleet to lie in wait for the New Republic , then trapped their forces in the system using the Immobilizer 418 cruisers " Constrainer " and " Sentinel " , which prevented the New Republic from retreating into hyperspace . As the battle raged , Pellaeon read aloud a report detailing an attack at Mount Tantiss which involved Wayland natives , New Republic agents and a group of Noghri warriors . With this public revelation that the Noghri were fighting back against the Empire , Rukh saw his chance to strike . He immediately plunged his assassin ' s knife through the back of Thrawn ' s command chair , impaling the Grand Admiral through the chest . Just as quickly , Rukh then leapt forward and slashed his hand against Pellaeon ' s throat , paralyzing the captain . After declaring the Noghri had been avenged , Rukh fled from the " Chimaera " bridge . Once Pellaeon recovered , he sounded an emergency alarm and tended to Thrawn , who in his dying breaths voiced his respect for the artistic way that Rukh assassinated him . Meanwhile , Rukh fled to the " Chimaera " hangar bays and tried to reach a shuttlecraft to escape . However , a clone of Major Grodin Tierce had established a stormtrooper unit in the hangar bay , where he falsely believed an attack against Thrawn would most likely originate . Tierce ' s unit intercepted and killed Rukh . Legacy . Rukh became revered as a legend among the Noghri for his role in the assassination of Grand Admiral Thrawn . To kill a widely despised foe was considered a great honor among the Noghri , and Thrawn was considered an enemy of the entire Noghri people once the Imperial betrayal of the species became known . Additionally , the Noghri considered it honorable to sacrifice oneself for the greater good of the species , especially with an act within the enemy ' s own stronghold , so the circumstances of Rukh ' s death aboard the " Chimaera " furthered the esteem with which the Noghri held Rukh . One of the few who did not come to respect Rukh was his childhood rival Cakhmaim , who despised the Empire for their betrayal but felt Rukh was not worthy of the acclamation granted him after his death . Rukh ' s killing of Thrawn not only brought an end to the Thrawn campaign , but also had a tremendous impact on the Empire and , indeed , the entire Galactic Civil War . Once the Grand Admiral was slain , Pellaeon knew he could not lead Thrawn ' s forces to victory at the Battle of Bilbringi and was forced to call a retreat , resulting in a New Republic victory . Commander Wedge Antilles , who flew with Rogue Squadron in the battle , later reflected the New Republic would never have won at Bilbringi without Rukh ' s intervention . Although Thrawn had captured a great deal of new territory and almost doubled the size of the Imperial forces , the Empire quickly descended back into chaos without his leadership . Just as it had been following the death of Emperor Palpatine , the various Imperial factions began to splinter and revert to warlordism , allowing the New Republic to begin reclaiming its lost territory and waging new victories against the Empire . In addition , Rukh ' s assassination of Thrawn helped free the Noghri from their oppression and enslavement by the Empire . Once the threat of the Grand Admiral was eliminated , the species was able to turn their efforts toward the restoration of Honoghr or , for many Noghri , the relocation to a new home on New Nystao , the capital city of Wayland . Personality and traits . Rukh cared passionately about Noghri culture and customs . This is why he served the Empire with such fierce loyalty when he believed they were allies of the Noghri , and why he despised them with such fervor upon learning they were actually secretly enslaving the species . He valued the honor of his people more than his own life , and so was willing to sacrifice himself to assassinate Thrawn once the Grand Admiral ' s duplicity was revealed . Rukh ' s sense of honor was strong , and he initially believed his service to Thrawn brought honor to himself personally , to the Noghri , and to Clan Baikh ' vair . Despite this loyalty to his people , however , Rukh showed no signs of anger or resentment when , during his service to Thrawn , the Grand Admiral spoke of the Noghri ' s failures to capture Princess Leia Organa Solo , nor when Thrawn ordered a turbolaser razing on Honoghr as a demonstration of the Empire ' s control over the species . Before learning of their betrayal , Rukh was unquestionably loyal to the Empire and to Thrawn , and before him to Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader . He had less respect for other Imperial officers , however , particularly Gilad Pellaeon , who Rukh took enjoyment out of sneaking up on and startling whenever the captain sought an audience with Thrawn . Although Rukh followed all of Thrawn ' s orders without hesitation , he disagreed with some of the Grand Admiral ' s attitudes and practices . For instance , he did not appreciate some of Thrawn ' s policies of division , like when he limited contact between the Noghri warriors and Imperial troopers by clearing the decks when the Noghri were present , so the Noghri would not kill any Imperials over a poorly - timed action or comment . Nevertheless , Rukh never voiced any of these qualms , and assured himself it was his duty to obey without question . Rukh was very shrewd and observant . During Thrawn ' s meeting with Khabarakh , Rukh could sense from the Noghri ' s body language that Khabarakh was frightened and hiding something . Likewise , when Akh ' laht approached him to reveal Thrawn ' s betrayal of the Noghri , Rukh could immediately sense something was amiss . Although passionate about his duties for the Empire , Rukh was also able to stay pragmatic and logical : when Akh ' laht first spoke against Thrawn , Rukh ' s first instincts were anger toward the Noghri , but he recognized Akh ' laht would not make such allegations without proof and agreed to hear him out . Thrawn recognized and respected Rukh ' s intelligence , and treated him not only as a bodyguard but also sought his advice and input . This was illustrated when Thrawn asked Rukh ' s impression of Khabarakh after their meeting , and when the Grand Admiral trusted Rukh to determine where to best place the ysalamari in the " Chimaera " hangar bay during Talon Karrde ' s escape attempt . Talents and abilities . As Thrawn ' s bodyguard , Rukh was almost always at his master ' s side , but he generally stayed hidden among the shadows . Like many Noghri , Rukh moved so swiftly and quietly that few could detect his movements unless he made himself known . When attacking , Rukh was so fast others could barely see him move . When he killed Cris Pieterson , for example , it took others around him a few moments to realize what had occurred , and Pieterson himself did not even have time to scream . Rukh tended to lurk in the shadows as other Imperial officers approached Thrawn , then stealthily approach them from behind and startle them . As a result , many Imperials felt fearful or uncomfortable around Rukh , while others like Captain Pellaeon outright despised him . Rukh was skilled at the art of killing in a number of ways , whether with a blaster , knife or his own claws or teeth . He was especially talented at hand - to - hand combat . When Mara Jade attempted to attack Thrawn aboard the " Chimaera " , Rukh quickly incapacitated her by leaping between the two and throwing his arm around Jade ' s neck and shoulder , then spinning her into a chokehold . The Noghri was also very physically strong , as demonstrated by Jade ' s inability to escape his firm grip despite attempts to resist him . Rukh possessed a strong sense of discipline and an ability to follow orders and await commands . For instance , even when Jade was using a Force choke against Thrawn , Rukh did not move to stop her until he was ordered to do so by the Grand Admiral . Like many Noghri raised in the service of the Empire , Rukh could speak both Basic and Honoghran . Behind the scenes . Rukh was created by author Timothy Zahn for his " " series of novels , and first appeared in " Heir to the Empire " ( 1991 ) , then " Dark Force Rising " ( 1992 ) and finally " The Last Command " ( 1993 ) . Rukh has not appeared in any novels since , and it was later revealed in Zahn ' s 1997 novel " Specter of the Past " that Rukh was killed shortly after the events of " The Last Command " . Rukh was also featured in the comic book adaptations of " Heir to the Empire " , " Dark Force Rising " , and " The Last Command " . Rukh was first illustrated in the " Heir to the Empire " comics by artists Olivier Vatine and Fred Blanchard . He was drawn by Terry Dodson and Kevin Nowlan in " Dark Force Rising " , and by Edvin Biukovic and Eric Shanower in " The Last Command " . Rukh was later illustrated again in " The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook " , a role - playing game guide . Rukh is mentioned in the novel " " , but his name is misspelled " Ruhk " . Rukh was briefly mentioned in an early draft of " " , an article for " Star Wars Insider " written by Daniel Wallace and Abel G . Peña . The article was originally set to be published in an issue of " Star Wars Gamer " under the title " Dirty Dozen : The Imperial Grand Admirals " . When " Gamer " was cancelled , however , the article was instead condensed and published in " Star Wars Insider 66 " , and as a result the reference to Rukh was cut from the final draft . The earlier draft established Rukh as the Noghri who assassinated Betl Oxtroe , an Imperial admiral first referenced in Michael Allen Horne ' s " Dark Empire Sourcebook " , which entertained the possibility of a Noghri being behind Oxtroe ' s death . When Oxtroe attempted to jump - start negotiations for peace between the Empire and the New Republic three years after the Battle of Endor , Thrawn sent Rukh to assassinate her as a favor to Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard , who had previously aided Thrawn by capturing for him the defector Imperial fighter pilot Soontir Fel .