Ardus Kaine

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**Ardus Kaine** was a Human male Imperial Moff who became the successor of Governor Wilhuff Tarkin as Grand Moff of Oversector Outer following Tarkin's death after the Battle of Yavin. As one of Sheev Palpatine's earliest converts to the ideals of the New Order, Kaine was fervently loyal to the Galactic Empire and everything it stood for. After Emperor Palpatine's death during the Battle of Endor, Grand Moff Kaine turned Oversector Outer into a warlord fiefdom based on New Order principles, known as the Pentastar Alignment, a splinter movement in the Galactic Empire and a political conglomerate in the Outer Rim. Grand Moff Kaine moved to establish his Imperial faction post with haste after learning of the defeat at Endor, and after its founding, Kaine organized the power structure so that he was a *de facto*autocrat of the Pentastar Alignment. The Grand Moff dubbed it thus because there were five plenipotentiaries present aboard his flagship.

Ardus Kaine was noted for his ambition and hunger for power, caring more for actual power than titles or prestige. The core Imperial precepts and mandates were, Kaine felt, somewhat neglected and under enforced, and in his own Empire, they were zealously adhered to and held a more significant position. When he established the Alignment, one of his chief, yet secret reasons for its isolation from the ongoing Galactic Civil War was that Kaine preferred to rule successfully over a smaller kingdom like the Alignment than lose it all in a fool's gamble for the position of the new Galactic Emperor. The Grand Moff's rhetorical acumen was well known as used by the Empire. His subtle, persuasive oration was convincing and flitted between aggression, tacit intimidation, and syllogism, he was rarely dissuaded. During the tenure of the Pentastar Alignment, Grand Moff Kaine's ability to exhort his colleagues ensured that he was rarely opposed on any decision.

## Biography

### Rise to Prominence

#### Republic Era

**Ardus Kaine** was a Human male native to the Outer Rim world of Bastion. The son of successful trader and speciesist Vilardo Kaine, Ardus Kaine had all of his father's misplaced ambitions foisted upon him, despite the fact that he wasn't particularly non-human and was given more to co-operation than giving orders. However, his father saw his ascending the highest echelons of political society. Despite not particularly agreeing with his father, he worked hard to please him, eventually becoming involved in politics. A strong character and noted public speaker, Kaine was involved in the politics and administration of the Galactic Republic, becoming one of the earliest, most ardent supporters of Senator Palpatine, embracing his philosophy wholeheartedly after his father was killed in a pirate attack. Kaine remained at the Senator’s side as Palpatine was elected Supreme Chancellor and when he reorganized the Galactic Republic into the first Galactic Empire.

#### Imperial Era

Kaine adopted the principles of Palpatine’s New Order with fanaticism. His leadership and organizational skills came to the fore in the Imperial Era, during which he played a key role in administrative reform. Immediately after the Declaration of the New Order, he was instrumental in ensuring the Grand Army of the Republic's support for the new regime. Kaine worked alongside Imperial officers and advisors in the formation of COMPNOR, after concerns about the administration of Imperial Intelligence, viewing it as something his father would have been proud of. Kaine quickly became disillusioned with the COMPNOR project, however, viewing the organization's constant feuding with Imperial Intelligence as a waste of time and effort. For his loyal and productive Imperial service, Kaine was appointed governor of several worlds, and later a Moff. Extremely wealthy, the Moff at some point became a corporate backer of the Inquisitors.

After Wilhuff Tarkin’s death at the Battle of Yavin, Ardus Kaine became Grand Moff and Governor of Oversector Outer. While this offered him a prestigious title and control over a huge region of the Outer Rim, Kaine saw his promotion as a personal rebuke. Kaine wanted to be near the Emperor on Imperial Center, assisting in important Imperial policies, not tucked away in the farthest fringes of the Galactic Empire trying to repair the damage left by Tarkin's death. With Ardus’ new title came command of the Outer Rim Imperial Fleet and Scourge Squadron, a considerable force of Imperial Star Destroyers tasked with rooting out and quelling Rebel Alliance activity in the Outer Rim. In 4 ABY, Palpatine was killed during a Rebel attack on the second Death Star at Endor, and the Empire was thrown into a state of disarray. News of Palpatine's demise was slow to reach the Outer Rim, but the Grand Moff was eventually notified aboard his flagship.

### Alignment of the Stars

In previous times, the loss of the Emperor would have been met with great sorrow by Kaine, but, still bitter about being stationed in the Outer Rim, he merely saw it as an opportunity. Kaine still believed in the ideals of the New Order, but now the opportunity to create a new state, with Kaine at its head, had been presented to him. While other Imperials in the Outer Rim initiated chaotic internecine conflicts, he moved quickly to consolidate his power and form a new faction. Knowing that many corporations would struggle to keep afloat without Imperial backing, He called together a gathering of various business and political leaders aboard his flagship. Kaine proposed a treaty which would unite the Imperials and corporate interests to create an isolationist political conglomerate that would practice the ideals of the New Order and allow the allied businesses to continue to trade as under the Empire, without interference from the New Republic.

Kaine was well aware that, should the region fall under New Republic jurisdiction, local syndicates use of slavery and corruption would be quickly stopped, and he used this fact as leverage during the talks, emphasizing the fact several times. The talks were fraught with paranoia and confrontation, and Kaine had to work hard to keep the participants off each other's throats. As it was, none of Kaine's colleagues particularly cared for his political theory, and some openly questioned Kaine's ambitions. The Grand Moff refuted claims that he would install himself as Emperor, emphasizing the need for unity and co-operation to ensure the project was successful. Ultimately, the Pentastar Alignment Treaty was signed by all parties, creating the Pentastar Alignment. Despite mild objections, all vessels and soldiers of the Pentastar Alignment were adorned with a badge, which Governor Ardus Kaine hoped would be a symbol of both unity and fear.

With newfound corporate backing and significant forces of capital ships and soldiers at his disposal, Kaine established the Alignment in a huge number of systems, engulfing areas with force and installing planetary overseers to carry out the will of Kaine and his allies. Many Imperial forces in Oversector Outer voluntarily joined the cause, due to the Grand Moff's strong leadership and fervent Imperialism. The Grand Moff kept his burgeoning faction mostly independent from the wider galaxy, refraining from any conflict with the New Republic or rival warlords. As a result, Kaine's business allies were allowed to continue operating free from interference, despite Republic moral opposition to their Humanocentric, oppressive *modi operandorum*. Ironically as his Humanocentric ways were largely a sham, Ardus Kaine was quite happy and pragmatic enough to use large numbers of non-humans in his Pentastar Patrol to use them to shore up his military.

### Remnants of the Empire

Ultimately, aside from dissident pirate groups, the Alignment was most at risk from internal threats. Differences between various Pentastar departments and leaders threatened to destabilize the alliance, and though rarely confronted, Ardus Kaine was unpopular among many of his colleagues. The remnants of the Empire continued to operate and oppose the Republic, initially under Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, until Sloane was presumed deceased and Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax appointed himself Counselor to the Empire, but Kaine paid no heed. During this period, the Pentastar Alignment helped fund an Inquisitor search for and expedition to the Valley of the Jedi, an undertaking which was ultimately unsuccessful. The Pentastar Alignment began to come under increased pressure from discordant pirate groups during this time. One such group, the Sovereign Latitudes of Maracavanya, proved to be a particular thorn in Kaine and the Alignment's side.

Ruled by Eleodie Maracavanya, the Sovereign Latitudes of Maracavanya made incessant raids of Pentastar Alignment planets and assassinated numerous Alignment officials. In 5 ABY, Gallius Rax began assembling much of the remaining Imperial forces on the remote desert planet Jakku. The Alignment contributed some forces to Rax’s efforts but did not formally join him, preferring to continue its militarization in anticipation of conflict with the New Republic. After the Battle of Jakku, the Galactic Civil War ended with the signing of the Galactic Concordance, and the Empire was defeated as it surrendered to the New Republic. Years after the Battle of Jakku, Rae Sloane returned from the Unknown Regions in an attempt to reunite and consolidate the Imperial Remnants to create a new Empire. Sloane and her allies began reuniting various Imperial splinter factions, as part of an effort to continue the old Empire’s legacy and oppose the New Republic.

Snoke, a rising prominent figure among the Imperial Remnant, was more successful than Gallius Rax in recruiting Kaine, with other Imperial warlords and former Imperial personnel joining the Imperial Remnant movement that would one day reorganize into the First Order. During this time, Kaine was killed when his transport was ambushed and destroyed by a group of E-Wing escort starfighters. The Imperial Remnants assumed that the New Republic was responsible for Kaine’s death, though there was speculation of foul play. In truth, Snoke had arranged for the attack on Kaine’s shuttle with the purpose of seizing control of the Pentastar Alignment and its resources, using New Republic starfighters to make it look like the New Republic was responsible. The Pentastar Alignment was annexed in 12 ABY, becoming part of the Imperial Remnants. Before 21 ABY, Kaine's homeworld became affiliated with the Remnants that would become the First Order.