Osvald Teshik
From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro
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| Osvald Teshik | |
| Gender | Male |
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Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik was a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Starfleet. He was one of the original twelve Grand Admirals, raised to that newly created rank by the Emperor two years before the Battle of Yavin.
Biography
Teshik was one of Palpatine’s most important and trusted Grand Admirals, as he commanded Imperial Center Oversector, which embraced the very capital of the Empire, and its most developed, wealthy worlds. This position put him in charge not only of the most important sector, but also of the fleets attached to that sector, including Azure Hammer Command; Azure Hammer Command contained the Grand Admiral's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Whelm, a fleet of over fifty-seven other capital ships, the planet Anaxes, the famous Anaxes Citadel, and, ultimately, all other Imperial forces located in Imperial Center Oversector.
Teshik was notable for his compassion, very rare among high Imperial officials, and for his extensive cybernetic implants. When Imperial Advisor Coh Veshiv was abducted by the privateering Nebulon-B frigate Far Orbit, Emperor Palpatine personally threatened Teshik with execution if he did not deal with the ship. Teshik failed to rescue Veshiv, and in response, Palpatine ordered Teshik to attack the isolationist Hapan Cluster, with insufficient forces and materiel. Teshik met in battle with the famed Hapan war fleet, composed of Hapan Battle Dragons and Nova-class Battle Cruisers, and was nearly killed. He was saved only by replacement of 75% of his body with cybernetic parts.
The Empire was not only xenophobic, but they also shunned the ill and weak - serious mutilations were rare due to widespread use of bacta. Thus, Teshik was universally shunned and an object of revulsion. He lost direct command of Whelm and transferred his flag to the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Eleemosynary. This ostracization, shame and unending prejudice hardened his heart.
Along with Grand Admirals Nial Declann, Miltin Takel, and Afsheen Makati, Teshik accompanied Emperor Palpatine aboard the Death Star II; when the ambush there backfired, he attempted to escape the critically damaged station, but was pinned beneath a fallen column. A construction worker, out of the myriads of Imperials fleeing the station, stopped and freed him. The worker's generosity and kindness worked a transformation within Teshik; the years of abuse and disdain fell away and he regained his compassion. He escaped to the Eleemosynary, and prosecuted the fight against the Rebel fleet. It took four hours of intense fighting before Teshik's flagship was finally disabled by a barrage of ion cannon fire; unable to rescue the disabled ship, the fleet retreated under the orders of Captain Gilad Pellaeon. The Alliance captured Teshik alive, put him on trial for "inhuman atrocities committed against the citizens of the galaxy," convicted him, and sentenced him to execution. The irony of this did not escape Teshik, as his last words before his death was mechanical laughter.
Sources
- "Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals". Star Wars Insider 66, 2003. Peña, Abel G. and Daniel Wallace.
- The Essential Chronology. Kevin J. Anderson, Daniel Wallace, ISBN 034-543439-0. p. 72
- The New Essential Guide to Characters, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, New York: Del Rey. ISBN 034-544900-2
- RA2
- The Far Orbit Project, 1998. Timothy O'Brien, Honesdale: West End Games, ISBN 0-87431-515-8. pp 103
- Coruscant and the Core Worlds, 2003. Carey, Craig R., et al, Renton: Wizards of the Coast, ISBN 0-874-31515-8. pp 4-47
- The New Essential Chronology