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Pestage, Sate

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Emperor Palpatine's Grand Vizier, Pestage had served Palpatine as a senatorial aide before becoming one of the Emperor's most trusted advisors. During the height of the Clone Wars, Pestage was the controller of the Galactic Senate's executive agenda. This allowed him to have regular contact with the Senators, and his powers of persuasion went a long way toward convincing uncertain Senators to support Palpatine's initiatives. He personally oversaw the preparation of Palpatine's food, tasting it for poisons. He scheduled all of Palpatine's meetings, held the Imperial Seal, and managed the Emperor's household. Many beings even rumored that Pestage was one of the first clones created from Palpatine's genetic material. While none of rumors ever proven false, Pestage's loyalty to the Emperor was without a doubt. For all his hard work, Pestage was presented with the stewardship of the Ciutric Hegemony by Palpatine himself. Historians of the Empire acknowledge the fact that Sate Pestage, for all intents and purposes, was running the Empire at the time of the Battle of Hoth. Pestage was also one of the few people who knew about the Eidolon project, and actually diverted funds from it to build a small retreat on Tatooine. He then hired Lirin Banolt to acquire artwork and antique weapons to furnish it. Banolt managed to steal the plans for - and location of - the Eidolon, and threatened to blackmail Pestage, but the wily Vizier had Banolt executed before any damage could be done. When the Emperor died at Endor, Pestage assumed control of the majority of the Empire's military, but his rule was constantly questioned by other Imperial leaders. When Pestage lost his holdings on Ciutric to Prince-Admiral Krennel, he fled to Axxila, hoping to evade Ysanne Isard. Pestage arranged to meet with Leia Organa, and the New Republic sent Winter to act as Leia on a diplomatic mission to Eiattu to cover the Axxila trip. He offered her the chance to take the planet Coruscant in return for his own safety. Leia agreed, and Pestage found a temporary safety. Pestage also helped Leonia Tavira flee from Axxila, ensuring that another ally would be available if he needed one in his struggle against Ysanne Isard. Isard was only marginally loyal to Pestage, and had suspicions of his meeting with Leia. Pestage also told Tavira about the Eidolon weapons cache, hoping she could recover anything which remained. However, he earned the enmity of Isard when he ordered Admiral Krennel to stand down in his assault on Axxila, after Soontir Fel issued an AT3 directive to break off the attack. Isard returned to the Imperial council and brought news of Pestage's treachery, and the council ordered him to be removed form power. He fled to Ciutric with the help of Leonia Tavira, and was held by Governor Brothic. However, a bribe kept Brothic from relaying word of his arrival to Isard, allowing the New Republic time to set up a rescue operation. Commando Team One, with the support of Rogue Squadron and Aggressor Wing, was able to liberate Pestage before Isard's forces could capture him. Pestage, however, had other ideas, and slipped away from the Republic agents and presented himself to Admiral Krennel. Krennel, however, desired more than the prestige of recovering Pestage. He killed Pestage by strangling him with his cybernetic hand. It was later revealed that Pestage had been cloned by Sarcev Quest. While the clone was killed by Krennel, the real Pestage retired to Byss to await the possible return of Palpatine's spirit. When this did occur, Pestage was there, ready to help the new-formed Palpatine regain his power and control. The true Pestage died, however, when Byss was destroyed by the Galaxy Gun.