Pter Thanas

Pter Thanas was a male Coruscanti Human Imperial Navy commander who defected to the Rebel Alliance after the Bakura Incident during the Galactic Civil War. Thanas was noted as a diplomatic officer of the Imperial Starfleet, known for his ability to rule successfully without using fear as a motivator. Early in his career, he led an Imperial task force against the Crimson Nova pirates on F'Dann IX.

During a tour of duty on icy Alzoc III, he became popular among the native Talz laborers for his progressive policies. By increasing their food budgets, he was able to increase the mine's work output and also win the hearts and minds of the Talz. When a less sympathetic Imperial colonel arrived and reduced their rations to previous levels, this provoked an uprising among the laborers. For refusing to crush the uprising, Thanas was reassigned to the newly occupied planet of Bakura in 1 BBY.

There, he became the commander of the local Imperial naval defense and answered only to the Governor Nereus. In 4 ABY, Bakura was invaded by the saurian Ssi-ruuvi Imperium which quickly wiped out half the garrison and blockaded Bakura. Shortly after the Battle of Endor, a Rebel Alliance fleet arrived to relieve the Imperials after receiving a request for help.

Following the Bakura Truce between the Alliance and the Empire, Thanas cooperated with the Alliance and developed an intimate relationship with Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. However, with the defeat of the Ssi-ruuk, Nereus ordered Thanas to turn on the Alliance fleet. In the ensuing chaos, Thanas' flagship the Dominant destroyed several Rebel ships. In response, Han Solo nearly attempted to dislodge the Dominant from the Imperial formation by ramming the cruiser with his starship the Millennium Falcon.

However, Skywalker's communications with Thanas via the Force helped convince him to change sides. As a gesture, Thanas opened fire on the Ssi-ruuvi cruiser Shriwirr and sent a medical team to treat the mortally wounded Dev Sibwarra. With the death of Nereus and the surrender of the Imperial garrison under favorable terms, an awed Thanas defected to his former enemies.

In 12 ABY, he married the Bakuran Prime Minister Gaeriel Captison. Shortly thereafter Captison gave birth to a daughter, Malinza. Three years later, Thanas was diagnosed with the debilitating Knowt's Disease. Thanas suffered through the slow killing illness, and finally passed away in 16 ABY at the age of 64 after Captison's unsuccessful reelection campaign.

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