Odile Vaiken

"Though Vaiken was lost all those centuries ago, his plan and his name lived on to inspire countless generations who marched under the Imperial banner."

―Jedi Master Gnost-Dural^[1]

Odile Vaiken was a Human male who lived during the Great Hyperspace War and its aftermath. Vaiken grew up within the borders of the original Sith Empire and was, like other citizens, a loyal servant of his Sith overlords. The Great Hyperspace War between the Empire and the Galactic Republic ended badly for the Sith, and their subjects were forced to flee their homes to escape retribution from enemy forces. The young Vaiken joined his fellow countrymen in a massive exodus from their decimated capital of Korriban, led by a reclusive Sith Lord. After wandering the stars for twenty years, the migrant fleet that carried the Sith expatriates happened upon Dromund Kaas, a forgotten Sith colony world.

After the Sith Lord leading the exodus chose Dromund Kaas to be their new homeworld and proclaimed himself the new Emperor of his people, Vaiken dedicated himself to helping build the new Imperial society. Vaiken was instrumental in establishing order among the Empire's non-Force-sensitive subjects through the creation of the new Imperial Military, which comprised an expertly-trained army and a technologically advanced navy. Vaiken's contributions to the ascendant government earned him the recognition of the Emperor and the governing Dark Council, who named him the first Grand Moff of the Empire. Vaiken was later killed during a campaign to defeat an alien species in deep space, but his military legacy remained intact for over a millennium.

Biography[]

Exiled[]

"The Emperor's role in the reconstruction was as visionary alone. He's said to have withdrawn into isolation and left the logistics to the newly formed Dark Council… and to loyal Imperial leaders like Odile Vaiken."

―Gnost-Dural^[1]

Odile Vaiken was a Human male who lived within the borders of the original Sith Empire^[1] at the latter end of the Golden Age of the Sith.^[3] Vaiken's childhood was spent amongst other Humans as well as members of the Sith species, all of whom lived in service of the Sith Lords, the Empire's religious and political leaders.^[1] In 5000 BBY, a struggle for control of the Empire between Lords Ludo Kressh and Naga Sadow broke out, ultimately resulting in the Sith's first contact with the Galactic Republic and a pan-galactic conflict known as the Great Hyperspace War.^[4] The war eventually reached the Sith capital world of Korriban, where the Empire was defeated by the Republic and its subjects were forced to flee retribution from enemy forces.^[1]

Vaiken exodus — A young Odile Vaiken studies ship controls aboard a vessel of the Exile fleet.

The young Vaiken was on Korriban at the end of the war but was able to escape the Republic's decimation of the world by joining hundreds of his countrymen in a massive exodus from the crumbling Sith Empire. The operation, headed by one of the few surviving Dark Lords, was a last-ditch effort to preserve what was left of Imperial culture. Aboard eight transports, the surviving Sith fled into hyperspace, leaving their homes behind.^[1] For twenty years thereafter, this fleet wandered deep space in search of a new home from which they could rebuild their society.^[5] During this time, Vaiken learned navigation techniques from the helmsmen of the transport vessels and became one of his people's most respected pilots. He was a valued member of the Imperial hierarchy by 4980 BBY, at which point the Exile fleet discovered Dromund Kaas^[1]—a former Sith colony world that had been lost to history since its original discovery by the now-defunct Empire.^[5] The wild jungle planet was chosen to be the new capital for the Imperial expatriates, on which they would build a new Empire and begin plans to take revenge on the Republic.^[1]

While the Dark Lord who led the fleet to Dromund Kaas took his place as Emperor, he chose not to take a hands-on approach to the creation of his new Imperial dominion. Instead, he retreated into seclusion and left the day-to-day affairs of his people to the newly formed Dark Council of Sith Lords and to a number of capable non-Force-sensitives, among whom ranked Odile Vaiken. The man was tasked with bringing order to the non-Sith members of the Empire and with the creation of a new Imperial Military that could one day not only rival, but also defeat, the armed forces of the Galactic Republic.^[1]

Military innovator[]

"Vaiken knew he would never see even a fraction of his plan's success. Nonetheless, he garnered the support of the Dark Council and started the work."

―Gnost-Dural^[1]

Vaiken recruits — Grand Moff Vaiken gives an ardent speech to the hardened soldiers of the new Imperial military.

The most integral part of his plan to recreate a robust Sith Empire was the building of a strong army. To that end, Vaiken took his mandate from the Dark Council and began to recruit every non–Force-user of proper age into the new Imperial Army. In addition, he developed a rigorous training regimen that brought his conscripts to the highest standards of military discipline. With his well-trained forces in tow, Vaiken began his first combat operation—clearing a region of the Dromund Kaas wilderness to make way for the new Imperial center of government, Kaas City. Records kept by the Sith Empire would later indicate that Vaiken himself slew a rabid terentatek on the site where the capital building known as the Imperial Citadel was built.^[1] Given the fearsome reputation of these beasts—terentateks were known to kill multiple Force-sensitives single-handedly^[6]—this feat spoke well of Vaiken's abilities in battle, and lent to the reputation he himself was accruing.^[1]

With the Sith's domination over Dromund Kaas complete, Vaiken began to lay the blueprints for what would prove to be his most ambitious goal: the establishment of the Imperial Armada. He understood that the job of creating a navy as powerful as he imagined would take centuries and accepted the fact that he would never live to see it even partially completed. Regardless, he gained the support of the Dark Council and began to execute his plan. Vaiken dedicated the entirety of his army to the task, assigning them to either mine for resources, engineer the vessels, or manufacture the final products.^[1]

He was alive to see the production of the first of his newly-designed Star Destroyers, and his success earned him recognition from the Sith Emperor himself: Vaiken was the first officer of the Imperial Military to earn the honorary title of Grand Moff. He continued to serve the Empire dutifully for a period of time, and even participated in early campaigns to conquer alien societies surrounding Dromund Kaas. Grand Moff Vaiken was killed during one such mission, dying aboard the bridge of a prototype Star Destroyer^[1] around 4904 BBY.^[2]

Legacy[]

March to war[]

"The Imperial military is unrivaled. When we march to war, vengeance will be ours."

―Grand Moff Odile Vaiken^[7]

Bioware bellator — Vaiken's Star Destroyers composed the bulk of the Imperial Military.

Even after Odile Vaiken's death, the Empire continued to expand and strengthen, due in large part to his visionary organization of the Imperial Military. He was fondly remembered throughout the Empire, and the efforts he put into establishing a strong army and navy inspired Sith military officers and infantry for centuries.^[1] Vaiken's Torch, an eternally-burning flame, was lit in the jungles of Dromund Kaas as a representation of the Empire's undying dedication to their revenge on the Republic.^[7] The fruits of his labor were realized nearly 1,220 years after his death,^[8] when the then-massive Imperial Military struck out from the Unknown Regions and invaded the Republic in a bloody and brutal conflict known as the Great Galactic War. The Sith Empire was victorious in the war, finally achieving vengeance after the defeat in the Great Hyperspace War.^[9] The title of Grand Moff was still in use during this time, held by several individuals, including Rycus Kilran and Zellos.^[10]^[11] During the following period of political unrest, the Imperial Military utilized a naval staging area that housed a massive space station named in honor of the late Grand Moff—the Vaiken Spacedock.^[12] Some individuals in the Empire believed that the Empire's primary intelligence-gathering organization, Imperial Intelligence, was created on Vaiken's orders, though others believed that it was an offshoot of the Emperor's own power base.^[7]

Studies of the Jedi[]

"In our brief glimpses into the Empire's secret history, one name stands out—Grand Moff Odile Vaiken—the founder of the modern Imperial Military."

―Gnost-Dural^[1]

In an effort to research the roots of the Great Galactic War and the reasons behind the Sith's sudden and decisive victory over the Republic,^[13] the Kel Dor Jedi Master Gnost-Dural delved into Imperial historical records stolen by Republic Intelligence.^[14] He found that one name stood out among the non-Force-using Imperials who helped to rebuild Sith society—that of Odile Vaiken. The Grand Moff was the focus of a holorecord compiled by Dural following the end of the Great Galactic War.^[1] This record was submitted to the Jedi Archives on Tython.^[13]

Personality and traits[]

"Vaiken's story represents the surprising loyalty the Imperial citizens show to an Empire in which they will always be subservient to the Sith."

―Gnost-Dural^[1]

TOR Timeline011 — Odile Vaiken is honored as the first Grand Moff of the Sith Empire.

Odile Vaiken was among the most influential individuals in the reformation of the Sith Empire. The Grand Moff was a capable military leader and logistics director, and demonstrated these skills in the planning of the new Imperial Military. These characteristics, as well as his talent as a pilot, gained him the notice of the Emperor and the Dark Council, who granted him the responsibility of bringing order to the non-Sith citizenry. He was highly successful, and his visionary projects survived his death and more than a millennium of Imperial expansion. His memory served as an inspiration for generations of Imperial servicemen and women, which eventually allowed the Empire to overcome the Republic and the Jedi Order.^[1]

According to Jedi Historian Gnost-Dural, the most notable aspect of Vaiken's achievements was that they were accomplished by a man who was entirely loyal to an Empire in which he would always live as a second-class citizen. The Sith power structure placed those who were not sensitive to the Force as servants to the Sith Lords who could touch the energy field,^[1] leaving many of the non-Force-users feeling disenfranchised.^[15] Vaiken was able to organize the Force-deaf into a loyal fighting force and engender loyalty to the Emperor and the Dark Council. For this feat, as well as the laying of the groundwork for the Imperial Armada, Vaiken was named the first Grand Moff of the Sith Empire;^[1] Grand Moff was a title borrowed from the era of early Republic expansionism,^[16] which was fitting for the man who allowed for the Empire to begin its own expansionist campaigns.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Grand Moff Odile Vaiken was created as part of the backstory for LucasArts' and BioWare's online video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. He was introduced through the Galactic Timeline, a promotional feature found on The Holonet section of the game's website. Vaiken's debut was in the eleventh entry in the series, titled Rebirth of the Sith Empire. He was later mentioned in the reference books The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural and Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia.