Captain Sarkli was an Imperial officer who was a fearless spy and would work through virtually any assignment. He was a nephew of Admiral Piett and was presumably from Piett's homeworld of Axxila. Sarkli was once granted a personal audience with Emperor Palpatine, and was on the fast track to promotion. 

He originally worked on a Rebel Blockade Runner. After the death of Biggs Darklighter, he became a Rebel pilot, and was included in the ranks of Rogue Squadron. He wasn't as respected a pilot as Luke Skywalker or Wedge Antilles, and didn't get the attention he deserved. Months after the Battle of Yavin, the Imperials attacked the Rebel base, resulting in one of many attempts to drive the rebels off the planet. General Jan Dodonna was trapped in the Great Massassi Temple. Luke and Wedge landed in the temple to rescue Dodonna, leaving Sarkli to fight off TIE Fighters outside.

After finding the General, they escorted him to the hangar, where they were pinned down by an AT-ST. Sarkli saved them by destroying the AT-ST, but General Dodonna only saw the heroic actions of Luke and Wedge that saved him from the stormtroopers in the Temple. On a mission with Luke to rescue Tycho Celchu on Dantooine, he was ordered by Luke to wait with the ships while he went to go rescue Celchu. 

Sarkli had enough and suddenly defected to the Empire during a mission on the planet Ralltiir, only months before the Battle of Hoth, in which he was replaced by Dak Ralter. He became an Imperial Storm Commando captain and commanded an Imperial Escort Carrier. He encountered his former-Rebel friends on a number of worlds including Geonosis, where he nearly killed Wedge Antilles with an Imperial LAAT. The gunship was disabled, and it crashed into a cliff. He barely survived the incident. 

During his time with the Empire, he was well known for being one of the Emperor's best spies, and was always seeking a promotion. He was present on the second Death Star during Emperor Palpatine's visit. 

Sarkli was reassigned from the Death Star to the shield bunker on Endor, commanding a storm commando sentry unit. During the Battle of Endor, he apprehended the Rebel band led by Han Solo as they exited the bunker, but Solo managed to shoot him in the chest. The armor he was wearing buckled under the assault, and he was killed when a bolt pierced the armor and his heart. His body was destroyed when the shield bunker exploded.

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