Hero of the Empire

This article is about the unpublished memoir. You may be looking for the award.

"Found in an unpublished memoir entitled Hero of the Empire written by an anonymous Imperial commander that was located within the records captured at Yaga Minor."

―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire^[1]

Hero of the Empire was an unpublished memoir written by an anonymous Imperial commander. The memoir contained an account of an alleged argument over starfighter tactics that broke out in a meeting shortly before the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. The memoir was later located within records captured from the world Yaga Minor. In 35 ABY, the historian Beaumont Kin mentioned Hero of the Empire in his book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire but noted that it may not have been a reliable source.

Description

"If I have to listen to one more lecture about what that ludicrous alien would have done, I am going to allow my ship to indulge in friendly fire!"

―An officer, during the alledged argument^[1]

Hero of the Empire was an unpublished memoir written by an anonymous Imperial commander. The memoir contained an account of an alleged argument that broke out in a meeting prior to the Battle of Endor^[1] in 4 ABY^[2] about the plan to first send in starfighters without backing them up or holding any in reserve to defend the fleet. One officer, who the historian Beaumont Kin assumed was Vice Admiral Corf Ferno, began an explanation of how Grand Admiral Thrawn had coordinated the fighters and fleet at the Battle of Atollon^[1] in 2 BBY.^[2] He was then shouted down by another officer, who threatened to allow their ship to indulge in friendly fire if they had to listen to another lecture about "that ludicrous alien".^[1]

History

"Additionally, an unpublished anonymous memoir, while interesting, presents any number of problems when it comes to evaluating its veracity."

―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire^[1]

At some point after the Battle of Endor, the memoir was found in records captured at ^[1] the world^[3] Yaga Minor.^[1] In 35 ABY,^[4] Kin cited Hero of the Empire when^[1] he^[5] mentioned the argument it described in his book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire. Kin noted that while it was possible that the argument occurred, it was not mentioned in the reports made by Admiral Firmus Piett and several junior officers. Kin proposed the possibility that the argument took place in a closed briefing for senior officers to air their grievances that was not reported, citing the fact that Admiral Rae Sloane returned from the meeting a standard hour and a half after Commodore Scaanos did. He also suggested that the deployment of loyalty officers onto the bridges of several Star Destroyers after the meeting was another indication that the memoir may be accurate. However, he stated that while interesting, it was difficult to evaluate the veracity of an unpublished and anonymous memoir.^[1]