Berch Teller campaign

During the Clone Wars' concluding year, Captain Berch Teller served as the Republic Intelligence station chief on Antar 4, a moon belonging to the Gotal species. He played a role in training and organizing Gotal and Koorivar loyalist partisans, who initiated an insurgency against the Separatist forces stationed on Antar 4. After the Galactic Empire was established, Imperial forces under Wilhuff Tarkin initiated a brutal purge known as the Antar Atrocity, resulting in the arrest and execution of numerous Koorivar and Gotal loyalists. The widespread public condemnation of the Antar Atrocity was fueled by extensive media coverage throughout the galaxy.

As a consequence of the public outcry, Emperor Palpatine reassigned Tarkin to supervise pacification operations within the Western Reaches. Progressing to the rank of Moff, Tarkin later assumed command of Desolation Station and Sentinel Base, the bases supporting the highly classified Death Star project. He succeeded Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit, who was reassigned to the position of Deputy Director within the Naval Intelligence Agency, a division of Imperial Intelligence. Rancit viewed this reassignment as a demotion and resented Tarkin's elevated status within the Empire.

Tarkin's pivotal role in the Antar Atrocity ignited some of the earliest resistance against the Empire. Appalled by the brutality of the Antar Atrocity, Berch Teller established a rebel cell. The members of this cell included outspoken dissident journalists Anora Fair and Hask Taff, the Gotal starship pilot Salikk, the Koorivar munitions and surveillance expert Cala, the former Mon Calamari Knight Artoz, and Knotts, a former Republic Intelligence contractor who became an information broker. During Teller's tenure as head of security at Desolation Station, he encountered Rancit. Sharing a mutual disdain for Tarkin, the two men agreed to collaborate.

In 14 BBY, Teller and his group launched an insurgent campaign directed against Tarkin. Their strategy involved seizing Tarkin's personal starship, the Carrion Spike, which was equipped with an advanced hyperdrive and stealth technology, enabling it to traverse the galaxy undetected. Teller's cell intended to utilize the Carrion Spike, a symbol of Imperial authority, against the Empire by targeting Imperial facilities along the Perlemian Trade Route and disrupting convoys transporting resources to the Death Star project. Motivated by a desire to elevate his own position within the Imperial hierarchy at Tarkin's expense, Rancit leveraged his intelligence and underworld contacts to provide the dissidents with prohibited armaments, communications jammers, and confiscated Separatist equipment, including droid starfighters and a modified Providence-class Dreadnought; these were assembled by the Tenloss and Crymorah Syndicates at shipyards located in the Bajic sector.

The dissidents, armed with Separatist weaponry and communications equipment, attempted to deceive Moff Tarkin and his forces by transmitting a fabricated holotransmission claiming that Rampart Station was under attack. Their goal was to divert them away from Sentinel Base, situated on the desolate Sentinel moon. Sensing a ruse, Tarkin executed a microjump with his Venator-class Star Destroyer, the Electrum, to the edge of the Sentinel moon's system. The dissidents' Providence-class Dreadnought emerged from hyperspace only to be ambushed by the Electrum and its accompanying starfighter escort. Although the former Separatist carrier managed to escape into hyperspace, the Imperials succeeded in capturing several former Separatist droid starfighters.

While attending a meeting of the Ruling Council on Coruscant, Darth Sidious tasked Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader with examining a captured communications cache on Murkhana, a former Separatist world. Harus Ison, the Deputy Director of the Imperial Security Bureau, believed that the communications cache indicated a potential plot to disable the Imperial HoloNet. The communications cache had allegedly been discovered by Bracchia, a Koorivar ISB asset, and his ISB case officer, Stellan. In reality, Vice Admiral Rancit had intentionally leaked information about the communications cache to Military Intelligence, who then passed it on to the ISB. This was part of Rancit's scheme to lure Moff Tarkin to Murkhana, enabling Teller's cell to steal the Carrion Spike.

Unwittingly playing into the conspirators' plans, Tarkin and Lord Vader traveled to Murkhana aboard the Carrion Spike. While the two Imperials were inspecting the cache and interrogating Bracchia, Teller's cell used a fabricated holotransmission to lure Sergeant Crest and his stormtroopers away from the corvette. Subsequently, the dissidents fled offworld. In pursuit of the shipjackers, Tarkin and Lord Vader forcibly commandeered the personal starship, Parsec Predator, of Faazah, a crime lord from the Sugi species. Despite the dissidents disabling the ship's communications and slave system, Tarkin and Vader were able to track the stolen ship using the Sith Lord's meditation chamber. Tarkin suspected that the theft of his starship was connected to the attack on Sentinel Base and the Murkhana communications cache.

In pursuit of the Carrion Spike, Tarkin and Vader followed the ship into the Fial system. With the Imperials in close pursuit, the insurgents jumped to Galidraan. Utilizing the Carrion Spike's stealth system, Teller's cell attacked the Imperial station orbiting Galidraan III, damaging the station and destroying several V-wing and Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters. Vader and Tarkin caught up with the Carrion Spike and engaged in a dogfight, but their ship, the Parsec Predator, was disabled. The insurgents also jettisoned Vader's meditation chamber and destroyed the system's hyperspace buoy. Despite the insurgents' escape, the Imperials managed to inflict significant damage on the stolen Carrion Spike.

Continuing their "campaign of destruction," Berch Teller's cell attacked TaggeCo's mining facilities on Lucazec. To inspire resistance against the Empire, Anora Fair and Hask Taff broadcast holovids of the group's raids. In response to the Carrion Spike's attacks, the Empire deployed the Imperial Navy to safeguard key Imperial installations and facilities along the Perlemian Trade Route and the Hydian Way. Vader and Tarkin regrouped aboard the Star Destroyer Liberator, where the Sith Lord Vader received his personal Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor from the Empire. By studying the shipjackers' travel patterns, Tarkin speculated that they were collaborating with the warship that attacked Sentinel Base. Given the Carrion Spike's unique fuel requirements, Tarkin theorized that the ship would travel to either Gromas in the Perkell sector or Phindar in the Mandalore sector.

However, Vice-Admiral Rancit had cautioned Teller and his cell to avoid Gromas. Teller, impersonating the Imperial Commander Abel LaSal by using a fake Imperial uniform, rank plaque insignia, and command cap disk, managed to acquire fuel cells from a tanker docked above Phindar. Before they could complete refueling, Tarkin and Lord Vader arrived aboard the Imperial escort carrier Goliath with a squadron of V-wing starfighters. Unaware of Teller's true identity, the tanker dispatched a squadron of ARC-170 starfighters to intercept Vader's fighters. Before Tarkin could launch proton torpedoes at the stolen freighter, the Carrion Spike utilized its cloaking system to vanish from the scanners before jumping into hyperspace. The insurgents also detonated a concealed explosive device inside a fuel cell, destroying the oil tanker and the ARC-170s.

Despite evading Tarkin and Vader, Anora was unable to transmit further holovids because the Empire had suspended HoloNet service to most of the Mandalore sector. However, Teller reassured her that they only needed to reach one to trigger a snowball effect. Meanwhile, authorities on Phindar determined that the tanker had been destroyed by an explosive device hidden inside a fuel cell. Consequently, Tarkin realized that the dissidents had intended to lure them into a trap. After receiving intelligence indicating that the Carrion Spike was heading to the Expansion Region, Rancit persuaded the Emperor to deploy interdictor cruisers from the Deep Core Security Zone to protect Imperial installations on Lantillies, Cartao, Ice Station Beta on Anteevy, Taanab, and Garos.

After discovering an Imperial paralight tracker in a fuel cell aboard the Carrion Spike, Teller transmitted false coordinates to create the illusion that they were traveling to the Obroa-skai system in the Inner Rim. To mislead the Imperials, Teller enlisted the broker Knotts to sell a shipping job to the crew of the YT-1000 freighter Reticent. In response, Tarkin assembled a fleet of Imperial warships, including the Star Destroyer Executrix and three Interdictor vessels—a Detainer CC-2200, a CC-7700 frigate, and a prototype Immobilizer 418 cruiser—to intercept the stolen ship. However, the Immobilizer's gravity well projectors malfunctioned, pulling in the Reticent and several civilian transports, including the MC80 Star Cruiser Stellar Vista. The Stellar Vista collided with the Detainer CC-2200, resulting in the deaths of 1,100 civilians. While the Imperial frigates provided assistance to the civilian ship, Tarkin ordered the interdictors to negate the field so that they could use tractor beams to grab the lifeboats.

The incident in the Obroa-skai system garnered significant media attention due to the presence of civilian holovids and media teams. The damaged Stellar Vista and the Detainer CC-2200 were towed away for repairs, while the Immobilizer was returned to the Corellian Engineering Corporation for reassessment. Despite failing to capture the Carrion Spike, the Imperials managed to destroy the Lux-400 yacht Truant, which was wanted for smuggling. Additionally, Imperial forces seized the Reticent and interrogated its crew, including its Koorivar captain. Under interrogation, the captain confessed to purchasing the freighter from Knotts, who had also instructed him to travel to the Obroa-skai system. After questioning the captain's Sy Myrthian navigator, Vader learned that the Sugi smuggler Faazah had acquired a supply of custom fuel cells prior to Tarkin and Vader's visit to Murkhana. Tarkin also investigated the dissidents and discovered that several members, including Teller, Anora, Hask, and Knotts, had been present on Antar 4 during the Antar Atrocity. He also determined that Teller had bluffed his way into obtaining the Phindar fuel cells by posing as Commander LaSal.

Meanwhile, Darth Sidious investigated the source of the Murkhana communications cache. After interrogating both Bracchia and his ISB handler Stellan, the Emperor discovered that someone from Military Intelligence had relayed the information to the ISB. Further investigations revealed that the dissidents had been supplied with confiscated warship modules, Separatist weapons, communications equipment, and intelligence on Imperial facilities by Imperial assets with high clearance. Having misled the Empire, Teller's cell attacked an Imperial facility on Nouane, a client state system in the Inner Rim. However, the facility was heavily fortified due to Vice-Admiral Rancit's precautions, and the Carrion Spike only managed to inflict minimal damage before fleeing into hyperspace.

Following the failed Nouane attack, Teller and his fellow dissidents concluded that Vice-Admiral Rancit had betrayed them. They fed him false intelligence, indicating that the Carrion Spike was going to attack the Imperial Academy on Carida in the Inner Rim. The dissidents escaped onto another ship and set the Carrion Spike on autopilot to Carida. To conceal his involvement, Rancit ordered the Secutor-class Star Destroyer Conquest to destroy the Carrion Spike. However, Vader had uncovered Rancit's collusion with Teller's dissidents and confronted him aboard the Conquest. After taking control of the crew, the Sith Lord ordered Rancit to be placed in an escape pod. As a final act of humiliation, Rancit was ordered to transmit the order to destroy the pod.

After recovering the Carrion Spike, Tarkin resolved to eliminate Teller and his dissidents. Teller and his cell returned to their modified Providence-class Dreadnought, which was hidden behind a barren moon in a star system Coreward of the Gulf of Tatooine. Continuing their campaign against Moff Tarkin, the dissidents decided to ambush a convoy of starships transporting materials to the Death Star project. This convoy was scheduled to revert to realspace at the edge of the system before traveling by sublight to the Imperial marshaling station at Pii. From there, the supply ships would be escorted to Sentinel Base and finally Geonosis. Before his death, Rancit relocated the convoy's escorts to safeguard Imperial installations along the Perlemian.

By the time Tarkin arrived aboard the Executrix, Teller's ships and droid starfighters had already ambushed the convoy. Despite the cargo ships and transports forming a defensive circle with the escort gunboats and frigates, the insurgents' agile droid starfighters were able to inflict significant damage. The dissidents' forces included a EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, multiple droid tri-fighters, and four starfighters. While the Executrix's starfighters engaged the enemy fighters, the Executrix opened fire on the Nebulon-B frigate, destroying it. As the battle turned in the Empire's favor, Teller escaped on a Z-95 Headhunter with the assistance of his comrades, who remained behind.

The Executrix then disabled the enemy carrier's shields and master control computer. Imperial reinforcements arrived in the form of the Star Destroyers Compliant and Enforcer. Stormtroopers boarded the ship and captured the dissidents, including Anora, Hask Taff, Knoff, and Artoz.

Following the defeat of Berch Teller's cell, the Empire spent the next three weeks interrogating the captured dissidents. Although the ISB advocated public executions, the Emperor instead had them secretly executed to deny them martyrdom. While the details of Rancit's death were kept confidential, his demise served as a stark warning to the Imperial intelligence community that neither rank nor position guaranteed privilege or exemption from punishment. Furthermore, the Empire punished several warehouse workers and salvagers who had supplied materials to Teller's cell. Several scientists stationed at Desolation Station who had violated their security oaths were also punished. The Empire also targeted members of the Tenloss and Crymorah syndicates who had outfitted the dissidents' warship.

The Emperor also initiated a reorganization of the Imperial bureaucracy. Naval Intelligence was reintegrated into Imperial Intelligence, with Colonel Wullf Yularen replacing the deceased Rancit as deputy director. Harus Ison was reassigned to the Ubiqtorate, while Admiral Nils Tenant was promoted to Joint Chief. Other Ruling Council members, including Conan Antonio Motti and Tagge, also received promotions. In recognition of his services, the Emperor promoted Tarkin to the newly created position of Grand Moff and appointed him Governor of the entire Outer Rim Territories. Tarkin was celebrated as a hero by the media and developed the Tarkin Doctrine to legitimize the Empire's military expansion throughout the galaxy. As Governor of the Outer Rim, Tarkin's responsibilities included overseeing the secret Death Star project. To maintain the project's secrecy, Tarkin increased security restrictions and controlled labor movements at Desolation Station, Geonosis, Sentinel Base, and the various marshaling stations. Tarkin also increased military patrols in the surrounding space and issued orders for pirates and smugglers to be eliminated on sight.

Imperial forces later tracked Teller's Headhunter starfighter to Christophsis, but found no trace of the fugitive. Teller subsequently traveled to Tarkin's homeworld of Eriadu and attempted to assassinate the Grand Moff on the grounds of a wildlife reserve known as Carrion Plateau. However, he fell into a pit trap. Tarkin allowed his nemesis to climb out of the pit before nightfall.

Despite the suppression of Berch Teller's insurgency, resistance against the Empire continued, leading to the formation of numerous rebel cells throughout the galaxy, including Phoenix Cell.

Following Teller's campaign, the early Rebel Alliance recognized Teller's actions as a prime example of the effectiveness of counter-propaganda, asserting that his efforts had brought awareness of the Antar Atrocity to the galaxy. In 2 BBY, these rebel cells, under the leadership of former Senator Mon Mothma, publicly declared the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Over the following years, rebel operatives, including the Spectres and Saw Gerrera's Partisans, uncovered evidence of the Empire's secret Death Star project, including the Sterilization of Geonosis and the shipment of kyber crystals.

In 0 BBY, the discovery of the Death Star's existence prompted the Alliance to launch a daring heist to steal the Death Star plans from the Imperial complex on Scarif. Despite suffering heavy losses, the Alliance successfully escaped with the plans aboard Princess Leia Organa's starship, the Tantive IV. The Emperor's dissolution of the Imperial Senate and Grand Moff Tarkin's use of the Death Star to destroy Alderaan set the stage for the events of the Battle of Yavin. During that pivotal battle, Tarkin was killed when the rebel pilot Luke Skywalker fired a proton torpedo into the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, destroying the superweapon.

The Berch Teller campaign is the central conflict in James Luceno's 2014 novel Tarkin, the second book in a new line of Canon adult novels published by Del Rey.