Carise Sindian, sometimes addressed as Lady Carise Sindian, was a human female political figure who served as a representative of the affluent world of Arkanis within the Galactic Senate of the New Republic. Sindian was a member of the Centrists, a group that advocated for a more unified New Republic and a stronger defense force. During her tenure, she proposed herself as First Senator to take the place of the Chancellor, but this idea was met with resistance from numerous other senators.
Furthermore, Sindian possessed royal lineage, leading her to become the highest authority on the planet of Birren after Leia Organa, a highly influential experienced senator, declined the position following the demise of the previous governor, Lord Mellowyn. Sindian explored the Great Hall of Birren and uncovered a recording revealing Organa's parentage as the daughter of Darth Vader. Sindian exploited this information to damage Organa's standing by informing a close confidant, Ransolm Casterfo, of Organa's heritage. Casterfo, harboring a deep-seated hatred for Vader, exposed Organa's lineage to the Senate, compelling Organa to withdraw her candidacy for First Senator. Secretly, Sindian was collaborating with the First Order, a fascist [[First Order High Command|military organization] stationed in the Unknown Regions that opposed the New Republic, viewing Organa's withdrawal as a triumph.
Subsequently, Senator Tai-Lin Garr of Gatalenta received nomination for First Senator. Sindian, leveraging her connections with the First Order, enlisted Arliz Hadrassian, the leader of a paramilitary organization known as the Amaxine warriors. Hadrassian successfully assassinated Garr before taking her own life. Recognizing the growing closeness between Senators Casterfo and Organa from a shared investigation, and finding Casterfo increasingly difficult to manipulate, Sindian decided to implicate Casterfo in supporting Hadrassian, effectively ending his political career and banishing him for treason. Upon discovering this, Senator Organa confronted Sindian. Organa collaborated with the Elder Houses to strip Sindian of her royal titles and governorship of Birren on the grounds that Sindian had violated an oath by revealing Organa's true parentage.
During the era of the New Republic, Carise Sindian became the Senator representing the Centrist world of Arkanis. Her royal heritage granted her the title of Lady. While serving in the Galactic Senate, Lady Carise secretly acted as an agent for the First Order, a remnant of the Old Empire. She utilized her position to locate former Imperial officers and sympathizers, facilitating connections between them and the remnants of the Imperial Navy. Lady Carise encouraged these former supporters of the New Order, including the former Imperial Security Bureau operative Arliz Hadrassian, to establish a paramilitary force known as the Amaxine warriors. Furthermore, Lady Carise and other like-minded Centrist senators established a criminal organization fronted by the Nikto crime boss Rinnrivin Di to conceal funds used to arm and train the Amaxine Warriors. Lady Carise envisioned the Amaxines as the vanguard in the First Order's war to reclaim control of the galaxy.
By 28 ABY, Lady Carise had risen to prominence as a leader within the Centrist faction of the Galactic Senate. Following the dedication ceremony for a statue of Bail Organa on Hosnian Prime, Sindian informed fellow Senator and royal Leia Organa about the death of Lord Mellowyn of Birren without an heir, making Organa the next in line for the throne. Organa, concealing her unease, informed Sindian that her staff would investigate the matter.
The day after Sindian informed Organa of the governorship of Birren, a Senate meeting included an envoy from Ryloth, in which Sindian participated. The envoy, Yendor, informed the Senate that his home planet was threatened by a Nikto cartel and sought assistance. Yendor stated that his planet had obtained information indicating that a Kajain'sa'Nikto, Rinnrivin Di, led the cartel and operated from the planet Bastatha. Sindian then questioned him and the rest of the Senate whether they should be reduced to investigators. Senator Organa then volunteered aid to Ryloth, offering to leave Hosnian Prime and travel to Bastatha immediately. Sindian raised concerns for Organa's safety, while Senators Tai-Lin Garr and Arbo debated whether the people of Bastatha would perceive it as an invasion. Sindian questioned the wisdom of sending only a Populist Senator to investigate the matter. Ransolm Casterfo, a Centrist Senator from Riosa, then offered to accompany Organa to Bastatha.
Upon their return from Bastatha, Organa and Casterfo presented valuable information confirming Rinnrivin Di's leadership of a massive cartel. They also informed the Senate that Organa had been briefly captured before Casterfo rescued her, leading Senator Anib Ney of Sullust to accuse Casterfo of vigilantism and endangering Organa's life. After a period of silence, Sindian addressed the Senate, proposing the creation of the position of First Senator to replace the Chancellor. Her speech immediately sparked a frenzy within the Senate, raising concerns about the potential for the First Senator to become another Emperor and necessitating a complete revision of the constitution. Nevertheless, Ransolm Casterfo endorsed Sindian's idea and called for a vote on the matter. The vote passed with insufficient opposition to veto it.
The day after Sindian proposed the creation of a First Senator, she decided to visit Senator Organa's office to discuss the governorship of Birren. Prior to this, Ransolm Casterfo arrived at her office, wondering if Sindian intended to see Organa. Without responding to Casterfo, Sindian mused that Casterfo was foolish to believe he could befriend a Populist. Sindian proceeded to Organa's office, where Organa revealed that she was not of royal bloodline, having been adopted by her parents, Bail and Breha Organa. Sindian dismissed this fact, insisting that Organa must assume the throne and that her son must one day succeed her. Organa explained that Birren had been settled by both Alderaanians and Arkanisians. Having no interest in becoming governor, she offered the throne to Sindian, who readily accepted the title.
Following a brief meeting with Organa regarding the title of First Senator, Sindian traveled to Birren to commence the proceedings of her coronation as ruler of the planet. She instructed her pilot to proceed to Birren's capital city spaceport. Upon entering the Great Hall of Birren, she was crowned as ruler of Birren. She ordered fireworks, music, and a grand fête for the evening. She was then confronted by the Warden of the Treasures, a woman who advised against conducting all the festivities in a single day. Sindian disregarded the woman's advice and entered the treasure room. She found nothing of interest except for a box engraved for Princess Leia Organa. Sindian opened the box, discovering a music box containing the song Mirrorbright, which evoked memories of her grandmother singing the song when she felt nostalgic about her homeworld, Alderaan. Following the song, a message recorded by Bail Organa revealed Organa's parentage. The recording revealed that her mother was Padmé Amidala and her father was Anakin Skywalker, who had become Darth Vader.
Sindian was taken aback by this revelation and realized that she could undermine the Populist's chances of securing the position of First Senator, but she remembered that she had taken an oath. The oath, the royal seal, mandated that she keep this revelation a secret. Nevertheless, she retained the box for safekeeping.
Sindian returned to Hosnian Prime in time for Equinox Day and promptly placed the wooden chest containing Bail Organa's recording in her office. Prior to this, she encountered Ransolm Casterfo, who discussed his experience with the drink Port in a Storm, leading Sindian to wonder if he was attempting to ingratiate himself with a Populist candidate for First Senator. After exchanging farewells, Sindian returned to her office and contacted Arliz Hadrassian, her contact within the First Order. She questioned Hadrassian about tipping off Ransolm Casterfo regarding their plans and inquired whether she had completely abandoned the First Order. They argued about their plans, with Sindian claiming that she had repeatedly ruined their plans before realizing that she could disrupt the friendship between Casterfo and Organa by exposing the latter's parentage. After instructing Hadrassian to refocus her efforts on fulfilling their original plans, Sindian terminated the connection, now torn between the Birrenese royal seal and her loyalties to the First Order.
Sindian waited in Ransolm Casterfo's office until he arrived and informed him that Leia Organa had been deceiving him. Casterfo was confused by her statement, but Sindian then revealed that it was time for him to learn the truth: that Organa was Darth Vader's daughter. Moments after Senator Varish Vicly nominated Organa for the position of First Senator, Casterfo objected, informing the entire Senate that Leia Organa was, in fact, the daughter of Darth Vader. After Senator Vicly claimed the statement was a lie, Casterfo presented proof by playing the recording of Bail Organa's revelation. Leia acknowledged the truth of the revelation.
Shortly after the revelation of Leia Organa's parentage, she delivered a speech to the entire Senate, withdrawing her nomination as First Senator, explaining her parentage, and expressing her feelings about being Darth Vader's daughter. Sindian spoke at the conclusion of Organa's speech, expressing her appreciation for Leia's honesty but suggesting that it was long overdue. She also mentioned Luke Skywalker and questioned what would happen if he used his rumored strength in the Force for evil purposes. Organa was shocked by Sindian's statement and angrily questioned why Sindian would question Skywalker, noting that he had destroyed the first Death Star and was responsible for ridding the galaxy of Emperor Palpatine. Sindian then questioned the veracity of those claims. Senator Garr interrupted the argument, asserting that Sindian had no right to question Skywalker.
Despite Lady Carise's attempt to turn the Galactic Senate against Senator Organa, Leia still proceeded with her mission to Sibensko. As a result, Leia discovered that the Amaxine warriors were linked to Rinnrivin's cartel. In addition, Leia was also involved in a brief skirmish which led to the destruction of the main Amaxine base; a catastrophic setback for the Amaxines and their First Order handlers. Arliz Hadrassian contacted Lady Carise and the two engaged in a heated hologram discussion. Carise blamed Hadrassian's impatience for the disaster. In response, Hadrassian criticized the Centrists for not seceding from the New Republic and accused her financier of being too cowardly to take risks.
Lady Carise counteracted that the disaster on Sibensko and the Napkin Bombing proved that the Amaxines were a liability rather than a useful asset to the First Order's cause. Frustrated with the Amaxines' incompetence, Carise hinted that she would cut off support to the militia. In response, Hadrassian pleaded for Lady Carise to allow her to kill Leia Organa in order to avenge her warriors. Hadrassian's remarks prompted Carise to criticize the Amaxine leader for taking the conflict personally. As a political player, Lady Carise preferred to assassinate Organa's character and to sow discord within the Populist faction. Before ending the conversation, Hadrassian warned Lady Carise that she would have greater need of soldiers someday and that she would regret abandoning the Amaxines. In private, Lady Carise was relieved that the Amaxine warriors had been eliminated as a viable actor because she regarded them as a pretext rather than a means for the First Order to "restore order" to the galaxy.
Following a mission to Sibensko, Senator Organa requested a Senate hearing regarding her mission and investigation of Rinnrivin Di. She was one vote short, and that vote was filled by Senator Casterfo, who allowed her to have the hearing. She spoke about the conclusion of her mission, the destruction of the Sibensko city, and Rinnrivin Di's death. While listening to the speech and viewing a data packet that Organa had submitted as evidence, Sindian was horrified to learn that the Sibensko computer had no security systems in place, thus exposing the connections between the Amaxines and Rinnrivin's cartel. However, Carise was relieved that Leia had failed to uncover data layers that identified herself and other Centrist senators as the financiers behind the two entities. After concluding her speech, Senator Casterfo then took the floor backing up Organa's statements, much to Sindian's surprise. Sindian then decided that she needed to deal with Casterfo, believing that he had betrayed her after she gave him an opportunity of a lifetime.
Ten days after Organa's speech, Tai-Linn Garr held his first campaign rally for First Senator. Nearing the end of his rally, he was assassinated by Arliz Hadrassian, who then killed herself. Sindian then framed Casterfo for the crime, creating a fake recording of Casterfo and Hadrassian shaking hands. Following Casterfo's arrest, Lady Carise and other "respectable" members of the Centrist faction issued statements publicly disassociating themselves from Casterfo. Carise and her allies also supported a motion calling for the Senate to suspend elections in the wake of Tai-Lin's assassination. In addition, Carise also planned to submit a motion for the Centrist worlds to secede from the New Republic.
Despite Lady Carise's best efforts, Senator Organa discovered that Sindian had planted the fake recording, and that she had also broken the oath she had given about the royal seal, as she had played the music box containing Bail Organa's recording, which was under the Elder Houses' royal seal. In retribution, Organa contacted the ruling members of the Elder Houses, who upon learning of Sindian's infringement passed a resolution forever stripping Carise of all her titles and the supreme governorship of Birren. Leia delivered the news to Sindian personally, noting that she viewed it as a small punishment for betraying both her and Ransolm, but acknowledged (with satisfaction) that it was one that would hurt Sindian, who viewed nobility as sacred, to her very core. Bidding the treacherous young woman goodbye, Princess Leia Organa left Sindian's office, leaving behind a very distraught and humiliated Carise Sindian, who no longer bore the title of Lady.
Lady Carise was an attractive human woman with dark-brown eyes and dark hair. She wore long silvery robes embroidered with jewels to display the wealth and power of her homeworld Arkanis. As a New Republic senator, Lady Carise cultivated a reputation as a vain, shallow, and frivolous individual in order to mask her activities as a clandestine agent of the First Order, a remnant of the "Old Empire" that aspired to overthrow the Republic and "restore order" to the galaxy, taking delight in the thought of when the planets aligned with the Centrists would depart from the "mire of inaction" that ruled the Galactic Senate to instead support the First Order, allowing the military junta to emerge from hiding. She took pride in her status as an aristocrat and treasured being called "Lady Carise." Desiring power and privilege, she convinced Senator Organa to help her secure the title of supreme governor of Birren following the death of Lord Mellowyn.
Lady Carise's political ambitions and position as a prominent Centrist senator led her to violate an ancient oath that demanded that the supreme governor uphold the sanctity of her royal seal until death. Using her new-found position, Lady Carise disclosed information about Leia's true parentage which brought about Leia's political downfall. As a Centrist senator working in cahoots with the First Order, Carise actively and secretly tried to discredit Leia's investigation into Rinnrivin's cartel and the Amaxine warriors in order to advance the First Order's interests. When Ransolm Casterfo broke ranks with his Centrist colleagues and defended Leia, Lady Carise framed him for the murder of Tai-Lin Garr and the Napkin Bombings.
In retaliation for Lady Carise's duplicity and her opportunism, Leia convinced the Elder Houses to strip Carise of all her titles and powers. Believing that her birthright entitled her to a life of nobility, Carise was greatly distraught by the news and began hyperventilating. She regarded living as a commoner as the greatest humiliation.
Carise Sindian made her initial appearance in the 2016 novel Bloodline, penned by Claudia Gray.