Demetrius Zaarin

Demetrius Zaarin, a native of Coruscant, the Imperial capital world, served in the Imperial Navy while Emperor Palpatine was in power. Zaarin was one of a dozen officers who were promoted to the newly established rank of Grand Admiral by the Emperor during the New Year's Fete Week celebrations in 2 BBY. By the time 3 ABY arrived, the Grand Admiral had been appointed as the head of research and development for the Empire's starfighter technologies.

Zaarin was careful about how he used the power that came with his rank, making sure that he had access to all the resources he needed for his research and development projects but staying out of the political infighting within the Imperial Court. He preferred to wear the gray uniform of a regular admiral while on duty, instead of the white uniform of a Grand Admiral, and insisted on being addressed as "Admiral Zaarin." Despite keeping a low profile in the Imperial Court, Zaarin gained the respect of both Emperor Palpatine and Lord Darth Vader, which in turn made him unpopular with many members of the Imperial Navy, including other Grand Admirals.

In 0 ABY, eight months after the Empire's Death Star battle station was destroyed at the Battle of Yavin, Zaarin accompanied Emperor Palpatine on a secret tour of the Outer Rim Territories aboard the Predominant, an Imperial-class Star Destroyer. During this tour, the Predominant transported the Emperor to Endor, a forest moon where construction of a second Death Star had begun. There, the Emperor met with Senior Captain Thrawn to discuss how to defend the shield generator bunker that was protecting the construction project.

Zaarin made sure to surround himself with a staff that was extremely loyal to him. He used the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Glory as his flagship, and he had a research and development space station in the Parmic system called "Research." One of the first projects that Zaarin was involved in was the Vorknkx Project, which focused on researching hibridium-based cloaking devices as a way to cloak smaller ships, since the Empire's supply of stygium was running low. Only Zaarin, Emperor Palpatine, and the staff working on the project knew about it. He also contributed to other projects, such as Sienar Fleet Systems' TIE Advanced x7 starfighter.

Despite his high rank, Zaarin wanted to become Emperor himself. He disagreed with Palpatine's methods and believed that the Emperor was not always right. Zaarin planned to seize control of the Empire, but Grand Admiral Martio Batch was developing cloakable Phantom TIEs that would soon give Palpatine a technological advantage over Zaarin's designs. Batch's actions forced Zaarin to speed up his plans. He found an ally in Arden Lyn, an Emperor's Hand who wanted to bring back her long-dead lover, the Dark Jedi Xendor. Palpatine had promised to help her revive Xendor, but she soon realized that the Emperor had no intention of doing so. After the Battle of Yavin, Zaarin recruited her to his cause, and she began training students who she could later turn against Palpatine. She also served as Zaarin's representative on Imperial Center.

Following the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader tasked Zaarin with continuing the development of the TIE Series of starfighters, and he moved all related projects to Research. It was there that the production model of the TIE Advanced, which was based on Vader's TIE Advanced x1 prototype, was developed. Zaarin saw the starfighter as just a step towards completing the TIE Defender—the next stage of the TIE Advanced x7—but both projects depended on developing a hyperdrive system that was small enough to fit inside their fuselages, which proved to be a challenge for Zaarin's technicians.

However, scientists working for the Habeen and the Nharwaak species had made a breakthrough. They had designed a unit that would work in the TIE Advanced, but their world, Mylok IV, was not part of the Galactic Empire. Nevertheless, Zaarin wanted to see a demonstration of the unit and traveled to the system on his frigate, the Shamus. He had one of his officers, Major Crundha, carefully check the security of the convoy before they arrived. Crundha warned Zaarin that the Nharwaak were uneasy about the Empire's presence, but the admiral was not concerned, despite the warning.

Before he arrived, TIE Fighter squadrons Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were sent to protect the Habeen freighters that were carrying the technology to the meeting with the Shamus. However, the Nharwaak were clearly unhappy with the Habeen's new alliance with the Empire and sent fighters to destroy the freighters from Verack and Stimner groups. Many Nharwaak BTL Y-wing starfighters from squadrons like Striker, Yellow, and Scarlet attacked the freighters, while Zaarin's TIE pilots defended them. The Nharwaak corvettes Charger 1 and Charger 2 also joined the fight.

Zaarin eventually arrived on the Shamus in the middle of the battle. He launched TIE bombers from Eta Squadron to take on the corvettes, as well as TIE Interceptors from Zeta Squadron to help the existing fighters fight the Y-wings. Zaarin's forces eventually won the battle, and the freighters were able to dock with the Shamus and transfer their technology to the Empire. As soon as he had the technology, Zaarin sent it to his technicians and scientists, who immediately began to analyze it.

The Habeen scientists visited Zaarin on his private observation deck and told him that the Nharwaak were furious and were threatening to sell the hyperdrive technology to the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Angered, Zaarin decided that it was time to deal with the Nharwaak himself. He sent the Shamus to a nearby Nharwaak base and destroyed it. The Nharwaak then attacked one of the Habeen's research facilities, but the Imperial Navy was able to defend it. This aid convinced the Habeen to give their technology to their saviors. Zaarin finalized the terms of the agreement with the Habeen and planned a formal signing during a meeting over Mylok IV. In addition to gaining the new hyperspace technology, Zaarin had convinced the Habeen to join the Galactic Empire.

Despite the apparent success, Crundha was cautious and thought that the situation was dangerous. As usual, Zaarin ignored his advice and proceeded as planned. He took the Shamus to the meeting point, and the Habeen EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Lendova arrived soon after. Imperial diplomats were sent on the shuttle Nexus, while Habeen diplomats set out in the Fairfax. The shuttles docked, and the signing began, but Nharwaak raiders entered the area, hoping to disrupt the meeting. The corvettes Phazer 1 and Phazer 2 moved to attack the frigates, while Nharwaak Y-wings tried to destroy the shuttles, as well as Zaarin's TIE Interceptors from Alpha Squadron. The attackers were fought off, and the signing was a success. Shortly afterward, transports from Ferry group carrying the finished hyperdrive technology were transferred to the Shamus from the Lendova.

With the deal concluded, Zaarin was able to complete his development of the TIE Advanced. However, the Nharwaak had not been completely stopped. They also had the hyperspace technology and had sent one of their corvettes, the Coffey, to meet with the Alliance frigate Xerxes. To prevent the Rebellion from getting the technology, Zaarin rushed to the meeting in the Shamus and sent his bombers to destroy the Xerxes. The Grand Admiral won the battle, and the threat of the Alliance gaining the technology was eliminated.

After the destruction of the Xerxes, hyperdrive units were installed on TIE Advanced prototypes, and Zaarin began to push forward with the development of the next generation of TIE craft, the TIE Defender. He summoned Vader to Research for a demonstration, and the Dark Lord was impressed. Zaarin then told Vader that he was working on the successor to the Advanced, and the Dark Lord suggested that Palpatine would want a prototype as soon as possible.

With the TIE Advanced project finished, Zaarin dedicated his resources to creating a successor to that starfighter model. His scientists and technicians significantly redesigned the standard TIE and were able to create prototypes of the new TIE Defender, a craft that was more heavily armed and faster than its predecessor. As Vader had predicted, Palpatine wanted prototypes shipped to Imperial Center for inspection. Around the same time, Maarek Stele, a pilot who had served Zaarin during the Mylok IV campaign, was transferred to Research. Stele had become known as an ace pilot, and Zaarin personally gave him a tour of the facility. The pilot was genuinely interested in Zaarin's developments, but Zaarin was initially only interested in Stele's opinions on Imperial politics, particularly on who was the backbone of the Empire. Zaarin suggested that it was the high-caliber pilots, but Stele claimed it was the commanders and tacticians, although he eventually conceded that Palpatine was the true foundation.

Shortly afterward, cargo ferries from group Sela arrived to pick up the TIE Defender prototypes, but the transfer was disrupted by a raid by the Rebel Alliance. However, the attackers were fought off, and the ferries continued to their meeting near Vinzen Neela 5 with the Ton-Falk-class escort carrier Hininbirg. After the battle, Zaarin invited Stele to have a meal with him. They discussed the late Admiral Harkov, who had recently tried to defect to the Rebellion. Zaarin then began to ask Stele if he thought Palpatine was infallible. The pilot, shocked by the almost treasonous question, said that the worlds of the Empire should be united peacefully but then insisted that he had no doubts about Palpatine's right to rule. The Grand Admiral then changed the subject, and they discussed the TIE Defenders for a short time before Crundha interrupted them and insisted that Zaarin was needed.

Near Vinzen Neela 5, the prototypes were to be transferred to the Hininbirg, but the meeting was again disrupted by Rebel ambushers, including the corvettes Mar Duun and Vop Hui. Imperial fighters once again fought off the attack, allowing the transfer to be completed. The Hininbirg successfully delivered the prototypes to Palpatine. With that done, Zaarin met with Stele again and concluded that the pilot was loyal to the throne. He offered Stele the opportunity to fly a TIE Defender in an elite squadron one day before asking the young man if he would serve him with complete loyalty. Stele was careful with his words, claiming that since Zaarin was an admiral in the Imperial Navy, he would serve him absolutely. At the time, the young pilot was confused by Zaarin's proposal and clearly not ready to serve the admiral more faithfully than he would the Emperor.

With the TIE Defender designed and prototypes completed, Zaarin moved on to another project. This time, he was refining beam weapon technology for use in starfighters, which would allow smaller craft to use devices like tractor beams. However, he needed fresh supplies from the freighters Anterab and Degathem to continue development.

The freighter Docking Plt was moved into position over Research to receive the supplies, but during the transfer, the station was attacked again. Alliance starfighters harassed both of the incoming freighters with new magnetic pulse warheads, which could disable the weapons systems of any craft they hit. The freighters' escort, the shuttle Omicron 5, was unable to properly defend against the Alliance craft, but Zaarin's pilots, especially Maarek Stele, were able to do so. Stele even disabled one of the attacking craft so it could be captured, allowing Zaarin's scientists to study the mag pulse weapon. The supplies were then delivered without any further problems, so the Grand Admiral could continue his work.

Shortly afterward, Zaarin received a message from Imperial High Command stating that the mag pulse technology came from Galactic Electronics, a company located in the Corporate Sector. The Grand Admiral was ordered to lead an attack on Galactic Electronics, retrieve the mag pulse technology, capture all personnel, and destroy their base. To do this, Zaarin moved his staff to the Star Destroyer Glory. Zaarin sent Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings, as well as Gamma-class ATR-6 assault transports from Omega group to capture the Galactic Electronics platform Pondut. The company scrambled Z-95 Headhunters to defend their facility while their employees and executives fled on the transports Lucky Day, Kalree, and GEC U47. By the time Zaarin arrived in the Glory, the station had been disabled and captured, as had the fleeing craft.

Alliance starfighters from Blue Squadron arrived in the system shortly afterward, escorting the cargo ferry Bujiboi, but they were too late to retrieve more of the mag pulse warheads from Galactic Electronics. The Bujiboi was destroyed, and the starfighters were captured because they were carrying mag pulse weaponry. With the threat of the mag pulse warhead eliminated, Zaarin's technicians were able to complete work on the beam weapon. When it was finished, the Grand Admiral oversaw the installation of the device into his TIE Advanced squadrons and ordered that the modified craft be prepared for combat as soon as possible.

With the TIE Defender's development now a thing of the past, Zaarin shifted his focus to exploring different avenues of armament advancement. He tasked Director Lenzer with the creation of the TIE Experimental Project, which led to the development of a fresh line of modified TIE fighters, controlled remotely from a Beta-class ETR-3 escort transport. The project's success promised the Empire an almost limitless supply of fighters to deploy against the Alliance, all while significantly reducing the risk of losing pilots.

From the Obsidian research station, Lenzer unleashed these fighters to wreak havoc on both shipping and Alliance operations within the Vilonis sector. Simultaneously, Shadow Squadron, composed of Zaarin's elite TIE Defenders, was strategically positioned to safeguard crucial development hubs, such as the Bretie Facility. However, Alliance Admiral Yamarus' Liberty Task Force soon gained the upper hand against Lenzer's forces. Following the destruction of Bretie, they set their sights on Obsidian, obliterating the research station and resulting in Lenzer's demise. Despite the setback, Zaarin managed to recover the station's computer from the wreckage. After examining the remains, he remained optimistic that the project could be revived in a modified form.

While Vader was occupied with Prince Xizor of the Black Sun crime syndicate, a rival vying for the Emperor's favor, Zaarin had finalized his plans for a coup against Palpatine by the latter half of 3 ABY. In the immediate aftermath of Vader's killing of Xizor during a battle above Imperial Center, the Dark Lord found himself cornering the remnants of the late Admiral Harkov's forces within the Ottega system. However, Vader's forces faced considerable resistance, prompting him to request assistance from Zaarin's fleet. The Grand Admiral, however, harbored his own agenda. Recognizing Vader's distance from Imperial Center, Zaarin seized the opportunity to launch his coup against Palpatine, aiming to seize control of the galaxy for himself.

Zaarin deceptively agreed to provide aid to Vader, but secretly instructed his forces to attack the Star Destroyer Garrett upon their arrival. Nine corvettes from the Arditi, Falcon, and BaKaar groups, alongside transports from Upsilon group, rapidly made their way to the Ottega system. Meanwhile, Zaarin redeployed the Glory to the Coruscant system, preparing for his planned coup d'état. During this time, Crundha informed Zaarin that an officer named Trace had attempted to steal technical specifications for the TIE Defender. When Zaarin requested Trace be brought before him, he learned that the officer had already escaped from the Glory.

Despite Zaarin's treachery, Vader's forces managed to overcome the attacking corvettes and transports, although the Garrett sustained heavy damage. Realizing Zaarin's true intentions, the Dark Lord decided to utilize the Garrett's TIE Defenders. Accompanied by five other pilots, including Maarek Stele, who had recently been transferred to the Garrett, Vader raced from the Parmel system towards Imperial Center. To intercept them, Zaarin dispatched the Immobilizer 418 cruiser Harpago, along with gunboats from Z-Mu and Z-Tau Squadrons. Vader and his pilots fought off the fighters and the Interdictor, and the Dark Lord continued his race to the capital.

Despite the setbacks, Zaarin pressed forward with his coup attempt. Above Imperial Center, his forces boarded Palpatine's flagship, the Star Destroyer Majestic. Arden Lyn, aided by her apprentices, the Gamorrean Thok and the stormtrooper 17786, employed her unique abilities to subdue and capture the Emperor. As Palpatine was being transported back to the Glory aboard a Delta-class JV-7 escort shuttle from Haven group, Vader and his wingmen arrived in the system aboard their TIE Defenders, positioning themselves just off the aft of the struggling Majestic.

Zaarin's intention was to execute Palpatine, but his plan began to unravel when Stele disabled the shuttle carrying the Emperor, allowing it to be boarded by the corvette Mescue. Compounding Zaarin's problems was the arrival of Vice Admiral Thrawn in the Star Destroyer Vanguard. Despite Zaarin's efforts to scramble TIE Advanced fighters, the battle was lost, and his coup was a resounding failure. Now branded a traitor to the Empire, he was forced to flee the Coruscant system aboard the Glory, relentlessly pursued by Thrawn. Lyn, too, was compelled to evade Imperial forces, as she was hunted by High Inquisitor Antinnis Tremayne.

Although Zaarin's attempt to seize Palpatine and claim galactic rule had failed, he was far from defeated. His extensive knowledge of the Imperial Navy's starfighter technology, stemming from his role as head of research and development, made him a significant threat to Palpatine's New Order. With a substantial fleet at his command, Zaarin established his own faction and initiated a campaign of harassment against the Empire, mirroring the tactics employed by the Alliance for years, despite having no affiliation with them. During this period, Zaarin began donning the uniform of a Grand Admiral, despite no longer holding that rank after his defection from the Empire.

Zaarin sought to gain a technological advantage over the Empire. Although his fleet was constantly on the run from loyalists like Thrawn, he was not entirely without resources. His strategy involved raiding Imperial facilities, stealing valuable technology, and then destroying the facilities to prevent Palpatine from utilizing them. Zaarin's initial target was the Sienar Fleet Systems TIE Advanced factories located at Omar. Three Deep Space Manufacturing Facilities, Omar 1, Omar 2, and Omar 3, were slated for destruction by Zaarin's frigate, the Raptor.

While Imperial forces were unable to reach the Omar system in time to thwart Zaarin's attacks, Palpatine ordered the immediate evacuation of the plants. TIE Defenders from Alpha Squadron, launched from Thrawn's new flagship, the Victory I-class Star Destroyer Sceltor, provided cover for the evacuation as Zaarin's TIE Bombers from the Raptor systematically destroyed the stations. To further the assault, Zaarin deployed Delta-class DX-9 stormtrooper transports, but they were repelled by Alpha Squadron. Although the stations were effectively rendered useless, Imperial forces successfully evacuated all personnel.

While the aim with the Omar stations was complete destruction, Zaarin adopted a different approach with ZA-13, a hyperdrive manufacturing plant that he had previously overseen. This plant was one of the few remaining of its kind within the Empire, producing hyperdrive units primarily for TIE Advanced models, although Zaarin intended to modify them for use in his TIE Defenders. However, Zaarin's forces once again faced opposition from Thrawn. The Assassin-class corvettes Z-Oz 1 and Z-Oz 2, the YT-1300 light freighter Z-Coral, and the modular conveyors Z-Cod 1 and Z-Cod 2 were dispatched to ZA-13 to board and seize valuable resources from the factory. Their escorts from Z-Delta and Z-Beta Squadrons, however, had to contend with Thrawn's TIE Defenders, which successfully prevented the looting and destroyed the recovery craft, foiling Zaarin's initial plan of theft.

Although ZA-13 had been captured by Zaarin's forces, the Imperials were determined to reclaim it. An assault force was dispatched to the station with the objective of retaking it for the Empire. Zaarin responded by deploying three CR90 corvettes, Z-Caplure 1, Z-Caplure 2, and Z-Caplure 3, to ZA-13, along with gunboats from Z-Tau Squadron. They were fought off by the Imperial fighters, prompting Zaarin to send in the cruiser Z-Jumimi, fighters from Z-Gamma and Z-Zeta Squadrons, and transports from Z-Omega group to destroy ZA-13, rather than allow it to fall back under Imperial control. His forces failed, and ZA-13 was recaptured.

The Imperials refurbished the plant and converted it into a TIE Advanced factory. During the resupply of ZA-13, a Rebel force attacked the facility using mag pulse warheads. While two EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates defended ZA-13, Thrawn defeated the Rebel attackers and pursued them back to their base, RS-32. As Thrawn attempted to seize RS-32 for himself, Zaarin's forces returned to ZA-13, attempting to destroy the plant and one of the frigates in the process. Simultaneously, Zaarin ordered his forces to destroy most of the other TIE Advanced factories remaining across the Empire.

Although Thrawn successfully captured RS-32, he was left vulnerable. To eliminate the Chiss, who had been promoted to the rank of admiral, Zaarin dispatched the Interdictor Grappler, the cruiser Serpent, and the frigate Shadow. However, Thrawn had equipped his starfighters with mag pulse technology, and with the assistance of pilots like Maarek Stele, he escaped the trap at RS-32 by destroying the Grappler. Shortly afterward, the last Sienar TIE Advanced plant in the Omar system was bombed and destroyed. Zaarin expressed satisfaction with the outcome but insisted that his campaign against the New Order continue. He then instructed Commander [Raveen] to lead his fleet to the Outer Rim Territories, from where Zaarin planned to launch new assaults against Palpatine's regime.

With the Empire's capacity to produce TIE Advanced craft effectively eliminated, Zaarin turned his attention to the TIE Defender. His strategy was to disrupt Palpatine's starfighter production, diverting the Navy's focus from the Alliance and towards him, thus creating an opportunity for the Rebels to inflict significant damage. Zaarin then planned to capitalize on the resulting chaos. He launched an assault on Research, the facility where he had originally developed the Defender. His forces began looting the platform, but were intercepted by the arrival of Imperial forces. Zaarin deployed the escort carrier Jitte, carrying TIE Fighters equipped with shield generators, to reinforce the station, but the battle was lost, and his forces were compelled to retreat.

Zaarin refused to abandon Research so easily. The Star Destroyer Adarga had been deployed to defend the platform during repairs, but aside from the destroyer and a handful of TIE Defenders from Delta Squadron, its defenses were minimal. Zaarin dispatched assault transports from Z-Omega, Z-Sigma, and Z-Lambda groups to destroy the Adarga and the platform, but they were defeated by the pilots of Delta Squadron. Although the attack failed, Zaarin's forces managed to cripple the Adarga, forcing the evacuation of Research.

Zaarin remained unsatisfied with the outcome and resolved to destroy the platform, its personnel, and any TIE Defender prototypes stored within. Initially sending in Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings from Z-Mu Squadron, Zaarin himself arrived in-system aboard the Glory. The Imperials were attempting to evacuate the platform's staff, including the chief engineer on the TIE Defender project, aboard the shuttle G'nabgib, while transferring prototypes to the BFF-1 bulk freighter Mharsup. For defense, the Imperials had only a few escort shuttles and one TIE Defender, piloted by Maarek Stele. Despite being outnumbered, the fighters Zaarin launched from the Glory were destroyed by Stele and his comrades, allowing the G'nabgib and the Mharsup to escape into hyperspace, along with several of the TIE Defender prototypes.

During transit, the prototypes were transferred to corvettes from Hashim group. These corvettes were subsequently attacked by Rneekii pirates. Although Stele repelled the attackers, the corvettes, and consequently the prototypes, were left vulnerable due to the attack. Both the Alliance and Nami pirates, led by Ali Tarrak, attempted to exploit this vulnerability by capturing the prototypes while the Imperials awaited reinforcements. Zaarin decided to send his own TIE Defenders into the fray. While the Nami managed to steal one of the prototypes, both the Rebels and Zaarin were left empty-handed. The remaining TIE Defender prototypes eventually fell into Thrawn's possession.

During the initial ambush by the Rneekii, the TIE Defender chief scientist had been captured by the pirates. Thrawn's forces later established a trap over Kiilimaar and rescued the scientist from the Rneekii. However, during the engagement, the Imperial Interdictor Red Claw was severely damaged by Ali Tarrak's forces. As the Red Claw awaited replacement parts from corvette Chemeti 2, Zaarin and his forces devised a scheme. They disguised one of their own craft as the Chemeti 1, which was intended to retrieve the scientist from the stranded Red Claw. The false Chemeti 1 successfully rendezvoused with the Red Claw, while Zaarin's TIE Defenders entered the system and began harassing the Imperial forces. Capitalizing on the distraction caused by Zaarin's fighters, the crew of the false Chemeti 1 successfully extracted the scientist without the Red Claw's captain noticing.

Zaarin's next strategic move involved relocating his forces to the Unknown Regions. From this remote location, he could launch repeated assaults against the Empire. However, to facilitate the move, his forces required supplies. Civilian freighters from Furlo group were scheduled to deliver supplies to Zaarin's fleet, but they were attacked by forces under the command of Captain [Kuuztin], one of Grand Admiral Thrawn's subordinates. Thrawn's promotion to Grand Admiral meant that he replaced Zaarin in Palpatine's inner circle of twelve Grand Admirals.

The Rahmat, an aging Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser escorting the freighters, was destroyed by Kuuztin's pilots, including Maarek Stele. Stele was flying a Missile Boat, a vessel designed specifically by Thrawn to counter Zaarin's TIE Defenders. Stele and his comrades swiftly eliminated the Rahmat's T-wing interceptor complement, prompting Zaarin to deploy the frigate Strident. This action triggered an escalation by the Imperials, with Kuuztin arriving aboard his flagship, the Star Destroyer Courageous. The convoy was subsequently captured, leaving Zaarin empty-handed once again.

To halt Kuuztin's successes, Zaarin orchestrated an ambush over Gwar, using his refitting platform Supply Base as bait. As anticipated, Kuuztin brought in the Courageous and Stele's Missile Boat to destroy the platform, which they accomplished. Additionally, the Imperials destroyed one of Zaarin's Interdictors, the Bomb, and three frigates, Kuma 1, Kuma 2, and Kuma 3. However, after the base fell, Zaarin deployed two of his own Imperial-class Star Destroyers, the Imperator and the Thunderer, to destroy Kuuztin and the Courageous. They succeeded, but Stele managed to escape in his Missile Boat.

Shortly thereafter, reports surfaced of a convoy transporting Missile Boats traveling near the planet Serenity. Zaarin had dispatched spies to investigate Thrawn's operations, and they determined that the convoy was a trap. Furthermore, the Missile Boats being shipped were merely decoys. This prompted Zaarin to deploy a minimal force of five Assassin-class corvettes from Kormoran group with the intention of destroying the convoy craft, rather than capturing them.

The situation proved to be one of Thrawn's carefully laid traps. Stele, piloting a Missile Boat, engaged Zaarin's TIE Advanced fighters from Z-Alpha Squadron, who had been sent to escort the corvettes. After the fighters were defeated by Stele and the Beta-class ETR-3 escort transports Bob 1 and Bob 2, Thrawn arrived in his flagship, the Star Destroyer Grey Wolf, escorted by three Strike-class medium cruisers, Formidable, Indomitable, and Triumph. Zaarin's corvettes were destroyed by Thrawn, but while the loss was damaging to Zaarin, he had committed only a small force to the operation, so the loss was not as crippling as the alien Grand Admiral had hoped.

Later, another convoy of Missile Boats was supposedly traveling through the Semag system, this time carrying real units. Zaarin's spies indicated that the convoy was once again a trap, but they were able to locate one of Thrawn's staging areas, inspiring Zaarin to proceed with an attack on the convoy regardless. Defending the staging area was Task Force Whirlwind, consisting of an Interdictor and three Strike Cruisers. Zaarin deployed his own Interdictor, the Maelstrom, along with several squadrons of TIE Advanced and Defender craft to eradicate Thrawn's task force, while he attacked the second Missile Boat convoy. The Maelstrom fell victim to bombing by Maarek Stele, who was once again piloting a Missile Boat, but Zaarin's forces successfully damaged the Whirlwind, preventing it from assisting the convoy.

Stele arrived at the convoy in time to help shuttle group Omicron destroy Zaarin's initial wave of fighters, who were attempting to disable freighters from Nichevo group. Zaarin himself arrived shortly thereafter on the Glory, escorted by the cruiser Yaai, and the frigate Thinin. He launched transports to capture the freighters carrying the Missile Boats, but his efforts were once again thwarted by Stele. Thrawn arrived in the Grey Wolf shortly afterward, accompanied by the Star Destroyer Resolution. Two of the Strike Cruisers from Task Force Whirlwind, Indomitable and Triumph, entered the fray, forcing Zaarin to retreat. The losses he sustained were substantial, but he managed to conceal the extent of the damage from the Imperials.

Zaarin's spies once again gathered valuable intelligence: a breakthrough had been made with the Empire's Vorknkx Project. Hoping to gain control of the cloaking technology, Zaarin dispatched the frigate Z-Borus to the Vorknkx Project Base. Thrawn responded by deploying Stele, once again piloting a Missile Boat. Zaarin's forces failed to capture the base, and the Imperials managed to install a mine field around the CR90 corvette Vorknkx, the testbed for the cloaking experiments. Undeterred, Zaarin sent several waves of TIE Defenders, along with assault transports from Z-Sigma group and three Carrack-class light cruisers from Z-Pata group, to destroy the base's defenses and seize the Vorknkx. Thrawn had anticipated Zaarin's intentions and ordered the base's evacuation. The base's defenses, unfortunately for Zaarin, successfully held off the attacking force long enough for the corvette to escape.

Zaarin, initially unsuccessful in his attempt to seize the Vorknkx, refused to be deterred. Instead, he resolved to continue his efforts to overthrow Palpatine through alternative strategies. His scout forces stationed within the Coruscant system reported that Palpatine was en route aboard the C-3 passenger vessel Excalibur to visit his Super Star Destroyer. During a significant portion of this journey, the liner would be exposed within the Coruscant system, with Imperial Center too distant to provide immediate assistance. Seizing this opportunity to strike at the Emperor, Zaarin did not dedicate substantial resources to the assault. He dispatched Assault Gunboats, TIE Advanced fighters, and the corvette Z-Ram with the objective of destroying the Excalibur. However, these forces were vanquished by the Imperials, ensuring Palpatine's safe passage.

Simultaneously, Zaarin had managed to acquire a Missile Boat and gain insight into the Emperor's scheme within the Endor system. A second Death Star was under construction there, intended both as a weapon of immense power and as a lure to trap and annihilate the Rebel Alliance. Palpatine intended for the Rebels to discover the existence and construction of the battle station, but he planned to deceive them into believing it was not fully operational and lightly defended. Zaarin, however, possessed the knowledge that it was, in fact, fully operational and heavily guarded by a formidable fleet. This information was shared with his senior officers, a decision that would prove to be a misjudgment. One of his key commanders, Captain Namuura Din of the Victory-class Star Destroyer Zeplin, chose to defect to the Alliance, taking with him the Missile Boat, the knowledge of Palpatine's Endor trap, and his own vessel. Zaarin was unable to prevent this defection, but Din's plans were later foiled by Darth Vader.

Given the Missile Boat's disruptive impact, Zaarin ordered an attack on the production facilities responsible for its creation, effectively halting their operations. This forced Thrawn to recall his Missile Boats and rely on inferior craft, such as the TIE Advanced. Zaarin achieved another victory by locating Thrawn's new location for the Vorknkx Project: To-phalion Base, a former asteroid mining facility situated in the Iast system. Reacting swiftly, Zaarin deployed a contingent of TIE Defenders from Z-Delta Squadron, along with Muurian transports from Z-100, Z-200, Z-300, and Z-400 groups, to neutralize the station's defenses. During the ensuing battle, Zaarin's forces suffered the loss of seventy-five percent of their transports. However, one of his spies, embedded within the Vorknkx Project, managed to sabotage To-phalion Base's targeting systems. The spy also attempted to escape with confidential data but was shot down during the engagement.

Zaarin assumed direct control of the operation. He brought the Glory into the Iast system and initiated an attack on To-phalion Base's final defensive measure: the frigate Maru Ki, under the personal command of Thrawn. Simultaneously, he maneuvered the Glory into close proximity to the base, intending to seize the Vorknkx from under Thrawn's watch. Thrawn abandoned the Maru Ki during the conflict, momentarily distracting Zaarin due to his animosity towards the Grand Admiral. He redirected his fighters from their objective of eliminating To-phalion Base's fighters to pursue Thrawn's shuttle, the Lambda 1. However, they failed to eliminate Thrawn and were reassigned to their original task.

Positioning the Glory over the base, Zaarin's operatives boarded and commandeered the Vorknkx, piloting it into the Star Destroyer's hangar bay. Zaarin taunted Thrawn over an open communication channel, while the Grey Wolf entered the system. At that moment, Zaarin chose to destroy To-phalion Base, confident that his prize was secure within the Glory's hangar. He then retreated from the battle, unaware that he had unwittingly played into Thrawn's strategy: a tracking beacon had been planted on the Vorknkx, which the Grand Admiral intended to use to pinpoint the location of Zaarin's forces.

The consequences of Zaarin's misjudgment soon became evident. While concealed in the Unknown Regions with his remaining fleet, Zaarin was confronted by Thrawn's task force, which had tracked him using the Vorknkx's tracking device. Compounding the admiral's predicament was the loss of most of his TIE Defenders during the battles around To-phalion Base. The Immobilizer 418 cruiser Corvus prevented Zaarin's escape, while the Grey Wolf guarded the Corvus as the cruisers Daring and Ebolo advanced on the Glory. Zaarin was determined to resist defeat. The corvette Divine Wind, along with transports from Z-Omega group, were deployed against the Corvis. The Muurian transport Z-500 2 engaged the Daring, while the transport Z-Lambda 1 targeted the Ebolo. However, their efforts proved futile. Zaarin's forces were overwhelmed, and Thrawn's forces began their assault on the Glory.

Zaarin transferred to the Vorknkx and demanded the immediate activation of its cloaking device. One of his subordinates cautioned that the device was unstable and potentially hazardous when used in conjunction with the ship's hyperdrive. Nevertheless, Zaarin insisted on activating the device. Unbeknownst to him, Thrawn had allowed him to seize the Vorknkx for an additional reason. The Grand Admiral had manipulated the project's research data, omitting information regarding the fatal malfunction that would occur if the cloaking device was used with the hyperdrive. Believing he had once again outmaneuvered Thrawn, Zaarin celebrated as the Vorknkx initiated the jump to hyperspace. His triumph was short-lived, as the ship detonated upon hyperdrive activation. Admiral Demetrius Zaarin perished in the explosion, bringing an end to his brief but devastating rebellion against Emperor Palpatine's New Order.

Zaarin would become the first of Palpatine's Grand Admirals to die—although all but Octavian Grant met their end in the five years following the Battle of Endor—and, in 36 ABY, he was the subject of writings by New Republic historian Voren Na'al. The controversy surrounding Zaarin's attempted coup and subsequent insurrection ensured that the TIE Defender, a model he had developed, would never be widely adopted by any fleet. Although Grand Admiral Thrawn's strategy in 9 ABY involved the use of cloaking technology, Zaarin's Project Vorknkx never proved practical, and Thrawn opted to recover a different design from the Emperor's repository at Mount Tantiss.

Demetrius Zaarin, a Human male standing at 1.81 meters with brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, was one of only twelve officers chosen by Palpatine to hold the rank of Grand Admiral. Before launching his coup against Emperor Palpatine, Zaarin outwardly appeared to be a loyal Imperial content with his position. He refrained from wearing the uniform or adopting the title associated with his rank, preferring to be treated as any other admiral. He was known for his passion for music, an eccentricity in the eyes of some of his fellow officers. He also avoided the Imperial Court's power struggles that consumed many of his contemporaries. Despite this, his inherent abilities and the respect shown to him by the Emperor and Darth Vader provoked resentment among his colleagues, who felt he wielded excessive power and influence.

Demetrius Zaarin, an opportunistic and resourceful individual, would be condemned for his later actions by those who remained loyal to the Emperor. He was, according to some, excessively preoccupied with technology, believing that technological superiority was the key to victory in war. The admiral would invariably respond to any attack against him, his ships, or his convoys with a retaliatory strike. While he often achieved success during his service in the Imperial Navy, he was susceptible to falling into traps. During his conflict with the Empire, he relied heavily on intelligence gathered by spies to guide his efforts.

In preparation for his coup, Zaarin ensured that his crew were fiercely loyal to him. He held particularly disdain for timid individuals, such as Major Crundha. He was intolerant of excuses and would often manipulate the emotions of his subordinates by rapidly shifting his demeanor. He developed a particular animosity towards Grand Admiral Thrawn during his insurrection, an animosity that nearly cost him his prize at the Battle of To-phalion Base. To Thrawn, at least, Zaarin was a predictable individual, falling into several of the Chiss Grand Admiral's traps without realizing it. Furthermore, Zaarin held the Force in contempt, dismissing it as "pitiful."

Demetrius Zaarin was regarded as a brilliant scientist and a genius in research and design, pushing the boundaries of starfighter design to an almost revolutionary extent, reinventing the TIE series on multiple occasions. His scientific expertise was matched by his tactical acumen, enabling him to secure numerous victories over the Galactic Empire following his coup attempt, despite being outnumbered by loyalist forces. Zaarin was also a skilled diplomat, capable of negotiating the Habeen's entry into the Empire and securing access to their hyperdrive technology.

As a Grand Admiral in the Imperial Navy, Zaarin commanded a substantial fleet, spearheaded by his flagship, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Glory. As the head of starfighter research and development, he had access to the most advanced Imperial starfighters, including the TIE Advanced and TIE Defender. While serving the Empire, Zaarin's position entitled him to wear the white uniform of a Grand Admiral, though he typically wore the standard gray uniform and rank insignia of an Imperial admiral. When in uniform, Zaarin carried code cylinders in his tunic pockets and wore an officer's disc on his cap. Following his coup attempt, Zaarin began wearing the Grand Admiral uniform, complete with rank insignia, while aboard the Glory.

The character of Admiral Zaarin first appeared in the 1994 computer game Star Wars: TIE Fighter, authored by David Wessman, David Maxwell, and Edward Kilham. In an interview featured in The Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine 22, Lawrence Holland, the project leader and designer of TIE Fighter, explained that Zaarin's attempt to seize control of the galaxy was conceived to underscore the political instability and internal conflicts within the Empire. His emphasis on technology was intended to contrast with Palpatine's reliance on "mystical powers."

Denny Delk portrayed Zaarin in TIE Fighter, reprising the role for both the Defender of the Empire expansion pack and the Collector's CD-ROM edition of the game. Zaarin also makes a brief appearance in a cutscene in Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, but he plays no part in the plot, and his projects and plans are not considered.

In 2000's The Essential Chronology, Zaarin is identified as a Grand Admiral. While Zaarin dons the Grand Admiral uniform after seceding from the Empire, he never wears it while serving in the Navy, and he is only ever addressed as "Admiral Zaarin" in both TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance. The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 67, released in 2011, clarified that Zaarin opted not to adopt the uniform and title of a Grand Admiral. Zaarin was later featured in the article Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals, which provided his first name, "Demetrius." Joe Corroney provided the illustration for that article. In 2005, Mark Chiarello created another depiction of Zaarin for The New Essential Chronology.

The Essential Chronology incorrectly states that Palpatine was taken from his private shuttlecraft by Arden Lyn, which contradicts the events of TIE Fighter. This error is repeated in The New Essential Chronology.

The 1998 roleplaying campaign book The Far Orbit Project mentions a prominent Imperial Grand Admiral involved in starfighter development, but without naming him. While Zaarin is the only Grand Admiral who headed starfighter development, the Who's Who article asserts that Grand Admiral Batch was also involved in that department.