Erv Lekauf

Erv Lekauf, a male Human, began his career as a lieutenant in the Imperial Army. Beyond his duties to the Imperial forces, Lekauf was a husband and father. He served as an aide to Darth Vader, earning the distinction of being one of the few subordinates Vader genuinely trusted. In 19 BBY, Lekauf accompanied Vader on a mission that took them to Vohai. Vader's objective was to engage with the leader of Arkanian Microtechnologies, seeking advancements in cloning technology. Upon their arrival, they were ambushed by several assassins armed with Thunderbolt repeating blasters. Vader swiftly dealt with the attackers, assisted by Lekauf, who defied Vader's explicit orders by firing upon the assassins in an attempt to protect the Dark Lord. Despite this act of disobedience, Vader was not angered. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised by Lekauf's willingness to disregard orders for his safety, a level of loyalty he rarely encountered among his subordinates.

In response to the assassination attempt, Vader ordered the execution of Tef Shabiak, the head of Arkanian Microtechnologies, citing the need for improved security. Subsequently, Vader faced an attack from a mysterious figure wielding two lightsabers, who identified himself as Sa Cuis. Vader recognized him as an Emperor's Hand and suspected that his Master, Emperor Palpatine, had dispatched Cuis to kill him. Although Lekauf attempted to intervene, Vader restrained him, knowing that this was a personal challenge. Vader engaged Cuis in a duel, ultimately overpowering him and demanding to know who had sent him. During the interrogation, Vader used the Force choke technique in an attempt to extract information. However, Cuis remained steadfast in his refusal to reveal his master, even though Vader was convinced it was Palpatine. Impressed by Cuis's unwavering loyalty, Vader ordered the collection of tissue samples before executing him, intending to create six clones of Sa Cuis. Vader was also pleased with Lekauf; the courage he had shown, as well as a firm willingness to protect his master, impressed Vader so much that he ordered that clones be made of his aide as well. Lekauf felt honored by this request.

More than half a year following the inauguration of the Empire in 18 BBY, Vader tasked Lekauf with examining records from the Clone Wars to gain insights into the Jedi and the effectiveness of Order 66, the directive that led clone troopers to turn against their Jedi Generals under the command of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Upon discovering the report from Felucia, Lekauf learned that the 327th Star Corps had apparently executed two Jedi to prevent them from poisoning the planet's water. Vader inquired whether any Padawans were listed as being stationed there. When Lekauf confirmed the absence of any Padawan records, the Dark Lord instructed his aide to locate clone troopers who had served on Felucia. Lekauf identified two troopers, Bly and Galle, who were then stationed on Yutusk. Vader contacted them, recruiting them in his pursuit of the fugitive Jedi Drake Lo'gaan, who had been present on Felucia during the battle and whom Vader had been previously searching for.

One year after the Vohai mission, once the first six clones of Lekauf reached maturity, he journeyed to Yinchorr and dedicated the next six months to their training. He instructed them in the art of sword combat, which they practiced against the Cuis clones, who were trained by the Emperor's Hand Sheyvan. The Cuis clones, possessing Force-sensitivity, typically prevailed in these training exercises, but this did not deter Lekauf. The Emperor himself observed the training, watching Lekauf instruct his clones. After several months, Palpatine deemed the training complete and decided to return to Coruscant with Vader, Sheyvan, and the clones. Lekauf, eager to reunite with his family, was permitted to join them.

During their journey back to Imperial Center aboard a Lambda-class shuttle, Lekauf and his clones were compelled to battle Sheyvan and the six duplicates of Sa Cuis. The Cuis clones, led by the rebellious Sheyvan, had turned against Palpatine and Vader, seizing control of the ship. Despite Sheyvan's attempts to turn Vader against Palpatine, whom he accused of betrayal, the Dark Lord confronted the rebels.

Lekauf and his clones, armed with flamethrowers, stormed the cockpit and joined Vader in the fight against the Cuis clones. During the battle, Lekauf sustained severe burns from a ball of fire deflected by one of the Cuis clones using a lightsaber. The flame was directed at Vader, but the lieutenant selflessly threw himself in front of his master, demonstrating his unwavering loyalty. Although Sheyvan and the six Cuis replicas were killed, Lekauf was critically wounded. He survived, however, thanks to Vader who comforted Lekauf and called for the pilot, Pepin, to retrieve bacta patches. Upon arriving on Coruscant, Lekauf received bacta treatments. Despite his burns, he lived to see his family again. Impressed with Lekauf, Palpatine planned to have more clones made of him.

Following this incident, Lekauf dedicated his life to his family, assisting in the upbringing of his grandson, Jori Lekauf. By 40 ABY, Lekauf had passed away. In the same year, his grandson Jori achieved the rank of corporal in the Galactic Alliance Guard. Jori once shared with fellow Guards Ben Skywalker and Jacen Solo that his grandfather held Darth Vader in high regard, also informing Solo that Lekauf had essentially raised him, and that he looked up to his grandfather more so than he looked up to his parents.

Erv Lekauf displayed exceptional loyalty towards both Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire. He repeatedly risked his own life to protect his master, who deeply valued this loyalty and rewarded him accordingly. This, in turn, strengthened Lekauf's commitment to defending Vader. Lekauf also possessed remarkable courage, as evidenced by his actions during the battles on Vohai and aboard the shuttle. He was able to see the good in Vader, even admiring him. Lekauf took great pride in being selected as a potential cloning template and dedicated himself to training his clones, striving for excellence. Above all, Lekauf cherished his family and showed great care for them, especially his grandson Jori, who was profoundly influenced by him. Jori believed that his grandfather had raised him.

Erv Lekauf was a creation of Karen Traviss, who named the character after Ryan Kaufman. Lekauf's disfigurement was partially a "retaliation" for Kaufman's decision to kill off the Jedi Master Traavis (named for Traviss) in the short story Orders.

Lekauf made his debut in Traviss's short story In His Image, where he served as Darth Vader's aide, a figure for whom Vader clearly held affection. He later appeared in Evasive Action: End Game and A Two-Edged Sword, again serving as the Dark Lord's adjutant. His grandson Jori was introduced in the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force series, where he emphasized the significant influence Lekauf had on his life.