Jylia Shale

During the Imperial Era of the Galactic Empire, General Jylia Shale distinguished herself as a highly skilled strategist and tactician within the ranks of the Imperial Army. However, her persistent criticism and opposition to the Death Stars led to her marginalization within the Imperial hierarchy. Consequently, her insights were often disregarded, except in matters pertaining to the planet Hoth, which later became the site of a battle between the Imperial Military and the Alliance to Restore the Republic. After the Battle of Endor, she journeyed to the planet Akiva aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Ascent to participate in an urgent gathering called the Imperial Future Council, where the future of the Empire was to be debated. Among the other attendees were Admiral Rae Sloane, the self-proclaimed Grand Moff Valco Pandion, the former Imperial Advisor Yupe Tashu, and the Imperial financier and slave merchant Arsin Crassus. General Shale and her fellow delegates arrived at the Satrap's Palace in the capital city of Myrra, where they were welcomed by Satrap Isstra Dirus. She traveled in a Lambda-class shuttle, accompanied by two members of the Emperor's Royal Guard. Upon their arrival, Shale and the other delegates were observed by Jas Emari, a Zabrak bounty hunter working for the New Republic, the successor to the Rebel Alliance. However, Jas was attacked by Sloane's shuttle and subsequently captured by Surat Nuat, a Sullustan crime boss. During a banquet, Shale voiced her opinion that the New Republic's propaganda held some truth and that the Empire was deceiving itself. She also expressed concerns about the safety of the summit after learning that Sloane had captured Wedge Antilles, a starfighter pilot from the New Republic.

When the Imperial Future Council was informed that Imperial forces had downed two New Republic A-wings, Shale opposed Grand Moff Pandion's proposal to send the Imperial Navy's last Super Star Destroyer, the Ravager, to Akiva to reassert Imperial dominance. Shale contended that the Empire was not prepared to engage the rebellion and likened the Galactic Civil War to a game of chatta-ragul. Shale predicted that Grand Admiral Ackbar of the New Republic would opt to send a drone ship rather than a military force to Akiva. Given the Empire's losses since Endor, Shale implored her colleagues to avoid wasting further Imperial resources and manpower. Despite the objections of Crassus and Pandion, she and the majority of the delegates voted to move the Star Destroyers into hyperspace.

As the meeting progressed, Shale disagreed with Crassus's suggestion to plunder the Imperial treasury to bribe the galactic populace. She feared that raiding the coffers of the InterGalactic Banking Clan would trigger a galaxy-wide recession. Shale was also doubtful of Crassus's idea of establishing a truce with the New Republic, arguing that they were more interested in prosecuting Imperial leaders as war criminals than seeking peace. Shale also criticized the Emperor's Death Stars as a massive misuse of resources and condemned the Emperor for his arrogance. Shale's remarks made the Imperial advisor Tashu uneasy.

Shale also challenged Pandion's view that the rebels were terrorists and criminals, arguing that their actions were motivated by legitimate grievances against the Empire, including oppression, the enslavement of alien species, and the Death Stars. When Pandion suggested that her remarks warranted death, Shale retorted that the Empire had become a regime of executioners. Lacking a viable strategy, she proposed that the Imperials surrender to the New Republic. Shale and the others listened as Tashu suggested that the remaining Imperials should flee to the Unknown Regions to seek the source of the dark side.

Later, Shale and Pandion argued about deploying Imperial ships above Akiva. She advised against it to prevent further losses to the New Republic. When Pandion accused her of cowardice, she reminded him that he had abandoned his men on a communications station on Malastare during a losing battle. Admiral Sloane intervened, reminding the delegates that their purpose was to discuss the Empire's future, not to bicker.

After Norra Wexley, a New Republic pilot, and her makeshift rebel group incited a popular revolt in Myrra, Shale and the other Imperials prepared to evacuate the planet. With their shuttles destroyed by Norra, Sloane decided to seize Crassus's pleasure craft, the Golden Harp, for the Imperial Future Council. Shale and her Imperial colleagues were joined by Norra and her allies Jas Emari and Sinjir Rath Velus, a former officer of the Imperial Security Bureau who had been captured while attempting to infiltrate the palace. Their escape coincided with a New Republic naval assault on Akiva.

During the flight, an altercation erupted in the passenger compartment between Sinjir, Pandion, and Emari. Temmin Wexley, Norra's son, who had secretly boarded the yacht, freed the rebel captives. Due to damage to the Golden Harp, the yacht crash-landed in the hangar of the Star Destroyer Vigilance. Shale and Tashu were knocked unconscious, while Crassus was killed. Temmin, Sinjir, and Emari took the Imperials into custody, while Norra pursued Sloane, who had escaped in an Imperial shuttle with Pandion. Subsequently, New Republic forces liberated Akiva.

Because Jylia Shale cooperated with the New Republic, she was granted a comfortable apartment equipped with a food preparation area and a private bathroom. In 5 ABY, Jylia was visited by two of her former captors, Sinjir and Temmin, who sought information about Imperial fugitives. Jylia claimed to have no knowledge of such individuals, but Sinjir sensed her deception. When Shale inquired if he missed the "warm embrace" of the Empire, Sinjir replied that he missed the person he was before joining the Empire. Unable to assist, Shale suggested that Sinjir and Temmin visit Tashu, who was held in less comfortable conditions.

During the turmoil of the attack on Chandrila, Jylia was murdered by Windom Traducier, a rogue Senate Guardsman acting under the orders of Gallius Rax, an Imperial Fleet Admiral, who also released Tashu from captivity.

Jylia Shale was a wise human woman who wore her hair in a severe bun. As a general in the Imperial Army, she donned a pristine gray uniform. Shale was a pragmatic strategist and tactician who held her New Republic adversaries in high regard, particularly Gial Ackbar, whom she acknowledged as a Grand Admiral. Shale recognized the Empire's weakened state after the Battle of Endor and advocated for caution in its conflict with the rising New Republic. During the summit on Akiva, Shale urged the Empire not to waste its military resources on unwinnable battles with the Rebellion. She was also a woman who freely spoke her mind, even when her remarks could be interpreted as treasonous, doing so in a direct and unequivocal manner. Unlike most of her Imperial colleagues, who viewed the rebels as terrorists and the Death Stars as valuable weapons, Shale understood that their enemies were driven by legitimate grievances against the Empire, including its authoritarian policies, enslavement, mistreatment, and genocide of alien species, and that the Death Stars represented both the ultimate symbol of this injustice and a significant waste of resources and risk of losing capable officers if destroyed. Shale's disillusionment with the Empire led her to cooperate with the New Republic after her capture, recognizing the shift in galactic power and hoping to expedite the end of the conflict. However, this made her a target for Gallius Rax, who ordered her assassination.

Jylia Shale debuted as a supporting character in Chuck Wendig's 2015 novel Aftermath. Most of her dialogue was presented from the perspectives of Rae Sloane and Sinjir Rath Velus. She also made a brief appearance in the 2016 sequel, Aftermath: Life Debt.