During the Imperial Era, Desix was governed by human female Tawni Ames.
Tawni Ames and her homeworld, Desix, aligned themselves with the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. Working alongside the Separatist Senate, Ames supported Senator Mina Bonteri of Onderon when she proposed the Confederate–Republic peace initiative. This treaty aimed to initiate peace talks between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist movement. However, due to several events, most notably the bombing of the Central power distribution grid on the Republic's capital, Coruscant, and Bonteri's assassination, the treaty was withdrawn. This failed peace attempt solidified Ames' belief that the Republic never intended to end the war, reinforcing her support for Count Dooku's Separatist cause.
After the Proclamation of the New Order, which transformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire, Ames declared her planet's independence and served as its governor. In the months that followed the Empire dispatched its first Imperial governor, Grotton, to take control of Desix City. Ames, however, refused to cede control of her planet to the Empire. Her reasoning was that Desix had seceded from the Republic, the Empire's predecessor, early in the war, therefore the Imperial government had no legitimate claim over Desix. Ignoring Grotton's protests, she commanded a unit of B1-series battle droids from the planet's army to detain him and his TK stormtrooper escort.
When news of the governor's abduction reached Coruscant, Vice Admiral Rampart assigned genetically defective clone CT-9904, known as "Crosshair," and clone stormtrooper commander CC-2224, known as "Cody," to rescue him from captivity in Desix City and reestablish Imperial control over the planet. Although the mission was presented as a diplomatic convoy, Ames correctly identified its true military purpose and ordered her T-series droid commander to shoot down the shuttle carrying Cody's unit. She then brought Grotton to the city's Bell Tower as the surviving clones from the extraction team ambushed her forces outside. Eventually, Crosshair, Cody, "Nova," and "Wyler" reached the Bell Tower's steps, at which point Tawni ordered her remaining BX-series droid commando droids and droidekas to attack them. Cody and Crosshair eliminated the droids, Crosshair taking out the T-series commander with a single shot from his sniper rifle with the assistance of Cody, who threw one of Crosshair's mirror discs.
As the clones entered the bell tower, Ames emerged from the shadows, holding Grotton hostage with a blaster pointed at his head. She pleaded with Cody to allow her planet to remain independent, promising that once the Empire recognized her people's right to self-governance, the governor and his forces would be released. Cody reminded her that her forces had shot down their vessel, resulting in the deaths of many of his clones, to which she responded that they were simply defending themselves. However, Cody persuaded her to release Grotton by laying down his weapon and explaining that they had both survived a major war and he did not want them to start another. Immediately after being freed, Grotton ordered Cody to execute the rebellious governor, much to Cody's dismay. Ames, unsurprised, told Cody that this was the peace the Empire was bringing. Immediately after, Crosshair shot her, resulting in her death.
The name of Ames was revealed in the closed captions of the trailer for the second season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which was released on December 7, 2022. On Disney+, she was credited as "governor." Her voice was provided by Tasia Valenza.