Berch Teller

Berch Teller

Berch Teller was ahumanmalecaptain inRepublic Intelligence who served on themoonAntar 4 during theClone Wars. He helped trainedloyalistGotal andKoorivar insurgent fighters who fought against theConfederacy of Independent Systems. Following the Clone Wars, the newGalactic Empire unleashed a violent crackdown on Antar 4 which claimed the lives of many the loyalist fighters he had helped trained. Disillusioned with theNew Order, Teller and several Antar 4 survivors and Republic personnel formed arebel cell that fought against the Empire. Teller and his followers held a special animus forMoffWilhuff Tarkin, the architect of the "Antar Atrocity."

With the help of the opportunisticVice AdmiralDodd Rancit, Teller amassed several warships and numerous droidstarfighters.In 14 BBY, Teller and his followers stole Tarkin's corvetteCarrion Spike and launched ashort-lived insurgency against the Empire; using hit-and-run strikes to target Imperial facilities acrossthe galaxy. These attacks were broadcast on theHoloNet, mimicking the SeparatistShadowfeed holovids of the Clone Wars. Teller's insurgency came to an end after Moff Tarkin andDarth Vader discovered Rancit's collusion with Teller.

Having drawn away Imperial warships from the convoys ferrying supplies to theDeath Star project, Teller and his followersambushed an Imperial convoy near theGulf of Tatooine. Despite their preparations, Tarkin came to the convoy's rescue and defeated Teller's forces. Teller escaped intohyperspace and later attempted to assassinate the newly-promotedGrand Moff Tarkin on his homeworld ofEriadu. However, Teller fell into a pit and Tarkin, who had known Teller was stalking him, left him inside, believing that Teller had little chance of survival.

Biography[]

The Antar Atrocity[]

During theClone Wars, Berch Teller served theGalactic Republic as aRepublic Intelligencestation chief with the rank ofcaptain. He was one of theofficers that debriefed CaptainWilhuff Tarkin afterhisescape from theCitadel with the coordinates to theNexus Route. Under the oversight ofDodd Rancit and in association withKnotts, a subcontractor fromLantillies, he worked with loyalist beings onworlds that had joined or were occupied by theConfederacy of Independent Systems, training them to serve as resistance fighters for the Republic. In the war's finalyear, he was assigned to theGotalmoon ofAntar 4, organizing the Gotal andKoorivar partisans into well-armed resistance groups.^[1]

At the end of the war, he expected theGalactic Empire to spare them from punishment due to their work for the Republic during the conflict, and appealed to his superiors in theImperial Intelligence community to provide documentation andtransport for their extraction. However,COMPNOR refused to cooperate, allowing forces under the command of now-Moff Tarkin tokill many of the fighters on Antar 4 along with former Separatists, which became known as theAntar Atrocity. This event angered Teller and shortly after being assigned toDesolation Station, which focused on research for the top-secretDeath Starproject, he deserted the Empire.^[1]

Forming a rebel cell[]

With this disappearance, he created his ownresistance cell to fight against it, while intending to inspire the creation of other rebel groups throughoutthe galaxy. Teller's rebel cell consisted of individuals from several species includinghumans, Gotals, Koorivar, and at least oneMon Calamari. Several of his followers were the GotalSalikk, the Mon Calamari Dr.Artoz, the Koorivar ops specialistCala, the humanjournalistAnora Fair, and theZygerrianHask Taff.^[1]

Teller's rebel cell was aided byVice Admiral Dodd Rancit, theDirector of theNaval Intelligence Agency and a rival of Moff Tarkin. Using his position as Director of Naval Intelligence, Rancit diverted funds from the agency's black budget to supply Teller's cell with proscribed armaments, confiscated Separatist war materiel, and communications jammers. Knowing that Teller and Knotts were former Republic Intelligence operatives, he also facilitated their access to Imperial depots and armories. Teller was also assisted by several disaffected technicians and scientists including Dr. Artoz.^[1]

Teller kept the identity of his contact Rancit secret from his most trusted followers including Anora, Artoz, Cala, and Hask. With the help of theTenloss andCrymorah Syndicates, Teller also assembled a small fleet included a heavily modifiedProvidence-class Dreadnought which served ashis flagship, anEF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, severalZ-95 Headhunters andTikiar starfighters, and a large number ofvulture droids anddroid tri-fighters.^[1]

Campaign against Tarkin[]

Raid on Sentinel Base[]

In14 BBY,^[3] Teller and his followers embarked on a campaign against Moff Tarkin for his role in the Antar Atrocity. By then, Tarkin was a rising star in the Imperial hierarchy who was privy to theEmperorPalpatine's top-secretDeath Star project. Teller's forces tried to attack Tarkin's headquarters onSentinel Base by creating a fake holo-transmission claiming that the nearbyRampart Station was under attack.^[1]

Teller then attacked Sentinel Base with hisProvidence-class Dreadnought and several Vulture droids and droid tri-fighters. However, Tarkin had seen through the ruse and ambushed the intruders with hisVenator-class Star DestroyerElectrum. While Teller's warship was able to retreat, the Empire managed to capture several of Teller's droid starfighters.^[1]

Stealing theCarrion Spike[]

When Tarkin andDarth Vader visitedMurkhana on amission to investigate a communications cache, Teller and his followers hijacked Tarkin'svessel, theCarrion Spike. Teller wanted to use theCarrion Spike, a symbol of Tarkin's power, against the Imperial Moff. Their plan was to raid Imperial targets across the galaxy and broadcastholovids of their raids on theHoloNet, mimicking the SeparatistShadowfeedpropaganda broadcasts during the Clone Wars. In connivance with Teller, Vice-Admiral Rancit had planted and leaked information about the Murkhana communications cache to the Imperial authorities for the purpose of drawing Tarkin and Vader there.^[1]

Since theCarrion Spike relied on specialfuel cells, Knotts arranged for the Crymorah Syndicate to supply the technology to their local affiliateFaazah, aSugicrime lord. After luring most of theCarrion Spike'sstormtrooper sentries away using a fake transmission, Teller and his fellow insurgents stormed theCarrion Spike and killed theship's captain andcomms officer along with two stormtroopers before taking off.^[1]

While departing Murkhana, Teller met with his followers in theCarrion Spike's cockpit about their Imperial foes and their stolen ship. Before they could exit the edge of theMurkhana system, Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader caught up in Faazah's requisitioned starshipParsec Predator. Under Teller's command, theCarrion Spike jumped to theFial system. However, Lord Vader was able to track down the rebels usinghis meditation chamber and aParalight system concealed within the ship'shyperdrive.^[1]

Upon detecting theParsec Predator, Teller suspected that there was a tracking device hidden aboard theCarrion Spike. Hask suggested that the tracking device was located on the hull or concealed in a landing strut. Unable to do a full EVA search, Teller told his followers to hang on before telling Salikk to do a hyperspace jump. The insurgents resurfaced in theFial system only to find theParsec Predator in hot pursuit. Realizing that Vader was still able to track them, Teller told Salikk to do a hyperspace jump toGalidraan.^[1]

Waging an insurgency[]

Using theCarrion Spike's stealth technology and weapons systems, Teller and his followers attacked the ImperialGalidraan Station in theGalidraan system, causing extensive damage to the station's outer ring. Since theCarrion Spike was cloaked, the station's particle-beam weapons emplacements were unable to hit the stealth ship. Galidraan Station then dispatched severalARC-170 andV-wing starfighters, which attempted to force the enemy ship to reveal its location by flying directly at the source of the energy bolts targeting the station. This desperate tactic caused the lives of numerous Imperial pilots.^[1]

Using the meditation sphere, Darth Vader and Tarkin were able to track down theCarrion Spike. Though they managed to close in on the stolen corvette using Vader's Force powers, Teller was able to disable the Imperials' shipParsec Predator with theCarrion Spike's pintle guns. Despite knocking out their pursuers' ship, theCarrion Spike sustained significant damage to its systems during the skirmish including the short circuiting of itsescape pods'airlock controls, a cargo hold fire, and damage to the hyperdrive generator.^[1]

With Galidraan Station launching another squadron of starfighters, Teller tasked Salikk with preparing them for sublight travel while he headed down to the first cargo hold. There, he met Artoz who speculated that Darth Vader was using his black mediation sphere to track them down. After learning from Cala that the hyperdrive generator was ready to go, Teller told Salikk to navigate their jump point and to destroy Galidraan'shyperspace buoy on their way out to cover their trail. Working with Artoz, Teller managed to jettison the Darth Vader's meditation sphere. Before departing the Galidraan system, the Imperials destroyed the hyperspace buoy, preventing Tarkin and Vader from tracking them down.^[1]

Following the attack on Galidraan, Teller and his followersraided theTaggeCo mining facilities onLucazec. The insurgents used an alteredtransponder signal and theCarrion Spike's stealth systems to sneak up on mining facility. During the raid, Teller and his insurgent inflicted substantial damage on the city-sized orbital processing plant and downed several V-wing starfighters andore haulers. The insurgents also broadcast holovids of their raid on the HoloNet, attracting the attention of the Emperor, theImperial Ruling Council, Moff Tarkin, and Lord Vader.^[1]

Ordeal at Phindar[]

With theCarrion Spike running low on fuel, the insurgents then traveled to a remote system with a lifeless volcanic world. Having been warned by Vice-Admiral Rancit to avoidGromas in thePerkell sector, Teller and his followers decided to travel to the planetPhindar in theMandalore sector torefuel their stolen ship; which had special fuel requirements. For the refueling trip, Teller posed as the ImperialCommanderAbel LaSal and dressed in an Imperial officer's uniform. Using his disguise and a stolen Imperialcode cylinder, Teller managed to convince the staff of thePhindar tanker facility to refuel theCarrion Spike.^[1]

However, the Phindian Administrator became suspicious of his customers and alerted Moff Tarkin and Lord Vader. One of Tarkin's specialists aboard theImperial escort carrierGoliath realized that the real Commander Abel LaSal was stationed aboard theStar DestroyerSovereign aboveFondor. Meanwhile, Teller suspected something was afoot due to the smooth nature of the refueling operation and ordered Anora to retract the transfer tube. Before they could leave thePhindar system, Tarkin arrived in his escort carrierGoliath accompanied by the V-wingYellow Squadron and Darth Vader'sinterceptor.^[1]

Since they had a quarter of an hour before they could jump into hyperspace, Teller ordered to fly rings around the Phindar tanker in order to make it hard for their Imperial pursuers to target their hyperdrive generator. During thedogfight, theCarrion Spike managed to take out two of Tarkin's V-wings. The remaining Imperial fighters fired upon theCarrion Spike but were unable to penetrate the ship's powerful shield generators. As the dogfight escalated, the Phindar tanker deployed several ARC-170 starfighters to protect the tanker.^[1]

With the hyperdrive ready, theCarrion Spike hurtled away from the tanker and charged at theGoliath, firing all its guns and taking out two more V-wings. After activating its cloaking device, theCarrion Spike jumped into hyperspace. Before leaving, Teller and his insurgents also used a concealed explosive within a spentfuel cell to ignite the Phindar tanker. The resulting explosion destroyed the tanker, its ARC-170 starfighters and singed the tails of Tarkin's V-wings.^[1]

Why we fight[]

Teller and his crew brought theCarrion Spike to theExpansion Regionsector designated asLCC-4-4-7, which lay between the planetsAquaris andThustra. The dogfight in the Phindar system caused significant damage to theCarrion Spike's hull and interior systems. Teller and his comrades gathered in the command cabin to nurse their wounds and fiddle with the starship instruments. Threehours after the Phindar ordeal, Anora managed to upload a holovid of the dogfight on HoloNet. However, the Empire had suspended HoloNet service in most of their sector. Though Anora doubted that their transmission reached more than six star systems, Teller reassured her that they needed to reach one system for their holovid to spread to other sectors.^[1]

After discussing the events of the Phindar ordeal, Teller recounted Tarkin's service with theOutland Regions Security Force to his followers. Teller explained how Tarkin had used the Outland Regions Security Force to purge theSeswenna sector of pirates and those harboring them. He attributed Tarkin's ruthless streak to theEriaduan culture and history of repelling pirates,slavers, and privateers for centuries. However, Teller added that Tarkin went beyond the norms of Eriadu's ruthless culture by waging a ruthless campaign against migrants and refugees. He credited Tarkin's ruthless leadership with transforming Eriadu into a powerful planet that won him the favor of the Emperor and hisNew Order, who shared his ruthlessness.^[1]

Teller then reminded his followers Cala, Artoz, Salikk, and Hask of Tarkin's ruthless actions following the Clone Wars and theGreat Jedi Purge. He added that the Emperor, his followers Vader and Tarkin, and soldiers were in the process of "winnowing" the populations of the galaxy until the only ones left were those he could control. Teller then reiterated that they had hijacked theCarrion Spike in order to turn a symbol of Tarkin into a symbol of resistance against the Empire. Hask observed that their group was also killing civilians serving the Empire, just as Tarkin had done with regard to civilians aiding the pirates in the Seswenna sector. When Teller began an attempt to justify their killings as opposed to the Empire's, Anora remarked somewhat sardonically that the difference was that they were "the good guys."^[1]

Covering their trail[]

While checking theCarrion Spike's hyperdrive and fuel capacity, the Koorivar Cala found aparalight tracker, a type of HoloNet transceiver that parsed commands from the ship'snavigation computer. Realizing that the Empire was tracking them, Teller instructed his crew to send the Empire fake coordinates to theObroa-skai system. Teller also arranged for Knotts to send theYT-1000 light freighterReticent as a decoy to theCarrion Spike's coordinates. Acting on this disinformation, Moff Tarkin and Lord Vader assembled several Imperial ships including threeinterdictor vessels to intercept the stolen corvette.^[1]

However, theImmobilizer 418 cruiser'sgravity well projector malfunctioned, yanking out several starships from hyperspace including theMC80 Star CruiserStellar Vista and theReticent. This caused amassive hyperspace accident in the Obroa-skai system that damaged many civilian and Imperial ships and killed 1,100 passengers aboard theStellar Vista. Despite this setback, Tarkin and Vader managed to interrogate the crew of theReticent and learned that Knotts was connected to both the Obroa-ski incident and the theft of theCarrion Spike. Tarkin also compared the insurgents' holovids with Imperial files on HoloNet and discovered that Teller and his followers were seeking revenge against him for his role in the Antar Atrocity.^[1]

Following the Obroa-skai incident, Teller gave Cala the privilege of destroying the paralight tracker. Though Teler and his crew were dismayed that the Imperials had captured and questioned the crew of theTruant, Teller was relieved when Vice-Admiral Rancit gave the corvette's crew were given a new target toattack: an Imperial facility in theNouane system. In private, Anora questioned Teller about their campaign and whether he trusted their mysterious contact. Teller kept the identity of Rancit hidden from his followers. When Anora asked Teller if he had any compassion for their "stand-ins" at Obroa-skai, Teller claimed that they knew the risks.^[1]

Anora then confided that she did not intend to become a revolutionary. Teller countered that she was already fighting the "good fight" with words before he had met her. After admitting that she was motivated by fame and fortune, Anora commented that she had underestimated COMPNOR and the Emperor's reach, power, and barbarity. Teller reassured Anora that she was not alone in underestimating the Emperor. When Anora expressed regret for dragging her friend Hask into trouble, Teller responded that they could always ask if she wanted to be dropped off but added that Hask would probably say no. Teller also reassured Anora that they were winning.^[1]

Rancit's double-cross[]

Since the Empire had deployed warships to protect the Imperial facility in the Nouane system, Teller had theCarrion Spike exit hyperspace deeper inside the system to avoid the capital ships. Despite Teller's planning, the Empire had fortified the Nouane facility. Encountering a withering hail of laserfire, Teller and his followers were forced to retreat aboard theCarrion Spike. Unknown to Teller, his informant Vice-Admiral Rancit had attempted to betray and destroy Teller and his followers in an attempt to cover up his collusion with the insurgents. Rancit had hoped to exploit the crisis in order to improve his standing in the Imperial hierarchy.^[1]

Despite their narrow escape, theCarrion Spike sustained significant damage to its navicomputer, shields, stealth systems, sublight drives, and communications systems. The corvette's armament was down to two forward laser cannons and one starboard battery. Cala estimated that the hyperdrive motivator was only capable of two more jumps. While Teller initially believed that Rancit was trying to "make it look real", Anora pointed out that Rancit had betrayed them.^[1]

Since Rancit had instructed Teller and his insurgents to attack theImperial Academy onCarida, Teller realized that the Vice-Admiral was planning to lure them into another trap for good. As theCarrion Spike's autopilot was still operational, Teller and his followers evacuated the ship and sent the corvette on autopilot to Carida. Above Carida, Vice-Admiral Rancit waited aboard theSecutor-class Star DestroyerConquest to intercept and destroy the insurgents, covering his tracks.^[1]

However, Lord Vader and Moff Tarkin had discovered Rancit's treachery. Darth Vader boarded theConquest and stopped the Vice-Admiral from ordering the destruction of theCarrion Spike. After confronting Rancit for his opportunism, theSith Lord forced Rancit to board an escape pod and issue the order to destroy his craft.^[1]

Ambush in the Gulf of Tatooine[]

Berch Teller and his followers rejoined their comrades including Knotts aboard his modifiedProvidence-class carrier near a cratered moon in theGulf of Tatooine. Artoz had received intelligence that an Imperial convoy of ships carrying supplies for the top-secret Death Star project would exit hyperspace in that system while traveling to theImperial marshaling station atPii. Unaware of Rancit's death, Teller believed that the Empire had not yet uncovered Rancit's treachery and that the Empire thought they had abandoned their cause.^[1]

When Knotts warned that Rancit would be hunting them down for betraying him, Teller speculated that Rancit withdrawing ships from protecting the convoy would threaten his position in Naval Intelligence. Teller also believed that Tarkin would not be held accountable for the insurgents' attacks and would keep his command of Sentinel Base. When Knotts warned that Tarkin would come after them, Teller suggested fleeing to theCorporate Sector. While the insurgents were unaware of the Death Star project, Artoz believed that raiding the convoy would set the Empire back by four years.^[1]

Though Teller hope that their strikes against the Empire would eventually inspire rebellion, Artoz believed that the Empire still had an overwhelming advantage due to its mighty war machine. Despite the odds stacked against them, Teller urged his followers to hold out for hope and do what they could. As the insurgent pilots headed to their starfighters, Cala informed Teller and his comrades that the supply convoy had exited hyperspace and that their HoloNet and communication jammers were enabled. As he donned his helmet, Teller told Cala to tell Anora and Hask that he expected a galactic-class holovid.^[1]

After jamming the convoy's HoloNet and communications relays, the insurgents bombarded the enemy convoy and unleashed their starfighters. For this attack, Teller's forces included his modified former Separatist carrier, an EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, multiple droid tri-fighters, and four Z-95 Headhunters and Tikiar starfighters. Though the convoy's escort gunboats and frigates formed a defensive perimeter around the transports, Teller's droid starfighters were able to dart through gaps and swarm the Imperial ships, destroying two tugs, two escort gunboats, and several ARC-170 starfighters.^[1]

Escaping to fight another day[]

Despite Teller and his associates' careful preparations, the tide of the battle turned against them when Moff Tarkin arrived aboard the Imperial Star DestroyerExecutrix. Tarkin used theExecutrix's massive firepower to destroy Teller's Nebulon-B frigate before deploying V-wing starfighters to pick off Teller's droid fighters and to protect the convoy ships. Having safeguarded the Imperial convoy, Tarkin then unleashed theExecutrix's cannons against Teller's flagship.^[1]

As the Imperial forces gained the upper hand, Teller and a Koorivar Tikiar pilot were the only organic starfighter pilots left. After several attempts, Teller managed to contact Salikk. He told Salikk to jump their carrier into hyperspace and get clear of that Star Destroyer. However, Salikk responded that they were already committed. Anora then urged Teller to escape to fight another day. Teller disagreed but Salikk convinced Teller to listen to Anora. He added that allowing Teller to escape would be his gratitude for helping him survive the Antar Atrocity.^[1]

Despite Teller's protests, Salikk transmitted a series of hyperspace jump coordinates to his starfighter. Heeding his followers' words, Teller escaped aboard his Headhunter into hyperspace. Meanwhile, Tarkin's Star Destroyer disabled Teller's carrier and boarded it, capturing Teller's surviving followers. Teller landed on the crystal planet ofChristophsis before disappearing into hiding. Imperial forces later discovered the starfighter. In the wake of the battle near the gulf of Tatooine, the Empire executed Teller's followers. The newly promotedGrand Moff Tarkin also tightened security around the Death Star project and exacted a heavy price against the workers, salvagers, scientists, and criminal elements who had aided Teller's rebels.^[1]

Confronting his nemesis[]

After escaping Christophsis, Berch Teller tracked down Grand Moff Tarkin to theCarrion Plateau on his homeworld of Eriadu. The Carrion Plateau was situated on the lands of the Tarkin family. When Tarkin visited the Carrion Plateau to seek solitude, Teller attempted to sneak up on the Grand Moff but fell into a pit trap. Though the sharpened stakes at the bottom had long rotted to mulch, Teller still sustained a broken ankle. Tarkin's uncleJova discovered Teller in the pit and alerted his nephew Tarkin.^[1]

Tarkin met with his twice-defeated nemesis, telling Teller that he had baited him by intentionally leaving his stormtroopers behind inEriadu City. Teller accepted that he had taken the bait as that was the only chance he had of shooting the Grand Moff. When Tarkin mocked him for missing earlier opportunities to shoot him, Teller responded that he wanted them to be looking each other in the eye when he killed him. Tarkin again mocked him, remarking upon how ridiculously unnecessary his desire was, and that it had cost him his opportunity. Teller then quipped that ultimately it didn't matter, as Jova would have still have shot him even if he had managed to evade Tarkin's notice.^[1]

After exchanging conversation with his uncle, Tarkin turned his attention back to Teller. When Tarkin claimed that Teller was seeking to splinter the galaxy again, Teller countered that subjugating the Separatists was practice for subjugating the galaxy. Tarkin claimed this was pacification but Teller countered that it was "rule by fear". When Teller denounced Tarkin as a monster, Tarkin responded that he was only a monster from a certain point of view and described himself as a product of the nature of the plateau; that his ruthlessness, uncompromising attitude, and perchance for survival through strength and fear were simply a reflection of nature itself. Teller asked about the Imperial project on Geonosis but Tarkin refused to divulge Imperial secrets to a foe.^[1]

Before leaving, Tarkin offered to let Teller escape if he could climb out of the pit before nightfall; knowing that Teller stood little chance of surviving the dangerous predators that inhabited Carrion Spike. Rejecting Tarkin's offer, Teller cursed Tarkin, telling him that he would die a horrible death. Tarkin mockingly dismissed Teller's threats, reminding Teller that it was he, not Tarkin, who was crippled and at the bottom of a pit. After they finished, Tarkin and Jova left him in the wilderness to see if he could get out of the pit alive after nightfall.^[1]

Legacy[]

Despite failing to kill Grand Moff Tarkin personally, Berch Teller's prophecy that Tarkin would die a "horrible death"^[1] came to fruition during theBattle of Yavinfourteen years later. Tarkin was killed aboard his Death Star superweapon when theForce-sensitiveRebel Alliance starfighter pilotLuke Skywalker fired aproton torpedo into the superweapon'sthermal exhaust port.^[4]

Ultimately, Teller and his followers' efforts would not be in vain. Some time after Teller's campaign, the Rebel Alliance saw Teller as a prime example of how counter-propaganda would be useful, and that if it were not for him, the galaxy would not be aware of the Antar Atrocity.^[5] Following the death of the Emperor and Vader during theBattle of Endor in4 ABY,^[6] the Empire ultimately collapsed at theBattle of Jakku ayear later.^[7]

Personality and traits[]

Berch Teller was a tall, slim, middle-aged human male with dark hair and eyebrows. He had a long face covered with stubble and a cleft chin. Teller was a natural leader who was able to inspire his followers to fight. He used these skills to lead loyalist fighters on Antar 4 during the Clone Wars and later a group of anti-Imperial insurgents during the Imperial period. Teller regarded the Empire as a tyrannical dictatorship built on the subjugation of the galaxy's inhabitants. Teller developed a hatred of the Empire and Grand Moff Tarkin in particular for their role in the indiscriminate slaughter of Antar 4's inhabitants including Republic loyalists following the Clone Wars.^[1]

Teller believed that the Clone Wars served as a pretext for the Emperor to take over the galaxy. He also believed that the Emperor and his chief disciples Darth Vader and Moff Tarkin were determined to subjugate all beings in the galaxy. He regarded the soldiers of the vastly expanded Imperial military as an army of beings who had been stripped of independent thinking; weapons that had not been seen for thousands of years. Teller regarded Tarkin as the embodiment of some of the worst aspects of the Empire and sought to kill him personally.^[1]

Teller's followers including Anora, Knotts, Cala, Salikk, and Hask looked up to him as a mentor and leader. Though Teller was willing to buy time for his comrades to escape, their respect for him let him to convince him to escape to fight another day. Teller was resourceful enough to infiltrate Tarkin's homeworld of Eriadu but fell into a pit trap. In the face of defeat, Teller remained defiant towards Tarkin and cursed Tarkin to die a horrible death. He maintained his constitutional resolve that the Empire was a force for evil and would one day meet its end.^[1]

Teller was also known for his passionate zeal and gave several talks "educating" his followers about why they were fighting Tarkin and the Emperor. This once led Anora to joke that he would make a goodholodrama actor. Teller was known for his colorful language and once chastised Salikk for risking his own life to save him. However, Teller accepted his followers' willingness to sacrifice their life for him so that he could escape and hunt down Tarkin.^[1]

Skills and abilities[]

As a former Republic intelligence operative turned insurgent leader, Teller was skilled at training men and women how to fight. He also knew how to fly a Z-95 Headhunter and once taught a Koorivar follower to fly a Tikiar starfighter. Teller was also adept with starships, communications technology, and various weapons including blasters.^[1]

Equipment[]

Berch Teller wore cargo pants, boots, and a thermal shirt. While impersonating the Imperial Commander Abel LaSal, Teller donned an Imperial officer's uniform, a bionic eye, and a thick red wig.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Berch Teller first appeared as the primary antagonist ofJames Luceno's2014 novelTarkin.^[1]

Appearances[]

• Tarkin(andaudiobook)(First appearance)

Sources[]

• Entertainment Weekly's Ultimate Guide to Rogue One
• Star Wars: The Rebel Files
• The Star Wars Book
• Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
• Grand Moff Tarkin in theDatabank(backup link)

Notes and references[]