Lit Dates for the chapters in "Death Star" novel

We know from the Essential Readers' Companion that the novel Death Star takes place between 3 and 0 BBY. However, it just seems to me that the sum of events that are supposed to take place in those three years is kind of crazy--although nowhere as crazy as the Clone Wars, I'll have to admit that.

I was wondering if anyone had already tried to assign or guess dates for each chapter in the novel. In fact, I'm trying to figure out when the construction of the DS was relocated to the Horuz system. Also, was the Cpt Pychor mentioned in chapter 7 at the helm of the Devastator before or after Lord Tion? Any help would be appreciated.

 

It's been a while, but my notes indicated that Ch. 17 was "six months or so" after Ch. 1. Darth Vader comes in to investigate a "few months" before the station becomes operational. The Undauntable is destroyed "weeks" before the start of ANH.

I would imagine Pychor was prior to Lord Tion, but the only firm date prior to Wermis (at 0 ABY) is Captain Bolvan in 7.5 BBY.

 

Here's my temporary list of the COs at the helm of the Devastator:

• Captain Bolvan (c. 7.5 BBY) --- "The Lesser Evil"—Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
• Captain Pychor (b/t 3-1 BBY) --- Death Star
• Lord Tion (c. 1 BBY) --- Star Wars: Empire 5: Princess... Warrior, Part 1
• Captain Mulchive Wermis (0 BBY, beginning of ANH) --- SW.com Visual Guide Chapter 3: Imperial Boarding Party
• Colonel Kell Bircher (0 ABY, two months after the Battle of Yavin) --- Star Wars 1: In the Shadow of Yavin, Part One
• Captain Mulchive Wermis (0 ABY) --- Marvel Star Wars 21-37
• Captain Nevik (0 ABY) --- "Small Favors"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
• Central Commander Sollaine [usurper] (0 ABY) --- "Small Favors"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 12
• Unidentified CO (0 ABY, Battle of the Poln system, eight months after the Battle of Yavin) --- Choices of One
• Unidentified CO (3 ABY, Battle of Hoth) --- Star Wars Episode V : The Empire Strikes Back
• Admiral Jhared Montferrat (4 ABY, Battle of Endor) --- "Blade Squadron"—Star Wars Insider 149

For the time being, my conclusion is: dangit, the Devastator sure did change hands often around 0 BBY/ABY!

 

I'm sure Vader having it as his flagship then probably contributed...

 

In fact, it only became Vader's flaghsip after Tion's death and, then again, Vader only killed Sollaine because he had killed the legitimate CO, Nevik. As regards Mulchive Wermis, he did not die at Vader's hand either, since he was charged with replacing Simon Greyshade as administrator of the Wheel. Bircher, we all know why he was replaced.

However, in the short stroy Blade Squadron, Montferrat does say he'd witnessed Vader murdering several officers when the Devastator was still his ship. I guess we must conclude he never murdered any CO.

 

Well, not necessarily leaving due to Vader killing them - the fact that it was a high-pressure position probably led to commanders pursuing less stressful postings. The SWSB seemed to imply that Lord Tion's command was temporary.

 

Oh, really? I'll have to check that I guess.

 

All right, pulled the old girl - the quote is actually ambiguous - "The Devastator was Lord Vader's personal flagship until the Battle of Yavin... Before that, it was Lord Tion's flagship that saw heavy action in the subjugation of Ralltiir. After the Battle of Yavin, Vader transferred his flag to the Executor." - p.140 (SWSB Special Edition) That doesn't really seem much of a time to be someone's "personal flagship", and there's usage by Vader at Falleen... however, both editions of the SWE indicate only that it was Lord Tion's flagship until his death, with no mention of Vader.
Perhaps it was Lord Tion, then, that temporarily gave Vader control to attack Falleen.

 

Or, as I am inclined to think, the Devastator was Cpt Bolvan's ship around 7 BBY, but Vader just temporarily requisitioned the ship. Some time later, Bolvan was, for some reason, demoted to gunnery captain, a post he still occupied in ANH, to give the post of CO to another officer--perhaps Tion already, or perhaps a number of other officers until Tion himself eventually made the Devastator his flagship in or before 1 BBY. I favor the latter possibility, since it seems clear Pychor commanded the ship prior to Tion.