Hades (as he is commonly known, though his real name is Joseph Knight) was born on Danthomir at 18 years BBY. He was taken as a small child, around 3 years old, by a passing smuggler to be sold into slavery. But before that event could occur, the smuggler was boarded by an Imperial starship at a checkpoint. He was found and rescued. The commanding Moff of the system, Lord Xavier Knight (whom just lost his wife and child a year earlier at childbirth) took pitty on him and took the boy as his own to raise.
Once Hades was 17 years old, he applied and was accepted to the Imperial Academy on Courscant. He finished in the top 3% of his class and was selected for starfighter pilot training. After completion of training, and in no small part to his father's position, Hades was assigned to the Super Star Destoryer Executor, which was still rather new. There he trained in different starfighters from the regular TIE/ln or T/F, TIE Bomber and later TIE interceptor.
Hades first taste of action was at the Battle of Hoth. While flying a TIE Fighter he helped seal the blockade of the planet below. During the quick battle he scored his first kill of an Rebel Y-Wing starfighter. A few months after Hoth and countless battles later, Hades was transfered to his father's sector to help strengthen the number of combat veteran pilots in his squadrons as well as test out new starfighters the Empire was now attempting to Field. The first of which was the fast TIE Advanced. A full year of testing went into this deadly craft if not more.
As Hades continued his testing, a new fighter appeared in his briefing. The TIE Defender. The specs on this new starfighter was more than he dreamed. His father, seeing his son's interest in the new starfighter requested two TIE Defenders for testing. Though the recent Zaarin turmoil had cut a deep gash in the trustworthy of many Imperial Officers, Moff Knight was not amoung them. Soon, Hades had his new fighter. It was all they could do to keep him out of the new toy. Catching the young man napping in the fighter was rather common.
As the testing continued, Hades was surprised at how far the Defender could travel in hyperspace. With his father's blessing, Hades drew up plans for a long range test. Knowing that a small task force of his father's command was in a nearby system him and his wingman soon made the jump. Though a problem with his wingman's port solar panel delayed thier return for two hours, it proved to be a pivotal event.
Upon arriving back home, Hades could not believe his eyes. A large Rebel task force, at the core of which were several large Mon Calamari vessels, were engaging his father's flagship, the ISD [I]Furiel[/I]. Preparing to engage in what was sure to be a suicide run, Hades opened a comm channel to his father. His father, though seriously wounded, was still attempting to command the badly listing ship from the bridge. He ordered Hades to withdraw and sent him and his wingman a set of distant coordinates to a place far out on the rim along with a small letter that was downloaded into his datapad. Moff Knight said his goodbye just as the ISD [I]Furiel[/I] exploded. Though he wanted revenge, Hades had an order in hand. Because of how much he loved his father, he followed it.
Hitching a ride on a fleeing Strike Cruiser, Hades started off on his trip towards the coordinates his father sent him. Being forced to travel the last leg by themselves, the two TIE Defenders finally dropped out of hyperspace near the planet Aurora Prime, home of the Emperor's Hammer Strike Fleet.