Shayla Paige-Tarkin, a female Human, achieved the position of senator representing the Seswenna sector sometime after the Eriadu Trade Summit which occurred in 32.5 BBY. A staunch advocate for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who led the Galactic Republic, Paige-Tarkin exhibited loyalty to the established government throughout the Separatist Crisis. The Clone Wars, a galactic armed struggle, began in 22 BBY as the Crisis escalated. During this period of conflict, Fox, a clone trooper commander, intervened to prevent Paige-Tarkin from being kidnapped.
Originating from the planet of Eriadu, an important trade hub within the Outer Rim Territories, Shayla Paige-Tarkin belonged to the influential Tarkin family, a powerful Human clan. Following the Eriadu Trade Summit in 32.5 BBY, Paige-Tarkin rose to become the senator representing her home Seswenna sector within the Galactic Senate, taking over from a dark-complexioned Eriaduan male.
Around the year of 22 BBY, the Galactic Republic encountered fresh political upheaval in the form of the Separatist Crisis. Under the leadership of Dooku, a former Jedi Master, a coalition of planets and corporations desiring secession from the Republic coalesced to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems, often referred to as the CIS. In the initial month of 22 BBY, Corlissi Ludar, the Senator representing Sluissi, declared that his sector was seceding from the Republic. Paige-Tarkin responded swiftly by affirming Seswenna's dedication to the government. Her pronouncements highlighted her disdain for the lawlessness prevalent among other Outer Rim worlds that had aligned with the CIS. She further stated that her constituents would readily take up arms should Seswenna's planets find themselves on the war's front lines. These strong opinions from Paige-Tarkin were featured in the CoCo District's edition of the HoloNet News.
Two months later, the Clone Wars commenced, pitting the newly established Grand Army of the Republic and the Jedi Order against the Separatists. As an outspoken supporter of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the Republic's leader, Senator Paige-Tarkin chose to side with the Loyalists during the armed conflict. Completely unaware that the Chancellor was secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, she regarded him as a savior and inspiration for the Republic. As the war continued, Paige-Tarkin became concerned about Palpatine's well-being. She felt honored when the Chancellor requested her assistance, alongside Senator Jannie Ha'Nook of Glithnos and others, during the conflict on Praesitlyn, a planet situated near the Seswenna sector's border.
Later in the Clone Wars, Dooku offered a substantial reward for each Republican senator captured alive, and Paige-Tarkin narrowly escaped capture by T'doshok, a Trandoshan bounty hunter who attempted to kidnap her on Coruscant. Commander Fox, the clone trooper commanding the Coruscant Guard at the time, apprehended the bounty hunter, ensuring Paige-Tarkin's safety.
Unlike certain self-serving delegates, such as Orn Free Taa from Ryloth, who exploited their senatorial position for personal gain, Shayla Paige-Tarkin possessed a genuine concern for her sector's welfare. Upon hearing from Palpatine that a Trade Federation invasion force had seized Praesitlyn, a planet close to the Seswenna sector, Paige-Tarkin expressed her shock.
Her admiration for Palpatine was also sincere. Paige-Tarkin noticed that the Chancellor appeared increasingly tired and weary as the Clone Wars progressed, and she feared for his health. Paige-Tarkin was also very expressive. She had a tendency to speak impulsively, allowing her emotions to influence her tone, and she even used exclamations like "Great balls of fire!"
Shayla Paige-Tarkin was initially referenced on March 28, 2002, within the forty-ninth issue of the HoloNet News website, a promotional in-universe tie-in released shortly before the debut of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. She made her initial appearance in Jedi Trial, a Clone Wars novel from 2004 authored by David Sherman and Dan Cragg.