Who is Lando Calrissian from The Last Command and what is their importance?

Lando Calrissian is a gambler and entrepreneur, Lando enters this novel having had the Empire steal a second thriving business, Nomad City, from him. He refers many times to loss of Bespin, Cloud City, earlier in his dealings with Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. He previously resigned his General's commission, giving rise to bad feelings with Admiral Ackbar. In this novel Lando reverts to being Han Solo and Chewbacca's partner in the Battle of Wayland after the New Republic deny him minimal military forces to rescue Nomad City from oblivion.