Second Battle of Onderon

"First, we must go to Coruscant, to speak with the senators of the Republic. I think you will need their help, for the enemy you faced today, is nothing compared to the dark-side power that awaits us on Onderon!"

- Master Thon, to Nomi Sunrider, concerning the troubles on Onderon

The Second Battle of Onderon took place during the Freedon Nadd Uprising, being the second battle of that specific conflict, in the year 3,998 BBY. The offensive was proposed by the Tchuukthai Jedi Master Thon, who attended the Galactic Senate's Ministry of Defense hearing called to discuss the growing Onderonian threat. The battle commenced just as Tetan aristocrats Satal and Aleema Keto arrived on Onderon with the intentions of deciphering an ancient Sith spellbook.

Background
"Order, order!! This meeting of the Defense Committee will come to order! Thank you. Now, you're all aware of the trouble on the planet Onderon. But I'm afraid it's much worse than we suspected."

- Netus, Galactic Republic Minister of Defense

Meeting of the Defense Committee
"Today, I send this Jedi, this brave young woman to fight...a battle. A battle that may mean the end of the Republic itself. The Jedi fight for you. The Jedi die for you. What will you, in turn, do for the Jedi?"

- Master Thon, speaking via Nomi Sunrider's translation

After sending his charge Padawan Oss Wilum to assist Master Arca and his apprentices with the Uprising on Onderon, Master Thon felt it was time to also seek the Republic's intervention. Traveling to the Galactic capital world of Coruscant with his new protégé Nomi Sunrider, Master Thon attended an already-in-progress session of the Galactic Senate's Defense Ministry.

The senators had recently received a garbled distress message sent to Coruscant by Ulic Qel-Droma, a Jedi Knight. Because of this, the senators engaged in a heated debate over whether to send aid to Onderon, or let the Jedi handle their own affairs. It was at this time Master Thon and his apprentice Nomi entered the Grand Convocation Chamber, where they were greeted by the Netus, the Minister of Defense. Finding it hard to communicate in Galactic Basic, Thon addressed the Senate, speaking in his native Tchuukthese which Nomi Sunrider translated into Basic for the assembly.



The Tchuukthai Jedi implored the Senate to come to the Jedi's aid, reminding them that the Jedi have aided the Republic for generations. One senator argued that the dark side followers of Freedon Nadd had overtaken Onderon, and fighting such a foe was the Jedi's expertise. Thon reminded the assembly that once the dark side subdued Onderon, it would sweep across the galaxy indiscriminately. The Jedi Master also had a surprise in store for Nomi. Through her translating, Nomi Sunrider found out from Thon that this was to be her first real mission as a Jedi, to join her fellow Jedi on Onderon. Nomi was taken aback and even hesitant at first, but she suppressed her fears and accepted her Master's assignment. The senators had been won over by Thon's rousing pleas, and Jedi General Nomi Sunrider was chosen to command the full might of the Galactic Republic Navy against the followers of Freedon Nadd immediately.

Dark side awakening


Simultaneously, two young nobles from the Empress Teta system had also arrived on Coruscant. Satal Keto, and his cousin Aleema, the heirs to the Tetan monarchy, were on a vacation of sorts to the Galactic capital. Arriving on the capital world in their royal yacht dubbed the Krath Enchanter, the Ketos started their trip by visiting Coruscant's Galactic Museum.

As they browsed the museum, they were greeted by the curator, who was pleased to show the youngsters around. But the Ketos had their own agenda, as the curator would soon learn. In truth, they had come to Coruscant in search of knowledge of the ancient Sith, and more specifically, for anything related to the dark side. They were in luck, for the museum was nearly finished with a new dark-side based exhibit, appropriately titled "Dark Lords of the Sith". The Ketos begged to be allowed to explore the incomplete exhibit, but the curator was hesitant due to explicit instructions from the Jedi Order that the hall be off limits until a sufficient security detail was in place.

The Ketos continued to beg, and finally the curator relented. Much to their delight, the hall dedicated to the Sith was filled with ancient and priceless artifacts, books, tomes and amulets, all radiating with dark side power; power that apparently only Satal and Aleema could feel. They quickly stole one of the books and fled back to their lodging quarters. Unable to read the book and dejected by that fact, the Keto's hope was renewed when they heard a news report about dark side adepts on Onderon who practiced ancient Sith magic. They knew that Onderon was where the secrets of the book had any chance of being revealed to them, and they immediately left Coruscant on a course for the dark side world.

Trouble in Iziz
Back on Onderon, the Jedi and Beast Riders were engaged in fierce combat with the Naddists in the capital city of Iziz. Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma had defeated the powerful Dark Jedi Warb Null in combat, but their duel was all a ruse by Null's Master, King Ommin. The real prize was Master Arca Jeth, whom King Ommin captured while Ulic and Warb Null dueled.



Under the guidance of Dark Lord Freedon Nadd's Sith spirit, Ommin was instructed to take Arca further into the catacombs, while Qel-Droma finished with Warb Null. Ommin noted that Null was unlikely to survive the contest, to which Nadd replied that it was an acceptable loss, since it was part of his master plan. Nadd also commented that Ulic Qel-Droma's growing Force powers were a factor in his master plans, as well. With that, they retreated into the tunnels and began subjecting Master Arca to the dark side of the Force.

Warb Null was dead and Master Arca kidnapped, so Ulic and Queen Galia escaped the tunnels, only to find battle fully underway above the ground. They met up with Tott Doneeta, who ferried Galia away to the Nebulon Ranger while Ulic went to meet up with his brother Cay, and the Beast-Lord Oron Kira. Kira, the Beast Riders, and the remaining Jedi had been held up for two days fighting the Naddists. The enemy had managed to retake the palace, and Kira was preparing to retreat just as Ulic arrived. He told Kira that Queen Galia was safe, and that he sent a distress call to the Republic, though he was unsure if it was received. Determined to save Master Arca from the clutches of King Ommin, but surrounded by Naddists on all sides, the Qel-Droma boys and the armies of Oron Kira were left with only one option: hopefully survive long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Republic relief
"All wings, this is Nomi Sunrider onboard the Republic flagship Alliance 1. We have achieved low orbit over Onderon. Status report!"

- Jedi General Nomi Sunrider

As Nomi and the Republic Naval fleet entered Onderonian space, they began to stage their orbital attack run while preparing to deploy ground forces and a contingent of air-to-ground troops as well. The generals were finalizing their battle plans when an unidentified civilian yacht recognized as being of Tetan origin exited hyperspace right in the middle of the Republic Navy's bombardment. Despite warnings to steer clear of the security military zone, the civilian craft ignored the Navy's warnings and continued straight for the planet.

As Republic rocket-jumpers began their air-to-ground assault over Iziz, Satal Keto and his cousin Aleema's vessel was caught in the crossfire and crashed to the ground. The Ketos were able to escape the wreckage with their lives, and managed to seek out authentic practitioners of the dark side. These darksiders in turn brought them before Onderon's ruler, the Sith sorcerer King Ommin.

Jedi offensive
"Take cover! There's a dark side assault shuttle strafing the city!" "No! Look! That ship's from the Republic! Reinforcements have arrived!"

- Cay and Ulic Qel-Droma



Meanwhile, a team of Jedi Knights including Dace Diath, Qrrrl Toq, Shoaneb Culu, and Kith Kark, arrived on Onderon with Nomi Sunrider to assist Oss Wilum, Tott Doneeta, Ulic, and Cay Qel-Droma, who themselves were trapped inside Oron Kira's forest citadel. Nomi's Jedi team created a shield-wall as they fought towards their besieged comrades, and Nomi used her Battle meditation to sway the tide of the battle. Nomi's meditation skills were proving most beneficial to the Jedi, and though their fighting spirit was restored because of it, Kith Kark became one with the Force when he met an untimely end on the battlefield.

The Jedi were also feeling the suppression of the dark side heavily in the Onderonian atmosphere, and Nomi managed to pinpoint the source to an old, incapacitated man somewhere nearby. But when the old man felt the novice Jedi woman's probe through the force, he lashed back out at her with the dark side. Nomi was knocked from her feet, just as Ulic Qel-Droma happened to find her on the battlefield. It was their first meeting. Swooned by the sight of a beautiful Jedi woman felled in battle, Qel-Droma rushed to her side.

Nomi was alright, and told Ulic that it was an old man who attacked her through the Force. Ulic immediately knew it to be King Ommin. He told Nomi that Ommin ruled Onderon under the power of Sith magic, and that he also managed to subdue Master Arca with it. Gathering the rest of the Jedi Knights, Ulic led them into the tunnels under the palace into King Ommin' lair.

King Ommin


All this was happening while Satal and Aleema met with the crippled and seemingly weak King Ommin, who was depending on a steel armature for physical support. Satal showed the old King their stolen Sith spellbook, and asked Ommin to translate it for them. Ommin in turn gave Satal an ancient Sith amulet, one of many Ommin had received from the last Dark Lord of the Sith, Freedon Nadd himself. With the amulet Satal was able to understand the ancient writings with ease. Ommin then took the book and gave it to his assistant Novar for duplicating.

As Novar had the book transcribed, King Ommin showed the Tetan heirs his "most prized possession," a Jedi Master, hanging on the wall and bound by the King's Sith magic. Aleema gasped in horror as Ommin explained his plan to crush Master Arca under the power of the dark side, and raise him back up as a Dark Jedi. Ommin then leaned close to Arca, who was calling him; the Jedi Master was whispering something. Arca was trying to tell the King that his time was up, and that his Jedi Knights were here.



As if on cue the eight Jedi Knights rushed into Ommin's lair, destroying tens of Sith war droids in the process. In the midst of the skirmish, Cay Qel-Droma was attacked from a blind spot and lost his droid arm. But the Jedi pressed their way to Ommin and his Tetan visitors, who were completely surprised by the ambush. King Ommin proved to be a most formidable and unexpected adversary as he blasted both Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma with waves of dark side energy. He was about to blast Ulic again, but before he could, Ulic slashed through the King's body with his lightsaber. The King sank to the ground like an Arkanian jellyfish. In the midst of all the commotion, Satal and Aleema Keto managed to escape into the tunnels.

The Ketos retreated further into the depths of the castle, where they were met by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, who gave them a trove of Sith artifacts that included their book as well as two Sith swords that formerly belonged to Ommin. Nadd also told them that they were heirs to a great Sith destiny, and that wherever they went, Nadd would find them and begin their instruction in the ways of the dark side. He directed them to a passage leading to the surface, and the Ketos escaped the melee unscathed.

The Dark Lord then appeared by King Ommin's side. Ommin's life-support contraption had been destroyed, rendering him utterly helpless. The Jedi had also successfully rescued Master Arca, and upon seeing all this Nadd realized that the old King had failed him. Freedon Nadd withdrew his power from Ommin and reminded him that these Jedi did not belong to the dark side. Nadd soon corrected himself however, stating that perhaps one or two of them may fall to darkness. Arca Jeth then denounced Nadd's spirit as King Ommin passed into darkness, and congratulated Ulic on his victory. But Nadd laughed at Arca and told him that in reality the Jedi had lost that day, as he would soon realize.

Aftermath


"Ulic and Nomi Sunrider seem to be enjoying one another, Master Arca!" "Yes, Cay. Their laughter is welcome after all the grief this planet has borne."

- Cay Qel-Droma and Master Arca, concerning the peace on Onderon

As the Republic established martial law on Onderon, offworlders were evacuated to their home planets. The customs personnel were told to stop anyone trying to get dark side weaponry off of Onderon, but Satal and Aleema Keto blended in with the masses and slipped past their check-points.

The sarcophagi of Queen Amanoa, King Ommin and Freedon Nadd would later be transported to the far side of the Dxun moon, as was originally planned before the Naddist Uprising began. Arca Jeth had succeeded in cleansing Onderon, and the native people took to restoring civilization to their war-torn planet. With the threat of King Ommin finally removed, Oron Kira and Galia could rule Onderon from the throne of Iziz as King and Queen of Onderon peacefully.

The Jedi, after all their efforts, enjoyed a short season of respite on the planet, learning to ride Beast-Rider's mounts and such. But for Master Arca, there was little room for relaxation. He had not forgotten about the two young Tetan nobles whose curiosity for dark side things led them to King Ommin. There had been a political uprising in the Empress Teta system recently, and something was telling the Jedi Master that Sith magic had survived defeat on Onderon and made it's way to the Tetan worlds. As a result Master Arca accepted Jedi Watchmans responsibility of Empress Teta, and prepared his Jedi to face the dark side once again.

Legacy
Freedon Nadd's prophecy that one or two of the Jedi present would fall to the dark side indeed came to pass. Of the eight surviving Jedi Knights, two of them became aligned with the Sith. Ulic Qel-Droma would eventually defect and join Aleema and Satal's Sith-inspired Krath, and also become a Sith Lord. Oss Wilum would be seduced to the dark side by Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun, and become possessed by a dark side spirit trapped within Kun's stolen Sith holocron.

Behind the scenes
The Second Battle of Onderon first appeared in the issue Freedon Nadd Uprising 2: Initiates of the Sith of the Tales of the Jedi series of comics. The battle was conceived and written by author Tom Veitch, and was drawn by artist Tony Akins. Veitch used this battle as a prelude to the next Tales of the Jedi storyarc, Dark Lords of the Sith, where such characters as Aleema and Satal Keto would be explored in depth while playing integral parts to the story line. The battle also provides a backdrop for the Krath Holy Crusade, which was written as part of the larger Great Sith War. The battle was also recounted in the Tales of the Jedi audio drama, written by John Whitman and based on the original script by Tom Veitch.

In the original comic appearance of the Second Battle of Onderon, Nomi Sunrider is on Ossus when she is chosen to lead a team of Jedi in assisting Arca Jeth's Knights. She then arrives on Onderon with a team of Jedi Knights including Dace Diath, Shoaneb Culu, Kith Kark, and Qrrrl Toq. In the audio version however, Nomi first accompanies Thon to Coruscant, completely bypassing Ossus. It is here that she is chosen to lead not the Jedi, but the Republic Fleet in the battle for Onderon. Also, the other Jedi Knights that arrived on onderon in the comic with Nomi, were nowhere mentioned in the audio drama.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi (audio)
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Freedon Nadd Uprising
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 1: Masters and Students of the Force
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith (audio)

Notes and References
Zweite Schlacht von Onderon