Battle of Kashyyyk (Second Galactic Civil War)

"No one else can do this. No one else is willing to make the necessary sacrifices."

- Darth Caedus, formerly Jacen Solo

The Battle of Kashyyyk took place in 40 ABY during the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War and, on the orders of Chief of State Jacen Solo, saw the attempted subjugation and punishment of a member-world by the Galactic Alliance. It resulted not only in the withdrawal of the Hapes Consortium from the Galactic Alliance, but also the beginning of the New Jedi Order's military campaign to remove Solo from office. Militarily, on the other hand, Solo achieved his objectives; diverting the Confederation fleet away from its push towards Coruscant by forcing it to aid the Wookiees.

During the battle, Confederation forces encircled the Galactic Alliance Fifth Fleet, aided by Wookiee forces and a Jedi strike team. In the latter stages of the battle, the Hapan fleet under Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo arrived to ensure Jacen's defeat. However, the rogue Dark Jedi Alema Rar arrived from the Sith world of Korriban to aid Solo, known only to himself as Darth Caedus, and, with the use of her ancient Sith Meditation Sphere was able to influence the Bothan fleet into allowing Jacen a chance to escape.

Prelude
When Darth Caedus learned from Ben Skywalker of the Jedi's plot to remove him from his office of Chief of State, coupled with their en masse desertion at the Battle of Kuat, he decided both to wage a personal war against the Jedi and eliminate them as a threat, as well as divert the Confederation fleet from its drive on Coruscant. The Wookiee fleet, until that point uncertain as to whether or not to lend its considerable might to the Galactic Alliance war machine, remained in orbit around Kashyyyk while its leaders debated.

Caedus intended to force the Wookiees to surrender the Jedi, though he knew full well that the proud species would refuse to do so, and thus he could make an example of the world. While his Galactic Alliance Guard contingent under Salle Serpa murdered Jedi Masters at Ossus, Caedus reverted from hyperspace over the Wookiee homeworld with the entirety of the Fifth Fleet. He led the fleet in his personal Star Destroyer, the Anakin Solo.

Ultimatum
"That's what I like about you Wookiees. You never hide where you stand."

- Darth Caedus

With the Fifth arrayed behind the Anakin Solo, Caedus observed the Wookiee fleet attempting to remove itself from its tenders, while a lone squadron of Owool Interceptors approached his forces. The Wookiee pilots threatened to open fire on the Galactic Alliance unless they explained their presence. Fully aware that the proud race would refuse to comply, Caedus ordered Kashyyyk's leaders to relinquish Han and Leia Solo, enemies of his government. When the Wookiees responded by claiming that neither of the two were on the planet, Caedus ordered the Anakin Solo and the Fifth Fleet to punish the traitors by firing their long-range turbolasers at Kashyyyk's wroshyrs and hopefully igniting a planet-wide conflagration. The Fifth fleet, under Admiral Atoko, did not fire on Kashyyyk, ordered as they were to defend the Anakin Solo. As the long-range turbolaser blasts of Caedus' Star Destroyer set the planet's forests ablaze, Caedus ordered his gunners to target cities as well, and the Owools began their run on the capital ship.

With the Wookiee Jedi Lowbacca leading the squadron,the Owool interceptors were able to ride the stripe of the turbolaser blasts and thus conceal themselves from the Anakin Solo's sensors. Caedus did not realize what he faced until it was too late; by the time Commander Twizzl had ordered a ship-wide alert, the Jedi was fast approaching the bridge. Although the Star Destroyer's defenses were able to eliminate the majority of the squadron, Lowbacca launched a shadow bomb at the bridge, wiping out the command crew, at the same time as Ben Skywalker, poised to strike Caedus down, attempted to kill his cousin.

Jedi raid
"We're going after your brother."

- Luke Skywalker to Jaina Solo

Although Ben's assassination attempt failed, it encouraged Caedus to attempt to break his cousin and turn him into his Sith apprentice. While Caedus tortured Ben in a Yuuzhan Vong device, the Embrace of Pain, Han and Leia Organa Solo left the burning city of Rwookrrorro for Hapes, in an attempt to enlist the support of Caedus' lover, Queen Tenel Ka. At the same time on Kashyyyk Grand Master Luke Skywalker began to ready much of the Jedi Order for their assault against the Galactic Alliance forces, in a wing of StealthXs. Skywalker led the Night Blades squadron on a raid on the Anakin Solo, hoping to eliminate Jacen personally and destroy the long-range batteries firing on the Wookiee homeworld. The Wookiee fleet was still organizing itself on Kashyyyk's far side, and therefore the Jedi were the planet's only defenders.

As Skywalker led his wing of StealthXs against the Fifth, the Bothan fleet reverted from hyperspace and engaged the Galactic Alliance forces. Traveling from the engagement at Kuat, the Bothans were battle-damaged but numerically strong, led by Admirals Babo, For'o, and the famed Traest Kre'fey. However, whilst the Jedi felt that the arrival of such a large Confederation force masked their approach, they were proved wrong as the Fifth's Star Destroyers opened fire. Not only had Caedus expected their assault, but he had felt sure enough to fly out in his own StealthX to shoot down Skywalker and his sister, Jaina Solo. The Jedi suffered many casualties as they engaged the Fifth fleet, but Luke managed to fake his own death and land upon the Anakin Solo, disabling the long-range turbolasers and engaged his nephew in a fierce duel.

The encircled Fifth
"There are over seventy thousand beings in the Fifth. We can't just order them to their deaths."

- Admiral Atoko

While the Jedi were assaulting the Galactic Alliance fleet, the Corellian contingent of the Confederation fleet arrived to help the Wookiees, along with the remnants of the Commenorian and Hutt fleets. The Fifth fleet was rapidly surrounded and battered by the now overwhelming might of its enemies. Caedus, expecting Admirals Bwua'tu and Darklighter to bring their fleets to help them, was shocked to discover his co-Chief of State Cha Niathal had ordered them to stay in the Core. During his stay in the infirmary undergoing extensive medical treatment following his confrontation with Luke Skywalker, Caedus had been unable to countermand Admiral Atoko's order to scuttle and abandon the fleet.

Now, Caedus ordered his Admiral to break free of the forces surrounding them and make for the Bothan fleet. Atoko warned him that the crewers would probably desert if they were ordered to continue fighting, though the Admiral was dissuaded by Caedus who reminded him that the Wookiees accepting the surrender would doubtlessly exact revenge for their burning planet. Caedus ordered the fleet to regroup around the Anakin Solo and make for a widening gap among the Corellian forces as the Confederation fleet prepared for new arrivals.



Unexpected developments
Queen Tenel Ka, so utterly appalled at her lover's actions, arrived with the Hapan fleet in front of the Fifth fleet and, in personal contact with Caedus, asked for his surrender. When Caedus refused, the Hapans under the Queen's father Isolder opened fire on the Anakin Solo. Although it was a foolhardy tactic, Caedus still attempted to force the Fifth fleet through the gap between the Bothans and the Hapans, compelled by some nagging urge in the Force he could not interpret. Admiral Atoko asked once again to scuttle the fleet, as it only had minutes remaining in the concentrated fire.

The Dark Jedi Alema Rar, in her Sith Meditation Sphere, arrived and, through the power of the ancient ship, subverted the will of the Bothan commanders in her attempt to ensure Jacen's survival. As Caedus led his forces towards the Bothans in an obviously pointless tactic, Babo and the other commanders grew sure that it was a trap, and moved forward to engage the remnants of the Fifth to foil Caedus' supposed plan. Thus a gaping hole in the blockade was suddenly opened. Caedus led his forces to safety and jumped to hyperspace.

Aftermath
"We won't interfere with each other's operations, and we won't have to expend resources watching each other-resources that might be better deployed against Jacen."

- Leia Organa Solo during the talks which followed the battle.

Aboard the Dragon Queen the Bothans apologized for their error of judgment and attempted to enlist the permanent support of the Hapes Consortium, Kashyyyk and the Jedi in the Confederation's struggle. Tenel Ka, for her part, announced that she fought Jacen, not the Galactic Alliance, and that she did not condone the actions of the Confederation. Tojjelnoot, the Wookiee official, thanked the Bothan admirals but reminded them that Kashyyyk did not support the Confederation either, and deferred to Master Skywalker. Skywalker claimed that the Jedi's fight was against Jacen alone, and it was Han Solo who presented the idea of a neutrality between the Confederation and the combined Wookiee, Hapan and Jedi forces. Therefore whilst the two different factions did not join forces against the Galactic Alliance, they departed the meeting with an agreement not to interfere in each other's affairs.

The Jedi Order under Master Skywalker relocated clandestinely to the old Imperial outpost on the forest moon of Endor, and there planned the next offensive against Jacen, who in turn acted towards removing Tenel Ka from power and regaining the Consortium's fleet, which had until Kashyyyk comprised a fifth of the Galactic Alliance's military.

Appearances

 * Inferno
 * Fury