Cha Niathal

"She's a very domineering fish."

- Nek Bwua'tu

Cha Niathal was a female Mon Calamari and senior Admiral of the Galactic Alliance Defense Force, serving as an advisor to Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon. After Pellaeon's resignation, Niathal assumed the post of Supreme Commander, and soon formed a political alliance with Colonel Solo. Throughout the Second Galactic Civil War, Niathal's influence grew, as did the unrest within the Galactic Alliance, to the point that she was instrumental in a coup against Chief of State Cal Omas.

After ousting Omas, Niathal declared herself joint-Chief of State, alongside Solo, however, relations soon cooled between the two, as Solo's fall to the dark side of the Force, coincided with his use of unethical tactics. Niathal formed a secret alliance with the Jedi High Council, who had defected from the Alliance due to Solo's actions, so as to undermine her colleague. Following the Second Battle of Fondor, Niathal openly opposed Solo, resulting in a division within the Alliance; Niathal became head of the Alliance-in-exile, while Jacen maintained power over the Galactic Alliance proper.

Admiral Niathal and her faction of the Alliance joined the Jedi Coalition and participated in the Second Battle of Roche alongside the fleet of Admiral Natasi Daala, however they were defeated; with Niathal missing in action. Following Niathal's disappearance and the end of the war, Daala replaced her as Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance.

Early Life
Born sometime before 4 ABY on the Mol Cal homeworld of Mon Calamari, Niathal was an old enough child during the later years of the Galactic Empire that she would later be able to recall memories of seeing images of Emperor Palpatine around Mon Calamari and seeing Darth Vader in parades on the HoloNet. However, Niathal had few other memories of life under the Empire.

At a later point in her life, Niathal enlisted in the New Republic Defense Force and actively fought against the Yuuzhan Vong during their invasion of the galaxy. Niathal continued to serve in the Galactic Alliance Defense Force, after the New Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Alliance, successfully ascending through the ranks; becoming a Fleet Admiral serving as an advisor to Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon.

Second Galactic Civil War (40 ABY–41 ABY)
In 40 ABY, as tensions began to increase between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia, due to the latter's demand to gain a certain amount of autonomy from the Alliance, Niathal was present at all of the meetings concerning Operation Roundabout, in the capacity of an advisor to Admiral Pellaeon. Niathal was also part of the group that decided to remove Matric Klauskin from his position as leader of the Second Fleet.

When Pellaeon resigned as Supreme Commander, Admiral Niathal ascended to the position, and nursed further ambitions to replace Cal Omas as Galactic Alliance Chief of State. Upon becoming Supreme Commander, Niathal found herself in a fledging alliance with the head of the newly formed Galactic Alliance Guard, and Jedi Knight, Jacen Solo. After the Battle of Hapes, she and Cal Omas requested that the Jedi High Council promote Solo to the rank of Jedi Master for his actions during the battle. However, Grand Master Luke Skywalker sensed that though Omas supported such an action, it was Niathal who was the true push behind the request. Despite this, the Council refused to promote the Admiral's ally.

Later, from the helm of the Galactic Voyager, Admiral Niathal commanded the Galactic Alliance forces aimed at ambushing the Confederation summit at Gilatter VIII. That skirmish resulted in a counter-ambush against Niathal's task force and a draw between the respective forces.

Chief of State
"What's happened overnight is no more constitutionally significant than that. I've merely exercised my responsibility as the Supreme Commander to deputize for the Chief of State, on the advice of the GA security services. As soon as the general security situation with the Confederation is resolved, and I expect that to be within the short term, I'll step down and we'll hold elections for the Chief's office."

- Admiral Niathal

Due to an agreement made between the two parties, Niathal and Jacen Solo formulated a plot to set up Cal Omas. When Omas was away on peace talks with Dur Gejjen, Niathal was appointed temporary Chief of State in his absence. After Jacen used a loophole in galactic law to change the laws at his whim, he had Omas arrested on the grounds of plotting with the enemy, and Niathal appointed him to be joint-Chief of State with her until a replacement Chief of State was elected.

Niathal would be one of the many dignitaries who was at the Funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker.

Later on, she would order Admirals Darklighter and Bwua'tu back to the core, just as Colonel Solo was engaging the Wookiees over Kashyyyk. Solo realized that Niathal was too good a tactician to overlook the opportunity to remove her rival, and take a fair amount of the enemy force out, in one fell swoop.

Following the Battle of Kashyyyk, Admiral Niathal sent her intelligence analyst General Tycho Celchu on a secret mission to locate the Jedi and relay a request for them to return to the service of the Galactic Alliance. Locating Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Order on Endor, Celchu relayed Admiral Niathal's request to Skywalker, but Skywalker refused the request on the grounds that it could leave the order at the mercy of Jacen Solo. However Skywalker reiterated his support for the Galactic Alliance. Skywalker stated that once Solo had been removed from power that the Jedi would return to the Galactic Alliance, and that the order still trusted Admiral Niathal.

To shore up his prestige Jacen Solo decided to retake Fondor. Niathal saw this as her chance to overthrow Solo, and secretly began communications with Luke Skywalker on the Alliance blockade of the world. During the battle, Niathal offered the Fondorians a chance to surrender, which they took; however, Solo continued the attack, determined to make an example of Fondor even though they had surrendered. Niathal, using her position of Supreme Commander, relieved him of command for disobeying the laws of war, and ordered the Alliance fleet to disobey him. However, two-thirds of the fleet remained loyal to Solo.

The remaining Alliance forces loyal to Darth Caedus were repelled from the system. Luke Skywalker negotiated with Niathal for her to use Fondor as her base of operations for her faction of the Galactic Alliance, forming a united front against Solo.

Niathal and her depleted fleet fought Nek Bwua'tu at the Second Battle of Roche alongside Daala but he was able to defeat them both.

After the war's end, Niathal was able to retire peacefully.

Personality
Admiral Niathal was a military career-woman, and totally dedicated to the preservation of the Galactic Alliance. She was also a master tactician, having shown her skill in battle during numerous Galactic conflicts. Niathal was also known for her cutting reprimands and icy disposition, but she was also rather sympathetic to those who fought alongside her, as displayed aboard Bounty. She would later show a sympathetic streak after speaking with Kral Nevil and thinking it would be terrible if his wife were to lose both her husband and son, and the loss of the crews of minelayers she betrayed to Skywalker, resulting in their deaths.

Appearances

 * Betrayal
 * Bloodlines
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Inferno
 * Fury
 * Revelation
 * Invincible
 * Outcast
 * Abyss

Notes and references
Cha Niathal Cha Niathal