Pythea

The Pythea was an exploratory ship owned by Panha and Sarkkin. In 25 BBY, the ship encountered a Yuuzhan Vong fleet bound for Artorias. The crew attempted to contact Artorias, but were too far away to reach it. Meanwhile, the fleet had sent ships to puncture the Pythea's hull and board it. The crew, however, had fought off the boarding party and realized the Yuuzhan Vong wanted to take them alive. The Pythea sacrificed itself by ramming into a Miid ro'ik cruiser to prevent the Yuuzhan Vong from experimenting upon the crew. The message to Artorias would, however, be wasted, as the one to recieve it, Dulac, was in actuality a Yuuzhan Vong spy.

History
In 25 BBY, the ship was on an exploratory mission when the crew recieved a transmission from Arbeloa warning them of the incoming Yuuzhan Vong fleet that had obliterated his homeworld. At the same time, their long-range scanners detected the oncoming fleet. The crew attempted to send a transmission to Artorias, the first inhabited planet in the fleet's trajectory, but they were too far away. Deciding it was more important to get closer and warn Artorias than it was to escape, the ship edged toward the fleet, even as as it sent several ships to intercept them. Before the Pythea could defend against them, Yorik-Vec ships penetrated the hull and warriors began to board the ship. The boarding party was killed by the crew and, realizing the Yuuzhan Vong wanted to take them alive rather than kill them, the Pythea rammed into a Miid ro'ik cruiser to prevent that from happening, destroying both the cruiser and the Pythea, as well as several Yorik-Vecs nearby. The Pythea's sacrifice became one of the first strikes against the Yuuzhan Vong. The warning to Artorias, however, would be wasted, as the only individual to recieve the message was in reality a Yuuzhan Vong spy. which would set the stage for the Battle of Artorias, in which thousands of civilians were killed or enslaved by the Yuuzhan Vong.

Behind the scenes
The Pythea was created for Star Wars: Invasion: Refugees, a comic series published by Dark Horse Comics.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Invasion 0, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Invasion 0, Part 2

Notes and references
Pythea