Search for Captain Kael

"Captain Kael! Are you alright, sir?"

- Lt. Gavyn Sykes to Captain Kael

The search for Captain Kael was initiated during the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY. The resistance had joined forces with Borvo the Hutt, a smuggler operating out of the mountains and together they planned an offensive against the Trade Federation. One of their victories was an infiltration of a Trade Federation slave camp using a captured gunboat to free Naboo civilians. After the mission was over, Borvo supplied transports while Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes escorted the remaining civilians. As he reached the rendezvous, the rest of his squadron told him Captain Kael had been shot down, and Sykes raced off to find him. The Trade Federation wanted to find the missing pilot as well, but that was the least of Syke’s worries. Finding the captain would reveal a betrayal.

Prelude
After joining with the smuggler Borvo during the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY, Naboo's Bravo Squadron was able to launch an offensive against the Trade Federation Droid Army. After the squadron liberating captured civillians from the Trade Federation invaders, Borvo supplied transportsto pick up the civilians. After escorting a separate group, Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes was told his flight leader, Captain Kael had been shot down and then raced off to find him.

The search
"Lieutenant, I've found the captain's fighter. It, it doesn't look good."

- Lutin Hollis to Gavyn Sykes After approaching Kael's known position, Bravo Squadron split up to search for him. Lt. Sykes traveled in his Seraph-class urban landspeeder to look for him on the ground. Sykes was forced to destroy many Federation scouts which were also searching for Kael. Two Armored Assault Tanks blocked Syke's path on a bridge, but he destroyed them and continued on the path.

Mining Camp
"This base is programmed to defend itself. This is your final warning."

- The mine operator to Sykes

After passing the bridge, Sykes saw what he thought was Borvo's personal transport, but the ship flew off before he could get close. As Sykes moved on, he found a Plasma mining camp under attack by droid forces. He intervened, destroying the tanks.

During the skirmish, he went through the middle of the mining camp and passed under an energy field, which had a strange regenerative effect on his shields.

After the tanks were gone, he contacted the mine director and asked for information. The director told Sykes to back off; he was running a legal operation. When Sykes refused to comply with the director's warning, the remaining defenses opened fire on him and he was forced to destroy the camp administration building. Sykes had then no choice but to disable the rest of the camp, knocking out the turrets and the camp’s plasma miners. After he was finished, Lutin Hollis, one of his wingmen, contacted Sykes, saying he had discovered the captain's fighter. Sykes saw them on his sensors and raced off.

The Captain’s fighter
"Sykes. The Hutt be&hellip;trayed us.''" "And the rescued prisoners?" "''He'll use them&hellip;as slaves. Rescue them. Good luck. Ah."

- Captain Kael's last words to Sykes

The Trade Federation was still looking for Captain Kael, and Sykes had to fight through more Single Trooper Aerial Platforms. He also noticed droid bombers, and he had to shoot them down before they could find the captain. After the bombers were down, the rest of the forces retreated and Sykes could approach the captain. Kael was mortally wounded, and he used his final moments to warn his pilot about the Hutt’s betrayal. Sykes asked about the civilians the rescued; Kael replied Borvo the Hutt would sell them as slaves. With his last breath, he ordered Sykes to rescue them.

Aftermath
As the rest of Bravo Squadron arrived, an angry Sykes asked for his fighter. They were going after the Hutt, who was based on Porso Hill. Bravo Squadron would go on to avenge Kael's death and liberate the civilians again.

Behind the scenes
This search appears in the 2000 video game Star Wars: Battle for Naboo. Players assume the role of Sykes and pilots a Flash speeder as the mission's default craft. The betrayal of the mining camp happens during a cutscene and it is necessary to destroy the camp before proceeding.

Appearance

 * Star Wars: Battle for Naboo