Mission to Radnor

"Neighbor turned on neighbor when the disaster occurred ... This could have been an opportunity for generosity and sacrifice. Cowardice and violence erupted instead. This city was destroyed by greed and fear, not by a toxin."

- Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on the true causes of Aubendo's destruction.

The Mission to Radnor took place in 27 BBY. Following an accidental leak of deadly toxins into the atmosphere of the planet Radnor, the Jedi Council (at the request of the Galactic Senate), sent four Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Siri Tachi, Soara Antana, Ry-Gaul, and their Padawans (Anakin Skywalker, Ferus Olin, Darra Thel-Tanis, and Tru Veld, respectively) to aid in the evacuation of the surviving populace from the Twin Cities, Aubendo and Tacto.

Arrival on Radnor
"Hard to imagine, isn't it," Tru said ... "When you look down at a planet, I mean." "What?" Anakin asked. "Suffering," Tru said. "Everything seems peaceful from orbit. Then you get down there, in the middle of things, and everything changes." "How many missions have you been on?" Anakin asked. "Enough," Tru said softly. "Enough to have seen what I've seen. Enough to know I will see more..."

- Padawans Tru Veld and Anakin Skywalker above Radnor as their Galactic Senate-sponsored vessel slides into orbit around the planet.

Once landing on Radnor, the group of Jedi met with a Radnoran named Galen, a scientist who was put in charge of the evacuation effort after the government officials and most of the security personnel panicked and fled the planet. One of the many problems Galen introduced the Jedi to was the looting. A band of raiders had managed to steal a small army of prototype battle droids from a research laboratory, and used it as cover while they continued to loot abandoned businesses, residences, and shops. As Galen led the Jedi to the Isolation Sector, they witnessed the raiders terrorizing a Radnoran family.

The Jedi quickly stepped in and engaged the looters and their droids in battle. Siri ordered the Padawans to protect the family while the Masters dealt with the battle droids. All of the Padawans, except for Anakin, obeyed her command. Anakin, who felt that the other Padawans could handle the situation without him, decided to assist the Masters in eliminating the droids. Once the raiders began to fall back, he returned to the other Padawans and helped them deflect blaster fire aimed at the Radnoran family. As the Padawans fought off the onslaught, Anakin let his minor jealousy of Ferus get to him, and the two began to get in each other’s way, on each other's nerves, and to set each other off balance. Though the looters managed to escape, the attacking droids were soon defeated.

The Isolation Sector
"Thank the stars ... I am Curi ... I'm in charge of the rescue operation here, such as it is ... We are fighting a battle we cannot win ... Everyone in this sector is dead or dying. Only those who came in from the Clear Sector with bio-iso suits are healthy ... It was clear very quickly that we were dealing with something that moved very fast ... I knew we were running out of time to help the sick. We didn't realize that the sick would turn into the dying." "It doesn't seem that you have the same problems that the Clear Sector does," Obi-Wan observed. "There's no sign of panic or rioting." Curi nodded tiredly. "There was no time for panic. The dying cannot riot."

- Curi, to Obi-Wan Kenobi and the other Jedi Masters at Aubendo.

As Galen took the family in a transport for evacuation, he gave the Jedi directions to the Isolation Sector and the four remaining "bio-iso" (biological isolation) suits in his possession, as well as medication to deliver. The Masters decided to take the suits and enter the sector to dispense the medication and investigate, while the Padawans stayed behind to tend to the needy and the wounded, maintain order and calm, and prevent rioting and violence.

Upon entering to the Isolation Sector, the Masters met with Galen’s sister, Curi, who was caring for the dying survivors of Aubendo. Curi informed the Jedi that it was her and her brother’s fault for the catastrophe, as they were the ones who owned the bio-weapons lab that accidentally leaked the toxin into the air. She also told them that now that they had entered the Isolation Sector, it would be too much of a risk to reenter the Clear Sector. The Jedi were surprised that Galen would have forgotten to tell them such an important piece of information. Obi-Wan soon contacted Anakin and the Padawans to tell them of their newly changed situation.

Infiltration
"Hold on a second," Tru said. "These are Battle Droids. Most likely they undergo an automatic memory wipe if they are captured or deactivated." "There isn't a memory wipe that I can't get around," Anakin said confidently. "The homing device is coded into the main sensor suite. I can find it. If we revive a droid, it will lead us straight to the [raiders'] headquarters."

- The four Jedi Padawans discuss strategy for infiltration into the raiders' hideout.

The Padawans, now cut off from their Masters for the duration of the mission, were assigned to keep the Clear Sector firmly under control, without bloodshed, through the setting up of safety patrols. Under the advice of Anakin, they decided to find the raiders that were continuing to terrorize other defenseless Radnorans. To find them, Anakin (with the help of Tru), managed to get around the mind wipe of one of the battle droids they had faced earlier. then followed it back to the raider’s hideout. Though they managed to find the raiders, what the Padawans did not expect was that the droid they reactivated gave off an intruder signal, which informed the raiders of their presence. The Jedi faced off with more battle droids once again and, by the time they took them out, the raiders were gone again.

The Padawans decided to rethink their strategy, though Anakin and Ferus shared different opinions on what the best plan of action was. Ferus felt that gathering more information for the good of the planet was best, while Anakin felt that capturing the raiders was more important. Ferus pointed out that Anakin only wanted to impress Obi-Wan by showing him he was capable of handling a complicated mission. Anakin was even more angered with Ferus because he knew Ferus was right.

While Anakin kept to himself, Ferus, Darra, and Tru searched the hideout until Darra found a stash of files detailing the evacuation process. The holographic files were also coded "ECC" for Radnor’s emergency command center. By studying which areas of Tacto would be evacuated first, the raiders had a well-planned strategy. Clearly, someone on the evacuation team was tipping the raiders off, either with bribes or for more sinister reasons.

The Avoni Fleet
"Avon grieves at the tragic accident that has befallen our neighbor ... We heard that there might not be enough room on the evacuation ships for everyone here." "That is a rumor," Obi-Wan said. "It is false." "So you say. In case of some failure, Avon wishes to send an entire fleet to Radnor to airlift more sick off-planet. We took the liberty of sending the fleet already."

- Dol Heep extends Avoni "aid" to Radnor and the Jedi.

The Masters split up into pairs and patrolled Aubendo. As Obi-Wan and Siri were making their rounds among the dead and dying, Curi met up with them and introduced them to Dol Heep, an ambassador from the nearby planet of Avon who was stranded on Radnor due to the plague. Heep sympathized with the Radnorans and informed the Jedi that his planet was sending a fleet to transport any of Radnor’s survivors safely offworld, despite the fact that the Galactic Senate was already sending transports of their own.

After Dol Heep left, Obi-Wan and Siri discussed their doubts of his offer. After speaking with Curi, who informed them of Radnor’s general distrust of the Avoni, the Jedi suspected that Avon intended to use their fleet for a temporary occupation instead of rescue.

Questioning Galen
"I'm afraid we have reason to believe that the raiders have information about the evacuation," Ferus [said]. "We believe they are planning to plunder the homes of those who are leaving the planet." Galen looked at them sharply. "Are you sure about this?" At Ferus's nod, he shook his head. "Still, at least they will have their lives."

- Ferus Olin and his Padawan companions question Galen.

After discovering the files from the raiders’ hideout, the Padawans arrived at the emergency command center to question Galen. Ferus suggested, so as to not intimidate or corner Galen, that only one of them question him. The others voted to send Ferus as the questioner, as he among the Padawans had the most experience of any of them (though Anakin was reluctant to agree).

Ferus, who kept a polite tone, asked Galen about the possibilities of someone getting a hold of the important evacuation information. Galen, who dismissed the Padawans patronizingly, as if they were helpless little children, said that it wasn’t important to stop the raiders, and that their top priority was to keep the remaining survivors alive. Their discussion was interrupted by a transmission from the Senate transports: apparently they were being delayed by engine troubles. Galen was clearly more stressed than he had already been. Judging from reports provided, the wind currents would soon bring the toxic clouds of Aubendo to the Clear Sector. Time was running out.

The Immune Radnoran
"We must take Dol Heep's offer seriously," Siri said worriedly. "Lives are at stake." "The prevailing winds will shift in twelve hours," Obi-Wan said. "We have to make a decision ..."

- Siri Tachi, Obi-Wan and the other Jedi Masters consider Heep's offer after word reaches them of the Senate evacuation ship delays.

After Obi-Wan and Siri regrouped with Soara Antana and Ry Gaul, Curi informed them of the Senate’s transmission. The Jedi thought about reconsidering Dol Heep’s offer, but before they could discuss the matter further, Soara and Ry-Gaul announced a discovery they'd made. While they were on patrol, the two Masters encountered in the Isolation Sector a Radnoran named Wilk without a bio-iso suit, who was apparently immune to the effects of the toxins. Curi immediately requested an analysis of the Radnoran and excused herself from the Jedi.

The Masters soon encountered again Dol Heep, who was still awaiting the Jedi’s decision on whether or not to accept Avon’s fleet. With the Senate transports delayed and time running out, the Jedi reluctantly accepted Heep’s offer, informing their Padawans to expect the imminent arrival of Avoni transports.

Communications disruption
"Tru shook his head ... "I like Ferus. You would, too, if you gave him a chance. He has plenty of friends for a reason." "Ferus doesn't have friends. He has followers," Anakin said."

- Tru Veld and Anakin Skywalker, on Ferus Olin.

The Padawans barely had time to hear their Masters' brief message before the comlinks cut off. They concentrated next on the breakup of a riot in front of the last store selling bio-isolation suits, after which Anakin and Tru attempted to restore the communication signal while Ferus and Darra headed off to further investigate how the raiders obtained their battle droids.

Anakin and Tru returned to the command center to get permission from Galen before attempting to access the central communications power source. Galen granted them access to the power source, but it was only shortly after they began their examination that Anakin and Tru became puzzled about something: the communications should not have been disrupted because of the toxic particles in the planet's atmosphere; they had to have been jammed by something external, emanating from space. In light of this, as well as the recent information they'd gathered, the Padawans immediately realized that the Avoni fleet was preparing for invasion.

Back in the Isolation Sector, Curi informed the Masters that her and her scientists had not been able to discover what had caused Wilk’s immunity. Curi also was investigating more into the cause of the plague and was beginning to believe that the supposed accidental release of toxins was not an accident after all. Before they could discuss it further, they got reports of the Avoni ships landing. Obi-Wan and Siri took an airspeeder to the landing site on the outskirts of Aubendo. Keeping themselves hidden, Obi-Wan and Siri saw Avoni officers unloading skiffs containing durasteel crates. Upon further investigation, the two Jedi came across a group of all-too-familiar battle droids, the same caliber as those they faced when they encountered the raiders in the Clear Sector. It wasn’t long before the Jedi were detected and forced to defend themselves. After a quick battle, Obi-Wan and Siri escaped to regroup with Soara, Ry-Gaul, and Curi.

Curi informed them that she'd at last discovered what had caused Wilk’s immunity&mdash;he hadn't been infected at all. Apparently the weapons toxin had a short half-life and was now benign. To prove her hypothesis, she courageously took off her bio-iso suit (while suggesting the Jedi continue to keep theirs on, in the event she started showing symptoms).

Now that the threat of the bioplague was possibly over, the Masters directed their attention to the Avoni. As they discussed this new threat, Curi informed them of news she'd felt compelled to hold back from them: she already had known Dol Heep through her business activities prior to the release of the toxins. Somehow Heep had learned of Radnor’s use of the toxin in the development of its bio-weapons, and the Avoni demanded "exclusive rights" to it, offering Galen and Curi a fortune for it. While Curi was firmly against such a deal, Galen wanted to embrace it, claiming that anyone in the galaxy, including the Avoni, were equal customers. The two siblings had argued heatedly over what to do until Galen ostensibly decided to accept Curi’s position on the matter. Dol Heep was furious.

But now Curi began to wonder how Galen, one of the top scientists in the toxin's development, did not know of its short half-life. Obi-Wan suggested to her that Galen, in fact, did know.

Ruuin
"This isn't a bravery contest, Anakin. Think like a Jedi." "Don't give me orders!" Anakin shot back hotly. "Our first duty is to the citizens of Radnor!" Ferus snapped. Darra stepped in between them. "Okay, ferrocrete heads, let's calm down. We're supposed to work together, remember? Time is running out for the citizens of this planet. Let's focus on that." "It's him!" Anakin and Ferus exclaimed together. Darra's lips quirked. "Ah. At last you agree on something."

- Darra Thel-Tanis steps in to bring calm to the contesting wills and non-stop rivalry between fellow Padawans Ferus Olin and Anakin Skywalker.

When the Padawans regrouped, Ferus and Darra reported that they'd discovered that the battle droids were from a factory owned by Galen and Curi. Though they didn’t point fingers at anyone specifically, they figured someone in their midst was involved. Anakin decided that it would be best for them to go to the Isolation Sector and inform their Masters of what they had learned, in case Curi was involved and dangerous. Ferus was against the idea, claiming that it would go against their original orders to stay in the Clear Sector, trusting their Masters' abilities to contain the situation and take care of themselves. The two Padawans quarreled until Darra and Tru intervened. Tru felt that both of them were right and suggested that they allow the Avoni to proceed until the Radnorans were evacuated, and only then do what they might to prevent their invasion.

To make sure the evacuations went smoothly, the Padawans split into pairs again and headed for the evacuation points. Anakin and Tru discussed the possibility of a connection between the raiders and the Avoni; having convinced themselves, they decided to return to the raiders' hideout. Upon arriving, the two Padawans encountered a Radnoran named Ruuin, whom they caught red-handed, loading stolen goods for transport. They convinced him to reveal who he was working for―someone named Nonce. Ruuin claimed that it was Nonce who obtained the evacuation files. He also revealed that the raiders had dealings with the Avoni.

Attack on the Jedi
"[Obi-Wan] didn't want Siri to think he didn't trust Anakin. How could she understand? Her Padawan was Ferus [Olin], who Obi-Wan knew as an assured, steady Jedi student. No one understood his brilliant, openhearted, complex Padawan like he did.... "You look relieved," Siri said [after the crisis was diffused], giving him a quick glance as she piloted the speeder. "I am, too." "You didn't seem very worried." "When do I ever seem worried?" Siri said with a short laugh. "I just hide things better than you do, that's all. Sometimes I wonder if you expect me to have any feelings at all, Obi-Wan...."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi exudes concern for his Padawan, admiring Siri Tachi's seeming "cool confidence" in her own.

After further tests confirmed that the plague was no longer a threat, the Masters were allowed do take off their bio-isolation suits. They then decided to depart Aubendo and head back to the Clear Sector to stop the evacuations, knowing that those evacuations would only clear the way and help the Avoni in their takeover. Taking two speeders, the Masters paired up and headed for Tacto. On their way they encountered a smaller version of what seemed to be a Trade Federation MTT (Multi Troop Transport) moving towards Tacto. Obi-Wan, who was familiar with the MTTs that the Federation used in the Battle of Naboo, knew that the transport could carry a large number of battle droids. But suddenly, the Jedi realized that the MTT had shifted its trajectory and was actually heading for them (Dol Heep had planted tracking devices in the Jedi's airspeeders). The MTT chased them into the nearby canyons, where it cornered them after injuring Soara Antana. It then unloaded its battalion of battle droids.

Connections revealed
"I'm sorry, Galen," Anakin said. "We now have proof. Those are the coordinates of an Avoni landing site. You are to be airlifted off-planet ... I think you cut a special deal with the invaders. You and your conspirators would have had new lives on Avon—thanks to your betrayal of your planet." A small, shocked voice came from behind them. "No ... It can't be true. Galen? Is it true?"

- Anakin Skywalker exposes Galen as the toxic disaster's mastermind, in tragic earshot of his sister Curi.

After leaving Ruuin in the custody of nearby security officer (one of the few still left on the planet), Anakin and Tru regrouped with Ferus and Darra. Anakin suggested that they confront Galen now that his droids had unquestionable ties to the raiders and to the Avoni. When they found him, Galen was preparing to leave in his airspeeder. The Padawans' quick thinking stopped him, however, and they discovered that the files in his datapad matched those of Ruuin’s datapad: both disclosed the coordinates of an Avoni landing site, at which Galen was in a rush to rendezvous. There was now proof that he was involved in the Avoni’s plans of invasion. Overhearing this, Curi, who had just arrived from the Isolation Sector, was deeply distressed upon learning of her brother’s betrayal. She informed the Padawans that the plague was no longer a threat and that the Avoni, she'd only just discovered, were pinning down their Masters in the canyons. Using the Force, Anakin felt that they could trust her; the other Padawans, surprised at Anakin's depth of contact with the Force, quickly agreed, and all rushed off to rescue their Masters.

Perilous Rescue
"Trust yourself. Breathe in your instinct. Then act" ... Anakin closed his eyes for a moment ... "Didn't you say that the ship is also a weapon?" Ferus asked. The four Padawans looked at one another. "Of course," Anakin said. "If we control the ship, we control the battle..."

- Anakin Skywalker exposes Galen as the toxic disaster's mastermind, in tragic earshot of his sister Curi.

Arriving in the canyons, Anakin also recognized the transports that were similar to, but somewhat smaller than, MTTs. Judging by how many droids they were up against, the Padawans decided that stealth was the best course of action. Anakin and Tru, who knew the most about the technical schematics of that type of transport, attempted to hijack it while Ferus and Darra sought out the Masters to advise them not to attack the Padawan-bearing MTT.

Upon reaching their Masters, Ferus and Darra informed them of Anakin and Tru’s plan. Together, the six of them faced off the onslaught of battle droids as they battled their way back towards the MTT. Retracing their steps, they realized that the path they had initially taken was now blocked by a rock-slide. It wasn't long, however, before the Padawan-controlled MTT bashed its way through the sheer rock. And after all the Jedi were safely onboard, Anakin and Tru commandeered the MTT to finish off the remaining droids. The Jedi team then headed back to Aubendo and the Isolation Sector.

Conclusion
"And [the Avoni] paid you money for this," Curi said bitterly. "They paid you a small fortune to betray me and yourself and your planet."

- Curi, holding him at gunpoint, accuses her brother Galen of ultimate corruption and betrayal.

Upon returning to Aubendo and confronting Dol Heep, the Avoni ambassador denied that his planet had anything to do with an invasion. Claiming also that the sabotaging of Radnor was not their doing, Heep had the Avoni restore communications, whereupon the fleet left. The Jedi knew that there was nothing they could do about such blatant and criminal duplicity. Even if they did take Heep into custody, the Avoni wouldn’t pay for their crimes for years, unfortunately, due to the typical but never-ending debates that the scandalous affair would cause within the Senate. However, the Jedi did manage to place Galen into custody. Arriving at the prison where Galen was being held, the Jedi found him with Curi. A guard informed them that she'd held a blaster to his head for nearly two hours out of rage.

Aftermath
"I won’t be surprised if we are called here again someday."

- Ry-Gaul

As the Jedi left Radnor, the Radnorans were beginning to rebuild, even as they mourned their dead. Fending for themselves, the citizens of Tacto and the Clear Sector did nothing to help those in Aubendo and the Isolation Sector. In some ways the situation on Radnor was now worse than when the Jedi first arrived. Even so, it was not the Jedi’s mission to rebuild Radnor.

Appearances

 * Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice