Second Battle of Onderon

"First, we must go to Coruscant, to speak with the senators of the Republic. I think you will need their help, for the enemy you faced today, is nothing compared to the dark-side power that awaits us on Onderon!"

- Master Thon to Nomi Sunrider about the troubles on Onderon

The Second Battle of Onderon took place during the Freedon Nadd Uprising, being the second battle of that specific cocnflict, in the year 3,998 BBY. The offensive was proposed by the Tchuukthai Jedi Master Thon, who attended the Galactic Senate's Ministry of Defense hearing called to discuss the growing Onderonian threat. The battle commenced just as Tetan aristocrats Satal and Aleema Keto arrived on Onderon with the intentions of deciphering an ancient Sith tome.

Prelude
"Order, order!! This meeting of the Defense Committee will come to order! Thank you. Now, you're all aware of the trouble on the planet Onderon. But I'm afraid it's much worse than we suspected."

- Netus, Galactic Republic Minister of Defense

Meeting of the Defense Committee
"Today, I send this Jedi, this brave young woman to fight...(Nomi pauses) a battle. A battle that may mean the end of the Republic itself. The jedi fight for you. the Jedi die for you. What will you, in turn, do for the Jedi?"

- Master Thon, speaking via Nomi Sunrider's translation



After sending his charge Padawan Oss Wilum to assist Master Arca and his apprentices with the uprising on Onderon, Master Thon felt it was time to also seek Republic intervention. Travelling to the Galactic capital world of Coruscant with his new protege Nomi Sunrider, she and Master Thon attended an already-in-progress session of the Galactic Senate's Defense Ministry. Upon listening to a garbled distress message sent to Coruscant by Ulic Qel-Droma, the Ministers of the committee engaged in a heated debate over whether to send aid to Onderon. It was at this time Master Thon and his apprentice Nomi entered the Grand Convocation Chamber. Finding it hard to communicate in Galactic Basic, Thon addressed the Senate, speaking in his native Tchuukthese which Nomi Sunrider translated his words into Basic for the assembly. The Tchuukthai Jedi implored the Senate to come to the Jedi's aid, reminding them that the Jedi have aided the Republic for generations. One senator argued that the dark side followers of Freedon Nadd had overtaken Onderon, and fighting such a foe was the Jedi's expertise. Thon reminded the assembly that once the dark side subdued Onderon, it would sweep across the galaxy indiscriminately. The Jedi Master also had a surprise in store for Nomi. Through her translating, Nomi Sunrider found out that Master Thon was also sending her on her first real mission, to join her fellow Jedi on Onderon. Taken aback and even hesitant at first, Nomi surpressed her fears and accepted her Master's assignment. With the Republic swayed by Thon's rousing pleas, Jedi General Nomi Sunrider was chosen to lead a contingent of Republic forces against the followers of Freedon Nadd immediately.

Dark side awakening


Simultaneously, two young nobles from the Empress Teta system were also on Coruscant. Satal Keto, and his cousin Aleema, the heirs to the Tetan monarchy, were on a vacation of sorts to the Galactic capital. Arriving on the capital world in their royal yacht, the Krath Enchanter, the Ketos started their trip by visiting Coruscant's Galactic Museum. While browsing, they were greeted by the museum curator who was pleased to show the youngsters around. But the Ketos had their own adgenda, as the curator would soon learn. In truth, they had come to Coruscant in search of knowledge of the ancient Sith, and more specifically, for any pertinent knowledge of the dark side. They were in luck, for the museum was nearly finished with a new dark-side based exhibit, appropriately titled "Dark Lords of the Sith". The Ketos begged to be allowed to explore the incomplete exhibit, but the curator was hesitant due to explicit instructions from the Jedi Order that the hall be off limits until a sufficient security detail was in place. The Ketos continued to beg, and finally the curator relented. Much to their delight, the hall dedicated to the Sith was filled with ancient and priceless artifacts, books, tomes and amulets, all radiating with dark side power that apparently only Satal and Aleema could feel. They quickly stole one of the books and fled back to their lodging quarters. Unable to read the book and dejected by that fact, the Keto's hope was renewed when they heard a news report about dark side adepts on Onderon who practiced ancient Sith magic. They knew that Onderon was where the secrets of the book had any chance of being revealed to them, and they immediately left Coruscant on a course for Onderon.

Trouble in Iziz


Back on Onderon, the Jedi and Beast Riders were engaged in fierce combat with the Naddists in the capital city of Iziz. Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma had defeated the powerful Dark Jedi Warb Null in combat, but their duel was all a ruse by Null's Master, King Ommin. The real prize was Master Arca Jeth, whom the evil King Ommin captured while Ulic and Warb Null dueled. Under the guidance of Dark Lord Freedon Nadd's Sith spirit, Ommin was instructed to take Arca further into the catacombs, while Qel-Droma finished with Warb Null. Ommin noted that Warb Null was unlikely to survive the contest, to which Nadd replied that it was an acceptable loss, since it was part of his master plan. Nadd also commented that Ulic Qel-Droma's growing Force powers were a factor in his future plans, as well. With that, they retreated into the tunnels and began subjecting Master Arca to the dark side of the Force.

With Warb Null dead, Ulic and Queen Galia escaped the tunnels, only to find battle fully underway above the ground. They met up with Tott Doneeta, who ferried Galia away to the Nebulon Ranger while Ulic went to meet up with his brother Cay, and the Beast-Lord Oron Kira. Kira, the Beast Riders, and the remaining Jedi had been held up for two days fighting the Naddists. They were losing ground, and Kira was prepared to retreat just as Ulic arrived. He told Kira that Queen Galia was safe, and that he sent a distress call to the Republic, though he was unsure if it was received. Determined to save Master Arca from the clutches of King Ommin, but surrounded by Naddists on all sides, the Qel-Droma boys and the armies of Oron Kira were left with only one option: hopefully survive long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Republic relief


"All wings, this is Nomi Sunrider onboard the Republic flagship Aliance 1. We have acheived low orbit over Onderon. Status report!"

- Jedi General Nomi Sunrider

As Nomi and the Republic Fleet entered Onderonian space, they began to stage their orbital attack run while preparing to deploy ground forces and a contingent of air-to-ground troops as well. The generals were finalizing their battle plans when an unidentified civilian craft recognized as being of Tetan origin exited hyperspace right in the middle of the Republic Navy's bombardment. Despite warnings to steer clear, the civilians craft ignored the Navy's warnings and continued straight for the planet. As Republic rocket-jumpers began their air-to-ground assault over Iziz, Satal Keto and his cousin Aleema's vessel was caught in the crossfire and crashed to the ground. The Ketos were able to escape with their lives, though their ship was wrecked, and managed to seek out real practitioners of the dark side. These darksiders eventually brought them before Onderon's ruler, the Sith sorcerer King Ommin.

Jedi offensive
"Take cover! There's a dark side assault shuttle strafing the city!" "No! Look! That ship's from the Republic! Reinforcements have arrived!"

- Cay and Ulic Qel-Droma



Meanwhile, a team of Jedi Knights including Dace Diath, Qrrrl Toq, Shoaneb Culu, and Kith Kark, arrived on Onderon with Nomi Sunrider to assist Oss Wilum, Tott Doneeta, Ulic, and Cay Qel-Droma, who themselves were trapped inside Modon Kira's forest citadel. Nomi's Jedi team created a shield-wall as they fought towards their besieged comrades, and Nomi used her Battle meditation to sway the tide of the battle. Nomi's meditation skills were proving most beneficial, though unfortunately Kith Kark became one with the Force when he met an untimely end on the battlefield. The Jedi were also feeling the suppression of the dark side heavily in the Onderonian atmosphere, and Nomi managed to pinpoint the source to an old, incapacitated man somewhere nearby. That old man felt the novice Jedi woman's probe and lashed back out at her with the dark side. Nomi was knocked from her feet, just as Ulic Qel-Droma happened to find her on the battlefield. It was their first meeting. Swooned by the sight of a beautiful Jedi woman felled in battle, Qel-Droma rushed to her side. Nomi was alright, and told Ulic that it was an old man who attacked her through the Force. Ulic immediately knew it to be King Ommin. He told Nomi that Ommin ruled Onderon under the power of Sith magic, and that he also managed to subdue Master Arca with it. Gathering the rest of the Jedi Knights, Ulic led them into the tunnels under the palace, into King Ommin' lair.

King Ommin


Meanwhile Satal and Aleema met with the crippled and seemingly weak King Ommin, who was depending on a steel armature for physical support. Satal showed the old King their stolen Sith spellbook, and asked Ommin to translate it for them. Ommin in turn gave Satal an ancient Sith amulet, one Ommin had received from the last Dark Lord of the Sith, Freedon Nadd himself. With the amulet Satal was able to understand the ancient writings with ease. Ommin then took the book and gave it to his assistant Novar for duplicating. As Novar had the book transcribed, King Ommin showed the Tetan heirs his "most prized possession," a Jedi Master, hanging on the wall and suffering heavily under crushing power of Sith magic. Aleema gasped in horror as Ommin explained his plan to crush Master Arca under the power of the dark side, and raise him back up as a Dark Jedi. Ommin then leaned close to Master Arca; he was whispering something. Arca was trying to tell the King that his time was up, and his Jedi were here.



As if on cue the eight Jedi Knights rushed into Ommin's lair, destroying tens of Sith war droids in the process. In the midst of the skirmish, Cay Qel-Droma was attacked from a blindspot and lost prosthetic droid arm. The Jedi pressed their way to Ommin and his Tetan visitors, who were completely surprised by their ambush. Ommin proved to be a most formidable adversary as he blasted both Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma with waves of dark side energy. He was about to blast Ulic again, but before he could Ulic slashed through the King's exoskeleton with his lightsaber, sending him crumbling to the ground. In the midst of all the commotion, Satal and Aleema Keto managed to escape into the tunnels.

The Ketos retreated into the subterranean levels of the castle, where they were met by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, who gave them a trove of Sith artifacts that included their book as well as two Sith swords that formerly belonged to Ommin. Nadd told them that they were heirs to a great Sith destiny, and that wherever they went, Nadd would find them and begin their instruction in the ways of the dark side. HE then directed them to a passage to the surface of Iziz, allowing them to escape the battle unscathed.

The Dark Lord then appeared by King Ommin's side. The Jedi sucessfully rescued Master Arca, and upon seeing this Nadd realized that the old King hd failed him. Freedon Nadd withdrew his power from Ommin and reminded him that these Jedi did not belong to the dark side. Nadd soon corrected himself however, stating that perhaps one or two of them may fall to darkness. Arca Jeth then denounced Nadd's spirit as King Ommin passed into darknesss, and congratulated Ulic on his victory. But Nadd laughed at Arca and told him that in reality the Jedi had lost that day, as he would soon learn.

Aftermath


The sarcophagi of Queen Amanoa, King Ommin and Freedon Nadd would later be transported to the Dxun moon, as was to happen before the Naddist Uprising began. Arca Jeth had succeeded in cleansing Onderon, and the native people took to restoring their city. With the threat of King Ommin finally removed, Oron Kira and Galia could rule from the throne of Iziz as King and Queen of Onderon peacefully. The Jedi, after all their efforts, enjoyed a short season of respite on the planet, learning to ride beast rider mounts and such. But for Master Arca, there was little room for relaxation. He had not forgotten about the two young Tetan nobles who's curiosity for dark side things led them to King Ommin. There had been a political uprising in the Empress Teta system, and something was telling the Jedi Master that Sith magic had survived it's defeat on Onderon and made it's way to the Tetan worlds. As a result Master Arca accepted Jedi Watchmans responsibility of Empress Teta, and prepared his Jedi to face the dark side once again.

Behind the scenes
Freedon Nadd's prohecy that one or two of the Jedi present would fall to the dark side indeed came to pass. Of the seven surviving Jedi, two of them became aligned with the Sith. Ulic Qel-Droma would eventually defect and join Aleema and Satal's Sith-inspired Krath, and also become a Sith Lord. Oss Wilum would be seduced to the dark side by Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun, and become possessed by a dark side spirit trapped within Kun's stolen Sith holocron.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi (audio)
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Freedon Nadd Uprising
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 1: Masters and Students of the Force
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith (audio)

Notes and References
Zweite Schlacht von Onderon