Mission to Queyta

This mission during the Clone Wars was an assignment undertaken by four Jedi Masters to obtain an antidote for the chemical weapon known as swamp gas, used to wipe out the Gungan colony on Ohma-D'un.

Prelude
When word reached the Jedi of the massacre on Ohma-D'un, orders went out to locate the source of the chemical weapon. Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had seen first-hand the devastation wrought on the Gungan colony, investigated this new threat, and learned of a secret Separatist chemical plant on the lava world of Queyta. Kenobi was met there by four nomadic Jedi Masters; Knol Ven'nari, Nico Diath, Fay, and Jon Antilles&mdash;considered to be some of the greatest Masters of the Order, and legends, all.

The mission
Although Obi-Wan felt he was out of his league in the presence of such legendary Masters, Fay assured him his experience of the swamp gas would prove invaluable in their mission. The Jedi quickly located the chemical plant: a mobile facility riding the lava flow. Infiltrating the base, the Jedi met no battle droids, only pressure-suited Skakoan sentries and workers. All too soon, a far more potent threat presented itself, in the forms of Separatist Commander Asajj Ventress and the Gen'Dai mercenary Durge.

The battle for the antidote began when Durge fired upon the Skakoan workers, his blasts breaching their pressure suits and causing a huge explosion in the plant. Master Ven'nari used her Force powers to absorb the fireball's energy, at the cost of her own life. Jon Antilles confronted Ventress as she attempted to reach the antidote, but fell when Durge destroyed the bridge he was standing on.

Though Antilles survived his fall, Nico Diath was not so lucky. Ventress weakened the ceiling supports above him, sending molten lava raining down onto the Jedi Master. He toppled from the walkway into the lava below. Antilles launched an attack on Durge, but the hulking Gen'Dai proved stronger. Antilles was thrown into the lava, though he managed to melt the regenerative thug's arms before he died.

Now the only survivors of the Jedi strike team, Obi-Wan and Fay confronted Ventress, the latter sending shards of metal flying into the Dark Jedi. Ventress fell, but regained her strength while Durge distracted the Jedi. An explosion sent Fay spinning to the ground, where Asajj impaled the Jedi Master on her twin lightsaber blades.

Despite the destruction they had caused, Ventress and Durge did not kill Obi-Wan, though Ventress vowed to kill him the next time they met. Fay lent the weakening Obi-Wan the last of her fading strength to make a leap to safe ground with the antidote.

Aftermath
Barely alive, Kenobi raced back to Coruscant with the antidote, which he presented to Mace Windu. Fully healed, Kenobi honored the fallen Jedi nomads in a private ceremony in the Jedi Temple.

Behind the scenes


Unfortunately, the Galactic Republic had not seen the last of the deadly swamp gas. Unknown to Obi-Wan, a second laboratory had been established on the far side of Queyta, and loaded its creations aboard the science vessel Gahenna. This vessel would roam the galaxy for the next two years, modifying the swamp gas weapon to become the TriHexalophine1138 toxin that devastated Honoghr.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Republic 53: Blast Radius
 * Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 14:3:22
 * The Cestus Deception