Conclave on Kessel

"However powerful, Vader is one, and we are many. No more debate. No more 'reflection.' No need of planning. Our prey comes to us. When he is dead, the Emperor will be crippled and know fear. And the Galaxy will know the Jedi live."

- Shadday Potkin

The Conclave on Kessel was a meeting of Jedi survivors of Order 66. After the execution of Order 66 and the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge, a number of Jedi secretly established contact with each other. Jedi Master Shadday Potkin was one of them.

Invitation
Shadday had become disillusioned with the Jedi methods of mediation, reflection, and careful planning, seeing these as forms of inaction that had led to the rise of the Galactic Empire. Wanting to take direct action, she planned to use the prospect of a gathering of Jedi to lure Emperor Palpatine's enforcer, Darth Vader, into a trap. Through her contacts she learned that Vader desperately sought the whereabouts of Obi-Wan Kenobi, although she did not know why. She called for a meeting of Jedi in an abandoned spice mine on the planet Kessel, and leaked this to the Empire, including misinformation that Kenobi would be present, in the hopes that this would entice Vader to come quickly, heedlessly, and alone.

Seven other Jedi answered the call, including such prominent Masters as Tsui Choi. As they discussed their plans for the future of the Jedi, it quickly became apparent that they differed on what the proper course to take was. Some favored waiting, some favored direct action against the Sith, and one, Koffi Arana, proposed using the dark side to aid them. The deliberations were quickly cut short when Shadday's ninth invitee, Vader, arrived.

The battle


Sia-Lan Wezz lost patience and attacked Vader, who unexpectedly turned around and thrust his lightsaber through her chest, then cut off her arm. Vader then Force Pushed Koffi Arana back to give himself room and so that he wouldn't have to face as many Jedi. The Jedi soon began to attack. Tsui Choi, not wanting to fight Vader, decided to attack once Lan Wezz was killed. Ma'kis'shaalas, underestimating Vader due to his being outnumbered, was eventually killed with a thrust to the chest. Vader was soon overwhelmed by the six remaining Jedi, and got slashed across the back by Jastus Farr with his double-bladed lightsaber. Vader fell to the ground, then Force Pushed some Jedi back to give him time to get up. He then leapt to the top of a mining machine to get the high ground. Shadday Potkin followed him, using her cortosis sword to disable his lightsaber. Vader then surprised her, moving forward and snapping her neck, killing her, then taking her weapon. He attacked the remaining Jedi, disabling the blades of Jastus Farr, Koffi Arana, and Roblio Darté. Tsui Choi then leapt over Vader, cutting off his arm but his lightsaber remained untouched by the blade. Bultar Swan then slashed him across the side. Vader, disarmed and wounded, having taken three lightsaber hits, surrendered. Koffi Arana knew it was a trick and attempted to kill him, but his lightsaber wasn't working yet. He told Bultar Swan to kill Vader, for her lightsaber was working. She refused, and he took her lightsaber from her and killed her. He sprung toward Vader, but Vader used the Force to get the hand with the cortosis blade and just before Koffi would have killed him, Koffi was stabbed through the chest.



There were only three Jedi left, Jastus Farr, Tsui Choi, and Roblio Darté. Vader grabbed Koffi's lightsaber and prepared to fight the Jedi. They used the force to attack Vader, burying him in rubble. Vader lost his lightsaber. Choi then told Vader to surrender, but right before Vader would have died, stormtroopers arrived and showered the Jedi with blaster bolts. Jastus Farr, his lightsaber not working yet, was shot to death mercilessly. Roblio Darté, covering himself behind the mining machine, told Choi that there were too many to fight and that he should escape if he can. Tsui Choi, leapt up to the walkway where the stormtroopers were, hoping to stall them so Roblio Darté could escape, got caught in mid-air by Vader's force grip. He threw his lightsaber down toward Vader, hoping to take Vader with him. The lightsaber hit Vader in the head and left a scar across his helmet's right eye thus exposing Vader's real eye. Meanwhile, Roblio Darté was shot down by the stormtroopers and Tsui Choi was also shot down. The Jedi were dead. Like the ancient (and similarly unsuccessful) Jedi Conclave of Katarr, the attempt to draw out and defeat the Sith had ended only in failure.

Aftermath
"A story is now spreading that you tracked down a nest of Jedi traitors &mdash;fifty in all&mdash;and killed them. Every last one. By yourself&hellip; The lie will create a legend and the legend will drive any surviving Jedi deeper underground&mdash;and teach any other potential enemy fear. And that is useful!"

- Palpatine

Palpatine would use the rumors of what had occurred at Kessel to cement the image of Vader as a symbol of the Empire to fear, and a further warning to all who stood in his way. The official report by Sate Pestage stated that the Jedi all killed each other in a power struggle.

Participants

 * Shadday Potkin (killed by Darth Vader)
 * Bultar Swan   (killed by Koffi Arana)
 * Tsui Choi     (killed by stormtroopers)
 * Roblio Darté  (killed by stormtroopers)
 * Koffi Arana   (killed by Darth Vader)
 * Sia-Lan Wezz  (killed by Darth Vader)
 * Ma'kis'shaalas (killed by Darth Vader)
 * Jastus Farr   (killed by stormtroopers)

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Purge
 * Star Wars Dark Times: The Path to Nowhere