Battle over Korriban

"There will be bloodshed, and the skies over Korriban will burn. I'll profane your sacred ground and stop your children from ever existing. I bring war to you, my Emperor."

- Exal Kressh

In 3678 BBY during the Great Galactic War, a major battle occurred in the Horuset system between the forces of the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. The engagement was catalyzed by the treason of the Sith apprentice Exal Kressh, who chose to betray the Empire because her former Master, the Sith Emperor, had secretly been trying to possess her body through dark sorcery and begin the formation of his "Children"&mdash;a group of sentients who were entirely beholden to the psychic will and powers of the Emperor. Hoping to use the Republic to exact revenge against the Emperor and end his plans to create more Children, Kressh leaked Imperial Military secrets pertaining to the defense of the Sith holy world of Korriban to the Jedi Order and Republic Navy. Eager to act upon the intelligence, Republic Military leaders approved an invasion of the Horuset system with the intention of destroying the Sith Academy on Korriban and seizing from the Empire its most historically valuable world.

The battle began after Exal Kressh infiltrated Korriban and sent word of her position to the Republic Navy, which swiftly jumped into the Horuset system and began taking advantage of the defending Imperial fleet's surprise and gaps in protection. While the battle raged in orbit, Republic landing teams consisting of Jedi and soldiers assaulted the Sith academy on the surface. Using the Republic's attack as a distraction, Kressh sneaked into the tombs adjacent to the Academy with the intent to find and destroy the Children of the Emperor who were being prepared for ritual possession. Although she nearly succeeded, Kressh was interrupted by the disgraced apprentice Teneb Kel, who had been tasked by the Empire's Dark Council to hunt down and kill the rogue Sith. After an intense lightsaber duel in Korriban's tombs, Kel executed Kressh and fulfilled his mandate to protect the Emperor's works. Without the treasonous Sith providing information from within the Academy, the Republic's assault quickly crumbled and the Empire once again secured its hold over Korriban with the Emperor's secrets safe once more.

Prelude
"The recording came a week ago&mdash;made it to command through an SIS middleman, same as the others. The fleet's already taking position.''" "''Too good an opportunity to pass up. Thank you, Commodore."

- A Republic Commodore and Jedi Master Jerbhen Hulis discuss Kressh's aid

The Great Galactic War that began in 3681 BBY was a long and bloody interstellar conflict that saw the forces of the Sith Empire repeatedly and efficiently overcome those of the Galactic Republic. Under the rule of the enigmatic Sith Emperor and the Lords of Dark Council, the Empire achieved many significant victories in the early years of the war and put the Republic and its Jedi warriors in a sustained position of unorganized defense. This pattern remained consistent until around 3678 BBY, when the Emperor's apprentice, Exal Kressh, discovered her Master's plan to create a legion of sleeper agents, all of whom would be made slaves to his dark side Force power and turned into mere extensions of his will. Known as the Children of the Emperor, these individuals were to have a powerful connection to the Dark Lord himself such that it would allow for him to transfer his essence into their bodies and directly control it for a time. In doing so, the Sith Emperor would be able to ensure his own immortality and omnipotence by continually inhabiting new bodies.

Shortly after this discovery, Kressh came to realize another grave truth: the Emperor was covertly turning her into the first of his Children before initiating the program on a mass scale through the use of Sith magic. Disgusted at the prospect of being a puppet instead of an apprentice, Kressh abandoned the Empire in 3678 BBY and began leaking confidential Imperial Military secrets to the Republic Strategic Information Service. Although the Jedi High Council was wary of trusting an alleged Sith defector, the state of the war preempted their ability to reject Kressh's help. Nonetheless, they assigned Jedi Master Jerbhen Hulis and his Padawan to track the woman down while the Republic Navy prepared to use her information. The data she provided was specifically regarding the defense forces guarding the Sith holy world of Korriban in the Esstran sector, where new generations of Sith Lords were trained in the ancient academy on the surface. Also located deep within the academy was a ritual chamber being prepared by the Emperor to receive and create his new Children.

While Kressh waited for the Republic Navy to gather their forces and prepare for an assault on Korriban, she went into hiding to escape the Jedi tracking her and the Sith assassins she knew the Emperor would send. Because of her incomplete connection to her former Master, she was tormented by his thoughts and temptations and knew that he could see through her eyes and perceive her location; to diminish his presence, Kressh fled to the Lenico system, where she entered a stasis pod on Lenico Colony Blue. Although the tactic worked for a time, the rogue Sith was soon found by Teneb Kel, an ambitious but Master-less Sith apprentice who had been sent by the Dark Council to kill Kressh. After a short duel, Kressh escaped with her life and Kel was marooned on Lenico IV with his slave, Maggot, and the Jedi pursuers. There Kel discovered the Emperor's closely-guarded plans to create the Children before repairing his starship and continuing the hunt for Kressh. Meanwhile, the defector had traveled to Korriban and reached its surface undetected, allowing her to signal the amassed Republic fleet and ignite the battle for the Sith holy land.

The Republic returns to Korriban
"...twelve Republic ships past the ion mine-field, and three transports are making planetfall. My Lord, we are under siege. Tell me you're here with reinforcements.''" "''I come alone. Resume your duties, Captain."

- An Imperial captain and Teneb Kel

Kressh and Kel in the tombs
"You think sniffing out the truth makes you special? You think your rage makes you strong?''" "Not&hellip;my&hellip;rage&hellip;" "Maybe you are Sith&mdash;but you're still a failure''."

- Exal Kressh and Teneb Kel in Korriban's tombs

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blood of the Empire Act 3: Burn the Future