Battle of Khoonda

The First Battle of Dantooine, also known as the Battle of Khoonda, was one of the local conflicts that followed the catastrophic Jedi Civil War in 3951 BBY.

The main target was Khoonda, the local government established after the destruction of the Jedi Enclave, and particularly Administrator Terena Adare - the only person on Dantooine capable of uniting the surviving farmers. Territories outside the Khoonda Plains were inhabited by salvagers, who sought for Jedi relics in the ruined Enclave, and mercenaries of the Exchange led by Azkul, who participated in the Jedi Civil War on Darth Malak's side.

The Exchange hoped to use Dantooine - almost severed from the Republic when it had lost its main source of interest, the Jedi Enclave - as their base of smuggling operations. Administrator Adare and her advisor, Jedi Master Vrook Lamar - one of the former members of the Dantooine Jedi Council - were seen as obstacles on the Exchange's way. The latter one seemed to be removed when Master Vrook was caught by the mercenaries in the Enclave sublevel and brought to a prison cell in the Crystal Cave. Azkul then intended to transport him to Nar Shaddaa to receive Goto's bounty for live Jedi.

What was unknown for Azkul was that another Jedi arrived on Dantooine, seeking Master Vrook - the Jedi Exile. Soon, the Exile entered the Crystal Cave and freed Vrook, but the Master was not grateful. He understood that with this event tensions between Khoonda and the mercenaries would grow into a full-scale war conflict.

Vrook ran to Khoonda to warn the officials about the upcoming threat. Azkul was confident that his attack would succeed, knowing Khoonda was almost completely defenseless and he had four times more men. His overconfidence, however, proved to be his undoing.

Administrator Adare and Zherron, the militia commander, charged the Jedi Exile with bolstering Khoonda's defenses. While the mercenaries were preparing for their assault, the Exile persuaded several civilians to join the militia, planted more mines in the surrounding fields, and repaired damaged gun turrets, medical and combat droids. Ironically enough, the Exile was repeating his own experience from the Mandalorian Wars, when he had turned a disorganized mess into a powerful army.

When all preparations were ready, Master Vrook left, hoping to slow down the mercenaries' progress on their way to Khoonda, while the Exile was trying to strengthen the militia's will to fight. He returned near the end of the battle, when Azkul finally breached through Khoonda's outer defenses into the main hall, attempting to reach and slay the Administrator - only to be suddenly betrayed by Dopak, a mercenary leader who had entered a secret alliance with Zherron. A quick struggle between the mercenaries themselves followed, and Azkul's forces were finally defeated, proved to be no match for the combined efforts of two Jedi - Vrook and the Exile.

With Khoonda victorious, the political confrontation on Dantooine was finally over. As the first sign of the beginning age of peace and prosperity, the civilians collaborated to rebuild the ruined Jedi Enclave, as a tribute to the Jedi who once saved them, as well as a part of their history and heritage.

Appearances

 * ''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Behind the Scenes
The player, as the Jedi Exile, can trigger an alternate dark side scenario by helping the Exchange mercenaries to take over Khoonda and depose Adare. In this case, the Jedi Enclave is also mysteriously rebuilt, but Darth Traya predicts that in time, Dantooine will become abandoned, with only wild animals and nomads treading over the ruins of the Enclave.