Radd Minker

"Surrender. You're outnumbered three to one, Natua."

- Radd Minker to Natua Wan during their stand-off at the Coruscant Livestock Exchange and Exhibition

Radd Minker was a male Brubb Jedi Knight serving in the New Jedi Order in 43 ABY. Minker was present in the Jedi Archives in the Jedi Temple on the galactic capital of Coruscant when Jysella Horn, daughter of Jedi Master Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik Horn, suffered a mental breakdown that caused her to view all her fellow Jedi as impostors. Minker, along with Falleen Jedi Natua Wan attempted to stop her from fleeing the temple, but Horn's desperation allowed her to escape, although she was captured by Galactic Alliance Security shortly after. Several days later, Minker was escorting the Solo family to the Coruscant Livestock Exhibition and Exchange with Knight Wan when the Falleen Jedi underwent the same mental breakdown that Jysella Horn had suffered. Wan caused panic and chaos at the Exhibition, and Minker was instrumental in subduing the rogue Jedi Knight.

Encounter with Jysella Horn
Radd Minker was a Force-sensitive Brubb, who trained as a Jedi, becoming a member of Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order. By 43 ABY, he had attained the rank of Jedi Knight, and was in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the capital planet of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Minker was present in the Jedi Archives when Jedi Knight Jysella Horn&mdash;daughter of Jedi Master Corran Horn&mdash;suffered a mental breakdown, believing that her fellow Jedi had been replaced with imposters. Her brother, Valin Horn, had undergone a similar breakdown several weeks earlier, and had been imprisoned by the Galactic Alliance and frozen in carbonite. As she attempted to escape the Temple, Minker, along with the Falleen Jedi Knight Natua Wan, attempted to stop and confine her.

Horn first incapacitated Wan by using the Force to throwing a bust of a long-dead Jedi at her, catching her in the middle of her torso. Again using the Force, Horn threw dozens of datatapes at Minker. As the Brubb deflected the makeshift projectiles, she hurled her activated lightsaber at him. Minker managed to get his own weapon up in time to block the attack, as Horn vaulted over him. Calling her weapon back to her hand, Horn escaped the archives. Minker gave chase, and found that Horn had locked the door through which she had fled, fusing the controls on the other side with her lightsaber to prevent anyone from following her. Minker immediately began to cut through the door with his own lightsaber. The doors had been designed to prevent intruders from accessing the Temple, and were not easy to breach, even with a lightsaber. Minker was still cutting through the door when Jedi Master Cilghal arrived. He apologized to the Master for the delay in continuing the chase after Horn; Cilghal, who had sensed that Horn had bolted, ignited her own lightsaber and assisted Minker in cutting through the door. Despite their efforts, Horn managed to escape the Temple, and was captured by Galactic Alliance Security.

Escorting the Solo family
Shortly after the incident with Jysella Horn, Minker was assigned to escort the Solo family&mdash;consisting of Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo, their daughter Jaina Solo, and their adopted ward, Amelia Solo&mdash;when they attended the Coruscant Livestock Exchange and Exhibition at the Grand Event Center. Jedi Wan also accompanied the group. As Minker and Wan were present in an official capacity, they were dressed in their formal brown and white Jedi robes. While Wan kept an eye on Amelia, Minker brought up the rear. As they progressed through the exhibition, Minker noticed the journalist Javis Tyrr, who had recorded Horn's actions outside the Jedi Temple and was making a career out of reporting about Jedi behaviour. Minker suggested that he have a friendly word with Tyrr, to make him back off from the family outing, but Jaina Solo pointed out that such a move would only encourage the journalist, not deter him. Minker remain vigilant for Tyrr's presence while the group moved into the part of the exhibition that was showcasing dangerous animals such as Nexu and Rancors.

As the group viewed a Nexu and her four cubs, Minker felt a prickle in the Force warning him of danger. He noted that the feeling had been sensed by Leia Organa Solo and Jaina Solo as well, and immediately took hold of his lightsaber. As the three Jedi turned to see if Jedi Wan had felt the same sensation, they found her missing. Wan had suddenly succumbed to the same mental break that the Horn siblings suffered from, and was viewing the other members of the group as imposters. Leaving the group, she used her Jedi authority to gain access to the control room of the dangerous animals exhibit. Each animal was kept in separate transparisteel pens, with a viewing walkway above the enclosures. Wan activated the exhibits' system for feeding the animals, which opened the pens, while at the same time slowly retracting the walkway into the wall and dropping food from the ceiling. She also plunged the exhibit into darkness and locked the emergency exits. As the the gathered crowd began to panic, Organa Solo ordered Minker to begin cutting through the emergency exit closest to their position. Complying, Minker began using his lightsaber to create an exit while Organa Solo used the Force to keep the stampeding crowd back to allow him to work. The Brubb was successful in creating an exit, which in turn stopped the walkways from retracting. Minker's actions allowed the crowd to escape from the exhibition hall.

With the dangerous animals exhibit cleared, Minker headed for the main exhibition hall where the domesticated pack animals were kept. Wan had opened the animal corrals, causing the animals to stampede and endanger the patrons that had gathered for the exhibition. Minker arrived just as Wan was facing off against Jaina Solo and her mother. As he asked her to surrender, citing the three-to-one odds she faced, Wan lunged at Jaina Solo. Both female Solos brought their blades down on Wan's in unison, staggering the Falleen Jedi. At that point, Minker jumped at Wan from behind, slamming his hard head into the back of hers, rendering Wan unconscious. Both Solo women were surprised at Minker's tactic, but admitted that it had done the job. He then assisted in escorting Wan to the Jedi Temple where she was interred in the Asylum Block.

Personality and traits
Like all Brubbs, Minker was a strong and tough individual, able to withstand multiple projectiles hitting him in quick succession. He was also able to headbutt a Falleen in the back of the head with little discomfort to himself. He was also very cheerful and had an outgoing demeanor.

Minker also had some knowledge regarding the training of wild animals, and knew that Nexu cubs could be trained from birth by an experienced handler to become guard animals rather than savage predators.

Behind the scenes
Radd Minker first appeared in the second novel of the Fate of the Jedi series, Omen written by Christie Golden.

Appearances

 * Omen