User:Ifindyourlackoffaithdisturbing/Workbench

"I'm sure he'll grow up into a fine Jedi Knight&hellip; years and years from now."

- Cha Niathal

Pre-birth (25 ABY–26.5 ABY)
"I'm just afraid of placing an extra one on his shoulders. Suppose I named him Obi-Wan, as a salute to my old master? Would he think that means that I want him to grow up to be a Jedi? Would he think he had to live up to Ben's reputation?"

- Luke Skywalker

In the year 25 ABY, the galaxy was invaded by a previously-unknown extragalactic species, the Yuuzhan Vong. Although the reigning galactic government, the New Republic, tried to resist and repel the invaders, the Yuuzhan Vong carved a swath through the New Republic's defenses. In their invasion of the galaxy, the Yuuzhan Vong took to using a variety of creatures native to their own galaxy. One of these bioweapons used by the Yuuzhan Vong in their war waged against the galaxy was the coomb spore, a microorganism engineered by Yuuzhan Vong agent Nom Anor. Anor was an advance scout sent into the galaxy before the main invasion force, and tested his spores on a group of one hundred New Republic diplomats on the planet Monor II, to great success. Only one survived, former Imperial spy and Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker.

Using her affinity for the Force, and a cure found in the tears of a Fosh ex-Jedi named Vergere, Mara Jade Skywalker was able to hold off the deadly effects of the spores, surviving while all the others infected died. Married to her former enemy in the Galactic Civil War, Rebel hero and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker six years prior, the couple had yet to have their first child. Since the spores worked by breaking down the molecular structure of its victim, Mara Jade believed that it was impossible for her to have a child, as the spores would surely destroy an unborn baby. However, one year after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, Mara Jade Skywalker felt something growing inside of her. At first, she thought it was a recurrence of her disease, but she sensed the essence of her husband Luke inside of it. To her shock, despite the disease, Mara Jade Skywalker was pregnant.

Upon the discovery of her pregnancy, Mara Jade was greatly worried for her unborn baby, believing that the disease could cause mutations in her child. But Luke Skywalker managed to calm her down and assuage her fears, and the two agreed to keep the child's existence a secret. After learning of Mara's pregnancy, Luke had several visions of his unborn child's future, including one of him flying a strange starship of unfamiliar design. Later in the year 26 ABY, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker were on an artificial beach on the New Republic capital of Coruscant. Meanwhile, anti-Jedi sentiment among the citizens of the New Republic was growing more prevalent, exacerbated by an offer extended by the Yuuzhan Vong&mdash;kill all the Jedi, and the invaders would halt their assault on the Jedi. While the offer was turned down by the New Republic, the galaxy was becoming more and more dangerous for the Jedi Knights. The Skywalkers were on the Coruscant beach when they were informed by Jedi Master Kenth Hamner of an arrest warrant put out on the Skywalkers by New Republic Head of State Borsk Fey'lya for disobeying an order.

While on the beach, she suddenly felt weak, and slipped into unconsciousness. She awoke under the care of an MD-10 medical droid, and felt her disease attacking her unborn baby. However, the Skywalkers were forced to flee Coruscant due to the warrant, and stayed aboard the Errant Venture, an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer owned by former smuggler Booster Terrik which was being used as a makeshift Jedi Academy for hiding Jedi students. The Skywalkers immediately sought medical care once aboard the Star Destroyer, and Mara Jade's condition was rapidly worsening. Her coomb spore disease had returned, stronger than ever before, and Mara Jade expended all her energy keeping it from attacking her womb, at the cost of her own health. Despite the disease's attack on her body, Mara Jade Skywalker gave birth to a baby boy on the Errant Venture. The Skywalkers would name the boy Ben, after Luke Skywalker's Jedi Master, Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi.

Kidnapping plot
From the moment of his birth, the infant Skywalker was kept close to his parents due to their worrying about his safety. Shortly after his birth Skywalker accompanied his mother and father to the planet of Bilbringi, where his parents and a fellow Jedi, the Barabel Saba Sebatyne, watched an important meeting between New Republic representatives Han and Leia Organa Solo and the recently-captured Nom Anor. While the meeting was going on, baby Ben stayed in his mother's starship, Jade Shadow, accompanied by his cousin Jaina Solo and New Republic scientist and Skywalker family friend Danni Quee. Anor was set free once the meeting was concluded, and Skywalker and his parents returned to his birthplace, the Errant Venture. While aboard the Venture, Skywalker broke out into an uncontrollable fit of crying which his parents could not ease. However, when his aunt Leia Organa Solo asked to hold him, to Luke and Mara Jade's surprise, the infant calmed down almost instantly.

Skywalker stayed aboard the Errant Venture while his parents were away during the New Republic victory at Talfaglio, and was returned to Luke and Mara Jade after the battle. The infant stayed with his aunt and uncle, Han and Leia Solo, in their home on Coruscant. Little did his family know, a plot had been formulated by the Yuuzhan Vong to kidnap Ben Skywalker, with traitorous New Republic Senator Viqi Shesh as the kidnapper. Shesh initially attempted to take Skywalker in his aunt and uncle's home, but her plan was foiled. A short time later, Coruscant was attacked by the Yuuzhan Vong. Amidst the chaos of the battle, Shesh made a desperate second attempt to kidnap Skywalker. Shesh confronted the Solos in a Coruscant docking bay, but the Solos did not allow their nephew to fall into Shesh's hands. They placed the infant under the care of their protocol droid, C-3PO, entrusting Ben's safety to him while they tried to apprehend Shesh. However, in the confusion C-3PO was swept aboard a starferry named the Byrt, with Skywalker still in its arms.

Once the Solos realized that Skywalker had ended up on the Byrt, they quickly alerted Ben's parents. Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker promptly set out in their X-wing starfighters, hoping to catch up to the ferry and retrieve their child. At the same time, Shesh notified the Yuuzhan Vong invasion force of Skywalker's presence aboard the Byrt. The Yuuzhan Vong got to the Byrt first, and began searching the vessel for Skywalker. Luckily for Skywalker, family friend Lando Calrissian and a squad of YVH droids boarded the ship afterwards and drove off the Yuuzhan Vong. As the YVH droids fought the Yuuzhan Vong aboard the Byrt, Viqi Shesh sneaked aboard the ferry and heard the wail of a baby coming from an escape pod. Believing the source of the cries to be Skywalker, Shesh entered the pod and departed, thinking she had successfully kidnapped Skywalker. However, she discovered after exiting the Byrt in the escape pod that Skywalker was nowhere to be found; in fact, C-3PO had imitated the boy's cries, and Ben Skywalker was safely hidden aboard the ferry.

Moving around
"Do you think Leia will baby-sit for us? I suspect she'll be very happy to."

- Mara Jade Skywalker and Luke Skywalker discuss leaving Ben with Leia and Han Solo

After the fall of Coruscant, the infant Skywalker was kept for several days in a Jedi stronghold called Eclipse Station, hidden on the Deep Core planet of the same name. Soon afterwards, he was reunited with the rest of his family on the planet Hapes. Ben's family had gathered there to pay their last respects to Ben's cousin Anakin Solo, who had been killed while fighting in a Jedi assault on the Yuuzhan Vong-controlled planet of Myrkr. With the Skywalker family together once more, Mara Jade Skywalker resumed motherly duties for Ben.

A few days later, the scattered New Republic forces led by General Wedge Antilles were able to carve out a foothold on the planet Borleias, which had been used as a staging point for the attack on Coruscant. The Skywalker family, Ben included, went to the planet and stayed in the military garrison established by the New Republic on still-contested Borleias. Mara Jade Skywalker had fully committed herself to staying with and raising Ben, not only to be able to spend time with her newborn child, but to protect him after Viqi Shesh's ill-fated kidnapping attempt. During the Borleias occupation, Ben accompanied his mother everywhere she went, something that Luke Skywalker saw as irrational.

37 days into the Borleias occupation, Skywalker's parents left him with his aunt Leia and Uncle Han once again, departing to the Yuuzhan Vong-controlled Coruscant to combat an evil sensed on the planet. Believing that Ben wasn't safe on occupied Borleias, the Solos transported Ben to the Shelter, a space station situated in the perilous black hole cluster known as the Maw. The Shelter, under the care of Jedi Masters Kam and Tionne Solusar, had been used as a praxeum for Jedi younglings since the original Praxeum on Yavin 4 was attacked by the Yuuzhan Vong-sympathizing Peace Brigade in 26 ABY. Although Luke and Mara Jade were focused on combating the evil on Coruscant, they greatly missed Ben while they were apart.

The end of the war
"Ben will be fine. I saw him fine."

- Luke Skywalker

After the crushing defeat and loss of Coruscant, the New Republic underwent a political metamorphosis. During the Fall of Coruscant, New Republic Chief of State Borsk Fey'lya was killed when he detonated a bomb in the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. Elections to select a new Chief of State were held in 28 ABY, with New Republic Advisory Councilman Cal Omas winning in a landslide. The war with the Yuuzhan Vong continued on, with the New Republic, once the defenders of the Core, now trying to take it back. In 28 ABY, the New Republic won a massive victory over the newly-christened Yuuzhan Vong Empire in the Battle of Ebaq 9, resulting in the loss of half the Yuuzhan Vong fleet and the death of Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster Tsavong Lah. Following the battle, Omas realized that a new government would be needed if the galaxy was to survive the horrors of the Yuuzhan Vong War. A massive reorganization ensued, and the new federal system was named the Galactic Alliance.

In 29 ABY, the Galactic Alliance military forces began a great push towards Coruscant, towards taking back the Core and defeating the extra-galactic invaders once and for all. One of the keys to the Alliance war effort was the sentient planet Zonama Sekot&mdash;the seed of the original Yuuzhan Vong planet, Yuuzhan'tar, that had made its way to Ben's galaxy. Luke Skywalker was able to ascertain the location of said planet, landing on it with Mara Jade and several other Jedi. While on Zonama Sekot, Luke revealed his visons of Ben's future to Mara, assuring her that he would make it through the war safely.

Eventually, Luke Skywalker led the Galactic Alliance forces to a victory at Coruscant, killing Yuuzhan Vong Supreme Overlord Shimmra Jamaane and his master Onimi. At long last, the Yuuzhan Vong threat had been defeated. With the threat to the Jedi vanquished, the Errant Venture brought the Jedi younglings from the Shelter to Zonama Sekot, with Ben among them. There, Ben was reunited with his parents for the first time in two years. With his parents, Ben attended the Conclave on Zonama Sekot, a post-war Jedi meeting to discuss future directions for the Order. During Ben's short time on Zonama Sekot, he formed an attachment to the living planet, and it upset him when he had to depart. The war was finally over, and Ben finally was together with his family.

A new threat
"Gorog's no assassin! She's my best friend."

- Ben Skywalker

Slowly but surely, the galaxy worked to rebuild itself after the devastating Yuuzhan Vong War. However, the Skywalker family had another problem to deal with: Ben. Due to the anguish that he felt in the Force during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Ben closed himself off from the Force, hiding his presence from his family and friends. Ben would explain this by asserting that he wanted to "do things the hard way", like his non-Force sensitive uncle Han Solo. However, despite wanting to be cut off from the Force, Ben would still sometimes have Force-induced visions and dreams, frightening the young boy. Thus, even though he was not of age, Ben did not attend the Jedi Praxeum on Ossus. By the year 35 ABY, Ben had grown into a mischievous child, and was often looked after by a nanny droid called Nanna when his parents were away on Jedi business. Ben often impressed his parents with his sheer mechanical aptitude, occasionally tricking Nanna into shutting down.

In 35 ABY, a group of Jedi Knights consisting of Jaina Solo, the Chadra-Fan Tekli,the Twi'lek Alema Rar, Zekk, the Barabel Tesar Sebatyne, the Wookiee Lowbacca, and Tahiri Veila heard a mysterious call through the Force and simultaneously departed to the Unknown Regions to find the source. After discovering the group's departure, Ben accompanied his parents and Tesar's mother, Saba Sebatyne, in a mission to find the missing Knights. In their search, they came across the Colony, a group of nests of the insectoid Killik species, which had been lost for millennia. The Colony had been in a border dispute with the Chiss Ascendancy, the portion of the galaxy ruled by the Chiss species. There, Ben's cousin Jacen Solo, who while on a five-year journey to learn more of the Force had also heard the call, discovered the source: Raynar Thul, a Jedi Knight who had been lost eight years before on the mission to Myrkr that had claimed Anakin Solo's life.

The Skywalkers later found the truth about Thul, and that the rogue Jedi Knights had been partially assimilated into one of the Killik nests. Thul himself had become UnuThul, the leader of the Unu nest. While Ben and his family were on Yoggoy, one of the Colony-affiliated planets, the Skywalkers were attacked by hostile blue-black colored Killiks, a type previously unknown to the rest of the Colony. These were in fact Gorog Killiks, part of the so-called Dark Nest, a shadowy influence which was able to hide its presence and its malign influence from the rest of the Colony. After the skirmish, the Skywalkers met with the AWOL Jedi, who asserted that the Killiks were innocent victims in their border struggle with the Chiss. As the Jedi finally returned to Alliance space with Tesar, Tekli, Veila, and Jacen in tow, a Gorog assassin stowed away on the Jade Shadow.

While the Gorog assassin was hiding aboard the Jade Shadow, Ben came across the insect, and became friends with it. Ben saw the Killik as his "pet", but kept its presence a secret from his parents for fear that they would take the Gorog away from him. Ben formed a bond with the Killik, to the point where he was able to understand the Killik language. The Killik had its own agenda, however, to undermine Ben's relationship with his mother and ultimately turn him against her. Nevertheless, Luke and Mara became alerted that something strange was happening when a large amount of gelmeat went missing, seemingly more than the child could eat himself. The Skywalkers finally discovered the Killik stowaway itself some time later. Saba Sebatyne, who had stayed behind in Colony space, was attacked and badly injured by a Joiner Dark Jedi named Welk, who had disappeared from known space after kidnapping Raynar Thul on the Myrkr mission eight years before. Sebatyne was gravely wounded, but survived, and realized that Gorog Killiks may have sneaked aboard the Jade Shadow. Sebatyne revealed this to Leia Organa Solo, who relayed the information to Mara on Ossus. Mara was stunned by the news, and immediately rushed into Ben's room and forced Ben to confess that he had been hiding the Killik. While Mara and Ben argued, the Killik attacked, injuring her, but was in turn wounded in the thorax by Mara's lightsaber. Mara, irate at Ben's disobedience, ordered him to go explain his actions to his father.

In the meantime, a Alema Rar, one of the Jedi who had originally ventured into the Colony space, had become a Joiner to the Gorog nest. Under the influence of Gorog, she unsuccessfully attacked Leia Organa Solo, was stunned and drugged, and brought to Ossus for an examination. Under the eye of resident Jedi healer Cilghal, she was examined side-by-side with Ben's incapacitated Gorog friend. The experiments performed on her revealed much about the mental bond shared by Joiners. Once the tests ended, Rar found a way to escape, bringing the Gorog along with her. Ben was present at the time of Rar's escape with Gorog, and was greatly saddened by the loss of his friend. As Rar and Gorog sped away from Ossus in a stolen skiff, Ben received a final message from the Killik, who said that she wanted Ben to be happy. When he told Luke of Gorog's message, Luke realized that Ben had become part-Joiner, as he could not have felt it through the Force. Ben's parents departed soon after to return to Colony space, leaving Ben alone once more in the Ossus Jedi Praxeum. Ben was initially depressed when he heard that his parents were leaving, but quickly cheered up when his cousin Jacen Solo promised to stay with him on Ossus in Luke and Mara's absence.

Regaining his connection to the Force
While under the care of his cousin Jacen, Ben slowly opened himself up to the Force. Ben started to use the Force in a limited form, but was only comfortable using the Force around Jacen. Thus, Jacen became Ben's unofficial Jedi Master as Ben explored his relationship with the Force. In 36 ABY, while alongside his cousin, Jacen received a message from his friend, Hapan Queen Mother and former Jedi Knight Tenel Ka Djo, asking him to meet with her in secret on the planet Hapes. Jacen decided to allow Ben to come with him, although Djo did not know that he would be accompanying Jacen. Since the meeting was supposed to be in secret, Ben and Jacen sneaked into the Hapan Fountain Palace, the residence of the Queen Mother. Despite their best efforts to avoid detection, they were discovered by DD-11A, a YVH droid in the Queen Mother's services. Upon learning of Jacen and Ben's identities, DD-11A took them to Djo. When they reached the Queen Mother's chambers, Jacen told Ben to remain outside with DD-11A. However, Ben used his mechanical skills to deactivate the droid, and entered Djo's chambers. Upon meeting the Queen Mother, Ben met her newborn daughter, and learned that Jacen was the father. However, when Ben revealed his desire to inform Han and Leia about their new granddaughter, Djo insisted that Ben keep her existence secret.

Suddenly, DD-11A, having been reactivated, alerted them to an insect infestation in the ceiling. Using his partial immersion into the Killik hive-mind, Skywalker sensed that the insects that DD-11A had detected were of Gorog. Through the hive-mind, he learned that the Gorog were intent on kidnapping Jacen and Djo's child. Panicked, Skywalker ran towards a hidden escape tunnel that he had sensed, hoping to escape the Palace. However, Djo and Jacen would not allow him to leave through the tunnel, as they believed that the escape tunnel would lead them into a Gorog trap. At that moment, the Gorog broke through the ceiling, attacking the group. DD-11A sprang into action to defend them, but Skywalker, who was in Djo's Force grasp, thrashed about, screaming at the droid not to kill the Gorog. To stop Ben's flailing and shouting, Jacen used the Force to pinch down on the boy's carotid arteries in his neck, putting Ben into a deep sleep. In a frenzied battle, the group, with Djo's child in tow, was able to escape the ambush. After the incident was over, Jacen and Ben went camping on Endor. The pair went on a sightseeing trip to Moon Falls, and visited a Ewok village. While in the Ewok village, a gorax attacked the village, killing nearly half the Ewok population and taking more prisoners in a cave nearby. Solo and Skywalker attempted to flee the premises, but Skywalker's shouting attracted the attention of the gorax, who chased the two. Solo and Skywalker were eventually able to escape the gorax's wrath by hiding themselves in the Force. Afterwards, Solo memory rubbed Skywalker, causing him to forget the encounter with the gorax ever happened, since Skywalker had felt the deaths of the Ewoks in the Force, and Solo didn't want Skywalker to experience their anguish. Instead, it was replaced by the memory of him and Jacen visiting Moon Falls. Jacen would have to repeat this process multiple times, due to Skywalker's strength in the Force allowing him to resist the effects of the memory rub.

Meanwhile, on the Killik world of Woteba, Han Solo and Ben's father Luke Skywalker were taken prisoner by the Colony. The two were being held by UnuThul, formerly Raynar Thul, in an attempt to make Luke and Han become Joiners. At the same time, Saba Sebatyne and Leia Organa Solo were taken captive by Galactic Alliance Admiral New Bwua'tu aboard the Victory I-class Star Destroyer Admiral Ackbar. Bwua'tu had impounded their ship, the Millennium Falcon, in the Utegetu Nebula for breaking the Alliance blockade placed on the region. This caused widespread debate amongst the Jedi ranks, with Jedi arguing over whether they should risk the possibility of war to save Han and Luke. On Ossus with Jacen, Ben witnessed one such argument between several Jedi, and received a assurance from Jacen, his cousin Jaina Solo, and Zekk that none of the prisoners were in any danger whatsoever. During their discussion, which included Ben describing their trip to Moon Falls on Endor, Jacen had to repeatedly mind-rub Ben to keep him from remembering the incident on Hapes.

The Swarm War
By 36 ABY, the conflict that would be dubbed the Swarm War had broken out between a coalition consisting of the Jedi, the Galactic Alliance, and the Chiss Ascendancy against the Dark Nest and the Colony. The issues concerning the Jedi Order's role in the conflict caused a rift in the Order, with one side led by Jedi Master Corran Horn arguing that the Jedi support the Galactic Alliance on the issue, and another side led by Master Kyp Durron contending that the Jedi should keep their own counsel on the matter. On Ossus, Ben Skywalker was present at a meeting of the Jedi Order called by Luke Skywalker, where he directly addressed the division in the Order, asking every member of the Jedi Order to rethink their commitment to the Jedi. Luke asked the Jedi to place the good of the Order over all else, and to obey the directions chosen by their superiors. If one had different loyalties or priorities ahead of the Order, Luke asked them to leave the Jedi Order.

After the meeting, several of the Masters came together to discuss what just occurred. Feeling that they would be out of place in the discussion, Han Solo offered the let Ben work on the Millennium Falcon with him, a prospect that excited the boy. However, Master Kenth Hamner asked Solo to stay with them, which disappointed Ben, due to the fact that he would not be able to test his mechanical abilities on his uncle's starship. Dejected, Ben returned home with his droid Nanna. Later on, Tahiri Veila, Lowbacca, and Tesar Sebatyne approached Luke, telling him of Jacen Solo mind-rubbing Ben. This revelation infuriated Luke, who promised the Jedi that he would question Solo about this matter. Later, Luke and Mara Jade caught up with Solo, and asked him about why he mind-rubbed Ben. Jacen related the story of the Gorax attack to the Luke and Mara, resulting in the two Jedi Masters berating him for using such extreme measures to prevent Ben from recalling the incident.

Across the galaxy, in the Unknown Regions, the Swarm War raged on. Skirmishes at Thyferra and Sarm culminated in the devastating Battle of Tenupe. In the battle, and Galactic Alliance force led by Gilad Pellaeon and Nek Bwua'tu fought alongside the Jedi and the Chiss Ascendancy, which was led into battle by Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano and Captain Jagged Fel. In the climactic battle, the Allied force defeated the Dark Nest influenced Colony forces, causing the death of millions. Luke Skywalker personally dueled and slew Dark Nest Queen Lomi Plo, and Jedi Knight-turned-Dark Nest Joiner Alema Rar, having ascended to the position of Gorog Night Herald, was presumably killed. The Swarm War was finally over.

Mission to Adumar
"What we just did makes us spies."

- Ben Skywalker

Over the next several years, Ben Skywalker continued to train with Jacen Solo, becoming his full apprentice. By 40 ABY, Skywalker had grown into a teenager, strong in the Force, and would accompany his older cousin on many dangerous missions. Ben had progressed slowly and cautiously, but had grown to be more open and trusting of the Force, which Jacen Solo surmised would keep him from giving in to the temptations of the dark side or hormone rushes typical for Human teenagers. Skywalker had become a precocious, bright, and inventive boy, and one that was largely obedient to Solo. In 40 ABY, Skywalker traveled with Solo on a covert mission to the world of Adumar, investigate whether the Dammant Killers missile-manufacturing plant was selling arms to planets that had become close to rebellion in the few years between 36 ABY and 40 ABY. The two posed as Jedi investigators checking up on the plant for the Galactic Alliance, and were nervously guided through the facility by Adumari Dammant Killers employee Testan ke Harran. Solo and Skywalker exploited Jedi mystique to intimidate Harran and the plant workers. On their tour, the adept Jedi felt uneasiness through the Force pertaining to a section of a wall. Astonishing Harran, Skywalker ignited his lightsaber and cut through the wall, revealing a secret section of the plant containing missiles that had not been reported to the Galactic Alliance.

Their secret exposed, a force of twenty guards came out to confront the Jedi. The confrontation resulted in a firefight between Jacen Solo and the guards, with Solo holding off the Adumari while Ben relayed the report on the unreported missiles back to the Galactic Alliance. Their mission complete, Solo and Skywalker escaped the plant itself by hitching a ride on the top of a turbolift car, and using Skywalker's grapnel hook to get a grip on the building, pulling them outside, and subsequently using a series of Force acrobatics to escape. Upon escaping the plant, they soon found themselves in the streets of the Adumari city of Cartann, with an Adumari fighter in hot pursuit. They were able to use the Force to destroy the fighter, ending the immediate danger. After transmitting evidence of the Dammant Killers' crime to the Galactic Alliance, Skywalker and Solo boarded an armored Lambda-class shuttle, and returned to Coruscant.

Operation Roundabout
After returning to Coruscant, Solo and Skywalker were assigned a mission by Luke Skywalker, to destroy or disable the ancient moon-sized space station Centerpoint Station. The operation was motivated by intelligence indicating that the Corellian government were making military preparations to bolster their political moves towards independence: secretly constructing an assault fleet, and also attempting to render Centerpoint Station operational once again. More generally, the strike was conceived as a show of force, a means of eliminating the problem of Corellia's stridently anti-Coruscant government, and discouraging dissent and unrest within the Alliance. The mission was dubbed "Operation Roundabout". Solo and Skywalker would comprise one of five Jedi teams on Operation Roundabout, Team Mynock, with the objective of destroying or disabling Centerpoint. The other four teams, Team Slashrat, Team Purella, Team Tauntaun, and Team Womp Rat, would work towards other objectives designed to end anti-Galactic Alliance dissent in the Corellian system.

Solo and Skywalker were to be assisted in their mission by a Galactic Alliance spy, Toval Seyah, who possessed an intricate knowledge in Centerpoint Station's layout and workings. Seyah put them through several simulated scenarios, designed to prepare them for facing a Corellian Security Force outfit in an effort to reach the station's main control room, and ultimately destroy the station. Finally, the two Jedi and Seyah took a shuttle to Centerpoint Station, but Seyah and Solo were quickly separated from Skywalker. Solo was caught in an anti-Jedi trap, baited by Thrackan Sal-Solo, Solo's relative and the Head of State of Corellia, who had ordered that Centerpoint Station be reactivated. Skywalker was left alone, and had to try to complete the mission by himself. Despite his fear of being alone on a dangerous mission, Skywalker stayed committed to the objective. Determined, Skywalker set out for the station's repulsor control chamber.

Using his smaller size and his skill in stealth, Skywalker was able to sneak past CorSec checkpoints and guard stations to get closer to his destination. However, while sneaking around inside the station, Skywalker surmised that the only reason that he was forced to move so slowly and deliberately was because the enemy knew they were facing Jedi. Thinking that he didn't have to be a Jedi at that particular moment, he removed his Jedi robe and all his Jedi accoutrements off, and dashed towards his destination. While sprinting towards the chamber, Skywalker was stopped by a security guard, who denied him entrance to the chamber. Skywalker responded by tricking the man, telling him that his father was in the chamber and that Skywalker wanted to make sure he was all right. He then darted off, the guard reluctantly allowing him to pass. Having tricked the guard into letting him pass, Skywalker continued his approach to the repulsor control chamber. However, he ran into a group of two CorSec officers and a combat droid guarding the entrance. At first, Skywalker tried to guilt them into letting him through, but when that failed, Skywalker attacked them, destroying the droid and escaping into the control room as the agents sealed the door.

Inside the control room at last, Skywalker looked for the main control console. What he found instead was Anakin Sal-Solo, a droid that had been programmed by Thrackan Sal-Solo to believe that it was Skywalker's late cousin Anakin Solo, who had been dead for nearly fifteen years. Anakin Sal-Solo believed he was Anakin Solo's spirit inhabiting a mutated clone body, with one purpose: to serve the Corellians. In reality, Anakin Solo had used Centerpoint Station years before in the Yuuzhan Vong War, and the Corellians teams trying to get the station operational again needed Solo's biometric signature to use it again. So, Anakin Sal-Solo was built to utilize the late Jedi's fingerprints and brain waves, in the hopes that Centerpoint would respond. Seeing as Anakin Sal-Solo was the only thing standing in the way of Skywalker carrying out his mission, Skywalker attempted to use a holocam to take Sal-Solo's picture and show it to him, proving that he was actually a droid. However, Sal-Solo pulled it away, examining it to make sure it was not a blaster disguised as a holocam. However, Skywalker was able to convince Sal-Solo that he was not Anakin Solo. Skywalker felt guilty for telling the droid that it was not Solo, but nevertheless ordered the droid to use its knowledge of the repulsor system to destroy the station. However, the droid refused to take the lives of those aboard, but promised Skywalker that he would not allow it to be reactivated by the Corellians, although it would mean the droid's eventual destruction. Skywalker and the droid shared a tearful farewell, and Skywalker departed the chamber. Solo and Skywalker then escaped the station along with Seyah.

After the mission had concluded, Skywalker refused to talk about what had happened. He only related the events to his father, and wasn't able to bring himself to accept congratulations or speak to anyone else. Thereafter, Skywalker would have a guilty look in his eyes when reminded of the operation, remembering his encounter with and subsequent destruction of Anakin Sal-Solo.

Attack on Toryaz Station
"We should all go there together, to Corellia. Us and Jacen and Jaina. And we should hammer on Thrackan Sal-Solo until he admits what he did, and lock him away so he doesn't do it anymore."

- Ben Skywalker

After Operation Roundabout, a peace conference was held on Toryaz Station, a space station near Kuat's moon Ronay. The Galactic Alliance, led by Gilad Pellaeon, met with Five World Prime Minister Aidel Saxan, who represented the five worlds of the Corellian system. The meeting was held to negotiate the return of the planet Tralus to the Five Worlds government, after it had been captured by Galactic Alliance Admiral Matric Klauskin during Operation Roundabout. Luke Skywalker led a contingent of Jedi to protect the diplomats, and Ben Skywalker was among them. The first meeting between the two sides lasted for four hours, with neither side reaching a conclusion. Then diplomats and their Jedi guardians then retired for the night.

While Skywalker and the rest slept, the station came under attack by a mysterious black-armored commando force, catching them unaware. The Jedi quickly moved to try and fight them off, but Skywalker was not able to partake in the battle. To protect him, Jacen Solo flipped Skywalker's bed over as he slept, covering him with it to shield him from their mysterious attackers. Despite their best efforts to save the diplomats, Aidel Saxan was killed with a blaster bolt to the chest. However, they were able to save Gilad Pellaeon from any harm. The motive for the attack was unknown, but Han Solo hypothesized that it was aimed at Jacen Solo, as retaliation for Operation Roundabout. Upon hearing this theory, Skywalker became frightened since if the commandos were after Solo because of Centerpoint, they would also be after him.

After the attack, Skywalker was pulled aside by his parents for a discussion over his thoughts on the matter. While conversing with them, Skywalker suggested that they, as a family, go to Corellia and imprison Thrackan Sal-Solo because he thought that it could stop a future war with Corellia. That proposal was rejected by Luke Skywalker, who believed that if Corellia truly wanted independence, they should have it. Ben disagreed, stating according to Jacen Solo the secession of Corellia would cause unrest. His parents went on to tell him to watch out for people who said that they know the right answer on an issue, referencing his constant agreeing with Jacen Solo. Afterwards, Skywalker related to them that sometimes he hated being a Jedi, a feeling that his father had as well.

Strange disturbances
While investigating the scene of the assault, Jacen Solo discovered tassels with inscriptions written upon them in different languages. While trying to decode the message, Solo was referred to the world of Lorrd, a repository of academic information. In the hopes that the scholars of Lorrd could translate the message, Solo traveled to the planet, bringing Skywalker along with him. Solo contacted the Jedi assigned to Lorrd, Nelani Dinn, telling her about the tassels and asking her to find someone able to decode them. Upon landing in Lorrd City and meeting Dinn, they were pointed to Dr. Heilan Rotham, a linguist who specialized in the field of tactile writing and recording methods. The three Jedi traveled together to Dr. Rotham's office, who succeeded in translating the first inscription. But before Rotham could continue her work, Dinn was called away by an emergency transmission. Leaving Rotham with the tassels, Skywalker and Solo went off to accompany Dinn on her duty.

The Jedi trio raced to the Lorrd City Spaceport, but were faced with an odd situation upon arriving; a Galactic Civil War veteran named Ordith Huarr was aboard an old Y-wing starfighter, and was threatening to launch missiles at housing districts unless he could speak with a Jedi. Dinn tried to reason with Huarr, who believed that he had seen and spoken to a Force ghost of his late wife. Although Dinn tried to convince Huarr to disarm himself, Solo decided to use the Force to disable the Y-wing and end the threat. While Dinn admonished Solo for using such extreme methods, Skywalker examined the Y-wing. Skywalker felt a surge of despair and determination from Huarr, and screamed for the other two Jedi and Lorrd Security Force agents to get away from the vehicle. Huarr then fired the missiles, destroying the starfighter but leveling the building in front of him. Skywalker was shell-shocked afterwards, but cheered up when he was informed that there were no casualties in the explosion. As a reward for his actions, Solo let Skywalker have the rest of that day to himself.

While enjoying his day off in the spaceport, Skywalker found a shuttle that matched one that had been seen escaping Toryaz Station after the earlier attack. Skywalker checked the spaceport's registry and found that the shuttle belonged to a Commenor native named Brisha Syo, who was not present at the time. Skywalker reported the suspicious nature of the shuttle to Lorrd Security Force Lieutenant Neav Samran, and placed a tracking device on the shuttle's hull in case Syo sneaked aboard and discreetly left. Skywalker returned to Dr. Rotham's office after finding the shuttle, entering just as Rotham revealed her translations of the tassels. Once Rotham was finished, Skywalker told Dinn and Solo of the shuttle's discovery.

Skywalker was awoken the next day by Solo, who informed them that another situation that required Jedi assistance had been reported. After getting up and retrieving his equipment, Skywalker, Solo, and Dinn went to the Lorrd Academy for Aquatic Studies. Inside, a man had strapped explosives between himself and a hostage named Serom Haxan, and was holding a large group of beings against their will. Solo went up to speak with the man, who identified himself as Doctor Movac Arisster, a professor at the University of Pangalactic Cultural Studies. Arisster believed that he had met with deceased Old Republic-era Jedi Knight Aayla Secura, who instructed him to get the attention of the Jedi. Arisster was stricken with cancer and had little time left to live, and therefore wanted to live on after his death by defeating a Jedi. He intended to accomplish this by denying the Jedi a happy ending, stopping the Jedi from saving his hostages. Solo tried to negotiate with Arisster, but found it impossible. Solo used the Force to detonate the explosives, killing Haxan and Arisster, but saving the rest of the captives. After the incident, Skywalker and Dinn argued with Solo over his methods, with Skywalker telling Solo that he had done wrong.

These odd encounters continued to occur, as the day after the trio of Jedi had to save the kidnapped daughter of a prominent businesswoman, who was being held in steam tunnels beneath the School of Conceptual Design. She was rescued after Skywalker crawled through a steam pipe and dropping into the kidnapped girl's chamber, defending it against all comers until Solo, Dinn, and the security forces could storm and secure the tunnels. The kidnapping's mastermind who died during the attack was a frustrated radical who wanted to replace Lorrd's planetary government. His surviving allies stated that the girl appeared to him in a dream and recommended the kidnapping. Later that same day, a man named Borth Pazz, dressed in Jedi-style robes and wielding a nonfunctional lightsaber stolen from a museum climbed to the top of a building, and threatened to leap to his death unless he was admitted to the Jedi Order. Solo climbed to the summit to speak with the man, who had no Force capabilities whatsoever, and allowed the man to jump. Skywalker and Dinn used the Force to slow the man's fall, leaving him with only a broken ankle. As the man was carted off by medical personnel, Skywalker received a transmission from Lieutenant Samran, who informed the Jedi that Brisha Syo had been found and taken into custody.

The Home
The Jedi trio went directly to the jailhouse where Syo was being kept by LSF forces, and proceeded to interrogate her. Syo quickly and readily admitted to her involvement with the odd disturbances that had been occuring on Lorrd, and revealed her Force-sensitivity. Syo stated that she heard the thoughts of people planning evil deeds through the Force, and she told those people that their victory would be greater if they defeated the Jedi. She also admitted that she was present during the events at Toryaz Station, but denied that she was actually involved in the assault. She related that she was watching Jacen Solo, and came to Lorrd to follow and test him. She then invited the Jedi to her home, a planetoid in a star system in the vicinity of Bimmiel. Skywalker warned that it was a trap, Solo decided to accept her invitation. Skywalker reluctantly decided to accompany him and Dinn.

The Jedi and Syo traveled to her home, which was a former mining station that was once inhabited by a species of mynock-like sentients. Over time, the species learned to wield the Force, and permeated the caverns with dark side energy. The species eventually went extinct, and a mining operation was set up on the asteroids. The director, a Force-sensitive, realized the power of the dark side energy in the planetoid and would become Sith Lord Darth Vectivus. After telling Vectivus' story, Syo revealed her true reason for leading them to her home; in the caverns, where the dark side power was greater and more focused, there was a Sith Lord, and Syo did not think she should face him alone. Upon learning this, the three Jedi accompanied Syo on a turbolift on its way down to the bottom level of the habitat, but Skywalker suddenly felt himself being grabbed by the collar and hurled out of the lift and into the darkness of the caverns.

Ben found himself floating in the minimal gravity of the lower levels, with Dinn alongside him, and Syo and Solo nowhere in sight. Skywalker and Dinn were then suddenly attacked by a swarm of mynocks, but quickly realized that the mynocks were nothing more than projections of the Force, although they were still dangerous. After fending off the mynocks, Skywalker found that Dinn was gone; in her place was his mother, Mara Jade Skywalker. Skywalker was forced to duel with his mother, who was strangely hostile to him, but realized that she was just another Force projection like the mynocks. Skywalker was bested by the apparition of his mother, and found himself once again hurtling through the caverns.

Meanwhile, Syo revealed to Solo that she was actually Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith. She also told Solo that his former mentor, Vergere, was a Sith as well, and had sacrificed herself to make sure that Solo would become a Dark Lord of the Sith. Dinn intervened, having overheard the conversation, and tried to convince Solo that Lumiya was lying, to no avail. Solo yielded to Lumiya's views, and a concerned Dinn tried to attack Lumiya. The duel raged until Solo stopped it and turned on Dinn, spurred on by a Force vision of Luke SKywalker dying if Dinn was left alive. A battle ensued, ending when Solo ran Dinn through with his lightsaber, killing the Jedi. After the fight, Solo bowed to Lumiya and pledged to learn the ways of the Sith. on his way out of the caverns, Solo picked up a groggy and disoriented Skywalker and memory-rubbed him, making him forget the events at the Home. Confused, Skywalker asked about Dinn and Lumiya's whereabouts. Solo lied to Skywalker, saying that Dinn was killed by Force phantoms, and that Lumiya died of her injuries.

Civil unrest
A short time after returning from the Home, Skywalker and Solo met with Cal Omas, the Galactic Alliance Chief of State, and Cha Niathal in the Galactic Senate building on Coruscant. By then, the events of Operation Roundabout had become a major news event, being discussed in news outlets all across the galaxy. Skywalker, however, was disappointed by the lack of publicity given to his actions during the raid on Centerpoint. Solo, citing the increase of support for Corellia among Galactic Alliance constituents, asked Omas to declare war on Corellia, since he believed that war was inevitable anyway. After hearing the argument presented by Solo, Omas refused his request, fearing that the Galactic Alliance might transform into a government akin to the Galactic Empire. After the conversation, Skywalker questioned why the conflict was happening in the first place, since both Omas and Han Solo were afraid of the Galactic Alliance becoming a tyrannical government, but were on different sides. On their way out of the Senate building, Skywalker witnessed a protest by Corellian citizens of Coruscant, rallying against the treatment of Corellia by the Galactic Alliance.

Later that day, Corellian terrorists bombed Elite Hotel on Coruscant. Skywalker was at Solo's apartment at the time, and was unharmed. As a form of revenge, Coruscant natives vandalized the Corellian Sanctuary, a resting place for the dead created by exiled Corellians. In the aftermath of the bomb, Solo gave Skywalker a study task to occupy him in his absence; to visit the sites of the bombing and the attack on the Corellian Sanctuary, and to sense what he could of the people and events surrounding them. Skywalker first visited the Sanctuary, which he believed to be one of the saddest places he had ever been to. At the Sanctuary he met a Corellian boy named Barit Saiy, who explained to him the Corellian side of the conflict and the reasons for the terrorist attack. After finishing his task for the day, Skywalker tool a trip to the Fleet Command Center, where Cha Niathal gave him a tour of the facilities.

The visit to the Fleet Command Center did not take as much time as Skywalker expected, and he was still curious about desperately curious about state of the Corellians that he had encountered on his study task earlier. Thus, Skywalker went to Galactic City's Corellian Quarter, which he found in a state of chaos. A Coruscant Security Force unit was in the area, warning disgruntled residents that the water supply had become contaminated, leaving half of Galactic City without water. The CSF detachment quickly became surrounded by angry crowds, ready to explode into violence at any moment. One particular Coruscanti mob had gathered in front of the Corellian embassy, shouting epithets and throwing objects at the building. The CSF unit was forced to use dispersal gas to quell the crowd, which had devolved into violence between the Coruscantis and the Corellians. Amidst the sea of people, Skywalker caught sight of his acquaintance Barit Saiy, who had produced a blaster and was aiming it at one of the CSF officers. Eyes burning from exposure to the gas, Skywalker was able to deflect Saiy's blaster bolt and prevent an escalation of violence.

Skywalker went back to Jacen Solo's apartment, still suffering from the effects of the dispersal gas. He was then visited by his parents, who were quite worried upon hearing of his brush with the rioters. They were soon followed by Jacen Solo and his parents. Due to Luke Skywalker and Han Solo being on two opposite sides in the conflict between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia, Skywalker bore witness to a heated argument between the two friends. Mara Jade Skywalker was disgusted by the confrontation, and quickly pulled Ben away from his father and uncle. Afterwards, Skywalker returned to the Corellian Quarter, with one objective in mind; to find Barit Saiy, and ask what made him see Coruscantis as his enemy. Skywalker tracked down Saiy, who said that the Corellians and the Coruscantis were truly at war. Saiy refused to apologize for trying to shoot the CSF officer, and departed after thanking Skywalker for not turning him in.

The Galactic Alliance Guard
In the wake of the terrorist attacks that shook Coruscant, Cal Omas and Coruscanti Senator G'vli G'Sil had an idea; a secret police force active on Coruscant utilized to counter Corellian terrorist activity. Leadership of the secret police was initially offered to Mara Jade Skywalker due to her previous exploits as an Emperor's Hand. Jade declined because the thought of a Jedi running a secret police force troubled her, so leadership was instead given to Jacen Solo. The organization was named the Galactic Alliance Guard, with Solo as a colonel and placed in charge of the 967 Commando squad. The 967 Commando, a unit of elite shock troopers mostly made up of volunteers from the CSF's Anti-Terrorist Unit, specialized in siege busting and personnel retrieval. Solo brought Ben Skywalker into the fold as well, and the two Jedi and the 967 Commando immediately went to work.

The era of the Galactic Alliance Guard started with a routine raid into the Corellian district of Galactic City. Skywalker accompanied Solo and the 967 Commando on the raid, which was designed to search Corellian-owned property for potential threats to Coruscant security. they quickly found what they were looking for, military-level explosives which had not been assembled and readied for an attack. HoloNet reporters were soon at the scene, which worried Skywalker since it meant that his father would hear of the events. Solo told Skywalker that he shouldn't regret anything he's done, and asked him whether he was ashamed of any of his actions. Skywalker replied by stating that he regretted not telling Solo of Barit Saiy's attempt to shoot the CSF officer, and then went off to assist another GAG squad in wrenching open the doors of an apartment building. In the raid, no one was injured, and all the detained Corellians were alive and well.

After the raid was finished, GAG headquarters was visited by Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, who had heard news of the events and were worried about Ben's condition. Mara Skywalker was shocked by Ben's military-like mannerisms, as being around the adult males of the GAG had caused him to imitate them without knowing. Skywalker had indeed formed a bond with the GAG members during his time with them. However, Solo's increasingly dark actions had drawn the attention of Luke Skywalker and several other Jedi, who were concerned for Ben due to the great influence that Solo had on him. Even Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo's own sister, recommended to Luke Skywalker that he find another teacher for Ben. in the meantime, Skywalker continued serving in the GAG. He was stationed with Jacen Solo and the 967 Commando at a vehicle checkpoint in the lower levels of Galactic City, this time in a neighborhood that wasn't Corellian. This was justified by one of the highest ranking GAG members, Captain Lon Shevu, by saying that not all threats to domestic security were Corellian. Shevu then announced their reason for being there; their Customs and Immigrations department recieved a tipoff about three Corellian agents and a bounty hunter they had made contact with, and the CSF had tracked their location.

The GAG force first tried to coax their targets out of their hiding place peacefully, but were responded to with blasterfire. They then entered the building by force, with Skywalker serving as a "sniffer" using the Force to detect unforeseen traps and to ascertain the exact location of their targets. The Corellian agents and the bounty hunter were swiftly captured, and taken into custody. Afterwards, Solo asked about the identity of Barit Saiy as the Corellian who tried to shoot the CSF officer. Skywalker was conflicted about turning in his friend, but ultimately decided to be loyal to Solo and give him Saiy's name.

Appearances
{{Scrollbox {{Imagecat|Images of Ben Skywalker}}
 * content=
 * Balance Point {{1stm}} {{C|Unborn}}
 * Edge of Victory I: Conquest {{Mo}} {{C|Unborn}}
 * Edge of Victory II: Rebirth {{1st}} {{1stID|Ben}}
 * Star by Star
 * Dark Journey
 * Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream
 * Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand {{Mo}}
 * Destiny's Way {{Mo}}
 * Force Heretic I: Remnant {{Mo}}
 * Equals and Opposites {{Mo}}
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee {{Mo}}
 * Force Heretic III: Reunion {{Mo}}
 * The Unifying Force
 * Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
 * Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
 * Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
 * Betrayal
 * Bloodlines
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Inferno
 * Fury
 * Revelation
 * Invincible
 * Outcast
 * Omen
 * Abyss

Non-canon appearances
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 * The Lost Lightsaber