Battle of Coruscant (Great Hyperspace War)

"Naga Sadow demands that we capture the heart of the government! Crush anything that stands in our way, in the name of the Dark Lord of the Sith!"

- Shar Dakhan

The Battle of Coruscant was one of several simultaneous engagements that constituted the Sith Empire's invasion of the Galactic Republic. Under strict orders from Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow, Lord Shar Dakhan led a contingent of the Sith invasion fleet in an attempt to capture the very heart of the Republic in a direct assault of the galactic capital of Coruscant. Dakhan's forces were augmented with illusions conjured by Naga Sadow, which appeared to multiply the ranks of the Sith a thousandfold. Despite what seemed to be strength in numbers, their advance was stayed by Republic forces under the command of Jedi Master Memit Nadill and his team of Knights, who battled Dakhan and the Sith on the steps of the Senate Hall.

Treachery enacted by Sadow's Sith apprentice Gav Daragon interrupted the Dark Lord's concentration and caused his illusions to vanish, and the Sith forces on Coruscant were demoralize by the loss of ranks. The Jedi realized the deception that was the Sith and rallied the Republic soldiers to drive them in defeat from the capital. As the Great Hyperspace War continued to sweep across other systems in the galaxy, the battle for Coruscant had been won and the planet successfully defended by the Jedi Knights of the Galactic Republic.

Prelude
A young Draethos Jedi Knight named Odan-Urr experienced a Force vision that suggested preparations for invasion of the galaxy were currently being made by the fabled Sith Empire. He conferred with his Master Memit Nadill who, as advisor to Empress Teta of the Koros system, advised his liege and traveled with her and Odan-Urr to Coruscant to warn the Galactic Senate. However, the assembly was uninterested in the dreams of Odan-Urr, an inexperienced Jedi, and discredited his vision as nothing more than a bad dream. Empress Teta nevertheless trusted him, and pledged the full military support of the Koros system to the defense of the Republic.

The battle
Memit Nadill traveled to Coruscant to rally the Jedi ahead of the impending invasion of Sith forces. As Nadill departed his ship, he was met by fellow Jedi Tuknatan, Sonam-Ha'ar and Anavus Svag. Unlike the Senate, the Jedi Knights took heed of Odan-Urr's vision, promising to help Nadill protect the capital. However, Nadill had not arrived soon enough. The vast Sith fleet was raining down on Coruscant. The Republic defensive cannon could not deal with the magnitude of the invaders&mdash;the Sith fleet contained tens of thousands of vessels.

Under the leadership of Sith Lord Shar Dakhan, the Sith fleet sent down drop-ships containing massive tusked war behemoths and hordes of vicious Massassi warriors. The Sith charged for the Senate Hall, on the orders of Naga Sadow. At the steps to the Senate Hall, Nadill and the other Jedi, supported by a small amount of Republic soldiers attempted to fight off the Sith army.

High above the planet of Primus Goluud, Naga Sadow was meditating in his meditation sphere, using Sith magic to influence and visually exaggerate the Sith army. Gav Daragon, furious at the murder of his mentor Aarrba the Hutt at the hands of Sadow's Massassi warriors, fired on the Human-Sith hybrid, breaking his concentration.

Meanwhile, Coruscant was about to fall to the overwhelming Sith forces. The four Jedi were just able to repel the attack, while the Republic soldiers racked up heavy casualties. However, as Sadow's meditation sphere was damaged, much of the Sith army simply vanished. With their morale considerably boosted, the Jedi called a counter-attack, driving the Sith back to their ships. The majority of the Sith were defeated, and those that were still alive were allowed to return to their warships and flee back to Korriban.

Aftermath
"The enemies are defeated&hellip;at great cost to the city of Coruscant&hellip;"

- Memit Nadill

After the Sith had been driven away, the citizens of Coruscant who had sought refuge inside the Senate Hall gathered outside the magnificent building, celebrating wildly. Although the Republic was victorious, it was not without its costs. Great damage was done to Coruscant, and many Jedi turned away from their role as warriors and began to seek more peaceful ways to serve the Republic.

In recognition of the Jedi Order's defense of the capital, and in remembrance of the terror caused by Naga Sadow's invasion, the Senate awarded the Jedi a large plot of land, which they hoped would be used to build a Jedi fortress. As was often the case, the Jedi did not comply with the Senate's wishes. Although they took the land, the Jedi Council had no intention of building a citadel, as they felt that they were not a military organization. Instead, the Jedi built a series of training facilities and meditative centers on the land, which, over several centuries, expanded in size and became the Jedi Temple.

Behind the scenes
The Battle of Coruscant was created by Kevin J. Anderson for Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire. It has subsequently been referenced in several other sources, including the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, The New Essential Chronology and Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire 3: First Encounter
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire 4: The Dogs of War
 * Timeline 12: The Great Hyperspace War
 * Crosscurrent