Gaeriel Captison

"I can feel through the Force that you're a woman of depth. Of deep feelings."

- Luke Skywalker, to Gaeriel Captison

Gaeriel "Gaeri" Captison was a member of an influential political family on Bakura. Her father, Dol Captison, and his brother, Yeorg Captison, were both senators in the Bakuran Senate. As a result, she was raised in the presence of notable political figures, and with a desire to follow in her family members' footsteps. Educated at prestigious schools on Bakura and the galactic capital of Coruscant for her education, Captison hoped to become part of the Bakuran government, and the death of her parents at the hands of the Empire stiffened her faith in the Cosmic Balance.

Eventually elected as a senator, Captison was influential in the Battle of Bakura, ultimately siding with the resistance despite her previous Imperial leanings. During the battle, Captison met with a Rebel Alliance delegation that had come to Bakura's aid when the planet was threatened by the alien Ssi-ruuk. During the battle, she developed an attraction to Rebel Alliance Commander and Jedi Luke Skywalker, which caused her to become a target for Ssi-ruuk capture, as the aliens were trying to obtain Skywalker for their own purposes. Skywalker fended off her would-be captors and the Ssi-ruuk were defeated, shortly after Bakuran insurrectionists overthrew Imperial rule on Bakura. Captison went on to become the youngest Prime Minister of Bakura and led as a staunch ally of the New Republic. She married former Imperial naval officer Pter Thanas, with whom she had a daughter named Malinza. However, Thanas contracted a fatal disease, Knowt's Disease, and the time Captison spent caring for her ailing husband cost her in the elections.

She was widowed and out of power when Luke Skywalker returned to her life, having been sent to ask for Bakura's aid on behalf of the New Republic with regards to trouble brewing in the Corellian system. Captison helped him and later accompanied the Bakuran fleet dispatched to Corellia during the First Corellian Insurrection as a diplomat. In the final stages of the conflict, she sacrificed herself and the Bakuran warship Intruder to destroy a large portion of the insurgent fleet that was fighting to secede from the New Republic.

Early life and career
"She has been a good child. It remains to be seen if she'll be a good senator."

- Orn Belden, about Gaeriel Captison

Gaeriel Captison was born into privilege as part of the influential Bakuran Captison family. Her father Dol Captison as well as her uncle Yeorg Captison were Bakuran Senators, which sparked an interest in politics in the young Captison. Captison embraced the faith of her family and became a follower of the Cosmic Balance religion at an early age. Her life's path was decided in 3 BBY when her parents gave her a white feather on her birthday to signify her road to higher education and possible senatorial election. Correspondingly, her younger sister Ylanda received a golden bowl and immediately began a life of starvation and poverty so that the universal balance would be preserved.

In 2 BBY, Captison won a position in the Bakur Senatorial Academy, a school aimed at preparing political-minded students for eventual positions in the Bakuran Senate. As the school was located in the Bakuran capital city of Salis D'aar, she spent her four years at the Academy living with her uncle Yeorg and aunt Tiree. During this time, Yeorg was elected Prime Minister of Bakura, and in 1 BBY, Captison was elected to the Senate&mdash;presumably either to replace the next senator who retired, or to immediately fill an open seat as soon as she graduated.

In 1 ABY, the Galactic Empire invaded Bakura, annexing the planet. Captison's parents, members of the resistance, were both killed during a crossfire between Imperial and Bakuran forces. Already a follower of the Cosmic Balance, the deaths of her parents left her even more spiritual.

The year of 3 ABY Captison spent doing postgraduate work in government on Imperial Center; due to a decree by Emperor Palpatine, it was the only planet where one could do such work. When she returned to Bakura in 4 ABY, she assumed a seat in the Senate, presumably one previously held by her father. Of course, Captison understood that the position was essentially meaningless with the Empire in control. However, despite what the Empire had done, she did not hate it, knowing that it brought economic growth and political stability along with its autocratic ways. During this time, she also spent a lot of time helping care for the aged and senile Eppie Belden.

Ssi-ruuk threat
"I'm not hiding behind Jedi abilities. I want to help the Rebellion."

- Gaeriel Captison, to Luke Skywalker, after deciding to aid the Rebel Alliance

A month after Captison became a senator, the alien Ssi-ruuk invaded the Bakura system, with intent to conquer it and convert the populace into energy sources via entechment. During the subsequent Invasion of Bakura, Captison was present when the senate was convened by the Imperial Governor Wilek Nereus, who announced the arrival of Rebel Alliance ships in the Bakuran system. The Alliance vessels had aided the Empire in beating off a Ssi-ruuk incursion on the system, and were currently holding position near the planet. After Nereus proposed withdrawing the planetary defense forces back to Bakura and breaking off from the main battle, Captison voted with the majority to approve the action, though the vote was merely a formality.

Later, Captison was present when a delegation from the Rebel Alliance arrived, hoping to broker a truce with the Bakurans as part of an effort to aid Bakura against the Ssi-ruuk. The Alliance delegation, which included Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, General Han Solo, and the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, addressed the senate and Nereus, and Captison caught Skywalker's interest immediately, as he found her striking. However, when she learned that he was a Jedi, Captison was immediately off-put, as her faith held that Jedi inherently imbalanced the universe. The Rebels were shown a recording sent by the Ssi-ruuk by a Human slave of theirs, Dev Sibwarra, and were horrified to see how entechment worked; the individual's life energy was sapped from his body and used to power war machinery. The Alliance party then iterated that they were there to help Bakura and offered an official truce, which Nereus said would be discussed.

Captison was requested by her aunt to be present at a dinner organized by her Uncle Yeorg, the Bakuran Prime Minister, and at which both the Rebels and Nereus were invited. Captison's aunt stressed the importance of the dinner, which would give the Imperials and Rebels a chance to discuss matters privately, and also expressed concern for Nereus's interest in Captison; the latter sentiment was also held by Captison. Though her aunt had originally planned on seating Captison by Princess Organa, Yeorg had other ideas and placed her next to Luke Skywalker. Skywalker struck up a conversation with her, asking her about her preconceptions about Jedi and Captison admitted that she had religious objections to his kind. However, she remained distant and closed to him, not wanting to talk too much with him. Eventually, though, she introduced him to namana fruit nectar, a Bakuran delicacy, and asked him about the Emperor's death. He told the story, responding that the Emperor was in fact, dead, as he had felt Palpatine die in the Force, which also drew a negative reaction from her&mdash;the Cosmic Balance had objections to all Force-users. Midway through the dinner, Nereus received a transmission from Imperial Admiral Prittick informing him of the veracity of the Rebels' claims. Faced with the prospect of no Imperial aid to stave off a full Ssi-ruuk attack, Nereus agreed to an official truce. Following that announcement, Skywalker asked Captison how much she believed in the Empire, and she replied that it was a balance of things light and dark. As the evening wound down, Skywalker resolved to continue his conversation with her later, and kissed her hand, as he had seen other diplomats do, before departing.

Captison was at the Beldens' tending to Eppie Belden when Skywalker came calling, hoping to speak to Senator Belden, but the senator was otherwise occupied at the time. Captison introduced Skywalker to Eppie, and the Jedi used a Force technique in an effort to heal Eppie's mind, which he believed had been deliberately damaged by the Empire. Captison was suspicious of him, and asked him about how he used his power. Skywalker replied that he was only trying to help, and she did soften towards him somewhat as they continued their conversation about Jedi and Eppie Belden for some time.

Not long afterward, Captison was in her office in a futile attempt to investigate the possibility of Imperial involvement in Eppie Belden's infirmity when her aide apprised her that Nereus had planned to turn over Skywalker to the Ssi-ruuk. She decided to warn him, using the guise of visiting to his apartment as a way to tip him off. She told him about Nereus's plot, and advised him to take precautions to prevent his being captured. At the same time, she offered to have a dinner delivered to her own suite and then diverted to his apartment, and he gratefully agreed. While they waited, she asked him if he could feel her thoughts. Probing her mind with the Force, Skywalker sensed her attraction to him, despite her religious objections, and his own feelings were mutually favorable towards her. As they ate, the conversation took a more personal bent, as they discussed their pasts and personal beliefs. Skywalker voiced his interest in her, but she was still hesitant to involve herself with him, due to her faith, though she did admit her own conflicted feelings for both him and the Alliance.

Little did Captison or Skywalker know that Nereus had agreed to the Ssi-ruuk plan, but had double-crossed the saurian aliens by inserting parasitic Olabrian trichoid larvae into the meal, which infected both Captison and Skywalker.

Bakuran independence
"Governor, if nothing else is going to come of your treachery, then I shall make my own small gesture. I resign from Imperial service."

- Gaeriel Captison to Wilek Nereus

Later, Nereus also betrayed the Rebel forces as soon as the Ssi-ruuk had been beaten back, capturing Yeorg Captison, Orn Belden, and Leia Organa. In response, the underground Bakuran resistance sprang into action and began fighting the Empire. Captison was present at the Beldens' house when the resistance sprang into action, on her way to tell Eppie about the death of her husband, who had died after being captured by the Empire on charges of sedition; he had died under interrogation. Instead, she was surprised to see a recovered Eppie Belden, successfully healed by Skywalker, leading the resistance effort and already cognizant of her husband's death. After some persuasion from Belden, Captison agreed to help the resistance. Belden gave Captison a computer chip that allowed her to access Imperial stormtrooper communications, which she used to send fake distress calls to Imperial forces across Salis D'aar. She then destroyed the chip and went to warn Skywalker of the impending Ssi-ruuk attack. Captison, aided by Skywalker's astromech droid, R2-D2, traced his location and were able to find him at a local cantina. She warned him of the capture of the Rebels and Bakuran officials, as well as the insurrection, and asked him to come back once the conflict was over, to talk with her personally. Shortly after she arrived, though, a party of Ssi-ruuk tried to capture them with the tacit permission of Nereus. Luke attempted to fight them off, defending Captison as best he could, but was overpowered after a brief struggle. However, his efforts were not in vain and Captison, though stunned, was not taken. Instead, R2-D2 helped her out of the cantina, and she received medical attention at the Imperial garrison as the Ssi-ruuk commenced a full-scale attack.

Captison was taken to appear before Nereus, who had been trying to ally her with his faction in the government. She was initially repulsed by his mannerisms and iron-fisted plans for Bakura, but managed to maintain a diplomatic front. Nereus then revealed to her the existence of the larvae embedded in her and Skywalker's lungs, and had the larva in Captison removed. Upon her questioning him, the Imperial governor also intimated that he had used a parasite to debilitate Eppie Belden years earlier as punishment for her seditious activities. She was furthermore shocked when, after the Ssi-ruuk attack had been beaten off, Nereus ordered the Imperial forces to fire on the Alliance ships. Giving her the chance to join him and approve the governor as Prime Minister, Nereus also threatened Captison should she not cooperate. He then threatened to shoot Yeorg Captison, whom he accused of treachery, unless the two yielded to his demands. However, resistance fighters led by the recovered Eppie Belden rescued Captison and captured Nereus. The latter was later killed in a desperate assassination attempt on Luke Skywalker, who had defeated the Ssi-ruuk flagship Shriwirr and dealt with his own larvae infestation, as well as convincing the Imperial military forces to surrender.

The end of the battle resulted in both the repulsion of the Ssi-ruuk and the liberation of Bakura from the Empire. However, despite the mutual attraction that had developed between them, Skywalker and Captison were content to go their separate ways, the former continuing the fight against the Empire and the latter contributing to the rebuilding of Bakura. Meeting on the Millennium Falcon, Captison helped Skywalker handle the body of Dev Sibwarra, who had been redeemed, and the two later shared one final kiss before they went their separate ways. She would later meet the new Bakuran defense force commander, Pter Thanas, for dinner shortly after he resigned his Imperial commission to serve Bakura.

Following Bakura's independence, Captison was visited by her sister, Ylanda, who had been reduced to asceticism since her youth by the religious tenets of the Cosmic Balance. Captison was surprised to see how gaunt and malnourished Ylanda had become, and was even more shocked to learn from Ylanda that their parents had always been part of the resistance. Their deaths hadn't been accidental; they were ordered by the Empire. Ylanda had been told by the elder Captisons not to reveal that information to Captison unless the Empire failed her, or unless Ylanda's life was in danger. As thirty-two ascetics had recently been asked to fast for a month&mdash;in hopes that their suffering would cause the Cosmic Balance to reward Bakura with economic prosperity&mdash;Ylanda had feared she wouldn't survive the fast and had come to discharge her debt to her parents. At that point, Captison realized that she couldn't and didn't believe in the Cosmic Balance and took Ylanda in, hoping to take care of her and persuade her to abandon a faith that might have led her to self-starvation. When later interviewed by Alliance historian Voren Na'al, Captison stated that she still believed that Jedi had great potential to misuse their powers, but speculated that they might exist on their own balance separate from the rest of the galaxy.

Rise and fall
"She married about six years ago, to a man called Pter Thanas&mdash;a former Imperial officer. I believe you met him during our time in Bakura. They had a child, a girl, whom they named Malinza. She is now four and half standard years old. Thanas contracted a lingering ailment with which I am not familiar, something called Knowt's disease, just as the campaign was getting under way, and expired two days after Gaeriel's party was defeated. It would seem that she's out of active politics, at least for the moment."

- C-3PO to Luke Skywalker, on Gaeriel Captison's activities

When her uncle Yeorg retired from public life, Captison won the election to succeed him as Prime Minister, and had the distinction of being Bakura's youngest Prime Minister. One of her main accomplishments was the establishment of the Bakuran Defense Fleet; she placed Pter Thanas, the former commander of the Imperial garrison on Bakura, in command of it. Thanas and Captison worked together closely, and a relationship developed, culminating in their marriage in 12 ABY. Their daughter, Malinza Thanas, was born in 13 ABY.

The next few years did not go well for Captison. Shortly after Malinza's birth, Pter contracted Knowt's Disease. Captison failed to be re-elected as Prime Minister, and retired from political life. In 16 ABY, Pter died.

First Corellian Insurrection
"I hardly know what to say, Luke. I must admit that I'd imagined seeing you again more than once over the years. But somehow I never imagined you calling on me to ask if you could borrow our navy."

- Gaeriel Captison to Luke Skywalker

The next year, Luke Skywalker returned to Bakura, requesting the New Republic's use of the Bakuran Defense Fleet in the First Corellian Insurrection. When the Jedi Master first arrived, Captison found that he had arranged to meet her privately first, so they could have the awkwardness of their reunion outside of public eye. The meeting was indeed uncomfortable for both of them at first, particularly since they both recalled well the feelings they had had for each other years earlier. They both expressed regret for not having seen or contacted the other in years, but realized that for them to have done so would have been disruptive to both of them. However, Skywalker informed her that he was here to discuss a pending insurrection in the Corellian system. The New Republic was short of warships at that point, and Skywalker had come to request Bakura's aid in investigating the incident. Agreeing to help him, Captison used her clout to get the Bakuran Senate to approve the use of the Bakuran fleet.

After two days of meeting with Bakura's chief military officers, including Admiral Hortel Ossilege, Captison and the New Republic delegation, which included Lando Calrissian, New Republic Intelligence officer Belindi Kalenda, and Skywalker, were able to get the Prime Minister's permission to accompany a Bakuran fleet to the Corellian system. Additionally, Captison was chosen as plenipotentiary for the Bakurans, giving her authority to conduct negotiations while she accompanied the fleet. Before the fleet departed, Captison introduced her daughter to Skywalker, who said he would look out for Captison, before bidding Malinza goodbye.

As the fleet arrived in the Corellian system, the Bakurans found that communications and hyperspace travel were being blocked by a sizable jamming and interdiction field emanating from Centerpoint Station, a space station located in between the double worlds of Talus and Tralus. The ships, using a Bakuran technology called the hyperwave inertial momentum sustainer, were able to sustain hyperspace travel long enough to get them near the Corellian world of Selonia. Captison, acting as diplomatic liaison, hoped to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, but as the Bakurans ventured deeper into Corellian space, the more dangerous it became for their small fleet, as a Bakuran warship was destroyed by a hidden planetary repulsor in the opening engagement over the world of Selonia between the Bakurans and insurrectionist forces.

Captison later accompanied a small mission to Centerpoint Station, along with Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Belindi Kalenda. They were unsuccessful in finding a way to stop the station though, as the only crew member on the station, Jenica Sonsen, was clueless to the fact that the station was in fact, a superweapon. Sonsen told them that the station had been largely abandoned when destructive flares started consuming the inside of the station. The mission took a nearly lethal turn when, while investigating the remains of the Hollowtown settlement, the environment rapidly grew hostile and toxic to Humans, increasing in temperature and with an increasingly poisonous atmospheric composition. The group narrowly survived by escaping into an elevator car out the area. They returned to the Bakuran fleet, but their mission was a success in that Calrissian determined that Centerpoint was the key to the insurrection and a superweapon capable of destroying stars. Upon returning to their ships, they soon learned that the Sacorrian Triad was bringing a large fleet to combat the Bakurans.

As the Republic and Bakuran forces prepared for combat, Captison opted to remain on the Intruder with commanding Admiral Hortel Ossilege. Her negotiating powers were useless in a shooting conflict, and she was relegated to waiting on the ship for the duration of the battle. She did have the opportunity of welcoming New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo to the Intruder, as Organa Solo had been on the run from Corellian insurrectionists for some time, and also witnessed her reunification with her children, who had been kidnapped before escaping. Staying on the Intruder was a fatal error on her part, however, for Captison (along with half the Bakuran fleet) perished at the resulting Battle of Centerpoint Station. In particular, the Intruder was critically damaged after being hit by robotic ramships. The damage also left her and Admiral Ossilege mortally wounded, so while the rest of the crew abandoned the ship, they set off the self-destruct in order to take some Corellian ships with it. Luke ensured Malinza's adoption into a wealthy Bakuran family, and returned to visit the orphan several times.

Legacy
"The New Republic dragged her into a war she wasn't part of, and she gave her life to save others. She did a very good thing, and I suffered because of it. I guess the universe found its balance, as it always does. It's just that in this instance I was on the receiving end, that's all."

- Malinza Thanas recalls the death of her mother

After her death, Captison's ashes were buried next to those of her deceased husband's in a burial ceremony for her, Admiral Ossilege, and the other Bakurans who perished in the Corellian system defending the New Republic. New Republic ambassadors were invited to the event and shortly afterwards, a new wing was opened in the Coruscant Museum devoted to the Corellian conflict; it was dedicated to those who had fallen in battle. Captison's house was left for her daughter Malinza once she was old enough to possess it. The death of her mother sparked an intense dislike for the New Republic in Malinza, who would later surface in the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Personality and traits
"She has abruptly reached the disillusionment phase of new adulthood."

- Yeorg Captison on Gaeriel Captison in 4 ABY

Captison was a deeply religious person, a follower of the Cosmic Balance, though her experiences with Eppie Belden and Luke Skywalker later convinced her otherwise. She finally abandoned that faith after seeing how it had literally starved her sister Ylanda to the point of near death, all to satisfy the Cosmic Balance. She was also devoted to causes, pouring herself into various areas throughout her life, including her home planet of Bakura, which she placed of greater importance over her attraction to Luke Skywalker. Once she was convinced of something, she would hold to that belief until absolutely convinced otherwise, as evidenced in her standing up to Wilek Nereus and insisting that she accompany the Bakuran fleet.

Captison was also idealistic, believing in the Empire even after the destruction of Alderaan. She continued to hold this value in her later life, viewing that taking care of her ailing husband was more important than her own political career, and insisting to attempt negotiations during the First Corellian Insurrection. However, having been offworld, she found the pompous attitudes of some Bakurans towards foreigners amusing in their ignorance. She believed that the wider galaxy had much to offer those willing to experience it, and dismissed the idea of limiting one's knowledge.

In a history compiled by Rebel Alliance historian Voren Na'al, she was described as a slender, intense young woman. She prized her mismatched eyes&mdash;one gray, one green&mdash;as a symbol of the duality afforded by the Cosmic Balance and made no attempt to hide that feature. Captison also preferred long, flowing skirts and shawls. She preferred to be barefoot rather than wear footwear; constantly removing her shoes during senator sessions. Captison regularly went on barefoot walks in Statuary Park. Captison had brown hair, fair skin, and stood at a height of 1.55 meters.

Luke Skywalker
"It, er, didn't work out. We had differing&hellip;religious views, and our paths just didn't converge."

- Luke Skywalker on Gaeriel Captison

Though initially put off by him&mdash;her religion held that the Jedi were power-mongers&mdash;Captison found herself increasingly attracted to Luke Skywalker during his stay at Bakura. The feeling was mutual and they even kissed at the end of the battle. However, he was destined to roam the galaxy and she felt she needed to stay on Bakura, so they parted ways until the First Corellian Insurrection. At the closing stages of the Battle of Bakura, Skywalker had a premonition of her future relationship with Thanas, and decided not to interfere or ruin that possible future despite his own attraction to her.

Pter Thanas
Sometime after Thanas defected to Bakura, Captison fell in love with and married the former Imperial officer. They were happily married and had a daughter, Malinza. However, several years later, Thanas contracted Knowt's Disease and Gaeri neglected her political career to care for him. Sadly for her, Thanas died, leaving her a widow. She never had another romantic relationship.

Skills and abilities
"I am a trained Imperial diplomat, Commander."

- Gaeriel Captison to Luke Skywalker

Captison was educated by some of the most prestigious Imperial educational institutions in matters of government and oration. As a member of the Bakuran Senate, she was a skillful negotiator and even after retiring from public service, was able to procure the services of Bakuran fleet for use in the First Corellian Insurrection. She was also somewhat knowledgeable in first aid and was entrusted to care for the convalescent Eppie Belden. She possessed basic knowledge in repulsorlift vehicle piloting and computer programming, as well as in the use of a blaster and in unarmed combat, skills which were employed during the Ssi-ruuk invasion of Bakura in 4 ABY. Captison had a unique Force presence that those known to her could easily identify her by, as Luke Skywalker noted.

Behind the scenes
Gaeriel Captison was created by Kathy Tyers for the 1993 novel The Truce at Bakura as a love interest of Luke Skywalker. Tyers derived Captison's name from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings novels, shortening the name of the character Galadriel. Captison later returned in Roger MacBride Allen's 1995 Corellian Trilogy, where she was killed off. While writing the trilogy, Allen asked Tyers's permission to kill the character.

In an interview with Ilene Rosenberg for Star Wars Adventure Journal 4, Tyers revealed that she had wanted to leave Luke Skywalker married to Gaeriel Captison at the end of The Truce at Bakura, but the events of the Thrawn Trilogy prevented her from doing so. While reading the pre-publication copy of the trilogy's first installment, Heir to the Empire, Tyers became fond of the character Mara Jade, sensing that Skywalker had met his match. Skywalker and Jade later went on to become husband and wife. Although Tyers did not intend for Pter Thanas to be a love interest of Captison, she expressed support for Allen's idea to pair the two characters off.

Captison's religion was influenced by Tyers's own experiences as an evangelical Christian and a science fiction writer. Tyers had received some negative reactions for being both a Christian and a science fiction writer, and decided to make a religion that represented what she saw as the same type of conflict. When writing about the precepts of Captison's faith, the Cosmic Balance, Tyers sought to create "an extreme form of cosmic dualism." The central idea of the Cosmic Balance was that any being enjoying a privilege in the galaxy was unconsciously diminishing another being elsewhere. Tyers also drew inspiration from the Eastern idea of Cosmic Dualism, and took the idea that good and evil are equal in strength and are eternally cycling to what she called a "ludicrous extreme."

Several official sources misspell "Gaeriel" as "Gaerial". The StarWars.com Databank is one of the offenders.

Appearances

 * The Truce at Bakura
 * Children of the Jedi
 * Assault at Selonia
 * Showdown at Centerpoint
 * Vision of the Future
 * Survivor's Quest
 * The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
 * The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
 * The New Jedi Order: Balance Point
 * The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee
 * The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee