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- "Until the Mandalorian assault sleds arrived and began to run down the protesters too determined to flee, the march was entirely peaceful. Even now, after a provocation that was clearly one-sided, the only reported casualties are Octusi."
- ―Madhi Vaandt, reporting on the revolt
A slave revolt took place on Blaudu Sextus in 44 ABY when the Octusi were convinced by Freedom Flight to rise up against their masters. Mandalorians were secretly sent in by Chief of State Natasi Daala, who sent her funds through the Sextuna Mining Corporation, to put down the revolt in order to keep peace in the galaxy. Commander Belok Rhal began to massacre all of the Octusi who would not stand down, but his actions were caught live on the HoloNet by reporter Madhi Vaandt. He found and killed Vaandt, but was soon afterward captured by Jedi Knights Sothais Saar and Avinoam Arelis.
Prelude
In 44 ABY, the anti-slavery organization Freedom Flight convinced the Octusi—a pacifistic, semi-sentient species that worked as servants for the inhabitants of Blaudu Sextus—to revolt against their masters.[1] When word of the emerging uprising reached the ears of Galactic Federation of Free Alliances Chief of State Natasi Daala, she feared that it would lead to further revolts, shattering the state of peace in the galaxy.[2] She therefore sent funds through the Sextuna Mining Corporation on Blaudu Sextus to hire Mandalorian Protectors under the command of Belok Rhal to put down the revolt.[1]
The revolt
- "…can see, the Octusi are a gentle species. Even when they choose to throw off the shackles of slavery, they show the utmost concern for the safety and personal property of others."
- ―Madhi Vaandt, reporting on the revolt
Meanwhile, the reporter Madhi Vaandt had been tipped off by a member of Freedom Flight, a Bothan nicknamed Blink, to go to Blaudu Sextus.[2] With her cam operator, Tyl Krain, and her production assistant—a slave who she had recently freed after winning him in a drinking game on Vinsoth—Shohta Laar, she traveled to Blaudu Sextus and began to report on the uprising for The Perre Needmo Newshour. The Octusi began their march peacefully, taking care not to cause any damage to the personal property of their masters, but arriving Mandalorians had quickly driven them off.[1]
News of the uprising reached the Jedi Order on Coruscant, and the Jedi speculated on what to do about it. Jedi Master Saba Sebatyne reported that the Octusi were actually willing slaves—they chose whether to be taken to Blaudu Sextus or whether they wished to remain on their own homeworld of Blaudu Octus, where their life expectancy was decades shorter than it was in captivity. She also reported that the inhabitants of Blaudu Sextus treated the Octusi as pets and cared for them very well, and even had laws against mistreating the Octusi. The Jedi were further confused by their decision to revolt when they learned that the Octusi had never even been shackled—yet the signs they marched with showed broken shackles and manacles.[1]
The Jedi Council soon came to the realization that Freedom Flight had likely arranged the revolt knowing that the Octusi would be slaughtered by whatever help was sent in to put down the uprising, as such a slaughter would cause public outrage and spark further revolts across the galaxy. The Jedi also guessed that, given time, the Octusi and the Blauduns would come to their own peaceful arrangement; they thus decided to send in two Jedi Knights—Sothais Saar and Avinoam Arelis—to stop the Mandalorians.[1]
As the Octusi continued to march peacefully through the streets of the capital city Arari, the Mandalorians again frightened off many of the protesters, and then attacked those who did not flee. Despite this, the Octusi remained resolute in both their revolt and in their pacifism, neglecting to strike back against the Mandalorians. Vaandt, meanwhile, began to speculate on who had really hired the Mandalorians to put down the revolt, noting that Sextuna's nearest mining interest was more than eighty kilometers from the protest in Arari.[1]
Massacre
- "As you know, the mercenary commander Belok Rhal has killed Madhi in an attempt to prevent us from reporting the Mandalorian massacre of Octusi slaves taking place right now a few dozen meters beyond that wall. But Madhi Vaandt would not be silenced, and neither will we.
"During out short time together, one of the things that Madhi repeated to me many times is that it is a journalist's duty to report the story, not to interfere with it. I hope that, just this once, you will forgive me for disobeying her." - ―Shohta Laar, shortly before assisting in the capture of Belok Rhal
Soon afterward, a group of Mandalorian mercenaries fired on some of the Octusi, killing fifteen and wounding over fifty, causing a stampede that led to property damage for the first time during the uprising. The next day, as hundreds of the Octusi—including the injured Octusi from the previous day—gathered in the Big Circle of Fun in Arari to prepare for their next march, Vaandt set up her operation in a nearby building, where she could report on the events of the revolt live. Laar at first refused to cooperate, wanting to stop the events from unfolding when Vaandt revealed that she expected either a riot or a slaughter to take place, but Vaandt refused, insisting that it was their job to simply report on events, not to change them. Vaandt and Krain finally convinced Laar to cooperate by revealing that by reporting the cold-blooded murders of Octusi, they would incite a larger response against slavery throughout the galaxy, and thus save more lives in the long run than they would save by simply stopping that particular slaughter from happening.[1]
Rhal soon arrived on the scene with his Mandalorian forces, surrounding the Octusi in QuickStryke assault sleds as Vaandt began her report. Rhal addressed one Octusi Elder, Races-the-Water-Bringing-Wind, who asked Rhal to remove their vehicles. Rhal, however, ordered that all of the Elders come forward. When Races-the-Water-Bringing-Wind asked why and neglected to comply, stating that Rhal was not their master, the Mandalorian shot him through the head point-blank, killing him. The Octusi present began to sing the Song of Sorrow, but were cut off by Rhal threatening another Elder. When the Elder also refused to abide by Rhal's orders, the Mandalorian shot him as well.[1]
As Vaandt, shocked by the murders, continued to report live on the HoloNet, the Octusi suddenly began to scatter, attempting to flee. However, they were blocked in on all sides by the Mandalorian assault sleds, and at Rhal's order, the Mandalorians opened fire on the Octusi. Suddenly, however, one of the Mandalorians reported to Rhal that his actions were being transmitted live on the HoloNet. Rhal then located the building from which Vaandt was reporting and opened fire on it with his QuickStryke. Along with Krain and Laar, Vaandt was forced to flee from the room, running through the building to change locations. They charged into a hallway out the back of the room, but as they reached a stairwell, they were confronted by Rhal and several more Mandalorians.[1]
Krain continued to transmit images of the scene live over the news as Vaandt confronted Rhal about his actions. He ordered her to turn off the cam, but she refused, stepping forward and asking Rhal for comment on his actions and questioning whether he had truly been hired by the Sextuna Mining Corporation. Meanwhile, two lightsabers had begun cutting through the wall behind Rhal. Rhal, however, shot Madhi Vaandt twice with his blaster, hitting her in the chest with both shots. The two Jedi, Saar and Arelis, broke through the wall and engaged the Mandalorians, incapacitating them with the Force even as Laar and Krain rushed to Vaandt's side. Vaandt, however, was only concerned that they had gotten the shot, knowing that she was going to die.[1]
As the Jedi watched the news feed live from Pinnacle Platform on the Jedi Temple, Saar and Arelis continued fighting their way through the Mandalorians as Rhal began shouting orders to Krain, holding him at blasterpoint. Suddenly, however, Laar took up Vaandt's place and began reporting live from the scene. Rhal turned and opened fire on the approaching Saar, as Arelis continued to hold off a dozen other Mandalorians. Laar, however, stepped forward and kicked Rhal in the back, sending him flying down the stairs. Saar caught Rhal in the Force and slammed him into the wall several times, before bringing his lightsaber to bear and forcing Rhal to surrender.[1]
Appearances
- Fate of the Jedi: Allies (First mentioned)
- Fate of the Jedi: Vortex (First appearance)