- "We all know it’s a rigged game. But we choose how to play!"
- ―Greez Dritus
Greez Dritus was a Latero male who lived during the end of the Galactic Republic and into the Imperial Era. He was captain of the Stinger Mantis, a luxury yacht with controls customized for piloting with his four arms. The former Jedi Cere Junda, on a personal mission to rebuild the Jedi Order, hired him as her pilot and part-time cook. While traveling with Junda, his bad gambling habit got him into trouble with the Haxion Brood crime syndicate.
In 14 BBY, Dritus flew Junda to Bracca after learning the Inquisitorius was on the way there. They arrived in time to rescue former Padawan Cal Kestis from the Second Sister, then proceeded to Bogano, where they added BD-1 to their crew and learned Junda's Jedi Master Eno Cordova had hidden a holocron containing details of Force-sensitives across the galaxy. They also picked up a "stowaway" —actually a bogling—who Dritus was determined to uncover and eject from his starship.
While Kestis was on Zeffo as part of his search, Haxion Brood bounty hunters captured him in part because of his association with Dritus, and forced the Jedi to fight in an arena. Dritus apologized for how his actions impacted Kestis and Junda. After Kestis went back to Dathomir, the Nightsister Merrin, whom Dritus regarded as a witch due to her magick, joined them. Over time, the crew became a family.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- "Look, I didn't grow up with much. I mean, I had my great-grandmother to lean on, but that's it."
- ―Greez Dritus
Greez's ship, the Stinger Mantis
Greez Dritus was a Latero male who was raised by his great-grandmother Pyloon[4] on the planet Lateron. Growing up, Dritus' parents were not around very much, but it was from them that Dritus learned his habit of risk-taking. He remarked later in life that Pyloon would have tried to kill him if she knew the trouble he had gotten himself into.[1]
It was from his great-grandmother that Dritus learnt how to cook at an early age. On the farm they resided on, she would make countless dishes, and Dritus fondly remember her stew. He remarked that it was special owing to the patience she put into it from slow cooking the braised Shaak roast the night before, allowing the broth to simmer throughout the day, and the fresh ingredients used from their farm.[1]
Growing up in a poor family, Dritus, along with the crew of other kids he often played with, would find things to do for cheap and it was during these times that he learned the mechanics of Sabacc. His crew would often bet with food or funny-shaped rocks in the absence of credits. He later attended the Lateron Space Academy, where he learned how to pilot[1] and considered himself to be the academy's hero.[4] He learned how to pilot fighters, freighters, short and long range vehicles and managed to fly circles around the other cadets - though flying freighters in circles was all they really allowed him to do.[1]
At some point during the Galactic Republic's existence, Dritus traveled to Coruscant and snuck onto a tour group that was visiting the Jedi Temple. Wearing a disguise, Dritus planned to pull a heist on the Temple but became too scared to seriously attempt it while he was there, though he would boast that he still broke into one of the most secure buildings in the Republic.[1]
Before 14 BBY,[5] Dritus took out a large loan to purchase the Stinger Mantis and left Lateron. He had fond memories of his homeworld, though he lamented the Empire's exploitation of it.[1] As he traveled, he saw himself as a thrill seeker as he pursued female company, fast ships, and gambling to get a high that inevitably crashed down to feeling nothing. At some point whilst on Coruscant, Dritus thought himself to be hot stuff and bought entry to one of the fanciest pazaak tournaments around. However, following the outcome of the event, Dritus promised himself he would not return to the planet.[4] His gambling eventually put him so deeply in debt with the Haxion Brood crime syndicate that they tracked him around the galaxy while he evaded them.[3]
Meeting a former Jedi[]
After Order 66 and during the Great Jedi Purge, former Jedi Knight Cere Junda hired Greez Dritus to assist her in her efforts to restore the Jedi Order. This entailed piloting the Mantis as needed, monitoring Imperial communications, providing quarters, and preparing food. The Latero was fond of the latter duty, as he appreciated both the social value of meals and being reminded of his heritage. Junda told Greez she specifically hired him because he was cheap, had zero qualms about breaking the law, and that she had a hunch he would not betray her. To land the job, Dritus told Junda that the Mantis was the best luxury cruiser in that part of the galaxy, calling it a real steal and that only he knew how to pilot such a beautiful masterpiece of a machine. He later admitted he exaggerated somewhat but he needed the job as it was not easy finding work at the time.[1]
At some point, Dritus and Junda traveled to Nar Shaddaa and went to the Slag Pit cantina. There, Dritus was ambushed by a group of smugglers, forcing him to fight back and causing both he and Junda to be kicked out of the cantina. Dritus ended up drinking lum from Junda's flask in the alley outside the cantina. Junda told him she could not believe she used to drink that stuff but that it was the best night she'd had in years, to which Dritus happily agreed. According to Dritus, this was the point when his dynamic with her began to change for the better.[1]
After Dritus had been working awhile for Junda, the Haxion Brood caught up to him. To pay off Dritus' debt for him, Junda sold the valuable kyber crystal from her lightsaber. It still was not enough for the Brood, but Dritus was deeply moved by her gesture and felt guilty that she went without a lightsaber for him.[3]
Whilst monitoring Imperial communications for any leads on Jedi survivors, Dritus and Junda had a close call with Imperials on Todola. After Junda heard a Jedi was allegedly hiding on the planet, they traveled there to follow up the lead and were confident the operation would be easy. However, unbeknownst to them, Todola was an Imperial-occupied system and was the site of a secret, off-record Imperial walker production outpost. Dritus was flying at low altitude when the Imperials communicated they were about to open fire on the Mantis. Junda took the initiative and responded via comms. She apologized and told the Imperials that they did not know where they were, bluffing that the ship's sensors were down and that her co-pilot was sick - the deception was successful and they got away. At that point, the Empire did not know who they were and the pair would later laugh at the memory.[1]
At one point, the pair were stopped by Imperials who mistook them for smugglers. Dritus told them they were delivering a shipment of Kaadu ribs and, to distract and confuse the Imperials, he listed eighteen different ways to prepare the meat from smoked to raw. The plan succeeded and Dritus also managed to sell his list of recipes to the Imperials, making a profit before escaping.[1]
Search of the holocron[]
A lost boy[]
In 14 BBY,[5] Dritus and Junda were still on the lookout for any remaining Jedi. Whilst tracking Imperial communications, the pair discovered that Imperial Inquisitors were on route to Bracca, a junkyard planet in the Mid Rim. Hearing this information, they traveled to the planet in the Mantis in the hope of success. The intel they monitored proved to be correct when they discovered former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis escaping Imperial forces on the roof of a high-speed transport train. Dritus took out a LAAT/le patrol gunship that was poised to fire at Kestis, and Junda shouted to him that they were here to help and that they would pick him up as soon as they could. The Mantis continued forward whilst being pursued by the Ninth Sister in her TIE/rp Reaper attack lander.[1]
As Kestis made his way further to the front of the train, the Ninth Sister arrived and destroyed the track ahead of the transport causing it to plummet into the depths below. Kestis was able to slide through debris and doors toward the Mantis that was waiting for him as he exited. Junda stood on the landing ramp and told him to jump, however, a blast from a passing ship caused Kestis to lose his grip on the ramp and land on a section of the vast scrapyard far below where he then dueled the Second Sister for the first time. Overpowered and in danger, Kestis was saved when the Mantis arrived, firing at the Second Sister, distracting her long enough to for him to jump across to the Mantis landing ramp and allowing Dritus to fly away[1]
With a confused and scared Kestis aboard the ship, Dritus told him to shut his lightsaber off and grab a seat. He informed Kestis that whilst he was the captain of the Mantis, Junda was who the Jedi would need to pay attention to. Dritus was not impressed by Kestis' lack of gratitude after he insinuated that the pair extracted him to collect the bounty on his head as he was a rogue Jedi. Junda explained to Kestis that he was safe with them, for now, and that their endgame was to rebuild the Jedi Order. Dritus then set a course to Bogano on Junda's direction. Whilst en route to Bogano, Kestis took the opportunity to rest in one of the Mantis' bunks. When he awoke, Dritus was standing over him. He told Kestis that he was talking in his sleep and called him a weirdo for doing so.[1]
The secret vault[]
Greez and his companions Cal Kestis, Cere Junda, and BD-1 onboard the Stinger Mantis
Dritus stayed aboard the Mantis whilst Kestis ventured to the Vault which, according to Junda, held the key to rebuilding the Order. When Kestis returned, he did so with BD-1, a BD unit droid whom Junda had intended for him to meet. Dritus admonished the boisterous droid and demanded that he get off the ship's semi-circular sofa, saying the crew had no idea how hard it was to get oil stains out of potolli-weave fabric. He also told Kestis that he hoped he found something better than BD-1 on the planet. Kestis informed them that the Vault was a sacred temple built by an ancient civilization known as the Zeffo and that a Jedi named Eno Cordova had previously placed a holocron in the archive that contained the location of every known force-sensitive child in the galaxy. When Dritus exclaimed that he was not aware of what a holocron was, Junda retrieved hers as an example. Cordova instructed whoever was searching for the holocron to seek out the hidden tombs of the Three Sages in order to perceive the mysteries of the Force as the Zeffo once did and to begin their journey on Zeffo. Upon hearing this from Kestis, Dritus mentioned that he had wanted to make some food before they left, but ultimately did not.[1]
Whilst traveling to Zeffo, Dritus was certain that a stowaway animal had found its way aboard the Mantis. After Junda enquired as to whether he had seen her missing datapad, Dritus immediately blamed the unconfirmed stowaway. He said he had heard strange noises along with experiencing weird smells and things going missing. Dritus swore that he would find out what was happening and when he did, the crew would hear all about it. It transpired that Kestis had, in fact, rescued a bogling from the planet and smuggled her aboard.[1]
Ancient world[]
The crew traveled to Zeffo, and, upon leaving hyperspace, Dritus immediately noticed the angry-looking storm that was afflicting the planet and interfering with the ship's comms. He stated that it may not be the best time to land, however, Kestis informed him that Cordova mentioned finding peace in the eye of the storm. After Kestis located a settlement in the middle of the storm, Dritus set to navigating the harsh winds and rain. Whilst descending through the adverse weather conditions, Kestis looked nervous though Dritus assured him a couple of bumps were not going to kill him. When BD-1 stood up for his new master, Dritus told him to keep his opinions to himself. The Mantis eventually made a safe but heavy landing on a landing pad adjacent to the Derelict Hangar, though Dritus referred to it as a perfect landing, congratulating himself with the phrase “Greezy money, baby”. With the winds still wreaking havoc with the ship's comms, Dritus and Junda remained aboard the Mantis to explore ways to fix the issue and perform general maintenance on the vessel whilst Kestis followed Cordova’s lead despite the heavy Imperial presence on the planet.[1]
Whilst the pair awaited the return of Kestis, an All Terrain Scout Transport located the Mantis and began firing on it. Junda radioed to Kestis with urgency to hurry back to the ship as their weapons were down, and Dritus joined in with the hurrying before being cut off. Kestis was successful in destroying the AT-ST and its driver and Dritus complimented his moves as he returned on board. Kestis then informed the crew that he found the tomb of a Zeffo sage and revealed that before the civilization disappeared, they journeyed to the planet Kashyyyk. At hearing this, Dritus groaned. Unperturbed, Kestis mentioned that Cordova had a Wookiee friend named Tarfful and that they should attempt to find him. Dritus retorted that things were bad on Kashyyyk as the Empire had muscled in on the Wookiees big time, but Kestis replied that the Empire had better get ready for a fight in that case.[1]
As the crew departed Zeffo for Kashyyyk, Dritus told Junda that he did not understand why some people have droids after being unable to understand BD-1 binary sounds. Junda replied that he should tell that directly to BD-1 as the droid could understand him, which surprised Dritus as he was unaware of this point. He attempted to backtrack somewhat saying that he did not mean anything by it and that droids just freak him out. Junda challenged him as to what did not scare him and compared the Latero to Imperials who deactivated droids simply because they could. She finishes by stating that BD-1 was part of the crew. Dritus relented, calling the treatment that droids received a tough break and stating that BD-1 was alright by him. Junda also told Dritus that BD-1 obviously likes him as the droid was not as friendly to her when she first met him. Dritus said the droid was probably just happy to see someone other than a boggling, but Junda states that he has made a new friend. Dritus reiterated softly that he was not a droid guy as he found them oily, greasy, and hard to understand, to which Junda replied that he could also be describing himself.[1]
Liberation on Kashyyyk[]
- "Ha! Get a load of the kid. He thinks we're back in the Clone Wars!"
- ―Greez Dritus
When the Mantis reached Kashyyyk, the crew immediately saw the large Imperial blockade stationed over the planet. Dritus kept the ship's power signature low and acted like they belonged, to which he replied it felt like the mission to Bracca again. When Kestis attempted to co-pilot the ship, Dritus annoyedly told the Jedi that he did not need another set of hands piloting and told him to keep his eye on the scanner for any incoming ships. After Kestis confirmed he could not see anything untoward on the scanner, Junda confirmed something was happening on the planet that was preoccupying the Empire. Dritus used the distraction to his advantage and began descending towards the atmosphere of the planet.[1]
When the ship was close enough to the planet's surface, the crew saw that the Empire was devouring Kashyyyk for its natural resources, and knew that Wookiees were being enslaved or displaced. Their monitoring of the planet was disturbed when a TIE/IN interceptor raced past the Mantis, closely followed by an attacking Low Altitude Assault Transport. A startled Dritus exclaimed annoyance at the close call and berated Kestis for not noticing the incoming ships on the monitors. Kestis replied that guerilla fighters, comprised of Wookiees and off-worlders, were attacking an Imperial convoy on the surface. Junda confirmed that All Terrain Armored Transports were approaching the convoy, and Kestis worried that Tarfful could be down there with them. Hearing this, Dritus responded that Tarfful could be anywhere or he could be dead like the crew would be if they got caught up in that battle down there. When Kestis planned to sabotage and jack a walker, Dritus chortled at Kestis’ plan saying the kid thought he was back in the Clone Wars. Junda, however, told Dritus to position the ship near the walkers. Dritus obliged and told them it was time for No-Freeze Greez to work his magic. Kestis then proceeded to jump from the Mantis into the vast oceans below. After Kestis successfully commandeered a walker and aided the resistance fighter Saw Gerrera in taking down an Imperial landing pad whilst also disrupting their supply lines, Dritus was able to land the Mantis on a pad in the wreckage to reunite with Kestis.[1]
Upon leaving the ship, Dritus was introduced to Gerrera but the Lateron replied bluntly to the lead. Gerrera informed the crew that the landing pad they were situated on supported an Imperial refinery that ran on Wookiee slave labor. Kestis stated that he should help liberate them as one of them could provide information on locating Tarfful. Dritus interrupted the planning telling Kestis and Gerrera that whilst the Mantis could work wonders, as it was a great ship with an excellent pilot, it was not built for close support. Junda agreed and said that she and Dritus would stay with the ship and monitor for Imperial transmissions and distress calls. After Gerrera had left, Dritus said that he thought Kashyyyk was a dump. When Junda then said she believed that Kestis following Gerrera was a risk, Dritus was bemused, stating that he had flown his ship into the middle of a battlefield and only then were they mentioning risks.[1]
Kestis successfully liberated the imprisoned Wookiees and guerilla fighters and returned to the Mantis. As the Empire was close to locating a second Zeffo tomb, the crew made Zeffo their next destination. The decision frustrated Dritus as he had heard about an upcoming high-stakes game from one of Gerrera's fighters and thought it was a pity that they had to travel to Zeffo instead. Junda hit back telling the Latero to to use his head as at some point the Haxion Brood would catch up to him. Dritus was nonplussed saying that he would hear those "schlubs" coming from a parsec away. Junda continued by stating that they did not need his gambling habits causing them further trouble with murderous criminal syndicates. He said he needed to blow off stress every once in a while but as his gambling was all in the past, he did not see it being a problem going forward.[1]
Second trip to Zeffo[]
After the crew landed on Zeffo, Kestis embarked on his mission to locate the second tomb. Whilst exploring the planet's ancient ruins, Kestis encountered the Second Sister near the Tomb of Miktrull, who revealed to the Jedi that she was Cere's former padawan, Trilla Suduri. After escaping the Inquisitor and locating the tomb, Kestis was captured by a Haxion Brood bounty hunter due to Dritus' large gambling debt to the syndicate. The Jedi was taken to the Brood's headquarters on Ordo Eris and imprisoned. After he escaped his cell and reunited with BD-1, he was forced to fight in the Haxion Fight Pit before syndicate leader Sorc Tormo, who told Kestis he had "Greezy Four Arms" to thank for his current predicament. Kestis fought and defeated each hunter and creature Tormo pitted him against and was saved when Dritus crashed the Mantis into the arena to retrieve him.[1]
In the cockpit of the Mantis, Kestis told Dritus that he was famous amongst the Brood. An embarrassed Dritus could only reply that they were an ugly group that smelled like used droid oil. Junda stated it was a complication that they could have avoided. Kestis told them that they had another complication as the Empire knew about the existence of Cordova's holocron. He then revealed to Junda that he spoke with the Second Sister, who told him that Junda betrayed her to the Empire. When the pair began to argue, Dritus was forced to interrupt and tell them an encrypted message from Kashyyyk had been received. The message was from Mari Kosan, Gerrera's lieutenant, who confirmed to Kestis that they had located Tarfull and that the Wookiee was willing to meet with the Jedi. Junda and Kestis agreed to continue their discussion at a later time as they now had a lead, and Dritus told himself quietly that everything would be fine on board.[1]
Dritus apologizes to Kestis for his part in the Jedi's capture by the Haxion Brood
Kestis withdrew to his quarters aboard the ship to rest following his ordeal. When he awoke, Dritus again loomed over him. He said he did not know what was going on between Kestis and Junda, figuring it was some kind of Jedi issue but told Kestis that it was not the time to deal with it. Kestis shot back at Dritus saying it was not any of his business. Dritus told him that he thought it was his business as they were all in the fight together. He admitted to Kestis that he made a mistake that almost got him killed and apologized. He asked Kestis to cut Junda some slack, not necessarily for him but because Kestis and Junda were the best things that ever happened in his life. He told Kestis that before the pair came along, all he cared about was a tight hand on a stiff heater. He informed Kestis that this was a game term, but he was already aware of it. Dritus told Kestis that life was not a game and that previously all he cared about was himself, but things had changed.[1]
Dritus then piloted the Mantis to Kashyyyk. Whilst on the route, Dritus told Kestis and Junda that even with the levels of action they provide, nothing got him going more than watching a couple of slubs squaring off against each other for sport. He was also quick to state that he merely enjoyed spectating on the games and not gambling. Junda said that she found his enthusiasm for something so barbaric troubling.[1]
High intensity[]
Dritus and Junda stayed with the Mantis on Kashyyyk as Kestis met with Tarfful and climbed the Origin Tree after being instructed by the Wookiee to do so. He discovered that Cordova had found a Zeffo Astrium there years beforehand and that the Tomb of Kujet on Dathomir may possess another. Before he could return to the Mantis, Kestis faced off with the Ninth Sister and eventually defeated her in combat. Kestis made his way back to the ship and informed Dritus and Junda that Cordova believed the key to the Vault was on Dathomir.[1]
Dritus salting his food aboard the Stinger Mantis
The crew then had dinner together where Junda described to Kestis her capture and torture by the Empire, as well as her loss of Suduri. Dritus did his best to give the impression that he was not listening by applying a copious amount of salt to his food whilst the pair had their charged discussion. BD-1 then began to scan Dritus' lunch following its heavy salting, to which he shouted at the droid to get his lasers off his lunch.[1]
World of the undead witches[]
Following Cordova's instructions, Dritus and the crew headed to Dathomir. Before they arrived Junda explained to Dritus how the planet was once home to the Nightsisters, a powerful cabal of Force wielders who were wiped out during the Clone Wars. She said that their powers focused on deception, illusion, and manipulation which prompted Dritus to remark that the description reminded him of someone he used to know. After setting the Mantis down on the surface of the planet, Dritus asked Kestis if everything was OK between him and Junda. Kestis replied that he did not know but that was not what was important at that time. Dritus tells Kestis that Junda believes in him, though he himself did not think much of Kestis at first, he conceded that following the Jedi to the scariest place in the galaxy had to count for something. He hoped the pair could sort their issues so that the crew could finish their mission and they could all relax somewhere in peace. He told Kestis that he knew about a great castle on Takodana that made the best Bloody Rancors.[1]
Kestis' first visit to Dathomir proved to be a fateful one. Whilst exploring the planet in search of the tomb, he encountered a Nightsister known as Merrin who believed the Jedi were thieves and liars who brought nothing but death. She would subsequently instruct the native nightbrothers to attack Kestis and she resurrected her murdered sisters to also battle Kestis. The belief that the Jedi were her enemies was instilled in her by a wanderer on the planet, whose identity was Taron Malicos, a former Jedi General who had turned to the Dark Side of the Force after escaping the Jedi Purge and settling on Dathomir. Kestis also met Malicos whilst he masqueraded as a wanderer, and the former Jedi instructed Kestis not to enter the temple as he would succumb to its darkness, an instruction Kestis ignored. After entering the tomb, Kestis was subjected to a flashback of Order 66 and the death of his master, Jaro Tapal. The trauma Kestis suffered reliving this moment caused him to heavily damage his lightsaber. When he left the temple, Merrin returned to threaten both him and Malicos, and she resurrected more of her sisters who chased the weaponless Jedi back to the waiting Mantis.[1]
Kestis contacted Junda and instructed her to ensure Dritus prepped the ship for immediate takeoff, but Dritus overheard and was not happy that Kestis was leading the Undead Nightsisters to the Mantis. When Kestis returned, a panicked Dritus quickly had the ship airborne and was able to shake the dead witches who were crawling all over the exterior of the ship. Kestis explained to Junda what happened in the tomb and she in turn explained to Kestis why she cut herself off from the Force years prior. She told the Jedi that he needed to build a new lightsaber and that they would need to head to Ilum to do so.[1]
Ilum[]
Dritus remained on the Mantis whilst Kestis ventured to the Jedi Temple to locate a new kyber crystal and rebuild his lightsaber, After the Jedi returned to the Mantis following a revelatory experience in the caves of Ilum, he told the waiting Dritus and Junda that the hopes of the Jedi Order rested on the shoulders of a gambler, a fallen Jedi and a failed padawan. He described them collectively as a bunch of screw-ups, an assessment Dritus agreed with. Kestis thanked them both for being willing to sacrifice everything and to keep going when everything seemed impossible. Kestis informed both that they would need to travel back to Dathomir for him to face his past.[1]
A bewitched recruit[]
Dritus piloted the crew back to Dathomir and was immediately uneasy upon landing. Before Kestis left the ship, Dritus pondered what horrible things would happen to the crew whilst they were there. He speculated giant spiders or killer plants would be their biggest threat, and Junda posited that maybe the Haxion Brood would come for him on the planet. Dritus enquired as to whether Kestis and Junda were both still mad with him and stated that he had paid them back in thrills, telling them not many people make it onto the Brood's most wanted list. Junda retorted that if Dritus was not such a good pilot, she would have handed him over herself. Kestis did not take Dritus' worries seriously to which the Latero said he was glad his fear of a painful death by zombie witches made Kestis feel a little bit more at ease. He then urged him to hurry up and do what he needed to do.[1]
Whilst Kestis was completing his mission, Dritus felt terrified simply by being on the planet. He was serving drinks for himself and Junda when Kestis returned to the Mantis. However, the Jedi did not return alone. He had procured the Astrium that Cordova had mentioned on Bogano after defeating Malicos in combat, and he also arrived with Merrin. The Nightsister had spent years waiting for a chance to avenge her sisters but decided that she had finished waiting and told Kestis she would join him and fight by his side. When Dritus encountered Merrin aboard the Mantis, his fear returned and he enquired who she was, calling her a witch. Merrin corrected Dritus and called herself a Nightsister, telling him she was joining them and that his fear was unnecessary. Dritus reluctantly instructed her to grab a seat, whilst Junda informed her would need to earn the trust of the crew, but welcomed her aboard.[1]
Junda asked Merrin if she liked music to which she replied that she did, and some magick required it. Her favorite piece of music was the Chant of Resurrection, and she asked whether the crew would like to hear it. A flustered Dritus replied saying he did not want to hear that song on his ship, and that the only dead things he wanted to see on the Mantis would be on his plate.[1]
Holocron lost[]
With the Astrium in their possession, Dritus piloted the crew back to Bogano. Whilst en route to the planet, Dritus bemoaned Cordova, stating he was putting real wear and tear on the Mantis. He also told Kestis that he needed to know something but would go easy on him about it. He told the Jedi that there had been a problem with the refresher and whilst he was not saying he knew who caused it - and having endured the smell he was not sure he wanted to - he asked them all to light a candle upon leaving the refresher. Merrin enquired as to whether he had a gundarks blood candle, to which the Lateron replied that he only had wasaka berry. He informed the crew that Lateros had a keen sense of smell and if it happened again he would throw the culprit off the ship himself.[1]
After he offered to whip up some scazz steaks for the journey. Junda took the time to tell Dritus that they would not have gotten as far as they had without him, causing the Latero to become uncharacteristically bashful. When Kestis told him that Junda's words were true, a still-bashful Dritus thanked them both and told them he hoped they retrieved the holocron safely. Merrin asked the crew whether locating the holocron was the best idea, saying that the children on the list would surely be hunted by the Empire as they were. Before the discussion could take shape, Dritus interrupted to say that they were arriving on Bogano. Merrin stopped him before he could enter the cockpit and told him she liked her steaks rare. A relieved Dritus exhaled and told the crew that now they were cooking.[1]
Outside of the ship, Dritus told Kestis that the children from the holocron would be lucky to have him, but Kestis said they would be lucky to have them all. This pleased Dritus as he said the children would need to learn more than fancy magic tricks. He believed they would need practical guidance, a good role model, and someone to look up to. Dritus also mentioned that ship flying was a complicated art, and his teaching of the children would depend on whether he stuck around. He told Kestis that he believed him to be one tough kid and admitted that he knew then that Kestis was the real deal, banishing his initial doubts.[1]
Kestis returned to the Mantis following his mission but he did so without the holocron. After he entered the Vault and placed the Astrium within it, he received a vision of the future which showed the children being killed or captured by the Inquisitorius and himself falling to the Dark Side. He then dueled the Second Sister again but she left with the holocron after Kestis touched her lightsaber and incapacitated himself. Junda accepted responsibility for whatever Suduri went on to do and said she knew where the holocron was being taken - to Fortress Inquisitorius on the water planet Nur. Junda informed the crew that this was the establishment she escaped from after she was captured and tortured following Order 66. Dritus was present and piloting the ship when Junda knighted Kestis whilst travelling to Nur.[1]
Fortress on Nur[]
- "Wha— hold, wait, wait a minute. Now, hold on. Now… what is this gonna require?"
"A sacrifice. One of your arms will do nicely."
"Wait, what?"
"Don't be so serious. Join me up front." - ―Greez Dritus and Merrin, as they prepare to approach Nur
Greez Dritus and Merrin shortly before entering Nur's orbit.
As the crew approached Nur, Dritus said the situation did not look good. He knew that their usual tricks would not be enough to bypass the heavy Imperial presence blockading the planet. Merrin informed the crew that she could perform a cloaking ritual that would hide the ship. When Dritus aired his skepticism, Merrin told him it would require a sacrifice to be successful, and that one of his arms would do nicely. She allowed Dritus to briefly wallow in his fear before telling him not to be so serious and to join her in the cockpit. Dritus watched in awe as Merrin's ritual cloaked the ship in green ichor, stating whatever she was doing was working. Kestis then asked him what he thought the odds of success were. Dritus turned to look at the Jedi and told him his money was on him. As Cal and Cere jettisoned the escape pods into the oceans of Nur, Merrin remained with Dritus aboard the ship to ensure it remained cloaked.[1]
Whilst Junda and Kestis completed their daring mission in the fortress, Dritus could not establish communication with either of them, leaving him and Merrin in the dark as to their safety. He only succeeded in making contact with Kestis as the Jedi was escaping the base. Kestis informed him that the holocron was in his possession but that Junda did not survive the mission. Unbeknownst to them all, Junda had survived her apparent demise and returned to save Kestis from his losing duel with Darth Vader. The pair were able to escape into the ocean after Kestis shattered a pane of glass in the base and Merrin dived in to retrieve them. Dritus then piloted the ship off-world and to safety.[1]
Uncertain future[]
Kestis took time to recover from the mission in his quarters and Dritus was by his side when he awoke. When he informed Kestis that Junda had recovered, Kestis ran into the common area where was greeted with a hug by Merrin, who told the Jedi she was glad he was OK and let him know that Dritus did not leave his side during his recovery. The crew gathered around the table in the seating area and Dritus asked what was next. Junda thanked him and said that they had reached the end of their charter and that his contract had been fulfilled. He replied that if it was all the same to her, he was thinking he would stick around and take them wherever they needed to go, quietly telling her that Kestis looked up to him.
The crew sits together as they await what the future has to offer.
Kestis then unlocked the holocron using the Force, and Dritus remarked that the Empire would now be hunting the next generation of Jedi, just as they were hunting them. Junda told the crew that the lives of every child on that list would be forever changed, but Kestis destroyed the holocron with his lightsaber, stating that their destinies should be trusted to the force. He looks at the crew around and asks where they should go next.[1]
Troublesome family[]
As the Mantis crew continued to travel the galaxy together, getting to know each other better and overtime becoming like a family with the ship as their home. Whilst they all had their own motivations, Dritus thought they should all stop acting like the fate of the galaxy was on their shoulders and figure out what they actually wanted. Together, they chased a lot of missions over the previous few years, but a lot of big leads had not panned out or had fallen through which had been tough on their morale.[3]
The Mantis crew developed a routine for their missions with Dritus' main role being to ensure the ship was prepared for quick getaways. Thanks to Dritus' debts to the Haxion Brood and Kestis' victory in their fighting pit, the gangsters continually pursued the Mantis and its crew.[3] Sometime between 12 BBY and 11 BBY,[6] they encountered a Haxion Brood member who divulged the location of a Haxion Brood base on an asteroid in the Outer Rim. Destroying it, along with the many Brood who would be inside it after a raid, would give the crew more freedom and protect inhabitants of nearby systems that had been attacked by the Brood; thus, the Mantis crew decided to infiltrate it and blow it up later that month.[3]
The crew infiltrated a Haxion Brood base, killing the majority of the hunters present
Kestis and BD-1 went to the asteroid first to lower the base shields, Dritus had previously explained the mechanics of the base's sensor system during a pre-mission briefing. Following this, Dritus brought the Mantis inside the base to let Merrin and Junda exit. The crew set to infiltrate the base whilst Dritus kept the ship's engines running. Merrin was concerned at how quiet the outer ring of the base was with Dritus assuming that the hunters were all drunk as skeezumps in the cantina. Merrin could picture the Latero back on the Mantis with his feet up on the dash, waiting for the rest of the team to finish their work.[3]
The explosive charges the crew set had begun to detonate and the gang made their way hurriedly back to the Mantis. Along the way, Merrin encountered a woman wearing stormtrooper armor. As Merrin threatened the woman, the Imperial began begging for her help. When Merrin removed the woman's helmet, she was surprised to see a Keshiri instead of a human. The Keshiri's expression of surrender led Merrin to release her, but she refused to endanger her crew to help a stranger who might be a spy. However, she silently considered doing so until Kestis and Dritus, who had been listening through the open comms, interrupted with a reminder to hurry up and escape. While the Nightsister was distracted by Kestis running her way, pursued by stormtroopers, the Keshiri woman disappeared.[3]
As Merrin ran for the Mantis, she yelled to Dritus and Kestis that Junda was not on board as the ship lifted off, and Dritus responded that there were Imperial and Brood ships swarming all over his scopes. Kestis and Merrin used a combination of his lightsaber, the Force, and magick to fight back stormtroopers that were chasing the onrushing Junda. Merrin helped pull Kestis and Junda up the ramp, but Cere reached down to pull up the stormtrooper—the Keshiri woman, who immediately surrendered and removed her helmet.[3]
Dritus immediately began to navigate a course off the planet and into atmosphere which was proving troublesome as the Mantis was not made for close-quarter combat. As the ship exited the asteroid belt, it was struck by a blast from a TIE Brute. Dritus continued evasive maneuvers as Junda confronted the Keshiri; despite having pulled her aboard. The Lateron was incredulous as he realized he nearly lost his ship so a stormtrooper could be saved. She quickly introduced herself as Chellwinark Frethylrin, or "Fret," and said she was an analyst, not a stormtrooper or an agent spying on them. With the ship still under attack and taking hits, Kestis' thoughts inexplicably turned to the independent gravcore he installed in the ship's terrariums, reasoning that without them, the plants that had been so carefully tended to by Dritus would be mulch. Frethylrin provided the crew with some insider knowledge of how to escape, which involved reestablishing gravity aboard the ship after the gravcore took a hit, as well as the Mantis performing a full turn on the vertical. Dritus would then need to fire off broadcast static across Imperial comms at the same time. The maneuver and distraction were successfully implemented by Dritus and Kestis and the ship jumped to hyperspace.[3]
Locating the Shroud and traversing troubles[]
The crew gathered in the ship's kitchen as Frethylrin told a story of how she had supposedly deserted the Empire. Dritus warned the Keshiri not to consume too much of the ship's caf as he only bought the expensive varieties. Frethylrin then offered to pay her debt to the group by providing details of a job. Dritus and the rest of the crew discussed whether or not to hear out the proposal, with the Lateron vehemently against letting the Keshiri join the crew. At one point during the debate, he stubbed his toe on some ship scrap that he had pilfered from the Brood base whilst the others were infiltrating it. Kestis was annoyed that Dritus was sneaking around alleyways when the crew could have needed to make a getaway at any moment, but Dritus hit back saying that they could make some real credits from the cybernetic junk. Dritus was unsure that the risks the job potentially brought were worth it and questioned the crew on their long-term plans, and whether they should keep throwing themselves at random chances to put a small dent in the Empire's gigantic, impenetrable hull. Dritus wearily questioned why they were acting like the fate of the galaxy was on their shoulders, and whether there should not be a time when they count their wins and leave the fight. The Latero knew they had been lucky for a few years, and said that the crew needed to identify what their endgame was before they lost too much of themselves to a fight they could not win. Kestis knew Dritus had a point, but kept that to himself.[3]
As their conversation grew more heated, Dritus' plan to drop Frethylrin on Batuu and send her off with a fruitcake went unheeded, as Kestis decided they follow Frethylrin's directions to set course for Chikua City on Hosnian Prime. During the journey, Merrin and Frethylrin's mutual interest grew to the point that Dritus wished they would hurry up and kiss.[3]
Dritus and Mantis crew travelled to Hosnian Prime
Dritus knew it was a bad idea for them to be on Hosnian Prime. A crew of fugitives landing a not-inconspicuous ship on a Core planet did not seem like the smartest plan, especially since they also had a stormtrooper in tow. He had made various hyperspace jumps in the days between escaping the Brood base and landing just outside Chikua City to ensure they could not be followed. Frethylrin complained about the distance they had to walk to the city, much to Dritus' annoyance. He reasoned that he had the shortest legs of the bunch, therefore if anyone was to complain, it should have been him. He reminded them all that getting arrested and being sent to an Imperial prison to be tortured was probably a lot less comfortable than a few hours' walk through the hanging gardens into the city center. Dritus was not impressed by the location, he could not fathom living on a world that was so built up that a specific space just for plants had to be carved, or people would forget about them entirely.[3]
Dritus also convinced his Jedi companions to disguise themselves in clothing that did not immediately give away that they were Jedi. Whilst walking to the city, Dritus pondered his debts and believed they were, objectively, worth more than his life. He thought how it was a big, empty galaxy out there, and he had always felt like he was looking into a mirror when he stared out through the viewports of his cockpit: just a big, empty void inside of him, searching for the thing that would make him feel something, just for a second. Thrills would come and go, and then he would be back to himself. He recalled how Junda had sold her invaluable kyber crystal to the Haxion Brood to help with his debts[3], but the mob had captured Kestis on Zeffo anyway.[1] He reasoned that the biggest thrill he could attain was keeping his friends safe.[3]
In Chikua City, Dritus and the crew went to a supra-atmo skytower, one of the most beautiful spaces Dritus had ever seen, to meet with Frethylrin's Omwati acquaintance, Qeris Lar, who laid out a plan he and Frethylrin had created for the crew. The task was stealing a datacard with the only copy of the schematics for a cloaking device called the Shroud; according to Lar, he would use the schematics and his resources to produce the Shroud for rebels. Frethylrin said that the inventor had wanted her to desert, but they were tracked and killed by the Empire. The datacard was held in an Imperial garrison on the planet Murkhana and Inquisitors were also on the way to seize it. The crew returned to the Mantis, where Dritus aired his protests at the job, stating that he did not trust Lar and Inquisitors being involved in the hunt from the Imperial side was not a good selling point. Despite Dritus' doubts and protests, the other three decided to accept the job.[3]
A permanent loss[]
During the days they were on route to Murkhana City, Kestis asked Dritus if he ever wished that he was born somewhere other than Lateron, to which he replied he did not as women from other planets did not consider him as desirable as Lateron ladies. He then asked Kestis if he wished that he had not become a Jedi, Kestis eventually replied that he would not have met Dritus had he been anything else. In secret, Frethylrin confided in Merrin that she had not actually fully deserted because she wished to retain and use her system access to acquire the Shroud. Merrin felt betrayed, but she kept it secret from the rest of the crew and decided to see how things played out on the mission.[3]
When the Mantis arrived at the destination, the crew began their mission briefing and Dritus mapped out the prison facility that they would be infiltrating. On the mission, after Frethylrin opened a gate to let Kestis and Merrin through, Junda reported through the comms that the Keshiri had used that day's new security codes though decided the mission was too important to not continue. Dritus then used Frethylrin's tracker to constantly monitor her location.[3]
During the operation, Junda remotely unlocked all of the prison cells to create a riot and allow the crew to blend in easier in order to find the plans. The group followed Junda's guidance into the cellblock, where they discovered that the prison cell held Frethylrin's presumed dead Nikto ex-girlfriend, Irei, just as Junda warned them that the Fifth Brother had arrived along with a squad of Purge Troopers. Irei agreed that she must escape from the Empire so they could not rip her plans out of her mind.[3]
The Fifth Brother tracked the crew to Murkhana
The Mantis pair battled their way through prison guards, prisoners, and Purge Troopers before Kestis instructed Merrin to leave him behind and return to the ship to protect Dritus and Junda. As she raced towards the Mantis, the Fifth Brother found Kestis. Dritus was worried and frustrated that neither Kestis nor Junda were answering his comm calls, unaware that Junda had raced to aid Kestis. Merrin looked lost when Dritus asked where the others were. As she explained, he grabbed her arm and told her she was doing the right thing for the team, and they just had to figure out which right thing was next. As they argued over who should remain with the Mantis or go back for the others, Frethylrin shouted for a medbay and limped towards them with Irei across her shoulders. Meanwhile, Dritus grabbed his blasters and headed out of the Mantis in search of Junda. He was able to evade the stormtroopers who were rushing about the prison, figuring a panicked and scurrying Latero in a leather jacket was not their priority.[3]
Meanwhile, following an altercation that left Kestis unconscious, Junda used the Force to hold the Fifth Brother in place while trying to convince him to turn back to the light side of the Force; Dritus was startled by the sheer desperation in Junda's actions. Dritus pleaded with her to stop and instead help him get the injured Kestis back to the Mantis. With Junda momentarily distracted, the Inquisitor broke free of her grip and summoned her lightsaber with the Force. Dritus knew what his intention was, and to save Junda from any guilt at the result of the Fifth Brother's attempt to kill Kestis, he leaped between them as the Inquisitor brought the lightsaber down and severed one of his four arms. Merrin expected the trio to come running back together but instead saw Junda and Kestis supporting Dritus' lower arms as they carried him into the ship. She shouted for Frethylrin to fly them out and Junda stepped in as co-pilot. In their own ways, Merrin and Kestis tried to reassure Dritus and confirmed to him that they retrieved what they had set out to do.[3]
After the Mantis entered hyperspace, Junda took Dritus away to treat him but could not shake off her feeling of responsibility for Dritus' injuries after she refused to incapacitate or kill the Fifth Brother. After the crew kept their distance from each other for a day and a night, Dritus emerged. He scolded Merrin when she tried to help with his balance and angrily confronted Frethylrin, accusing her of leaving them all to die and resulting in him losing his arm.[3]
Kestis' question turned into a larger confrontation with Dritus continuing to blame Frethlyrin and then Junda for him losing his arm. The crew began to argue about their diverging motivations for being there, and Dritus spat that he was not sure why he was there. Junda made a decision for everyone to spend forty-eight hours resting and getting medical help for Dritus. When they had clearer heads, they would meet back at the Mantis.[3]
Zimara[]
After Dritus shakily set the Mantis down in a village on Zimara, everybody on board went their separate ways to recharge and reflect. When the time came to return to the Mantis at the agreed time, Dritus was the only one yet to arrive. Junda and Frethylrin prepared to fly the ship in case he did not return, but as Junda told everyone to prepare for takeoff, Dritus arrived, half hour later than planned. Someone in the town had altered his jacket and his empty sleeve had been tailored to swoop around his arm. Junda noted that whilst he looked hurt, and older even, he looked good. Merrin, Kestis, and Junda all rushed to hug him, much to his internal delight.[3]
Onboard, Dritus played up to his injury but knew it would constitute a major change in his life. The crew came together to discuss their plans for the Shroud and how to deal with the shady Lar. Junda suggested they give a fake prototype to Lar, and Dritus pointed out that the Omwati would want to kill Frethylrin. To address the latter problem, Merrin and Frethylrin worked together to make new armor from scraps Dritus took from the Haxion Brood base, which pleased the Latero. Kestis worked with Irei to rig an explosive faux prototype.[3]
Returning to Hosnian Prime and success[]
The crew traveled back to Hosnian Prime where Kestis, BD-1, Merrin, Frethylrin, and Irei departed the ship to meet with Lar in his abode. With Dritus and Junda in low orbit over Hosnian Prime, they monitored the meeting with Lar through cams worn on the outfits of the organics and on top of BD-1's head. Irei presented the fake prototype to Lar and asked him to guarantee her safety and Frethylrin's in exchange. As predicted, Lar said they must "renegotiate" leaving the Shroud prototype and plans with him and Irei working for him to manufacture her invention. Lar fired a small but powerful blaster at Frethylrin's armored chest, sending her flying and knocking her out.[3]
As the crew battled Lar's incoming Haxion Brood hunters, Kestis goaded the Omwati into detailing how he had bought up most of the galaxy's mirkanite mines with the intent of selling the rare mineral to the Empire as it mass produced the Shroud. Everything Lar said was recorded by Dritus and Junda, who were engaging Haxion Brood ships and bickering about who was responsible for the loss of Dritus' arm.[3]
The group's comms were jammed by the Fifth Brother, who had located them using a tracker hidden on Irei without her knowledge. The Inquisitor impaled the Lar on his lightsaber when Kestis used the Force to throw the explosive at him. The Inquisitor's attempt to deflect it with his lightsaber triggered an explosion that caved in the room. Merrin was unconscious in the rubble as Dritus and Junda arrived in the elevator and when she revived, the crew left to regroup on the Mantis.[3]
Frethylrin and Irei decided to go into hiding together as friends using the former's network and the latter's technical know-how. Dritus flew them to Zimara, and after the Mantis landed on the planets surface, the farewells began and the departing pair gifted Dritus a new plant seed for his terrarium. As Irei and Frethylrin walked away, the crew acknowledged they would never see the pair again and that, for the time being, they would be OK.[3]
A simple life[]
At some point after the events on Murkhana [3] and prior to 9 BBY,[7] the Mantis crew went their separate ways. Dritus was able to procure a highly advanced prosthetic arm and traveled to the Outer Rim planet Koboh with the aim of escaping the Empire and the Haxion Brood. He eventually settled in Rambler's Reach Outpost and took ownership of a local saloon which had become available after its previous owner Abel Drongite fell foul of the Bedlam Raiders, a gang of marauders led by the Gen'Dai warrior Rayvis. In order to purchase the saloon, Cere provided the two thousand credits required. Dritus hoped that if he made Granny Pyloon's famous casserole for Junda she might forget the debt.[4]
Having purchased the saloon, Dritus named it after his great-grandmother Pyloon and set to fixing it up as it was in disarray when he took charge. The interior was dirtied with stains, mostly from old food and drinks, but there were a few body parts scattered about, and he found a shiverpede nest which he removed while the creatures attempted to remove his head. As well as cleaning and making the saloon hospitable, it took two weeks before the venue had reliable power and water. As Koboh was not situated near any trade routes, Dritus had to make do with salvage when it came to maintaining the saloon. At some point after taking over the saloon, he met the bartender droid M-6NK - also known as Monk - in a gambling den. When Monk escaped his previous employers, he became the bartender at Pyloon's Saloon and the two shared a cantankerous relationship.[4]
When he was not overseeing affairs at Pyloon's, Dritus spent time exploring the rugged planet. At one point, he attempted to explore one of the planet's many abandoned settlements, but upon hearing creepy voices, he ran from the location and did not return.[4]
He became known to the townsfolk who would frequent Pyloon's and was generally liked by the locals, who were comprised mainly of prospectors, engineers, and technicians, with the exception of Gulu and Gido who preferred Drongite whom they believed was more lenient than Dritus. Local stable owner Mosey Cimmaron credited Dritus with inadvertently introducing the bogling species to Koboh after he arrived due to a stowaway on the Mantis mixing with the local wildlife.[4]
Rediscovery of a lost world[]
Back in action[]
- "Cal! Cal Kestis, get over here you son of a bogling! Oh, It's been a while, I missed ya kid!"
- ―Greez Dritus, upon meeting Cal Kestis since the group's departure
In 9 BBY,[7] Dritus and Kestis were reunited having spent a while apart after Kestis crash-landed the Mantis on Koboh following the ship having taken damage during a raid on Coruscant. The Jedi sought out his old friend as the Lateron was the only being who knew how to properly fix the Mantis and replace its damaged gyro systems. When Kestis initially entered Pyloon's, Dritus was hiding in one of the back rooms fearing the Bedlam Raiders had arrived. Upon noticing BD-1, Dritus warmly embraced Kestis and the two discussed the absent members of the Mantis crew, whilst the Lateron fretted about the cleanliness of the cantina and the Mantis. Dritus was worried that Kestis was not getting enough rest and directed him to a room below the saloon that he had made up specially for him for when he eventually visited.[4]
Greez Dritus and Cal Kestis talking beneath Pyloon's Saloon
After Kestis had rested, Dritus told him that he had hoped he would arrive at some point and take a break from his crusade. When Kestis became defensive and reminded Dritus that he said to the disbanding crew that one of them needed to keep fighting, Dritus replied that maybe the time had come for Kestis to be more than just a lightsaber. He urged Kestis to find a home and settle down away from danger, telling him that he had to know when to walk away from a rigged game before he lost something he could not replace. Despite the fraught nature of their conversation, Dritus reiterated how good it was to see his old friend again, with Kestis agreeing to think about what the Lateron had said.[4]
Dritus eventually decided to reclaim his position as captain of the Mantis after Kestis confirmed to him that Tanalorr, the mythical planet of treasure, was a reality having encountered the High Republic-era droid ZN-A4 "Zee" in the smuggler's tunnels beneath the saloon. Zee informed Kestis that her master Santari Khri knew of the planet, and, alongside his friend and mercenary Bode Akuna, he planned to find it. Despite believing his best piloting days were behind him, he agreed to rejoin the crew after Kestis told him he could not do the mission without his skills. Dritus immediately suggested that Cere Junda would be able to help identify a lost Jedi temple or planet and provide further details on Dagan Gera, a Jedi from the High Republic era who had been released from a hidden bacta tank by Kestis after having spent centuries within it.[4]
Crew reunion[]
Dritus was excited to be flying again, and though it took him a few flights to acclimate to the task, he eventually felt comfortable to be back in the cockpit and to ensure he minimized the damage Kestis could do to the ship. He piloted Kestis, BD-1, and Akuna to Jedha where Junda had erected a secret base of operations alongside her old master Eno Cordova intending to restore the Jedi Archives and serve as a node on the underground Hidden Path network. Upon landing in the base, Dritus was reunited with Junda and Merrin, who arrived after hearing that Kestis and Dritus would be visiting the planet - the Mantis crew were together again.
Greez Dritus and the Mantis crew reunited
Dritus told Junda he was surprised that she had decided to become a librarian, and confidently told her that he was aging like a fine Alderaanian wine, whilst quietly telling her he was mostly done with his gambling addiction. Despite his excitement at the crew being together, he was not keen on the Narkis Anchorites who also took residence in the base, thinking them to be creepy.[4]
Upon researching information within archives, Cordova explained that while the archive had no direct knowledge of how to navigate the dangerous Koboh Abyss that enshrouded Tanalorr, he was able to find two mentions of Gera—records show that he had a retreat on Koboh's surface and frequently visited a laboratory on Koboh's Shattered Moon.[4]
Search of the lost compasses[]
Dritus and the Mantis crew subsequently visited both locations. Kestis learned that Gera had betrayed the Jedi Order after they decided to abandon Tanalorr, and had murdered his fellow Jedi over their destruction of a series of mysterious devices. He was able to successfully recover the devices and the crew returned to Jedha for Cordova to analyze them.[4]
At the base, they learned that the devices were compasses that could navigate them safely through the Abyss. While the two Kestis discovered were destroyed beyond repair by decree of the Jedi Council after a band of marauders called the Nihil had attacked Tanalorr, the crew learned that one intact compass remained and decided to look for it.[4]
Merrin rejoined the Mantis crew as they returned to Koboh. Immediately after disembarking, Turgle informed them that Zee had been kidnapped from the saloon by the Bedlam Raiders, and was being held within their base, the crashed core ship of the Lucrehulk-class battleship Primacy. Dritus immediately exclaimed his belief that Turgle was involved in the kidnapping, something Turgle vehemently denied. Dritus returned to the saloon to ensure it had been governed and maintained correctly, whilst Kestis and Akuna mounted a rescue mission to retrieve the droid. He was suspicious that Monk was trying to covertly change the saloon to his own image and also thought they should hire some muscle to protect their investment. Monk disagreed, stating the decision would reduce margins and bringing in protection could paint a target on the saloon. He believed they could only afford an ill-tempered Jawa. Kestis and Akuna eventually returned with Zee and with the information that Khri had hidden the final compass on the Shattered Moon.[4]
Dritus, Kestis, and Akuna visited the Shattered Moon once more in search of the Gen'Dai warrior Rayvis, who Kestis hoped could tell them where Dagan was heading. While there, Kestis received a Force vision of Khri and Gera, learning that Khri had deceived the Jedi Council and kept one compass intact. Dritus remained with the ship whilst Kestis engaged Rayvis in combat, eventually triumphing over the Gen'Dai. Rayvis tells Kestis that the final compass is within Santari Khri's personal observatory in Koboh's atmosphere and that Gera is already on his way. With this information, Dritus piloted the pair back to Koboh to intercept Gera before it was too late.[4]
Following a brutal battle with Gera, which ended in the fallen Jedi's demise, Akuna and Kestis retrieved the compass, which had been damaged during the duel. The decision was made to return to Jedha to see if Cordova could fix it. Kestis contemplates using Tanalorr for the Hidden Path and raising an army to fight the Empire in secret, a thought Akunda heavily disagrees with. Nevertheless, the crew departed the observatory and returned to Jedha to reunite with the remainder of the team.[4]
Betrayal on Jedha[]
On Jedha, Kestis then handed the compass to Cordova, as he began working to repair it. The Mantis crew held a bonfire in the desert outside Junda's base, with Dritus providing plenty of tea for the assembled team.[4]
The next morning, Dritus was present when Kestis checked on Cordova's progress and learned that the compass had been repaired. Junda then received an alert that Imperial forces were incoming from all sides, and their location was compromised. Kestis told her to evacuate and turned to see Akuna pull a blaster on Cordova, apologizing to Kestis for what he was about to do. Akuna murdered Cordova and attempted to escape on a speeder bike with the compass, with Kestis giving chase on a second bike.[4]
Dritus, Kestis, and Merrin kneel over the bodies of Junda and Cordova.
Meanwhile, Junda oversaw the evacuation of the archive with Dritus readying the Mantis for a quick escape. After dispatching several Imperial walkers and stormtrooper battalions, Cere went with BD-1 to secure the Hidden Path's contact codes. However, Junda would be killed after a brave duel with Darth Vader, who had come to the base following Akuna's tip-off.[4]
Kestis recovered the bodies of Junda and Cordova, and they were respectfully laid in the hangar as Dritus, Merrin, and BD-1 returned to collect them. Upon seeing the corpse of his close friend, Dritus rushed to Junda and broke down in tears, taking the time to grieve the loss. The remaining members of the crew returned aboard the Mantis and decided to find a better place to bury them, and turned their minds to pursuing the treacherous Akuna. After Kestis began to comprehend what had happened, Dritus passionately told him that Akuna's actions were on the mercenary alone and no one else, and that while the game was rigged against them, it was an individual's choice on how to play it.[4]
Reignited hope[]
Kestis remembered that Akuna had a locator beacon on his ship and attempted to trace it via the ship's holotable. The signal led the Mantis crew to the Nova Garon system, where they discovered that the Imperial Security Bureau had a hidden base within a frozen asteroid. Kestis infiltrated the facility and retrieved a datadisc from Akuna's quarters, where he encountered Bode's daughter, Kata Akuna, who had been told to pack for a trip by her father. Akuna, though, was able to escape the base with Kata and the compass. Enraged and confronted by a horde of Imperials, Kestis nearly succumbed to the allure of the Dark Side of the Force before Merrin intervened, telling him the Mantis crew would be there to ensure he always stayed on track. Dritus then piloted the crew from Nova Garon on the Mantis.[4]
Whilst in flight, Kestis watched the datadisc he found in Akuna's quarters, which turned out to be the same message from Khri that Gera had been watching in the Koboh observatory. However, upon viewing the full message, the Mantis crew learned that there was one final way to reach Tanalorr: if one were to activate the three arrays—the Forest Array, lunar array, and observatory array—and align them to a set of coordinates embedded in the message, it would create a safe path through the Koboh Abyss. Upon hearing this, Dritus incredulously enquired as to whether they seriously wanted him to fly the Mantis through a ship-eating nebula using a tiny tunnel carved out by two-hundred-year-old technology. When Kestis, Merrin, and BD-1 replied in the affirmative, Dritus immediately changed his tune and proclaimed himself as in on the plan.[4]
Through the Abyss[]
- "I'm rerouting power from deflectors to the engines!"
"What, are you crazy!? You're trading safety for speed!"
"Exactly! We're all in on you, buddy."
"You're right! It's my ship, ain't it? Greezy does it, baby!" - ―Cal Kestis and Greez Dritus
Dritus and the Mantis crew returned to Koboh, where he set out to ensure the Mantis was properly fixed up for what he thought could be its last flight. Meanwhile, Kestis accessed the Alignment Control Center, learning that a person must stay behind to man the arrays as the Mantis traveled through the Abyss. Zee volunteered so that she could see Khri's dream of Tanalorr live once more and complete the mission she had been given two centuries ago. Before the journey to Tanalorr began, Dritus found himself distracted by the size of the task ahead of him and nervously asked why Zee was taking so long to align the arrays. Eventually, the droid completed her duty and the path through the Abyss opened to reveal a route full of Koboh matter and resembling a deadly honeycomb.[4]
Greez Dritus screams, as he navigates through the Koboh Abyss.
Dritus initially struggled to navigate the Abyss due to the sheer amount of moving obstacles in his path, until Merrin implored him to stop piloting and start flying as Kestis diverted power from the Mantis’ shields to its engines. Dritus agreed, emphatically declaring the Mantis was his ship, and, with a cry of confidence and bravery, he began to dive and weave through the Abyss toward the exit. However, ahead of him, the tunnel began to close in on itself due to the arrays overloading. Before Dritus could panic too much about their impending doom, Kestis heard Junda’s voice in his head, offering direction on how to proceed. He told Dritus they needed to make a blind jump into hyperspace, and, despite brief concern, Dritus told the Jedi he trusted him and told him to let it ride. Kestis obliged and the Mantis successfully made the jump, though Dritus screamed the whole way until Merrin, who had shared a celebratory kiss with Kestis, whacked him to stop. The crew exited the Abyss safely with Tanalorr filling their view.[4]
A whole new world[]
- "I mean the place is creepy but it does have franchise potential."
- ―Greez Dritus, jokingly suggests opening a saloon franchise on Tanalorr
Greez Dritus on the surface of Tanalorr
Upon landing on the surface of the hidden planet, Dritus told the crew he did not initially plan on seeing his days out on Tanalorr, especially not whilst Akuna was there. He stayed with the Mantis to perform maintenance as Kestis and Merrin ventured to the planet's Jedi Temple to confront Akuna. The pair later returned after Kestis had killed Akuna in combat, and with them was Kata, who had nearly been killed during her father's rage.[4]
Dritus and the crew of the Mantis, now including Kata, held a funeral on the planet for Junda, Cordova, and Akuna, with Merrin using her magick to light the funeral pyres and the crew paying their respects. Dritus told the crew that they needed to continue the Hidden Path for Junda, and that he felt good about his found family and their future on Tanalorr.[4]
Personality and traits[]
- "Greezy money, baby."
- ―Greez after landing in a windstorm on Zeffo
Greez speaking with Kestis, Junda, and Merrin
Dritus was a no-nonsense Latero who frequently spoke his mind and aired his many grievances. He was not afraid to stand up for himself if a situation called for him to do so. Despite this, Dritus was one of the most risk-averse members of the Stinger Mantis' crew. He repeatedly expressed hesitation when asked to travel to dangerous planets such as Dathomir[1] or Koboh's Shattered Moon[4] and openly admitted to disliking any location that was remotely haunted. He later confessed to being highly intimidated by Nightsister Merrin and would constantly refer to her dead sisters as creepy.[1]
Even though he was initially hesitant about Kestis and Merrin, Greez warmed up to them throughout their time together and grew to see the Mantis crew as his family.[1] When Kata was introduced to the crew following her father's passing, Dritus took an immediate shine to her and promised to teach the youngster how to cook and the art of flying.[4]
A keen gambler, Dritus found himself in trouble because of his habit on numerous occasions and struggled to kick the habit fully. After meeting Merrin, Dritus exclaimed that he could introduce her to gambling, saying he was sure a Nightsister had some skills that could make them rich. When Junda questioned his line of thinking, he said he was just kidding and was still terrified of her. He also told Junda that the Outlander Club was his favorite place that he could never return to, saying that he won some memorable sabacc pots there.[1]
He hated nature and when the crew would go on missions, Dritus would remain on the Mantis to undertake and complete maintenance and tune-ups to the ship.[1]
He constantly cooked meals for the crew and saw it as his main role in the crew alongside being their pilot. He was particularly fond of cooking scazz steaks[1], curried burra fish, Great Granny Pyloon's Umberhash, Greasy Greez-loaf[4], and Gelatin Surprise[3] and felt pride in continuing his great-grandmother Pyloon's cooking legacy[1]. Dritus was able to ambidextrously fry four desserts at once when he was feeling particularly motivated, though Junda would make him choke down a protein bar as she told him dessert did not count for breakfast[3]. During his time as the proprietor of Pyloon's Saloon, Dritus referred to himself as “the best chef this side of the Hydian Way”. He was highly protective over his cantina, proclaiming it to be "the finest dive this side of Zeltros," but often bemoaned the presence of the Bedlam Raiders in the nearby vicinity and airing his suspicions that M-6NK was attempting to mold the cantina into his own vision. He was pleased to have a kitchen at the saloon - and places to hide - but confessed to missing the Mantis.[4] Dritus had dreamed of opening "Greezy's Cooking Academy" when the day came that the Empire was no more.[1] He dreamt of opening a cantina on Coruscant complete with a neon sign with his name on it. He believed opening a cantina on the planet would bring in serious credits and make Pyloon incredibly proud. He told Merrin and Kata that there were cantinas on Coruscant that would spin them sideways from sun up, but denied Kata's request to visit one. Despite his desire to own a saloon on the planet, the only thing he liked about Coruscant was the turbo dogs.[4]
He expressed his desire to settle down, fall in love, and start a family once the crew had retrieved the holocron and their mission was complete. Dritus believed love was the best feeling, but was aware that it required a lot of work. He stated that a good relationship needed mutual admiration, devotion, attraction, and respect. Cere Junda remarked on his insightful words with surprise, but Dritus said they came from experience, remarking that you could not look as good as him and not steal a few hearts.[1]
He described himself as a thrill seeker in his youth, and whilst he used to look for a partner, he likened the idea of parenting to gambling, saying, “If you're gonna bet, bet big - but if you're not feeling it, there's no shame in walking away from the table.”[4]
Whilst he was not keen on nature, Dritus maintained a terrarium on the Mantis behind a wall of Umbaran glass and was grateful when Cal Kestis collected seeds for it. Eventually, Kestis collected enough seeds to allow Dritus to create holos to enter the Galactic Botanists competition, though he did not intend on cutting Kestis into the winnings should he win. Kestis told him that when they first met, he did not think Dritus was someone who had an interest in plants. He would remark that the growth of his plants made him feel like a parent.[1]
Dritus initially resented his prosthetic arm[3] but eventually learned to appreciate it as he could chop vegetables twice as fast, he could not burn himself, and thought it great for self-defense.[4]
Dritus was staunchly against the Empire for how they treated the people of Lateron and imposed their tyranny on the rest of the galaxy. He found Imperial propaganda to be disgusting and could not believe people fell for or followed it.[1] However, he often wondered what life would be like on the other side of the Empire, assuming they lived through it.[4]
Relationships[]
Cal Kestis[]
As was his style, Dritus was skeptical of Kestis when he first came aboard the Mantis following his rescue on Bracca, He was not happy with the padawan’s attitude and was initially blunt with him, occasionally mocking his actions and goading him by saying he still thought they were fighting the Clone Wars. The further into the mission to retrieve the holocron the crew went, the more Dritus began to warm to Kestis. He would have close conversations with the Jedi regarding his relationship with Junda and also apologize for putting him in danger when the Haxion Brood captured him. He came to see that they were all in this fight together and stated that Kestis and Junda were the best things that ever happened in his life, as previously all he cared about was himself, but things had changed.[1]
He complimented him on his skills when taking out the AT-ST on Zeffo and, despite originally not thinking that Kestis was ‘the guy’, by the time the crew reached Nur, Dritus had put all of his faith and trust in the Jedi. He believed the younglings on the holocron would be lucky to have Kestis as their mentor and even named one of his plants ‘Kid’, to honor his nickname for Kestis. Following the escape from Nur, Dritus remained by Kestis’ side as he rested and recovered following the mission. After he decided to stick with the crew following the destruction of the holocron, Dritus remarked that he believed Kestis looked up to him.[1] However, Dritus did not always agree with Kestis’ motivations and goals, and the pair would often disagree on the jobs they should be taking in their crusade against the Empire.[3]
Dritus was extremely happy when Kestis came to Koboh seeking repairs to the Mantis. Dritus’ warmth for his friend immediately came through and he convinced him to stay in the room he had prepared beneath the cantina, urging him to rest and take a break. Dritus loved Cal like he was family and thought of himself as the Jedi’s devastatingly handsome uncle in a lot of ways, but he feared that if Kestis was not careful, his all-in attitude would get them all captured or killed. Despite his concern, he would not let Kestis forget the misdemeanors he brought upon the Mantis in two thousand Latero sunsets. He eventually agreed to pilot Kestis, and Bode Akuna, on their mission to find Tanalorr, once again putting his full trust in his friend.[4]
Cere Junda[]
Dritus was extremely close with Junda following her hiring him to pilot her across the galaxy. He initially thought of the gig as a simple contract that would end in him getting paid but the pair quickly bonded during their travels together. They would often reminisce about fun times and close calls they had experienced together, including the time Junda attempted to make a Devaronian dish and almost burned the ship down, something Dritus would never forget[4]. He would also encourage her to continue playing her hallikset despite them being on the run from the Empire. Upon rescuing Kestis on Bracca, Dritus informed him that Junda was in charge and he would need to listen to her. He believed that Junda and Kestis were the best things that ever happened in his life, as previously all he cared about was himself.[1]
Whilst he knew little about the Jedi, Dritus would often ask questions about the Order, including whether a restored Order would have any impact or change for the better. He would ask if other Jedi would come out of hiding if the Order was restored, and specifically mentioned Jedi Master Yaddle, who unbeknownst to him was dead, saying they all had their dreams and to let him have his. When Junda described her favorite place that she could no longer return to, Dritus replied by saying his choice was the Outlander Club on Coruscant as he had won some memorable sabacc pots there previously.[1]
Though he shared a close bond with Junda, Dritus was extremely annoyed and upset with her following the incident that resulted in him losing an arm. He believed Junda’s inactivity during the moment was the cause for his injury and it took him a few days to begin to forgive her. The pair were quickly back to old ways as they would bicker over the incident and Dritus would attempt to make her feel guilty.[3]
When the crew reunited on Jedha, Dritus was thrilled to see Junda again, joking that she had become a librarian since they drifted apart. Along with the crew, the two shared tea in the deserts of Jedha, and Dritus jumped for joy when Junda announced she would be joining them on Tanalorr. Following Junda’s passing at the hands of Darth Vader, Dritus was overwhelmed by grief and regrets. He hoped she would forgive him for keeping the Mantis warm for her planned arrival before her fateful duel and felt sadness that she never got to visit the saloon that she helped Dritus purchase. He vowed to continue her work with the Hidden Path to honor her legacy.[4]
Merrin[]
Dritus was Initially hesitant and intimidated by Merrin upon their first meeting on Dathomir when she joined the crew but was always fearful of Merrin’s creepy sisters. He would refer to her as the Space Witch and constantly asked her not to use her magick aboard his ship for fear of being eaten by one of his plants. After a nap at one point, he heard someone in his room but when he woke up no one was there. He immediately questioned Merrin and was perturbed when she told him she does not watch people as they sleep. He told her he may not know much about the Force, but he could tell magick was dark saying that Kestis and Junda being worried was proof enough for him. To calm him, she told him a Nightsister could lose her mind if they did not master their skills, but Dritus responded by comparing it to the time he ate ten pounds of Umbaran flank steak so he could be let into a private cantina on Lateron which led to the establishment naming a drink after him.[1]
Dritus could not understand how Nightsisters would cast spells but could not see the magic in the little things such as his cooking spoon. When she enquired if he used the spoon for conjuring, Dritus begged Kestis to tell him that she would not use his spoon to raise the dead. Owing to her Dathomirian upbringing, Dritus could not believe that Merrin had never tried moof juice or witnessed two dugs fight in a cantina over who their favorite drummer was. Kestis believed Dritus could show her all of the galaxy’s weirdest places.[1]
He remained terrified in her presence as the crew searched for the holocron, but the feeling subsided in time and the pair shared a playful relationship as Merrin was not put out by Dritus’ attitude. The two eventually had a strong bond, with Merrin believing Dritus to be the best pilot she had ever met and enjoying his easy laugh and fierce, undeniable kind of love[3]. Whilst he remained nervous about her, he was upset that he could not clean the Mantis for her before the crew reunited on Jedha.[4]
Skills and abilities[]
Dritus was the captain of the Stinger Mantis and was regularly tasked with navigating the ship through numerous close calls and unfavorable situations. His early knowledge of flying was acquired from his time in the Lateron Space Academy in his youth. He was proficient in close-quarters extraction and brief dogfights, having had to engage in defensive combat whilst over Bracca[1] and the Shattered Moon.[4] Dritus was also adept at landing his unconventional ship in tight areas, such was his ability to locate suitable alighting points. Following the loss of one of his arms, Dritus' confidence in his piloting ability was shaken,[3] and it took him a long time before he was comfortable enough to return to the Mantis' pilot seat. Dritus was also one of only two known pilots to have successfully traversed and survived the Koboh Abyss when he navigated the ship-eating nebula en route to discovering the planet of Tanalorr.[4]
He was an experienced mechanic who was able to strip the Mantis apart and piece it back together again. He regularly remained aboard the ship during missions in order to perform general maintenance and repairs for the increasing wear and tear it would receive.[1] When the ship required a new gyro following Kestis' escape from Coruscant, the Jedi traveled to Koboh to utilize Dritus' skills of repair.[4] He once told BD-1 that he was working on creating a new hyperdrive that would change the galaxy, though the droid eventually had him admit that the idea was just a blueprint on a datapad but he could still dream nonetheless.[1]
Dritus was also an accomplished cook having learned the art from his great-grandmother Pyloon at a young age, attributing some of his talent to his impeccable sense of smell. He believed food brought people together and it constantly reminded him of his home, his family, and Pyloon.[1] By 9 BBY[7] he had established a wide variety of dishes and recipes that he would prepare between missions and whilst left alone on the ship. Reception to his dishes was varied, Kestis and Merrin would often feign satisfaction with his concoctions, whilst Junda eventually came around to the Latero's cooking. After spending a short while with the Mantis crew, Bode Akuna heaped praise on Dritus' cooking skills.[4]
Equipment[]
Thanks to his species possessing four arms, Dritus wielded four blasters.[4] He would rarely put them to use instead preferring to stay as far away from the action as possible and remain on the Mantis. However, he did draw his blasters during the skirmish of Murkhana[3] and during the Imperial invasion of Junda's base on Jedha.[4]
He wore a red and silver flight suit unzipped at the collar to reveal a gold-colored pendant attached to a black necklace, and a pair of black boots.[1] Dritus had several identical sets of this flight suit which eventually were stored in Kestis' room beneath Pyloon's Saloon.[4]
Later, Dritus would switch his outfit to a three-tone blue flight suit. The suit was adorned with a gold interior material completed by a purple, orange, and green patterned design. He accessories his outfit with a black holster and a brown belt with gold buckles. He also continued to wear his black boots with this outfit.[4]
Following the loss of his top-left arm during the altercation with the Fifth Brother on Murkhana,[3] Dritus sported a highly advanced prosthetic arm. The prosthetic had a silver hand attached to a gold forearm. Dritus initially resented his new addition but eventually learned to live with it.[4]
Behind the scenes[]
Greez Dritus was introduced in the 2019 video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.[1] According to the game's director Stig Asmussen, the inspiration for Greez Dritus was John C. Reilly and Ralph Furley from the sitcom Three's Company.[8] He is played by Daniel Roebuck.[1]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (First appearance)
- Jedi: Battle Scars (and audiobook)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.57 1.58 1.59 1.60 1.61 1.62 1.63 1.64 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.68 1.69 1.70 1.71 1.72 1.73 1.74 1.75 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
Greez in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 Jedi: Battle Scars
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.38 4.39 4.40 4.41 4.42 4.43 4.44 4.45 4.46 4.47 4.48 4.49 4.50 4.51 4.52 4.53 4.54 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to 14 BBY.
- ↑ Jedi: Battle Scars dates itself to a few years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order which take place in 14 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines. Therefore, the events of Jedi: Battle Scars must take place in 12 BBY at the earliest. Additionally, the novel dates itself within the years before Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the events of which take place in 9 BBY per the reasoning here. Within Jedi: Survivor, it is also noted the Stinger Mantis crew has been broken up for "years." As the crew are together in Jedi: Battle Scars, the latest it can take place is 11 BBY. Therefore, the events of Jedi: Battle Scars occur between 12 and 11 BBY.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on StarWars.com (backup link) dates Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which in turn take place in 14 BBY per Star Wars: Timelines. As such, Jedi: Survivor must occur in 9 BBY.
- ↑ The True Power of the Force on EA (backup link archived on August 21, 2019)
External links[]
- Quiz: What Star Wars Crew Should You Join? on StarWars.com (backup link)
- The True Power of the Force on Gameinformer (backup link archived on August 21, 2019) (First identified as Dritus)