Reclamation Service Hoth expedition

Previous	Quesh war
Concurrent	Battle of Hoth Hunt for Xerender
Next	Invasion of Belsavis
Reclamation Service Hoth expedition
Conflict	Cold War
Objective	Discover ancient Sith temple
Date	3641 BBY
Place	Hoth The Bitter End Glacial Fissure
Outcome	Successful discovery of temple Temple desecrated by Sith Lord Kallig Ancient Sith Lord Horak-mul's sarcophagus recovered
Factions
Sith Empire
Ortolan settlers
Ancient Sadow'een droids
Commanders
Lieutenant Talos Drellik (officially) Lord Kallig (assumed command)
Ortolan chief
Military units
Imperial Reclamation Service
Ortolan warriors
Participants
Private Rogers Engineer Qualus Sorrel

"My peers in the service laughed when I said it was on Hoth, but now--yes, it's the only thing that makes sense."

―Lieutenant Talos Drellik expresses his elation to Lord Kallig after confirming the existence of a Sith temple on Hoth

An archaeological expedition was led by Lieutenant Talos Drellik of the reconstituted Sith Empire's Imperial Reclamation Service on the ice planet Hoth in 3641 BBY during the Cold War between the Empire and Galactic Republic. Drellik led an expedition team to Hoth following up on his theory that a Sith temple was was located there. Command of the team was taken over by the Sith Lord Kallig mid-mission to aid the Sith in discovering the Force ghost of ancient Sith Lord Horak-mul, though both missions were ultimately accomplished.

Kallig Takes Command

"The team's way out in the wastes searching for some mythical Sith Temple, on Hoth of all places."

―Imperial Sergeant Loren informs Lord Kallig of a local Reclamation Service team's mission

Lt. Talos Drellik, team leader.

Around 3641 BBY, Imperial Reclamation Service Lieutenant Talos Drellik led an archaeological team to the snow-covered planet Hoth in search of a mythical Sith temple.

The Sith Lord Kallig arrived on Hoth pursuing rumors of the presence of a Force ghost on the planet later that same year. Kallig had been binding the spirits of long-dead Sith Lords to aid in an ongoing feud with Darth Thanaton, the Dark Council member overseeing the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge. The rumors suggested that the previous year, the Republic transport Starrunner was carrying Sith artifacts confiscated by the Jedi on Yavin 4 when strange happenings occurred on the vessel before it finally crashed on Hoth's icy surface. Upon arriving on Hoth, Kallig immediately set out for Drellik's excavation site in The Bitter End to take command of the Reclamation Service team to aid in the ghost hunt.

Drellik provided the Sith with a Shalora probe droid to locate the Starrunner's jettisoned distress beacon while his team moved to a new camp to better aid in the search. Upon finding the beacon, Kallig and service engineer Qualus Sorrel uncovered the final distress call from the Starrunner's captain and discovered unusual days-old tracks in the snow around the beacon. Drellik identified them as Ortolan tracks and noted they seemed to carry away an object from the crash. Kallig departed for a nearby Ortolan settlement to inquire about their find while Sorrel delivered the beacon to the service team's new base.

Missions Converge

"Buried deep in the snows of Hoth, you will find the ruins of an ancient Sith temple. The temple was both training ground and burial site for Naga Sadow's personal order of assassins. The assassins who murdered me."

―The Force ghost of ancient Sith Lord Horak-Mul, possessing an Ortolan chief, informs Lord Kallig of the presence of an ancient Sith temple on Hoth

The Force ghost of Horak-mul revealed the association of Hoth's Sith temple with the personal assassins of Naga Sadow, the Sadow'een.

Kallig entered the Ortolan encampment in Highmount Ridge and slew at least half-a-dozen Ortolans before finally confronting their chief. During their discussion, the chief became possessed by the Force ghost Kallig sought who identified himself as Horak-mul, former ally of Ludo Kressh who was murdered by the Sadow'een, Naga Sadow's assassins, in 5000 BBY.

Horak-mul confirmed he was the cause of the Starrunner's demise and negotiated with Kallig to offer his strength in return for the desecration of the Sadow'een temple, coincidentally the same temple Drellik's team had come to Hoth to discover. Kallig rendezvoused with Drellik to use his expertise to enter the temple and the two departed for its location in the Glacial Fissure.

Discovering the Temple

"The great and secret order of Naga Sadow's assassins, the Sadow'een. This is where they came to die when their bloody work was done."

―Lt. Drellik to Lord Kallig as they explore the Sadow'een temple

Lt. Talos Drellik led a Reclamation Service team to Hoth in search of a Sadow'een temple (pictured).

Upon arriving at the temple, the pair found they were only able to enter the catacombs section as the rest of the temple seemed to have been destroyed by the planet's harsh weather. Drellik employed his knowledge and skills to gain access to the temple and navigate its traps. Kallig defended Drellik against attacks by Sadow's ancient droids while he worked, defeating over a dozen of them.

In accordance with Horak-mul's revengeful desires, Kallig destroyed several relics in the chamber. Satisfied with the destruction, Horak-mul appeared to the two by possessing one of the defeated droids and revealed the location of the Starrunner in the Starship Graveyard. Kallig and Drellik proceeded to the Empire's Frostwake Outpost near the graveyard where Drellik undertook an analysis of the droid possessed by Horak-mul while Kallig proceeded with a follower to the Star of Coruscant where the Starrunner was housed.

Drellik Enlists With Kallig

"My lord! I hoped to catch you before you left! I, um, I have resigned from the service. The military just isn't the best use of my talents. I feel I could serve the Empire better... by, um, by helping you. If you'll let me."

―Lt. Drellik offers his services to Kallig

The Force ghost of Horak-mul (pictured) demanded the desecration of the Sadow'een temple in exchange for assisting Kallig.

After discovering the Starrunner and Horak-mul's sarcophagus in the Star of Coruscant, Kallig successfully confronted and bound the ghost and departed the planet. Drellik intercepted Kallig aboard Adamas Space Station where he notified the Sith he had resigned from the Reclamation Service and enlisted in Kallig's crew.

Engineer Sorrel later notified Kallig that the Reclamation Service team had recovered and examined Horak-mul's sarcophagus.

Behind the scenes

"Please, I know the ghost wants this all destroyed, but let me at least take some holorecordings. To obliterate all this history--why, we'd be orphaning ourselves. A culture needs the hand of the past to guide it."

―Lt. Drellik appeals to Lord Kallig for permission to take holorecordings of the temple's relics before destroying them

The Reclamation Service Hoth expedition appeared in the Sith Inquisitor class story on Hoth in the BioWare-LucasArts video game Star Wars: The Old Republic in 2011.

In the Sadow'een temple, the player character may select the light side option of allowing Drellik to take holorecordings of the temple's relics before destroying them.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Old Republic (First appearance)

Sources

• Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia