- "I know what you're thinking: "What dastardly evil could they be unearthing here?" The answer is less sinister than you might assume. We're studying the Temple of Sacrifice, or parts related anyway. In hindsight, I realize that isn't helping my case."
- ―Dr. Talos Drellik explains his mission to the Alliance Commander
An archaeological expedition was led by Doctor Talos Drellik of the reconstituted Sith Empire's Imperial Reclamation Service on the jungle moon Yavin 4 in 3630 BBY during the war against the Eternal Empire of Zakuul. Drellik led an expedition team to Yavin 4 at the direction of the Dark Council following up on his hypothesis that mechanisms in the Temple of Sacrifice may have shared traits with the technology of the Eternal Empire on account of their association with the Sith Emperor. The leader of the Alliance to defeat Zakuul aided Drellik in recovering artifacts related to the temple scattered across the moon and eventually discovered the ancient Dashade Ak'ghal Usar contained in stasis.
Recovering Artifacts[]
- "The temple was created by the Emperor's design, much like the Eternal Empire. I suspect there could be shared elements in the technology. We're working to exhume functional samples, but the Massassi make the work quite dangerous."
- ―Dr. Talos Drellik explains his hypothesis to the Alliance Commander

Technology associated with the Temple of Sacrifice (pictured) was the focal point of Dr. Drellik's expedition.
Sometime after the disappearance of his master, Darth Nox, at the start of the Eternal Empire's galactic conquest in c. 3636 BBY[4], Imperial archaeologist Doctor Talos Drellik was ordered by the Dark Council to return to the Imperial Reclamation Service to lead an expedition to the jungle moon Yavin 4. Drellik's mission was to study the Temple of Sacrifice's mechanisms which he theorized may have shared traits with other technology constructed by the Sith Emperor, principally that associated with the Eternal Empire.[1]
Shortly after the Alliance against the Eternal Empire was founded five years later[4], their scientific advisor, Dr. Juvard Illip Oggurobb commended Drellik to the recently released Outlander as a prospective recruit in the war against Zakuul. On Yavin 4, Drellik offered the Alliance Commander the opportunity to assist him in recovering artifacts from numerous sites across the moon for analysis to discern similarities with Zakuulan technology in exchange for his joining the Alliance.[1]
Discovering the Shadow Killer[]
- "He took this place as his own and locked me away to protect his precious temple. For all his claims of immortality, his interest in the temple betrays those lies. If it was destroyed, he may be dead, too."
- ―Ak'ghal Usar describes his imprisonment by the Sith Emperor to the Alliance Commander

The Yavin 4 expedition concluded with the discovery of Ak'ghal Usar (pictured), a Dashade Shadow Killer held captive in stasis by the former Sith Emperor for over 300 years.
Drellik's Reclamation Service research team remained on the Yavin moon under the direction of Dr. Narissa Delau to pursue their studies but did not make much progress until the discovery of another artifact in the Architect's Hollow by expedition member Harris several months later.[4] The team discerned that the new relic, like those previously collected, dated to the Exar Kun era and shared other similarities. Further attempts to study the relics ended in disaster when the team was attacked by Massassi who killed, wounded, and scattered the team members.
At the request of Dr. Drellik, the Alliance Commander returned to the service's expedition camp and collected the relics and research notes to continue the expedition. After some investigation, the commander encountered a Dashade held in stasis. After inadvertently releasing the prisoner and engaging in a brief duel, the prisoner revealed himself as Ak'ghal Usar, a Dashade Shadow Killer and the Last lord of Urkupp, his species' homeworld. Usar had tracked Exar Kun to Yavin 4 over three hundred years earlier after the fatal destruction of his homeworld to exact his vengeance on the Sith Lord. By the time he arrived, Kun had been defeated by the Jedi and Usar was later placed in his stasis prison by a black-eyed Sith, recognized by the commander as a reference to the former Sith Emperor. The commander defeated Usar to contain the danger he represented.[6]
While in the hidden hollow where Usar's stasis chamber was discovered, the Alliance Commander also found a dormant holocron which was subsequently delivered to Dr. Drellik. Drellik assessed that the holocron was related to two others the pair had discovered during their initial recovery of artifacts across the Yavin moon and resolved to study the matter further.[7]
Behind the scenes[]
- "To never taste the anguish of these men leaves me hollow. I crave anything to satiate my rage. So long as you mean harm to my enemies, I shall serve you willingly."
- ―Ak'ghal Usar expresses his desire for vengeance against the Sith Emperor and his son Arcann
The Reclamation Service Yavin 4 expedition appeared in Knights of the Fallen Empire, the fifth Digital Expansion to the BioWare-LucasArts video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. Player characters of any of the eight playable classes learn of and may choose to participate in the expedition after completing the ninth chapter[8] of the expansion and the To Find a Findsman [9] Alliance Alert mission. Players may assist Talos Drellik in recovering artifacts across Yavin 4 for the option of recruiting him, or may refuse the mission. Sith Inquisitor player characters have class-specific dialogue options and may bypass assisting Drellik on Yavin and recruit him immediately.[1]
Recruiting Talos Drellik and completing the twelfth chapter[10] of Knights of the Fallen Empire are required prerequisites to access the Alliance Alert mission Reclaimed Treasure, which makes Ak'ghal Usar available as a companion. After an initial duel and dialogue with Usar, the player character may select the light side option to defeat Usar to contain his quest for vengeance, or the remaining dark side options to recruit Usar into the Alliance or allow him to leave to follow his own path.[6]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire (First appearance)
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
Star Wars: The Old Republic — Mission: "Fighting Power With Knowledge" on Yavin 4
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire — Chapter VIII: Taking Flight
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire — Chapter X: Anarchy In Paradise
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 According to
Forums: Dear Story Team, What Year Are We Currently In? on The Old Republic's official website (backup link) the events of the Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire from Chapter IX onwards and first wave of Alliance Alerts take place in 3630 BBY. Therefore, Game Update 4.2: Disavowed, which saw the release of the expansion's Chapter XI, can also be placed in 3630 BBY.
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic — Item: "Dr. Delau's Notes" from the Imperial Mission: Fighting Power With Knowledge
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5
Star Wars: The Old Republic — Mission: "Reclaimed Treasure" on Yavin 4
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic — The message Your Recent Discovery from Talos Drellik
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire — Chapter IX: The Alliance
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic — Mission: "To Find a Findsman" on Zakuul
- ↑
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire — Chapter XII: Visions in the Dark