Roja

Roja
Biographical information
Died	3 ABY, Hoth
Descriptive information
Gender	Male
Chronological and political information
Affiliation(s)	Alliance to Restore the Republic 61st Mobile Infantry

"That was the ion cannon. Command center says the first transport is away."
"Few more of those and maybe we'll head home ourselves, huh?"

―A rebel soldier and Roja

Roja was a male soldier and former dock worker who served in the Alliance to Restore the Republic's 61st Mobile Infantry, more commonly referred to as Twilight Company, during the time of the Galactic Empire. He served with the company at the planets Mygeeto and Phorsa Gedd. In 3 ABY, Roja, Namir and the soldier Beak escorted Twilight Company's Captain Micha Evon, known as Howl, and the ex-Imperial Governor Everi Chalis to the Echo Base, the Alliance High Command's secret base on the planet Hoth. At the base, Roja and Beak were assigned to teams to do with their specialties and Roja formed a relationship with some T-47 airspeeder technicians which grew familial in the eyes of Namir.

After the Empire discovered Echo Base, Roja, Beak and Namir was posted at Perimeter Outpost Delta as a part of the ground defense. Roja asked questions to Namir and was the first to spot Imperial Gozanti-cruisers carrying walkers to the ground. Outpost Delta was soon attacked by scout forces, which destroyed the outposts turret and artillery before falling back. Roja traveled back towards Echo Base with Namir and Beak, finding an abandoned Imperial juggernaut. Roja brought the vehicle back online and he and Beak drove it with Namir to Echo Base, collecting straggling soldiers along the way.

Entering Echo Base, Roja, Beak and Namir traveled to the command center in search of Howl. Roja considered splitting off to prepare their shuttle but Namir shut his idea down. The three found the Howl injured at Chalis's side, Roja and Beak carrying the captain as the group then made towards the hangar. They were cautious of distant gunfire, and the rest of them waited while Namir scouted. As they then approached the hangar down a hallway, the group was cut off by the Sith Lord Darth Vader and his stormtroopers. Roja, Beak and Namir fired at the incoming Imperials, but the Sith Lord continued to advance and cut Beak in half. Roja then threw a fragmentation grenade, which incapacitated Namir, and the former soldier was killed by a blaster shot.

Biography

Early rebel service

"You're kidding."

―Hazram Namir, to Roja, during the battle in the Kontahr sector

Roja worked as a dock worker with some unwary colleagues, but came to serve as a soldier in the Rebel Alliance's 61st Mobile Infantry, better known as Twilight Company, during the time of the Galactic Empire. By 0 BBY, he was present for the battles at the Outer Rim planet Mygeeto. During the Alliance's Mid Rim Offensive, which began around 1 ABY, Roja took part in the fighting on the planet Phorsa Gedd.

Roja shared a bunk room with First Sergeant Hazram Namir and a few others on the Twilight Company's CR90 corvette Thunderstrike. Three days the company's attack on the planet Haidoral Prime, in 3 ABY, Twilight Company crossed paths with an Imperial reconnaissance squadron in the Kontahr sector by chance, leading to an engagement. Roja and his roommates were awoken by the Thunderstrike's klaxons. He asked Namir what was going on, but the man did not have an answer. The Thunderstrike and its escort, the Braha'tok-class gunship Apailana's Promise, ultimately left the battle intact.

Escort to Hoth

"Tomorrow morning, Howl, Chalis, me, Roja, and Beak. Wish me luck on the shuttle ride."

―Namir, before the journey to Hoth

Following Twilight Company's raid on an Imperial heavy freighter, Roja, Namir and the soldier Beak were assigned to escort former Imperial governor Everi Chalis and the company's commanding officer Captain Micha Evon—nicknamed Howl—to Echo Base, the Alliance High Command's secret base on the ice planet Hoth. The group took a shuttle which used a programmed route, sent to Howl via coded messages, that went into the Outer Rim's Anoat sector, where the Hoth system was located. During the journey to Hoth, Roja drove conversations with his comrades, telling stories of his time as a dock worker.

Upon their arrival at Echo Base, Roja's group were greeted by General Philap Bygar, who commended Chalis and Twilight Company's service. Roja watched the general, trying to retain his heat by pressing his arms by his sides. After, Howl and Chalis were quickly directed to the strategy conference. Meanwhile, Roja and Beak, with the approval of Namir, were assigned to teams matching their specialities under Echo Base commanders. Roja befriended the technicians assigned to the base's T-47 airspeeders at a speed that shocked Namir, who was put on patrol and other jobs. As the strategy conference became the main topic in the base, Roja caught wind of speculation that a strategy to defeat the Empire was being formulated and told Namir of this.

Namir occasionally ate with Roja and Beak, who both praised the high standards of the base, and the first sergeant considered Roja's relationship with the airspeeder technicians similar to that of a family. Namir later called the pair traitors under his breath while thinking about his comrades in Twilight Company. Roja and Beak found him the night after, and the pair mocked the base troops and the present special forces, not explaining their change of heart. The three reminisced Twilight Company's past battles, such as the fighting at Mygeeto and Phorsa Gedd. Some days later, however, news came that the Empire has found Echo Base.

Imperial invasion

Defense of Outpost Delta

"One of those things come for us, it'll stomp us flat. Doesn't matter how much firepower we throw at it."
"Echo Base promised air support. If it's just walkers, we pull back."

―Roja and Hazram Namir

Roja, Beak and Namir were soon assigned to the defense of the sentry post Perimeter Outpost Delta, where they huddled together in a trench line. The three eventually received news of a fleet of Star Destroyers in orbit and Roja asked Namir questions about how long it would be before the Star Destroyers reached Hoth and the rebel transports took off to escape, to which the latter only shook his head. While the trio passed a pair of macrobinoculars between them, Roja spotted incoming Imperial starships, which Beak identified as Gozanti-cruisers carrying Imperial walkers to the surface. Namir ordered the latter to report it.

Another sentry post named Outpost Beta soon reported the presence of Imperial ground forces. Roja expressed his worries that an Imperial AT-AT walker would obliterate them despite any firepower Outpost Delta possessed. Namir mentioned the promise of air support from Echo Base and that the outpost's forces would pull back it they only faced walkers. The first sergeant was then interrupted by cannonfire from Echo Base's V-150 Planet Defender, which had provided cover for an escaping rebel transport. Roja hoped that he, Beak and Namir would be able to flee Hoth after a few more transports took off. Beak began laughing, which confused Roja, but Namir updated him that Chalis had been on the first transport, calling her departure the best news in months.

News came soon after that Outpost Beta had fallen to Imperial forces. As Imperial scout forces fanned out from the route of the AT-ATs, an two floating gunnery platforms, carrying Cold weather assault stormtroopers from the Empire's 501st Legion and escorted by an AT-ST walker, approached. Namir ordered the sole turret to fire on the platforms and Roja and Beak crouched in the trenches. As the AT-ST advanced, the three began shooting at the walker, which layed waste to the turret. Namir then ordered Roja and Beak to fire on the stormtroopers from the remaining platform from the trenches. After the walker was brought down, the two Twilight soldiers cut down a handful of remaining stormtroopers as the scout forces withdrew.

Retreat to Echo Base

"If anything happens, your job is to protect Howl. We'll keep you two safe."

―Roja, to Everi Chalis

With Outpost Delta's transport having been destroyed in the fight and tauntauns, the rideable animals used at Echo Base, scattered, Roja, Beak and Namir traveled on foot a towards the base. During the trek, Roja held his arm as if injured. The three found an abandoned Imperial juggernaut, abandoned by its Imperial occupants, which Roja managed to get working again in minutes. He he and Beak then drove it with Namir, picking up scattered soldiers along the way. The juggernaut drove through the enemy lines and reached Echo Base. Upon their arrival, the passengers disembarked to join the last line of defense, where rebel troops were continuing to fallback. A colonel told Namir that the command center had ordered the evacuation of all positions before apparently being hit by AT-AT fire.

Namir waved Roja and Beak to follow him and the three entered Echo Base in search of Howl. Traversing the damaged hallways, the three crossed an intersection which led to the hanger and Roja asked if he should prepare their shuttle. Namir insisted that they stick together, and Roja gave a somber nod. As the trio reached the corridor to the command center, where the beamed has collapsed, Namir had Roja and Beak hold position while the first sergeant clambered through. Namir found Chalis and an unconscious Howl, who she had chosen to stay at Hoth for. The pair brought the injured captain through the half collapsed hallway and Roja and Beak took over carrying him. Roja asked more questions but Beak shushed him.

The group made their way towards the hangar, with Roja and Beak continuing to carry Howl. As distant blaster shots echoed, Namir decided to scout the hallways. Chalis cynically mentioned that the Sith Lord Darth Vader and his troops were coming for her. Roja spoke, only to be ignored by Namir, who began scouting the corridors. The first sergeant briefly returned to check another route and then came back again to wave the group along with him. Roja told Chalis that she needed to keep Howl safe while he and Beak protected her. As the group passed dead rebels, Roja remarked that the Imperial troops had already passed, but Chalis assumed that a second was likely to come.

Death

"We need to go now"

―Everi Chalis, as Darth Vader advances on the rebels

The rumble of an explosion shook the hallways, sending debris onto Roja and the others. Luckily for them they were unharmed and just a hundred meters from the hangar. That was when Chalis spotted Vader and five stormtroopers approaching. Namir and Beak began firing at the enemy group, with Roja joining them within the second. Namir ordered the others to take cover as the stormtroopers returned fire, pinning Roja and the others down. Roja himself huddled with Chalis and Howl. Vader leapt forward and cut Beak in half with his lightsaber. Roja then threw a fragmentation grenade at the Sith Lord, shouting an oath as he did so. Vader deflected the grenade, which hit the wall two meters from Namir, knocking the first sergeant unconscious.

Roja killed by a blaster shot to the heart shortly thereafter, and his body lay atop Howl's, who had died of his wounds. Vader and his troops briefly confronted Chalis by Roja's body, but soon moved on and swept the ex-governor aside, seeking another target. Namir, sprawled on the ground, saw the dead Roja when briefly witnessing the confrontation whilst sprawled on the ground. As the first sergeant lost consciousness after, he imagined the deaths of his comrades, including Roja being cut in half by a blade of energy. When Namir recovered, he briefly studied the deceased Roja and Howl. Namir and Chalis ultimately escaped on a shuttle using Chalis's old Imperial clearance codes.

The Battle of Hoth itself was a defeat for the Alliance, which found its forces scattered through the Outer Rim. Namir and Chalis returned to Twilight Company on the planet Ankhural, and the first sergeant briefly thought walking away from the company, believing that Roja and his other comrades deserved better.

Personality and Traits

"Beak is a fine soldier, and Roja is…Roja. There are worse comrades to have."

―Gadren describing Roja and Beak

A male individual, Roja made himself the conversationalist during the journey to Hoth, and asked questions to Namir while posted at Outpost Delta and when he and Beak began carrying the injured Howl. While the Besalisk Twilight Company soldier Gadren called Beak a fine soldier, he only stated for Roja that there were worst comrades to have. Upon his arrival at Echo Base, he pressed his arms by his side in order to retain heat, keeping his chin up in the presence of General Philap Bygar. Roja bonded quickly with the T-47 airspeeder technicians at the base, with Namir considering it similar to that of a family. He and Beak gave praise to the standards of Echo Base, but eventually came to mock the base personnel to Namir, not explaining their change of opinion.

When the first rebel transport escaped Hoth, Roja expressed his hope that he, Beak and Namir would be able to flee the planet as well. He was also confused when Beak laughed about the transport leaving Hoth. After Outpost Beta was destroyed, Roja feared that an AT-AT would trample him and his comrades. During the trek towards Echo Base, he cradled his arm as if it had been injured. As Roja passed a corridor towards the base hangar, he offered to split off from Namir and Beak to prepare their shuttle. After Namir shut his idea down, he gave a somber nod in response. While the first sergeant scouted hallways, Roja promised to protect Chalis as long as she protected Howl. Upon Beak's death at the hands of Darth Vader, Roja then threw a grenade at the Sith Lord, shouting an oath.

Skills and abilities

Roja was technically skilled, being able to get a juggernaut online within minutes. He was also able to drive the vehicle.

Equipment

Roja used a blaster and a fragmentation grenade while on Hoth.

Behind the scenes

Roja appeared in the 2015 novel Battlefront: Twilight Company, written by Alexander Freed.

Appearances

• Battlefront: Twilight Company (First appearance, simultaneous with audiobook)
• Battlefront: Twilight Company audiobook

Sources

• In Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company, Darth Vader Strikes – Exclusive Excerpt! on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

In other languages

• Deutsch
• polski