- "Such responsibility for such a young age. I am, well…"
"Impressed, liege?"
"Yes, that word will do." - ―The liege and Destor
A male Ukian liege served on the agriworld Ukio during the Clone Wars. The world was being targeted by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, prompting the Galactic Republic to dispatch a task force led by Jedi General Keelyvine Reus to Ukio, to ensure that the planet was well defended. The liege met with Reus's Padawan learner, Tyzen Xebec, and proceeded to demonstrate his planet's shield generator complex to the Padawan's clone trooper commander, Ganch. During the inspection, a Confederate battleship entered the area and covered a portion of the sphere with an obscuring agent, electro-magnetic soil from Moorja—preventing any sunlight from reaching the sensitive Ukian crops.
Panicking, the liege coordinated with the Republic to temporarily lower a portion of the shield, in the hopes of dissipating the obscuring agent. Although the gambit was successful, it also allowed a Confederate incursion team, led by the tactical droid known only as "Doctor," to land on Ukio and initiate Project Instinction. The Doctor's technology sent living beings within its proximity into a violent frenzy, the liege included. Although the Doctor was eventually stopped by Xebec, and the crisis averted, the liege was ousted from his office shortly after the battle.
Biography[]
The Jedi team[]
- "Now, liege, on to the inspection."
"Errr, yes…" - ―Ganch and the liege
When the pan-galactic Clone Wars broke out in 22 BBY,[2] the Galactic Republic came to suspect that the Confederacy of Independent Systems was targeting Ukio. To that end, a task force commanded by Jedi General Keelyvine Reus was dispatched to the agriworld, to make sure that the Ukian defenses would hold. The ruling liege of the time was a male Ukian, assisted by another of the same species, Destor. The liege and Destor personally formed a welcome party for the Republic inspection team at a landing pad. The new arrivals were allowed to disembark after a security sweep from Destor. The party consisted of clone troopers, who were led by a Padawan, the Zabrak Tyzen Xebec. The liege was taken aback by the youth of the Zabrak, having expected more senior personnel. Xebec nonetheless welcomed Ukio back to the fold of the Republic after its brief secession prior to the war's commencement.[1]
The Padawan requested that a full inspection of the planetary shield generator by his troops be allowed, and the liege was only too happy to accommodate the inspection, proud of his world's defensive technology. The liege did, however, take issue with the idea of Xebec fraternizing with the locals in order to better understand Ukio, but he was swiftly led away by the Clone Commander Ganch, and began the inspection tour. At the Ukian shield generator, the liege expounded upon the various security measures in place that ensured that the planetary shield would permanently remain in effect. The commander was impressed, and then startled by a herd of charging gigaun outside the generator complex. The liege calmly explained that the creatures were harmless, and that their subsonic calls caused the Ukian grain to germinate—hence, they were essential to the ecology of Ukio.[1]
Battleground[]
- "You came back to Ukio to protect us. What if there's nothing left to protect?"
- ―The liege
The complex soon received an orbital alert, and almost immediately thereafter the planet fell into darkness as a black, cloud-like substance obscured the sun. In no time, communications were jammed, infuriating the liege, as the planet's farmers would not be able to work in darkness. Soon, a faint transmission came in from the Republic flagship—Jedi Generals Reus and Kit Fisto were in holo conference, along with Admiral Dron. Reus informed the liege that a Confederate Lucrehulk-class battleship had deployed Moorjan soil, an electro-magnetic and photosensitive material onto the planetary shield. The substance would cling to the shield, and follow Ukio's orbit around its sun, perpetually blocking out the sun. This sent the liege into a panic—the sensitive Ukian crops would be destroyed without the proper sunlight. Despairing, he suggested that they briefly drop the planetary shield to allow the cloud to disperse. Both Reus and Ganch advised against the action, as it was likely precisely what the Confederacy was after.[1]
Angered, the liege rounded on Ganch, and highlighted the importance of preserving the crops to the Republic. Reus consulted an officer stationed aboard her ship, Captain Pharl McQuarrie, as to whether opening the shield would disperse the cloud; he confirmed that such an action would prove effective. The General gave the liege clearance to drop a small area of the shield, the same size as the disturbance, in exactly fifteen minutes, for as brief a time as possible. The timing was essential, as it would allow the Republic fleet to get in range of the Confederate presence as the shield was opened, which would in turn allow Dron's forces to prevent the enemy from penetrating Ukio's atmosphere. As ordered, the liege had the shields dropped on schedule, effectively dispersing the cloud.[1]
Demanding a status report when the shields were raised, the liege received confirmation from his technicians, and sunlight was restored to Ukio. However, a new issue had arisen—the gigauns were stampeding off their usual paths and onto the crops. The liege despaired once more, shocked since the gigauns had never strayed before. Commander Ganch rapidly departed the complex at the liege's behest to inspect the disturbance. Realizing that they had averted one crisis only to enter another, the liege was thrown into a rage, destroying a control panel with his ceremonial staff. The problem was eventually averted when Padawan Xebec found the source of the disturbance—neural scrambling devices that caused living beings within their proximity to go berserk—which had also prompted the liege's violent outbursts during the incident. Xebec and General Reus were able to destroy the technologies and defeat the Confederate commander, a T-series tactical droid known as the "Doctor."[1]
As the Republic forces recuperated after the battle, the liege was ousted from his office. Angered, he declared that his last official act would be to formally remove the Republic presence from his world. He confronted Generals Reus and Fisto, and demanded that they immediately depart. The turmoil surrounding Ukio during the battle had lowered the planet's stocks so severely that Corporate Alliance Magistrate Passel Argente was able to purchase the world's economy wholesale. Although the Republic had won a tactical victory, the Confederacy gained control of the planet as a result.[1]
Personality and traits[]
- "You are no longer welcome on Ukio!"
- ―The liege
The Ukian liege referred to troublemakers as "riff-raff," and was loathe to have them present when he welcomed the Republic's inspection team. He also disliked his assistant Destor's glum demeanor, and encouraged him to take on a more positive attitude. When he discovered that the inspection team was to be led by a young Zabrak, he was taken aback, having expected more senior representation from the Republic's ranks. The liege was also a curious being, as he was interested in the concept of clone troopers being subordinate to one as young as Padawan Xebec, although technically the clones were younger than the Zabrak. The liege was proud of Ukio's technological capacity, specifically its vaunted planetary shield, however he was loathe to have foreign parties interacting with his populace.[1]
In a crisis, the liege found it difficult to contain himself, and was prone to panic, anger, and despair. He was willing to sacrifice the security of his planet purely to save the Ukian crops, as he felt they were more important to preserve. When the Confederate tactician droid Doctor activated neuroscramblers, the liege fell prey, falling into a violent fit. Although the Doctor's plans were scuttled by the Jedi, the liege remained furious even after the battle had ended, punitively having the Jedi removed from Ukio in response to losing his office. The liege dressed himself in a red cape, and carried a ceremonial staff while in office. He bore pink skin like most Ukians, and had blue eyes.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
The liege first appeared in the webcomic The Clone Wars: Act on Instinct, written by Pablo Hidalgo and published in 2009. He was introduced in the sixth installment of the comic. The comic was released weekly in conjunction with season two of the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and was illustrated by a rotating set of four artists: Thomas Hodges, Grant Gould, Jeffery Carlisle, and Daniel Falconer.
Appearances[]
- The Clone Wars: Act on Instinct (First appearance)