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- "The mission is to capture the city, not level it."
- ―Roan Shryne
The Battle of Murkhana took place during the final days of the Clone Wars. The Grand Army of the Republic staged an assault of Murkhana, headquarters of the Corporate Alliance and residence of Magistrate Passel Argente.
Prelude[]
With the Confederacy of Independent Systems having been driven on to the defensive after Operation Durge's Lance, the CIS reinforced its holdings in the Outer Rim Territories. The Republic pursued them into the Rim, beginning the Outer Rim Sieges. Murkhana fell into the Felucia theater, which included the Foundry of the Confederacy and so was the site of some of the war's fiercest fighting.[2] As the origin point of much Separatist propaganda through the CIS Shadowfeed, the Republic had great incentive to take the planet.[3]
Republic High Command, as part of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's policy of "winning the hearts and minds of the Separatists," ordered that the Republic armada wait several weeks to give Corporate Alliance personnel the chance to surrender. Instead they used it to lace the entire planet with a thick, blaster blocking, anti-laser aerosol, a tactic used by Republic forces at the Battle of Paarin Minor.
The battle[]
After three weeks of fighting, Jedi General Roan Shryne and Clone Commander Salvo, accompanied by Bol Chatak and her Padawan Olee Starstone, led an assault on an Alliance landing platform in Murkhana City, leading a wing of LAAT/i gunships from the Star Destroyer Gallant. The clone forces fought against battle droids and tank droids across the city. General Shryne, aided by the clone commando Climber and his Ion Squad, succeeded in destroying the deflector shield generator that protected the landing platform.
However, the fall of the platform coincided with the execution of Order 66, which saw the deaths of three Jedi on Murkhana. However, Climber and his squad refused to carry out the order on Roan, Bol and Olee, allowing them time to flee.
The Republic then transformed into the Galactic Empire and continue the fight for Murkhana until the deactivation of the Separatist Droid Army occurred. Resulting in all droid units on Murkhana shut down immediately and ended the battle in the Empire favor.
The Jedi meanwhile had disguised themselves as Corporate Alliance mercenaries. With no droids left to fight, Imperial clone troopers focused on rounding up their organic enemies, including the Jedi.
Aftermath[]
The Exactor arrives in orbit of Murkhana a few weeks after the Clone Wars' end.
As a consequence of the battle, the Republic was able to close down the Shadowfeed, the Separatists' propaganda broadcast.[3]
Roan, Bol and Olee were captured on the landing platform, awaiting transport to the prison facility on Agon Nine. Darth Vader himself landed in Murkhana City to learn who was responsible for the escape of the Jedi. Climber admitted his actions, though Bol Chatak suddenly revealed herself as a Jedi and engaged Vader in a lightsaber duel. The Dark Lord beheaded the Zabrak Jedi, though Roan and Olee were able to avoid boarding the transport, and later escaped Murkhana aboard a CloakShape fighter. Murkhana was now under the control of the newly-formed Galactic Empire.
Appearances[]
- Dark Times 3 (Mentioned only)
- Dark Times 4 (Mentioned only)
- Dark Times 5 (Mentioned only)
- Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (and unabridged audiobook) (First appearance, in book)
Sources[]
"Order 66: Destroy All Jedi" — Star Wars Insider 87- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (Mentioned in multiple entries, but without own entry)
- The Essential Atlas
- The Essential Guide to Warfare
- The Essential Reader's Companion
- Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut, Part 8: Tales of the Clone Wars on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
Notes and references[]