The mission to Melida/Daan occurred in 44 BBY when Tahl was taken hostage by the Melida during a failed negotiation attempt. Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were summarily dispatched to rescue her.
Background[]
Melida/Daan was constantly engulfed for centuries in a civil war between the Melida and the Daan factions. Eventually, a group called the Young, led by various children of the Melida and Daan, rose up in 44 BBY, in a move to end the war. The Galactic Republic intervened at this point, and the Jedi High Council sent Jedi Tahl to help negotiate a treaty. During a meeting with the Daan, Tahl was taken hostage and lost contact with the Jedi Temple. In response, Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi were dispatched to rescue her.
Mission[]
Wehutti, leader of the Melida in the generations-long war on Melida/Daan was the Jedi's contact when the Master and Padawan team were sent to the planet to rescue Tahl. The Jedi quickly saw how conflicted Wehutti was as they followed him through the deserted city of Zehava. They arrived at the rendezvous point with their guide; as they entered the building, the Jedi were surrounded and Wehutti declared them his hostages. Qui-Gon had his lightsaber in his hand in a flash and wounded Wehutti, while Kenobi opened the door. The warriors surrounding them were all severely wounded from the years of fighting, and would hardly be a threat to the Jedi. As the Jedi fled the Melida fortress, they entered the catacombs the the Young called home.
The Young, a movement of children and teenagers trying to end the centuries of warfare between the two factions had been intervening in the fighting, trying to make their parents see sense. The Young suggested that the Jedi help them, for they wished to end the thoughtless war, and the Melida and Daan would only use the Jedi's power for their own vicious ends. The Jedi agreed to help where they could in strategizing, as long as Nield, the leader of the Young, helped them rescue Tahl. Nield and Cerasi led the Jedi into Daan territory, in order for Qui-Gon to better understand both warring parties. They traveled to Lake Weir, where the Jedi saw one of the large Hall of Evidence that memorialized all of the death that had come out of the fighting.
During their travels, Obi-Wan became infatuated with Cerasi and the Young's ideals of peace and unification. He promised her that he would help them defeat the Melida and the Daan, in the name of peace. Qui-Gon was weary, though; the mission dictated that they rescue Tahl, and Jedi could not intervene in a war without a formal request from the government. Because the Young were only a small rebel group, Qui-Gon could only promise to protect them as they freed Tahl.
As Cerasi planned the attack that would free Tahl, she refused Jedi help. She berated Kenobi when he attempted to intervene and went on planning the diversionary strike alone. Kenobi continued to admire the purity of the Youngs fight, comparing it to his talks with Yoda or Jinn. Cerasi convinced Kenobi to aid them with his lightsaber, behind Jinn's back. During the fighting Kenobi bonded with the leaders of the Young, and enjoyed the camaraderie out in the field of battle.
Though Qui-Gon was angry with his Padawan for disobeying him, he put that aside when his apprentice returned to the tunnels. The Jedi and Cerasi made for the prison where Tahl was held, covered by the fighting occurring in the streets. When Jinn broke the prison's doors, he discovered Tahl, broken and blind. Too weak to move by herself, Jinn picked her up and the Jedi retreated back into the tunnels. Qui-Gon conferred with Master Yoda and decided it was time to leave. Kenobi, who had promised to stay with the Young, was infuriated. He told Qui-Gon that he would leave the Order to stay with the Young. Shocked and angered, Jinn took Tahl, and left for the Temple, leaving Kenobi with the Young.
Aftermath[]
After Jinn left for Coruscant with Tahl, Kenobi and the Young ended the war and began rebuilding the planet. However, Neild's views began to differ from the Cerasi and Obi-Wan's; Neild wanted revenge on the elders that had continued the fighting, while Cerasi and the Jedi wanted peace. This infighting led to a split within the group and conflict broke out with the Elders when Neild led an assault that resulted in the destruction of Melida/Daan's Halls of Evidence. The Elders and The Young confronted each other outside the Hall where the ashes of Wehutti's wife (and Cerasi's mother) were kept. Both sides were heavily armed and ready to begin fighting, despite the efforts of Obi-Wan, when Cerasi emerged from a grate and rushed towards the middle to try and stop the two groups from fighting. It was then that she was shot and killed by blasterfire. Wehutti was devastated by his daughter's death, and like Nield was wracked with guilt because he thought he might have killed her. He withdrew completely, cutting off contact with his followers and isolating himself until Obi-Wan contacted Qui-Gon for help and the two talked with him. Because Kenobi hab been elected ruler of the Young after the war ended, the Jedi was required to mediate the situation.
However, Wehutti was unwilling to help the Jedi. Meanwhile, another conflict between the two factions of The Young (one of them a splinter group led by Mawat) was gearing up, but it was stopped when Qui-Gon played back a recording of Cerasi where she pleaded for everyone to support peace. Wehutti learned soon afterward that Cerasi was killed by a sniper placed on a rooftop by Mawat, and that he had not killed his daughter.
The mission complete, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan headed for their transport. Kenobi, having left the Order, was to return to Coruscant and request the Council's forgiveness. As the Jedi began to board their transport, Jinn received a message that Master Yoda had been the target of an assassination. The Jedi left for the Temple immediately.
Legacy[]
For the next decade, the events that transpired on Melida/Daan would haunt Kenobi at every failure that befell him.
Appearances[]
- Jedi Apprentice: The Defenders of the Dead (First appearance)
- Jedi Apprentice: The Uncertain Path
- Jedi Apprentice Special Edition: Deceptions (Mentioned only)
