| abstract
| - Ariada Cerulaen was the daughter of a Wroonian woman named Sylexa and Imperial Colonel Ios Meongula, conceived as part of an experiment by the Imperial Department of Redesign. After taking a number of Wroonians to serve as test subjects in a hidden laboratory on R'alla, Meongula used them to develop a virus that would alter the Wroonian genetic code and turn them into humans. As part of his experiments, he raped Sylexa, intending to use the resulting child as the final piece he needed to complete his virus and infect the general Wroonian population. However, he was stopped by a group of Force exiles, including Selu and Milya Kraen. Both Meongula and Sylexa perished in the attempt, though their child was successfully delivered and was named Ariada by her mother before she died. Ariada was adopted as an infant by another group of Wroonians, Birael and Dyriad Cerulaen. She took their surname and was raised on Yanibar after the freed Wroonians sought shelter. After it was discovered she was Force-sensitive, she trained under Selu and Milya Kraen alongside their son Ryion. Ariada was a quiet, reclusive child. Her adopted parents were quite aged and were not used to dealing with children, particularly one so introspective and talented. While the circumstances of her conception and birth were largely kept a secret, she found it hard to fit in either with Wroonian children or with the other young people in the colony. She instead devoted most of her time into learning how to work with computer systems and slicing. While Milya Kraen was pleased to see her protege's talent, she also had to lecture Ariada about attempting to slice into secure areas or files on numerous occasions. When she was 13, a Wroonian elder made an offhanded remark about her being a halfblood. Hurt and yet morbidly curious, Ariada attempted to slice into the files that detailed how the Wroonians had come to live on Yanibar. She was caught in the act by Milya Kraen, who instead of disciplining her, took Ariada in arm and told her both the story of Ariada's birth as well as her own troubled past. She then reassured Ariada that both she and Ariada's adopted parents would always love and accept her. Ariada was initially horrified and struggled for several years to accept her past. The revelation also prompted her to explore medicine and genetics as well. She joined the Elite Guardians in 16 ABY after deciding she wanted to help stop people like Ios Meongula and was paired with her childhood friends Ryion and Zeyn Kraen, as well as a Twi'lek named Qedai in one of the new four-man teams being created in the Elite Guardians. Their trainers worked them hard, teaching them in the ways of the Force as well as providing military and intelligence skills that they would need. Ariada was the most technically gifted of the group, excelling in slicing and security systems, while she also served as the team medic. She excelled at her roles, but struggled to master the combative aspects of her training. She was by far the worst of the team when it came to weaponry and unarmed combat, despite the attempts of her trainers and teammates. One of the hardest challenges for the trainees was being captured by Jalsinnare Mercenaries in 19 ABY while on a training exercise out in Yanibar's desert. After Qedai detected their presence, she led the others in an evasive journey, but their efforts were ultimately fruitless. While attempting to scramble up a steep ravine, Ariada lost her footing and fell several meters, severely spraining her ankle. Qedai and the rest of the team refused to leave her and they were captured. Brought to a Jalsinnare ship, they were shown holos of the capture of the Yanibar Guard's orbital facilities, as well as the death of prominent Force exile leaders, including Milya and Selu Kraen. The Jalsinnare ship was equipped with Force-dampening ysalamiri, so Ariada was unable to warn her friends of the danger. They were then separated and interrogated harshly for several weeks on end in order to determine the location of the Yanibar colony. The Jalsinnare made use of a device which would prompt users to think they were experiencing their worst fears. The inability to escape and strike back wore away at Ariada and she nearly despaired. However, Ryion found a way to slip her notes, which encouraged her to persevere and Qedai's persistent escape attempts pushed her to show the same resilience. Ariada performed admirably, refusing to divulge any vital information. Afterward, it was revealed that the entire capture-and-imprisonment experience was an elaborate test devised by the Yanibar Guard—the Jalsinnare Mercenaries had been recruited into the Yanibar Guard prior to this test, but that had been a highly-classified secret. The attack on Yanibar was a deception designed to help break trainees or push them toward the dark side.Ariada became more withdrawn after the ordeal, noting that she had needed a lot of help to endure. Her own inner demons continued to haunt her from the emotions that had been traumatized during interrogation. Like the other trainees, she never spoke of what the interrogation device made her experience. It was later revealed that their escape, evasion, and interrogation training had been moved up because they had been selected for a top-secret mission pending successful passing of the test. They were assigned to train as competitors for the reinstated Pan-Galactic Games, held on Coruscant. Each member of the team was assigned to compete in two different events and had to train for both alongside their other studies. Ariada's events were scoopball with Qedai and doubles low-g gymnastics with Ryion. She was the least athletically-gifted member of the team, but worked extremely hard so as not to disappoint her team. The preparation was grueling, but Ariada and the rest of the team persevered. They won their events handily at a local sector competition and received the right to represent Yanibar on Coruscant in 22 ABY at the Galactic Games. Having sensed an unnatural protectiveness from Ryion over the last year, she feared that he didn't trust her as a valuable member of the team and became more reclusive while she struggled with self-worth. Ryion noticed this and confronted her about it shortly after they arrived on Coruscant. She pointed out his protective tendencies and asked him if he thought she was weak. She was surprised when he replied that his attention toward her was of a romantic nature instead. At a loss for words, she did not give him a reply when he asked how she felt. In her first scoopball match two days later, Qedai and Ariada matched up against a pair of Zabraks and lost, though they beat the expectations given to them by the analysts. Qedai was irritated by the outcome, but Ariada did not say a word to her team after the loss. She merely collected her equipment and left. That evening, she was summoned to a team meeting organized by their chief trainer, Morgedh clan Kel'nerh and Ryion. Morgedh chastised them for their lack of unity and told them to settle their differences. Qedai apologized for her irritation, but her quick temper flared again when Ryion revealed he had been behind the meeting. However, after Ariada reminded them that they were bickering again, the team was able to overcome their frustration and move forward united. When Ryion was forced to cease using the Force in his other event to avoid giving away information to attending Jedi, he was severely beaten in the galactic octathlon event. Ariada visited him to try and dissuade him from competing in the low-g event, but he stubbornly refused. He asked again about her feelings towards him and she told him she was conflicted, concerned that a relationship with him would complicate their professional career as Elite Guardians. During their warmup and initial rounds for the gymnastics event, Ariada had as little contact with Ryion as possible due to the unresolved tension between them. They were competing well, but barely spoke. Before the parabola portion of the gymnastics event, Ryion asked her to open the mental link between them fully and she complied reluctantly. Ryion had sensed malevolent intent and, with Ariada's help, was able to thwart an assassination attempt on New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, who had been watching the competition. In the process, Ryion was severely injured. Ryion was taken to receive medical treatment and Ariada rejoined him as quickly as possible. On the flight back to Yanibar, Ariada confessed her own feelings to Ryion and the two began a relationship even as they continued their training. For their two years of required military training, Ariada chose to join YGI, while Ryion went through YGF training. She was put through basic training while under strict orders not to reveal her identity or her Force powers. It was a humbling experience, being treated like just another potential agent, but she was studious and learned well. She had a natural talent for her cracking into secure systems and was highly praised for her diligence, subtlety, and attention to detail. By 26 ABY, Ariada and the rest of her team were fully-qualified and cleared to handle missions offworld, which was just as well, as the Yuuzhan Vong invasion had begun to threaten the entire galaxy by that point. It was difficult for Ariada to merely observe after learning of and seeing the atrocities committed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Their enslavement, subjugation, and genetic manipulation of the worlds they conquered, along with their intent to blot out all other remnants of the galaxy's culture, reminded Ariada of what the Empire had done to her own people. As a result, she advocated the staunchest possible resistance to the Yuuzhan Vong, including active participation from the Yanibar Guard in the war effort. In 28 ABY, Ariada and the rest of her team were sent to Socorro to stop a group of agitators belonging to the pro-Yuuzhan Vong Peace Brigade organization. They staked out the dwelling where the collaborationists were plotting and gathered enough evidence that they were permitted to take action. Upon seeing two disguised Yuuzhan Vong approach, the team sprang into action, killing the aliens and subduing the Peace Brigaders. Having thwarted the Peace Brigade's plans to subvert or weaken the Socorran government in preparation for a Yuuzhan Vong takeover, the team returned to Yanibar. There, they were congratulated for accomplishing their mission, but were also told that even covert action against the Yuuzhan Vong was being curtailed due to a recent edict from the Governing Council. Ariada was incensed at this inaction, pointing out the many war crimes of the Yuuzhan Vong, but Selu and Milya Kraen were unphased by her protestations. Instead, sensing that the stresses of war were beginning to affect the team, they put Ariada, Ryion, Zeyn, and Qedai on mandated leave, which did not please Ariada, who was ill-content to sit idly by while war raged in the galaxy. Their next mission was to investigate an aristocratic Gotal named Psykith who had shown an unusual affinity for Sith artifacts. The team traveled to Naboo, where Psykith lived, and Zeyn met up with their suspect at a high-class casino with Ariada on his arm. He was invited to join a private sabacc game after cleaning out most of the local gamblers using his Force skills. Zeyn's display was enough to attract an invitation to Psykith's estate for another evening of gambling. Upon arrival, they learned that Psykith was not only Force-sensitive, but dabbling heavily in the dark side with Sith artifacts. He attacked and poisoned Zeyn, but Ariada, Qedai, and Ryion rushed to his rescue and fought the Gotal. At one point, Ariada and a wounded Zeyn were separated from the other two. With Zeyn temporarily incapacitated, it fell to Ariada to fend off Psykith. He tried to lure her to the dark side, but she resisted his efforts and slew him. Before he died, he told her of another, a Thisspiassian, who could help increase her power. The four then destroyed his estate, Ariada retrieved and sealed his data records, and then returned to Yanibar. Upon return, Ariada wanted to help investigate the sealed records from Psykith's estate, thinking that the information on Sith poisons and weapons would be useful against the Yuuzhan Vong. However, her entreaties were rejected by Selu and Milya Kraen, who felt she wasn't emotionally stable enough to be trusted with such sinister knowledge and had no desire to use Sith weapons, even against the Yuuzhan Vong. Undaunted, she slipped out and infiltrated a Yanibar Guard data center to steal the database. However, Ryion discovered and reported her actions, which led to Morgedh clan Kel'nerh being sent to apprehend her. Though she escaped from the data center on a Firehawk swoop vehicle, she was pursued by Morgedh in another Firehawk. He fired on her after several warnings, bringing her down, and after a short duel atop a weather control station, she was captured. Shortly thereafter, Ariada was tried and found guilty of a number of serious charges. As a dangerous renegade Force-user dabbling in the dark side, she was sentenced to a significant term in Haxares Station, a remote polar outpost designed to incarcerate Force-users. Before she was sent there, she briefly spoke to Ryion, apologizing for letting him down, and informing that she had decided that it was more important for her to help defeat the Yuuzhan Vong than continue their relationship. She knew that the methods she had elected to pursue would be unacceptable to him, and as much as she loved him, she felt that the fate of the galaxy was at stake. At Haxares, Ariada was isolated and held in a cell protected by Force-blocking ysalamiri, her only contact being her guards and a Jal Shey counselor named Trilvillai. However, Ariada had anticipated this eventuality and manipulated him into giving her sparkleblossom flowers from her garden, a detail which she had known about from reading his personnel file. Ariada was then able to derive a nerve agent from the flowers using her Force talents and incapacitate the ysalamiri near her cell. She later used it to weak Trilvillai before bursting through the overhead transparisteel ceiling and escaping into the frozen wilderness. Though pursued, she reached a derelict Valkyrie starbomber she had secreted earlier and escaped into space. Though pursued by Yanibar Guard Fleet forces, she put her Force camouflage talents to good use and fled into hyperspace. Remembering Psykith's message, she journeyed to Thisspias, where after dealing with a local Anzati criminal in spectacular, dominating fashion, her Force-use allowed three Dark Jedi: Aspra Serpaddis, Therior, and Krakadas. Though she told them that Psykith had sent her, they were distrustful. To test her, they put her through a series of excruciating tests to prove both her identity and her dedication to the dark side. Ariada was first tortured until near death and only the willful choice to instead inflict that torture on another innocent in order to survive saved her—instead, the other prisoner was killed. She was also implanted with crystals near her knuckles, shoulder blades, and kidneys that helped focus the dark side through her body. Lastly, Therior required her to lead them to something that proved the existence of the Yanibar refuge of which she had told them. She reluctantly took them to Revan's tower, an ancient source of strength known to the Yanibar Guard, onboard their frigate Umbra's Edge. There, they found the Yanibar Guard placing a defensive mass shadow mine network around the location. Only Ariada's quick warning allowed them to escape being trapped there forever, though the Yanibar Guard ship there was also able to flee and thus warn Yanibar of the impending danger. Ariada's mind was forcibly entered by Therior during the incident, allowing him to take the technique needed to see through Force camouflage from her. However, denied his prize of the Force nexus, he insisted that she take them to Yanibar, using Force camouflage to hide the Umbra's Edge from the Yanibar Guard. She was dragged down to another room in the ship and chained to a chair near a group of dark-side focusing Ilnash crystals which would amplify her power to protect the ship. Thus hidden by Ariada's Force camouflage, Therior took the ship to the Yanibar system. However, while his curiosity was satisfied, they were detected by Morgedh clan Kel'nerh. Undeterred, Umbra's Edge opened fire on the Yanibar Guard Fleet's space station and Yanibar itself. The resulting confusion allowed a Yuuzhan Vong ship which Therior had also arranged to accompany them to plant an orbit-wrecking dovin basal on Yanibar. The betrayal and collaboration with the enemy she hated so much incensed Ariada, but weakened by torture and ill-treatment as well as outnumbered, she couldn't retaliate immediately. However, now pursued by the Yanibar Guard Fleet, the Umbra's Edge sought to flee. Morgedh clan Kel'nerh caught up and boarded the frigate, attempting to sabotage its engines. Ariada and the three Dark Jedi confronted him, but the Elite Guardian was more than a match for them. Her revulsion for Therior and Krakadas led her to participate little in the fight, save to defend Aspra Serpaddis, who alone out of the Dark Jedi had shown her kindness and helped salve her ill-treatment. Morgedh quickly slew Therior and would have killed her, except that she tossed her weapon aside, taunting him to give into his anger and kill her in an unarmed state. Instead, they traded verbal jabs until Krakadas re-entered the fight. While Morgedh was distracted fighting Krakadas, she threw her one of her shotos through the Dark Jedi and into Morgedh, killing Krakadas and wounding Morgedh. He activated a series of explosives placed around the ship's core, intending to sacrifice himself to stop her and the frigate from escaping. However, she warned him of the danger of the Yuuzhan Vong dovin basal and said that only he could warn Yanibar of the threat. With that knowledge causing Morgedh to break off her pursuit, she and Aspra Serpaddis were able to escape to her Valkyrie and flee the system. However, Ariada made one thing very clear to the other Dark Jedi: from now on, she was in charge. Now freed of their shackles and those of the Yanibar Guard, she struck out on her own, plotting her revenge and her retribution on both the Yuuzhan Vong and the Yanibar Guard. In 30 ABY, Ariada and Aspra Serpaddis intercepted a small Jedi transport carrying nine Force-sensitive Hapan girls to safety during the final months of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Ariada boarded the ship and slew the Jedi onboard, taking the girls onto her ship. She deceived them, saying that the Jedi Knight had been part of a conspiracy by a corrupted Jedi Order. Ariada then raised the girls, teaching and training them to be her personal assassins as part of a plan to eventually overthrow and punish the Jedi Order for allowing the Yuuzhan Vong to survive the end of the war with fairly light reparations. She taught them skills she had learned in the Elite Guardians and arranged for them to receive physiological and cybernetic alterations to assist in their role. They called her Mother and she treated them as her devoted daughters, giving them new names, names of precious stones, to represent their value to her. Their original names were lost, as she now called them Opal, Emerald, Sapphire, Night Pearl, Durindfire, Diamond, Qixoni, Amethyst, and Garnet. During this eight-year period, she was assisted by Aspra Serpaddis and also acquired a custom-built cruiser, which she dubbed the Knightfall. Ariada supervised its upgrading, arranging for it to receive the latest in stealth technology, reverse-engineered Nighthawk missiles, and Force-enhancing Ilnash crystals, along with substantial facilities for scientific experiments and training her Nine. She also constructed a laboratory out of ruins on Tython, where she developed an advanced combat droid. Her research, started from Psykith's knowledge, led her to ancient Sith sorcery and she learned some of its techniques. She also uncovered an incredible and horrifying secret long thought lost: the technobeast virus. This pathogen turned its victims into mindless cyborgs with devastating haste and was uncurable—even the Jedi Masters of old had been unable to stop this plague during the New Sith Wars. Armed with ship, droids, virus, and assassin, Ariada was ready for her crusade. She began selecting two different kinds of target: those that posed a threat to her plans, such as key biological, epidemiological, or stealth experts, and high-visibility targets designed to inflict terror. In Ariada's mind, the Galactic Alliance and Jedi Order felt too secure and had become complacent. Her goal was to reveal the weakness of the Jedi Order such that the galaxy would reject them and take charge of their own security, allowing the Jedi to focus on stopping dark side threats. In her travels, Ariada encountered many things and people in the dark places that made even her shudder—threats the galaxy was not prepared for. In 38 ABY, her assassins murdered a cloaking scientist named Dmelte Volyken and she and Aspra Serpaddis unleashed the technobeast virus on Belsavis and Manaan, two worlds that had prior links to the Jedi Order. Over Belsavis, Ariada's cruiser and some of her assassins ambushed a pair of Jedi, shooting one of them down, but the other escaped with the help of a Yanibar Guard starfighter group that arrived to challenge them. Meanwhile, Ariada had traveled to Coruscant, where she brazenly entered the Convention for Biological Advancement, interrupted the speaker with a chilling announcement, and contaminated all three thousand researchers, many of whom were experts in fields that could potentially find a cure for the virus, with the technobeast virus. Her pageantry was captured on video, and Ariada arranged for the convention's safeguards to be activated: her goal was to eliminate these dangerous targets and inflict terror, not wipe out billions. The plasma bomb incinerated the virus after several hours of the stricken researchers being documented researching the virus and slowly succumbing to its debilitating effects. Shortly thereafter, Ariada surrendered herself to Galactic Alliance Security, as her description had been known due to her pageantry in the convention. She was taken to Armand Isard Detention Center and interrogated, to the point of torture, but gave no answer other than to say that she had been responsible for the bombing. However, Ariada was far from defeated. She escaped, killing her interrogator and plowing through the guards with her Force powers. She stormed through the prison to the exercise yard where she was surrounded by guards. Ariada was completely undeterred as her assassins arrived, sniping down guards and using anti-vehicle weapons to destroy their emplacements and vehicles. She escaped, having flaunted her disdain and disrespect for Galactic Alliance Security. Furthermore, one of her assassins had attempted to kill Cal Omas, the Galactic Alliance Chief of State, only to be deterred by Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker. Learning that the Yanibar Guard had partially foiled her attempt at Belsavis and that many of their finest, including Selu and Milya Kraen, were on Coruscant pursuing her, Ariada decided to strike back. She attacked the hangar where the Hawk-bat was berthed, taking two Yanibar Guard commandos hostage. When Selu, Milya, and Morgedh arrived to challenge her, she slew the two commandos, told them not to get in her way, as she was just starting, and retreated, leaving them to face off against four of her advanced combat droids. She also left a message for the Jedi during her prison break, telling them that she had captured Jaina Solo and stashed her in an abandoned ship in the Drexel system and limited oxygen. Her ruse was successful in luring many of the Jedi Order's best and the Solos to Drexel, where Ariada trapped them in place with reverse-engineered DMS mines. However, her attempt at retribution only further roused the ire of the Yanibar Guard, and Aspra Serpaddis warned her against being overzealous in her anger at Yanibar. She had given up four droids for only two insignificant fatalities. Ariada agreed to his wisdom and took her ship and assassins to Belsavis, where she planned to finish the survivors of the earlier ambush, who included Jaina Solo. However, the Yanibar Guard reached there first. Her fighters were unable to stop the recovery attempt and her ship was forced to fight against a Yanibar Guard cruiser. However, Ariada used the Force to guide her weapons while keeping her ship cloaked and hidden in the Force, effectively letting her fire while cloaked. The result was a savage punishment of the Yanibar Guard ship. She was forced to break off when a Galactic Alliance task force arrived to quarantine the infected world. Meanwhile, her assassins were sent out on missions. Ariada sent Qixoni to Zonama Sekot, the new world of the Yuuzhan Vong and also the homeworld of a prominent scientist, Danni Quee, who had helped unravel the mysteries of Yuuzhan Vong biotechnology during the Yuuzhan Vong War, Danni Quee. Emerald was dispatched to Almania to assassinate Lando Calrissian, whose company, Tendrando Arms, was a known ally of the Jedi. Having been retrieved from Bespin, Garnet journeyed to Rhinnal to bomb the hospital and medical school there, as well as ambush any pursuers. Diamond and Amethyst began tracking Ryion's wife, Shara, who was away from Yanibar on travel. Angered by Yanibar's interference, Ariada also sent Durindfire directly to Yanibar as a means of retribution. Meanwhile, she, Night Pearl, Opal, and Sapphire journeyed to Dathomir and infected part of the world with the technobeast virus. Selu followed her in his cruiser, but she escaped first, leaving him to burn off part of Dathomir's surface in order to stop the spread of the virus. Her strikes met with varied success. Garnet hit her targets successfully but was chased off by Jaina Solo after sabotaging Ryion's ship, sustaining injuries in the process. She returned to the Knightfall, where Ariada met her. Ariada chastised Garnet for being too aggressive in attacking Solo, but sympathized with her painful lesson, agreeing to treat her wounds. Emerald failed in her mission and was captured by Milya Kraen, though Ariada had no idea. Qixoni infected part of Zonama Sekot, but Zeyn defended Danni Quee and the infection was warded off. The assassin was slain after a prolonged chase, failing to kill either target. Durindfire successfully slew Yanibar's Ruling Council with the technobeast virus, but was killed by Sarth Kraen and Qedai. Meanwhile, Ariada took Diamond, Opal, Amethyst, Night Pearl, Sapphire, and Garnet to Bespin where Shara was transiting through. They ambushed her at the Bexpress Shipping offices, killing her two escorts, only to be interrupted by Morgedh clan Kel'nerh, who had anticipated Ariada's targeting of Shara. Morgedh severely wounded Sapphire and escaped with Shara even as her other assassins there except Opal went in pursuit. Ariada treated Sapphire's wound, then sent her back to the ship. Slicing into the Bexpress Shipping databases, she learned of a small abandoned mining platform used as a last-ditch safehouse by the Yanibar Guard. Breaking off the chase, she led her five assassins and some of her combat droids to the platform, using ysalamiri to mask their presences in the Force. When Morgedh and Shara inevitably arrived, Ariada sprung her trap. Her forces overwhelmed Morgedh and he plummeted into a carbonite freezer, taking one of her droids with him. Before he perished, he slew Night Pearl and activated the self-destruct. Ariada withdrew, taking Shara with her. Ariada brought Shara back to the Knightfall, using her to send a pair of chilling ultimatums. She told Selu Kraen to break off his pursuit of her, or else she would kill Shara. When her prisoner attempted to scream out additional information to Selu, Ariada cut off her finger as punishment, only to re-attach it later. Ariada then contacted Ryion and Jaina, who were departing Rhinnal, and told them that Shara and Jaina's family would be forfeit if they didn't surrender themselves to her. In return, she promised to release Shara and Jaina's family. To cement her point, Ariada tortured Shara, allowing Ryion to sense her pain in the Force and know the legitimacy of her threat. They did as instructed, freezing themselves in carbonite. Ariada took them captive, but did not release Shara or the Solo-Skywalker family. Once she had Jaina and Ryion, Ariada used their DNA to conceive a child, implanting the embryo in Jaina, unbeknownst to either of them. Sensing that the future needed a powerful being to help stabilize it, she hoped to raise the child as her successor, combining the Force potential of the Skywalker bloodline with the Kraens. She treated Jaina and Shara well; the former needed to be in good health for her plan, and the latter was a back-up in case the pregnancy was threatened. Ariada took some pleasure in unleashing her vindictiveness on Ryion, telling him of her plan and treating him harshly. He was outraged and horrified, but Ariada was undeterred. She also contacted the Chief of State, Cal Omas, and warned him that if he didn't stop the Galactic Alliance forces hunting her, she would unleash a nuclear device on Bespin and three technobeast virus bombs on Coruscant. Despite removing any tools or weapons they had brought onboard, Ariada did not realize that she had been fooled—Ryion and Jaina had planted tiny tracking particles on her ship when they were captured, which left a trail back for Selu Kraen to follow. At the same time, her visions had been growing increasingly erratic. Several of her assassins had fallen and the Galactic Alliance and Jedi were showing no discernible rift. Furthermore, the Yanibar Guard had been dogging her heels relentlessly and, in a completely unexpected development, had sacrificed their secrecy to work with the Jedi Order. She began pinning her hopes on the child growing within Jaina, realizing that she would need to go into hiding to raise the child in anticipation of future galactic instability. However, Selu and Milya Kraen followed her to where she was hiding the Knightfall over Mustafar, aided by Emerald, who had been turned by Milya. They boarded her ship using the Hawk-bat and thanks to Selu's Force camouflage, Ariada did not realize the danger until they had disabled her ship and come aboard. She sent Amethyst to hold the bridge, took Opal and Sapphire with her to Ryion's cell, and dispatched Aspra Serpaddis, Garnet, and Diamond to protect Jaina. Ariada confronted Selu, Milya, Qedai, Akleyn, and Emerald at Ryion's cell. Emerald seemingly betrayed the Force exiles, but after disarming Selu and the others, she slipped a grenade to Ryion and then turned on Ariada, killing both of the Force-blocking ysalamiri in Ryion's cell. In the ensuing fray, Ariada slashed out at Emerald, severely wounding her, but Opal and Sapphire were incapacitated, and she barely escaped. Ryion was freed and went on to free Jaina and Shara, resulting in the death of Aspra Serpaddis, Garnet, and Diamond. Amethyst and a group of combat droids managed to wound one of the two Jedi that had come with the Yanibar Force exiles, keeping them from reaching the bridge, but perished at the hands of Master Kyle Katarn. With the bridge destroyed by collateral damage and engines sabotaged by Yanibar Guard commandos, the ship began plummeting towards Mustafar's fiery surface. Ariada raced back to her private sanctum to trigger the bombs and then escape with her DNA samples, to create another child. Selu and Milya Kraen followed her and attempted to talk her into surrendering. Ariada defiantly rejected them and armed the bombs. She then used the Force-focusing powers of the Ilnash crystals in her sanctum to strike from stealth. In response, Selu and Milya started destroying the crystals. Ariada struck back, hurling lightsabers from stealth and tried to use her Sith sorcery to weaken both Elite Guardians. She was able to destroy Milya's saberstaff and briefly dueled Selu, only breaking off to use more Sith sorcery, but though she grazed Selu with her lightsaber, he returned the favor and Milya hurled a vibroblade that slashed across her left arm. With Selu weakened, Ariada hoped to finish him off, but Milya rose and intervened. She destroyed one of Ariada's blades, but Ariada used telekinesis to clip Milya's ankle with another short-bladed lightsaber. As Selu recovered to attack once more, Ariada disappeared, but enough of the Ilnash crystals had been destroyed and she was leaving a small blood trail. Milya tracked her and fired with her pistol, hitting Ariada twice. Selu reacted instantly when she re-appeared, hurling her telekinetically into one of the sharp-edged crystals, which impaled her other leg. She used the Force to drain their life, but inadvertently triggered a mine Milya had planted, sending her to the deck, badly injured. With her last breaths, Ariada refused to help them disarm her bombs, leaving them to figure out how to do so on their own. However, she did maliciously warn them that the same process which would self-destruct the bombs would also set off a fourth charge in the inner sanctum, making the disarmament a suicide mission. Selu and Milya were undeterred. They ordered the rest of their party to escape the doomed ship and managed to override Ariada's security systems. Just as they were about to disarm the bombs and possibly escape, Ariada rose one last time, hurling Force lightning at them. However, Selu countered with his own Electric Judgment technique and the resulting shockwave sent Ariada flying out of the sanctum to plummet down a deep shaft, where she died. Her last malicious actions were successful in preventing Selu and Milya from escaping. They perished when they disarmed the bombs and Ariada's dark ship, the Knightfall, plunged down to crash into Mustafar.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)