In 44 ABY, a siege of the Jedi Temple was ordered by Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala when the Jedi Order refused to transfer custody of two psychotic Jedi Knights, Turi Altamik and Sothais Saar, to Alliance authorities. Daala enlisted Mandalorian Protectors led by Belok Rhal to blockade the Jedi Temple pending the surrender of Altamik and Saar. The Jedi Council sent an apprentice to negotiate with the Mandalorians, but Rhal murdered her, and the Order's morale diminished further as the Temple's supplies quickly began to run low. The Jedi, meanwhile, had become aware of a new Sith threat and wanted to send a strike team of StealthX starfighters to assist exiled Grand Master Luke Skywalker in dealing with the Sith. However, during a previous Alliance-sanctioned Mandalorian raid