Lightside Explorer The Lightside Explorer was the personal " Vaya " - class scout ship of Jedi Knight Andur Sunrider in the years leading up to the Great Sith War . Having bought the ship from a Vultan starship dealer sometime before 3999 BBY , Sunrider used the ship for Jedi business across the galaxy . In 3999 BBY , he and his family , along with their droid , A - 3DO , went on a journey to deliver a shipment of valuable Adegan crystal s to the reclusive Tchuukthai Jedi Master Thon . However , Sunrider was killed by a group of thugs who were seeking the crystals , forcing his wife , Nomi Sunrider , to take possession of the " Lightside Explorer " and complete the delivery . Nomi eventually landed the ship on the desolate planet of Ambria , where Thon resided , and delivered the crystals . However , the thugs were still in pursuit and attacked the " Lightside Explorer " in the mistaken belief that the crystals were still aboard . When they came up empty - handed , they launched a strike on Thon ' s compound , but the Jedi Master fought them off . Description . A gray - colored , triangular vessel , the " Lightside Explorer " was a " Vaya " - class scout ship manufactured by Hoersch - Kessel Drive , Inc . Although not built for prolonged combat engagement , the " Lightside Explorer " boasted both a laser cannon and a concussion projectile launcher , and made an excellent exploratory and scout vessel . The " Lightside Explorer " was not modified or altered in any way by its owner , Jedi Knight Andur Sunrider , who lacked the finer skills of starship modification . The ship was propelled by six ion engines and was thirty meters long . The " Lightside Explorer " needed only one pilot but had room for two gunners , along with four passengers . It also had the capacity to carry sixty tons of cargo and could store enough consumables to last the crew one standard month . The cockpit of the ship was located at the very front , with controls and a viewport placed directly before the pilot and co - pilot ' s chairs . The " Lightside Explorer " contained a tool crib , where devices such as spare ion exciter s were kept . This was important to the " Lightside Explorer " , as the hyperdrive was susceptible to having its ion exciter burn out in situations involving high magnetic energy . History . Death of Andur Sunrider . The " Lightside Explorer " was manufactured by Hoersch - Kessel Drive , Inc . sometime before 3999 BBY and eventually fell into the hands of a Vultan starship dealer on the planet Nak Shimor . At some point , the Vultan sold the " Lightside Explorer " to Andur Sunrider , a Jedi Knight . Sunrider , who had a wife , Nomi , and an infant daughter , Vima , was often forced to leave them when he was called away for Jedi business . However , he always returned in the " Lightside Explorer " when his work was done . In 3999 BBY , Sunrider , along with Nomi , Vima , and their personal protocol droid , A - 3DO , set out on a long journey in the " Lightside Explorer " to the galactic frontier to visit with the Watchman of the Stenness system , the Tchuukthai Jedi Master Thon . Sunrider wanted to meet with Thon to deliver to him a shipment of Adegan crystal s , valuable gems that could help make very powerful lightsabers . While making the trip , the " Lightside Explorer " traveled through a magnetic storm , damaging the hyperdrive ' s ion exciter and forcing the Sunriders to land on an outcropping on a rocky planet to assess the damage . A - 3DO quickly diagnosed the problem and replaced the damaged ion exciter with a spare . With the hyperdrive operational , the " Lightside Explorer " sped away from the planet , soon reaching a nearby hyperspace beacon and leaping into hyperspace . The " Lightside Explorer " came out of hyperspace at the Stenness Hyperspace Terminal space station , located near the Stenness system . Andur Sunrider parked the " Lightside Explorer " in one of the Terminal ' s docking bays , hoping to take a break and get some food while the ship went through customs , although the arrival of the " Lightside Explorer " had attracted some unwanted attention . Local crime lord Bogga the Hutt , leader of a gang of enforcers and thugs , had discovered the existence of the Adegan crystals and dispatched three of his henchmen to steal them . The thugs accosted Sunrider , and after a brief struggle Sunrider was killed . Sunrider ' s Force ghost then appeared to Nomi , and the deceased Jedi guided his widow to take up his lightsaber and fight off the enforcers . In his final message to his wife , the ghost of Andur Sunrider asked her to take the controls of the " Lightside Explorer " and deliver the crystals to Thon , who , Sunrider promised , would show Nomi the direction her life must take . Ambria . Nomi Sunrider then left the Stenness Hyperspace Terminal in the " Lightside Explorer " , using only her abilities with the Force to guide her to Thon . Although the ship ' s navigation computer , communicating through A - 3DO , was nervous and wanted to know their exact destination , Sunrider responded that she trusted in the Force and that there would be no need to worry . Eventually , Sunrider brought the " Lightside Explorer " out of hyperspace at the desolate Stenness Node planet of Ambria . Landing the ship on Ambria ' s rocky surface , Sunrider commented that she was totally sure that this planet would be where she would find Thon . She took baby Vima along with her on her trek through the desert , while A - 3DO stayed behind in the " Lightside Explorer " , as his mechanical joints would seize up if he ventured into the dry wastes of Ambria . While Sunrider was out on her search for Thon , A - 3DO and the " Lightside Explorer " received some unexpected visitors : a team of Bogga ' s men , led by Gudb , broke into the ship and ransacked it , looking for the Adegan crystals . Armed with blasters , the thugs shot one of A - 3DO ' s arms off in the commotion , although they failed to find the crystals , which were on Sunrider ' s person . The enforcers left the " Lightside Explorer " behind and journeyed farther into the wastes , eventually coming across Thon ' s compound , where Sunrider had gone with the crystals . However , Thon fought them off and forced them to flee . After the attack on the " Lightside Explorer " , the ship was visited by one of Thon ' s Jedi trainees , the Vultan Oss Wilum . Wilum removed the damaged A - 3DO and brought him to Thon ' s compound , where he repaired the droid . The " Lightside Explorer " was then moved closer to Thon ' s compound , where Sunrider was undergoing Jedi training . One day , Nomi and Vima went out for training with Thon ; A - 3DO opted to stay behind and spent his time repairing the " Lightside Explorer " hatchway , which had been damaged in the attack by Bogga ' s enforcers . Before she left , Sunrider told A - 3DO that he should take the " Lightside Explorer " and go to Andur ' s former Jedi Master , Chamma , and tell him everything that had happened , should they fail to return . Eventually , Bogga ' s men returned for another attempt at stealing the Adegan crystals . Sunrider and Thon , who had just returned from their excursion , came back to their compound to find it bombed and surrounded by the thugs . Although A - 3DO had completely repaired the " Lightside Explorer " hatch , Sunrider and the droid could not reach the ship , as the enforcers were in their way . Meanwhile , Thon refused to fight back , and he was taken prisoner by the thugs ; instead , Sunrider used the Force power battle meditation to turn the invaders against each other . While the thugs fought , Sunrider attacked with a lightsaber , killing many of them . She and Thon then teamed up to take on the rest , and the ones who were not killed in the ensuing battle fled . Commanders and crew . The captain and owner of the " Lightside Explorer " was Jedi Knight Andur Sunrider , who bought the ship from a Vultan starship dealer some time before 3999 BBY . Sunrider also piloted the ship , with his personal protocol / service droid A - 3DO often serving as his co - pilot . Sunrider often took risks while flying the " Lightside Explorer " , including flying it through a magnetic storm , much to the chagrin of his droid companion . After the death of Andur , his wife , Nomi , took over as the pilot and owner of the ship . Behind the scenes . The " Lightside Explorer " first appears in " " , the second story arc of the " " comic book series , written by Tom Veitch and released over late 1993 – early 1994 . The ship appears in all three of the arc ' s issues , as the vehicle of the story ' s protagonist , Nomi Sunrider . In these appearances the " Lighside Explorer " is illustrated by Janine Johnston and later David Roach . The ship also appears in the " Tales of the Jedi " audio adaptation , which includes the events of " The Saga of Nomi Sunrider " . Further information on the ship is given in the " Tales of the Jedi Companion " reference book , released in 1996 . The ship is also given entries in the " Star Wars Encyclopedia " , the third edition of " A Guide to the Star Wars Universe " , and 2008 ' s " The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia " .