Conflict on Gansevor

The **Conflict on Gansevor** was a large scale dispute on the Outer Rim planet Gansevor during the High Republic Era. While traveling the Outer Rim Territories as peacekeepers and gunslingers, Jedi Porter Engle and Barash Silvain took on the petition for Jedi aid from Gansevor at the Office on the Frontier, where they became involved in the dispute that had lead to a siege on the city of Firevale by the Bethune army. The Jedi spoke with both sides of the conflict, slowly learning the truth and navigating the best methods of de-escalating the fighting. Porter fought to protect life after Barash made a mistake that caused the escalation of the conflict. As a result, Barash Silvain recused herself from Jedi affairs, becoming the first to take what was known as the Barash Vow.

## Prelude

##### The Dispute

The city-state Firevale possessed the only deposits of valuable Baudraxite which was crucial to the energy infrastructure of their planet, Gansevor. Because the people of Firevale were not generous with this crucial resource many people held an ill will against them. Accordingly, when the heir to the Bethunian throne Sicatra married the heir to the Firevalian throne Colden, the couple felt like the Bethunian people would not accept their marriage, especially if they were to have a child. As a solution Colden took his wife to the only place he knew they could be together safely, Firevale. However many Bethunians felt that their princess was kidnapped rather than having gone out of free will. Colden's mother also disapproved of her son's actions, still allowing them to happen regardless. Her disapproval caused the couple to feel like Keraan would not give Colden an opportunity to rule Firevale thus holding the city back. This prompted them to, with the help of Tozen and the Bethunian army, launch a siege against Firevale to force the Queen to abdicate and pass the rule on to her son who in turn would negotiate a pre-planned truce with Bethune, also bringing them into the trade and distribution of Baudraxite. A petition had been sent by the Envoy of Firevale, Envoy Seleen, to the Office on the Frontier for Jedi aid in the hopes that the Jedi could intervene and end the conflict.

##### Porter and Barash

Both Porter Engle and Barash Silvain had been traveling the Outer Rim as gunslingers, keeping the peace and protecting life on the Frontier. They had returned to the Office on the Frontier from a period of time spent on the Boneworld, where they had settled a tense standoff between a Nautolan, Ralen, who was accused of stealing from a Twi'lek, Dregg. Porter Engle was able to aid the Nautolan and diffuse the situation without loss of life. While at the Office, Barash spotted the petition for Jedi aid on Gansevor, one of 201 calls for Jedi assistance. While Porter was unsure of how they would reach the planet without any transport, Barash stood firm and was sure that the Force was calling for them to settle the conflict on the planet. It so occurred that the Pathfinder Team, Outer Rim Expedition Eight-Zero-Seven was passing by and was en route through the same system that housed Gansevor. Helion Volte, the Jedi Master on the Pathfinder Group, offered transport to Porter and Barash. The two Jedi accepted the offer to be taken to the distant planet, during which they learnt that the planet Gansevor was currently unequipped with any form of communication to the Republic.

## Recount

##### The Jedi Arrival

The Jedi landed at Horatio, the capital city of Gansevor. They were met by Envoy Seleen, who thanked them for answering her call. She explained to them in more detail the situation surrounding the siege on Firevale. The first thing she requested of the Jedi was their help in escorting a convoy that carried what she told the Jedi were medical supplies and food. The Jedi, still unsure of the situation on Gansevor, agreed to escort the convoy but continued to remain unbiased to answering directly to the Envoy. The rode atop one of the convoy shuttles as they passed over the Nomad Plains. As they approached Firevale they were able to witness the siege that had been set up by Bethune. Barash was confident that they would be able to pass through to the city-state without the siege so much as firing a single shot. She was immediately proved wrong when a number of tanks fired upwards towards the convoy. 5 missiles headed straight for the convoy. Thankfully the Jedi were able to use the Force to deflect the missiles so that they flew straight into the rocky formations nearby. Barash gave the order to retreat the convoy out of range of the tanks and land.

##### Meeting Bethune

Barash and Porter set out on foot towards Firevale in a second attempt to approach Bethune. As soon as they were within sight of the siege fire once again rained down upon them. Porter was able to use his lightsabers to deflect all of the blaster fire headed their way. One stray shot flew past Porter and struck Barash on the forearm. Enraged only for a moment at the sight of his sister in peril, Porter shouted out to the enemy, calling for the end of their fire. Scared or intimidated by the Jedi, the firing came to an end. Barash and Porter pushed through the layers of tents and many Bethune fighters, demanding to see their commanding officer. They entered the tent of Tozen, the Field Marshal of the Bethune army. They spoke with the Field Marshal who laughed at the Jedi's attempt to pass by into Firevale unopposed. The Jedi requested a more detailed summary of the reasons for the siege. One of Tozen's men revealed that Firevale had kidnapped the Bethune Princess, Sicatra. Barash was able to temper the tension with the Field Marshal and get him to grant them permission to pass through into Firevale with supplies, so that the Jedi could then seek justice for both sides of the conflict. Unknown to the Jedi, Tozen called Viess, a mercenary ally who had been hidden behind one of the planet's moons in for support in ending the conflict quickly in the face of Jedi complication.

##### Attack over Firevale

The Jedi passed over the siege and into Firevale, successfully delivering the supplies needed. Once landed the Jedi met the Chief Magistrate Renata and Prince Colden who greeted and thanked the Jedi. When the Jedi mentioned the matter of a kidnapped Bethune princess, Colden revealed that she was his wife and had willingly fled Bethune to seek asylum. At that moment, alarms blared to announce that a new attack was beginning. They looked to see Viess' fleet in the sky above Firevale. Viess' ship landed outside Firevale, asking Tozen who she was here to kill. The Jedi quickly spoke with the commander of the Firevale defenses, learning that the weak point in the Firevale defense was the gate in the wall that could easily be broken in time. As they spoke, the Bethunian army opened fire, attacking the wall that surrounded Firevale. Barash told Porter to get down into the fighting with the hopes of buying her enough time to find the truth about the situation. Porter leapt from the wall, deflecting fire as he fell. He used the Force to soften his landing, holding his lightsaber against the enemy. Porter was able to push forward against the enemy, deflecting away all blaster fire. He pushed himself up and into the center of a circle of enemies, positioning himself as such that they could not fire on him without shooting themselves. He told them that he could have done a lot more damage that he did, but chose not to, and asked for them to use that knowledge as proof that he only wanted to talk. He was approached by Field Marshal Tozen and General Viess, who expressed a deep distaste for Jedi. Porter reflected her distaste by expressing his hatred for mercenaries. Tozen agreed to end his assault, but only for a short while.

Meanwhile, to seek the truth about the situation, Barash sought after Princess Sicatra. She was able to find the Princess in the throne room of Firevale. Together they spoke on a balcony overlooking the fire and damage caused by the Bethune assault. Barash was able to confirm that the Princess had left Bethune by choice, in the name of romance. She also told Barash that she was pregnant, and that the mixed bloodlines of their child would cause further fighting on the planet. This was a lie told by Sicatra to inspire sympathy from the Jedi. The Princess had deliberately withheld the secret that she and Colden had organized the siege with Field Marshal Tozen. Barash sent word to Porter to tell the Bethune army to retreat, now assured that Firevale were the side that needed support. Porter Engle complied, speaking out to the army to retreat and avoid any further fighting. Engle's move enraged Viess and caused Tozen to feel that both the Jedi must die. Tozen planned to use the Republic's "stinginess", to help them kill the Jedi. With Gansevor still not part of the Republic communication network, they could dispose of the Jedi and deny they ever made it to the planet. Tozen gave the order to General Viess to execute the Jedi and break down the gate of Firevale, granting her 12 hours to plunder the city if she succeeded.

Porter was attacked first by General Viess. She fired a rocket straight at the Jedi. She also gave the order for the army to begin breaking down the gate to Firevale. Fire opened on the city, destroying large buildings and breaking down the wall with the added firepower of the mercenary cannons. Having survived the rocket from Viess, Porter Engle emerged from the smoke, lightsaber in hand, ready to fight back against the Bethune army. He was approached and challenged by General Viess, who told Porter that she was responsible for the deaths of numerous Jedi before Porter. She branded a beskar laced spear. Porter rose to her challenge, leaping forward, disarming her immediately with a powerful swing of his saber, making small cuts across her leg, arm and cheek. He stopped embarrassing the General, telling her he will not kill her, or allow anyone else to die. To test the Jedi, Viess threw a grenade into a crowd of her own men. Porter used the Force to throw the grenade away and save the lives of numerous men as it exploded at a safer distance. Knowing that the mercenaries cared about credits, Porter began a tactic of damaging their heavy machinery, making it costly for them to continue their attack. He used the force to pick up tanks and in great feats of strength, crush the tanks into an unusable shape.

General Viess stormed into the strategy room of the Bethune army, giving the order to send fire over the wall and into the city. Needing the city infrastructure intact, Field Marshal Tozen refused to let the order stand. In response, Viess ordered her mercenaries to kill all the Bethune personnel in the room, including Tozen. Tozen was fatally wounded by Viess' men. He used his dying moments to send a warning to Princess Sicatra, telling her that the mercenaries had taken control before dying. Sensing that the Princess was troubled, Barash investigated. Sicatra broke down, revealing to Barash that she and Colden had been working with Tozen in order to lay siege on Firevale, thus removed Queen Keraan, allowing Colden a chance to rule and usher in a new fair pre-planned truce with Bethune. Barash revealed the truth to the Queen, who lashed out to Sicatra and tried to kill her as fire reigned down on her city. Barash stopped the assassination attempt.

All the while, Porter fought on the battlefield, deflecting all fire that was aimed at him. He threw one of his sabers across the field and into a cannon, slowly melting the machine's insides until it exploded. As Porter mourned the loss of his lightsaber, Princess Sicatra spoke out from the wall to the fighters of Bethune, calling for a ceasefire. She revealed the truth of the situation once and for all, turning all parties against the mercenaries that had attempted to take control and plunder the ashes of Firevale. All the Bethune army turned on the mercenaries, stabbing and fighting them to death. Porter watched this unfold from the battlefield. Porter fought to stop the death, slicing guns in half and disarming those who held knifes. Eventually, the mercenaries called for a retreat. General Viess and her men returned to their ships and left the planet, leaving the people of the planet victorious against those who would plunder them. Believing the conflict over, Porter fell to his knees. He was unsure if he could even lift his arms. He was however spotted by General Viess from her ship as she departed. She manned a gun turret, aiming at the Jedi and opening fire in a second attempt to kill him. Just in time, Barash deflected the shot and saved Porter.

## Aftermath

##### The Barash Vow

The fighting ended and the Jedi could do nothing more than hope that the political rivals would find a peaceful resolution to the situation. Barash caught Porter up on the situation and the mistake she had made that escalated the conflict and brought so many lives in danger, and caused numerous people to die in the ensuing battle. Ridden with shame and guilt, Barash Silvain told Porter that she was taking a step away from the Jedi and would not return until she felt more secure in her connection to the Force, unable and unwilling to make such a deadly mistake again. Such a decision became known as the Barash Vow.

##### Blade of Bardotta

Upon returning to Coruscant, Porter informed the Jedi Order of the decision made by Barash. The Jedi Council felt that it was best for Porter to return to aiding the galaxy as soon as possible, to end his grief at Barash's decision. They sent him to Bardotta where he became known as "The Blade of Bardotta".

## Timeline of Event

* Porter Engle and Barash Silvain go to Gansevor in response to a call for aid.
* The Jedi attempt to escort supplies to the besieged city of Firevale. They are stopped by the Bethune army.
* The Jedi speak directly to the Bethune army, learning about the source of their attack being the Princess being "kidnapped".
* Barash went into the city, speaking with the Princess and learning the truth about the conflict, not realizing she was part of the plot alongside Colden, her husband.
* Barash gives the order to Porter to escalate the conflict and attack the Bethune army.
* Mercenaries lead by General Viess attempt to take control of the Bethune army and plunder the ashes of Firevale.
* Field Marshal Tozen is killed by General Viess' men.
* Barash learns the truth from Princess Sicatra, learning she had made a mistake to send Porter into a fight.
* Princess Sicatra announces her safety to the Bethune army, turning them against the mercenaries.
* The conflict is ended as the mercenaries as forced to retreat.

## Appearances

1. Star Wars: The High Republic - The Blade 1
2. Star Wars: The High Republic - The Blade 2
3. Star Wars: The High Republic - The Blade 3
4. Star Wars: The High Republic - The Blade 4