- "Agent Joris Vegen—who had been the first New Republic personnel to arrive on the world—was so upset by the images she presented that she broke down in tears twice, while it appears that at least three other senators in the audience were similarly stricken."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Joris Vegen was the first agent of the New Republic to arrive on the prison planet Wobani after it was abandoned by the Galactic Empire. While presenting the deeply distressing evidence she gathered to the New Republic governing council, she broke down in tears twice. The briefing resulted in Senator Leia Organa sending supplies to the planet.
Biography
The horrors of Wobani
- "When it became clear that emergency aid was required Leia Organa immediately reached out to the only group she could be sure would answer. Within days three heavy freighters full of bacta and food were chartered and delivered to Wobani, all paid for and piloted by Alderaanian refugees, led by Commander Rutowan Cannter. It was a start, but it was not enough."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
What Joris Vegen saw on Wobani after it was abandoned by the Empire greatly distressed her.
Joris Vegen was an agent of the New Republic who was the first member of the state's personnel to arrive on the planet Wobani after the Galactic Empire abandoned it. The intelligence she gathered on the state of the world, which had been used as a prisoner and labor camp by the Empire, was deeply distressing and showed a planet in need of aid.[1]
Following the collapse of the Empire[1] in 5 ABY,[2] Vegen gave a briefing on the intelligence she had gathered to the New Republic's governing council. The images that Vegen presented as evidence upset her so much that she twice broke down in tears and caused at least three senators in the audience to be similarly stricken, leading to a delay of twenty-seven minutes early on in the meeting.[1]
Once it was clear from Vegen's briefing that Wobani required emergency aid, Senator Leia Organa immediately reached out to a group of Alderaanian refugees who chartered and piloted three heavy freighters of bacta and food for Wobani. The supplies were delivered by a convoy led by Commander Rutowan Cannter within days, but it was not enough for the entire planet.[1]
Documentation of a tragedy
Historian Beaumont Kin regretted seeing the evidence from Wobani that Vegen presented.
- "I have seen many awful things both as a historian and as a soldier. All wars and suffering are tragedies. There is no hierarchy of horror. But even so, I wish I had not seen the evidence she presented."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
A holovid of Vegen's briefing was stored in the "Briefings on ex-Imperial Systems" section of the New Republic Archives and was tagged with several warnings regarding the distressing content of the recording. A separate file titled "Wobani Notes" was also stored in the Archives but did not clarify why there had been a delay in the briefing.[1]
The historian Beaumont Kin later viewed the files and the evidence Vegen had presented.[1] In 35 ABY,[3] he[4] discussed it in his book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire and mentioned Vegen, stating that despite the many awful things he had seen in his career, he still wished that he had never viewed the agent's evidence.[1]
Behind the scenes
Joris Vegen was mentioned in the 2024 reference book Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, which was written by Dr. Chris Kempshall.[1]
Sources
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire (First mentioned)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire states that thirty years have passed since the end of the Galactic Civil War and months have passed since the Battle of Exegol. As Star Wars: Timelines dates the end of the war to 5 ABY and the Battle of Exegol to 35 ABY, the in-universe The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire must have been published in 35 ABY.
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary