Rychel

Rychel was a remote planet located within the Rychel system of the Dalonbian sector in the Outer Rim Territories. Rychel was invaded by the Yuuzhan Vong early in the Yuuzhan Vong War, shortly after the Battle of Artorias. Members of the New Jedi Order, including Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker, Le'Ung, and new recruit Finn Galfridian helped evacuate the planet, at the cost of Le'Ung's life and many troops and civilians.

History

Invasion on Rychel

Starting in 25 ABY, a full-scale invasion by the extragalactic race of conquerors known as the Yuuzhan Vong began. As their beachhead, they chose the remote Dalonbian sector, where they began systematically seizing sparsely populated and seemingly worthless worlds. The New Republic largely ignored the unfolding events, dismissing the unrest along the border as mere «regional issues». However, when pleas for help came from the population of Rychel, the Republic government finally made the effort to organize a modest evacuation mission, even calling upon the New Jedi Order, who were tasked with leading the effort. The operation was placed under the command of Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker and Lar Le'Ung, who also decided that Rychel would be a suitable place to take the new recruit Finn Galfridian for his first real trial.^[5]

Upon reaching Rychel's orbit, the Republic vessels landed at the site of the Yuuzhan Vong incursion. Le’ung and Galfridian took command of the ground troops, who were tasked with distracting two massive Yuuzhan Vong beasts – Tu-Scart and Sgauru – while Skywalker freed the captured civilians and helped them reach the evacuation point. Amid the ongoing slaughter, the young Galfridian was given the chance to finish off the fallen Yuuzhan Vong |commander, Tsalok, but chose mercy over rage. Finn later reunited with Master Skywalker, and together they departed Rychel aboard the last evacuation ship. A large number of civilians remained on the planet – some of whom the invaders deemed too weak or too old and were quickly executed,^[3] while others were enslaved.^[4]

Yuuzhan Vong's power over planet

The conquered planet was handed over to Tsalok by the Yuuzhan Vong, placing it under his personal control – though in truth, he was far from pleased with the new assignment.^[4] Before long, Tsalok left Rychel and traveled to the Shaper research facility on Dibrook.^[6] The Yuuzhan Vong commander’s arrival coincided with a sudden Republic assault on the facility, putting scientists, valuable research, and an important biotechnological war coordinator, the yammosk, at risk. Realizing that the site could not be held, Tsalok ordered the immediate extraction of the yammosk from beneath Dibrook and had the entire Shaper base relocated to Rychel, where it would remain under his supervision.^[7]

Over the following two months, the Shaper headquarters on Rychel worked diligently to develop a weapon capable of wiping out the entire Jedi Order.^[8] And while Tsalok was engaged in the Battle of Shramar, the long-awaited weapon was finally completed.^[9]

Appearances

• Invasion 2 (First mentioned)
• Invasion 3 (First appearance)
• Invasion 4
• Invasion: Rescues 1
• Invasion: Rescues 3 (Mentioned only)
• Invasion: Rescues 4 (In flashback(s))
• Invasion: Rescues 5 (Mentioned only)
• Invasion: Revelations 1
• Invasion: Revelations 2
• Invasion: Revelations 5

Notes and references