| abstract
| - Qedai Sherum was the daughter of Twi'lek Elite Guardians Kacheen and Daara Sherum. A talented Force-sensitive in her own right, Qedai was raised as a proud heir to her mother's Zeison Sha heritage. She was a renowned athlete and known for her skill in telekinesis and combat. Born in 2 ABY, Qedai was the only child of her parents. She was a wild, rambunctious youth was a predilection towards outdoor activity and sports. Her mother encouraged these pastimes, just as she had been encouraged by her own mother. Her parents also taught her how to develop her own Force talents and she was drawn to the Zeison Sha Force-using tradition of her mother. Qedai enjoyed a close relationship with her mother, even though Daara's duties often took her far from Yanibar. It was thus no surprise when Qedai decided to follow in Daara's footsteps and sign up for Elite Guardian training. However, her headstrong and independent nature earned her several reprimands and she was held back a year after disrespecting one of the teachers. A two week-long vacation in the desert with her mother allowed the two to discuss and settle the issues she had with authority and Qedai returned with a more teachable attitude. She did well and by 16 ABY was selected based on her accomplishments and athletic prowess to join Ryion and Zeyn Kraen and Ariada Cerulaen in one of the new four-man Elite Guardian teams being trained by the Yanibar Guard. As the oldest and most experienced, she was chosen as the leader of the team. Their trainers worked them hard, teaching them in the ways of the Force as well as providing military and intelligence skills that they would need. Qedai's specialty was weaponry and demolitions and she excelled at her role. One of the hardest challenges for the trainees was being captured by Jalsinnare Mercenaries in 19 ABY while on a training exercise out in Yanibar's desert. After detecting their presence, Qedai led the others in an evasive journey, but their efforts were ultimately fruitless. They were captured after Qedai refused to abandon an injured Ariada. Brought to a Jalsinnare ship, they were shown holos of the capture of the Yanibar Guard's orbital facilities, as well as the death of prominent Force exile leaders, including her mother and Master Selu Kraen. The Jalsinnare ship was equipped with Force-dampening ysalamiri, so Qedai was unable to warn her friends. They were then interrogated harshly for several weeks on end in order to determine the location of the Yanibar colony. The Jalsinnare made use of a device which would prompt users to think they were experiencing their worst fears. The inability to escape and strike back wore away at Qedai, but she refused to give in to her dark urges. She made thirteen escape attempts and was severely beaten for her audacity, but her example inspired the others to remain unbroken. Afterward, it was revealed that the entire capture-and-imprisonment experience was an elaborate test devised by the Yanibar Guard—the Jalsinnare Mercenaries had been recruited into the Yanibar Guard prior to this test, but that had been a highly-classified secret. The attack on Yanibar was a deception designed to help break trainees or push them toward the dark side. Qedai resented the Elite Guardian leadership for subjecting them to the ordeal, though she accepted that it was effective at judging their character and loyalty, proudly noting that none of her team had cracked. Like the other trainees, she never spoke of what the interrogation device made her experience. It was later revealed that their escape, evasion, and interrogation training had been moved up because they had been selected for a top-secret mission pending successful passing of the test. They were assigned to train as competitors for the reinstated Pan-Galactic Games, held on Coruscant. Each member of the team was assigned to compete in two different events and had to train for both alongside their other studies. Qedai's events were doubles wave-dancing alongside Zeyn and scoopball with Ariada. She much preferred scoopball, but was kept hard at work training for both events. The preparation was grueling, but Qedai and the rest of the team persevered. They won their events handily at a local sector competition and received the right to represent Yanibar on Coruscant in 22 ABY at the Galactic Games. However, after arriving on Coruscant, tension arose between Qedai and Zeyn. Her natural impatience and frustration had been pent up for too long and she exploded angrily during a wave-dancing practice session. Assigned some time away from practice to calm herself down, she was approached by Zeyn, who apologized for his part in their argument. In her first scoopball match two days later, Qedai and Ariada matched up against a pair of Zabraks and lost, though they beat the expectations given to them by the analysts. Qedai did not handle the loss well, knowing that she had been defeated in front of millions of people. She was surly towards her teammates and stormed off. That evening, she was summoned to a team meeting organized by their chief trainer, Morgedh clan Kel'nerh and Ryion. Morgedh chastised them for their lack of unity and told them to settle their differences. Qedai apologized for her irritation, but her quick temper flared again when Ryion revealed he had been behind the meeting. However, after Ariada reminded them that they were bickering again, the team was able to overcome their frustration and move forward united. The next day, Qedai and Zeyn went out and performed their wave-dancing routine, earning a third-place medal. It was the only medal won by the Yanibar team and Qedai was proud of what she and her team had accomplished. However, following the competition, Qedai decided to relinquish her role as team leader to Ryion based on his leadership and exemplary teamwork. They returned to Yanibar and completed their training. For their two years of required military training, Qedai opted to go with YGA. She was put through basic training while under strict orders not to reveal her identity or her Force powers. It was a humbling experience, being treated like just another potential soldier. She had to earn her respect all over again, but again, persevered. By 26 ABY, Qedai and the rest of her team were fully-qualified and cleared to handle missions offworld, which was just as well, as the Yuuzhan Vong invasion had begun to threaten the entire galaxy by that point. Sadly for Qedai, her father was the first Elite Guardian casualty to fall to the Yuuzhan Vong, dying after being captured in 27 ABY. In 28 ABY, Qedai and the team were sent to Socorro to stop a group of agitators belonging to the pro-Yuuzhan Vong Peace Brigade organization. They staked out the dwelling where the collaborationists were plotting and gathered enough evidence that they were permitted to take action. Upon seeing two disguised Yuuzhan Vong approach, the team sprang into action, killing the aliens and subduing the Peace Brigaders. Having thwarted the Peace Brigade's plans to subvert or weaken the Socorran government in preparation for a Yuuzhan Vong takeover, the team returned to Yanibar. There, they were congratulated for accomplishing their mission, but were also told that even covert action against the Yuuzhan Vong was being curtailed due to a recent edict from the Governing Council. Ariada was incensed at this inaction, pointing out the many war crimes of the Yuuzhan Vong, but Selu and Milya Kraen were unphased by her protestations. Instead, sensing that the stresses of war were beginning to affect the team, they put Ariada, Ryion, Zeyn, and Qedai on mandated leave, which did not please Ariada, who was ill-content to sit idly by while war raged in the galaxy. Qedai was less than thrilled also, but did not protest as vociferously. Their next mission was to investigate an aristocratic Gotal named Psykith who had shown an unusual affinity for Sith artifacts. The team traveled to Naboo, where Psykith lived, and Zeyn met up with their suspect at a high-class casino with Ariada on his arm. He was invited to join a private sabacc game after cleaning out most of the local gamblers using his Force skills while Ryion and Qedai kept watch. Zeyn's display was enough to attract an invitation to Psykith's estate for another evening of gambling. Upon arrival, they learned that Psykith was not only Force-sensitive, but dabbling heavily in the dark side with Sith artifacts. He attacked and poisoned Zeyn, but Ariada, Qedai, and Ryion rushed to his rescue and fought the Gotal. At one point, Ariada and a wounded Zeyn were separated from the other two. With Zeyn temporarily incapacitated, it fell to Ariada to fend off Psykith. He tried to lure her to the dark side, but she resisted his efforts and slew him. The four then destroyed his estate, Ariada retrieved and sealed his data records, and then returned to Yanibar. Upon return, Ariada wanted to help investigate the sealed records from Psykith's estate, thinking that the information on Sith poisons and weapons would be useful against the Yuuzhan Vong. However, her entreaties were rejected by Selu and Milya Kraen, who felt she wasn't emotionally stable enough to be trusted with such sinister knowledge and had no desire to use Sith weapons, even against the Yuuzhan Vong. Ariada, undaunted, went rogue, breaking into a data center to steal the information.. She was pursued and captured by Morgedh clan Kel'nerh after breaking into a secure data center to access Psykith's files. In a subsequent trial, she was found guilty on multiple charges and sentenced to several years in confinement, leaving her place on the team vacant. Qedai was horrified to learn what Ariada had done, but was adamantly opposed to any kind of clemency for her. Eventually, Ryion was able to earn approval to take his team to Rishi to investigate whether the Yuuzhan Vong were pursuing a group of Chalactan refugees. For her part, Qedai ran surveillance on the spaceport, informing him of the arrival of a Jedi, Kyle Katarn, and a New Republic Intelligence agent, Kyle Katarn. While undercover, Ryion found a listening device and passed its frequency to Qedai, who apprehended a Yuuzhan Vong agent with the rest of the team. Information gained from interrogating the agent revealed to Qedai that the Yuuzhan Vong were plotting to kill or abduct Shara, the daughter of the Chalactan viceroy. Ryion discretely followed her and intervened when her entourage was attacked by a group of Yuuzhan Vong warriors, but was severely wounded in the process. Shara and newly-arrived Rishi security forces recovered him and took him back to the governor's mansion for medical treatment. Qedai contacted the refuge and warned them of their predicament and a Yanibar Guard Fleet task force was sent to recover the team. However, Yuuzhan Vong ships began arriving insystem. After the arrival of the task force, Ryion was able to communicate with his father and the rest of the Ruling Council, advising them to make their stand on Rishi and fight the Yuuzhan Vong to a bloody stalemate there with the aid of a new Yanibar Guard weapon, the DMS mine, which could trap entire fleets. While he was incapacitated, Ariada broke free from prison and escaped Yanibar, much to Ryion's consternation. Knowing that Ariada was privy to the DMS mine and that her escape risked its secrecy, the Council opted to intervene over Rishi, sending the bulk of the Yanibar Guard Fleet along with a strong ground contingent to defend the world. The reinforcements arrived shortly after a Yuuzhan Vong fleet smashed the first Yanibar Guard task force and began landing ground troops. Qedai fought alongside Kyle Katarn and the rest of his team in a desperate defense of the governor's mansion that allowed for most of the dignitaries to be evacuated. Qedai provided cover for the evacuation shuttle, using her telekinesis skills to destroy pursuing fighters, but broke her ankle when one of them crashed near her. The remaining Force-users were surrounded and cut off, but the arrival of Yanibar Guard reinforcements turned the tide even as Qedai fell wounded. Qedai's mother, Daara, led the counter-attack to extract Qedai and her team, but was fatally injured while dueling a Yuuzhan Vong warrior to protect her injured daugher. Despite the best efforts of the medics, they were unable to save Daara, devastating Qedai. They were taken to a newly-established field base, where their were wounds treated while the Yanibar Guard prepared to defend the nearby refugee camps from a massive Yuuzhan Vong invasion. In orbit, the fleets had damaged each other severely, but near-parity was achieved, leading to a stalemate in space. While Qedai's injuries were fairly minor, she was too traumatized psychologically from the death of her mother to return to duty, remaining at the medcenter. She steadily grew increasingly despondent, seeing the futility and tragedy of the war as overwhelming. Having her teammates on the frontlines while she remained behind only increased her guilt. Qedai attempted to take her own life, but the timely intervention of Akleyn Kraen and Anja Gallandro stopped her. The two told her that her suicide attempt was really a cry for help and told her that she wasn't alone. She called out Akleyn on his own bitterness and he agreed, saying it was something he would have to work through as well. Qedai relented and began her road to recovery. Meanwhile, the Yanibar Guard and the Yuuzhan Vong had clashed both on Rishi and in space. Part of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet had been trapped by the DMS mines while the rest was crippled by the Yanibar Guard fleet. On the ground, the Yanibar Guard base was besieged and in danger of being overrun. The situation was relayed to both Ryion and Tsaruuk, the Yuuzhan Vong commander. Realizing that they stood a great chance of mutual annihilation, Ryion proposed a truce. Both forces would withdraw from Rishi and the Yanibar Guard prisoners would be released, returning to the status quo. However, Tsaruuk's agents, working with Ariada and a group of Dark Jedi, had also used a dovin basal to alter one of Yanibar's moon's orbit, leading to an impending gradual devastation of the planet due to tidal and tectonic upheaval. Both sides completed their mutual withdrawal, and though the battle did not have the strategic impact that the Yanibar Guard had hoped for, the Battle of Rishi was a costly stalemate for the Yuuzhan Vong. However, Yanibar's people were forced to begin preparation for a large-scale evacuation. In 38 ABY, Ariada Cerulaen resurfaced and began a campaign of galactic terror. In response, Selu, Milya, Cassi, Morgedh, Ryion, Zeyn, and Qedai left Yanibar against the wishes of the Council to stop her. The Council wanted all of Yanibar's resources focused on the evacuation effort, which had encountered numerous difficulties. However, Selu, Zeyn, and the others felt that Ariada was their responsibility. In particular, Zeyn blamed himself for not sensing Ariada's fall into darkness. Zeyn, Ryion, Qedai, and the fourth member of their team, a Rodian named Jutka flew a quartet of Maelstrom interceptors to Belsavis, where Milya had sensed that Ariada would attack soon. They arrived to found a pair of Jedi StealthXes under attack by fighters aligned with Ariada. The Yanibar Elite Guardians attempted to intervene, but came under attack. One of the Jedi craft was shot down and Ryion bailed out to recover the pilot, Jedi Knight Jaina Solo, while Zeyn and Qedai escorted the other StealthX away from Belsavis. During their escape, Jutka was slain by hostile fire. They fled to Coruscant, meeting up with Selu at the Jedi Temple, where he had gone to inform the Jedi Order about Ariada. Selu then learned that Milya, Morgedh, and Cassi had been abducted. They tracked their captors to a warehouse and launched a raid on it. However, Zeyn, Qedai, and Selu were incapacitated by the building's occupiers, who revealed to be Yanibar Guard commandos sent by the Council to stop them. Selu was able to re-assert his authority to pursue Ariada after a heated debate with the Council and they were released, with Selu now commanding all the Yanibar Guard assets that had been sent after them. Departing Coruscant on the Yanibar Guard cruiser Daara'sherum, they headed to Belsavis to extract Jaina Solo and Ryion. Qedai accompanied the shuttle down to the icy surface of Belsavis, where they found Ryion and the Jedi alive, but Solo was badly injured. Fleeing from an attack by Ariada's fighters, they returned to the Daara'sherum, which was then attacked by Ariada's cruiser, the Knightfall. Only the arrival of a Galactic Alliance task force saved them. Eventually, Cassi and Qedai returned to Yanibar after Selu was able to straighten out their authority issues with the Council. However, while Sarth was heading to a Council meeting to report on the status of the evacuation, he found them being held hostage by one of Ariada's assassins. He intervened, but was severely wounded. Qedai, Akleyn, and Cassi arrived in time to stop the assassin and save his life, but just barely. Unfortunately, the Council perished due to a biological attack unleashed by the assassin. Qedai was left behind to defend Yanibar from any further attacks. When Qedai was called back to assist in the final effort against Ariada, she raided Akleyn's personal supply of medications. When he found her, she was preparing immunizations and packing up bandages and medications. Akleyn, knowing her dislike of needles, offered to help, and then invited himself along for the mission as a qualified doctor, knowing that they were likely heading for a prisoner rescue, which they were. After some initial opposition, Qedai agreed to let him come. As such, Qedai accompanied Akleyn, Selu, Milya, Zeyn, a pair of Jedi, and several other commandos to board Ariada's ship, the Knightfall, over Mustafar. Confronting Ariada in front of a captured Ryion, the party was briefly betrayed by a defector that had been helping them, a young woman named Novera. However, Novera's betrayal was a ruse, allowing the Yanibar group to chase off Ariada and rescue Ryion. However, Novera was severely injured and Akleyn remained with her to treat her injuries while Qedai and Ryion freed Jaina Solo. Ryion then went to find his wife, Shara, while Qedai escorted an injured Jaina back to where Akleyn was treating their casualties, including a wounded Jedi and Novera. Eventually, Selu and Milya cornered Ariada but sacrificed themselves to prevent Ariada from killing millions on Coruscant and Bespin with weapons of mass destruction. Before they did so, they sent Qedai and the others to evacuate in the Hawk-bat. They escaped and returned to Yanibar to complete the evacuation and mourn the loss of Selu and Milya. While on a Yanibar Guard cruiser, Ryion revealed to Akleyn that Jaina Solo was carrying a child that Ariada had created from his and Jaina's DNA. As Jaina was unprepared to raise the child and Akleyn and Qedai could not have children, Ryion and Jaina offered to give the child to Akleyn and Qedai to raise. To accomplish this, Shara agreed to carry the unborn child until it was born. Jaina also asked that her memory of the incident be erased—as the supervising surgeon, Akleyn took care of all these details and Jaina and her family were none the wiser for it. Once the ceremonies were finished, Akleyn, Qedai and the rest of the Yanibar refuge departed for Atlaradis.
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