| abstract | - Ryion Kraen was the son of Selu and Milya Kraen. Born in 5 ABY as their second child, he was Force-sensitive like his parents. They both suspected that his innate talents were greater than either of their own, and Ryion proved to have considerable prowess in the Force, as well as being a gifted athlete. Throughout his childhood, he was always pushing himself to do better, and ultimately joined the Yanibar Guard to carry on the formidable legacy that his famed parents had created. Though his parents never for a moment regretted Ryion's birth, his conception was in fact unintentional— Selu and Milya were not trying to have another child after having to witness their first daughter, Rhiannon, suffer permanent blindness after an illness at an early age. Even while in the womb, Ryion was endangered when his mother fought a desperate duel against the Nightsister Silri in order to save Rhiannon. Thankfully, Milya defeated Silri and Rhiannon was saved. It was discovered soon thereafter that Ryion was highly Force-sensitive. He was raised by his parents at their Yanibar home, and when old enough to understand was told of his Force-sensitivity and the offer to undergo training with any of the many Force disciplines on Yanibar was made. Ryion elected to learn the ways of the Jedi like his parents had. He was trained by Selu and Milya alongside his cousin Zeyn Kraen and a young Wroonian named Ariada Cerulaen. Ryion possessed considerable natural aptitude for the Force and was a gifted athlete. His holographic memory, inherited from his father, helped him excel academically. However, his parents were constantly warning him about the dangers of attachment. As a child, Ryion was known for throwing fits when a favorite toy broke or a friend moved away—something his parents repeatedly remonstrated him over. In 11 ABY, Ryion managed to empty the conservator telekinetically, an act which earned him the task of writing a 3000 word document on why the Force should not be used for trifling or destructive purposes. Ryion was also warned not to try and push himself or others too hard. He was naturally impatient with others who lacked his aptitude, but he learned to overcome these traits when in 16 ABY he joined a team of three other potential Elite Guardians: Zeyn, Ariada, and their leader, a Twi'lek named Qedai. Their trainers worked them hard, teaching them further in the ways of the Force as well as providing military and intelligence skills that they would need. Ryion used his athleticism and Force talents to excel at the physical and combative components of their training. Though Qedai was usually better than him in many athletic events, he was generally the team's best fighter due to having lightsaber instruction from three of the best swordsmen on Yanibar from childhood. He also had a natural talent for piloting, which was aided by more instruction from his parents at an early age. For his fifteenth birthday, Ryion was given flying lessons by his father and Yanibar's foremost ace, Hasla Almani. When he was 13, Ryion attended the wedding of his sister Rhiannon to Kavlis Burke, after which she moved outside the Yanibar colony. He had largely been unaware of her courtship aside from asking about Kavlis one night at dinner, after which the subject did not come up due to Selu and Milya's initial disapproval of the Outsider. Her departure was a source of grief for his family and he used his training as an outlet to keep his mind off the loss of his sister. 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 Qedai detected their presence, she led the others in an evasive journey, but their efforts were ultimately fruitless. While attempting to scramble up a steep ravine, Ariada lost her footing and fell several meters, severely spraining her ankle. Qedai and the rest of the team refused to leave her and they were captured. 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 Milya and Selu Kraen. The Jalsinnare ship was equipped with Force-dampening ysalamiri, so Ryion was unable to warn his friends of the danger. He fought against the urge to strike back with anger, instead focusing himself on doing what he could to watch out for his team and escape to warn the other surviving Force exiles. By focusing on what he needed to do next, he was able to damp down on the waves of anger and grief that threatened to overwhelm him. The captives were then separated and 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. Ryion was resistant to their methods and found a way to slip Ariada notes, which encouraged her to persevere. While Qedai made the most spirited resistance, Ryion was focused on unifying and strengthening the team, because he knew that he could not keep himself in check and escape on his own. Under duress, he performed admirably, refusing to divulge any vital information. 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. Ryion was outraged at the deception, particularly since his parents were aware of it. He was coldly informed by them that his sense of entitlement due to his parentage was undeserved. Ryion resented this response, but later accepted that if their positions were reversed, he would have made the same decision. Like the other trainees, he 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. Ryion's events were the galactic octathlon and doubles low-g gymnastics with Ariada. Seeing a chance to prove himself to his parents, his trainers, and the rest of Yanibar, Ryion worked himself to the point of exhaustion each day. As the son of the founders of the Yanibar colony, Ryion felt an enormous weight on his shoulders to live up to the expectations. The preparation was grueling, but Ryion 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. Throughout their training, Ryion was especially protective of Ariada, both because she was the weakest physically on the team and also he was smitten with her. On Coruscant, Ariada noticed his behavior toward her and feared that he didn't trust her as a valuable member of the team and became more reclusive while she struggled with self-worth. Ryion noticed this and confronted her about it shortly after they arrived on Coruscant. She pointed out his protective tendencies and asked him if he thought she was weak. She was surprised when he replied that his attention toward her was of a romantic nature instead. At a loss for words, she did not give him a reply when he asked how she felt. That evening, Ryion and their lead trainer, Morgedh clan Kel'nerh, organized a team meeting to discuss the lack of unity between all four members of the team throughout their time on Coruscant. 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. While working through the long and tiring rounds of the galactic octathlon, Ryion was approached by Luke Skywalker and his niece and nephew, Jacen and Jaina Solo, who had wanted to meet an athlete. Morgedh and Ryion realized that the Jedi Master had sensed his use of the Force and told him that they were Zeison Sha, an independent Force-using tradition based on Yanibar and hostile to the Jedi. Skywalker left to avoid further offense, but Morgedh informed Ryion that he had to cease using the Force so as to avoid attracting further attention or giving away information to Skywalker's Force senses. As a result, Ryion was severely beaten in the galactic octathlon event and was wounded. Ariada visited him to try and dissuade him from competing in the low-g event, but he stubbornly refused. He asked again about her feelings towards him and she told him she was conflicted, concerned that a relationship with him would complicate their professional career as Elite Guardians. During their warmup and initial rounds for the gymnastics event, Ariada had as little contact with Ryion as possible due to the unresolved tension between them. They were competing well, but barely spoke. Before the parabola portion of the gymnastics event, Ryion asked her to open the mental link between them fully and she complied reluctantly. Ryion had sensed malevolent intent and, with Ariada's help, was able to thwart an assassination attempt on New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, who had been watching the competition. In the process, Ryion was severely injured. Ryion was taken to receive medical treatment, though his parents and Morgedh wanted to leave Coruscant as quickly as possible. Before they could leave, they were approached by Organa Solo herself, who wanted to thank Ryion for his bravery. Selu responded by saying that if Organa Solo was truly grateful, she would arrange to have the New Republic and the Jedi leave Yanibar alone, and allow them to depart. She assented to his suggestions and they departed Coruscant quickly. Ryion's left hand had been wounded in thwarting the assassination attempt and required a prosthetic glove built by his uncle Sarth Kraen that would connect to his hand and replace the severed finger. However, his team was so impressed with his leadership that they selected him as their team leader. On the flight back to Yanibar, Ariada confessed her own feelings to Ryion and the two began a relationship even as they continued their training. For their two years of required military training, Ariada chose to join YGI, while Ryion went through YGF training. Ryion 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 agent, but he was studious, learning many things from his starfighter instructors. He graduated at the top of his class and set numerous training records due to his Force aptitude and prior piloting experience. During this time, Ryion was selected to help field-test the new Firehawk airswoops that Sarth Kraen had developed for the Elite Guardians. Ryion enjoyed racing the advanced machines at breakneck speeds through Yanibar's desert, though his parents were concerned after he nearly killed himself in a crash. By 26 ABY, Ryion and the rest of the 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. Ryion continued and deepened his relationship with Ariada, until the two were practically living together, although they didn't feel ready for marriage, particularly during war. Like Ariada, Ryion was frustrated with his parents' cautionary approach to the Yuuzhan Vong in terms of Yanibar Guard policy, but understood their perspective. Instead, he focused on keeping his team concentrated on their missions and doing what they were permitted to do against the Yuuzhan Vong invaders. In 28 ABY, Ryion and his 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. Ryion attempted to console her, pointing out that the sooner they rested and finished their other mission, they could return to fighting the Yuuzhan Vong. Ariada relented, allowing the young couple to share a romantic interlude. 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. One night, Ryion awoke to find her missing from his side. He investigated, but couldn't find her, nor could he find his Firehawk speeder. He contacted his parents and was ordered to report to the Elite Guardian headquarters while Ariada, who had gone rogue, was dealt with. 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. Ryion finagled a conversation with her after her conviction and asked her to explain why. She told him she couldn't stay idle while the Yuuzhan Vong rampaged through the galaxy—and her fight against them was more important than her relationship to him. She ended their relationship, leaving Ryion saddened and hurt while she was sent to a special prison for Force-sensitives. At the same time, he began seeing visions of a deceased Jedi Master. Following Ariada's conviction, he was able to speak with the ghost, who explained that her people, the Chalactans, were in danger, and asked for his help. A month later, Ryion was sitting on the beach, still miserable over Ariada, when his father approached him. Selu told him that his parents still cared for him, and Ryion shared his visions with Selu, who recognized the Jedi as Master Depa Billaba. Selu told him that he would consider allowing Ryion to go to Rishi, where Billaba had said the Chalactans were seeking refuge, only if he was able to recover his emotional stability. Eventually, Ryion was able to earn approval to take his team to Rishi to investigate. While there, the ghost of Billaba thanked him for his aid and taught him the lost lightsaber form of Vaapad. Substituted for Ariada was Morgedh clan Kel'nerh, whom Ryion suspected was going along just as much to keep an eye on him. Posing as a journeyman toymaker, Ryion's mission was to ascertain the status of the Chalactan refugee camps on Rishi and assess any danger posed to them. A YGI contact was able to get him into the governor's palace via an invite to a charity ball, and Ryion reluctantly attended. While there, he met the daughter of the Chalactan viceroy, Shara Berecca and quietly kept tabs on the governor, as well as a newly-arrived Jedi, Kyle Katarn, and his companion, the intelligence agent Jan Ors. He also found a listening device and passed its frequency to Qedai, who apprehended a Yuuzhan Vong agent with the rest of the team. Not long afterward, Ryion was approached at his toymaking shop by Shara, who wanted a broken toy for her niece repaired. Just after she left, Ryion received word from Qedai that the Yuuzhan Vong were plotting to kill or abduct Shara. He 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. Ryion stayed there for some time, recuperating, and restrained. Shara protectively refused to let him leave in his weakened condition and hid his lightsaber, but she also shielded him from official and unofficial inquiries. The other members of his team called for help and a Yanibar Guard Fleet task force was sent to recover him. 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. Ryion 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. They were surrounded and cut off, but the arrival of Yanibar Guard reinforcements turned the tide. They were taken to a newly-established field base, where Ryion and the others had their 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. On the ground, Ryion aided in the evacuation of a nearby city, Junro, which was safeguarded by the Yanibar Guard. However, the Rishi countryside was devastated in the fighting and casualties were high. In response, Ryion decided to infiltrate the Yuuzhan Vong flagship and rescue the Yanibar Guard prisoners that were being held there, as well as destroy their fleet from within. Zeyn caught wind of his plan and volunteered to accompany him, while Shara also found out and attempted to dissuade him. Though she had begged for the Yanibar Guard's help, her nascent feelings for him meant that she didn't want to see him sacrifice himself on a foolhardy mission. Ryion and Zeyn took off in a captured Yuuzhan Vong ship, heading to the outskirts of the system. Selu called them and warned them that their plan was reckless, but they pressed on anyway. Their plan was to board the flagship, free the prisoners, and explode a seismic charge inside the warship, causing an explosion that would cripple the rest of the tightly-packed Yuuzhan Vong fleet. Their initial action was a success, allowing them to move deep into the flagship, but a heavy defense was only broken through with the help of a Force-phantom of Milya Tayrce Kraen serving as a distraction. The two Elite Guardians reached the prisoner holding area only to be caught in a trap by the Yuuzhan Vong commander, Tsaruuk. Furthermore, they were ordered to surrender or else witness the death of the prisoners. Their seismic charge, which they had hoped to use as leverage, had also been disabled with minimal damage to the ship. Ryion and Zeyn relinquished their weapons when suddenly Kyle Katarn, who had been quietly shadowing them thanks to a conspiracy between him and Selu, intervened. Ryion and Zeyn quickly recovered and attacked, rescuing most of the prisoners, while Ryion pursued Tsaruuk. His use of Vaapad nearly overwhelmed the warrior. 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. 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. Tsaruuk agreed, believing that with Yuuzhan Vong strikes against both Yanibar and a party sent after Milya and Cassi, who had reached the legendary planet of Atlaradis, he would come away with the upper hand. However, the Yuuzhan Vong at Atlaradis had been utterly defeated, which included the death of Tsaruuk's wife. This was confirmed by a phantom of Milya, who did agree to send back the Yuuzhan Vong body for proper burial. 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 DMS mines 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. Tsaruuk was killed for failing to take the planet following his return to occupied Coruscant. Ryion and the rest of the Yanibar Guard returned to Yanibar along with many of the surviving Chalactans, where they learned the shocking situation that awaited them. In the midst of the turmoil, Ryion found that Rishi had been a bittersweet victory, if it could be called that. The ghost of Depa Billaba thanked him for his effort on behalf of her people, saying that now she could finally find rest. Despite their heavy losses, Ryion found some small modicum of joy in that Shara had survived. He realized he reciprocated her feelings and the two began a relationship as the Yanibar refuge began plans for evacuation. Ryion and Shara eventually married in 30 ABY. 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, Ryion, and the others felt that Ariada was their responsibility. 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. Ryion was able to pull an injured and unconscious Jaina out of her crashed StealthX. He took shelter in an ice cave he carved out of a crevasse with explosives. Jaina's wounds were severe and she was feverish and unconscious for several days, while Ryion did his best to stabilize her. When she finally awoke, he informed her that she was too injured to move, risking permanent damage if she did so. Thus, they waited for eventual rescue, as Ryion lacked the skills and equipment to treat her properly. Selu and the others, along with a small Jedi contingent, arrived in a Yanibar Guard cruiser that Selu now commanded, and landed in a shuttle. They found Ryion and Jaina and extracted them just as Ariada's forces arrived. 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. The Elite Guardians along with a small Jedi contingent then tried to anticipate Ariada's next targets. One possibility that came up was Rhinnal, home to a former Jedi chapter house as well as a medical school. Ryion journeyed there, but was too late to stop explosions from ripping through the chapter house and medical school. His ship was also identified and destroyed, as well as his emergency account drained, leaving him stranded. He attempted to find passage offworld, but was unsuccessful, resulting in him being beaten and tossed out of the spaceport. A Togrutan worker named Erlam took pity on him, taking back to his home, where his grandmother, a Togrutan named Ylain, identified him as a Jedi by his lightsaber. She revealed that she had known Selu years ago and arranged for him to send a discreet message to Selu. Ylain and Erlam allowed him to stay at their place in the mean time. Eventually, a recovered Jaina Solo arrived to pick him up and take him back to the Yanibar Guard cruiser. While they were en route, Ariada sent them a message that revealed she had captured Shara, who had been visiting her family on Chalacta one last time before Yanibar's evacuation. She gave him and Jaina a chilling ultimatum: surrender to her, or else Shara and the Skywalker-Solo families would face the consequences. Jaina and Ryion acquiesced, boarding a derelict freighter Ariada led them to and freezing themselves in carbonite as instructed. When Ryion awoke, he was on Ariada's own cruiser, strapped to a medical table and cut off from the Force by ysalamiri. Unable to escape or resist, he was powerless to improve his own situation. Ariada furthermore told him that she had created a child from his and Jaina's DNA, whom she planned to raise as her own successor. However, Ariada did not know that Jaina and Ryion had attached subtle tracking particles to her ship, allowing for the others to follow Ariada. Ryion was eventually freed when Selu and the others were able to track Ariada down and board her ship. After a brief standoff, Ryion was freed. He went in pursuit of Jaina and Shara, finding Jaina first, while the others sought to disable Ariada's ship and the bombs she had planted on Coruscant and Bespin. Ariada's henchman, Aspra Serpaddis, attempted to use Shara as a hostage, but Ryion and Jaina were able to save her and stop Aspra Serpaddis. Aspra Serpaddis fled, but Ryion pursued and slew him. They fell back to a staging area to have their injuries treated and were ordered to withdraw by Selu and his wife Milya Kraen. They did as instructed, leaving on Selu's ship, the Hawk-bat, even as Selu and Milya sacrificed themselves to prevent Ariada from killing millions on Coruscant and Bespin. Thereafter, they were rescued by a Yanibar Guard and Galactic Alliance task force. On the Yanibar Guard cruiser Daara'sherum, Ryion informed Shara that Jaina Solo was carrying a child that Ariada had created from his and Solo's DNA without their knowledge. She was initially crushed, but felt the child was innocent—while Solo and Ryion were equally horrified. Solo in particular did not feel she was ready for motherhood. Knowing that Ryion's cousin Akleyn and his wife Qedai were not able to have children, Ryion suggested that they give the child to Akleyn and Qedai to raise. To avoid Solo having to carry the child to term and since the Yanibar refuge would depart for Atlaradis before the child was born, Shara offered to serve as a surrogate mother instead. All involved agreed and the plan was carried out discreetly, with Solo's memory wiped at her request and her family none the wiser. Ryion returned with Shara and the others back to Yanibar, where they held a memorial service for Selu, Milya, and Morgedh, which was attended not only by Yanibar residents, but dignitaries from the Jedi and Galactic Alliance. Following that, Ryion accompanied the rest of Yanibar's Force exiles in departing Yanibar for Atlaradis.
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