Around 53 BBY, Lord Crion hatched a plan to eliminate the growing planetary insurgency that threatened his rule, a goal that Nason's lover, Dairoki, assisted him in. By using chaos and off-worlders, Dairoki created a link between the rebels of Telos IV and the nearby planet of Toprawa. With the Telosians being a nationalistic people, Crion knew that the idea that off-world invaders were working in collusion with the insurgency would drive away all popular support for their cause. To this end, Dairoki became a trusted member of the insurgency, and his association with Lord Crion was known to very few, including Nason, who worked as a contact between her father and the fallen Jedi.
Their plan began with the murder of the High Priestess Liora, of the , a peace-maker who was beloved by both sides of the political spectrum. Dairoki himself undertook this murder, Force-pushing the old woman from a high platform and causing her to plummet to her death. Crion sought to frame Toprawa for this murder, furthering their ruse that their neighboring world sought to destabilize their society.
In a frozen cave outside the city of Thani, Nason met up with Dairoki. When he noted that she was trembling, she told him it was from the temperature, but he sensed that she was afraid and sought to reassure her. He reminded her that she was heir to the planet, and that their plans would ensure both her ascendency and that the world was united once she took the throne. Nason understood the reasons, but regretted the methods.
The Jedi Order, disturbed by the stirrings of war in the Telos system and the murder of the pacifist Liora, sent Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Xanatos—Nason's younger brother—along with Master Tahl and an unassigned Padawan, Orykan Tamarik to investigate and prevent the growing conflict. Xanatos was filled with conflicting emotions, though Jinn reminded him that this was merely a test. Immediately upon their arrival to the planet, however, they were attacked, and their shuttle was shot down above the Chodo Habat Parkway. Using the Force to save themselves, the Jedi survived the crash, only to be attacked by the Telosian rebels. Just as Xanatos was about to be killed by a rebel, Crion and his guard came to their rescue. With the battle won, Crion welcomed Xanatos back to his homeworld.
After being guided by one of Crion's advisors, Hukowl An Devi, the Jedi made their way into the capital. Meanwhile, Dairoki met up with Nason once again, asking if she had seen her brother since he'd arrived. Nason was in disguise, yet Dairoki had no trouble identifying her. He pulled down her veil in order to kiss her, but she admonished him and he pressed their political maneuverings instead. He reminded her that she must use her relationship with her brother to their advantage, though Nason was not sure that he would succumb to such manipulation.
The Jedi continued their investigation into Liora's murder, visiting the temple where she was slain. Orykan managed to see the murder momentarily, but the darkness of the event overwhelmed her and she collapsed. Jinn, too, sensed some of what had happened there, and was certain that a Jedi had played some part in Liora's death. Meanwhile, Master Tahl had gone to the city's library to search for further information, and on her exit happened upon a man dressed as an Antarian Ranger claiming that the attack on the Jedi was meant to serve as a message. Tahl interrupted his conversation, which caused the "Ranger" and his two cohorts to attack her. She killed the two rebels, but the Ranger escaped, leaving the Jedi with more questions. That night, Jinn told Tahl about his experience at the temple, and how the presence of the attacker had felt like, "A Jedi. And yet, not a Jedi". Tahl then pointed out the old tradition of Antarian Rangers training beside Jedi, and how Yoda had declined Tahl's offer of enlisting their help in this mission; the two Jedi Masters ended the night believing that a true Antarian Ranger may have murdered Liora.
Later that night, Nason once more met up with Dairoki in the frozen cavern outside the capital. She remarked that he had skipped the ceremony remembering Liora's death, but he pointed out that while he could slip in and out of any location undetected, he could not allow the Jedi to see him. The man that Tahl had encountered was indeed a false Ranger and was working for Dairoki, which caused the scarred former Padawan to become even more cautious. Nason, while feeling as though their relationship had changed, was pleased that Tahl was unable to question the "Ranger".
The next day, Dairoki met with the false Ranger in broad daylight, as the man made excuses for his close call with Tahl. He then gave the man a lightsaber and remarked that he would be remembered for his actions.
Meanwhile, Nason and Xanatos raced hoverbikes across the Telosian desert as the Padawan's sister reminded him of his past. They stopped for a moment, but as they raced off again, Dairoki watched from behind an outcrop nearby, seemingly displeased that the two were growing closer instead of her manipulating him as they'd intended. Nason and Xanatos returned to the capital, where they sought their father. Tahl encountered them just as the sounds of blaster fire erupted nearby. The insurgents had struck back against Lord Crion and a small contingent of his guards, encircling them beside a fountain. Xanatos warned his sister to stay away as he, Tahl, and a just-arriving Jinn jumped into the fray. In a dark alcove nearby, Dairoki watched, seething at the rebels' inability to follow his orders. He too joined the battle, attacking an insurgent, to Crion's great anger, while Jinn noticed the former Jedi immediately. Nason became cornered during the fight, and as Hukowl An Devi tried to reach her, she was shot through her abdomen, killing her instantly. Dairoki was filled with rage and attacked both insurgents and Crion's guards alike. The remaining rebels fled, as did Dairoki, who swore that he would act "another day". Crion, in his rage over the loss of his daughter and Dairoki's betrayal, shot at the fleeing man, but missed. In the aftermath of the battle, Jinn and Tahl both remarked that they recognized Dairoki by his extensive scars, and Tahl professed that perhaps their mission was in fact a test for Jinn.
After Nason's death, both Crion and Dairoki became despondent and irresponsibly, acting from their emotions. Dairoki soon made his way to Lord Crion's bedchambers, sneaking past dozens of armed guards and waking him up. Crion screamed at him for being there, but Dairoki reminded him that Nason was the one he was supposed to see. Crion mocked him, and Dairoki told him that his daughter was much more than just a contact. Crion accused him of getting Nason killed, while Dairoki told him how he'd try to stall the rebels for longer. Dairoki apologized for his failure in protecting Nason, but told Crion that his planting of the lightsaber should solidify the Antarian connection to the insurgency, and therefore the rebels' connection to Toprawa. Crion dismissed all of Dairoki's ideas, saying that if the Jedi had seen him, then all his manipulations would not fool them. Instead, he told the failed Padawan to leave the planet immediately. When Dairoki objected, Crion backhanded him across the face, and threatened him that he should leave his world. Without a word, Dairoki slipped away back into the night.
The manipulations of Nason and Dairoki did indeed work, however, and the next morning Minister An Devi gave a speech to scores of Telosians, outlining the supposed conspiracy between the insurgents, the Antarian Rangers, and the Toprawan government. Diplomatic ties with Toprawa were severed, native Telosians were brought home, and Toprawans were deported from Telos IV. Stirring nationalist feelings and the memories of Nason and High Priestess Liora, An Devi called for unity and strength. Later that day, Crion himself made a speech hundreds of Telosian soldiers. He ordered the military to crush all those who supported the insurgency, even if it meant waging war in their own streets. His son, Xanatos, had left Jinn and joined him, and Crion used his appearance to claim that the Jedi Council was supportive of this action.
Soon after Crion's call to war and the ensuing violence ripped through the capital, Dairoki slipped into Minister An Devi's apartment as the man watched another Ithorian sleeping. Dairoki assured the minister that they were on the same side, and An Devi in turn told him that he recognized him from his assistance during the attack that killed Nason, as well as remembering his visible grief. Dairoki was frustrated with Crion's actions, and feared that the lord was losing focus as he mourned his daughter. The scarred man was afraid that after everything they'd done to unify Telos IV, Crion was going to allow the violence to spiral out of control and make matters worse than before. He lamented that Nason and Liora's deaths would be for nothing, letting slip that he and Crion were ultimately responsible for both. Appalled, An Devi suddenly attacked him, though Dairoki deftly kicked out the Ithorians leg and knocked him to the ground. As An Devi shouted after him, Dairoki fled the minister's apartment and jumped out into the city, saying aloud that he'd had enough of the planet and meant to leave.
All of Dairoki's fears came to pass after he fled Telos IV. Widespread violence led to untold deaths, while An Devi used the information revealed by Dairoki to enlist Jinn and Tamarik into helping him quell the chaos. An Devi revealed to all Telosians that there was no outside conspiracy, and that it was Crion himself who had betrayed them. Though Crion's guards stayed loyal to their lord, An Devi's speech caused even more people to rise up against Crion's rule. Jinn went after Crion himself, hoping to rescue Xanatos from the madness his father had caused, but the lord attempted to duel Jinn instead. Using a sword against Jinn's lightsaber, the fight was a quick one, and Crion fell to his death among the decorative fires of his palace. Losing himself to his father's machinations and the dark side of the Force, Xanatos betrayed the Jedi, striking out against both Tamarik and Jinn, and in the mob violence that overwhelmed the palace, he disappeared. With the truth behind Crion's conspiracy revealed and with Xanatos and Dairoki abandoning the cause of unifying Telos IV, the civil war ended and the two sides negotiated a cease-fire.