Battle of Helska IV

Around 25 ABY, or approximately 60:5 in another dating system, the Praetorite Vong, spearheading the Yuuzhan Vong invasion from beyond the galaxy, made their entrance into the galaxy. Under the command of Da'Gara, a Yuuzhan Vong prefect, the vanguard of the Praetorite Vong arrived at Helska IV, an icy planet located in the Outer Rim Territories, aboard a worldship. Da'Gara established a base there, while his worldship embedded itself partially within the planet's icy surface. The Yuuzhan Vong considered Helska IV an ideal staging ground for their invasion. Meanwhile, Nom Anor, a Yuuzhan Vong agent, kept the New Republic, the galaxy's primary governing body, occupied near the Core Worlds by instigating conflict and chaos. Shortly after their arrival, a team of scientists from the Extragalactic Society's research base on Belkadan journeyed to Helska IV to investigate an object of extragalactic origin that entered the Helska system, unaware it was the Praetorite Vong's worldship. The scientists were captured, with only Danni Quee surviving to become a prisoner. Simultaneously, a Yuuzhan Vong operative on Belkadan released a bioweapon, beginning the terraforming process to suit the invaders' needs.

Soon after, the Dozen and Two Avengers, a starfighter squadron led by Jedi Knights Kyp Durron and Miko Reglia, arrived at the Praetorite Vong's location. Having tracked the scientists to the Helska system via a hyperspace buoy's data, they were attacked upon arrival by the Praetorite Vong's yorik-et starfighters, also known as coralskippers. Despite initial success, the Dozen and Two Avengers were quickly destroyed by the alien technology of the coralskippers. Only Durron and Reglia survived, with Reglia being captured.

The Praetorite Vong then attacked Sernpidal, causing its moon, Dobido, to collide with the planet, devastating it. Da'Gara's forces pursued refugees to Dubrillion, where the New Republic, aided by Jedi Knights Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, Anakin Solo, and their parents, former smuggler Han Solo and politician Leia Organa Solo, repelled the Yuuzhan Vong. In response to this probe attack, Organa Solo, Solo, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and other New Republic personnel on Dubrillion began planning a counterattack against the Praetorite Vong on Helska IV.

Skywalker theorized that the enemy had a base beneath Helska IV's ice crust. His plan involved using an iceborer, carried in the small carrier vessel Merry Miner, piloted by his wife, Mara Jade Skywalker, a Jedi Master battling a Yuuzhan Vong–engineered disease. Skywalker intended to penetrate the ice and return before a fleet led by the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Rejuvenator arrived. The Rejuvenator, commanded by Corellian Commander Warshack Rojo, had reached Dubrillion shortly after the Praetorite Vong attack. However, Jacen and Jaina preempted Skywalker's plan, taking the Merry Miner and iceborer themselves, believing they were better suited for the mission. Soon after, the fleet departed for Helska IV, despite Organa Solo's urging for Rojo to await reinforcements.

With Jaina piloting the Merry Miner and Jacen in the iceborer (housed in a launch tube), they reached the Helska system before the fleet. Jaina approached Helska IV by using the system's sun, Helska, as cover. Once close enough, Jaina launched the iceborer. The iceborer was meant to reach the surface silently, but Jacen, guided by the Force, sensed someone in danger and used the borer's thrusters to change course. This alerted nearby coralskippers. Despite breaching the ice with a thermal charge, the Praetorite Vong fighters tracked the Merry Miner. Forced to retreat in a defenseless ship, Jaina tried to evade them using the sun, but found herself surrounded.

The New Republic task force arrived near the Merry Miner and immediately engaged the coralskippers, rescuing Jaina. The task force consisted of the Rejuvenator, six new Ranger-class gunships, cruisers, starfighters, Skywalker and his wife in the shuttle Jade Sabre, and Durron leading a starfighter unit. The upgraded freighter Millennium Falcon, piloted by Organa Solo and her husband, with Anakin and Lando Calrissian as gunners, also participated. The New Republic quickly eliminated most enemy forces and advanced towards Helska IV. Meanwhile, Jacen, wearing a captured Yuuzhan Vong cloaker for warmth, entered the planet's icy waters. He encountered Yuuzhan Vong warriors escorting Reglia for torture intended to break his mind. Jacen, disguised as a warrior, infiltrated their group and entered a room where he found Reglia and Quee. It was the Force-sensitive Quee who had sent the distress call. Jacen engaged the warriors to free them.

Da'Gara, aware of the approaching task force, deployed thousands of coralskippers to engage them. The planet was defended by the energy field of the yammosk, the volcano armaments of three worldships, and gravity-manipulating dovin basals. The New Republic task force was suddenly attacked by the numerous enemy fighters, telepathically coordinated by the yammosk. This link allowed the coralskippers to execute superior maneuvers. Two Ranger-class gunships were destroyed when a Praetorite Vong fighter used a dovin basal to cause a collision.

The rest of the task force struggled, and the Rejuvenator became the primary target. Rojo requested assistance, but as the fleet was occupied, he began to bombard Helska IV in retaliation. The Rejuvenator was soon destroyed by magma missiles from volcano cannons, killing Rojo and most of the crew. This led to a retreat, though the Jade Sabre, Millennium Falcon, and Merry Miner attempted to rescue Jacen. Jacen, Reglia, and Quee fought off the warriors, with Reglia sacrificing himself. Jacen and Quee returned to the iceborer. The rescue ships approached Helska IV, and the Merry Miner retrieved the iceborer before escaping to hyperspace.

After regrouping, the three ships devised a plan to eliminate the Praetorite Vong by freezing the yammosk using shieldships to reflect its energy back onto the planet. This would accelerate evaporation and cool the planet to absolute zero. Shieldships were obtained from Calrissian's collection on Dubrillion and Destrillion, and a small task force was assembled. Some survivors, including the remaining Ranger-class gunships, remained at Destrillion for reinforcements. The New Republic forces aimed for surprise by attacking soon after their defeat, when most Praetorite Vong fighters were searching for survivors. The task force arrived via hyperspace close to Helska IV, resulting in the loss of a cruiser and four starfighters due to collisions.

The shieldships positioned themselves around the planet, lowering their orbit as the yammosk's energy was reflected back. Coralskippers attacked, and New Republic starfighters provided cover or acted as decoys. Skywalker, in an X-wing starfighter, acted as a decoy, drawing a contingent of fighters. Da'Gara, confused by the small attacking force, was unconcerned with the shieldships and recalled the coralskipper hordes to defend Helska IV. By then, the shieldships had begun evaporating the planet's surface, creating a thick fog and cooling the planet.

While the Jade Sabre and Millennium Falcon defended the shieldships, Jade Skywalker suffered a relapse and lost consciousness. The Jade Sabre, lacking a gunner, was hit repeatedly and began to fall. Skywalker saved the ship by flipping his X-wing and using his repulsorlifts to boost the Jade Sabre. Helska IV's atmosphere grew colder, and the yammosk began to lose control of the coralskippers.

The yammosk entered a deep freeze as the Mezzicanley Wave was achieved. The planet's rotation slowed, and the fog evaporated. Most coralskippers returned to Helska IV, confused and seeking to protect the base. Realizing the impending disaster from the freezing water under the ice, the New Republic ordered a retreat. Before they could escape, the planet exploded, destroying most of the Praetorite Vong forces and killing Da'Gara. Skywalker barely escaped the destruction in his X-wing.

After the destruction of Helska IV, New Republic squadrons hunted down the remaining coralskippers. The Praetorite Vong's defeat damaged their reputation and cost them many forces. The battle weakened Jade Skywalker. Organa Solo organized meetings to warn the galaxy about the Yuuzhan Vong, but the New Republic ignored her, believing the Praetorite Vong were the last of the extragalactic forces. Nom Anor continued to sow discord, and the main Yuuzhan Vong force soon arrived. They attacked Dubrillion, capturing it, and then attacked Dantooine before engaging New Republic and Imperial Remnant forces at Ithor, leading to an all-out war for control of the galaxy.

The Battle of Helska IV debuted in The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime, by R. A. Salvatore, published in 1999 as the first book in The New Jedi Order series. It was later mentioned in other books and in The New Jedi Order Sourcebook (2002). The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (2008) named the battle in its Helska IV entry. The fighting was also mentioned in The Essential Atlas (2009) by Daniel Wallace and Jason Fry.

Inconsistencies exist in sources about the battle. Vector Prime contradicts itself on the number of cruisers in the second assault, stating one but later describing two being destroyed. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia's Merry Miner entry incorrectly states the ship launched a warhead that initiated the planet's freezing.