Battle of Ithor

Prior to the commencement of hostilities, the inhabitants of Ithor were evacuated to the safety of Mon Calamari. At the request of Admiral Traest Kre'fey, and much to the displeasure of Chief of State Borsk Fey'lya, Imperial Admiral Gilad Pellaeon assumed command over the joint New Republic and Imperial Remnant forces. Shortly thereafter, Yuuzhan Vong warships materialized in the space surrounding Ithor, with the Legacy of Torment as their flagship. Rogue Squadron engaged the enemy Coralskippers and started destroying Yorik-vecs. Tragically, Anni Capstan, Jaina Solo's wingmate, perished during an aerial engagement, causing Jaina deep sorrow.

The conventional strategies used against coralskippers, which involved weakening them with light laser fire to overload the dovin basal-generated voids before delivering a final, powerful blow, proved ineffective against larger, capital ship-sized vessels. The dovin basals on these larger ships prioritized shielding over maneuverability, resulting in a more formidable defense.

Simultaneously, on the surface of Ithor, the Yorik-trema deployed its ground troops within Tafanda Bay, a massive Ithorian Herdship. The Jedi engaged in combat with the Yuuzhan Vong warriors and their Chazrach slaves. During the intense fighting, Wurth Skidder suffered a fractured arm inflicted by an amphistaff. Daeshara'cor was also attacked, being bitten by an amphistaff. Anakin Solo valiantly defended her, wielding both his and her lightsaber, but ultimately, she succumbed to the venom's effects and became one with the Force.

In a separate location, Yuuzhan Vong Commander Shedao Shai led his forces in an assault against a fortified building defended by automated turrets and droids. Unbeknownst to Shai, the building was a carefully laid trap, rigged to explode upon the destruction of a specific computer console. Due to the Vong's inherent aversion to technology, the terminal was destroyed, triggering a massive explosion that decimated the majority of the attacking warriors, although Shai managed to escape. Subsequently, the Jedi launched a surprise attack on the Yuuzhan Vong command center, successfully defeating the occupying forces. Upon discovering a Villip, Corran Horn established contact with Shai and proposed a challenge: a duel to be held in one week's time on a designated plateau. If Shai emerged victorious, he would be granted the remains of his ancestor who perished on Bimmiel, but if Horn prevailed, Ithor would be spared. Shai accepted the terms, and a temporary cessation of hostilities was agreed upon.

Horn and Shai convened on the agreed-upon plateau, with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and Shai's second-in-command, Deign Lian, acting as observers. The ensuing duel was prolonged and intensely fought, culminating in Shai delivering a grievous wound to Horn's abdomen. While Horn was recovering from the injury, Shai fulfilled a personal desire by tasting the Jedi's blood. Horn then taunted Shai, deliberately provoking him into a reckless, rage-fueled assault. As Shai attempted to kill Horn by forcing the Jedi's own lightsaber into his face, Horn deactivated the weapon, causing Shai to lose his balance. Horn swiftly reactivated the lightsaber, impaling Shai through the stomach and ending the commander's life. Tragically, this victory did not secure Ithor's safety, as Deign Lian, acting under the orders of Warmaster Tsavong Lah, unleashed a devastating biological weapon upon the planet.

The bioweapon was delivered via twelve seed-shaped yorik coral pods. Upon entering the atmosphere, these pods detonated, releasing an immense cloud that rapidly spread throughout the jungle, a region considered sacred by the Ithorians. As the cloud expanded, the bacteria within it systematically destroyed all native life forms. This devastating event was later attributed to Corran Horn, who became known throughout the HoloNet as the "Man who killed Ithor."

As the Yuuzhan Vong forces attempted to withdraw, the Corusca Rainbow, an Interdictor Cruiser, emerged from hyperspace near the planet and activated its gravity well generators, drawing the Legacy of Torment towards Ithor. The capital ship analog's dovin basals diverted all available energy to maneuvering the ship away from the planet's gravitational pull. Consequently, they were unable to generate the protective voids necessary to defend the vessel. The assembled New Republic and Imperial Remnant forces, utilizing telemetry data provided by the Corusca Rainbow, launched a coordinated barrage of hundreds of concussion missiles and proton torpedoes at the Legacy of Torment, shattering the ship into three massive fragments and killing Deign Lian. The remaining Vong forces retreated, while the capital ship fragments were pulled by the planet's gravity and crashed onto the surface of Ithor, igniting the atmosphere and creating a planet-wide inferno that eradicated any remaining life on the devastated world.

As a consequence of the negative publicity surrounding the Jedi's involvement, Corran Horn requested to be removed from the Jedi Order, a request that was met with understanding, but also with disappointment. Corran traveled to Corellia to contemplate his brush with the dark side, which he had encountered when he sought vengeance for Elegos A'Kla's death. Although of limited strategic significance, the loss of Ithor represented a major psychological blow to the New Republic, and the resulting publicity aided Chief of State Borsk Fey'lya in his efforts to exert greater control over the Jedi Order. When Shimrra Jamaane, the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, learned of the Jedi's disgrace, he was greatly pleased and ordered his forces to further discredit the Jedi. Meanwhile, Admiral Pellaeon was compelled to withdraw the Imperial Navy back to Imperial space to prevent widespread unrest and rebellion among the populace and the Moffs. Most importantly, however, the devastating threat posed by the Yuuzhan Vong could no longer be ignored or denied.