A clash unfolded on the planet of Khar Delba in 5000 BBY, a pivotal moment that cemented the authority of Naga Sadow, the Dark Lord of the Sith. This consolidation of power paved the way for his orchestration of the Sith Empire's assault on the Galactic Republic during the Great Hyperspace War. In the wake of the death of the Dark Lord Marka Ragnos, a power struggle erupted between the prominent Sith Lords Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh for supremacy over the Sith Empire. The unexpected arrival of two Republic explorers, Gav and Jori Daragon, within Sith-controlled space ignited alarm among the vying factions, culminating in a confrontation between Kressh and Sadow. Kressh, interpreting the Daragons' presence as a precursor to a Republic invasion, advocated for restraint, while Sadow perceived it as an opportunity to broaden the Sith Empire's reach.
Sadow skillfully exploited the other Sith Lords' anxieties, maneuvering himself into the position of the new Dark Lord of the Sith, ostensibly to address this perceived threat. Despite securing the backing of the majority of the Sith Council, Kressh, along with his adherents Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram, contested Sadow's claim to leadership. When Kressh's fleet launched an assault on Sadow's stronghold on Khar Delba, the newly appointed Dark Lord was prepared, having secretly assembled a fleet hidden at his actual base on Khar Delba's moon, Khar Shian. The attacking fleet was taken by surprise and defeated, and Sadow intentionally allowed Jori Daragon to escape back to the Republic, unknowingly carrying a homing beacon that would guide Sadow's Sith invasion, sparking the Great Hyperspace War.
In 5000 BBY, the passing of Marka Ragnos, the Dark Lord of the Sith, created a void of power within the Sith Empire, leading to a contest for dominance between the two leading Sith Lords, Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh. Following Ragnos's funeral on Korriban, Sadow and Kressh engaged in a duel using Sith swords, but their battle was interrupted by the specter of Ragnos himself. Ragnos warned them of an uncertain future for the isolated Sith Empire, regardless of its glorious past and current prosperity.
Before any further conflict could occur between the two Sith, a strange starship arrived on Korriban. This ship was the Starbreaker 12, piloted by the struggling explorers Gav and Jori Daragon. The Daragons, who were from the planet of Koros Major in the Galactic Republic, had entered random coordinates into their ship's navicomputer in a desperate attempt to earn enough money to survive. This initial meeting between Humans from the Republic and the Sith was viewed with suspicion by the Sith leaders. After ordering their guards to capture the two youths as prisoner, Sadow and Kressh disagreed on how to interpret their arrival. Kressh feared an imminent alien invasion, while Sadow wanted to learn more about the explorers' origins, hoping to expand the Sith Empire beyond its current borders. Sadow and Kressh, along with the rest of the Sith and their new prisoners, returned to the Sith throneworld of Ziost.
This disagreement caused a significant division between Sadow and Kressh, who both continued to vie for supreme control of the Sith Empire. Sadow was willing to use political manipulation to achieve his goals. He staged a false escape by Jori Daragon to convince Kressh and the Sith Council that the Republic had launched an attack, justifying a retaliatory invasion. Gaining the support of most of the Council, Sadow was chosen as the new Dark Lord of the Sith to confront this new "threat." However, Kressh refused to recognize Sadow's authority and left with two of his supporters, Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram. Despite Kressh's opposition, the majority of the Sith accepted Sadow as their new master and allowed him to undergo the marking ritual, branding his forehead with the mark of the Dark Lord.
Sadow continued to plot against Kressh, prioritizing his own objectives. After the staged attack and "escape," the new Dark Lord moved Jori to his citadel on Khar Delba. Gav, whom Sadow had taken under his wing and begun to train in the use of the dark side of the Force, was in a similar stronghold on Khar Delba's moon of Khar Shian, where Sadow had also secretly amassed a fleet of warships under his direct command. Realizing he needed Jori Daragon to lead him to the Republic, Sadow sent warriors of the Massassi caste to steal the Starbreaker 12 from Ziost. He instructed the warriors to leave behind evidence with his personal symbol on it, proving that Sadow was behind the attacks. Kressh fell for the trap and gathered his followers for an assault on Khar Delba.
Kressh arrived at Khar Delba with a fleet of Derriphan-class battleships, supported by Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram, and immediately launched an attack on Sadow's fortress. He ordered that no transmissions be sent to the surface and that Sadow would not be allowed to surrender. However, the Dark Lord of the Sith was pleased with this outcome, as he had anticipated it and made preparations.
As his rivals' ships bombarded the fortress, Sadow deceived Jori Daragon, instructing his warriors to operate the turrets and mount a defense. Kressh and his allies were also fooled, believing that the fortress's defenses were all Sadow had to offer. Sadow, knowing he had found his opportunity, urged Jori to take the Starbreaker 12 and escape back to the Republic. Despite her reluctance to leave her brother behind in the Sith Empire, Jori was convinced when Sadow falsely claimed that Kressh had come to interrogate her to gather information about the Republic. The Starbreaker 12 blasted out of the Khar Delba fortress amid a barrage of cannon fire between the turrets and Kressh's attacking battleships. Kressh recognized the vessel and ordered his forces to shoot it down. Although Horak-mul managed to target the Starbreaker 12, Jori skillfully maneuvered away and jumped to the safety of hyperspace.
Once Jori Daragon was safely away, Sadow summoned his massive fleet from behind Khar Shian and ordered them to attack. Kressh was completely surprised and enraged. Sadow transmitted to his rival's ship, taunting him for his gullibility as he prepared to send another transmission to the ships of Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram. The Massassi warriors on both vessels, who were secretly part of the Sadow'een, an order of assassins loyal to Sadow, turned on and murdered their masters. They then took control of Horak-mul's and Dor Gal-ram's battleships and fired upon Kressh's remaining fleet. Meanwhile, Sadow's fighters and battleships from his secret fleet relentlessly attacked his rival's forces. Kressh saw no chance of victory and ordered the remnants of his forces to retreat.
With Ludo Kressh defeated, nothing stood in the way of Naga Sadow's complete control of the Sith Empire. Upon returning to his real fortress on Khar Shian, Sadow was greeted by crowds of his loyal servants and warriors, who celebrated his victory achieved through deception. Gav learned of his sister's escape but was unaware that Sadow had orchestrated it for his own benefit. The Starbreaker 12 had been equipped with a tracking device, providing the Sith with a route into Republic space for Sadow's planned invasion.
Despite his defeat, Kressh continued to resist Sadow, but his efforts were futile. When Kressh's flagship reappeared above Khar Delba, Sadow tricked Gav Daragon into destroying the vessel. Although this proved to be a deception by Kressh, as the craft was actually a decoy, much like Sadow had previously tricked Kressh into attacking a decoy fortress, Kressh never regained the upper hand against Sadow. He was eventually killed by Sadow's forces in space combat. After gathering his forces, Sadow followed Jori Daragon back to the Republic, launching an invasion that became known as the Great Hyperspace War.
The Battle of Khar Delba, where Naga Sadow secured control of the Sith Empire, was featured in the fourth and fifth issues of Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi – The Golden Age of the Sith. This comic book story arc was written by Star Wars author Kevin J. Anderson in 1997 as part of the larger Tales of the Jedi comic series. Both issues were illustrated by artist Dario Carrasco, Jr.. Anderson wanted to write a history of the Sith and obtained some information from George Lucas to form a basis for his work. The events of the Great Hyperspace War were detailed in the subsequent story arc of the series, Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire, also written by Anderson.