The Battle of Khoonda represents a localized armed struggle occurring after the devastating Jedi Civil War in 3951 BBY. This battle stands out as a pivotal moment during the First Jedi Purge.
Khoonda, the location of the local governing body established following the destruction of the Jedi Enclave, was the primary objective. The assault was especially directed toward Administrator Terena Adare, who was the only individual on Dantooine capable of unifying the surviving farmers. Outside the Khoonda Plains, salvagers in search of Jedi artifacts roamed the Enclave's ruins, along with Exchange mercenaries, led by Azkul, who had served under Darth Malak during the Jedi Civil War.
The Exchange aimed to transform Dantooine, which had become largely isolated from the Galactic Republic after the Jedi Enclave's fall, into a smuggling hub. Administrator Adare and her advisor, Jedi Master Vrook Lamar (a former member of the Dantooine Jedi Council), were viewed as impediments to the Exchange's ambitions. Master Vrook was captured by the mercenaries in the Enclave's lower levels and imprisoned in the Crystal Cave, seemingly removing him as an obstacle. Azkul planned to transport him to Nar Shaddaa to collect Goto's reward for a living Jedi.
Unbeknownst to Azkul, Meetra Surik had arrived on Dantooine in search of Master Vrook. Surik soon infiltrated the Crystal Cave, liberating Vrook, but the Master displayed no gratitude. He recognized that this event would escalate tensions between Khoonda and the mercenaries, leading to a full-blown conflict.
Vrook hastened to Khoonda to alert the officials about the impending danger. Azkul confronted Surik, attempting to recruit her, but she refused. Consequently, Azkul unleashed a large contingent of his forces against her. She proved too formidable, eliminating them all. Azkul was confident in his impending victory, aware that Khoonda was nearly defenseless and that his forces possessed a nearly four-to-one numerical advantage. However, his hubris would prove to be his downfall.
Administrator Adare and Zherron, the militia commander, tasked Surik with reinforcing Khoonda's defenses. While the mercenaries prepared to attack, Surik successfully recruited civilians into the militia, healed the wounded militiamen, strategically placed additional mines in the surrounding fields, and repaired damaged gun turrets and combat and medical droids. Before the battle, Surik delivered a speech that profoundly inspired the Khoonda militia. Ironically, Surik was drawing upon her experiences from the Mandalorian Wars, where she had transformed a disorganized group into a formidable army.
With all preparations finalized, Master Vrook departed, hoping to impede the mercenaries' advance toward Khoonda while Surik focused on bolstering the militia's morale. Vrook eliminated several mercenaries during his delaying actions.
The initial phase of the battle proved disastrous for Azkul's mercenaries and the Exchange. Based on recently updated intelligence, Azkul ordered a direct assault across the two bridges, believing they were only lightly mined. This decision resulted in significant casualties due to extensive mine placement, largely carried out by the Exile. The mercenaries suffered heavy losses while approaching the battlefield, thanks to the minefields established beyond the bridges.
His intelligence also indicated that the turrets would indiscriminately target anyone on the battlefield, preventing the defenders from deploying troops in the open. This proved inaccurate as militiamen stood calmly near the turrets, which eliminated mercenary after mercenary.
Azkul also assumed that the militia was small and cowardly. Surik thwarted him once more; she had successfully recruited civilians and salvagers into the militia temporarily and thoroughly healed all the injured militiamen in the infirmary.
Azkul's two columns directly engaged the militia. While the militia members were all killed, they inflicted two to four times their number in casualties on the attackers. These were the only militia casualties during the battle.
The intelligence Azkul had gathered also suggested that the external armory door was lightly secured, allowing his men to loot it for better weapons while flanking the defenders concentrated at the main entrance. This proved false, as Surik jammed the external armory door so securely that it would take over a year of work to reopen it after the battle. Still suffering casualties from the turrets, Azkul failed to breach the armory and was forced to confront the main defense force at the main entrance.
However, his men's sacrifices would be in vain, as Azkul and his remaining forces were significantly outnumbered by the militia, civilian volunteers, and the crew of the Ebon Hawk. Additionally, the defense droids, which Azkul believed to be inoperable, were fully operational and optimized for defense and firepower, targeting only hostiles (similar to the turrets, which had previously attacked anything that moved). Vrook's return further shifted the odds, but the most significant blow was one he could not have predicted.
Upon encountering Surik inside, Azkul attempted to bribe her, claiming that she could eliminate four mercenaries before being killed, and offered 4,000 credits (with 1,000 being the recruitment and training fee for a mercenary). Surik refused the bribe, and some of the mercenaries, recognizing the odds and Azkul's disregard for their lives, switched sides. Azkul, along with his right-hand man, Dopak, and the remaining loyal men, attempted to reach and kill the Administrator. Azkul was unexpectedly betrayed by Dopak, who had secretly allied with Zherron. A brief skirmish ensued between the mercenaries, and Azkul's forces were no match for the combined efforts and overwhelming numbers and firepower of the militia, the turncoat mercenaries, the droids, the crew of the Ebon Hawk, and the two Jedi.
With the victory, the conflict on Dantooine concluded, resulting in the defeat of Azkul's mercenaries and the subsequent expulsion of the Exchange and Czerka Arms from Dantooine. As a harbinger of peace and prosperity, the once Jedi-phobic civilians collaborated to rebuild the ruined Jedi Enclave as a tribute to the Jedi who had fought to protect them.
After exiting the crystal caves, Azkul offered Surik credits to sabotage Khoonda and aid him in the battle. Surik accepted and returned to Khoonda to carry out acts of sabotage. She met with Zherron and Adare, who provided her with a keycard to enter the base. Surik sabotaged the turrets to target the militia members, deactivated mines, reactivated the droids, programmed them to assist the mercenaries, and unlocked the jammed door. She then returned to Azkul, who initiated the battle. The militia was overwhelmed, and the mercenaries suffered minimal casualties while storming Khoonda. Inside, Surik, along with Azkul, his mercenaries, and the reprogrammed battle droids, eliminated the remaining militia members before Azkul personally dealt with Adare. Vrook arrived too late to aid the militia or save the administrator and engaged in combat with the corrupted Surik, resulting in his death at her hands. Azkul then gave Surik 8000 credits or if the exile persuaded Azkul to give her/him more credits, if your persuade skill was high, then Azkul would give the exile 12000 credits. In this scenario, the Jedi Enclave is also mysteriously rebuilt, but Darth Traya predicts that Dantooine will eventually be abandoned, with only wild animals and nomads traversing the ruins of the Enclave.
Another possible scenario involves Surik initially assisting Khoonda but later betraying them when Azkul offers her credits to abstain from the battle.