Bombing at the Temple of the Kyber

Back in 382 BBY, Tey Sirrek, a former Guardians of the Whills member turned vigilante, discovered artifact thefts throughout the Holy City of the Pilgrim Moon, Jedha. He set up a meeting inside the Shrine of Sarrav's Wayfarer Quarter with V'Kara, a Sarravi woman possessing information about the robberies that various groups had ignored. However, he discovered her lifeless body and was found standing over it by Jedi Master Vildar Mac alongside Jedi Padawan Matthea Cathley, whom he had encountered in the Jedha marketplace earlier. He used his Sephi pheromones to temporarily paralyze Mac, but the Jedi eventually located him at a bar named Enlightenment. Sirrek introduced himself to Mac, claiming he was a righter of wrongs, with Minst adding that he was a Sephi. When Mac accused Sirrek of murder, Sirrek presented a hologram recording projected by his droid, explaining that he had discovered her deceased and was scheduled to meet about the missing artifacts. He further clarified that he hadn't used any magic against Mac, explaining the special pheromone. He then compensated Minst for his time and departed, disregarding Padawan Cathley's suggestions for collaboration.

Sirrek then connected with Briff, a Condluran, recognizing Briff's trade in specialized items. He noticed Briff possessed a starbird statue constructed from kyber crystal, which he recognized from his time as a Guardian of the Whills at the Temple of the Kyber. Briff threatened him with a blaster, but Master Mac intervened, disarming Briff, who then produced another blaster from his sleeve and fired at the Jedi. Sirrek intercepted the bolt, unharmed due to his body armor. Following Briff's escape in a speeder, Cathley lamented the loss of their only lead, and Sirrek confirmed his pursuit of those dealing in stolen artifacts. He informed them of the starbird statue's origin, emphasizing its significance.

Subsequently, the trio journeyed to the Temple of the Kyber to present their findings to the Guardians of the Whills, only to be met with lightbows due to Sirrek's presence. After Sirrek's arrest, Mac, Cathley, and Archivists Zumeg and Feric Oranalli proceeded to Zumeg's office within the Temple of the Kyber to review the security cameras footage, hoping to identify the thief of the Firebird of Colsassa.

While the Jedi were being escorted, Sirrek stealthily entered the Temple to also examine the logs. Upon reaching the office, Sirrek discovered a bomb. He attempted to disarm it, but Mac, witnessing Sirrek in possession of the device and believing he intended to activate it, pushed it from Sirrek's grasp, causing it to strike a wall and detonate.

During the resulting blast, Mac used the Force to shield the archivists and Cathley from the explosion, sustaining injuries in the process. Mac was transported to the Convocation Building where Susalee, the representative for the Lonto on the Convocation, healed him. Despite Mac's efforts to protect everyone, Zumeg ultimately died from the bombing, a fact Mac learned upon awakening.

Following the explosion, the Guardians took Sirrek into custody to conduct a bombing investigation. The Convocation convened later that day, deciding to inform the people of Jedha that the bombing resulted from a gas buildup in the catacombs beneath the Temple while the investigation proceeded. Werth Plouth, a Nautolan serving as the Herald of the Path of the Open Hand, overheard the discussion upon his arrival to address the Convocation.

After the Convocation rejected Plouth's proposals to disband the council and prohibit Force usage until he could prove the Path's belief that Force use caused an imbalance with consequences for others, he left the chambers and addressed the city's citizens. He informed them of the developments and his apparent discovery of a Convocation plot to deceive them. The Herald then told the citizens that the bombing at the Temple of the Kyber had not been an accident but a deliberate attack. Tarna Miak, the representative for the Sorcerers of Tund, appealed to Plouth to stop, but the Herald continued, questioning why the Convocation would lie and conceal the bombing's true nature, questioning if it was to protect the upcoming Festival of Balance or their reputation. As the Guardians approached the Herald and attempted to silence him, Plouth suggested that one of the member religions might be responsible for the bombing. The Herald's questions incited uproar among the crowd, demanding more information. When a Guardian struck Plouth with a staff, the crowd protested and demanded he be allowed to speak. As the situation escalated, the Jedi ignited their lightsabers, and Miak prepared to calm the crowd, though the Sorcerer felt it may be too late to try diplomacy. The Leveler, a creature capable of inducing madness and hallucinations in Force-sensitives, revealed itself from behind a stall and began to overwhelm Miak after the Sorcerer looked at the creature. Miak began to see all around them as monsters, and the Sorcerer threw everyone into the air. The uproar Plouth had caused in the crowd led to riots which ultiamtely resulted in the Battle of Jedha.