The memorial service for Cha Niathal occurred following Admiral Cha Niathal's demise in 43.5 ABY. Rather than confront the charges of dereliction of duty brought against her by Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala, Niathal chose to end her own life. Her body was transported to the planet of Coruscant for the ceremony, but due to public animosity towards Daala, the Chief of State was unable to attend. Numerous other government and military officials were present at the funeral procession, which traveled from the Mon Calamari Embassy to the Plaza of the Founders situated near Coruscant's political district. Journalist Javis Tyrr provided live coverage of the funeral for the HoloNet, and once the procession reached its conclusion at the Plaza of the Founders, former Alliance General Tycho Celchu delivered the eulogy.
In 43.5 ABY, Chief of Starfighter Command Merratt Jaxton suggested a plan—Jaxton was secretly part of a conspiracy aimed at deposing Galactic Federation of Free Alliances Chief of State Natasi Daala—whereby Daala would bring former Galactic Alliance Admiral Cha Niathal to Coruscant, the galactic capital, to be tried for dereliction of duty during the Second Galactic Civil War. Daala's motivations were political: she intended to bolster her public image by demonstrating that the government was not being unduly harsh in its treatment of the Jedi Order.
By placing Niathal on trial, she aimed to illustrate that military figures were receiving the same treatment as Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker had experienced—the Galactic Alliance had previously banished Skywalker from Coruscant for dereliction of duty due to his failure to prevent Sith Lord Darth Caedus' descent to the dark side during the Civil War. Daala was aware that the accusations against Niathal were flimsy and therefore anticipated an easy acquittal. Despite initially appearing to accept Daala's conditions, Niathal ultimately chose to avoid the humiliation of a trial; she committed suicide by filling her aquarium with carbon monoxide. Niathal's assistant discovered her body the following morning upon the arrival of Alliance emissary Elyas Caran, and Daala was promptly informed of her death.
Niathal's suicide caused Daala to feel both shock and unease, and the former Admiral's body was transported to Coruscant for her funeral, which was authorized by someone identifying themselves as Coruscant Security Force "Captain Koltstan"—though a subsequent investigation revealed that no such "Captain Koltstan" existed within the Security Force. A significant portion of the public held Daala responsible for Niathal's death, and several civilians attending the funeral displayed signs accusing Daala and even demanding that the Galactic Alliance withdraw from Niathal's homeworld of Mon Calamari. Daala's aide, Wynn Dorvan, also informed the Chief of State that the Coruscant Security Force assessed the threat level against Daala as too high for her to safely attend the funeral, leading her to reluctantly agree to observe the procession from within her office.
The funeral procession commenced at the Mon Calamari Embassy on Coruscant, proceeded along Medway Avenue, and eventually reached the Plaza of the Founders near the planet's political district. Niathal's body was carried in a casket with a transparisteel top, and the Galactic Alliance Navy Drum Corps, performing a percussion rendition of the Alderaanian air 'Tialga Hath Fallen', followed directly behind her in barges. Trailing the Drum Corps was a lengthy line of dark airspeeders carrying ambassadors, officers, and other individuals who had known Niathal personally. Also participating in the procession was Imperial Remnant Head of State Jagged Fel, whose vehicle was followed by that of the Mon Calamari Embassy. Journalist Javis Tyrr provided commentary for the HoloNet broadcast of the funeral, and upon the Procession's arrival at the Plaza of the Founders, Tycho Celchu, former General of Galactic Alliance Starfighter Command, delivered Niathal's eulogy while a hologram praising her was displayed.
Following the funeral, public opinion of Daala continued to decline, yet she resolved to persist with her stringent political strategies, especially in her dealings with the Jedi Order. Ultimately, however, Daala was removed from her position as Chief of State.
The funeral of Cha Niathal is depicted in Aaron Allston's Fate of the Jedi: Backlash, the second book he wrote for the Fate of the Jedi series, and the fourth book in the series overall.