Knight Errant: Deluge 1

Responding to an urgent plea, Kerra makes her way back to her Sith-dominated home planet to execute a bold rescue mission . . . however, her arrival on the world coincides with an ambush orchestrated by a Hutt mastermind! This conflict, along with a series of other unforeseen events, thrusts Kerra's small-scale rescue operation into a dangerous situation. She must adapt quickly—and, as always, on her own!

During the era known as the Republic Dark Age, significant portions of the Outer Rim Territories were under the control of various Sith Lords. Following its capture by the Chagras Hegemony in 1042 BBY, the planet Aquilaris Minor, situated in the Grumani sector, was governed by a succession of Sith rulers. By 1032 BBY, Aquilaris had fallen under the dominion of Lord Daiman, who exploited the planet's marine resources. Aquilaris also served as the native world of Jedi Knight Kerra Holt, who had committed herself to a knight errant's quest to wage war against the Sith. Answering a distress signal from the Seacroppers' Guild, Kerra journeyed back to her home planet, only to find it under invasion by the forces of the Hutt crime lord Zodoh, a new power player in the Grumani sector.

During the initial attack, Zodoh's military forces swiftly overwhelmed Daiman's weak defenses. Amidst the conflict, Kerra infiltrated the spaceport located at Capital Cay aboard a food transport, where she eliminated the Daimanate garrison commander. She then arrived at the Seacroppers' dormitory, encountering an elderly man named Padgett and her childhood companion Joad Kreel, who had become addicted to the spice drug known as Deluge. She quickly realized that a large portion of the Seacroppers' Guild had been affected by Deluge, leaving them in an indifferent and unmotivated state. Unable to persuade them to leave, Kerra also discovered that the distress signal was actually a coded request for more Deluge. Simultaneously, Zodoh deployed a Stormdriver, a massive starship equipped with weaponized vaporizers capable of extracting moisture from the surrounding atmosphere and generating powerful storms.

The Stormdriver caused widespread destruction to Capital Cay's seaport. Kerra diverted the Stormdriver's attention by firing a blaster at it. Subsequently, the Stormdriver was destroyed by Fire Lotus-class starfighters belonging to Grace Command, a paramilitary aid organization connected to the Galactic Republic. Zodoh issued orders for a tactical retreat, while Devil Squadron occupied Capital Cay, where they were greeted as liberators by the local population. The Devils' commander, Captain Jenn Devaad, established contact with Kerra, promising to provide food and medical assistance to the people. Kerra felt relieved to have discovered allies in her fight against the Sith.

Meanwhile, aboard his fighter carrier Voracious, Zodoh issued an ultimatum to the local Sith Lords via hologram, proposing to become their primary supplier of slaves and munitions in exchange for cooperation against Daiman. He threatened severe repercussions if they refused. He then consulted with his advisor Oon Garat, who reported that the damaged Stormdriver had successfully gathered the necessary data on Aquilaris before its destruction. Zodoh then instructed her to dispatch a courier to the Hutt capital of Nal Hutta, assuring her that the Sith would be working under his command by the time he was finished with the Grumani sector.