The confrontation known as the Skirmish on Ossus involved the forces led by Executor Sedriss QL against the Jedi Knights Luke Skywalker and Kam Solusar, along with their allies, the Ysanna. This battle resulted in the deaths of the Dark Side Adepts Sedriss and Goir, as well as the ancient Jedi Master Ood Bnar. Furthermore, it forged a new alliance between the Force-sensitive Ysanna and the New Jedi Order.
Skywalker and Solusar, following guidance from a holocron, journeyed to Ossus aboard Skywalker's new vessel, the Jedi Explorer. Ossus had previously been a significant center for Jedi learning during the Old Republic era. However, in 3996 BBY, during the Sith War, the planet suffered catastrophic damage when the Sith triggered a supernova in its sun. Consequently, Ossus became a desolate world, largely forgotten for thousands of years.
Upon their arrival, Skywalker and Solusar were ambushed by an Imperial probe droid dispatched by Sedriss. The two Jedi successfully destroyed the droid. They then traversed the planet in their T-77 Experimental Airspeeder, encountering ruins and canyons that testified to the Jedi's former presence on Ossus.
Subsequently, they came across two Force-sensitive youths bound to a tree at the bottom of a canyon. These individuals, later identified as Rayf Ysanna and Jem Ysanna, were members of the Ysanna, a tribe of warrior-shamans descended from survivors of Ossus's destruction. Luke liberated the two youths, although they initially mistook his intentions.
Following this, they encountered additional Ysanna riding large creatures. Mistaking Skywalker and Solusar for enemies, the Ysanna attacked them with arrows fired from concussion bows. This hostility was compounded by the language barrier, as the Ysanna spoke only Ysannan, while the Jedi spoke only Galactic Basic.
These Ysanna utilized the Force to telekinesis their arrows with great accuracy. Skywalker and Solusar were compelled to defend themselves using their lightsabers. Impressed by the Jedi's skill, the Ysanna ceased their attack.
Chief Okko, the tribe's leader, then confronted them, displaying his own Force abilities. The other Ysanna, including Murra, joined in, but stopped when they realized the Jedi were allies. Although Skywalker lacked C-3PO, he communicated with Chief Okko through the Force. Okko recognized them as the long-lost Jedi Knights. Regrettably, the Chief's exclamation of wonder was interrupted by the arrival of a long-range Imperial hunter.
Upon landing, the ship deployed a squad of specially trained Stormtroopers empowered by the dark side of the Force. However, the Ysanna and the two Jedi engaged them in combat. During this battle, the Force-sensitive Ysanna faced off against the elite Stormtroopers of the Imperial forces. With the assistance of Skywalker and Solusar, the Stormtroopers were defeated.
However, Sedriss and his ally Vill Goir remained and confronted the two Jedi Knights. Solusar defeated his former comrade Vill Goir permanently, while Luke used the Force to force Sedriss to his knees. In a desperate move, Sedriss seized the Ysanna girl Jem as a hostage.
Unfortunately for him, he stood near the same tree where the two Ysanna had been bound. This tree was, in fact, the Neti Jedi Master Ood Bnar. Ood used his roots to ensnare Sedriss and then employed the Force to disintegrate him. Sadly, Odd Bnar perished in the process.
On a brighter note, the explosion exposed a vault containing a collection of ancient Jedi lightsabers. Furthermore, Ood Bnar left behind a descendant. Skywalker, Solusar, Jem, and Rayf each selected a lightsaber from the vault, discovering that the weapons were still functional. Subsequently, Skywalker took Jem and Rayf Ysanna as students to initiate a new Jedi Order.
The Skirmish on Ossus made its debut in Star Wars: Dark Empire comic series, specifically issue Dark Empire II 3. Authors Tom Veitch conceived and wrote the battle. The illustrations and colors were done by colorist Cam Kennedy. Veitch utilized this event to escalate the plot, introducing the Neti Jedi Ood Bnar while eliminating Vill Goir and Sedriss.
The Skirmish on Ossus was later adapted into the Dark Empire II audio drama, where the skirmish gained a fresh dimension through the voice acting of Jim Ward (Sedriss and Kam Solusar), John Cygan (Skywalker, Goir and Okko) and Glynnis Talken (Jem Ysanna).
The Dark Empire audio drama differs from the original Dark Empire II comic in the sequence of events during the battle. In the audio version, Skywalker defeats Sedriss in a duel, rather than Sedriss being forced against Ood Bnar by the Force.