Tahiri Veila

Biography

Early life (13 ABY–22 ABY)

Tahiri's origins trace back to the desert planet of Tatooine. Like many residents of that world, her parents, Cassa and Tryst Veila, maintained a moisture farm, which is where Tahiri spent her formative years. Tragedy struck at the age of three when she was orphaned during a Tusken Raider raid. However, she was adopted by the tribe's leader, Sliven, as a gesture of gratitude for the kindness her parents had shown him. Raised as a Tusken Raider, Tahiri formed a bond with a bantha named Bangor. Displaying an aptitude for the Force, she was later discovered by Jedi Master Tionne, who brought her to Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 around the age of nine in 22 ABY.

Jedi training (22 ABY–25 ABY)

At the Praxeum, she encountered Anakin, the youngest of the Solo children, and they quickly developed a close friendship. Notably, Tahiri preferred to go barefoot, enjoying the coolness of the floors in contrast to the scorching sands of Tatooine.

During an adventure with Anakin, they stumbled upon the dilapidated Palace of the Woolamander and discovered the Golden Globe and the ancient Kushiban Jedi Master Ikrit. Ikrit revealed that the Golden Globe contained countless trapped souls and that he had previously attempted to break it, but failed.

Subsequently, Tahiri and Anakin accompanied Melodie Lyric to her homeworld of Yavin 8 for the Changing Ceremony, a significant form-altering ritual. Shortly after their arrival, they were attacked by various native predators, including an avril, a reel, several raiths, and a purella, all of which Anakin defeated. During this journey, they discovered ancient carvings within a cave on the moon, mirroring those found at the Palace of the Woolamander. These carvings revealed that the Golden Globe held the souls of the children of the Massassi, imprisoned by the Dark Lord Exar Kun in 3997 BBY. They also learned that the Globe was held together by Sith magic that could only be broken by Force-sensitive children.

However, before Tahiri and Anakin could act, Sliven demanded her return to Tatooine. Accompanied by Anakin, Tahiri rejoined her people and discovered that her biological parents were Tryst and Cassa Veila, who were also Force-sensitives and had died in a Sand People raid. The two young Jedi were forced to rely on their Force abilities to survive the harsh deserts of the Dune Sea, evade a sarlacc, befriend a Jawa clan, and defeat a krayt dragon. Following this ordeal, they returned to Yavin 4 and freed the trapped souls within the Golden Globe.

Despite this, Anakin was troubled by visions of himself as a Dark Jedi, influenced by his lineage as the grandson of Anakin Skywalker, the infamous Darth Vader, and the reborn Emperor Palpatine's earlier attempt to possess him as an infant. To confront his potential for evil, Anakin requested to visit the same cave on Dagobah where Luke Skywalker had faced his own dark side.

Before arrangements could be made, a youth named Uldir Lochett was discovered as a stowaway on the supply ship Lightning Rod. Despite his optimism, he lacked obvious Force sensitivity, possessing only hunches, a weak ability to sense Force usage, and a tendency to cause trouble. Later, Tahiri, Ikrit, and R2-D2 accompanied Anakin to Dagobah. There, they found Uldir, encountered swamp creatures, and reached the cave where Skywalker had faced his dark side. Anakin confronted and overcame manifestations of his doubts.

Later that year, the Jedi historian Tionne learned that Darth Vader had preserved Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber after their duel on the first Death Star in 0 BBY and kept it at Bast Castle on Vjun. Fearing that others might have discovered this information, she quickly informed Master Skywalker at the Jedi Praxeum. Believing it to be a simple trip for training, Tionne allowed Tahiri, Anakin, Uldir, and Ikrit to accompany her to Vjun on her personal transport, the Lore Seeker.

Upon arriving on Vjun, they discovered another vessel, fearing that another group had arrived first. After surviving Bast Castle's automated defenses and traps, they found the lightsaber on display in a protected alcove. However, a group of mercenaries and pirates led by a cloaked man named Orloc arrived, claiming to be a mage with great powers, and stole Kenobi's lightsaber.

The Jedi pursued Orloc and his henchmen through Bast Castle. During a confrontation, Orloc easily defeated Ikrit, who was without a lightsaber. He also deceived Uldir by promising to teach him Force skills. However, the other Jedi rescued Uldir and escaped Bast Castle with Kenobi's lightsaber and the holocron of the ancient Jedi Master Asli Krimsan.

Despite escaping Orloc, Uldir became obsessed with the Mage's promises and believed that he could awaken his Force powers. Uldir stole Ikrit's ship, the Sunrider (named after Nomi Sunrider), and the two Jedi artifacts recovered from Bast Castle.

Uldir eventually found Orloc at an abandoned space station called Exis Station, where Tionne had met Luke years earlier. Orloc had established his base on the moon and planned to create his own Jedi Order, deceiving others with high-tech gimmicks that simulated Force powers.

Tionne, Ikrit, Anakin, and Tahiri set out to find Uldir on the Lore Seeker and eventually located Exis Station. They tried to convince Uldir that Orloc was a fraud. The Mage attacked the four Jedi with his high-tech gimmicks, who fought back using the Force.

During the duel, Tionne was wounded, and Ikrit, who had vowed not to wield a lightsaber until he found worthy students, decided to join Anakin and Tahiri in the fight. Uldir realized that Orloc was a charlatan who used technology to deceive others. Together, the Jedi defeated Orloc, removing a threat to the growing New Jedi Order. Tahiri and her companions returned to the Jedi Praxeum, where she received Tionne's full attention whenever she wasn't teaching classes.

Yuuzhan Vong War (25 ABY–29 ABY)

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Jedi Praxeum became a target for the extragalactic Yuuzhan Vong. In 26 ABY, at the age of fourteen, Tahiri was present when the Yuuzhan Vong attacked. Following the Battle of Duro, Anakin arrived on Yavin IV to warn of an impending attack, only to find the Peace Brigade had already initiated an invasion. During the Yuuzhan Vong assault, she remained at the Academy to fight alongside Anakin and Ikrit, while the other children sought shelter. However, Tahiri was captured, and Ikrit was killed while defending her and her friends.

After the Vong seized control of the planet, they began to reshape the area, including Tahiri. Master Shaper Mezhan Kwaad and her assistant Nen Yim subjected Tahiri to shaping, transforming her into a Yuuzhan Vong hybrid and creating a new personality called Riina Kwaad. She became fluent in their language and felt compelled to fight alongside them. Her shaping was nearly complete when Anakin intervened. Tahiri killed Mezhan Kwaad, and the two escaped to Coruscant.

Due to her shaping and fluency in their language, Tahiri became a valuable asset in understanding the Vong. In 27 ABY, she, along with Anakin and Jaina Solo, provided a "know-your-enemy" briefing to Corellian Security personnel at the request of Rostek Horn, a retired CorSec director. This was partly due to her personal experience with the Yuuzhan Vong's braintwisting methods.

On her next adventure, Tahiri, Anakin, and Corran Horn traveled to Eriadu. She and Anakin aided the Rodian Jedi Kelbis Nu, who was being attacked by Peace Brigade agents. Kelbis warned them that the Yuuzhan Vong planned to target Yag'Dhul because of its location at the intersection of the Corellian Trade Spine and the Rimma Trade Route.

They were arrested by Eriaduan judicials under a Human male named Lieutenant Themion. He interrogated them separately, and when Anakin refused to cooperate, Themion assaulted him. Sensing this through the Force, Tahiri, enraged, broke out of her cell and stormed Anakin's cell.

Under the influence of the Riina Kwaad personality and wielding a blaster, Tahiri shouted Do-ro'ik vong pratte before throwing Themion against the wall. She then handcuffed him with his own stun cuffs. Another guard entered the cell, but Anakin knocked him out, giving the two Jedi enough time to escape and reclaim their lightsabers.

They fought through more judicials outside the prison, hijacked a police speeder, and eventually reached the spaceport, escaping off-world with Corran Horn on their transport, the Lucre. During the journey to Yag'Dhul, the three Jedi swapped the Lucre for a stolen Yuuzhan Vong Yorik-stronha (spy ship-analogue), which they christened Stalking Moon. Upon arriving at Yag'Dhul, they successfully warned the native mathematical Givin of the impending invasion of their planet. The Givin decompressed the space station to kill the Vong, forcing Tahiri and Anakin into a storage locker. Facing what seemed like the end, they shared their first kiss, marking the development of their friendship into something more. They were later rescued by Corran, while the combined Givin/New Republic fleet drove back the extragalactic invaders.

One of Tahiri's most significant missions was the one she undertook with other Jedi Knights to Myrkr to destroy the voxyn queen. It was here that she witnessed the death of Anakin, which devastated her and plunged her into a deep depression.

Despite this, Tahiri accompanied Masters Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker to Yuuzhan Vong-occupied Coruscant, playing a crucial role in defeating the dark side entity known as Lord Nyax.

Tahiri was recognized as a Jedi Knight in a ceremony on Mon Calamari before the Battle of Ebaq 9. She also led her own X-wing squadron, the Barefoot Squadron.

However, her greatest trial with the Yuuzhan Vong came from within. When Han and Leia Organa Solo took her and Jaina Solo to reestablish communications with regions of the galaxy that the Galactic Alliance had lost contact with, the Riina personality resurfaced. The resulting mental turmoil caused Tahiri to enter a catatonic state, where the two personalities battled for control. Eventually, both personalities realized that the only way for both to survive was to merge, creating a new person. However, her loyalty remained with the Galactic Alliance.

Following this, Tahiri teamed up with Corran Horn in extracting Nen Yim, the priest Harrar, and the prophet Yu'shaa from Coruscant and bringing them to Zonama Sekot. During this time, Tahiri asked Corran to be her Jedi apprentice to help complete her training, and he agreed on an interim basis until they could get Luke Skywalker's approval. She also participated in the Battle of Yuuzhan'tar at the end of the war, mastering the Vongsense taught to her by Jacen and using it to aid the Galactic Alliance.

Dark Nest Crisis (35 ABY–36 ABY)

After the recapture of Coruscant, and following the relocation of the Yuuzhan Vong to the living planet Zonama Sekot, Tahiri chose to remain on that planet. She joined Tekli and Danni Quee in assisting the Vong in adapting to their new environment. However, while trying to resolve a dispute between the Extolled and the Warriors in La'oiko, she experienced a mysterious Force-based summons originating from the Unknown Regions.

Tahiri, along with other members who survived the Myrkr strike team, embarked on a journey to uncover the source of this call. They discovered that it was the being who had once been their Jedi comrade, Raynar Thul. He was believed to have perished at Myrkr, but had been transformed into the Prime Unu, the central figure of the hive-minded Killik species. Influenced by the Prime Unu's manipulation of the Myrkr battle meld, she, along with Tekli, Jaina Solo, Alema Rar, Zekk, Lowbacca, and Tesar Sebatyne, were compelled to join the Killiks. She became a "Joiner," an individual influenced and controlled by the Colony through Force and pheromonal manipulation that profoundly altered brain structure.

Similar to how Jaina and Zekk formed a dyad within the Joiner meld, Tahiri seemed to have established a bond with Tesar Sebatyne and Lowbacca. As the Killik conflict drew to a close, Tesar and Lowbacca informed Aryn Dro Thul, Raynar's mother and the owner of the powerful Bornaryn Trading corporation, about Raynar's survival. Luke Skywalker considered this a betrayal of the Jedi Order, as it undermined his efforts to unite the Knights as Grand Master. Consequently, he exiled all three of them to Dagobah, instructing them to meditate on the meaning of being a Jedi. Luke stated that he would summon them once he felt they were ready to rejoin the order, and that they were not to depart until they received that summons. In a later discussion with Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, Jacen inadvertently revealed his knowledge of Tesar and Lowbacca's actions when he learned that Tahiri had also been exiled, despite Luke keeping the reason for the trio's exile a secret. Jacen admitted that Tahiri had informed him about Tesar and Lowbacca's activities, leading Luke to accuse him of using her to spy on fellow Jedi.

Second Galactic Civil War (40 ABY–41 ABY)

On the path to the dark side

In 40 ABY, Tahiri Veila returned from her exile. This coincided with the galaxy's descent into another civil war, triggered by a Corellian-led secessionist movement that threatened the dominance of the Galactic Alliance. To combat the growing threat posed by the Corellians and their allies, Veila was placed in command of Team Tauntaun, which included Tiu Zax and Doran Sarkin-Tainer. Their mission was to forcibly remove the Corellian Head of State, Thrackan Sal-Solo, from power. Simultaneously, Team Purella attempted to capture Aidel Saxan, the Prime Minister of the Five World. However, the mission was jeopardized when an unknown traitor leaked information about the Alliance's plan to the Corellians. Anticipating the Jedi's objectives, YVH droids were deployed to protect Corellia's secessionist leaders. Despite this unexpected setback, Veila's team managed to salvage a minor victory from a major defeat when Tiu remained in Sal-Solo's mansion to provide the Alliance with valuable intelligence from behind enemy lines. Although Veila was hesitant to abandon Tiu, the Jedi were compelled to minimize their losses and retreat to Coruscant.

Unbeknownst to the Jedi Order at the time, Jacen Solo had pledged his loyalty to the Sith after undergoing the teachings of Lumiya, the self-proclaimed Dark Lady. Solo believed that Veila would be a more valuable apprentice than his younger cousin, Ben Skywalker. However, Lumiya disagreed, arguing that Grand Master Luke Skywalker's son would be a more suitable disciple for Jacen Solo. She did not believe Veila would be able to fully commit to the Sith cause.

After killing his aunt, Mara Jade Skywalker, which subsequently led to Lumiya's death at the hands of Luke Skywalker, Jacen completed his training and transformed into Darth Caedus, the new Dark Lord of the Sith. Despite his master's lack of faith in Tahiri Veila, Caedus still saw potential in her, but only if he could persuade her to abandon her allegiance to the Jedi Order. Therefore, he approached her on the anniversary of Anakin Solo's death, knowing that she would be emotionally vulnerable due to her lingering affection for his deceased brother.

Using a rare Force technique called Flow-walking, Darth Caedus allowed Tahiri Veila to witness a specific moment in their shared past—specifically, her experience on the Baanu Rass during the Myrkr mission and her last encounter with Anakin Solo. Caedus claimed that he wanted to give Veila a second chance to give Anakin the final kiss that she had denied him, while also acknowledging the potential dangers of tampering with time itself. However, Caedus' true motives were far from altruistic. Just as she encouraged her past self to give Anakin a farewell kiss, Caedus abruptly ended the flow-walking session, causing her immense anguish. He further amplified her emotional pain, intending to push her toward the dark side, by reminding Veila that she had allowed Anakin to die without ever confessing her love for him.

Darth Caedus' scheme worked perfectly, as he had anticipated. Driven by a desire to see Anakin again through flow-walking into the past, Veila became determined to gain the Dark Lord's favor in any way possible. Consequently, she willingly submitted to Caedus, who successfully corrupted her to become his spy within the Jedi Order. In exchange for her services, Caedus promised more flow-walking sessions so that Veila could repeatedly see Anakin. Simultaneously, he carefully cultivated Veila's addiction by never fully satisfying her, thereby increasing her dependence on him—as well as her willingness to carry out his orders. Throughout their time together, Darth Caedus and Tahiri Veila grew closer and may have engaged in a physical relationship, although without any romantic feelings for each other.

Tahiri Veila proved to be a valuable asset to Darth Caedus, particularly in her role as his spy within the Jedi Order. She was among the seventy Jedi StealthX wing pilots that Luke Skywalker organized after deciding to commit the Order to fighting alongside the Galactic Alliance against the Corellian separatists. Flying with Saba Sebatyne's squadron, the Night Blades, Veila participated in the Second Battle of Balmorra and the early stages of the Battle of Kuat. Simultaneously, she effectively used her role as a spy by relaying information about Jedi activities to Caedus. Before accompanying the Jedi to Kashyyyk, she informed the Dark Lord about Skywalker's intentions to withdraw the Order from the conflict, due to his disillusionment with the Galactic Alliance's conduct in the war.

During the Battle of Kashyyyk, Veila witnessed the initial stages of Caedus' orbital bombardment of the Wookiee homeworld. She departed while the battle was still ongoing to pursue Caedus' parents, Han and Leia Organa Solo, as they traveled to Hapes. When she attempted to arrest them as traitors to the Galactic Alliance, Veila engaged Leia in a brief duel until they were interrupted by the Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo. As a result of her actions, Veila inadvertently turned Tenel Ka and the entire Hapes Consortium against Darth Caedus. Before being unceremoniously removed from the planet by the Hapans, Veila was arrested, despite her protests, and her StealthX was confiscated by Hapan authorities.

Caedus was well aware that Veila's loyalty to him stemmed primarily from her obsession with flow-walking—and, by extension, Anakin Solo—rather than any genuine commitment to his personal vision of the future. Nevertheless, her dependence on Caedus generally benefited him, mainly because Veila worked harder to gain the Dark Lord's approval by taking initiatives without his direct orders. After her return to the Galactic Alliance, Caedus continued to flow-walk with Veila back to key moments in Anakin's life as a means of further securing her loyalty to him. Although he still hoped to use her as a spy within the Order, the Jedi eventually discovered Veila's new allegiance, effectively ending her role as an undercover agent before she could uncover the location of the Jedi's secret base.

Sith apprentice

After failing to turn Ben Skywalker into a Sith apprentice, Darth Caedus shifted his focus to Tahiri Veila, who quickly replaced Skywalker as Caedus' primary subordinate. Caedus acknowledged Veila's intellectual cunning, general competence, and trustworthiness as a confidante. Veila made an effort to act more formally around the Dark Lord, who became a Joint-Chief of State alongside Admiral Cha Niathal, and began offering her own input during their strategic discussions regarding the war. Furthermore, Caedus even admitted to himself that he enjoyed Veila's company more than Skywalker's.

Together, the Sith Lord and his prospective apprentice traveled to Fondor aboard the Anakin Solo, a GAG Star Destroyer named in honor of Caedus' deceased brother. The purpose of their visit to Fondor, a world that had abandoned the Galactic Alliance to join the rebellious Confederation, was for Caedus to personally assess Veila's resolve and strength of will to become a true Sith. By that point, he had grown tired of her persistent refusal to let go of Anakin Solo. He also resented her for making him indulge her childish romantic fantasies with Anakin solely to secure her loyalty. Consequently, Caedus was more determined than ever to break Veila's incessant longing for a dead boy that she could never have.

As a squadron of Fondorian starfighters approached the Anakin Solo, Caedus ordered the shields to be deactivated, leaving his flagship, including everyone on board, in a vulnerable position. He then informed Veila that the fate of their Star Destroyer and all the lives within it rested in her hands; she alone had to decide whether to fire on the Fondorians or risk allowing them to attack first. Although there was a possibility that the Fondorians were simply cautiously investigating the Alliance vessel, rather than intending to launch an attack, Caedus made sure that Veila understood that hundreds of the Anakin Solo's crew were in danger of being killed if the Fondorians decided to open fire on their defenseless target. Despite her initial hesitation and indecision, the Fondorians' increasingly close proximity to the Anakin Solo prompted her to order the destruction of the starfighters. With Veila's decision made, Caedus ordered a hasty retreat to Coruscant. Even though she potentially saved many lives aboard the Star Destroyer and further impressed Darth Caedus, Veila was haunted by her choice since she killed an entire squadron that did not provoke an attack by striking first.

Upon their return to Coruscant, Caedus decided to test Veila even further to determine if she would be a worthy apprentice. At Niathal's insistence that military assets should only be used by enlisted personnel, Caedus formally recruited Veila as a junior lieutenant within the Galactic Alliance Guard. As a result of her new role, Lieutenant Tahiri Veila wore a dark blue uniform with black military-issued boots, despite her personal discomfort with footwear. She even styled her hair to better conform to military standards. Although she had not yet convinced Caedus that she could be a better apprentice than Ben Skywalker, she had earned enough of his trust to be entrusted with new responsibilities. In addition to her role as his spy, Veila also became Caedus' representative to the Imperial Remnant.

After traveling to Bastion, Veila personally met with Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon at the Imperial Palace of Ravelin. Although she personally believed that her master should focus more on gaining the support of the Moff Council, Caedus knew that he needed to convince Pellaeon since the Moffs were unwilling to act without his approval. Despite the fact that Pellaeon despised Darth Caedus and the Yuuzhan Vong, which Veila unintentionally reminded him of, he was pleasantly surprised to see the young woman hold her own in a conversation with him. Her strategy was simple and direct—discuss the advantages that the Imperials' small Empire could gain in the long run by joining forces with the Alliance. Both Veila and Pellaeon knew that the Moffs wanted to accept Caedus' offer, and it was only a matter of time before even the Grand Admiral himself would have to give in to their wishes. When Pellaeon asked for more details about the proposed arrangements between the Alliance and the Remnant, information which Veila did not possess, Veila quickly recovered by reminding the Grand Admiral that she was only on Bastion to propose the initial offer; the details had to be worked out with the two Joint-Chiefs of State. Although it would be a while before Pellaeon agreed to unite the Remnant with the Alliance as an allied force, Caedus was well pleased with Veila's performance on Bastion and even congratulated her.

Although she disappointed Caedus with her inability to locate the Jedi's secret base, Veila continued to dedicate herself to the task. Ironically, she correctly guessed that Luke Skywalker would settle on his old base at Endor, but Caedus refused to believe that his uncle would risk being so obvious, and thus he missed his opportunity to eliminate the Jedi in one swift stroke by failing to take Veila's opinion seriously. As time passed, Veila grew closer to Caedus as his right-hand and sole confidante. She witnessed more interactions between Caedus and Niathal, which initially baffled her given the obvious contempt that the two Joint-Chiefs of State felt towards each other; she became privy to more of the Dark Lord's plans and inner thoughts, all of which he confided in her; she also practically served as the gatekeeper for access to Darth Caedus, at least when he was off in seclusion. Some of the Anakin Solo's crew began to suspect that Caedus and Veila were romantically involved with each other; Niathal saw their relationship as more of a "gang boss and junior henchman" nature. In Niathal's eyes, Darth Caedus was a natural leader on the battlefield and in politics; Tahiri Veila served as his fixer, messenger, and spy.

Just before the commencement of the Second Battle of Fondor, Darth Caedus boarded the Imperial Star Destroyer Bloodfin for a senior staff session with Niathal and Pellaeon; Tahiri Veila remained close at his side. Due to the animosity that he sensed from his two "allies," Caedus felt that it was imperative to keep a close watch on the activities of both Niathal and Pellaeon. But since his focus would have to be completely directed at Fondor for the battle, he would have to rely on Veila to act as his eyes and ears. As Joint-Chief of State and a popular leader within the Galactic Alliance, Caedus could count on the loyalty of his own people, more so than he could with the Imperial Remnant, especially when it was under the control of a man who utterly loathed him. Thus, he decided to leave Veila in the Bloodfin where she would serve as a liaison while also spying on the Alliance's Imperial allies. Pellaeon grudgingly acquiesced to allowing Veila to remain on his flagship, but was nevertheless mistrustful of the woman he regarded as Caedus' own personal villip. Before returning to the Anakin Solo, Caedus discreetly instructed Veila to remain vigilant of the Grand Admiral's actions. If Pellaeon interfered with Caedus' plan in any way during the fighting, then Veila was required to stop him by any means necessary—including lethal force. Veila felt slightly averse to a seemingly callous order, yet she remained committed to the Dark Lord's cause and assured that she would do her duty to the extreme when absolutely necessary.

In a last-ditch attempt to ensure that Veila was truly dedicated to his side once and for all, Caedus stated that all of his actions, including the morally questionable ones, were aimed at forging a galaxy where heroes like Anakin Solo did not have to die long before their time. Under his guidance, the Galactic Alliance would become a force that was so powerful that no enemy could ever unleash the same level of devastation that the Yuuzhan Vong brought to the galaxy. As Caedus left to return to his own Star Destroyer, he was slightly disturbed by the parting shot that Veila gave him. He was disturbed when he realized that Veila was far more aware than he originally believed; she knew that he was manipulating her fixation with his brother. Although he was unsure as to whether Veila truly believed in a Sith government, or if she was more ambitious than he thought, Caedus was pleased to see that his prospective apprentice finally developed the cunning intellect of a Sith—an advantage at his complete disposal.

When Niathal betrayed Caedus in an attempt to undermine his authority by unilaterally declaring a cease fire with Fondor, without even consulting her own colleague first, the Galactic Alliance Defense Force became literally split in two when its personnel were forced to choose sides between the two Joint-Chiefs of State. But since Caedus was far more popular with the soldiers, as opposed to much less charismatic Niathal, the Dark Lord retained the greater half of the Galactic Alliance's war fleets, thus leaving Niathal with only a small minority of supporters. Even though Caedus preserved the official Galactic Alliance under his control, Pellaeon allowed his personal opinion of the Dark Lord to influence his decision to support Niathal and her fellow traitors. The senior Moff commanders on the Bloodfin strongly objected to Pellaeon's betrayal of Darth Caedus; Veila shared their concerns and became determined to convince the Grand Admiral to re-commit the Remnant to Caedus' cause.

When Pellaeon retired to his personal cabin, leaving a seething group of Moffs quietly outraged over his decision, Tahiri Veila followed him in a final attempt to change the old Imperial's mind. She argued that the suffering in the war would increase to unprecedented levels if the Alliance was allowed to destroy itself from within. If Darth Caedus was removed from power, then the Alliance would revert back to its self-destructive nature that enabled the Corellian secessionist movement to get out of hand in the first place. When Pellaeon refused to listen to reason, a frustrated Veila drew her GA-issue officer's blaster and implored him to reconsider his decision. At that moment, she finally admitted to her faith in Darth Caedus and his ability to bring absolute victory to the Galactic Alliance. Like him, she also believed that Fondor had to be made an example of in order to show the rest of the galaxy just how committed the Alliance was to establishing a firm government of order and unity. In order to do so, all threats to the Galactic Alliance had to be neutralized for good, starting with Fondor. Though she knew that the Moffs would be glad to be rid of such a thorn in their side, Veila felt obliged to offer the Grand Admiral one last chance to live in exchange for joining Caedus. When Pelleaon gave his answer by signaling the Imperial fleet to side with Niathal, Veila shot him through the chest without hesitation. As she and the Moffs watched him slowly succumb to his fatal wound, the Moffs quickly assumed overall command and directed the Remnant back to Caedus' side. With the exception of the Bloodfin's crew and the Maw Irregular Fleet of Admiral Natasi Daala, the vast majority of the Imperial Remnant ignored the Grand Admiral's dying wish and threw their support behind the Dark Lord of the Sith.

As soon as Veila established contact with the Anakin Solo, assuring her Imperial Dark Lord of continued allegiance to the rightful Alliance, Darth Caedus commended her for preventing the Galactic Alliance's downfall. He also expressed satisfaction with her lack of zeal in killing an elder statesman like Pellaeon, despite it being a heroic sacrifice intended to save many lives. This demonstrated to him that Veila's killings were born of necessity, not pleasure, a crucial trait for a Sith to avoid becoming a megalomaniac like Darth Sidious. Beyond maintaining control of the Alliance, Caedus achieved another personal triumph: his arduous search for a worthy apprentice had concluded. After a final mental assessment of Tahiri Veila, Darth Caedus deemed her ready to stand beside him, formally recognizing her as his apprentice. With the Sith Order restored to two active Sith Lords, adhering to Darth Bane's Rule of Two, Caedus pledged to rescue his new disciple, even at the cost of his own life.

Upon his return to Coruscant, Darth Caedus solidified his position as the supreme Chief of State of the legitimate Galactic Alliance, while Niathal and her supporters were officially branded as traitors by the government. As the Dark Lord tightened his grip on Coruscant through the clandestine police operations of the Galactic Alliance Guard, his apprentice resumed her pursuit of Luke Skywalker and his fugitive Jedi. Veila took the initiative again when she disobeyed her master and searched Endor. Her hunch that Skywalker would use one of his old bases from the Galactic Civil War proved correct, contrary to Caedus' initial belief, but she was too late. The Jedi had already moved to a new secret location, forcing her to continue the hunt for her former allies.

Darth Caedus' enforcer

To uncover Darth Caedus' location, Ben Skywalker led a Jedi team to Coruscant to meet his contact face-to-face. Captain Lon Shevu, Skywalker's friend and informant within the Galactic Alliance Guard, subtly revealed to the Jedi that Caedus was stationed on Nickel One. However, Skywalker then realized that he had been exposed by the Guard's intelligence network. During the resulting clash in Galactic City, Skywalker and Shevu feigned a fight to protect the captain's cover. Their charade was interrupted when Lieutenant Tahiri Veila, brandishing her lightsaber, charged at them, followed closely by a squad of GAG troopers and commandos. As Skywalker defended himself against the Guard's shock troops, Veila seized the opportunity to incapacitate the young Jedi. Shevu, also knocked unconscious during the confrontation, was loaded onto the Doomsled alongside Skywalker. Leia Organa Solo and her daughter, Jaina, attempted to rescue Skywalker by pursuing the Doomsled, but Veila anticipated their move and activated a gas trap via voice command to stop her master's mother and sister. Although they survived an ambush by GAG troopers, the two Solos were forced to abandon their rescue attempt to escape Coruscant.

While Darth Caedus oversaw the war's progress from the front lines, Tahiri Veila remained on Coruscant, where she began interrogating her Jedi prisoner. In an effort to extract information about the Jedi Order's secret base from Ben Skywalker, Veila resorted to torture to compel his cooperation. When torture proved ineffective, she turned to another interrogation method: seduction. But when Skywalker resisted Veila's advances, the female Sith Lord revealed her final card: Lon Shevu. She had known for some time that Shevu was a traitor working with the Jedi, and she used him as bait to capture Skywalker. However, when Veila threatened Skywalker's friend's life, she inadvertently overextended her powers—amplified by the dark side—by electrocuting Shevu to death. Veila was horrified by her actions and tried unsuccessfully to revive the captain. Skywalker exploited Veila's distraction to break free of his restraints, incapacitating the Sith long enough to escape from Coruscant.

Shortly after Skywalker's escape, Veila departed Coruscant to rejoin her master, who was in the midst of interrogating the Mandalorian prisoner Mirta Gev aboard the Anakin Solo. Although she had to report her failure to discover the location of the Jedi Order's secret base, Veila was pleased to announce that Prince Isolder had been captured and might possess knowledge of the Jedi's hiding place. To her surprise, however, Caedus explained how he had succeeded where Veila had failed. Using a blood trail secretly placed on Jaina Solo during the First Battle of Roche, Caedus had discovered that the Jedi had relocated their base of operations to the planet Shedu Maad.

Regarding Caedus' desire to learn which Jedi were part of Gev's strike team, the Dark Lord sought his apprentice's advice on how to make the prisoner more compliant. Thinking practically, Veila understood that torture and death threats were unlikely to work on Gev, mainly due to the excessive pride that Mandalorians possessed. However, she also recognized that such ego, amplified by Gev's physical vanity, could be exploited. She suggested that disfigurement could have the desired effect on Gev. Yet mere humiliation would not suffice; Veila explained that Gev would have to be utterly mutilated to destroy her beauty, making her an object of pity. Although Veila's suggestion instilled great fear in Gev, the Mandalorian refused to cooperate, leading Caedus to realize that the threat of disfigurement alone was unlikely to be effective.

The Sith Lords' interrogation of Gev was interrupted by the arrival of a female Human lieutenant, wearing a medic uniform with a Remnant insignia, escorted by a GAG trooper. Although Caedus ordered the Imperial officer to leave until he had finished examining Gev, Veila inquired about her reason for seeing the prisoner. After struggling to overcome her fear of Caedus, the lieutenant explained that the Moff Council wanted her to collect a sample of Gev's blood to create a nanovirus that would target and kill everyone related by blood to Boba Fett and his family. Veila's questioning of the lieutenant's intentions succeeded in breaking Gev's silence, and she agreed to cooperate if Caedus promised to heal her and prevent the creation of the nanovirus.

Although Veila sensed that Gev was truthful in saying that Jaina Solo was the only Jedi in her strike team, Caedus refused to believe that Luke Skywalker had not been present during his duel with Solo. Unaware that Skywalker had used the Force to deceive Caedus, Gev could not convince the Dark Lord that Solo was the only Jedi physically present during the battle. As a result of Gev's initial honesty, Caedus agreed to heal her injuries but also allowed the Imperial lieutenant to draw a blood sample from Gev. The lieutenant then informed the two Sith Lords that the nanovirus would be completed in one to three days before being deployed to Mandalore, ensuring that neither Fett nor his progeny would ever be able to return to the Mandalorian homeworld. Caedus, seeking to strengthen his influence over the Imperial Remnant, ordered Veila to instruct the Moff Council to create a command committee under his guidance to better coordinate Alliance and Remnant forces.

Dissatisfaction

Shortly after Ben Skywalker's escape from Coruscant, Tahiri Veila left the Galactic Capital and met with Darth Caedus as the Second Galactic Civil War neared its end. Using a blood trail that Caedus had subtly placed on Jaina Solo at the Second Battle of Roche, he successfully located the Jedi Order's secret base by tracking his twin sister to Shedu Maad. From the bridge of the Anakin Solo, the Dark Lord and his apprentice oversaw the assault on the Jedi and their allies with a mixed fleet of Alliance and Imperial starships.

Although the Jedi squadron of StealthX fighters failed to eliminate their primary target, Darth Caedus, the Anakin Solo suffered extensive damage to its hull and structural integrity; the bridge itself was nearly destroyed by a powerful shadow bomb. During a meeting between the two Sith Lords and the Moff Council, Alliance and Imperial commanders grew increasingly concerned about the enemy's strength and resistance. However, Caedus reassured them that their losses were insignificant because the war would ultimately end in their favor—a result he had personally foreseen in a vision of his daughter's future. Nevertheless, Veila suggested that her master could prevent such losses by altering the past using the flow-walk ability.

Caedus, having already achieved his goal of converting Veila to the dark side, revealed the true nature of flow-walking to his apprentice: the technique was incapable of altering time. He had merely allowed Veila to believe that the past could be changed through flow-walking, even encouraging her misconception, so that she would willingly submit to his service. Even though Veila had influenced her younger self to kiss Anakin Solo just before his death, the altered event did not actually occur in the timeline. The flow-ability only allowed Veila to alter her perception of the past, but changing anything that had already happened was impossible.

Veila was utterly shocked and enraged by Caedus' betrayal of her trust. From the beginning of their association, Veila's support for Caedus had been primarily driven by her belief in the possibilities of flow-walking. By serving Caedus with loyalty and devotion, she had hoped to eventually learn the technique so that she could return to the past and prevent Anakin's death. The revelation of her master's deception left Veila bitter and resentful towards Caedus. She had abandoned her life as a Jedi, betrayed the Order, and committed murder, all for her Sith Master. Yet her primary motivation had been based on a lie. Despite the obvious rift that had formed between master and apprentice, Caedus simply told Veila to embrace her anger and hatred to become even more immersed in the power of the dark side. Although Veila ultimately remained loyal to Caedus, her commitment to his cause was severely weakened, and her resolve as a Sith diminished.

Duel with Ben Skywalker

While Darth Caedus remained aboard the Anakin Solo with the Moffs, Tahiri Veila was sent to the surface of Shedu Maad with stormtroopers from the Imperial Elite Guard. Their mission was to infiltrate and destroy the Jedi base using a baradium bomb. However, she and her troopers were intercepted by Ben Skywalker, Taryn Zel, and a squad of elite Hapan soldiers. Her stormtroopers managed to distract their opponents long enough for Veila to escape into a tunnel and continue her mission; Skywalker pursued her to prevent the base's destruction.

As the Grand Master's son and the Dark Lord's apprentice fought, Veila's concentration faltered, and her attacks failed to harm Skywalker, who began to suspect that Veila was trying to get herself killed. Sensing Veila's doubt and uncertainty, Skywalker seized an opportunity to reason with the emotionally disturbed Veila. He attempted to turn her against Darth Caedus, first by urging Veila to reconsider her decision to detonate the bomb. He also argued that, despite everything she had done in service to the Dark Lord, Veila was not a Sith at heart. Veila, emotionally and spiritually exhausted, yielded to Skywalker's psychological pressure and stopped her attack.

Burdened by the guilt of her actions as Caedus' spy and apprentice, combined with her disillusionment with the true nature of flow-walking, Tahiri Veila renounced her allegiance to Darth Caedus and the Sith. However, she also refused to return to the Jedi Order and considered disappearing from public life. But when Skywalker sympathetically offered to lie on Veila's behalf to cover her escape, she suddenly changed her mind and rejected Skywalker's offer. It was her master's lie, along with her lingering emotional attachment to Anakin Solo, that had led her down the path of the dark side. Instead, she surrendered unconditionally and, prepared to face the consequences of her actions, was taken into Jedi custody.

Around the same time, Jaina Solo infiltrated the Anakin Solo and engaged her twin brother in a final duel. Despite suffering near-fatal injuries, Solo ultimately killed Darth Caedus in cold blood by stabbing him through the heart. With the master's death and the apprentice's rejection of the dark side, Lumiya's Sith Order was dismantled, and the Second Galactic Civil War ended. Through negotiation and a strong show of force, both the Imperial Remnant and the Confederation agreed to end the conflict. The Galactic Alliance maintained its dominance throughout the galaxy, and the Jedi's fugitive status was revoked, allowing the Order to reestablish its main presence on Coruscant.

During her time in custody, Veila provided the Jedi and their allies with information about the final actions of Darth Caedus and the Moffs just before the war's conclusion. Through the former Sith apprentice, the Jedi learned that Mandalore had been infected with a planet-wide virus of nano-killers. The virus was programmed to target and kill anyone related by blood to the Fett genome. Consequently, neither Boba Fett nor his granddaughter, Mirta Gev, could return to the Mandalorian homeworld without facing certain death.

Bounty hunter (41 ABY—43 ABY)

Reconstructing an identity

Two years after Darth Caedus' death, his former Sith apprentice, Tahiri Veila, grappled with uncertainty about her purpose in life. She had lost Anakin Solo, abandoned her life as a Jedi, and betrayed the Order; she had fallen to the dark side, become a disciple to a Sith Lord, and killed many people in his name. Her guilt led her to reject the idea of rejoining the Jedi Order, as she felt unworthy of redemption. Instead, Veila chose to become a bounty hunter, taking the time to reconcile with her actions during the Second Galactic Civil War.

Around the same time, the Jedi Order was increasingly threatened by Caedus' successor, the openly Anti-Jedi Natasi Daala. As the new Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance, Daala's administration implemented policies that restricted the Order's freedom. When political pressure forced Luke Skywalker to relinquish his title as Grand Master and leave Coruscant in exile, the Jedi sought to discreetly retaliate against Daala to protect themselves from her harsh measures. Jaina Solo founded the clandestine organization known as Darkmeld, composed of several members of the Order. Among the Jedi asked to join, Solo sought to recruit the former Jedi Tahiri Veila in person.

Although Veila agreed to join Darkmeld, she adamantly refused Solo's attempts to convince her to return to the Jedi Order. Even though she was no longer an official member of the Order, the Daala administration sought to assign an observer to her, as part of Daala's plan to monitor Jedi activities through government-appointed observers. When she refused to have Trinnolt Makken, or anyone else, as her observer, Veila was put on trial in the Ninth Hall of Justice to defend herself against the Anti-Jedi laws.

Nawara Ven, a former pilot of Rogue Squadron and Veila's attorney, argued that his client was not bound by the restrictions on the Jedi Order simply because of her connection to the Force. The Court of Justice, led by Chief Justice Uved Pledesin, ultimately sided with Veila, stating that it was not feasible to monitor the entire Jedi Order, its former members, and everyone else with a strong affinity for the Force. The outcome of Veila's trial, combined with the Court's rejection of Daala's attempt to impose limitations on ex-Jedi through "guilt by association," was celebrated as a victory for the Jedi Order. It also demonstrated that Daala had not yet gained absolute control over the legal system. Shortly afterward, Veila reconnected with Dab Hantaq, a fellow veteran of the Yuuzhan Vong War and an observer assigned to Jaina Solo. She was visibly disturbed to see Hantaq, who was secretly infatuated with her, after so many years, due to his surgically-induced resemblance to Anakin Solo.

When Seff Hellin, a rogue Jedi suffering from Force psychosis, attempted to infiltrate the Armand Isard Correctional Facility to rescue Valin Horn, Veila accompanied Jaina Solo and a team of Darkmeld agents to capture Hellin. Their goal was to apprehend an infected Jedi to determine the cause of the mysterious disease and hopefully develop a cure. After considerable effort, Veila and her team succeeded in their mission, though not without arousing the suspicions of the Daala regime.

Imprisonment and legal proceedings

Not long after the capture of Seff Hellin, Tahiri Veila relinquished her membership within Darkmeld. As Jaina Solo found it necessary to make concessions to Chief Daala, such as divulging the identities of those involved in the clandestine organization within the Jedi Order, Veila's name was omitted due to her having already resigned from Darkmeld. Nevertheless, while at her residence, Veila was confronted by Galactic Alliance military officials, who placed the former Sith apprentice under arrest, accusing her of the assassination of the late Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon two years prior.

She was subjected to a trial in the Court of Jedi Affairs, presided over by Galactic Alliance Judge Arabelle Lorteli. Lorteli forbade the Twi'lek lawyer Nawara Ven from continuing to assist Veila in the case, as he had during a prior trial. Ven's position was temporarily filled by the Bith Mardek Mool, who endeavored to defend his client based on the premise that she was acting under the directives of Darth Caedus. However, when Mool attempted to persuade Veila to spy on the Jedi Order for Chief of State Natasi Daala in exchange for leniency, Veila dismissed her lawyer, refusing to betray the Jedi for a second time.

Ironically, Daala's efforts to convict Veila on the basis of her complicity in Caedus' ascent to power were viewed as hypocritical; military personnel such as former Admiral Cha Niathal were not being targeted despite their collaboration with the deceased Sith Lord, revealing Daala's Anti-Jedi sentiments. Daala attempted to counter the growing criticism against her by arresting Niathal, which in turn led to the Mon Calamari's death by [suicide.

Concurrently, Jaina Solo convinced Imperial Head of State Jagged Fel to secure a more competent defense attorney for Tahiri Veila. Consequently, Fel arranged for the Bothan Eramuth Bwua'tu, uncle of Admiral Nek Bwua'tu, to defend Veila against the Daala-influenced court. The Chagrian lawyer represented the Galactic Alliance as the prosecutor in the case, and after Lorteli was dismissed by Daala due to the Jedi Order's significant public support, the Falleen Judge Mavari Zudan was appointed to preside over the remainder of the trial.

With Bwua'tu as her lawyer, Veila began to make progress in the court. Throughout the trial, the Jedi Order stood steadfast in support of their former Knight, regardless of her former allegiance to Darth Caedus and her betrayal of the Jedi. But even with the support of her former comrades and Jagged Fel, Veila felt worried about her position, especially when Bwua'tu informed her that the prosecution had a strong case against her. Hence, unable to deny that she had indeed murdered Pellaeon, Veila's defense had to be based on the argument that she was not in the right state of mind during her time as Caedus' protégé. Like his predecessor, Bwua'tu asserted that his client was bound by military duty to obey her superior officer's orders. In order to evoke an emotional response from Veila, he contacted Dab Hantaq to make an appearance at the trial. Even though she was unsettled and upset to see the man who resembled Anakin Solo, her lawyer's plan succeeded in garnering the sympathy of the jury.

However, an audio recording was eventually recovered of her final conversation with Pellaeon right before she killed him, again turning the jury against her. Meanwhile, after an attack on Nek Bwua'tu left the Admiral in a coma, Veila began to fear that Eramuth was too distracted to properly carry out her defense, and, despite Eramuth's insistence to the contrary, took on the support of an additional lawyer, Sardonne Sardon. Bwua'tu attempted to withdraw from the case, but Judge Zudan denied him; Bwua'tu then became increasingly disinterested in the trial. The addition of a second attorney ultimately harmed Veila's case as her two lawyers' different methods impeded her chances of passing the trial on the pretense of obeying orders. She then fired Sardon after realizing that Bwua'tu worked better alone. She soon learned that his acts of incompetence were to make Veila look good and not so much like a fool. He then released a holovid recorded on the Bloodfin as evidence to prove that Veila had indeed acted on a direct order from her master when she executed Pellaeon during the Second Battle of Fondor.

Insurrection and liberation

As the legal proceedings against Tahiri Veila drew to a conclusion in the year 44 ABY, she awaited the jury's decision. Simultaneously, Grand Master Saba Sebatyne, in her capacity as Acting leader, collaborated with the Jedi Council to devise a strategy for removing Chief Daala from power before her administration could fully turn against the Jedi Order. With the implementation of Plan Delta, the Jedi launched an assault on the Executive Building, swiftly apprehending Daala before her security forces could mount a defense against the coup. Following the establishment of an agreement with the elected officials of the Galactic Alliance Senate, the majority of whom welcomed Daala's removal and her stringent leadership style, the Triumvirate was formed as a provisional constitutional replacement for the executive office of the Chief of State. After the successful transition of power following Daala's removal and Master Sebatyne's appointment as one of the three triumvirs, the Council initially intended to overturn the Galactic Alliance's case against Veila by leveraging its newfound executive authority. However, Sebatyne was ultimately convinced to allow Veila to face her fate, primarily due to the precarious situation the Jedi Order had placed itself in by staging the coup.

The Jedi Council was keenly aware that they could not maintain control over the Alliance without the backing of the Senate, the military, and, most importantly, the populace. The Jedi understood that any perceived favoritism towards Veila, whose role in Pellaeon's death was widely known, would lead to accusations of bias and undermine their legitimacy as the new government's leaders. By adopting a neutral stance on Veila's case, they aimed to mitigate criticism. Consequently, Sebatyne reluctantly abandoned her initial plan to exonerate Veila through an executive order. Without the support of the Jedi triumvir, Veila was left to the court's judgment, which viewed the Order with suspicion, suspecting them of seeking permanent control of the Galactic Alliance. Despite the revelation that much of the prosecution's evidence had been tampered with, the jury developed a strong bias against the defendant. Upon finding her guilty of Gilad Pellaeon's murder, the jury sentenced her to death. Veila was then incarcerated in the Armand Isard Correctional Facility, where she briefly encountered Daala, the ousted leader of the Galactic Alliance and the primary instigator of Veila's trial and conviction.

In response to Daala's overthrow, the Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett infiltrated the correctional facility, extracting Natasi Daala with the intention of using her against the Jedi Order. Amidst the resulting chaos, Veila seized the opportunity created by her adversaries to escape from prison. Although she successfully vanished in the confusion, Veila found herself a fugitive without a home. As a wanted criminal within the Galactic Alliance, Tahiri Veila was unable to leave Coruscant. Consequently, she sought refuge in a random apartment building to evade detection by Alliance authorities. With the majority of the Jedi absent from the Temple, and unable to rely on the Council's assistance for the time being, Veila recognized that she would have to live as a fugitive for an undetermined period. Nevertheless, despite her precarious circumstances, Veila found solace in two aspects of her escape: her regained freedom and the fact that she was once again barefoot, both of which provided her with a sense of comfort and relief.

Atonement

Not long after her escape, Veila surrendered herself to Han and Leia Solo, seeking their assistance. Despite evading execution while in the custody of the Galactic Alliance, Veila seemingly relinquished her brief existence as an escaped convict. The Solos subsequently handed her over to Head of State Jagged Fel, the leader of the Imperial Remnant. By this point, Veila was determined to atone for her actions committed under Darth Caedus's influence, specifically the assassination of Gilad Pellaeon during the Second Battle of Fondor. However, Fel had no intention of harming or killing the former Jedi Knight. Given the constant threats to his safety from opposing Moffs, Fel recruited Veila to serve as his personal Force-sensitive bodyguard.

Shortly thereafter, the Imperial-Alliance conspiracy was exposed and ultimately dismantled by the Lost Tribe of Sith as they infiltrated the Galactic Alliance government. During the covert Sith takeover, Tahiri Veila was falsely accused of murdering Sallinor Parova, the Chief of Naval Operations and a participant in the conspiracy. Parova's death was orchestrated by the Sith agent Ivaar Workan. However, Veila was in the Meridian sector at the time, placing her far from Coruscant, where Parova's murder occurred.

Around this time, Moff Tol Getelles uncovered Natasi Daala's scheme to seize control of the Imperial Remnant. After feigning allegiance to the former Chief of State, Getelles deceived Daala into believing he had assassinated Fel. Instead, he informed the High Moff of both the conspiracy and the secret location of Daala's Maw Irregular Fleet. Tahiri Veila then accompanied Fel, who led a force of Remnant loyalists and a vanguard unit of the Empire of the Hand, to the Exodo system. The initial phase of the battle favored the Remnant, until Moff Drikl Lecersen's forces successfully reinforced Daala's position in the conflict. As Fel abandoned his flagship, the Gilad Pellaeon, with Veila and his Chiss aide, Ashik, the battle continued between the Imperial Remnant and the Maw Irregular Fleet.

Return to the Jedi

Despite technically being a prisoner of the Imperial Remnant, Veila enjoyed considerable freedom in her unofficial role as Head of State Fel's personal bodyguard; she also served as an advisor and confidante to some extent. When Fel concluded that the Remnant could not sustain a civil war between his faction and Daala's, he decided to use the conflict as an opportunity to transform the Imperial authoritarian state into a society founded on democratic principles and institutions. Concurrently, Veila was dispatched on a mission to Hagamoor 3 to investigate Abeloth's connection to Daala's forces. Boba Fett also traveled to the same location in search of a means to neutralize the Imperial-engineered nanovirus that prevented him from returning to Mandalore. Despite his reluctance to collaborate with a former Jedi and Sith apprentice of Darth Caedus, Fett ultimately assisted Veila in her battle against Abeloth, who at the time inhabited the body of Imperial Lieutenant Lydea Pagorski, one of Daala's allies. In return, Veila provided Fett with information that could potentially reverse the effects of the nanovirus.

After Jagged Fel stepped down as Head of State, allowing Admiral Vitor Reige to win the election against Daala, he and Tahiri Veila met with Luke Skywalker's Jedi Order on Coruscant during their final confrontation with Abeloth. By that time, Fel released Veila from her obligations as the Remnant's prisoner and Imperial Hand, urging her to fully rejoin the Jedi Order. Before Abeloth's defeat, Veila fought alongside Saba Sebatyne, who welcomed her former comrade back into the Order. Following the Jedi victory on Coruscant, Veila attended the wedding of Jagged Fel and Jaina Solo.

Personality and traits

In her youth, Tahiri Veila possessed a cheerful and uninhibited spirit. While she held a fondness for her upbringing among the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine, Veila was captivated by the Force, as well as her own connection to it, and eagerly anticipated her induction into the Jedi Order. Even at a young age, she demonstrated a keen attention to detail and could recall specific characteristics of anything that piqued her interest. Shortly after commencing her life as a Jedi, Veila was able to recall numerous facts about Banthas, including their physical attributes and their utility in desert transportation.

However, despite her affection for Tatooine and the people who raised her, the harsh and nomadic lifestyle of the Tusken Raiders, coupled with Tatooine's arid climate, instilled in Veila a degree of aversion towards Tusken culture. She found the requirement to cover her entire body in long robes irritating, and she particularly disliked having to conceal her face in accordance with Tusken tradition. Her childhood experiences on Tatooine ultimately led Veila to develop a peculiar trait that persisted into adulthood: a phobia of footwear. Having spent her formative years on a surface largely composed of scorching sand, Veila relished her newfound freedom as a Jedi to walk barefoot whenever she desired. She cherished the sensation of feeling the cool surface of the Great Temple on Yavin 4 beneath her feet. With few exceptions, Veila spent the majority of her early life without shoes.

Upon beginning her initiation into the Jedi Order, Tahiri Veila was immediately drawn to another young initiate named Anakin Solo, the grandson and namesake of the fallen Sith Lord Darth Vader. The two eventually forged a friendship that endured into their adolescence. Throughout their shared experiences, Veila became Solo's closest friend and confidante, often reassuring him that he was not destined to succumb to the dark side like his namesake.

The events of the Yuuzhan Vong War effectively shattered Tahiri Veila's youthful innocence and optimistic outlook. Shortly after being captured by the enemy, Veila was subjected to experimentation by the Shaper Mezhan Kwaad, leading to the development of an artificial Yuuzhan Vong persona known as "Riina Kwaad," based on the memories of Nen Yim. Although Veila's personality remained dominant, the Riina identity sought to control her body by manipulating Veila into embracing the dark side. Veila ultimately managed to merge with Riina, thereby ensuring her continued control over her own body.

The Riina Kwaad personality was the first of two significant factors during the war that profoundly altered Tahiri Veila; the second factor was Anakin Solo's death. For years, she mourned the loss of the boy she had come to love and regretted not having kissed him before his death. Without Solo, Veila gradually became more withdrawn, somber, and pragmatic. The period between the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War and the onset of the Second Galactic Civil War marked the demise of the idealistic young girl that Tahiri Veila once was, as she spiraled further into depression, never fully recovering from the devastating loss of her closest friend.

Her enduring attachment to the late Anakin Solo served as the primary catalyst for her descent into the dark side of the Force. Darth Caedus, Anakin's older brother and the first active Dark Lord of the Sith since Darth Sidious's reign, eventually chose the emotionally vulnerable Tahiri Veila as his apprentice. Although his initial intention was to use her as a spy within the Jedi Order, the failure to corrupt Ben Skywalker elevated Veila to the next most suitable candidate. After experiencing Caedus's flow-walking ability firsthand, Veila immediately became addicted to the technique, which allowed her to revisit past events and see Anakin before his death. However, due to the limited duration of their flow-walking sessions, as well as her misguided belief that the past could be altered, Veila developed a strong dependence on the ability. Consequently, she also became incredibly reliant on Darth Caedus, leading her to renounce her allegiance to the Jedi Order with minimal hesitation or regret.

Her time spent in the Dark Lord's company caused Veila to gradually adopt several of Darth Caedus's traits, such as ruthlessness and a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of saving the Galactic Alliance. As she delved deeper into Caedus's teachings and the ways of the Sith, Veila became increasingly devoted to his cause and frequently sought to ingratiate herself with him. She willingly assisted her new Master in various ways, including hunting down fugitive Jedi and initiating a pact between the Galactic Alliance and the Imperial Remnant. Although she disappointed Caedus by failing to locate the Jedi Order's secret base and by clinging to her memories of Anakin Solo, Veila succeeded in pleasing him in other ways. By spying on her former Jedi comrades, she developed a talent for deception and treachery; she demonstrated potential as a shrewd manipulator by enticing Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon to support the Alliance's war effort. Most importantly, however, she was willing to kill when necessary, but never reveled in or derived pleasure from it. Caedus considered Veila's disgust and remorse over killing to be an essential trait for a Sith Lord, particularly given his desire to avoid the common pitfalls of vanity, greed, and extreme psychotic behavior that had plagued past Sith Lords.

From launching a first strike on Fondorian starfighters to executing Pellaeon for treason, Tahiri Veila demonstrated to Darth Caedus that she would not hesitate to take lives when deemed absolutely necessary, despite her personal aversion to such actions. Further evidence of her loyalty and devotion to the Sith cause was evident in her efforts to sever her ties to the Jedi by emulating the Dark Lord. After becoming an enlisted officer in the Galactic Alliance Guard, Veila donned a smart blue uniform, complete with - much to her discomfort - black military-issued boots. She even styled her hair to enhance her appearance as a proper female officer in the military.

Once she officially became Darth Caedus's apprentice, Tahiri Veila made significant progress in embracing her new Sith identity. She actively participated in the Galactic Alliance Guard's secret police activities, became the Dark Lord's chief enforcer, and strived to win the Second Galactic Civil War by eliminating the enemies of the Galactic Alliance and Caedus's New Order. Furthermore, she sought to emulate her Master in both behavior and appearance, primarily by wearing a GAG uniform complemented by a black robe. As Caedus lamented the betrayals of his closest friends and loved ones, Veila became the only person he could—to a certain extent—trust and confide in. As a result, Veila may have engaged in a physical relationship with her Master, although there was never any pretense of love between them.

Powers and abilities

Lightsaber skills

As a trained Jedi Knight, Tahiri Veila possessed proficiency in both Force-based techniques and lightsaber combat. When necessary, Veila combined her swordsmanship with hand-to-hand combat skills, as demonstrated during her duel with Leia Organa Solo in the Second Galactic Civil War. Like many modern Jedi, and in contrast to the original Order, Veila carried a blaster pistol as a sidearm in addition to her lightsaber. During her duel with Ben Skywalker, Tahiri Veila effectively employed Tràkata. Skywalker forced her lightsaber aside, so Tahiri switched her lightsaber off and on so fast Skywalker barely had time to react, allowing her to extend the blade to where his throat had been just moments before.

Force powers

As a Jedi Knight

As a Sith Lord

Lumiya expressed her belief that Veila was unworthy of becoming Darth Caedus's apprentice simply because she was not a descendant of Darth Vader. However, following the Dark Lady's death, Caedus proved her wrong.

After becoming Caedus's apprentice, Veila's abilities as a Force-wielder and lightsaber duelist were enhanced by the dark side of the Force. Her aggression in combat increased, as demonstrated in her duels with Ben Skywalker on Coruscant and Shedu Maad. Veila's conversion also granted her new Force abilities generated by dark side-related emotions, such as hatred and anger. Although she successfully wielded the Sith signature attack known as Force lightning, her control over her new dark powers remained underdeveloped. When she electrocuted Captain Lon Shevu, intending only to inflict pain, Veila inadvertently killed him by increasing the lightning to a degree that his body could not withstand.

As a combatant, Tahiri Veila exhibited a high pain tolerance, remaining capable of fighting even while enduring significant physical discomfort. She demonstrated her ability to withstand pain without losing consciousness during a failed attempt to arrest Leia and Han Solo. Veila also sustained severe injuries on the Bloodfin during the Second Battle of Fondor, yet managed to endure her injuries long enough to be rescued by Darth Caedus.

Behind the scenes

Tahiri debuted in Junior Jedi Knights: The Golden Globe, and played a role in the New Jedi Order, Dark Nest, Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, and Fate of the Jedi series. Early in the conception of these storylines, Master Ikrit prophesied that Tahiri and Anakin would birth something great. However, at that time, it was planned that Anakin, not Jacen, would be the Solo son who lived to become a great hero.

During Tahiri's trial in Fate of the Jedi: Allies, it was implied that Tahiri and Jacen were involved in a purely physical, non-romantic relationship, causing questions among fans. In an interview, Aaron Allston told fans, "Didn't happen in my book," but Troy Denning stated that whether or not this had occurred was subject to interpretation by the reader.