Engagement on Synno

The engagement at Synno was an attempt by the Order of Keltrayu to apprehend the notorious slaver and Enemy of the Empire Zhin-Vel, and was part of the Golden Empire's larger campaign to wipe out Red Eclipse.

Outraged that Zhin-Vel had knowingly abandoned his Red Eclipse subordinates to slaughter at the Battle of Harth Gool, Zhin-Vel's second-in-command, Sayl Leikvold, had her master pursued by Red Eclipse spies. When he settled briefly on Synno, she covertly tipped off the Order of Keltrayu to Zhin-Vel's location, intending to avenge herself and seize undisputed control of Red Eclipse in one fell swoop. Tariun Sakaros dispatched the Centurions Aquila Corcer and Melnanooin to arrest or eliminate the slaver.

The two Centurions succeeded in tracking Zhin-Vel to a docking bay, but he spotted them on the approach and activated his four battle droids. The ensuing gunfight posed little initial threat to the Centurions, though they were unable to reflect most of the shots back at their attackers for fear of hitting the civilians in the way. Taking advantage of this, Zhin-Vel threw a grenade into their midst; the explosion took out a battle droid, killed a dozen civilians, and badly injured Corcer. Melnanooin, a Makashi specialist, was unable to repel the concentrated blaster fire from Zhin-Vel and the three remaining battle droids; though she downed one droid, the remaining enemies shot her to death.

Attempting to pull his dropped lightsaber back to his hand, the dazed Corcer had it within a meter when Zhin-Vel noticed what he was doing, stepped on the hilt, and shot Corcer in the face at point-blank range. Zhin-Vel and his remaining two droids escaped.