The Essential Guide to Force Exile/Serra Keto

"Serra Keto was a human Jedi Knight about my age, originally born on Esseles. She was a talented individual and her skills flourished under Master Cin Drallig. Serra was one of the better lightsaber duelists of my class and beat me hands-down virtually any time we ever sparred. She was also my good friend; we met each other in a lightsaber class when I was about twelve and from the start, I was drawn to her. It was one of those awkward experiences where I think we both felt something for each other, but we didn’t know how to express our feelings and the Jedi Order prohibited us from having that type of relationship anyway. So we just settled for being good friends. Serra was promoted to Jedi Knight a few months before I was, but she had easily earned the title long before. She was good, so good, in fact that the Order kept her around the Temple a lot, instructing younglings how to properly use a lightsaber. I know that chafed on her, not being able to help during the Clone Wars, but she did what she was told, helping Master Drallig. She even helped me out with my lightsaber technique, both just by encouraging me and teaching me how to use a shoto. That’s right, it was Serra Keto who first got me started on using two blades. She always used two green blades and I always wondered if she encouraged me to use two blades so we would use the same style. She was strange like that, but definitely one of my best two friends. We had a lot of memories growing up, but I don’t want to take up too much of your time. The end? Oh yes. . . the end. Serra was still on Coruscant during the Battle of Coruscant, one of the leaders in charge of keeping the Temple free of battle droids. I’m sure she did a good job; I saw a holovid of her afterward from the battle, her face all smudged and dirty and hair blowing loose in the wind, but defiant and confident in her abilities. That’s what I remember about her-she was always confident, always knew what she was doing. When it went down&mdash;the Jedi massacre&mdash;Serra knew exactly what to do. She met the threat head-on, side by side with Master Drallig. I don’t know exactly how it happened or where she first saw him, but she ended up fighting Vader, the one who led the raid. I’m sure she gave him a good fight, but there was never any doubt that Anakin&mdash;Vader&mdash;was better than just about anyone in the Order except for a few high-level Masters. When I found her, I was just trying to escape the carnage and make sense of all that happened&mdash;I can’t say that I was thinking about her at the moment. I’d already lost so many friends that I didn’t want to even contemplate her fate. I still don’t like thinking about it-much less talking about it. I found her mortally wounded. Vader had dropped a heavy stone pillar on Serra and she was lying crushed under it, slowly dying when I arrived. I can’t&hellip;say all that I felt at that moment, but it felt like I was the one being crushed. There was nothing I could do to save her, but I was angry. I wanted to kill Vader, kill them all, but Serra stopped me. She told me that being angry wasn’t worth it. Then she said that she loved me and that about toppled me over right then and there. Looking back on it, it’s strange that we waited all those years to tell each other how we felt-thinking we’d some day find that perfect time or that those feelings would eventually go away. How young and stupid we were, but at least we were finally honest in the end. We kissed and I wished that moment would never end, or that Serra and I would find some way to escape, but that wasn’t to be. She died in my arms on that dark day; the last words off her lips were “I love you.” Right before she died, she gave me one of her lightsabers. I still have it, actually, stowed away somewhere safe. That one event just about tore me apart&mdash;I’d known people who died, but never anyone as close to me as Serra. I still miss seeing her. It took me years before I stopped hearing her voice in my mind, stopped looking for her around the corner. I felt so guilty, being one of the few who survived that onslaught-why did she die and I live? I guess I’m still not over it. I probably never will be&mdash;let that be a warning to you, young Jedi, to be wary of such relationships. I don’t-I don’t think I wish to discuss Serra’s passing anymore. I’ll say this in closing: Serra Keto was a true Jedi Knight and a good friend to me. She died defending those who had no chance of defending themselves, knowing she would pay the ultimate price for doing so, and for that, her memory should be cherished forever."

- Selusda Kraen on Serra Keto, circa 11 BBY

Selu’s account of Serra Keto was found in an archaelogical dig several years ago. Other sources have corroborated his account, but it appears this was written in response to a question by a historian regarding a monument or ship or something named after Keto. Thankfully, the dedicated historians of Yanibar from years ago have recorded and preserved valuable insights into that era until now.&mdash;Nihyal Ostrada.