Noro Zak (Jedi Renaissance)

Noro Zak was a male Baxthrax Jedi Knight serving the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic during the final years of the Republic Classic era. Capable of flight, Jedi Zak was a noted tracker.

Early life
Brought into the Jedi Order after being discovered to be a Force-sensitive during infancy, Noro Zak entered into the Jedi Temple's academy to begin his training in the ways of the Force. After graduating and being selected as a Padawan by a master, Zak traveled the galaxy with his teacher on missions from the Jedi High Council. After passing his Trials of Knighthood, Zak was elevated to the rank of Jedi Knight and began accepting solo missions. Unlike most Jedi, Zak carried a blaster on his belt, complementing his atypical style of dress: a shirt with a simple vest that did not restrict his large wings.

Serving the Order
During his service to the Order, Councilor Adi Gallia went missing during an assignment on Esseles. Under the leadership of Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Zak joined Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi and fellow Knight Vel Ardox in the search for the High Councilor. While investigating a company called Trinkatta Starships, the Jedi team was ambushed by security droids stationed there. During the commotion, Master Jinn slipped away to locate Gallia while Zak aided in defeating the droids. As they fought, Master Jinn managed to find Gallia and shut down the droid control center, disabling the Jedi's opponents. Jinn soon picked up his fellow Jedi in a T-16 skyhopper and assigned Ardox and Zak the task of taking Gallia to the Jedi medical academy on Rhinnal.

Leaving the Master/Padawan team on Esseles, Ardox and Zak flew to Rhinnal with Gallia and were greeted by the healers there. During their stay at the academy, communications were knocked out by a storm, causing the Jedi on Esseles to believe Rhinnal was under attack. Rushing to aid Rhinnal, Jinn and Kenobi found all to be well, with Gallia healing quickly. While on the planet, Jinn informed Ardox and Zak that a group of Bartokk assassins had stolen several hyperdrive-equipped droid starfighters, created by Trinkatta, to attack the Academy of Corulag. With Gallia completely healed, the group agreed to meet Grand Master Yoda and Master of the Order Mace Windu on Corulag. Their mission was to rescue the Force-sensitive infant Teela Panjarra from the Chief Scientist of the Academy's Science Services, Frexton. Like the scientist Jenna Zan Arbor, who had held Jinn the previous year, Frexton hoped to unlock the secrets of the Force with the child. While their initial rescue mission was foiled by the Bartokk assassins, Grand Master Yoda found Panjarra and defeated the Bartokk. With Panjarra safe, the Jedi returned to Coruscant.

Powers and abilities
Noro Zak received his initial training at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, ensuring that he possessed a standard understanding of the Force, and its applications. Having achieved the rank of Knight, Zak was also proficient with a lightsaber, having crafted one himself and imbuing it with a blue crystal discovered in the caves of Ilum. Developing his skills as a Guardian, Zak fought with the fourth form of lightsaber combat, Ataru, to accommodate his natural ability to fly. A skilled ballistakinetic, Zak could cause a whirlwind of debris to hurtle at dangerous speeds towards an opponent to disarm them or remove them from a fight.