Duel on Devaron

The Duel on Devaron was a lightsaber duel that took place between Jolee Merome and Asajj Ventress.

Prelude
Merome, his master, Dama Lenuke, and their clone troopers had taken shelter in a canyon on the planet Devaron when they were attacked by a batallion of battle droids. Lenuke and the clones all lost their lives, and Merome barely escaped with his. Merome leapt up the sheer rock face of one of the cliffs lining the canyon, and ran as fast as he could. Suddenly, Merome was blasted to the ground by the Force. A dark sillhouette was standing on a bluff overlooking the ocean, two red lightsabers in its hands.

The duel
"A Padawan? Pathetic."

- Ventress, upon seeing Merome's Padawan braid

Merome jumped to his feet, igniting his azure blade. Ventress leapt at him, blades poised for the kill, but Merome evaded a mere instant before the blades would have impaled his chest. Looking up, Ventress saw and commented on the silver flash of the silka beads Merome fashioned his Padawan braid from. Merome assumed the Makashi stance and waited for her attack. As she charged forward, he stepped to the side and lightly scored her shoulder blade with the tip of his saber. Screaming in rage, Ventress wheeled about and charged again. Merome tried the same tactic, but Ventress turned at the last possible second, and issuing a blow meant to amputate his saber arm at the elbow. Merome was able to parry the blow. Stepping forward, he managed to drive Ventress back with a volley of jabs, sweeps, and thrusts. Arriving at the bluff, Ventress leapt over Merome, Force-pushing him over the edge. Merome managed to slow his fall and alight on the rocky beach, before leaping back up. Quite exhausted by this point, Merome was nevertheless able to use Force Bullet, sending himself rocketing at Ventress at a speed in excess of two-hundred-fifty kilometers. Ventress dodged, and Merome converted the forward- and downard-dive into a landing. However, he landed on a rock and twisted his ankle. Toppling over, Merome defended against a flurry of blows from Ventress. A strike meant for his face was deflected, but Ventress salvaged it enough to drive it into his left lekku. Merome felt no pain, however, as they were merely flabs of flesh, not true lekku as he was a shapeshifter. Taking advantage of her momentary surprise, Merome grabbed Ventress and pushed her off of him. Transforming into a large, white griffin, Merome flew off. Ventress hurled her lightsabers, and they grazed his wings. Plummeting from the sky, Merome landed with a thud in the dirt. Transforming again, Merome flew off a second time, as an enormous bat. His large wings carried him out of saber-throwing range. An enraged Ventress screamed her anger into the Force.

Aftermath
Arriving at the Republic outpost in the capital of Ved Ranon City, Merome's wounds were treated. Contacting the council, he reported the death of his men and master. The Council told him that he had done the right thing, not giving into rage nor sorrow, and displaying excellent combat skills. They declared him having passed the trials. A week later, after recovering from his wounds, Merome returned to Coruscant, where he was knighted. He was then given his new orders: Leave the military battlefield and enter the political one.