Ussej Padric Bac III

"Symbols are worthless without people, as symbols are given power by people. With enough people, blowing up one building can change the tide of fate itself."

- Ussej Padric Bac III

Ussej Padric Bac III was born to a long line of legendary war heroes, politicians, Jedi Knights, Sith Lords and Bendu Priests. His ancestor, Jonathan Bac, was the first Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. His grandparents were Laili Jeyna Rendar, the sister of his great-uncle Kit Corwin Rendar, and Saint Ussej Padric Bac who went on to become the Shaman of the Whills. His mother, Bara ErMez, came from the village of Vattica and his father, Ussej Padric Bac II, was a Bendu Priest and the one who fulfilled the first passage of the Prophecy of the Nine Prophets.

The third Bac to bear the name “Ussej Padric”, he served as the sole Bendu High Priest during The Great Sovereign Crusades and was instrumental in the disastrous Holy War that brought the Sith Empire to power, exiled the Jedi Order and brought the Galactic Republic to the brink of destruction.

However, his mistakes during the war brought about an age of awakening for the Bendu Order. After he died on Mustafar, the newly elected High Priest Josiah Rendar helped the Bendu Order rebuild itself from the ground up. During this time, not only were there changes in appearance to a more formal and monk-like style, but also a change in the way that the Order viewed itself. The three men of the Bac Family helped them to realize what happens when pride gets the best of people, including those held in such high regard.

After The Great Sovereign Crusades, the Bendu analyzed The Skywalker’s Prophecies once again and realize that the fallen High Priest was actually one of the Nine Prophets spoken of in the Prophecy of the Nine Prophets. Because of this, his mistakes would be forgiven and he would be worshiped for thousands of years.

Early Life
"The real test of a hero is knowing when the greater good will be served by an evil act."

- Ussej Padric Bac II

Ussej Padric Bac III was born to a long line of legendary war heroes, politicians, Jedi Knights, Sith Lords and Bendu Priests. His ancestor, Jonathan Bac, was the first Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. His grandparents were Laili Jeyna Rendar, the sister of his great-uncle Kit Corwin Rendar, and Saint Ussej Padric Bac who went on to become the Shaman of the Whills. His mother, Bara ErMez, came from the village of Vattica and his father, Ussej Padric Bac II, was a Bendu Priest and the one who fulfilled the first passage of the Prophecy of the Nine Prophets. When he was five, his father was set to become the next High Priest of the Bendu Order. However, before taking the position, he elected to travel to Dxun with Bara to recover an ancient Jedi Bendu Artifact that had been detected. Before leaving, his father spoke with him about responsibility and the final words of the conversation would live with the young boy for the rest of his life.

The trip to Dxun took one month in the modified hyperdrive engine of Laili’s Rose. However, his parents soon found themselves caught up in the Battle of Dxun, the final battle of the Great Rim Lines War. His father fought valiantly along side a young Republic Colonel named Cos Jonathan Dashin against the Mandalorians and the Sith Empire. However, he was shot and he and Bara were captured by the Mandalorian forces.

Because the Mandalorians believed them to be Jedi Knights, they were tortured for information. After deciding that they were not worth the effort they were putting into finding out information about the Jedi Order, the two Bendu were executed.

After sending out a scouting party to Dxun and learning of their deaths, Ussej was put under the care of the new High Priest Neil Rendar, Kit Rendar’s son. Neil had a son named Josiah and became so close that many believed them to actually be brothers. Ussej and Josiah recieved Apprenticeship together and, ten years later, they both became Bendu Knights. It was Ussej’s proudest moment. All he had done had been in the name and memory of his father, so he only hoped that his father would have been proud as well.

Love, Loss and Life
"Everything will be fine. Trust me...."

- Jana DesOrz

When Ussej was twenty-seven, he was elected to the position of Bendu Priest. Again, he was incredibly proud of himself and hoped his father would have been as well had he been alive to see it. As his first task as a Priest, he traveled to the village of Vattica, where his father had met his mother years before, to give a sermon to those who had become sick with a deadly, yet contained, strain of a virus. In the village, he met a young woman named Jana DesOrz. He felt a strong connection to her and, after only six months, married her in a small ceremony on the shores of the Ashlan Ocean.

One month after their marriage, Jana found out that she was pregnant with Ussej’s child. They couldn’t have been happier as both of them had always wanted children. However, Ussej could not help but be worried as his own birth, as well as the birth of his father, was filled with complications. However, he tried not to let that preoccupy him during such a happy time. In the beginning, they decided that they did not want to know the sex of the child or anything else about it other than whether it was healthy or not.

When Jana was six months pregnant, she became worried because she felt she was abnormally large for someone in their sixth month, as she felt she looked more like she was seven or eight months along. They decided to go back to the medical headquarters to see if everything was alright and what they found came as a surprise: they had conceived twins. Not wanting to wait anymore for the surprise, they decided to ask what the sexes were. They were ecstatic to find out that it was a boy and a girl, though Ussej was still nervous as he now feared more complications.

Later that day, they picked out names for the two children. The girl would be named Elizabeth Bara Bac, in honor of both of their parents, and the boy would be named Ussej Padric Bac IV, in honor of the tradition started by his father. Ussej confided in her about his fears, but she assured him that everything would be alright and that he should be concentrating on the happy life that they would be living with their family.

Jana went home to Vattica for the two months to spend time with her parents, but returned to the Bendu Temple of Light at the beginning of her ninth month. Less than a week before she was due, Jana wanted to take a shuttle back to Vattica to visit her parents one last time before she became a mother. Ussej, however, protested. He said that it was too dangerous considering she was only a few days from giving birth, but she disregarded her warnings and left anyway without his knowledge, as he was on the other side of the planet tending to plague victims in the far away villages. She told herself that she would only be gone for a few hours and that he would never notice anyway.

However, tragedy soon struck. Not even fifteen minutes into her flight, Jana went into labor while flying over the Ashlan Mountains. She was able to keep flying for a few minutes but, because of the intensity of the pain that the contractions brought, she quickly lost control of the shuttle.

Ussej was informed of the crash and, with a Bendu Medical Officer, he took a shuttle into the blizzard that had formed in the mountains. When they arrived, medical technicians were already on the scene. From what Ussej could gather, Jana had been thrown from the shuttle before it had become mangled and filled with twisted metal. As he approached her, he could see that she had hit her head and that there was blood everywhere, most of it from childbirth. When he approached, he saw a small bundle wrapped in the arms of one of the medical technicians and was told that it was Elizabeth who, unfortunately, did not survive. However, they believed that the boy would live.

When the boy was born, the medical officers quickly took him away to get him to the warm shuttle for treatment. Jana laid dying in her husband’s arms as he was able to keep his composure long enough to let her pass in peace. With her last breath, she told him not to worry and that everything would be fine again. She apologized for taking the shuttle and told him that he was right, though he calmed her by telling her not to worry and that it was not her fault. With that, she died in his arms, shattering the heart and mind of the Bendu Priest. The next day, Jana and Elizabeth received traditional Bendu burials within the Bac Family Cemetery. Jana’s parents were present and they thanked Ussej for everything that he had done for their daughter. Ussej, his son in his arms, did not know how he would be able to survive without her.

The Curtain Falls
"We will get to the promised land."

- Ussej Padric Bac III

Ten years after the death of his wife, Ussej was now the sole Bendu High Priest within the Order and Josiah had become his most trusted Priest on the Council of Priests. Ussej’s day to day tasks included monitoring the training of all Bendu Apprentices and making sure that all Priests were being sent out where needed, as well as dealing with the governmental affairs of Kal'Shabbol as he was, in a sense, it’s king.

The now ten-years old Ussej Padric Bac IV had also gained Apprenticeship at the age of ten, remarkably earlier than most others in the order due to his strength with the Force of Others. He began training under his father, who had yet to find love again. Ussej did not really want to after Jana’s death, but he decided that someday he would if he found the right woman.

Out of nowhere, a large disturbance in the Force of Others was felt by everyone in the Bendu Order. Ussej attempted to meditate on it, but he soon found himself in the middle of a soft wind on the mythical world of Ashlan Four, the planet of the Whills. His grandfather, the Saint Ussej Padric Bac, appeared before him and told him that a new Dark Lord of the Sith had awakened, even though the galaxy believed the Sith to be extinct. He told his grandson that the Bendu Order would have to put aside their prejudices against the Jedi Order and travel out into the galaxy to help them. Ussej accepted this task, albeit reluctantly.

That evening, Ussej addressed the entire Bendu Order and all of the citizens of Kal'Shabbol and told them that the Bendu would be leaving the planet to assist the Jedi Order. He wished all of Kal'Shabbol well and, the next day, Ussej bid goodbye to his son and Josiah and an eager Bendu Order boarded their flagship to head out into the galaxy under the watchful eye of Saint Ussej the Shaman and The Skywalker.

Upon completing their month long journey, the flagship, which had been dubbed Ashla’s Light, began searching worlds that the Bendu Order knew to be presently or at one time Sith worlds. First they travelled to Korriban, yet they found nothing. Then they travelled to Ziost, yet they still found nothing. They then travelled to Thule where they located a large outpost with only minimal lifesigns. Choosing to go ahead and scout the area, Ussej took a shuttle down to the surface and landed at the bottom of a small ridge. On the way down, he was able to spot a fierce duel between what he believed to be a Jedi Knight and, quite possibly, the new Dark Lord of the Sith.

Ussej chose to climb the ridge so that his presence would be a surprise to the Dark Lord. Ussej ran to the aid of the Jedi, who told him that his name was Arlon Kyjar, a member of the Jedi Council. The opponent was, as he feared, the Dark Lord, one called Darth Viscerus. Now in the heat of battle, Ussej was able to quickly ascertain how powerful this new dark one was. Tragically, Kyjar was struck down and Ussej was forced to flee, but not after he severely injured the Sith Master. With Kyjar’s body over his shoulder, Ussej made it back to his shuttle and quickly returned to the flagship, which quickly changed course for Coruscant.

A Shaky Alliance
"We share a common enemy. As long as all sides of this alliance do not try to impose their ethical, moral and philosophical views onto others then we should be able to coexist well enough to focus our strengths on defeating the Sith."

- Khaluq Chan'drane

After half a day of travel, the Bendu Flagship arrived in orbit around Coruscant. Ussej took Kyjar’s body into a shuttle and flew to the surface, landing in the Jedi Temple’s docking bay, the entire complex having been rebuilt after the Great Territorial War. He introduced himself to the Jedi Council and presented Kyjar’s body before expressing the importance of stopping this war before it truly begins. At that moment, a legendary alliance between the Orders of the Jedi Order, Bendu and Shadourians, a group that was able to use the shadows and their neutrality in the Force to their advantage, was forged.

After leaving the Council chambers, the leaders of the three factions began putting together a plan to attack Yavin IV, as they believed the Sith to be hiding there. Once the plans were completed, Ussej left the flagship and returned to the Jedi Temple. At the base of the staircase, a large parcel was handed to him by a Thulian slave. Inside was the body of Darth Viscerus, the Dark Lord. Ussej was able to come to two possible conclusions as to why the Dark Lord died: first, he died due to wounds received during the duel on Thule; second, he had an apprentice that killed him to usurp the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith. He assumed the latter, though he knew that assumptions could be dangerous at such a trying juncture.

He carried the body of the former Dark Lord back to the Jedi Council chambers where it was decided that, along with the mission to Yavin IV, a small team would be sent to Thule to investigate his death. Ussej then went back to the flagship to ready his men for the likely battle they would be partaking in on Yavin IV. When the Jedi and Shadourian forces arrived, the ships shot into hyperspace.

Ussej was the first to land on the fourth moon of Yavin. Once he scouted the area, he sent the strike team the coordinates just a few kilometers southwest of his position where he detected a lot of activity and Dark Side presences. When the team arrived at the temple, they found the Sith, along with Kalessh warriors, waiting for them. A fierce duel erupted and Ussej managed to fight his way into the temple, as he knew that whoever he was looking for would be inside. He found his way to the throne room and found a large Chiss that he assumed was the new Dark Lord of the Stih. However, the man introduced himself as Carden Mannux, the Commander of the Obsidian Guard. Not knowing what the Obsidian Guard was or what it was capable of, he knew he would have to be cautious.

The throne doors slammed shut and a fierce duel erupted between Ussej and Mannux. It was not the fiercest duel the galaxy had ever seen, nor was it the longest. However, as Mannux ignited his lightsaber and Ussej drew his blade, the two crowning forces of good and evil clashed in a spectacle of talent that would amaze even the strongest of Force users. Ussej used an ancient Bendu Power on the commander, subduing him. Ussej felt that because he was not the Dark Lord he was not worth his time.

When Ussej left the throne room, what he saw amazed him, though not in a good way. The Jedi were failing in their mission, though in his mind “failing” would have been an understatement. The Sith were running rampant across the area, and he even saw two Jedi Apprentices kiss one another as a Knight came down from the roof, preparing to attack them. At that moment, he realized his worst fears: the Jedi were incompetent. He did not intend to let that stand. Ussej ordered his men to retreat and Ein did the same with the Shadourians. The Jedi were reluctant, though they followed suit and the teams abruptly left the fourth moon of Yavin.

Of Jedi and Failure
"I’m afraid the prejudice is beginning to come out."

- Ussej Padric Bac III

In the weeks following the Battle of Yavin IV, Ussej could not help but be amazed at what the Jedi Order did, or in this case did not do. For two weeks, Alderaan pleaded for the Jedi to help them as a virus had been spread by Sith warriors into their water supply. The Republic was unable to deal with the problem due to threats from the Sith and the Mandalorians, as well as limited supplies and resources, so they turned it over to the Jedi. However, the Jedi Council simply debated it rather than acting upon it. Similar reports then came in from Corellia and Mon Calamari, yet the Jedi continued to debate until millions were dead on the three planets. Ussej let them know how disappointed he was, though they turned a blind eye to his protests.

Unable to deal with what they were saying to him, he left Coruscant and returned to the Bendu flagship. He remained there only for a few days before receiving an urgent distress signal from Ein Nightblade saying that the Jedi Temple and it’s surrounding area had come under attack by the forces of Darth Dire, the Dark Lord of the Sith, and King Bree Mibu of Kalee. Adding to that, the distress signal warned that a deadly toxin had been spread into the atmosphere, much like the toxins that that had been released on Alderaan, Corellia and Mon Calamari.

Hours later, he arrived at the Jedi Temple. Running to the lower levels in an attempt to help Jedi who were trying to escape, he was suddenly overtaken by a group of Kaleesh warriors, though they were no match for a Bendu High Priest. Still searching for Jedi who were trying to escape, he ran to the upper levels and once again came face to face with Carden Mannux. However, as they fought, a deep, low rumble was heard and fires broke out around him. Parts of the great spire of the Jedi High Council began to telescope down on itself, and Ussej and Mannux were directly underneath it. They both ran in their separate directions to avoid the rubble and within minutes they found each other once again, continuing the fight.

Ussej knew that he had no time for a fight with the Chiss. As he began to retreat back, another explosion went off nearby, throwing them both to the side. Ussej sprained a bone in his leg and managed to hobble away, all while avoiding a barrage of dark Sith lightning being thrown at him from the hands of the Obsidian Commander. He was able to escape to the upper levels, hiding his presence from the Sith disciple.

Mannux eventually caught on to his charade and became fed up. Using all of the energy he had, he sent the rubble that Ussej hid in crashing through three stories of the temple, though Ussej was able to move out of the way before it all fell on top of him. Because the Obsidian Commander was arrogant, he assumed that he had killed the High Priest and left the area. However, Ussej moved to the edge of the Jedi Temple and Mannux was able to see this. As Mannux charged towards him, Ussej called upon the Winds of the Ashla to teleport him away from the Jedi Temple, using a variant of a Unifying Force power, as the Jedi would call it. Mannux was able to stop himself from falling off the ledge, though he vowed revenge on the High Priest.

A New Alliance
"Perhaps, in the end, this endeavor can be a new hope for all peoples....a hope for a brighter tomorrow, one free of war and suffering."

- Ein Nightblade

After Ussej left Coruscant, he sent a message to the flagship telling them to pull his vessel into the docking bay, but he warned not to open the door because they would risk being contaminated by the virus. He then moved into the back of his craft and entered into a stasis sleep, shutting down all bodily functions and ridding himself of the virus he had acquired. Soon, he would be back with his people and would be able to begin planning a counter attack, as well as letting the surviving Jedi know just how he felt about their complacency and incompetence.

Days later, Ussej eagerly awaited the transmission from the Jedi that told him the coordinates to the new Jedi base, which would be codenamed “The Station”. However, before the transmission arrived, a different transmission arrived. It was from Ein Nightblade, requesting that Ussej meet him outside of Theed on Naboo. Once he arrived, Ein began speaking of an alliance to be formed only between the Bendu Order and Shadourian Order, an alliance that would be opposed to the Jedi. This alliance would launch attacks against the Jedi Order in a Holy War. Ussej was opposed to this at first, but after he considered everything that had happened he knew it could be an option. Ein left, urging him to think about it.

A New Love
"Such sadness surrounding someone so great."

- Isabella Dashin

The day after Ein left, Ussej was contacted by Supreme Chancellor Cos Jonathan Dashin. Dashin told him that his daughter was headed for Naboo and that she would need protection, and because Ussej was on Naboo the Chancellor told him that he would like him to watch over his daughter. When Ussej questioned him about why he did not ask the Jedi, Dashin told him he would rather have a Bendu take on a task of such grave importance to him as he did not truly trust the Jedi. Ussej accepted the mission, albeit reluctantly, though he requested that no reward be given for the successful completion. Before Ussej could find out the name of the First Daughter, the Chancellor closed the transmission.

Two days later, he found his way into a bar on Theed for relaxation. A young woman, referring to herself only as “Bella”, sat beside him and requested that he try to get two men that were following her out of the area. With a simple wave of his hands and a bit of help from the Force, the guards left. The two began talking and she eventually mentioned how her father had sent her to the planet to be protection. He then realized that he was sitting with Isabella Dashin, the Chancellor’s daughter.

After a few moments, he felt a connection that felt only once and that was when he first met his late wife. The feeling puzzled him and he was not sure if he would be able to handle such a connection again. After they got to know each other, the two took a trip to the waterfalls, as Bella had always been mystified by them. Ussej told her stories of Kal'Shabbol and all about the Bendu Order, as well as what had happened thus far during the war. When he leaned in to try to kiss her, she pulled away and requested that they go back to the hotel where they were staying.

Three days later, Mandalorian forces assaulted the capitol city. Ussej and Bella were soon met by Kalel Kitsune, a friend of Bella’s, and they launched a mission to try to rescue the Queen of Naboo. They perceived her to be the target of the attack. Once they entered the throne room, Kalel left to contact Chancellor Dashin. When it seemed that the capitol would fall, Ussej rushed the Queen to safety only to see that Isabella had been left behind. He dove onto her, knocking her to the ground as a war droid slammed through the walls. Ussej was knocked out, but as the darkness overtook him he saw Mandalore enter the throne room, though that was all he saw. When he awoke, he found himself being scolded by Kalel, finding out that Isabella had been kidnapped.

A Desperate Rescue
"My life, and your life, are meaningless in this great journey."

- Kalel Kitsune

Ussej and Kalel made their way back to Coruscant. Using intelligence that said that Isabella was on Onderon and the help of Joshua Reydel, the Supreme Commander of the Republic, they put together a plan to launch a daring rescue mission. In a classified meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Ussej presented the plan to the Supreme Chancellor who approved it. Minutes after the meeting ended, Kalel joined Ussej and Dashin where tensions between the three of them rose. Kalel could not bear to be a part of a mission led by Ussej, but he eventually backed down. Twelve hours later, half of the Republic fleet took off on its way to rescue Isabella and liberate Onderon from the Mandalorians.

The mission was easier than any of them expected, as the Mandalorians were less powerful than they expected. While Kalel led troops to Dxun to wipe the encampments off of the map, Ussej led a squadron of fighters to Iziz to take out the orbital and anti-aircraft defenses. The now-landed troops stormed the palace while Ussej fought his way to the throne room. He found Isabella and freed her from her restraints, bringing her back aboard his ship.

When they arrived back on Coruscant, every officer involved with the rescue received a commendation from the Supreme Chancellor. After checking to see that Isabella would be alright, he returned to his flagship for much needed meditation. While en route, he contacted Kalel to thank him for his help, though Kalel ignored him and cut off the transmission. After he returned to his flagship, he began to reflect on what had happened and seriously began considering Ein Nightblade’s proposal.

Decisions
"You are letting simple and primitive discrimination get the best of you, causing you to make an irrational decision such as launching a campaign that has the potential to kill hundreds if not thousands of innocent civilians."

- Ussej Padric Bac

Ever since they had arrived, the Bendu Order realized that they were being discriminated against. At first, Ussej assumed that the discrimination would subside as the two great orders got to know each other more and were able to interact with one another. After the liberation of Onderon, he knew that this had not happened. Ever since the blunder that was the Battle of Yavin IV, the two orders did not think highly of the other. The Bendu were never able to understand this, as they were able to hold their own far more effectively than the Jedi were. The discrimination was a bias he held when he had considered and recently agreed to the Holy War against the Jedi Order.

During a meditation session where he became angrier at the current happenings than ever before, he was thrust into another sector of the galaxy. He was once again on Ashlan Four, surrounded by the great race that was the Whills. He then saw his grandfather, Ussej Padric Bac, speaking to him once again. The Shaman told Ussej that he should not be bothered by simple, primitive discrimination. He also went on to express his disagreement over the impending crusades that the Bendu and Shadourians would be launching. The Shaman asked Ussej what his reasoning for doing so was, and the third man to carry the name of Ussej Padric Bac replied by saying that the Jedi had become old, corrupt and incompetent, along with the fact that they were unable to act even with the Sith right under their noses. The Shaman of the Whills told him that it was up to him to do what he felt necessary, and thus his essence was carried back into the Winds of the Ashla. Ussej vowed to try to rise above the discrimination, but swore not to give up on the impending war.

After his second disorienting visit to the planet was over, Ussej marched straight into the Jedi Council Chambers on Hoth with Ein Nightblade to let them know just how he felt about them. He stated how he was going to rise above the discrimination, though the line would not be drawn there. He also stated his dissatisfaction in their handling of past events and mentioned how they were now forced to split up across the galaxy with a minimal force just like they did during the Great Territorial War, whereas the forces of the Sith were growing each day. Ussej decided to stay on the Jedi Council as a liason from the Bendu Order, as he had to keep a low profile in order to avoid suspicion.

With the eventful meeting behind them, Ussej and Ein met on the Bendu flagship to discuss the first series of attacks. They agreed to set up the first one or two missions in a way that the Jedi Order could not trace anything back to either of them. Ussej’s plan for the first attack was to hire Jensen Adun, an ailing mercenary that had always dreamed of dying in a blaze of glory for a cause that actually meant something. After the meeting ending, Ussej went to Nar Shadda to fnd Jensen, who was currently living in the refugee sector. Under the cover of darkness, he met with Jensen and told him of the plan. Jensen would pose as a port authority mechanic and load gas tanks onto a Jedi shuttle that would be landing on Barab 1 in one week. Once aboard, he would ignite the fuel and destroy the starport, along with whatever Jedi were in it.

First Strike
"Cry havoc and lit slip the dogs of war."

- Ussej Padric Bac III

Jensen agreed to the proposal and made his way to Barab 1 to wait for the Jedi envoy that would soon be arriving for a diplomatic mission. Ussej, in the meantime, was on board the Bendu flagship with Ein Nightblade to monitor the situation from the Outer Rim.

The plan was executed perfectly. Jensen made his way into the starport under the cover of darkness just as the Jedi envoy landed. As Jedi Masters Sen Helto and Xiantos Zosimus exited the vessel with a group of Jedi Knights, Jensen approached them with a calm and welcoming manner, which came across as odd to the Jedi. Two Knights stayed behind, but they allowed Jensen onto the ship to refuel it. Once on board, he dropped a match into the crate and the ship exploded, destroying the starport as well. Helto and Zosimus hurried back to see what had taken place.

After the Bendu detected the explosion, they closed into orbit. Ussej sent a transmission down to the surface, hoping to hear the voice of any Jedi that might have survived so he could tell them how many errors they had made, thus leading to the death of two Jedi Knights and two pilots. After making contact with Helto, Ussej and Ein took a shuttle to the planet’s surface where Ussej was accused of being behind the attacks. He denied all such charges before they retrieved the shuttle’s cockpit recording devices. Ussej and Ein brought the Jedi onto their shuttle and they made their way back to Coruscant.

Revelations
"Your broken council is now forced to make a decision."

- Ussej Padric Bac III

After returning Sen Helto and the other Jedi to the Jedi Temple so they could analyze the data from Barab 1, Ussej went to the Galactic Senate at the beheast of Supreme Chancellor Dashin. Dashin told him that Bella had talked about him for days on end after the Battle of Onderon and that he could tell she had grown fond of him. He said that he could see in his eyes that he also cared greatly for her. Dashin asked Ussej if he would marry Bella, but Ussej could not. It would not have been proper, as they did not know each other that well. However, the Chancellor was persistent. He knew that his daughter needed someone to help her walk the right path, so he gave Ussej the ring that Bella’s mother had worn until the day she died and asked him to think it over.

As he prepared to leave the planet, he received a message that had been broadcast to all Jedi asking anyone who was available to return to the Jedi Temple for an important meeting. Once there, he found out that Grandmaster Khaluq Chan’drane had gone missing after a duel with the Sith. Ussej took this as an opportunity to grandstand the meeting, letting the Jedi Order know through his smugness his dissatisfaction with the events. Jedi Masters Sen Helto and Jar Todur both asked him to leave, though he refused and said that the only way he would is if they removed him from the position of liaison from the Bendu Order. When the timing was right, he revealed that he was the one behind the terrorist attack on Barab 1 and fled, leaving the Jedi dazed and confused. He had not anticipated letting them know so early on, but he felt that it was the right moment.

Later that night, Ussej entered Bella’s apartment to wait for her to return. When she did, she found him standing in the pouring rain on the balcony. Worried he was going to become sick, she brought him inside and gave him a towel, but he assured her that he would be fine. As they sat down on the couch, Ussej told her how he felt about her and how he hoped she felt the same. He took the ring that the Chancellor had given him and asked her to marry him. She rejected the proposal, and Ussej saw a genuine look of disgust and embarrassment on her face. He quickly left for his flagship, his heart broken. Yet, he cared for her enough to want her to be happy, even if that meant being happy without him.

Ussej walked through the rain towards the starport, thinking about all that had taken place that day. However, he knew he had to speak with Chancellor Dashin before he left about what had taken place with his daughter. As he turned to the Galactic Senate, he noticed a thin red blade moving towards the window outside of the Chancellor’s Office. He took out his electro-binoculars and centered on the figure, recognizing him as Carden Mannux. The window shattered, and the figure of Mannux entered the office.

By the time he arrived at the office, the Chancellor had already been knocked unconscious and Bella was in the hands of Mannux. Taking Ussej by surprise, the dark one threw a wave of invisible energy at him and escaped. As the Sith jumped to the roof, a thermal detonator went off, throwing Ussej and the Chancellor into the hall and destroying the office.

Within minutes, Ussej woke up and quickly made his way to the starport. He followed Mannux’s vessel into orbit and a dogfight ensued between the two. They weaved around cargo and passenger ships, Ussej trying desperately to rescue Bella. He fired at the vessel’s engines, but the blast proved to be too much and the small ship was destroyed, killing Mannux and Bella with it. Overcome with grief, Ussej unleashed his anger and tore apart the interior of his vessel before beginning his short journey back to the office. When he arrived, he told Dashin the terrible news as best he could and apologized, but the Chancellor told him to leave and never returned. Honoring the request, Ussej vowed never to return unless asked to. He returned to the flagship, entering into a meditation session that would result in days of solitude.

Anger and Grief
"You're just a lonely old man, trying desperately to find the meaning to your existance."

- Kalel Kitsune

For the next few weeks, Ussej remained on the flagship in solemn meditation, wallowing in his grief and sorrow over what he had done to the woman that he loved. On the two week anniversary of Bella’s death, Kalel Kitsune finally tracked down the flagship and requested permission to board. Ussej granted it, though he knew full well what was about to take place. However, he was so caught up in his own guilt that he no longer cared if he lived or died.

Ussej and Kalel exchanged words once he arrived, though Kalel’s anger got the best of him and he attacked first. A torch was knocked from the wall and a fire erupted in Ussej’s chambers. The duel moved from the fiery chambers to the halls, though with the fire uncontained it quickly spread all around them. A large part of the ship was destroyed as they fought, though they paid it no attention. Eventually, Kalel’s anger and Ussej’s sorrow gave Kalel the upper hand. However, Ussej was able to conflict the young warrior with the memory of Isabella, telling him that she would never want him to become a murderer simply to avenge her. Kalel spared Ussej’s life and quickly left the vessel, though he vowed to return and one day finish the job that he had started. At that point, there was only one person Ussej knew he could take to and he would do anything to be able to speak with him.

Brotherhood and Betrayal
"My powers compared to those of any normal Force User may seem extraordinary, Ussej, but I am not God."

- Ussej Padric Bac

After a long night’s sleep, Ussej went to the lower decks to the statues of Ussej Padric Bac and The Skywalker that had been built within the common meditation chambers. Ussej asked for all of the Bendu within the chambers to leave, as he had an urgent matter to take care of. He fell to his knees and prayed to both statues, hoping for a response. His prayers were answered, as the voice of his grandfather suddenly overtook the room. He looked around, seeing nothing, though he could sense the Shaman’s presence.

Ussej pleaded with his grandfather to bring Isabella back into the realm of the living, though it was no use. Instead, his grandfather lectured him on what was happening with the continuing Holy War, though he was able to give him some comfort by saying that he was doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons. The Shaman agreed that the Jedi Order had become corrupted and stagnant, but he expressed the same feelings about the Bendu Order. Insulted, Ussej asked him to return to his own realm. Ussej Padric Bac honored the request and his presence disappeared from the meditation chambers.

Ussej could not help but feel that his grandfather had betrayed him, however his grandfather’s arrogance gave him a newfound resolve to continue forward with the war to ensure that no harm ever came to someone he loved again. Before rising, Ussej said one final prayer at the statue of The Skywalker, asking him to bring back the woman he cared so deeply for.

When Ussej returned to the scorched ruins of his personal chambers, he found Ein Nightblade standing there waiting for him, wondering what was happening. He told Ein what had happened as they made their way to a conference room where they began plotting their next move. They mentioned targeting the Great Jedi Library on Ossus or attacking Centerpoint Station in an effort to damage the Republic and take control of trade routes. However, Ussej refused to allow civilians to be so much as injured, something that regrettably happened during the attack on Barab 1. They finally decided to set their sights on the rebuilt Jedi Tower in the remains of Taris and Jedi sites on Telos IV, though Ussej refused to allow the Jedi Academy on the Telosian North Pole to be damaged as that was where his father was born.

One week later, Ussej led a group of fighters to Taris and targeted the recently re-built Jedi Tower, removing it from the Tarisian skyline that had already been virtually destroyed by Dark Malak one hundred years prior. At the same time, Ein led a group of technicians to plant bombs at Jedi sites on Telos IV. However, he decided to step around Ussej’s wishes and planted bombs at the Jedi Academy as well, reducing the legendary complex to ruins.

When the two leaders returned to the Bendu flagship, they exchanged data on what had taken place during their respective missions. When Ussej saw that the temple on Telos IV had been destroyed, he was overcome with anger and attacked Ein, but quickly drew back. Though furious, he managed to explain why it meant so much to him. Ein apologized, though he reminded him that what was past was past and they still had a job to do. Ussej agreed and the two made their way to the communication room.

Once inside the communication room, they contacted the Jedi Council and informed them of the destruction that had taken place on Telos IV and Taris. They also informed them that no one, not even a single Jedi, was killed in the attacks. However, this did not soften the blow to the Jedi Council. They were greatly disturbed by these course of events, and Ussej could detect this so he offered an alternative to bloodshed: the Jedi Council would have to immediately an unconditionally surrender to the forces of the Bendu Order and the Shadourian Order, giving them the authority of guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. The Jedi Council immediately rejected this proposal, leaving Ussej and Ein to promise that more attacks would soon follow, even though Ussej did not want them to.

Going Too Far
"You've made a deal with the devil. He always comes to collect."

- Xiantos Zosimus

It was not long until Ussej and Ein set their eyes on the next site that would be attack, that site being the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. After formulating the plan to take four hostages, one of them being Jedi Council member Kal Yast, the two flagships made the jump into hyperspace. While en route to the planet, the vessels were intercepted by the flagship of the Sith Empire. Ussej and Ein came face to face with Darth Udun, the new Dark Lord of the Sith, who was also planning an assault on Dantooine. To spare Bendu and Shadourian losses in the battle, Ussej and Ein allowed Udun to take control of the mission so long as they could take their own hostages prior to the main battle. Udun agreed.

When the three mighty vessels arrived in orbit, a Shadourian fighter squadron knocked out all communications and both hangar bays, leaving the planet isolated from the rest of the Jedi Order. Shuttles were quickly sent to the surface filled with Bendu Knights. A group of Jedi guarding the door were immediately killed, their bodies being thrown onto the shuttles. Four additional Jedi, including Kal Yast, were sedated and brought aboard the Bendu flagship.

Less than an hour after the Bendu and Shadourians left the Sith forces behind, Ussej contacted the Jedi Council where he attempted to use the hostages as leverage in forcing the Jedi Order to surrender. However, even after the brutal beheading of Kal Yast in cold blood over the HoloNet, the Jedi Council still refused to surrender. Ussej knew that more drastic action would have to be taken in order to ensure victory, even though he was beginning to question whether or not he was doing the right thing by waging war against the Jedi Order.

Exile
"This is far from over."

- Khaluq Chan'drane

Ussej III soon returned to Coruscant in a vessel stolen from Corellia and made his way to the Galactic Senate Office Building. It was there that he professed his deepest sorrow and regret to the Supreme Chancellor for Isabella’s death, though the Supreme Chancellor was surprisingly understanding. The Supreme Chancellor told him that he had forgave him long ago and now he only needed to forgive himself. With the apologies out of the way, the Supreme Chancellor told the Bendu High Priest that something needed to be done. Telling the Supreme Chancellor that he would do whatever needed to be done, Ussej III was granted full authority and full access to any and all Galactic Republic resources he would need.

Later that afternoon, the Bendu High Priest ordered a group of Republic technicians to begin altering two Republic shuttlecrafts so they could be controlled via remote control. High-grade explosives were then placed into the cockpit. Kilometers away from the Jedi Temple, a Republic technician piloted the shuttles into the traffic lanes with the Bendu High Priest watching on. Swiftly and suddenly, the shuttles veered out of the traffic lanes and were rammed into two of the great spires of the Jedi Temple. Though the spires themselves remained intact, the sides of the spires collapsed to the ground leaving interior exposed. Dozens of Jedi Knights died in the resulting explosions, exactly as Ussej III had planned it.

That night, the commanders of the Republic fleet began moving their vessels into a calculated orbit around Coruscant. When dawn came and the star that Coruscant orbited cast its first rays of light upon the city, Ussej III and Supreme Commander Joshua Rydal stood on the bridge of the flagship of the Republic and prepared to remove the Jedi from the Galactic Republic once and for all. Ussej III made contact with Jedi Master Khaluq Chan’drane and gave her two options: first, give up their mandate as guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic and leave Coruscant peacefully; two, watch and die as the Republic fleet fired upon the Jedi Temple, destroying it. However, the second option never came to fruition. Master Chan’drane and the Jedi Council agreed. By the end of the day, the Jedi Temple stood empty with not a single soul within its great halls. After months of war, the Bendu Order had finally won their holy crusades against the Jedi Order. The Shaman of the Whills was wrong and his grandson had seemingly proven that.

As he left Coruscant, the Force of Others drew him to the remote planet of Anaxes, though he knew not why it would do so. But, it did not take long to discover why. Khaluq Chan'drane was there, and he knew it was time to finally slay her. He followed her for a time, but when she realized he was behind her the search for her became harder. He followed her to an abandoned warehouse where he was able to bring out her darker emotions, angering her to her very core. When the time came, she used her anger to strike against her though she was no match for a Bendu High Priest. However, when he was in a position to finally strike her down, he hesitated. He would not destroy an unarmed opponent, and after careful consideration he realized that she truly was not worth the effort it would take to kill her. He knew he had bested her and that was enough for him.

Genesis
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

- Kalel Kitsune

Savoring his victories, the Bendu High Priest returned to Ashla’s Light and began to meditate on what had transpired. However, his meditations were interrupted as the ship’s tractor beam locked onto a small shuttle that had been drifting through space. Ussej III made his way to the shuttle bay to discover something he never thought possible: Isabella was alive, though her body was naked and battered with obvious signs of torture and rape. As Isabella was rushed to the Medical Wing, the High Priest contacted Kalel Kitsune to deliver the news.

A day later, Kalel arrived at the Bendu flagship. At first, he simply struck Ussej III across the jaw, cracking the bones. Kalel accused Ussej III of bringing this entire ordeal upon them and talked of how tortured he had been thinking that Isabella was dead. Ussej III desperately wanted to tell him that he too was tortured, as he cared deeply for Isabella and thinking that he killed her tore him up inside. But, he couldn’t. He discovered a fundamental truth about himself and a truth about his feelings for Isabella. He did not truly love her. He loved the idea of her and the idea of filling the empty and lonely void within his heart that had been there since his wife had died. He knew that Kalel and Isabella were destined to be together and he would no longer stand in the way of that. He let Kalel enter the room alone, walking away as the two lovers were reunited.

After leaving the Medical Wing, he stepped onto the bridge where he found a HoloNet broadcast of a live speech by Chancellor Dashin. In it, he told the Galactic Senate that he was attacked by a Dark Lord of the Sith who threatened that he and his family and loved ones would be murdered unless he resigned. The Chancellor announced his resignation and then placed his full support behind long-time friend and political ally Senator Romulus Augustus. Ussej III returned to the Medical Wing to tell Kalel this, as well as to report the results of a medical report: Isabella had given birth to a child, a child that belonged to her and the Bendu High Priest. The three were shocked to hear this news. After a few days, Isabella and Kalel left leaving the Bendu to prepare to go home to Kal’Shabbol, as Ussej III now knew that the Holy War was the wrong course of action.

Days later, Isabella went to the Outer Rim world where the Bendu Order was preparing their vessel for takeoff. She and Ussej III argued about his leaving, but in the end she left without so much as a true goodbye due to her frustration with him. Ussej III regretted the things he had said, but knew that regrets no longer mattered. Hours later, he met up with the Shadourian flagship where he told Kage Tatsujin his feelings on the Holy War and that they were going home to Kal’Shabbol. Ussej III left the ship, seeing the look of betrayal and anger in the eyes of the Shadourian Master and hoped that he wouldn’t do anything rash.

Home
"All of Kal’Shabbol rejoices with you today."

- Josiah Rendar

After a few weeks traveling into the far reaches of the galaxy, Ashla’s Light landed in the plains of Kal’Shabbol. Thousands of people came to greet the return of their noble knights, including the apprentices and priests that had never left to go to war. Ussej was greeted by his old friend Josiah Rendar and the two were obviously happy that all who had survived were now home. As he entered into the temple for the first time in three long years, he immediately walked in the direction of the living quarters. It was soon where he found his son, and the two shared a joyous reunion. They immediately began talking about how far the young Ussej Padric Bac IV had advanced in the time that his father had been gone, and it was if the discussion from three years before had never ended.

The Price of Terrorism
"The tide of fate cannot be stopped, not even by me."

- Ussej Padric Bac

A year passed by and the Bendu Order returned to their mandate of serving all those who dwelled on Kal’Shabbol. There were sermons and prayer ceremonies at the same time that they were held three years ago, and everyone enjoyed the return to normality. However, that soon changed. Shadourian fighters fell from the skies, and in an instant they destroyed most of the Bendu Temple of Light, as well as the lives of dozens of Bendu. The High Priest and his son were injured, but not severely. Ussej III knew there was only one person he could talk to in order to settle the mess he had gotten himself into. That person was his grandfather, Ussej Padric Bac....

Kal'Shabbol
Ussej's mistakes during the war brought about an age of awakening for the Bendu Order. After he died, the newly elected High Priest Josiah Rendar helped the Bendu Order rebuild itself from the ground up. During this time, not only were there changes in appearance to a more formal and monk-like style, but also a change in the way that the Order viewed itself. The three men of the Bac Family helped them to realize what happens when pride gets the best of people, including those held in such high regard.

Behind the Scenes

 * He is first featured in Shadows of the Jedi: The Legend of Ussej Padric Bac II as well as its sequel
 * In the mind of his creator, he is portrayed by actor by Viggo Mortensen
 * "Ussej" is a respelling of "Jesus"
 * He was Role-Played from December, 2005 - April, 2007