The Essential Guide to Force Exile/Ryion Kraen

Ryion Kraen was the son of Selu and Milya Kraen. Born in 5 ABY as their second child, he was Force-sensitive like his parents. They both suspected that his innate talents were greater than either of their own, and Ryion proved to have considerable prowess in the Force, as well as being a gifted athlete. Throughout his childhood, he was always pushing himself to do better, and ultimately joined the Yanibar Guard to carry on the formidable legacy that his famed parents had created.

Though his parents never for a moment regretted Ryion's birth, his conception was in fact unintentional&mdash;Selu and Milya were not trying to have another child after having to witness their first daughter, Rhiannon, suffer permanent blindness after an illness at an early age. Even while in the womb, Ryion was endangered when his mother fought a desperate duel against the Nightsister Silri in order to save Rhiannon. Thankfully, Milya defeated Silri and Rhiannon was saved. It was discovered soon thereafter that Ryion was highly Force-sensitive.

He was raised by his parents at their Yanibar home, and when old enough to understand was told of his Force-sensitivity and the offer to undergo training with any of the many Force disciplines on Yanibar was made. Ryion elected to learn the ways of the Jedi like his parents had. He was trained by Selu and Milya alongside his cousin Zeyn Kraen and a young Wroonian named Ariada Cerulaen.

Ryion possessed considerable natural aptitude for the Force and was a gifted athlete. His holographic memory, inherited from his father, helped him excel academically. However, his parents were constantly warning him about the dangers of attachment. As a child, Ryion was known for throwing fits when a favorite toy broke or a friend moved away&mdash;something his parents repeatedly remonstrated him over. Ryion was also warned not to try and push himself or others too hard. He was naturally impatient with others who lacked his aptitude, but he learned to overcome these traits when in 16 ABY he joined a team of three other potential Elite Guardians: Zeyn, Ariada, and their leader, a Twi'lek named Qedai.

Their trainers worked them hard, teaching them further in the ways of the Force as well as providing military and intelligence skills that they would need. Ryion used his athleticism and Force talents to excel at the physical and combative components of their training. Though Qedai was usually better than him in many athletic events, he was generally the team's best fighter due to having lightsaber instruction from three of the best swordsmen on Yanibar from childhood. He also had a natural talent for piloting, which was aided by more instruction from his parents at an early age. For his fifteenth birthday, Ryion was given flying lessons by his father and Yanibar's foremost ace, Hasla Almani. When he was 13, Ryion attended the wedding of his sister Rhiannon to Kavlis Burke, after which she moved outside the Yanibar colony. Her departure was a source of grief for his family and he used his training as an outlet to keep his mind off the loss of his sister.

One of the hardest challenges for the trainees was being captured by Jalsinnare Mercenaries in 19 ABY while on a training exercise out in Yanibar's desert. After Qedai detected their presence, she led the others in an evasive journey, but their efforts were ultimately fruitless. While attempting to scramble up a steep ravine, Ariada lost her footing and fell several meters, severely spraining her ankle. Qedai and the rest of the team refused to leave her and they were captured. Brought to a Jalsinnare ship, they were shown holos of the capture of the Yanibar Guard's orbital facilities, as well as the death of prominent Force exile leaders, including Milya and Selu Kraen. The Jalsinnare ship was equipped with Force-dampening ysalamiri, so Ryion was unable to warn his friends of the danger. He fought against the urge to strike back with anger, instead focusing himself on doing what he could to watch out for his team and escape to warn the other surviving Force exiles. By focusing on what he needed to do next, he was able to damp down on the waves of anger and grief that threatened to overwhelm him.

The captives were then separated and interrogated harshly for several weeks on end in order to determine the location of the Yanibar colony. The Jalsinnare made use of a device which would prompt users to think they were experiencing their worst fears. Ryion was resistant to their methods and found a way to slip Ariada notes, which encouraged her to persevere. While Qedai made the most spirited resistance, Ryion was focused on unifying and strengthening the team, because he knew that he could not keep himself in check and escape on his own. Under duress, he performed admirably, refusing to divulge any vital information. Afterward, it was revealed that the entire capture-and-imprisonment experience was an elaborate test devised by the Yanibar Guard&mdash;the Jalsinnare Mercenaries had been recruited into the Yanibar Guard prior to this test, but that had been a highly-classified secret. The attack on Yanibar was a deception designed to help break trainees or push them toward the dark side. Ryion was outraged at the deception, particularly since his parents were aware of it. He was coldly informed by them that his sense of entitlement due to his parentage was undeserved. Ryion resented this response, but later accepted that if their positions were reversed, he would have made the same decision. Like the other trainees, he never spoke of what the interrogation device made her experience.

It was later revealed that their escape, evasion, and interrogation training had been moved up because they had been selected for a top-secret mission pending successful passing of the test. They were assigned to train as competitors for the reinstated Pan-Galactic Games, held on Coruscant. Each member of the team was assigned to compete in two different events and had to train for both alongside their other studies.

Ryion's events were the galactic octathlon and doubles low-g gymnastics with Ariada. Seeing a chance to prove himself to his parents, his trainers, and the rest of Yanibar, Ryion worked himself to the point of exhaustion each day. As the son of the founders of the Yanibar colony, Ryion felt an enormous weight on his shoulders to live up to the expectations. The preparation was grueling, but Ryion and the rest of the team persevered. They won their events handily at a local sector competition and received the right to represent Yanibar on Coruscant in 22 ABY at the Galactic Games. Throughout their training, Ryion was especially protective of Ariada, both because she was the weakest physically on the team and also he was smitten with her.

On Coruscant, Ariada noticed his behavior toward her and feared that he didn't trust her as a valuable member of the team and became more reclusive while she struggled with self-worth. Ryion noticed this and confronted her about it shortly after they arrived on Coruscant. She pointed out his protective tendencies and asked him if he thought she was weak. She was surprised when he replied that his attention toward her was of a romantic nature instead. At a loss for words, she did not give him a reply when he asked how she felt.

That evening, Ryion and their lead trainer, Morgedh clan Kel'nerh, organized a team meeting to discuss the lack of unity between all four members of the team throughout their time on Coruscant. Morgedh chastised them for their lack of unity and told them to settle their differences. Qedai apologized for her irritation, but her quick temper flared again when Ryion revealed he had been behind the meeting. However, after Ariada reminded them that they were bickering again, the team was able to overcome their frustration and move forward united.

While working through the long and tiring rounds of the galactic octathlon, Ryion was approached by Luke Skywalker and his niece and nephew, Jacen and Jaina Solo, who had wanted to meet an athlete. Morgedh and Ryion realized that the Jedi Master had sensed his use of the Force and told him that they were Zeison Sha, an independent Force-using tradition based on Yanibar and hostile to the Jedi. Skywalker left to avoid further offense, but Morgedh informed Ryion that he had to cease using the Force so as to avoid attracting further attention or giving away information to Skywalker's Force senses.

As a result, Ryion was severely beaten in the galactic octathlon event and was wounded. Ariada visited him to try and dissuade him from competing in the low-g event, but he stubbornly refused. He asked again about her feelings towards him and she told him she was conflicted, concerned that a relationship with him would complicate their professional career as Elite Guardians.

During their warmup and initial rounds for the gymnastics event, Ariada had as little contact with Ryion as possible due to the unresolved tension between them. They were competing well, but barely spoke. Before the parabola portion of the gymnastics event, Ryion asked her to open the mental link between them fully and she complied reluctantly. Ryion had sensed malevolent intent and, with Ariada's help, was able to thwart an assassination attempt on New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, who had been watching the competition. In the process, Ryion was severely injured. Ryion was taken to receive medical treatment, though his parents and Morgedh wanted to leave Coruscant as quickly as possible. Before they could leave, they were approached by Organa Solo herself, who wanted to thank Ryion for his bravery. Selu responded by saying that if Organa Solo was truly grateful, she would arrange to have the New Republic and the Jedi leave Yanibar alone, and allow them to depart. She assented to his suggestions and they departed Coruscant quickly. Ryion's left hand had been wounded in thwarting the assassination attempt and required a prosthetic glove built by his uncle Sarth Kraen that would connect to his hand and replace the severed finger. However, his team was so impressed with his leadership that they selected him as their team leader.

On the flight back to Yanibar, Ariada confessed her own feelings to Ryion and the two began a relationship even as they continued their training. For their two years of required military training, Ariada chose to join YGI, while Ryion went through YGF training. Ryion was put through basic training while under strict orders not to reveal her identity or her Force powers. It was a humbling experience, being treated like just another potential agent, but he was studious, learning many things from his starfighter instructors. He graduated at the top of his class and set numerous training records due to his Force aptitude and prior piloting experience. During this time, Ryion was selected to help field-test the new Firehawk airswoops that Sarth Kraen had developed for the Elite Guardians. Ryion enjoyed racing the advanced machines at breakneck speeds through Yanibar's desert, though his parents were concerned after he nearly killed himself in a crash.

By 26 ABY, Ryion and the rest of the team were fully-qualified and cleared to handle missions offworld, which was just as well, as the Yuuzhan Vong invasion had begun to threaten the entire galaxy by that point.

Appearances

 * Deception on R'alla
 * Through Her Eyes
 * Champion of Yanibar