The Essential Guide to Force Exile/Kyle Katarn

"This isn’t the time for false hope or wishful thinking. Some of us might be able to survive by hiding here. Some might be able to escape the planet. But we need to accept that our odds of survival start out at zero and plan accordingly. We need to make sure that even if our own odds don’t go up, that someone else’s do."

- Kyle Katarn

Kyle Katarn was a Human male born and raised on Sulon. He joined the Imperial military as a young man and was trained as a stormtrooper. Katarn was a decorated soldier, but learned that his father had joined the Rebel Alliance that was opposing the Empire after his father was killed in a raid. As a result, Katarn left Imperial service and became a Rebel agent himself, often partnered with another agent named Jan Ors. One of his missions was to help recover the plans for the Death Star.

Katarn eventually learned of his Force-sensitivity and became trained as a Jedi, defeating the Dark Jedi Jerec in the process. He went on to become an instructor for the New Jedi Order established by Luke Skywalker after years of roaming, while continuing to occasionally work with Ors on missions.

When the Yuuzhan Vong War broke out, Katarn continued to serve in the Jedi Order, carrying out missions against the Yuuzhan Vong invaders. In 28 ABY, after the fall of Coruscant, Katarn and Ors traveled to Rishi, learning that a group of Chalactan refugees had arrived there, escorted by volunteers under Colonel Derek Klivian. Katarn met with the refugee and planetary leadership, warning them that he sensed a threat.

Shortly thereafter, the Chalactan viceroy's daughter, Shara, was attacked by disguised Yuuzhan Vong warriors, only to be rescued by the intervention of a young Force-using warrior from Yanibar named Ryion Kraen, who was on Rishi for a covert mission. Ryion was badly injured in the fight and was taken to the governor's mansion for treatment. However, when he awoke, Shara shielded Ryion from inquiry, much to Kyle's frustration.

Furthermore, a small force of Yuuzhan Vong ships arrived in the Rishi system, enough to prevent an easy evacuation. Katarn suggested that they prepare for guerrilla warfare, knowing that when a larger Yuuzhan Vong fleet inevitably arrived, they could not win in a straight battle with the forces available.

Help arrived in the form of the Yanibar Guard, which sent a small force to extract Ryion. However, the Yuuzhan Vong sent a much larger fleet, smashing through the Yanibar Guard force even with Klivian's volunteers helping, and landed troops. Katarn joined up with Ryion and his other Force-using Elite Guardian companions to help defend the governor's mansion while Jan brought her ship over to evacuate the government officials. Meanwhile, a larger Yanibar Guard fleet arrived to reinforce their position over Rishi. Kyle and the other Force-users were rescued by a Yanibar Guard drop group, though at the cost of a senior Elite Guardian.

They were extracted and made their way to a Yanibar Guard field base being established nearby. From there, Kyle continued to contribute to the defense of Rishi as the battle went back and forth between the two sides. He agreed to work with Klivian and the Yanibar Guard, though the alliance was uneasy at first, given the secretive and demanding nature of the Yanibar Guard.

When the commander of the Yanibar Guard, Selu Kraen, suspected that Ryion, his son, might attempt a foolhardy attempt to stop the Yuuzhan Vong and rescue Yanibar Guard prisoners being held on the enemy flagship, he confided his suspicion to Katarn, who had a similar suspicion. Katarn agreed to help and Selu taught him the Force camouflage technique, which he used to stow away when Ryion and his cousin Zeyn took a small ship to infiltrate the Yuuzhan Vong flagship. When they ran into a trap, Katarn freed them, helping fight off Yuuzhan Vong warriors and free the prisoners. Shortly thereafter, Ryion was able to negotiate a mutual withdrawal with the Yuuzhan Vong leader, and both sides withdrew from Rishi after a costly battle.