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Momen, Reija

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this matronly woman, a native of the planet Alderaan, was the chief administrator of the Intergalatic Communications Center on Praesitlyn during the height of the Clone Wars. She had been in charge of the facility for seven years, and considered its staff to be her only family. In fact, they lovingly called her "Momma Momen." She had just five years left on her tour of duty at Praesitlyn before she could return home when the planet was blockaded and attacked by Separatist forces led by Pors Tonith. She had been in contact with General Khamar of the Grand Army of the Republic, who had laid out the defensive plans for protecting the communications center, but they were cut off when the Separatists began jamming all communications. Rather than panicking, Momen drew her support staff together and prepared to destroy the facility, should it fall into enemy hands. Her preparations were not enough, however, and they were quickly captured by Tonith's forces and held hostage. She hated the fact that Tonith was a Muun, since her own father had lost his farm because he couldn't make a loan payment after a series of bad harvests. Tonith took her as his primary hostage, and forced her to record a message to the Republic and its forces on Praesitlyn. Momen agreed, but rather than begging the Republic to abandon Praesitlyn so her staff would not be killed, she ordered the military to attack the Separatists. Her staff had agreed to do what was necessary to keep the center out of the Separatists' hands, and although Momen was beaten for her insolence, she remained strong. Her fortitude paid off for the Republic and her staff, especially when Anakin Skywalker launched a crazy mission to rescue them. Unfortunately, just after Anakin liberated them from the facility's command center, Reija was shot in the chest by a battle droid. The droid would have shot Anakin, as well, but its weapon locked up from poor maintenance. Anakin destroyed it, then used his anger at Reija's useless death to complete the mission.