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Dodonna, Jan

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Jan Dodonna was one of the Old Republic's foremost military tacticians. Along with his friend and comrade Adar Tallon, they were a formidable pair. Tallon's ability to manipulate ship-to-ship combat complimented Dodonna's logistical mind and siege tactics. Dodonna was one of the first Star Destroyer Captains for the Old Republic, and was a task force commander during the height of the Clone Wars. When Dodonna first heard of Tallon's death, he retired. Soon after, Palpatine's New Order was implemented, and the military records of the Old Republic's finest officers were scrutinized. Dodonna was deemed too old to retrain, and was ordered for execution. A timely intervention by the Alliance, coupled with the knowledge of him impending execution, turned Dodonna toward the Alliance. He defected to the Alliance, and became one of their greatest strategists. Deep in his heart, he felt the need to help the Alliance turn the tide, for he saw the Empire using is greatest strategies against the Alliance, primarily in the Siege of Dalron V and the infamous Project Asteroid. He was placed in charge of the attack on the first Death Star, and agonized without sleep over the plans delivered by Leia Organa. His keen insight discovered the flaw in the reactor shaft, and he organized the snubfighter battle around it. With the Death Star gone, Dodonna was placed in charge of defending Yavin 4 until a new base could be found. He discovered that his son, Vrad, had been severely injured in an attack on the Super Star Destroyer Executor, and later died of his injuries. He helped destroy a wing of Imperial TIE Bombers that attacked Yavin 4, but was critically wounded in the battle. He was captured by the Imperials, and was imprisoned at the Lusankya facility. Known as the "Old Man," Dodonna was the unofficial leader of the prisoners working in the mines when Corran Horn was sent there. Jan helped Corran escape the facility, but couldn't escape with Horn without endangering the other prisoners. When Horn made his attempt, Jan noticed that Evir Derricote was attempting to follow him. Jan pursued Derricote and deflected his first attack on Horn. Corran was able to kill Derricote with the very shovel Derricote attacked him with. Jan remained behind when Corran left, and was probably transported to Thyferra when the Lusankya left Coruscant. Dodonna and the other prisoners were transported to the planet Ciutric by Ysanne Isard's clone, where they were held and drugged to ensure their compliance. Isard's clone pretended to move them every so often, using elaborate chambers and neurological drugs to make them believe they were travelling through hyperspace. In fact, they never left the planet. After the Battle of Bilbringi, the New Republic joined forces with the real Ysanne Isard, and was able to launch an assault on Ciutric. Dodonna and the remaining Lusankya prisoners were rescued by Corran Horn. Dodonna was eventually reunited with Adar Tallon, who had been discovered hiding on Tatooine and persuaded to join the Alliance some years before. The two, along with Vanden Willard, were known as the "Gray Cadre" among the Alliance's military. Note that The Truce at Bakura depicts Dodonna as an active member of the fledgling New Republic, and as the developer of the Battle Analysis Computer. After his rescue from Ciutric, Dodonna went on to become a competent statesman for the New Republic before he retired to New Alderaan, thinking that most of the battle with the Empire was over. He was quite surprised at the advent of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the new life shown by the remnants of the Empire, and so he came out of retirement and became one of the New Republic's most trusted military advisors, helping to turn the tide during the Battle of Calamari.