Dur Gejjen

"He was a headshot waiting to happen."

- Han Solo

Dur Gejjen was a Human male from Corellia and a politician at the time of the Second Galactic Civil War. Starting out in politics at a young age, he organized a coalition of Corellian political parties who opposed Corellian President Thrackan Sal-Solo, and drew up plans for a coup against Sal-Solo. This plan was made a reality with the help of Corellian ex-smuggler Han Solo and his wife, former New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo. Gejjen then opportunistically filled the ensuing power void, becoming Corellian president, and quickly expanding his grip to include all five worlds of the Corellian system.

With Sal-Solo gone, Gejjen turned his attention to expelling the Galactic Alliance presence in the Corellian system. As part of this plan, Gejjen tried to overthrow Hapan Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo, an ally of the Galactic Alliance, by supporting a rebel group known as the Heritage Council. When that plot failed, he tried to assassinate war hero Wedge Antilles, due to an attempt by Antilles to resign from the Corellian military; his plan failed. All the while, Gejjen was garnering enemies in high places, most importantly Galactic Alliance Guard commander and Jedi Knight Jacen Solo. Eventually, Solo ordered his apprentice, Ben Skywalker, to assassinate Gejjen. The plan was carried out in the guise of negotiations between Gejjen and Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas on the planet Vulpter; once the talks concluded, Gejjen was shot and killed by Skywalker.

Coup
"You got to hand it to Gejjen. He must have had all this planned."

- Han Solo

Dur Gejjen was born on the Core world of Corellia in 15 ABY, the son of Corellian politician Nov Gejjen. Gejjen entered politics at an early age, becoming an elected representative of the Democratic Alliance political party in his early twenties. Gejjen served as one of Corellian Head of State Thrackan Sal-Solo's closest advisors, but struggled to gain a voice for himself and his party.

In 40 ABY, Thrackan Sal-Solo, seeking to remove Galactic Alliance presence on Corellia, activated the ancient superweapon known as Centerpoint Station. Learning of Sal-Solo's plans, Jedi Knight Jacen Solo and his apprentice, Ben Skywalker, sneaked onto the station and disabled it. Seeking vengeance, Sal-Solo put a bounty on the heads of Solo's parents, ex-smuggler Han Solo and his wife, former New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, who was also an acquaintance of Gejjen's father Nov. Concerned for the Solos' lives, Gejjen contacted them, and arranged a meeting at a Coronet tapcafe. Upon first meeting, Han Solo was apprehensive and even threatening towards the then-twenty-five year old, but was pacified after Leia recognized Gejjen as her old friend's son. Immediately, Gejjen revealed plans for a coup against the unpopular Sal-Solo. Fearing that they would be overheard in a public place like the tapcafe, Organa Solo led Gejjen and her husband to a more private place, a local women's fashion shop. There, Gejjen described his plans in greater detail and took his leave, promising that he would warn the Solos when he discovered which bounty hunter took the bounty on them.

Meanwhile, events involving the Solo family escalated. Jacen Solo took charge of a newly formed secret police organization, the Galactic Alliance Guard. The Guard began imprisoning, and in some cases, torturing Corellians residing on the Galactic Alliance capital, Coruscant. In retaliation, Thrackan Sal-Solo declared Han and Leia Solo official enemies of Corellia and ordered their arrest. The two Solos soon arrived at Gejjen's house unannounced, now realizing the threat of Sal-Solo, and considering Gejjen's idea of a coup. Gejjen told the Solos that his political party, the Democratic Alliance, who were noted opponents of Sal-Solo, supported his idea of a coup to remove their political adversary. He also told them that once Sal-Solo was neutralized, the Democratic Alliance, along with their allies, the Corellian Liberal Front and the Centerpoint Party would unite to form an emergency stand-in government. Soon, Han and Leia Solo departed again, asking Gejjen to feed information of Sal-Solo's location for the time being. As an insurance policy to ensure that Sal-Solo was killed, Gejjen hired the famous Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett to assassinate the Corellian president. The plan was carried out and Sal-Solo was killed. Gejjen paid promptly, making his hired guns one million credits richer.

Following the coup, Gejjen immediately began maneuvering himself and his allies into positions of power to fill the vacuum left by the death of Sal-Solo. In an interview with the HoloNet, he pushed the idea of a coalition government, with his Democratic Alliance joining the Corellian Liberal Front and the Centerpoint Party. He also pitched this idea to Deputy President Vol Barad. The coalition cabinet idea was well-received and passed, with Dur Gejjen leading the group to become Chief of State of the new Corellian government.

In charge
"It might not be an exaggeration to say that persuading the Queen Mother to assume a favorable stance toward Corellia would be as much a service to her as to us."

- Dur Gejjen

With his plans of a coup realized and Gejjen presiding over Corellia, he quickly asserted his control over the entire system. Gejjen abolished the position of the President of Five Worlds, which was only created by Thrackan Sal-Solo so he could hold a greater dominion over the system. Gejjen soon seized an opportunity for greater power by arranging to have himself named Prime Minister of the Five Worlds, a government that encompassed all five planets of the Corellian system. Gejjen was assisted in his ascension by two others: Minster of Intelligence Gavele Lemora and Minister of Defense Rorf Willems. To try and rein in the Corellians, the Galactic Alliance placed a blockade on the world of Corellia. After the coup, the three came on board the Thrackan Sal-Solo, a Corellian Dreadnaught that served as the flagship in the Corellian fleet. When Han and Leia Solo, who were also on board, asked him why he was on the Dreadnaught, Gejjen at first claimed to be simply on an inspection, but then dropped a bombshell: the Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium, former Jedi Tenel Ka Djo, had agreed to meet with a Corellian delegation. The news was quite surprising to the Solos, since Tenel Ka and her Hapan subjects were strong supporters of the Galactic Alliance, and had assigned two Hapan fleets to Alliance command. However, according to Corellian intelligence, Tenel Ka's fervent support of the Galactic Alliance was straining her relationship with the Hapan nobles, so she was willing to talk with the Five Worlds. Gejjen decided to send the Solos, who were trusted friends of the Queen Mother, to negotiate with her. In reality, it was to be a diversion while the Five Worlds launched an attack on the Galactic Alliance-controlled Hapan fleets.

Han and Leia Solo traveled to the Hapes Consortium in the Millennium Falcon, and soon, a fight broke out in Tenel Ka's palace. The Solos skirmished with Hapan agents who were trying to assassinate Tenel Ka and her daughter, the Chume'da Allana. Nevertheless, Tenel Ka and her daughter survived, and soon another attack was launched. Gejjen and the Five Worlds backed a group of Hapan nobles called the Heritage Council, who were bent on removing Tenel Ka from power and installing their leader, the Ducha AlGray, as Queen Mother. They launched a full-scale battle, hoping to kill the reigning Queen Mother. Since the Queen Mother was a strong Galactic Alliance supporter, Galactic Alliance forces were there in full effect, led by Jacen Solo in his personal Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Anakin Solo. The Heritage Council and their Corellian backers were defeated in the Battle of Hapes, and Gejjen's plans of stopping the Hapan support of the Galactic Alliance were foiled.

New enemies
Following the Battle of Hapes, Gejjen sent Wedge Antilles, a Rebel Alliance hero, former Rogue Squadron pilot, and ex-Galactic Alliance commander to represent the Five Worlds in a discussion with Jacen Solo. Solo extended the hand of peace toward the Corellians, offering them readmission into the Galactic Alliance without incident. Antilles returned to Gejjen, who was accompanied by some of the most prominent politicians of the Corellian sector: Sadras Koyan, the Chief of State of the Five Worlds planet Tralus, Willems, Lemora, and Minister of Justice Denjax Teppler. Antilles told Gejjen of Solo's offer, and admitted that he could have stopped the Galactic Alliance blockade, which was now causing great suffering and supply shortages on Corellia. Angered by Antilles' failure to prevent the blockade, he demoted Antilles from his position as Five Worlds military commander, appointing Admiral Genna Delpin in his place. Gejjen was not willing to lose Antilles' military experience however, and asked him to join Delpin's staff. Antilles refused, and after a short argument, Gejjen stated that he was firing Wedge Antilles, but instead, the general decided to quit.

As a condition of Antilles' firing, Gejjen threw a banquet and a going-away party for the outgoing Antilles. However, Gejjen, who viewed Antilles as a traitor to the Five Worlds, had CorSec agents placed and ready to kill the departing war hero after the banquet. Following the ceremony, which was also attended by Delpin, Antilles and Gejjen departed together. As the two departed, Antilles surprised Gejjen with news that his daughter, Myri Antilles, having recently graduated from school and almost sure to work for Corellian Intelligence, was considering forgoing her service and working for the Galactic Alliance Intelligence Service. Gejjen was surprised and angered, and soon, the assassins struck, pouring a hail of blaster bolts toward Antilles. Unfortunately for Gejjen, Antilles' life was saved by his wife, former New Republic Intelligence agent Iella Wessiri Antilles, Jedi Master Corran Horn, and his daughter Myri. In retaliation, Gejjen ordered the arrest of Wedge and Iella Antilles, along with Horn.

After the Antilles incident, Minister of Justice Denjax Teppler, a political ally of Dur Gejjen, met with Han and Leia Solo. Teppler disclosed that it was Gejjen who masterminded the assassination attempt on the life of Tenel Ka Djo. Although the Solos had previously been suspicious of Gejjen, they now, once and for all, considered him an enemy.

Assassination on Vulpter
"What do you want me to do?''" "''Assassinate Gejjen."

- Ben Skywalker and Jacen Solo

Through Teppler's discussion with the Solos, the Galactic Alliance finally had evidence that Gejjen was behind the assassination attempt on the Hapan Queen Mother. Jacen Solo, in control of the Galactic Alliance Guard, finally had what he wanted&mdash;ample grounds for Gejjen's assassination. Solo, a Jedi Knight, assigned Ben Skywalker, his apprentice, to perform the deed. Around that time, Gejjen decided to negotiate with Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas on the Deep Core planet of Vulpter. Although Omas was coming under the banner of peace, calling for an end to the escalating conflict between the Corellia-aligned worlds and those in favor of the Galactic Alliance, Gejjen was aiming to make a power grab. Solo, learning of the negotiations, formulated a plan; he would send Skywalker to Vulpter with a GAG team and a Karpaki fifty slugthrower rifle. There, Skywalker and his team would lie in wait, and assassinate Gejjen once the talks with Omas had concluded.

In the meantime, Solo staged a coup, taking over the position of Galactic Alliance Chief of State as a duumvirate with Mon Calamari Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet Admiral Cha Niathal. Omas, who was on his way to Vulpter at the time, was not able to prevent it. Gejjen, eager to end the conflict and ultimately claim victory over the Galactic Alliance, rescheduled all of his engagements for the day of the meeting, confirming his attendance of the Vulpter negotiation. Gejjen's plan was to get the support of the Bothans once the Galactic Alliance backed off and a ceasefire was settled, and then launch a surprise attack on the Galactic Alliance. Gejjen came to the meeting in his personal shuttle, and immediately demanded to Omas that Solo and Niathal be assassinated, removing them from their positions in the Galactic Alliance. The negotiations concluded with no real changes or agreements made. Soon after Gejjen stepped through the doors of the building where he talked with Omas into the busy Vulpter starport, Skywalker shot Gejjen in the back of the head, killing him.

Legacy
"Gejjen's been assassinated, by the way. Heard it on the news." "Good. Slimy shabuir."

- Boba Fett and Mirta Gev upon learning of the death of Dur Gejjen

After the death of Dur Gejjen, a fight with Vulpter starport security forces claimed the life of GAG lieutenant Jori Lekauf, an accomplice of Skywalker's, who claimed to be a Corellian extremist before he died in order to sow misinformation regarding GAG involvement. Skywalker escaped along with GAG captain Lon Shevu back to the Galactic Alliance capital of Coruscant. The death of a prominent politician such as Gejjen was a widely reported news story, being reported as far out as the Outer Rim world of Mandalore. Lekauf's ploy was largely successful, as many theories were spun regarding Gejjen's death, among which the possibility that the killer was a Corellian extremist featured prominently. Ultimately, several Corellian extremist groups claimed responsibility for Gejjen's death, and the identity of Skywalker as the killer was never discovered.

The political scene on Corellia, deprived of one of its foremost leaders, was thrown into dire straits. Since Corellian politicians were wary of taking Gejjen's former position due to several assassinations, it took some time to find a new Head of State. Gejjen was eventually replaced by his former colleague Sadras Koyan, following the brief rule of a triumvirate of three Democratic Alliance officials.

Personality and traits
"He's a piece of work."

- Jacen Solo

As a political opponent of Thrackan Sal-Solo's regime, Gejjen was fiercely against what Sal-Solo stood for. His opposition soon turned to ideas of overthrowing Sal-Solo, and decided to assassinate the Corellian President. Secretly, he messaged the Solos, hoping they would aid him in his planned coup. His secretive, soft-spoken, and vague persona at the first meeting between him and the Solos angered Han, who responded by threatening the young politician. Gejjen did not panic however, and after Solo was pacified by his wife, set up the coup to overthrow Sal-Solo. To ensure that the assassination took place as planned, he hired Boba Fett as a backup plan, who was accompanied by his granddaughter, Mirta Gev. Once the hit took place and Sal-Solo was finally killed, Gejjen was grateful for the services performed, and paid the killers quickly.

Once Gejjen was appointed new President of Corellia, he displayed greater ambition, quickly consolidating his power and assuming control of the Five Worlds government. Gejjen also appointed friends and allies to important positions. He turned his attention to expelling Galactic Alliance presence in the Corellian system, and began his support of the Heritage Council, who was planning to overthrow Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo. He then turned on his former allies, the Solos, sending them into a perilous situation on Hapes hoping to be rid of them, for they were personal friends of Djo. When the Heritage Council sprung their trap at Hapes, Gejjen continued secretly supporting them, lending Confederation forces to the rebel force. However, they failed, and it was back to the proverbial drawing board for Gejjen.

Gejjen was very hard on his subordinates and Corellian officers when he had judged that the person in question had failed him, going so far as to attempt to fire military veteran Wedge Antilles after failed negotiations with Jacen Solo. However, Gejjen valued Antilles' tactical expertise, and refused to let Antilles go, offering him a lower echelon position. When Antilles refused, Gejjen was irate, and decided to throw a banquet and a send-off party for Antilles' retirement, and assassinate him after his own celebration. Yet again, his plans for an assassination failed, with Antilles being rescued by Corellian Jedi Corran Horn, Antilles' wife Iella, and Antilles' daughter Myri. In retaliation, Gejjen added them as Corellian enemies of state.

Gejjen was apt and adept at spinning any confrontation with his Galactic Alliance enemies as a major victory for the Corellian cause, helping to keep morale high within the Corellian system. When the Galactic Alliance's ruse struck and Cal Omas was sent to Vulpter, purportedly to negotiate an agreement between the Confederation and the Galactic Alliance, Gejjen was eager to claim victory, and cleared his schedule in preparation for Omas' arrival. The meetings made no progress, but that was all moot when Gejjen was assassinated by Ben Skywalker, an agent of the Galactic Alliance.

Behind the scenes
Dur Gejjen first appeared in Karen Traviss' novel Bloodlines, the second book in the nine-book Legacy era series Legacy of the Force. He was featured over the next several books as well; Troy Denning's Tempest, and Aaron Allston's Exile, before being killed off in Traviss' Sacrifice. The character of Dur Gejjen serves as the leader of the Corellian coalition, and the antithesis of Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas.

Appearances

 * Bloodlines
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Fury
 * Revelation