Juhm

Juhm was a Separatist overseer of the Gwori shipyards during the time of the Clone Wars.

History
During the Clone Wars, Juhm was keeping close watch over the freighters that were carrying supplies to the world when he noticed an irregularity. The six ships that were scheduled to report had inexplicably picked up a seventh ship in their convoy. Although the B1 battle droids who were overseeing the freighters' passage through the blockade had dismissed the extra ship as a simple calculation error by the sometimes defective plunk droids, Juhm was wary of a Jedi attack and realized that something was wrong. Although Juhm's droid servants recommended simply destroying every ship in the convoy as a precaution, Juhm devised a plan that would spare the destruction of the needed supplies in the rest of the freighters.

Transmitting a message to the entire convoy, Juhm requested that the group of freighters make their way to Platform A-61. When one of the ships, VX-391 did not immediately change course to the new destination, Juhm realized which ship was intruding and ordered his Vulture droid starfighters to shoot down the Republic ship. The freighter was easily destroyed, but not before the pilot, the astromech droid R2-D2, was able to escape the ship along with its cargo: several clone troopers and the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano who had been concealed in carbonite slabs.

The droids reported to Juhm that the craft had been destroyed, and Juhm delighted in the idea that he may have been responsible for the deaths of several Jedi, a feat which could possibly result in a medal. When Count Dooku contacted Juhm to discover whether he had been able to deter the Jedi saboteurs, Juhm reported his success and was confident enough to refuse any further troops to reinforce his position. However, Juhm's confidence was quickly shattered when he detected an unauthorized transmission from Station 22, a communications tower on the planet. When Juhm contacted the station to discover their intent, he discovered Ahsoka Tano with several clone troopers, led by Captain Rex who were attempting to contact the Republic.

Troubled by the turn of events, Juhm was forced to admit his mistake to Dooku when the Count contacted the overseer again. Dooku insisted on sending further troops to Juhm's position to deal with the Jedi intruders despite Juhm's assurances that the Jedi would be dealt with. Hoping to correct his mistake, Juhm traveled to the shipyards with a droid complement to investigate reports that further Jedi had been seen in the vicinity. The shipyards were staffed by living beings, enslaved with the help of electrorestraints. Juhm appealed to his workers' fears, requesting that they point out the Jedi, before they could bring Republic forces to the world, which could result in the destruction of the shipyards and the deaths of many of the workers.

The Foreman of the shipyards, Mirax, pointed out the intruders to Juhm, not wishing to see his workers harmed, and several Destroyer droids took the two Jedi, Skywalker and Kenobi, captive. Juhm ordered the Jedi to be taken to the shocker sticks, and then began to question the foreman about the Jedi's intentions and the whereabouts of their other forces. Mirax informed Juhm that another Jedi was in hiding on the plateau away from the shipyards, and the overseer prepared his troops to capture the other intruder. Before leaving the shipyards, Juhm told the foreman that his workers would receive extra food rations as a reward for his loyalty. Juhm explained to Mirax that the only reason the shipyards used organic beings as workers was as insurance to keep the Republic from attacking, as the Separatists knew the Jedi would never approve a mission that would result in the deaths of a large number of innocent workers. However, Juhm's explanation only resulted in Mirax regretting his earlier decision to sell out the Jedi, and he began to question his loyalty to Juhm and the Separatists.

Juhm left the shipyards and found Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex attempting to make their way across the Gwori landscape. Juhm's forces took the two captive and reunited them with the other Jedi. The four were placed against the shocker sticks, electrical torture devices, and shocked into submission for Juhm's amusement, and as a reminder to the slaves that they were firmly under the overseer's control. Juhm was contacted once again by Dooku, who was pleased that Juhm had succeeded without his help. Dooku explained that he was on his way to Gwori to inspect Juhm's operation, and that he would be pleased to participate in the execution of Juhm's Jedi captives. Honoring the Count's request, Juhm left the Jedi with several IG-100 MagnaGuards, who continued to use the shocker sticks to torture the group throughout the night.

Battle of Gwori Shipyards
However, the Jedi were eventually able to escape, and they returned to the slaves' quarters. This time, Mirax and the group agreed to help the Jedi, and they prepared to escape the planet. The following morning, Juhm began to prepare for Dooku's arrival, dressing for the occasion with assistance with from one of his female slaves, Kirraa. The woman had been tasked with stealing back the lightsabers of the captured Jedi, and she humored the overseer, attempting to get close to the captured weapons. Juhm mistook the woman's flattery for attraction, believing that she had finally realized how seductive his power was. Before he could speak with the woman further, Juhm was notified that a Republic force had bypassed the blockade and was approaching the shipyards. Juhm ordered his forces to mobilize, sending his fighters to meet the Republic ships. However, Juhm was still confident that the Republic would not attack the shipyards due to the sentients whose lives would be put in danger. Unfortunately for the overseer, the slaves had escaped from the shipyards, and in Juhm's shock over his missing slaves, Kirraa was able to escape his quarters with the Jedi lightsabers. Juhm ordered his forces to track down the missing slaves, but with their lightsabers returned to them, the Jedi easily fought off the droids and loaded the group aboard a Munificent-class star frigate to escape the planet.

Meanwhile, Juhm's facility began to come under heavy fire from Hunter and Tracker Squadron, led by Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Saesee Tiin. The two Jedi were able to destroy the defensive laser cannons protecting the shipyards, and the bomber squadrons began to decimate the Separatist operation. Juhm was shocked by the turn of events but rallied his forces to stop the shipyards' total destruction. In the ensuing battle, Juhm noticed one of his completed Munificent-class star frigates escaping the facility. Realizing that the Jedi were using the ship to escape with his slaves, Juhm notified the blockade above the planet to not let the ship through. As the frigate began to make its way into space, Juhm concentrated on the battle at hand, nearly preventing the destruction of the shipyards. However, the supports of the facility were severely weakened in the Republic's bombing run, and they eventually collapsed, fully destroying Juhm's entire operation.

Juhm was furious over the loss of his facility, but he was determined to not let the Jedi have the last laugh, concentrating all his remaining firepower on the escaping Jedi ship and their cargo of freed slaves. Juhm's forces were able to redirect the ship through the scan gate, a radiation device which had the power to vaporize organic beings and was used by the Separatists to prevent ships with living beings aboard to sneak through the blockade. Assured that the Jedi and the slaves would be destroyed by the scan gate, Juhm contacted the fleeing ship to gloat over their impending demise. However, the Republic squadrons, having completed their mission, arrived just in time to disable the scan gate, saving the group. As the Republic forces escaped to hyperspace, the scan gate exploded, obscuring further transmissions. Juhm contacted the blockade commander to discover whether the Jedi ship had been destroyed, but the droid informed the overseer that the Jedi had escaped. Amid the destruction and to Juhm's dismay, the droid commander added that Dooku had just arrived.

Death
"I was prepared to deliver you a reward, overseer. Your obscene failure, however, makes the very idea inappropriate now."

- Dooku



Dooku arrived at the facility's landing platform and debarked with his acolyte, Asajj Ventress. Dooku informed Juhm that he had come to the world to offer him a reward for his performance, but upon seeing the destruction such a gesture was no longer warranted. Juhm tried to assure Dooku that the defeat was only a minor setback, and that with time, he would be able to repair the situation. However, Dooku realized that once again Juhm was attempting to refuse his aid, and fed up with the overseer's antics, he told the Muun that his services were no longer needed. Juhm would play no further part in the plans of the Separatists. With this declaration made, Dooku ordered Juhm's execution, and Ventress drew her lightsaber. Juhm was only able to raise his hands in self-defense before he was struck down. With the overseer dead, Dooku told Ventress to learn from Juhm's example. Those that refused help from their allies were of no use to him.

Following Juhm's death, Dooku contacted his master, Darth Sidious, to tell him of Juhm's failure. Sidious responded that the Gwori shipyards had to fall at some point and that the defeat had played into their hands. If the shipyards had stayed online, the Confederate Navy would have grown too powerful, perhaps ending the war too quickly. Sidious claimed that Juhm's demise was necessary as he was a weak link in their plan.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars Novellas: Shipyards of Doom