Farzala Tarabal

During the time of the High Republic, Farzala Tarabal was a Padawan in the Jedi Order. He was one of many Padawans stationed aboard the academic cruiser Star Hopper, traveling the galaxy to learn the ways of the Jedi while receiving training under Jedi Masters Yoda and Torban Buck.

Tarabal was a close friend of Lula Talisola and Qort, fellow Padawans aboard the Star Hopper. Together, Tarabal and Qort often caused mischief, leading Talisola to look out for them.

In around 232 BBY, after the Trymant system came under threat from an Emergence of the Great Hyperspace Disaster, the Star Hopper was the only Jedi vessel nearby and thus rushed to provide assistance. Tarabal questioned their decision, suggesting to wait for further backup, but Yoda was determined to continue, believing that the Padawans were the only hope of rescue for the Trymant system. En route to the Trymant system, Yoda had the Padawans search for information on the incident. Tarabal and Qort determined its nature as fallout from the Great Disaster, while Talisola and Bibs informed the other Padawans that the debris threatened the densely populated Bralanak City on the planet Trymant IV.

As the cruiser prepared to exit hyperspace, Yoda and Buck instructed the Padawans to work on the ground to rescue the citizens and deal with smaller chunks of debris while the two Masters handled the larger pieces. The Padawans boarded their rescue speeders, with Tarabal climbing onto a speeder piloted by Talisola. The Star Hopper arrived in the Trymant system, and the speeders descended toward Trymant IV. Directing the other speeders to stay in a tight formation, Tarabal warned them of a nearby chunk of debris that narrowly missed his and Talisola's speeder, expressing relief at the near miss.

After landing on the planet to assist its citizens, Tarabal noticed a piece of debris that threatened to hit a number of people on a nearby roof. He and Talisola boarded their speeder, followed by Bibs and Qort on a hover platform with which to rescue the trapped residents. Though Tarabal was unsure if they would make it in time, he managed to shoot down the debris, breaking it apart before it made impact. Talisola questioned how they would rescue the people of the city, and Tarabal suggested using a nearby Spider Cruiser, which had brought Nihil marauders to attack Trymant IV in the wake of the Emergence.

The Jedi confronted the Nihil, demanding to use the cruiser to evacuate the citizens, but the marauders refused, firing upon the Padawans. After deflecting the blaster bolts alongside the other Jedi, Tarabal declared their intent to take the cruiser by force, racing forward beside Talisola and Qort. Another large piece of debris fell toward them, but it was held back by the Force-sensitive resident Zeen Mrala, to the surprise of Tarabal and the other Padawans. Though Talisola helped Mrala to hold back the debris, the Jedi had become surrounded by the Nihil marauders, with Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro ordering their deaths.

Tarabal asked Talisola what they should do, and his friend was resolved to fight. Before the Nihil could open fire, however, Masters Yoda and Buck arrived to rescue the Padawans, the latter of the two surprising Tarabal by announcing his entrance with his nickname, "Buckets of Blood." The Jedi charged into battle with the Nihil, with Tarabal facing several of the marauders himself. Noticing one Nihil about to launch a large projectile, Tarabal warned his fellow Jedi, allowing Yoda to slice the projectile into pieces in midair.

The Jedi continued to fight through the crowd of Nihil, during which Tarabal asked Talisola about her situation, to which she noted Mrala's proficiency in utilizing the Force. Tarabal subsequently noticed Buck, surrounded by a number of raiders and expressing his dislike for fighting, and suggested that he needed assistance. The Padawans charged to Buck's rescue; however, they were interrupted by the arrival of a Republic rescue fleet above the planet, which prompted the Nihil to flee. As Republic vessels began to land on Trymant IV, Buck thanked the Padawans for the assistance, and Tarabal and Talisola questioned him about his nickname. The two Padawans exchanged confused glances upon Buck's explanation that he was a healer.

The Nihil cruiser took off, escaping the blockade above Trymant IV. Yoda returned, having infiltrated the vessel to find Mrala's friend, Krix Kamerat—who did not wish to be saved due to his dislike for the Jedi—and the Master declared that the Jedi and Mrala must return to the Starlight Beacon. The Jedi boarded the Star Hopper and departed from Trymant. Mrala was upset by the loss of her home and being separated from her friend, Krix Kamerat—who had been taken in by the Nihil as they departed—but Talisola comforted her, with Tarabal and Qort backing up her sympathies. As the Star Hopper arrived at the Starlight Beacon, Tarabal and the other Jedi watched their approach through a viewport.

In the time following the Star Hopper's return to the Starlight Beacon, Tarabal and the other Jedi were welcoming and inclusive to Mrala, allowing her to feel at home aboard the station. One week after the Trymant incident, several of Starlight's Jedi Masters convened to discuss Mrala's future; Estala Maru noted that she was too old to be trained, while Avar Kriss was unsure if Trymant IV was in a state for her to be sent back, prompting Kantam Sy to pose that Mrala could remain on Starlight for a time as she had become close with the Padawans. When Talisola interrupted, suggesting that the Masters should seek Mrala's own opinion on the matter, Tarabal added that the next most important opinion was that of Mrala's new Jedi friends.

As the other Jedi watched, the Padawans began to re-enact the events of the attack on Trymant, providing an account of Mrala and Talisola holding back the debris complete with Tarabal's excited narration. The display convinced the Masters that the Padawans wished for their friend to stay; with Mrala having helped to save lives on Trymant and knowing two individuals who were within the Nihil, Kamerat included, she would prove to be helpful. The Jedi had been unable to find the Nihil after their escape from Trymant; however, Yoda had provided Krix with a holoprojector while aboard the Nihil cruiser so that the boy could contact Mrala when he was ready, and the Jedi Master noted that the device could be of use in tracking the marauders down.

The Jedi Masters resolved to investigate the Nihil's actions further, with Kriss suspecting that the group they encountered had been on a high-level mission. Tarabal suggested sneaking up on the Nihil and blasting them with laser cannons, which Bibs and Qort proceeded to act out. As the transponder within the holoprojector only had a short range, the Jedi devised a plan to search the Bright Jewel system, which had seen increased reports of Nihil attacks, in the hope that they could pick up the signal. However, the transponder's location could only be received through a message being sent, and thus required Mrala's collaboration in manipulating Kamerat. As Tarabal and the other Jedi watched, Yoda and Talisola asked Mrala whether she would agree to help them, but she was unable to decide.

Some time later, during preparations for the Republic Fair on the planet Valo, Tarabal and Qort separated from their fellow Padawans, accompanying Leox Gyasi and the crew of the Vessel on a secret mission for the Jedi.