―Nina to her stepdaughter during the invasion of Artorias[src]
How and when Nina entered the galaxy is not known, but she was present by 6 ABY, at which time she was enslaved to the DurosDowron. She remained Dowron's slave for two years, at which point he tried to settle on Artorias. The planet's king, Caled Galfridian, retook control from Dowron's thugs, and forced Dowron to deactivate her slave control chip. Nina immediately killed Dowron with her bare hands, and shortly afterward seduced Caled.[4]
Prior to the invasion of Artorias Nina and her stepdaughter Kaye were shopping in the marketplace. While talking with her friend Jenny, a large explosion rocked the marketplace, shattering merchandise and flinging debris across the square. Jenny was severely wounded by the flying debris and collapsed in Nina's arms. As Yuuzhan Vongwarriors entered and marched towards them, Nina ordered Kaye to flee the marketplace. She reluctantly did so, promising to return with her father while Nina attempted to staunch Jenny's wounds. The warriors killed or captured everyone who remained in the market, seizing Nina and the fallen Jenny as well.[1]
Meanwhile, Kaye was knocked down by a Yuuzhan Vong warrior as she left the market square. Despite the warrior's armor and size, Kaye was able to kill him due to his arrogance. However she was captured as well shortly thereafter. Nina would be reunited with her stepdaughter when both Galfridians, Jenny, and other Artorians were imprisoned aboard a Yuuzhan Vong slaveship, an event which her stepson Finn sensed through the Force Nina's husband Caled and Finn attempted to rescue her and her Kaye but were forced to retreat to a hangar where they were besieged by a Yuuzhan Vong force. However they were rescued by Jedi MasterLuke Skywalker who took Finn and the refugees toward transport ships offplanet. Caled however, decided to remain on Artorias, organizing an attack force to strike at the invaders. Finn was recruited by Skywalker for Jedi training at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 after demonstrating his Force ability when he sensed his family in danger.[1]
Nina, Kaye, and the other captives were transferred to the slaveship, Tsam P'ah where they were held in awful conditions. While she tended to Jenny's wounds, a Yuuzhan Vong warrior approached the queen and demanded that she serve the commander of the ship. Asking for medical supplies to treat Jenny's wounds, Nina was rebuffed by the Yuuzhan Vong who again demanded that she serve the commander of the vessel. Responding that she served only the Artorian people, the warrior struck her for her refusal. Her stepdaughter Kaye stepped in and offered herself up to the commander. Jenny said that she could have gone, to which Nina replied that she had been a slave once and would not be one again. Nina informed Kaye that Jenny had died, after she had returned from her meeting.[3]
The sense of loss that Nina experienced from Jenny's death, coupled with the belief that she had also lost her stepson and husband led Nina into a catatonic state. Kaye was unable to bring her out of it, though she was certain to entrust her care to the Artorian prisoners while she formulated a plan to wrest control of the Tsam P'ah from the control of Commander Sha'kel.[5]
Nina Galfridian entering the Tsam P'ah's cognition throne.
As the prisoners began to fight back, Kaye entrusted a few of the Artorians to keep the queen out of the battle.[6] Avoiding her carers, Nina was able to look out onto Artorias and, seeing it in flames, realized that her husband was still alive and fighting the Yuuzhan Vong. The realization allowed her to come out of her catatonic state and join Kaye after the Tsam P'ah was captured. Telling her stepdaughter that she was proud of her, she decided to link with the Tsam P'ah, in order to gain control of the vessel feeling that this was her burden rather than inflicting another one on her stepdaughter. In spite the pain of the bonding process, Nina was able to take control of the vessel, jumping it into hyperspace and ramming a couple of Yorik-Vec Assault Cruiser's in the process.[7]
Nina later brought the renamed Heart of Artorias out of hyperspace and aided in the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong forces attacking the Dibrook Space Station.[8] During this time, she engaged in a battle of wills with the yammosk installed on Dibrook that was attempting to regain control of the Heart of Artorias. As a consequence of the yammosks continual attempts to reassert control of its wayward ship, Nina landed some distance away from the life signs that the refugees had detected as she was uncertain if she could resist if they were any closer to the source.[9]
During the ensuing battle on the planet, Nina ordered Kaye to withdraw from the Vong base that she and the New Republic troopers were assaulting. She would then proceed to use the Heart of Artorias to bombard the compound, killing many captives and leaving the New Republic forces with a single survivor rescued from the base.
Despite her royal status, Nina Galfridian was content to go about the marketplace and shop like any other Artorian. She demonstrated great loyalty and bravery in the face of danger when she remained with her wounded friend Jenny rather than run from the oncoming Yuuzhan Vong warriors.[1] While imprisoned aboard the Tsam P'ah, Nina demonstrated her responsibility to her people when she refused to serve the Yuuzhan Vong commander of the ship, claiming that as queen, she could only serve the Artorian people.[3] The sense of loss she experienced after the conquest of Artorias, initially led her into a catatonic state,[5] but she possessed enough mental strength to come out of it and even resist the telepathic commands of Dibrook's yammosk.[9]