 |
Karen Traviss2006 – Del Rey40 years after The Battle of YavinSite Rating =
|
SPOILER ALERT: This Will Spoil The Plot of the Book!
Boba Fett is finishing up his latest mission and is pondering his future and past. He knows he’s dying and wants to find the daughter he hasn’t seen in 50 years as well as determine who will replace him as Mandalore. He also hopes to find a way to cheat death.
It has been sixteen days since the GA raid at Centerpoint. On Coruscant, Ben and Jacen wait to meet with Chief Omas and discuss that the Corellians are turning their backs on the Solo family. Jacen tries to persuade Omas to make a preemptive strike against Corellian. Admiral Niathal agrees, but Omas is weary and knows he won’t have the backing of the Senate or the Jedi.
Afterwards Jacen sees several Corellian protestors and begins to wonder what they will do to Coruscant if a war does indeed breakout. Ben pledges to stand by Jacen, and Jacen tells him some things will need to be kept secret. He is still troubled; however, that he cannot remember what happened to Brisha Syo and Nelani Dinn on the asteroid, although Jacen did say they were killed.
On Kamino, Fett learns he has a year to live. The original cloning information has been taken by Taun We who has fled the planet. Fett decides to go after her to and auction the information off to the highest bidder.
Han and Leia sneak back to Corellia where they find a message waiting for them from someone named Dur Gejjen that Thrackan Sal-Solo has put a price on their head.
Luke is still haunted by the cloaked figure, but has yet to learn who it is despite a familiar feeling he gets. He and Mara discuss his uneasiness with Jacen particularly concerning his time with Ben. Luke is also unhappy that Jacen continues to project himself into the future. Mara defends Jacen saying he’s a great teacher.
In his apartment, Jacen contemplates his secret family of Tenal Ka and daughter wishing they could be together. He also misses his brother Anakin who walked a similar path the Jacen is now on.
Jacen meets with Niathal in private, but their taxi is rocked by an explosion from a terrorist attack on the center of Coruscant. While most believe it was Corellia, Jacen secretly wonders if Lumiya played a roll.
Mara and Luke feel the tremor in the Force and make their way to the Senate. They find Omas to discuss the situation. Jacen surprises them from behind as neither of them can feel him in the Force. Luke scolds him as a show off.
Boba Fett meets with Goran Beviin on Taurus. They talk about the price that is out on the entire Solo family. It seems that Fett’s daughter has taken the bounty. Fett’s daughter believes she killed her father 20 years earlier, but it was actually a clone. Afterwards, Fett finds a biotech company whose shares have been trading in a strange fashion over the last week. Before reaching his apartment, he’s intercepted by a young woman named Mirta Gev who holds out a small stone that he had once given to his wife. The stone was taken by the man who killed her and this young woman claims she is owed a bounty for killing this man. She knows where Fett’s wife is at.
Han is in a tavern when word comes about the attack on Coruscant. Gejjen approaches Han and offer his help to remove Thrackan Sal-Solo. HE asks if Han would replace Thrackan, but Han refuses. He also tells him of the bounty on his family. Han vows to kill Thrackan, but knows they better seek shelter right away.
Mirta reveals to Fett that his daughter does know he’s alive and hopes perhaps she’s had a change of heart, knowing she probably hasn’t. He accepts a small contract and offers Mirta a ride if she’ll take him to his daughter.
Omas asks Mara to head up a secret police force to watch for suspicious activity, but she and Luke decide they better talk it over. Jacen is anxious to hit the Corellian shipyards, by Omas wants to talk it over with Pellaeon.
Jacen enters the Jedi Temple and is overwhelmed by the lust for power he feels. He thinks he is not the only one feeling the tugs of the dark side. He is able to walk backwards in time and sees his grandfather Anakin Skywalker storming the Jedi temple. He touches Anakin’s emotions and is pleased that he does not have the same sense of agonizing love and potential loss that consumed Vader. He then watches in horror as Anakin kills Jedi and jerks himself back to the present. He knows his path to the Sith will be much different and far less horrible. He knows he must test Lumiya to see if she is really a help to him. He reaches through the Force and commands her to Coruscant.
Han is ambushed by a bounty hunter, but is able to hold him off until Leia arrives to save him. They decide Coruscant is a safer place to stay and head home.
Jacen and Ben await Lumiya although Ben things she’s only an informant. Ben continues to impress Jacen with his wisdom and hopes he’ll one day be his Sith apprentice. Lumiya arrives and Jacen takes her to the Jedi Temple. Once inside she proves she is able to hide her dark presence. They encounter Luke but he is unaffected by her presence.
Ben is investigating Corellian activity and learns the water supply has been contaminated. He overhears Corellians saying they know they’ll get the blame for it. He gets caught up in a riot taking place at the water plant. Ben tries to contact Jacen, but cannot reach him.
When Boba and Mirta land at their destination, Boba heads off without her.
As Han works on the Falcon, he sees Jacen, Leia and Jaina talking. Jaina says Jacen has been acting strangely lately.
As his parents tend to Ben’s wounds, the Solos arrive. Han and Luke argue over the GA handling of the situation. Han storms out to find a new ship since the Falcon is in bad shape. As Jacen prepares to leave, Luke senses the Lumiya has returned and thinks she is the dark figure he’s been dreaming of!
Because Mara is not interested, G‘vli G’Sil, head of the GA Security Council, Omas ask Jacen to head up the secret police. Jacen accepts the position as long as he can have his own team and unfettered access to information. They agree, but the authority will still have to come from the Senate.
Pellaeon resigns his post over Jacen’s appointment, and is quickly replaced by Niathal who is a Jacen supporter. The Corellians do not like the change of administration. Thrackan announces Centerpoint will be online again in three months.
Jacen and Lumiya decide that all Corellians on Coruscant should be placed in internment camps.
Jacen, Ben, along with Lon Shevu (Jacen’s top captain) lead five hundred troops into the Corellian area of Coruscant and begin searching all apartments.
Han and Leia look on in pain as their son leads the attack. Han says it’s the Empire all over again. News from the streets, however, shows that many others on the planet support Jacen’s actions.
Mara meets with Jacen and Ben and tells them that Luke is livid. He has called a High Council meeting. When she asks, Jacen tells her that there is someone he wishes he could be with, but cannot at the moment.
Han and Leia meet with Gejjen who confirms his party will establish a new government if Thrackan is killed.
Omas meets with Niathal and Jacen to tell them of the uproar that is taking place with several planets withdrawing delegations.
Fett infiltrates the biotech firm hoping to find Taun We. He finds her, but says her data will not save him. She says much of the original clone data was taken by someone else. If he could retrieve it, she would top any offer he got. When he returns to the ship, Thrackan has left him a message saying he has a proposition.
After some training exercises, Luke and Mara look on in sadness as they see their son by Jacen’s side during the raids. Later Jaina tells Luke that she no longer trusts her brother and senses darkness in him.
As Ben follows Jacen on another raid, he begins to grow increasingly wary about the situation.
After Thrackan announces a Centerpoint update, Niathal and Jacen ask Omas for permission to blockade Corellia, but Omas says he must seek Senate approval. Niathal tells Jacen that she plans to start taking steps anyway. Jacen requests command of a battle group and Niathal obliges by putting him in charge of Jaina’s.
As Fett heads to meet Thrackan, he contacts another Mandalorian and tells him to get some commandos ready as they are going to protect Centerpoint station.
In the Jedi High Council meeting, many are concerned with Jacen’s and Ben’s actions. Luke says he’ll be asking Ben to remove himself from the situation. Some believe that Jacen is an embarrassment, and perhaps he should be brought closer into the Jedi fold and even make him a Master.
After the meeting, Mara praises Jacen’s influence on Ben saying he’s been a big part in Ben’s maturation process. Luke finally admits that Lumiya has returned.
Niathal and Jacen overlook Corellia as the blockade begins. Jacen activates Rogue Squadron and hopes that his reputation will allow him to bring many friends to him. He knows he’ll need them in the coming months.
Ben receives several messages from his parents, but he decides to remain with Jacen to interrogate many of the suspects they’ve arrested; one of which is Ailyn Vel, Fett’s daughter. During the interrogation, she tells him that the woman trying to contact her, Mirta Gev, has necklace that belongs to her.
In a bar, Fett meets with other Mandalorians to discuss helping with Centerpoint. Most are uninterested, but decide to go along if they can even through the blockade.
Above Corellia, the blockade has turned back its first few targets. Jacen then orders that food and water ships are also turned away. Zekk and Jaina disagree, but go along even with their snide comments.
Shortly afterwards, several fighters engage Zekk, Jaina, and Jacen. Jacen destroys them and the first shots in the war have been fired.
After some fancy flying, Fett lands on Corellia to meet with Thrackan. His greeting party however, consists only of Dur Gejjen.
On Coruscant, protesters on each side of the argument meet outside the Senate. As Niathal and Jacen arrive, Jacen uses the Force to push the two sides apart and they all look at him in stunned silence. Once inside they meet with Luke, Omas, and others to discuss tactics. Afterwards, Luke and Jacen speak privately. They argue over Ben’s involvement in Jacen’s plans. He tells Jacen that Lumiya is back, but Jacen simply shrugs it off saying he’ll be watching for her.
Jacen tells Ben to meet his parents, but as he lives he can hear Jacen torturing Ailyn. By the time Shevu arrives to break it up, it’s too late – Ailyn is dead. Ben does some digging and learns that Ailyn’s target was Han. Ben leaves, but is deeply shaken by the entire scene.
Fett meets with Thrackan and agrees to help him for a ridiculous fee. Gejjen leads Fett and Mirta around, and when they are alone he offers them the contract to kill Thrackan and they accept.
Ben meets with his parents and Luke asks him to return to the Jedi Academy. Ben says there are a few things he needs to learn first and Luke believes him and agrees to give him more time.
Han is also planning to kill Thrackan and encounters Fett and Mirta. Han has heard that Mirta is looking to kill him from Jacen, but Fett tells him that Ailyn is his daughter. Han says he wants a crack at Thrackan, but Fett wants his daughter back. They two make a deal. Fett tells Han that he has a plan to get to Thrackan to discuss their impending deal, but he still needs an escape plan.
Jacen, Jaina, and Zekk continue to patrol the no fly zone. When Jacen orders Jaina to shoot a civilian ship, she refuses so Jacen does it himself. He now knows that since his sister has refused a direct order she is no longer in his corner.
Han, Mirta, and Fett meet with Thrackan and Han jumps him. Thrackan laughs and says the Ailyn was only a decoy and there are many others after him. Fett is incensed by this, but Mirta gets the first shot off and kills him. They all quickly make their escape and Leia picks them up.
Jacen returns to see Lumiya and they continue to talk about the Force. He wonders what else could be out beyond his already vast knowledge of the Force. She tells him that he will not fall into the same traps as Vader because Anakin Skywalker was young and naive. She also says that great sacrifice will be involved and nothing will be gained for himself, the flaw in Palpatine’s plans. He expresses concerns about Ben, but she says that he must discover the path for himself.
Ben admits to Jacen that he is a little weary of him since the incident with Ailyn. Jacen decides to give Ben the responsibility of investigating the numerous suspicious packages that have begun to appear around the city. They then head off to another protest where the marchers are shouting “The Empire is Back”.
Ben leads a raid on a restaurant with Shevu where they find a stash of weapons. They run into two men there and in a flash that Ben can barely comprehend he kills both of them, but one of them was unarmed. Ben is distraught, but Jacen says to move past it. A riot forms outside and Ben knows he’s responsible for it. On the way back, Ben asks Jacen to teach him to hide in the Force so he won’t have his father looking in on him all the time.
Jaina meets with Luke to discuss her suspension and Jacen’s decision to fire on the civilians. They decide they must find a way to keep Ben away from him and wonder how they can keep Jacen from breaking their hearts.
After speaking with Jacen, Leia has to break the shocking news to Fett that his daughter is dead. Mirta attacks Fett, and reveals that she is actually Ailyn’s daughter (Fett’s granddaughter) and tries to kill him. Leia thwarts it, but Fett lets her have another shot. Mirta stops and Fett says he would like to recover his daughter’s body. Leia whispers to Han the circumstances of her death, and Han is saddened and dismayed.
Luke and Omas meet with the High Council to discuss who killed Thrackan and that Gejjen is now running the government. Luke suggests the start talks with him, but they know that probably won’t work.
Jacen leaves to fly the Millennium Falcon back to his parents.
Fett hears from Bevin that Jacen killed Ailyn. Fett says to tell everyone to back off as he’ll personally handle Jacen.
Jacen meets with his parents, but neither is happy to see him. Han demands to learn the details of Ailyn’s death. After Jacen admits that the condition of the body was his doing, Han says he’s no longer his son and kicks him off the Falcon. Jacen has a brief moment of weakness and he reaches out to Tenal Ka.
Ben visits his parents again as the anguish is becoming too much. He tells them that he killed someone.
Boba and Mirta wait for Ailyn’s body to arrive and he recounts to her how he tried to make a normal life for himself after his father died. He ended up killing a superior officer and was exiled. When the body arrives, grandfather and granddaughter claim it and decide to bury it together. They have forged a surprising bond, but one Fett is willing to accept.
Jacen tells Lumiya about visions he’s been having where he stands crying and holding a different weapon each time. He wonders what he needs to do next, and she gives him the tassels and reminds him that he will need to kill the ones he loves. A sense of dread envelopes him. She says that killing an innocent is the only way to become selfless because it will surely cause him terrible pain. Being a hero is easy, but being despised is not. After much contemplation, he accepts that sacrifices must be made.
Returning to Geonosis for the first time since he was 13, Fett asks Mirta to hunt alongside him. He also reveals to him that he is dying. She asks if he is worried about Kad’ika, a rival that is seeking the Mandalorian throne, and that they will be avoiding this next Galactic war. He says he’s going to get his own house in order and maybe even find a cure for himself along the way.
Comments
Major Characters |
|
|
Ben Skywalker
Boba Fett Han Solo Jacen Solo Leia Organa Solo |
Luke Skywalker
Lumiya Mara Jade Skywalker Mirta Gev Thrakan Sal-Solo |
Why Should You Read This Book? |
|
| Great Fett action and history. | |
Good Moments |
Bad Moment |
|
Han sighed with that roll of the head that always told Jacen he was in trouble. “Son, we’re collecting a corpse from you. That should give you a clue.” |
Jaina’s whiny smart ass bitching about Jacen.
|
Previous Novel |
Next Novel |
|
|
|