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Aaron Allston2007 – Del Rey40 years after The Battle of YavinSite Rating =
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SPOILER ALERT: This Will Spoil The Plot of the Book!
Jacen Solo wakes up in a start after dreaming of his Aunt Leia Organa Solo sacrificing herself to kill him.
Luke and Mara Skywalker are met by Kyp Durron who’s been placed in charge of investigating the Ben’s lightsaber incident that injured Zekk. He tells them that Niathal and Omas want Jacen to be made a Jedi Master.
Captain Lavint, a smuggler, is leading a mission into Corellian space but is hijacked by Alliance forces. The ship comes under heavy attack and their engines are disabled.
Lavint gets an audience with Jacen as they have a history, but he treats her poorly. After she leaves, he tells one of his men to disable the hyperdrive on her ship so it will fail after one jump and leave her stranded in open space.
Jacen meets with Wedge Antilles and they discuss possible negotiations. Wedge says they’ll never surrender, but hopes they’ll be able to rejoin the Alliance without having to pay the heavy penalties Jacen wants. Wedge convinces Jacen to give them more time until the new Corellian government gets started.
Wedge meets with Corellian officials, but his information from Jacen is not well received. He remains in the minority in thinking the attack on Tenal Ka was a mistake. It becomes clear that they no longer have confidence in Wedge’s abilities, and as a result he is removed as Commander of the Corellian fleet. He agrees to publically handoff the position to a replacement, but only if he is allowed to resign first so it does not appear there is any internal turmoil.
Han and Leia limp the Falcon to a depot owned by Lando Calrissian who promises to repair the ship and loans them a replacement in the meantime.
While in deep meditation, Lumiya appears to Jacen and instructs him to test Ben Skywalker now to determine whether he will make an appropriate Sith apprentice.
While discussing their guilt over Ben’s situation, Luke and Mara are visited by Jagged Fel. He recounts his exile and tells them of Alema Rar’s survival and her ability to erase the memory of those she’s met making it difficult to track her. He gives them a device that will allow them to track her movement through holocams as well combat her short term memory trick. All he asks in return is some money to continue his search. He passes Jaina Solo on the way out, but when she tries to speak to him he shrugs her off.
Lando shows Han and Leia to their new ship, The Love Commander. They are surprised to learn that he will be going along as their cover. They will be heading back to Corellia to find Gejjen and determine his role in the assassination attempt.
After her engines fail, Lavint knows she’ll soon be dead thanks to Jacen’s treachery. Lavint is jolted when Alema Rar appears and tells her that she has the parts needed to repair the ship, but will only do so if Lavint helps her track down Han and Leia.
Luke shows Jag his new X-wing and tells him that he’s assigned Jaina and Zekk to go with him. Neither are very happy about it, but when Jaina presses Jag he reveals his recent problems and how her actions cost him his position within the Chiss Ascendency.
After the Love Commander is boarded trying to run the blockade, Leia uses a mind trick get the clearance codes through.
Lumiya disguises herself to cover her scars and makes contact with the Bothan Minister of Information. She tells him that she knows about the impending Bothan attack on the GA and wants to help them cloak the attack and provides detailed information about the assassination of Bothans as proof she has GA contacts.
After making it to the planet’s surface, Han and Leia decide to seek out Wedge knowing that he’ll soon be leaving Corellia himself now that he’s been forced out of a job.
Inside a cantina, they meet with Denjax Teppler who tells them that Gejjen was behind the assassination and the Wedge was innocent. Guards burst in through the door, but they are able to escape through the basement.
Wedge and his family are interrupted by a commotion outside when Corran Horn arrives and tells him that the Solos are nearby. Wedge can tell speeders are heading their way and they evacuate.
The Solos and Lando return to their ship just as Corellian security arrives, but Corran and Wedge are also there in their X-Wings.
After a training session, Ben receives a datacard from another apprentice. It’s from Jacen giving him a mission to retrieve an amulet that will allow a person to hide in the Force. Jacen says to get it at all costs and kill anyone who tries to stop him. In reality, Lumiya is behind the mission.
Once Ben goes missing, Jacen denies knowing where he is to Luke. He promises to return Ben to them if he shows up.
Han and the others meet with Corran’s father in law, Booster Terrik. They discuss the plan to put his ship, the Errant Venture, into Corellian space in the hopes that some of the patrons will become a little intoxicated and reveal information that may help their cause. Leia is convinced Luke will also help put the plan into motion.
After failing to detect Alema’s presence, Jaina concludes that her target is probably Leia. Spending so much time with Jag and Zekk has her thinking about the feelings she’s had for them and they for her.
Again in disguise, Lumiya communicates with Fyor Rodan of Commenor and again reveals all the information about their deceptive activity and gives them information that will help their cause.
Lumiya uses a Sith technique that allows her to infiltrate a mind on another planet and she controls the woman’s body to look for more information. Inside a mental institution, Commander Klauskin is again visited by his dead wife and she tells him that everything he’s been told has been a trick and that Commenor and Bothawi will be joining the Corellians. She has also unlocked the door to his hospital room. She says that he’s been betrayed by the GA and guides him from the facility.
Ben reaches Drewwa on his mission to retrieve the jewel. He meets a strange old woman and he uses a gentle Force push to put her in her place believing that’s what Jacen would have done. He later realizes that his cred card is empty and is forced to steal another one. He justifies it by saying that his mission is too important. After getting supplies, he enters a building and masquerades as a delivery boy in order to access the area he needs, but he is disappointed to learn that the amulet is no longer there. Someone had beaten him there and left a note behind saying it was taken by Faskus of Ziost. Ben decides to follow the trail back to Ziost, a Sith homeworld. After Ben leaves, a droid comes to life and transmits a message to a man named Dyur who is tracking Ben’s movements.
On a GA ship monitoring the Bothan system, Klauskin arrives and says they’ve been infiltrated and he is there to find the traitors.
After a week of set up, the Errant Venture is ready in Corellian space. Han, Leia and the others meet and discuss that the true motives for this war have most likely not yet been revealed and perhaps there is a puppet master behind the scenes. Iella Antilles wonders if the war was only to separate the Jedi, specifically the Solo’s and Skywalker’s and pit them against each other. Elsewhere on the ship, Alema and Lavint come aboard.
Mara believes she’s been able to decode the datachip in Lumiya’s apartment. The message has something to do with Ben and Jacen’s trip to an asteroid where Brisha and Nelani died and a supposed Dark Jedi lived. Ben still does not remember most of the incident and she and Luke begin to wonder if Jacen is being influenced by a Sith and is not in control of his actions.
Klauskin decides to run a simulation from an auxiliary bridge with the Captain. Once there, he kills the Captain and decompresses the entire ship killing everyone else on board. He then contacts the Bothans and tells them their path is clear and the ship is waiting for them.
Luke and Mara head to the Errant Venture where they see Han and Leia for the first time in a long time. The tension between them is gone now that they understand they are all working for the same cause. Luke and Mara want to talk to Jacen who also is on board.
After being dismayed and seeing Lavint alive and well, Jacen meets with the Skywalkers. They question him about the events on the asteroid where he recounts the duels he and Ben had with the evil Luke and Mara clones. They determine that there must have been two other people there. Luke and Mara believe Brisha was Lumiya’s daughter. There is a huge surge in the Force and Jacen learns a huge fleet is coming in to attack. The GA fleet is badly outnumbered when the Bothans arrive.
Still on the Errant Venture, they learn Commenor is also attacking. They head out to defend the ship until it has time to jump to hyperspace.
Jacen regroups the fleet and tells them to focus all their firepower on Centerpoint Station despite some protests that there are many innocents on board.
After the Errant Venture escapes, Luke, Mara, and Corran enter the main battle.
On board the Anakin Solo, the retreat order is heard and they are to regroup at the rendezvous point.
The Holonet is abuzz with activity as the Corellian administration proclaims victory in running the GA out.
Ben reaches Ziost and lands near a craft that was recently destroyed. He senses that he’s being watched by someone wicked. After setting off into the woods, he hears his own ship blowing up and decides that after finding the amulet his next mission will be one of revenge on whoever is trying to strand him on this world.
During the night and long after his food has run out, he notices a smoke plum in the direction he can sense the wickedness. He finds Faskus wearing the amulet around his neck and attacks him. Ben realizes the man has a small daughter with him and decides to spare him, not knowing that the old man is already mortally wounded from the attack on his ship. Faskus says he received the amulet from someone else and was only told to bring it here. While trying to take the amulet to a cave he heard his ship being fired upon and he rushed back to save his daughter when he was injured. After Faskus dies, Ben gathers his belongings and heads out, despicably leaving the young girl behind. His astromech questions this decision, upsetting him. As he leaves, he receives a birthday recording from his parents that they had made before he left. He begins sobbing over his decision to kill a little girl on his birthday. He decides to return and help her bury her father.
Over the next few weeks, there are minor skirmishes between the GA and Corellian forces, which have added Bespin and Fondor. Klauskin returns to Commenor where he is retired as a hero, although most still believe he’s out of his mind.
Tycho Celchu informs Jacen that the GA security systems have been compromised and information is being sent elsewhere. Jacen is infuriated when he learns that the slicing was done using an unassigned GAG access code. They also learn that there will be a meeting of all the Corellian Confederation leaders as they gather to elect a new Chancellor.
After a training exercise, Jaina, Zekk, and Jag talk about what Jaina’s designation as the Sword of the Jedi actually means and whether it means she’ll have to defeat the Sith. Jag receives a message that Alema is on the Errant Venture.
After returning to the Errant Venture, Jacen tracks down Lavint and they strike a deal for her to find out where the Confederation meeting will be taking place. She agrees as long as he provides credits, a ship, and a chance to speak to his parents.
After living on Ziost for some time, Ben has a feeling, at the same time each day, of someone watching him. He determines that the watcher is in a ship overhead.
Lumiya speaks with Dyur and he tells her that Ben has taken Faskus’s daughter under his wing. Lumiya knows that is not the Sith way and says to kill both of them.
As they explore more of the ruins on Ziost, Ben’s droid alerts him that he is emitting a small signal and Ben finds a tracking device in his pouch. Not long after, the sensation of being watched returns even stronger. This time, however, they come under heavy fire from a passing ship and they take cover. Using the Force, Ben hurls a rock at the ship causing it to leave them alone for the time being.
Back at Lando’s depot, Han and Leia board the repaired Millennium Falcon, but quickly come under attack from a Bothan fleet. In the midst of the battle, they receive a message from Lavint. She tells them that Alema Rar is with her. In exchange for this information, she hopes they will remove Alema from her ship and give her information about the location of the Confederation summit. The Solos decide to return to the Errant Venture.
Ben is beginning to have more vivid and intense dreams and he hears voices know his name. He has to fight off several creatures when he wakes.
Back on the Venture, the united groups compare notes on their missions. Inside the casino, Lavint and Alema continue to wait for Leia’s return.
Ben has a dream where the voices tell him to save the girl and learn about a ship that he can see in his dreams.
Alema is surprised to see Zekk and flees when she senses Corran Horn approaching from behind. In the hallway, however, she runs into Jag and fires at him. He deflects it and returns fire breaking her clavicle. Alema steals Lavints ship and flies away. Han gives Lavint the information about the Confederation summit. Afterwards, Han tells Leia that the information about the location was too easily gotten and perhaps there is misinformation out there in hopes of leading the GA into a trap.
After three days without food, Ben finds another set of ruins. He is hearing the voices during the day and at night they are instructing him on how to fly this eye-shaped craft he dreams of.
Jacen meets with Niathal and says he has found the location of the Confederation meeting and suggests an unconventional method of attacking it with her leading the attack and he backing her up in the Anakin Solo. As he leaves, Lumiya catches up to him and tells him that they have temporary lost contact with Ben.
Ben dreams that a spider-like creature is crawling near him. He instructs it to go outside and kill the creatures that have been attacking them instead of harming him and the girl and it obeys. Later they dress up a dummy and place the transmitter on it. The voices begin to tell Ben to kill and eat the girl to survive. Ben is confused since the voices had earlier told him to protect her. He becomes convinced the voices were trying to lull him to their side before revealing their true nature. When the ship returns and fires at the dummy, he uses the Force to bring rocks down destroying it. He scavenges supplies from the wreckage.
On Gilatter Eight, the site of the Confederation summit, Luke and other Jedi are watching and gaining information on the approaching ships.
In the morning, Ben and the girl venture into the ruin where they are able to find the eye-shaped craft. Ben gets on board but there are no controls. Using the information from his dreams is able to control it with his mind and they blast off from Ziost.
Jacen and Lumiya gain access to the Confederation Summit under the guise of radical smugglers. Inside the meeting, when Jacen is unable to recognize anyone he asks a waiter when the meeting will begin. He senses that the waiter has just given a signal and he threatens him. The waiter reveals he was to report anyone asking questions. Suddenly a huge hologram appears in the middle of the room and the man instructs everyone to look through the skylight and watch as GA ships are destroyed in a newly laid minefield. A spotlight falls on Jacen and the man reveals Jacen’s identity. The man’s name is Turr Phennir and is the newly elected Supreme Commander of the Confederacy’s military. The meeting was a trap. As Confederation troops attack him, Jacen sends a warning out through the Force and Luke receives it and passes it to the fleet.
Despite the warning, Niathal instructs only part of the fleet to leave. She says that leaving will probably only lead them into another set of mines and by continuing on they will actually receive less hits.
Leia also receives the message and tries to convince Han to save Jacen.
Alema watches as the soldiers attack Jacen and thinks about escaping until she sees Luke and Mara arrive. She can also sense that Han and Leia are not far behind. Lumiya approaches her and they decide to enter the fight so they can keep everyone occupied in hopes of getting a shot at Luke and Leia.
The Solos arrive and Alema attacks Leia as Lumiya finds Luke. She tells Luke that she does not hate him. If she did she would have killed Jacen instead of letting him run away. Luke realizes that everyone else, including Jacen, have gone. She offers him a hand in peace, and Luke touches her but senses no evil inside.
Leia notices Alema is not attacking and looks up just in time to see her ship heading straight for the viewport overhead. Alema puts on a decompression suit as smiles. The ship smashes through creating a hole in the floor as atmosphere starts pouring out. Leia Force shoves Han to safety and Luke uses a grappling hook to escape.
In route to the Anakin Solo, Jacen fumes as he sees the missed opportunities by the GA in the huge battle taking place. As he lands, he also grants Lumiya permission to board.
In the end, the battle was a draw with each side claiming small victories.
Lumiya consoles Jacen who is feeling like a fool by telling him that all of the news will be spun in his favor and he’ll probably still end up being the hero. She also teases him with a battle technique that will allow him to control and move fleets at his will, but only a Sith Master can do this. She tells him that he will need to make the sacrifice of one he loves and take his new Sith name before this can happen. Jacen says perhaps it will be his parents, but she challenges him that he does not love them as he says and they will not suffice. He searches his feelings and cannot determine whether the love is still there. She says he’s being too logical and not using his feelings. He says the feelings make him weak, but she says that is only because he is afraid. He is incensed and she mocks him saying that once he takes his Sith name, she’ll be waiting for him.
Jacen knows that the fate of his parents is the same. If he loves them, they will be sacrificed, if not, they should be eliminated for the betterment of the galaxy.
Comments
Major Characters |
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Alema Rar
Ben Skywalker Han Solo Jacen Solo |
Luke Skywalker
Lumiya Mara Jade Skywalker Leia Organa Solo |
Why Should You Read This Book? |
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| Jacen gets taken advantage of and Ben uncovers some Sith history. | |
Good Moments |
Bad Moment |
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Lando: “What does that have to do with gambling?” |
Nothing comes to mind.
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Previous Novel |
Next Novel |
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Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
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