Chapter 7 of Star Wars: Dark Force Rising (1992) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.

The Story So Far

In the twilight of the Galactic Civil War, new leadership has renewed the Imperial threat to the New Republic. Between a devastating military blunder at the Sluissi Shipyards and suspicious financial activity, Admiral Ackbar was taken under arrest on suspicions of treason. After giving testimony on their experience at Sluis Van, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker have taken it upon themselves to investigate Ackbar’s most vocal detractor Borsk Fey'lya: during the Galactic Civil War, the Bothans had a noteworthy skirmish in the Churba Sector, making New Cov the first site of their investigation.

Additionally, the Imperial threat has come with multiple abduction attempts on Leia Organa-Solo. After seeking shelter with the Wookiees, she and Chewbacca thwart another abduction, capturing a Noghri operative. During the interrogation, the operative Khabarakh identifies Leia by scent as the Mal'ary'ush — heir to the revered Lord Vader. In exchange for a solo embassy to the Noghri homeworld, Leia allows Khabarakh to leave to meet in one month’s time over the Forest Moon of Endor.

Chapter 7

Leia and Chewbacca arrive in the Endor system a day before their appointed meeting with the Noghri Khabarakh. As the Falcon orbits the Forest Moon, Leia blacks out. After she comes to, it takes little to surmise that Leia had felt an echo in the Force from the moment of the Emperor's death.

On the hostile jungle-world of New Cov, Lando and Han arrive at the armoured city of Ilic. Upon clearing customs, Han spies Bothan Tav Breil’lya, identifying him by his neckpiece as one of Fay’lya’s aides. Han hurriedly sends Lando to meet Luke below while he tails Breil’lya to the warehouse district, only to be ambushed by a short, greying woman — just as sirens start to blare.

At the tap-cafe Mishra, Lando meets Luke as he is called upon to dispense a Jedi’s wisdom on a heated dispute between a Barabel and a Rodian: the Barabel was not told that he would be paid for a job in Imperial Credits. As Luke enhances his senses to read the Rodian for any signs of deception, he catches a whiff of Carababba tabac and Armudu spice: Niles Ferrier is here. While initially obstinate, the crowd’s support for Luke as a Jedi compels Ferrier’s aid to facilitate an unofficial exchange of Imperial and New Republic monies.

With the situation deescalated, Luke’s reflects on this previously-unconsidered responsibility of a Jedi. The crowd seems unperturbed by the blare of sirens, with one of the crowd informing them that it signals an Imperial raid. Lando suggests that such raids are commonplace on borderworlds as a tacit oblation, suspecting that this routine raid will turn unpleasant after the Imperials find their ships on the landing record.

They split up, with Luke off to find Han, while Lando heads to the hangar to meet up with R2 and attempt to erase the landing logs.

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Chapter 24 of Star Wars: Dark Force Rising (1992) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.

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## The Story So Far ##

Leia captured one of her attempted Noghri abductors on Kashyyyk. In the interrogation, the operative Khabarakh identified her as Lord Vader’s heir. Leaning on his people’s reverence for Vader, Leia offered Khabarakh his freedom in exchange for an embassy on his home planet.

Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO go to Endor in the Millenium Falcon. They transfer to Khabarakh’s ship and he takes them to the devastated world of Honoghr. They try to avoid Imperial detection but Khabarakh’s ship is confiscated. After analysis reveals Wookiee hair throughout the ship, Khabarakh is taken into Imperial custody for treason, then left in the capital of Nystao. The Imperial Grand Admiral mysteriously disappears, so Leia plans to break into Nystao and escape with Khabarakh.

During her stay, the Khim’bar Maitrakh shares the history of the Noghri people and how they came to be in the service of the Empire after a calamitous space battle wreaks planet-wide ecological collapse. Chewbacca's estimations of the decontamination effort place the disaster at the height of the Galactic Civil War, and Leia feels guilt at the untold collateral damage caused by their struggle against the Empire.

## Chapter 24 ##

Leia is more-or-less prepared to steal Khabarakh out of Nystao. Leia is too busy to heed C-3PO’s concerns over an unusually curious decon droid. The Maitrakh tells of when her fisrtsons were conscripted by the Empire, revealing that Khabarakh is not her third-born son, but her great-grandson; meaning the calamity happened during the Clone Wars almost half a century before! Indignant, Leia is determined to bring it directly before the Dynasts.

She orders Chewbacca to test the khlom-grass. The Maitrakh leaves herself to send word ahead. They leave the village by speeder under the cover of night. A large congregation follws them from each village they pass.

They are brought to the Grand Dukha. Dynast Vor’corkh is defiant to allow an alien interfering with their politics. Leia calls her lightsaber forth with the Force to demonstrate her authority as the mal’ary’ush. Dynast Ir’khaim and a supermajority of dissenters call to hear Leia’s proclamations.

Leia holds up the analysis of the supposed khlom-grass to show that they are genetic forgeries created by the Empire and that the decontamination effort a ruse.

An overly-curious decon droid is skulking behind the Grand Dukha. Leia orders its capture in exchange for proof. The droid is no match for the Noghri hunters. She opens the droid to reveal an espionage droid and a tube of decon fluid. With one drop, the plant shrivels up, demonstrating the true function of the decon droids.

Vindicated, the Dynasts agree to a cover story of Khabarakh's escape. Leia promises to return with more herbicide for the imitation khlom-grass. To save precious time season’s end, Leia decides to return straight for Coruscant, intending to leave the Falcon in orbit around Endor.

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Chapter 25 of Star Wars: Dark Force Rising (1992) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.

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## The Story So Far ##

The long-lost Katana Fleet has been rediscovered and, at this critical period in the twilight of the Galactic Civil War, whoever claims the fleet will determine the temperature of the War for years to come. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian have met with an independent Corellian faction, whom were sold six of the Dark Force warships. Not willing to outright join the New Republic but understanding the tensions that exist, they give the location of their seller, a hapless gambler who frequents the underwater casino on Pantalomin.

Niles Ferrier is a professional ship thief that has been lifting warships for the generous bounty offered by the Empire. He also has a contentious history with Lando. More recently, Lando has thwarted Ferrier from stealing Republic ships at Sluis Van, and was involved in pressuring Ferrier into facilitating a currency exchange at New Cov.

After running afoul of Grand Admiral Thrawn, Ferrier and his crew are under threat of death to locate information on what the Admiral knows to be the Katana Fleet. Ferrier lures Han and Lando into a meeting in order to place a tracker on their craft.

With Imperial Intelligence investigating a connection to smuggler Talon Karrde’s past and Han and Lando’s projected course from Ferrier, the Empire is confident they have triangulated where and who the hapless gambler is that knows the location of the Katana Fleet.

## Chapter 25 ##

Among the coral reefs of Pantalomin, Han and Lando have searched the eight exquisite gambling halls of Coral Vanda in search of the Senna’s contact. As they are about to flog their professional prides to lure in a desperate gambler, they see one of Niles Ferrier’s cigarras. It doesn’t take any effort to spy the ship thief himself standing in a doorway and he signals for them to follow.

High above, aboard Chimaera, Thrawn and Pallaeon oversee the bombardment of the coral reef to force the luxury cruiser to surface.

As turbolaser fire rains into the surrounding water and the Vanda is thrown into disarray, Han is grabbed by Ferrier’s Defel into a liquor storeroom and separated from Lando. Despite Han’s attempt to bargain, Ferrier is adamant to let Lando be killed in the ensuing firefights and make good on his deal with the Empire. He leaves Han guarded by his Defel to close the deal. When the ship rocks again under the assault from above, Han shoves a crate at the Defel and ignites the alcohol that has been spilt everywhere. It is a short-lived distraction, but enough for him to escape.

Han meets up with Lando who has found himself targeted by the many men Ferrier had planted around the ship. The odds are overwhelming, and they struggle with the reality of having been outmanoeuvred. With the mission in shambles, they abandon ship.

From one escape pod among many bobbing on the ocean, Han and Lando watch the Imperials make away with their prize. It is of little consolation that they will be able to forewarn the Republic of the imminent threat.

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Chapter 17 of Star Wars: Dark Force Rising (1992) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.

The Story So Far

In the twilight of the Galactic Civil War, both sides are hurting for warships, and a fleet of long-lost dreadnaughts has been found; Talon Karrde believes he has uncovered the location of the Katana Fleet. He has been awaiting the opportunity to make his payday, but unknown to him someone else has started selling the ships to an independent Corellian faction.

While waiting over Endor, Leia Organa Solo blacks out when she experiences a Force echo left by the death of the Emperor. She, Chewbacca, and C-3PO leave the Millennium Falcon over Endor to travel to the Noghri Homeworld with Khabarakh. She hopes to negotiate a truce by leveraging her pedigree as Darth Vader’s daughter, the Noghri’s original (and seemingly more honourable) master. The current Imperial leader, Grand Admiral Thrawn, loomed over Honoghr as a reminder of the Noghri’s failure to yet capture Organa Solo. That was until Imperial Intelligence identified the Millennium Falcon over Endor.

Mara Jade is an ex-Imperial high-level operative that was connected though the Force directly to the Emperor. After his death, she disappeared from Imperial space and eventually came under the employment of smuggler Talon Karrde. After reluctantly harbouring Luke Skywalker from the Imperials on Myrkr, the subterfuge culminated in a showdown to suppress Imperial intel reaching Thrawn, but the Grand Admiral is not lightly deceived. Karrde's entire operation was forced to go on the run.

Chapter 17

Mara collects Karrde’s ship impounded from the Obrigado-Rae spaceport freed by Wedge on behalf of Han Solo. As she leaves, she is intercepted by a Star Destroyer. To avoid detainment, she dons her old Imperial demeanour, identifying herself with a high-level Imperial recognition code and demanding to be taken to the Grand Admiral himself.

To her horror, their rendezvous is over Endor. In Thawn’s chambers aboard the Chimera, Thrawn thoroughly verifies her previous identity as the Emperor’s Hand. Dodging the question of her return to the Empire, Mara experiences a psychic echo of the Emperor, demanding that she kill Luke Skywalker. Thrawn seeks information about Skywalker's escape from the planet Myrkr, but Mara deflects again to offer information about the Katana Fleet in exchange for immunity. Mara overplays her hand and Thrawn reveals she was only one of many Hands. He grants her eight days to return with the location of the Dark Force.

As the Millennium Falcon is brought aboard, Pellaeon and Thrawn discuss the reemergence of the Katana Fleet. They know it has been found independently by at least two parties. Thrawn has no interest in actually honouring Jade’s offer, instead ordering the Chimaera to track her back to Karrde’s hideout. In pursuit of the ex-Emperor’s Hand, they reroute Niles Ferrier to track down Solo and Calrissian to interrupt the possible merger of the two Rebel groups.

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Chapter 18 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.

The Story So Far

Grand Admiral Thrawn is leading the Imperial remnants from the shadows in a grand plan to destroy the New Republic and re-establish the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker was on his way to meet Joruus C'Baoth, whom Luke believes will be able to help him rebuild the Jedi Order. However, the Jedi Master is actually a Dark Jedi clone in league with the Grand Admiral.

Luke is ambushed by Thrawn en route, but in the escape his X-Wing fails, leaving him stranded in deep space. Despondent, he enters a Jedi hibernation, delegating R2 to perform the tedious repairs to the subspace radio so that they might hail much needed help.

Leia Organa Solo and Chewbacca head to the wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk seeking sanctuary. Leia spots a conspicuous alien face, which she recognises as one of the assailants from Bimmissari. The wookiees are ready to defend her, but are unable to verify her sighting. Undeterred, they are vigilant for any sign of treachery.

Han and Lando venture solo to both act as decoy for Leia's whereabouts and in the hope of making contact with the aloof smuggling lord, Talon Karrde. Karrde has shown time and time again to seek value beyond credits and has taken on a new apprentice, Mara Jade. He is keen to uncover her mysterious past, along with what value may be mined from such knowledge.

Chapter 18

Luke is roused by R2 from his Jedi hibernation as an unfamiliar ship approaches, which identifies itself as the Wild Karrde. Stranded in deep space with no alternatives, they accept passage to an undisclosed location.

Luke is taken to meet the ship's captain, Talon Karrde. Karrde is unimpressed with Luke's appearance, and directs his attention to the cockpit where Luke senses the bitter, black hate hidden within Mara Jade. Luke is unable to explain her contempt for him, nor provide any other information that Karrde deems valuable.

Suddenly, Karrde rewards Luke's lack of caution with a stun bolt, succeeding where Thrawn's Noghri had failed; in capturing the Last of the Jedi.

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Hosts’ Thoughts

• Luke got played, but it's also much safer for Karrde to offer passage to someone unconscious
• Jade's hate is compared to not Vader's but the Emperor's!
• Karrde > Noghri
• YAY KARRDE HAS A REASON TO BE HERE
• Luke is a private citizen now
• Stupid Luke thinking his lightsaber would go unnoticed
• finally gonna find some things out about MJ?
• A fun image of Mara Jade with Corran Horn and Talon Karrde

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