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Chapter 22 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLuke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo are evading Imperial capture by the unknown leader of the Imperial remnants, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn uses the ysalamiri to void the Force so that he may negotiate the continued allegiance of dark Jedi clone Joruus C'Baoth, who has called to Luke to meet on Jormark through the Force. Leia has taken shelter with Chewbacca on Kashyyyk, while Luke — desiring help to rebuild the Jedi Order — follows the mysterious beckon.
Meanwhile, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian find a point of contact with Smuggling Lord Talon Karrde's organisation, hoping to extend legitimate business relationships fulfilling the logistical needs of the New Republic.
Luke was ambushed by Imperials on his way to Jormark, narrowly escapes, but is eventually captured by Independent Talon Karrde in deep space, after being disarmed both technologically and metaphysically. He awakens a week later to find himself still firmly in Karrde's grasp while Karrde deliberates his fate and his leftenant — Mara Jade — seethes over the pain Luke has seemingly caused in her veiled past.
With Solo and Calrissian inbound and Skywalker detained, Karrde and Jade make temporary arrangements to keep the New Republic representatives unaware of each other. Luke is trying to take advantage of the impromptu situation to mount his escape.
Chapter 22Han’s pitch to join the New Republic fails to win over Karrde, who values independence — thus the appearance of neutrality — over all. So when Han offers a covert arrangement, Karrde warns not to underestimate the reach of Imperial Intelligence, which strikes a sore spot and reminds Han to ask for an adept slicer, whom Karrde graciously agrees to introduce over dinner.
During their meal and shortly after introductions, Karrde has to excuse himself to tend to an emergency: the Grand Admiral is announcing that he himself will be making a courtesy call. Mara is impatient to propitiate Thrawn by handing over the people she sees as impediments but — among other considerations, being the gracious host that he is — Karrde views Solo and Calrissian as his guests and thus entitled to his protection. He orders her to prepare for Thrawn’s arrival and obfuscate any indications of non-neutrality.
Unknowing of the developing predicament, Luke escapes from the storehouse with R2-D2 they were being held in and head for his X-Wing. When it’s not where they expects it to be, they commandeer one of Karrde’s fighters to facilitate their escape.
Jade witnesses the unauthorised flight and deduces that Skywalker has escaped. Chiding herself over her failures to exact her vendetta, she is now in unhindered pursuit of him.
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Chapter 21 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLuke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo are evading Imperial capture as — unknown to them — Grand Admiral Thrawn has promised them to dark Jedi clone Joruus C'Baoth in exchange for his allegiance.
While Chewbacca and Leia go to ground on Kashyyyk, Luke is captured by Talon Karrde in deep space, after being disarmed both physically and metaphysically. He awakens a week later to find himself still firmly in Karrde's grasp while the smuggling lord deliberates his fate and his lieutenant — Mara Jade — seethes over the pain Luke has seemingly caused in her mysterious past.
Meanwhile, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian find a point of contact with Karrde's organisation, hoping to extend legitimate business relationships from the New Republic. Tipping Fynn Torve off to escape the entanglement with local authorities of a cargo seizure, Han and Lando broker a deal with Torve to get a face-to-face with Talon Karrde back at Karrde's base of operations.
Chapter 21Mara Jade convenes with Talon Karrde to discuss the conundrum facing them: Han and Lando will be arriving presently, escorting an indebted Fynn Torv. Even though they hold Luke hostage, Karrde is unwilling to tip his hand without first determining Thrawn's specific interest in Skywalker, and thus his fair market value.
Karrde decides the best course of action is for Jade to relocate Skywalker to a storeroom while he plays host to Skywalker's unwitting allies.
In the storeroom, Luke presumes that he has been left to his own devices in a sudden scramble. He makes contact with R2 in the next room of the storehouse, but — underestimating Karrde's thoroughness — he finds no purchase on which to mount an escape.
That is, until he realises an advantage hiding right under his own (prosthetic) skin.
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Chapter 20 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLuke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo are evading Imperial capture as — unknown to them — Grand Admiral Thrawn has promised them to dark Jedi clone Joruus C'Baoth in exchange for his alliance.
While Leia and Chewbacca have gone to Kashyyyk, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are broadcasting decoy messages using C-3PO as a voice mimic. They are also trying to contact smuggling lord Talon Karrde in hopes to extend legitimate business relationships from the New Republic.
Thrawn is preparing to attack Sluis Van so rather than continue their own pursuit he orders a bounty on Luke's capture. Luck would have it that Mara Jade drops the Wild Karrde out of hyperspace for a routine procedure to find a stranded Luke leading to his capture by Karrde. When Luke awakens, he finds himself helpless, severed from the Force, while Karrde weighs his fate.
Chapter 20Han and Lando arrive on Abregado Rae looking for a point of contact with Karrde's organisation. Before leaving the ship, Han exchanges coded messages with Winter over comms about the increasingly strained situation on Coruscant.
They disembark and enter LoBue, a local casino. Han spots a familiar face, Fynn Torve, and wedges himself into their ongoing game of sabacc. Han surreptitiously reports to Torve that his ship is being seized. Before the game can progress past the deal, though, Han is accused of cheating by a burly reverend. In the ensuing commotion, Lando escapes with the contact.
Back on the Falcon, Han and Lando broker a deal with Torve to get a face-to-face with Talon Karrde back at Karrde's base of operations.
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Chapter 19 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLuke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo are evading Imperial capture as — unknown to them — Grand Admiral Thrawn has promised them to dark Jedi clone Joruus C'Baoth in exchange for his alliance.
While Leia and Chewbacca have gone to Kashyyyk, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are broadcasting decoy messages using C-3PO as a voice mimic. They are also trying to contact smuggling lord Talon Karrde in hopes to extend legitimate business relationships from the New Republic.
Luke is ambushed following the call of a mysterious Jedi Master to Jomark by Thrawn. In the escape, his X-Wing fails, leaving him stranded in deep space. While R2-D2 completes repairs on the subspace radio, Luke is hailed by the Wild Karrde. Luke is offered passage by Karrde, however is caught off-guard and knocked unconscious, falling into Karrde’s capture.
Chapter 19Luke awakens in some kind of barrack dorm on an unfamiliar forest world. He attempts to use his Jedi powers to refresh himself and takes in his surroundings. His attempts are apparently unsuccessful and he is startled by the presence of Mara Jade, whom he could not sense in the Force. In fact, he can sense nothing at all, and his lightsaber hangs from her hip.
She takes him from his holdings across the forest-side compound to have another conversation with Karrde about politics, intrigue, and his predicament. Luke learns of the ysalamiri and a little of the circumstances of how he came to be (in no small measure due to Jade's influence) in the possession of Karrde's group.
This interaction does not end with Luke unconscious; he is instead marched icily back to his "accommodation" by Jade.
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Chapter 18 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarGrand 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 18Luke 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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Chapter 17 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLuke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo, and Chewbacca travel to Nkllon seeking Lando Calrissian. However, before they can touch down, the mining planet is raided by the Imperials. During the ensuing space battle Luke's mind is touched by another Jedi. He intends to follow the beckon to Jomark hoping to find a master that can guide him in rebuilding the Jedi Order.
Leia and Chewbacca head to the wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, while Han and Lando venture to make contact with aloof smuggling lord Talon Karrde.
Grand Admiral Thrawn ambushes Luke on his heading but fails to capture him. Rather than pursue Luke further, he orders Captain Pallaeon to put a bounty on Skywalker's capture, as he refocuses the Imperial Fleet for their upcoming raid on Sluis Van.
Chapter 17As Thrawn had predicted, catastrophic failure befalls Luke's X-Wing half a lightyear after his escape. Both the hyperdrive and subspace radio are damaged beyond repair, leaving him and R2 (in his own words) where "we can't leave, we aren't likely to be found, and can't call for help".
After investigating the damage, Luke decides the only thing to do is to try to reconstruct the subspace radio. Delegating the tedious task to R2, he enters a Jedi hibernation.
Leia and Chewie arrive to Kashyyyk, and the tree-city of Rwookrrorro. They are greeted by Ralrracheen and Salporin, and Leia is surprised that she can communicate effectively with Ralrracheen.
Leia learns a little about wookiee culture, but on the way to her supposed safehouse, she spots one of the aliens responsible for her attempted kidnapping on Bimmisaari.
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Chapter 16 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarGrand Admiral Thrawn is leading the Imperial remnants from the shadows in a grand conspiracy to destroy the New Republic and re-establish the Galactic Empire, employing the help of dark Jedi clone, Joruus C'Baoth.
Last and first of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker lacks the confidence to be the teacher needed to rebuild the Jedi Order. However, during a space battle in the Athega System, Luke makes contact with a Jedi promising to lead him forward.
All the while, Leia and Luke are on the run to evade the capture of the mysterious Imperial commander. They've run to Lando Calrissian on Nklon, and now Chewbacca leads Leia to Kashyyyk for protection while Han Solo and Lando broadcast decoy signals giving the illusion that Leia is still on the run.
Thrawn is not so easily deceived, as he plans another ambush for Luke.
Chapter 16Luke is pulled out of hyperspace into a slaughter: his Jedi senses tell him that there's no one left alive on the cargo ship incurring the ire of an Imperial Star Destroyer. He narrowly escapes the literal tractor beam grasp of the Imperials but unwittingly incurs serious damage to his X-Wing.
Thrawn is none too pleased with the performance of his men during the confrontation and shows just how unforgiving he can be. Instead of pursuing Luke themselves to focus on their upcoming attack on Sluis Van, Thrawn orders a bounty to go out on Luke's capture, knowing that his hyperdrive will fail presently due to the damages sustained in the confrontation.
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Chapter 15 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarLast and first of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker lacks the confidence to be the teacher needed to rebuild the Jedi Order. He struggles to impart what little he feels he knows to his first student, his sister Leia Organa Solo. After turning to Dagobah hoping to find instruction, he leaves with a starship remote from a dark Jedi possibly slain by Master Yoda.
All the while, Leia and Luke are on the run to evade the capture of a mysterious Imperial commander. They have little intel but suspect a leak in the New Republic capital. They've run to Lando Calrissian on Nklon, but we're again caught in a confrontation. They decide to send Leia to Kashyyyk with Chewbacca while Han Solo and Lando broadcast decoy signals giving the illusion that Leia is still on the run.
During the space battle over Nklon, Luke's mind is touched by another Jedi, beckoning him to meet on Jomark. This Jedi, however, is a dark Jedi clone, Joruus C'Baoth, and is indirectly responsible for the many ambushes they are trying to escape.
Grand Admiral Thrawn is the mastermind leading the Imperial remnants from the shadows. He recruited C'Baoth and has promised the Skywalkers in exchange for his allegiance.
Lastly, Talon Karrde is a Smuggling Lord with a new apprentice, the enigmatic Mara Jade. While new to his organisation, she shows great promise. And he is determined to crack her mysterious veil.
Chapter 15After parting ways with Luke, and Leia and Chewbacca, Han and Lando discuss what their next move is. Lando suggests they find Talon Karrde, hoping to set a precedent for future dealings.
Unbeknownst to the heroes, they were surveilled by the Imperials. From the merger clues, Thrawn was quickly able to devise the personnel and heading of each ship. Soon they will lay a trap for Luke as he follows C'Baoth's beckon.
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Chapter 14 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarGrand 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. He commands a raid on the Athega System just as Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa-Solo, Han Solo, and Chewbacca arrive looking to garner help from Lando Calrissian. During the skirmish, the imperials make away with mining equipment and the Dark Jedi clone commanding Thrawn’s fleet, Jaruus C’baoth, takes the opportunity to make contact with Luke.
Thrawn is none too pleased to learn of this contact and plots with Captain Pallaeon to disillusion C’baoth of his self-importance and impetuousness.
Lando is distraught at the loss of half his workforce — 51 mole miners stolen — in the raid! Han and Leia ask for help, and a plan is devised to send Leia to Kashyyyk with Chewbacca while Han and Lando broadcast decoy signals giving the illusion that Leia is still on the run. In order to achieve this, in a violation of his programming, C-3PO has his voice altered to perfectly imitate Leia’s.
Luke shares his findings from Dagobah; what Lando identifies as a Beckon Call — a device that summons a slave-ciruit-rigged ship at a moment's notice. He later confides in Leia his true reason for searching that specific location and tells her about the contact he had during the space battle earlier. She divulges the rumour of a Master C’baoth on Jormark, and while they suspect a trap, Luke is eager at what the opportunity could mean.
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Chapter 13 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So FarWhile looking for hints on Dagobah on how best to train the next generation of Jedi, Luke Skywalker finds a strange device in the Dark Side Cave outside Yoda’s hut. This hint points him to Lando Calrissian and his path converges with Leia Organa-Solo and Han Solo as they head to the Athega system. After two foiled kidnappings on separate diplomatic missions, the couple are looking to get help outside New Republic jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Grand Admiral Thrawn’s schemes are coming to a head as he has allied himself with Master Joruus C’baoth, clone and Dark Jedi. Captain Pelleaon devises a plan to disseminate information that might lure Luke to C’baoth instead of sending more noghri to capture him.
All paths converge over Nkllon just as Luke and the Millenium Falcon arrive. Leaving us in the suspense as the space battle commences.
Chapter 13Luke and the Falcon engage in a dogfight over Nkllon, during which Luke’s mind is touched by another Jedi, commanding Luke to seek him out. Despite losing time during the contact, Luke and the Falcon chase off the Imperial raid.
Our point of view then switches to Thrawn and Pellaeon reflecting on the aftermath. Thrawn’s satisfaction at the successful acquisition of 51 mole miners is overshadowed by C’baoth’s declaration of making contact with Luke. The Jedi Master insists that it is time for his own trap to be laid, leaving Pellaeon and Thrawn to scheme on the disillusionment of C’baoth’s self-importance.
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Hello, there! You just found The Lost Holocron. Every week, a few mates slowly make their way through a Star Wars novel. Join our book club as each transmission we punctuate a single chapter with…