Kathy Tyers Libri

Following Darth Vader's funeral pyre on Endor, the Alliance intercepts a distress call from Bakura, a distant Imperial outpost. This location is the first to encounter the Ssi-ruuk, cold-blooded reptilian invaders intent on total domination. Princess Leia views the mission as a chance for a diplomatic win for the Alliance. However, it gains urgency when Obi-Wan Kenobi appears to Luke Skywalker, urging him to go to Bakura to protect the Rebels' hard-fought achievements. As the Alliance arrives, the Ssi-ruuk are close to overpowering the Imperial garrison, whose desperate commander is willing to accept help from the Rebels against this insidious foe that enslaves human minds to pilot their war machines. Luke, Han Solo, and Leia must gain the trust of the Bakurans while navigating the fragile alliance with the Imperial forces. Despite Governor Nereus granting the Rebels temporary amnesty, treachery looms among those loyal to the Empire. As the final assault approaches, Rebel and Imperial forces must reconcile their differences or risk losing the galaxy to the Ssi-ruuk's horrific servitude. This tale captures the excitement of the original saga, planting seeds of hope for peace, witnessing the formation of a timeless love, and showcasing a Jedi's sacrifice to defend humanity against an alien threat.

Poisoned by centuries of technological excess, the planet Duro is an unlivable hell, long abandoned by its own inhabitants, who dwell above their polluted world in orbital habitats. But there is no place else to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong. So a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health, under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo. As tempers begin to flare between the Duros and the New Republic, and between groups of refugees, Han Solo, his son, Jacen, and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro . . . and that Luke, Mara, and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust. The unrest only strengthens Jacen Solo's growing belief that a true Jedi should not fight, but should lead others to peace through a deeper understanding of the Force. Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy's destiny toward the light or toward darkness--with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance . . .