Heir to the Empire | Chapter 18 | The Lost Holocron

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. 

Links

• Vader is stunted from self-loathing
• Wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man

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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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