Star Wars_ Death Star - Michael Reaves [0]
Copyright © 2007 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & ® or TM where indicated.
All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.
Published in the United States by Del Rey, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
DEL REY is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Del Rey, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., in 2007.
eISBN: 978-0-307-79584-7
www.delreybooks.com
v3.1
For Deborah
—MR
For Dianne, as always,
and for the new grandkid, Nate
—SP
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We’d like to thank the usual crew for aiding and abetting: Shelly Shapiro, Keith Clayton, Betsy Mitchell, Sue Rostoni, Leland Chee, Steve Sansweet, and all the folks at Del Rey and Lucasfilm. And especially George Lucas, who made up this wonderful world and allowed us to play in it again.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ATOUR RITEN; Imperial Navy commander, Chief Librarian (human male)
CELOT RATUA DIL; convicted smuggler (Zelosian male)
CONAN ANTONIO MOTTI; Imperial Navy admiral (human male)
DAALA; Imperial Navy admiral (human female)
DARTH VADER; Dark Lord of the Sith (human male)
KORNELL “ULI” DIVINI; Imperial Surgical Corps captain (human male)
MEMAH ROOTHES; pub tender (Twi’lek female)
NOVA STIHL; Imperial Marines guard sergeant (human male)
RODO; bouncer (Ragithian human male)
TEELA KAARZ; architect, convict (Mirialan female)
TENN GRANEET; Imperial Navy master chief gunnery officer (human male)
VILLIAN DANCE; Imperial Navy lieutenant (human male)
WILHUFF TARKIN; Imperial Navy Grand Moff (human male)
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Dramatis Personae
Epigraph
Part One - Construction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Part Two - Shakedown
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
About the Author
Also by this Author
Introduction to the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Excerpt from Star Wars: Allegiance
Introduction to the Old Republic Era
Introduction to the Rise of the Empire Era
Introduction to the Rebellion Era
Introduction to the New Republic Era
Introduction to the New Jedi Order Era
Introduction to the Legacy Era
Star Wars Novels Timeline
“That’s no moon. It’s a space station.”
—OBI-WAN KENOBI
PART ONE
CONSTRUCTION
1
FLIGHT DECK, IMPERIAL-CLASS STAR DESTROYER STEEL TALON, POLAR ORBIT, PLANET DESPAYRE, HORUZ SYSTEM, ATRIVIS SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
The alert siren screamed, a piercing wail that couldn’t be ignored by any being on board with ears and a pulse. It had one thing to say, and it said it loud and clear:
Scramble!
Lieutenant