Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 05_ Agents of Chaos 02_ Jedi Eclipse - James Luceno [0]
A Del Rey® Book
Published by The Random House Publishing Group
Copyright © 2000 by Lucasfilm Ltd. &™
All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Del Rey Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Del Rey is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
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Library of Congress Card Number: 00-191290
eISBN: 978-0-307-79552-6
v3.1
For Carmen, Carlos,
and Dimitri—
13 years after.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For looking over my shoulder and enriching this book, heartfelt thanks to Shelly Shapiro, Sue Rostoni, Dan Wallace, and Alex Newborn.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Dramatis Personae
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
About the Author
Also by this Author
Introduction to the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Excerpt from Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Balance Point
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
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Anakin Solo; Jedi Knight (male human)
Beed Thane; archon of Vergill (male human)
Borga Besadii Diori; Hutt ruler (female Hutt)
Brand; New Republic commodore (male human)
Chine-kal; commander, Crèche (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Droma; spacer (male Ryn)
Gaph; refugee (male Ryn)
Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (male human)
Jacen Solo; Jedi Knight (male human)
Kyp Durron; Jedi Master (male human)
Leia Organa Solo; New Republic ambassador (female human)
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (male human)
Malik Carr; commander (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Melisma; refugee (female Ryn)
Nas Choka; supreme commander (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Nom Anor; executor (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Prince Isolder; Royal House of Hapes (male human)
Randa Besadii Diori (male Hutt)
Roa; prisoner (male human)
Sapha; prisoner (female Ryn)
Talon Karrde; liaison (male human)
Viqi Shesh; senator (female human)
Wurth Skidder; Jedi Knight (male human)
ONE
It was morning in Gyndine’s capital city, though that fact was scarcely evident to anyone on the surface. The rising sun, when glimpsed at all, was a blanched disk behind roiling smoke belched from flaming forests and buildings. Sounds of battle reverberated thunderously from the surrounding foothills, and a hot scouring wind swept down across the landscape. A crepuscular darkness, ripped ragged by flashes of blinding light, ruled the day.
The artificial light was supplied by warriors and war machines, coursing over scorched ground, streaking through the racked sky, in orbit above the madness. Through leaden clouds allied and enemy fighter craft pursued one another doggedly, adding sonic claps to the strident score of combat. East of the beleaguered capital, beams of energy stabbed mercilessly at the surface from on high, fanning