A strange-extra-dimensional beast draws the attention – and concern – of our heroes as Luke tries to rebuild the Jedi Order and Senator Leia Organa searches for her (oft-kidnapped) children! Join the Legendary Adventures as we read The Crystal Star.
Deep in the recesses of the galaxy, the Empire never died. Despite the deaths of the Sith Lord, Emperor Palpatine, and his enforcer, Darth Vader, the flames of the Dark Side have yet to abate. The Imperial Remnant, though suffering many defeats at the hands of the New Republic, still fights on. But even more insidiously, groups of former attendants to the Sith Lords still operate with their dark powers across the galaxy. Already, a few of these have been shut down, like Lord Shadowspawn’s sect on Mindor. Once such group is the Empire Reborn. The leader, Hethrir, is a Force sensitive being who once carried out the Empire’s vision of justice, serving under Darth Vader as a sort of apprentice. (Seems like despite taking his own apprentices in secret, Palpatine was happy to let Vader take students in public.) The Empire Reborn hunts Force-sensitive children across the galaxy, bringing them into their tutelage and exploiting their powers for the growth of their sect. They also hold the Firrerreo people as slaves, torturing them and using them to advance their experimental technology and pad their pockets by selling the slaves to high bidders.
Unfortunately, the Empire Reborn’s latest targets are Han Solo and Leia Organa’s children: Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin! The Empire Reborn makes their move on the children while Leia acts as an official representative of the New Republic. The New Republic has grown recently with the additions of Adumar and Nom Chorios, so more and more systems and planets are willing to work with the government. One such planet is Munto Codru and Leia brings the kids with her. The Empire Reborn sends kidnappers to take the children and they leave the planet with them successfully.
The trio of Solo kids try to eke out an existence on the ship without falling into the subservience of the Empire Reborn. Jaina, in particular, leads the children in small rebellions. Jacen is receptive to Jaina’s leadership and does what he can to help her try and defeat the Empire Reborn from within. Anakin, on the other hand, has a different experience than the twins do on the ship. Well, to be fair, Anakin Solo is only two or three years old, so he’s more of a follower than a mini-rebel. He is watched by a being called Tigris, who mostly treats Anakin well; as well as a person who works for a slave-holder that worshiped a fascist can, at least.
As Leia and Chewbacca try and rescue the kids, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and C-3PO travel to the Creish Station. The station is in a weird spot: it is hovering dangerously close to both a black hole and a star. This star is crystalizing, which causes weird side-effects to the space surrounding it. Space-time is shifted near the station and the barriers that stand between dimensions are weakening. Luke traveled to the station to find former Jedi who might be active there, as he has been pretty successful in finding more and more people who practice the Jedi religion lately. Instead of Jedi, though, they hear of something weirder. A being called Waru is said to have healing powers and is worshiped as a god on the station. Most people brought to Waru find their illnesses fixed; some, though, are consumed instead.
Turns out, this being with immense healing powers is not benevolent. In fact, he had been brought to the dimension by the experiments of Hethrir and the Empire Reborn and is in some sort of cahoots with the sect. The implication, since neither Hethrir or Waru is willing to talk about every secret they hold, is that Waru was brought over to serve Palpatine during the reign of the Empire, another one of his secret grasps for power. Now, Waru promised Hethrir immense power if Hethrir would be willing to sacrifice a person strong in the Force. Hethrir is willing to sacrifice Anakin to Waru, but thankfully, the sacrifice is stopped by Tigris.
Then, things start to get kinda funky. To stop the creature from devouring more people, Luke, Leia, and Han actually enter into Waru in an attempt to stop him. They have visions of other dimensions and galaxies, but destroy Waru and lead to the destruction of the star outside the station. The station is freed and the people join the New Republic. Just in time, too, because another crisis is brewing… one that makes the Katana fleet look like child’s play.
Legendary Adventures
Essential Legends Collection: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction | Darth Bane: Rule of Tw0 | Shatterpoint | Rogue Squadron | Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising | The Last Command
The New Republic: Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising | The Last Command| Isard’s Revenge | Jedi Search | Dark Apprentice | Champions of the Force | Children of the Jedi | Darksaber | Starfighters of Adumar | Planet of Twilight