The Jedi strike out against the Yuuzhan Vong at extreme costs to themselves. The greatest cost may be the loss of themselves….tensions rise across the galaxy as many are lost, and others run the risk of being lost. Join the Legendary Adventures as we set out on a Dark Journey!
Nineteen years before the formation of the Galactic Empire, the capital of the Galactic Republic was under attack by Separatist forces. As the fearsome Separatist General Grievous attacked Coruscant, two daring Jedi infiltrated the flagship of the enemy to cripple their war efforts. Now, thirty-odd years after the fall of the Empire, Coruscant is under attack again. The Yuuzhan Vong’s vicious march into the Core systems has reached the climax: Coruscant. Despite the best efforts of the New Republic army, and the Jedi Order led by Luke Skywalker and his wife, Mara Jade, Coruscant is lost. A Jedi strikeforce has infiltrated the Vong’s main warship, hoping to destroy the voxyn. The voxyn were created by the Vong to seek and hunt Jedi, but the Jedi were successful in (mostly) turning them off as a weapon. Unfortunately, this victory came at a great cost: the youngest child of Han Solo and Leia Organa, Anakin Solo, was killed in action, and their oldest son, Jacen, was captured.
The taskforce led by Jaina Solo is able to escape the Vong’s warship in the personal craft of Warmaster Tsavong Lah, escaping to Myrkr and eventually regrouping with the Jedi on Coruscant. Unfortunately, the loss of Coruscant forces the reunited Jedi to flee to the Hapan Cluster. Jaina Solo is in crisis after the escape from the Vong. Now, she has lost two important people in her life. Over two years ago, she lost the great Wookiee hero Chewbacca, and recently her youngest brother. As anger boils within Jaina, she starts to lash out against the people around her. She blames the New Republic for not doing enough to combat the Yuuzhan Vong, turning a blind eye at certain key junctures and being generally unwilling to do what it takes to destroy them. She also starts to turn against the Jedi, thinking that they could be doing so much more to fight the Vong with their immense power. Her mother Leia tries to keep this anger in line and help her see where she is losing sight of the bigger picture, but is finding herself mostly unsuccessful in the effort.
The Hapan Cluster, where the Jedi flee to, is already in place to accept them and offer their aid. Two years ago, the Hapan fleet was decimated by Centerpoint Station, which was used despite the best intentions of Anakin Solo as a weapon by Thracken Sal-Solo for his own ends, rather than the good of the galaxy. The Hapan leadership is in crisis: Prince Isolder has been threatened for the past two years while Hapan Queen Teneniel Djo has lost the will to lead her people. The Hapan leader Ta’a Chume is seeking to replace Teneniel, and looks to be eyeing one of the Solo women as a replacement. Thankfully, despite all of the problems with leadership has not stopped the Hapan Cluster from helping aid refugees. After the loss of important refugee worlds like Duro and Ithor, the Hapan Cluster seems to be one of the only safe havens in the galaxy. Unfortunately, this also makes them a prime target for the Vong to invade and attack them in order to cause even more massive casualties.
Help comes from all across the galaxy, though – but maybe more importantly, a lot of the galaxy looks to Jaina for help. Earlier in the war, Leia had organized the help of the Imperial Remnant, and now the Hapans are willing to help. Now, the Chiss Ascendancy is even willing to help. Despite their former isolation, Grand Admiral of the fallen Empire Mitth’raw’nuruodo worked with Emperor Palpatine to combat the rising Vong threat, which they saw even as early as sixty-some years ago. Jagged Fel, a leader in the Ascendancy, joins the Hapan Cluster, growing close to Jaina, offering a chance to do something more vicious against the Vong, as she wished to do earlier. But earlier thoughts are confirmed by Ta’a Chume as she looks to set up Jaina as Queen of the Hapans instead of Teneniel. Both options present Jaina with a leadership role, one which allows her to commit more direct action against the Vong.
Thankfully, Jaina is not tied down by either offer and takes matters into her own hands. After escaping the Vong ship on Lah’s personal craft, she repurposes some of the communications to speak with the Vong, posing as their Trickster goddess. She is able to goad them into a battle, which the Vong lose, and then cloaks the ship from Vong detection. The Vong are humiliated in their loss, and some of the leadership takes their own life into their hands. Jaina rejects the chance to become the Hapan Queen, letting Jedi Knight Tenel Djo take up the mantle. But Jagged Fel is not off the table by a long shot…
Legendary Travel Tips:
–Dark Journey was published at a time when short stories were a lot more common. A short story takes place during this novel, The Apprentice, detailing Jaina’s brush with the Dark Side of the Force.
-This novel is preceded by Star by Star and is followed by the Enemy Lines duology.
You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWerms, and of course, you can follow the Manor on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor!
Legendary Adventures
The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime | Dark Tide Duology | Agents of Chaos: 1 – Hero’s Trial | 2 – Jedi Eclipse | Balance Point | Edge of Victory: 1 – Conquest | Edge of Victory: 2 – Rebirth | Star by Star
Essential Legends Collection: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction | Darth Bane: Rule of Tw0 | Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil | Darth Plagueis | Shatterpoint | Kenobi | Rogue Squadron | Rogue Squadron: Wedge’s Gamble | Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising | The Last Command