PROLOGUE Do you ever wonder about our father Leia Luke asked No Leia said without hesitation I never do Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa were on board the New Hope a Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser that currently served as the flagship for Mon Mothma the recently elected chief councilor of the fledgling New Republic They were in a meeting room near the cruiser’s command deck standing before a wide viewport that overlooked a small red planet orbiting orbiting a bright sun Oh Luke said I don’t know how to say this but well it’s been months since he died and I think there are some things we should talk about I know you’re still upset about how he Tortured me Leia interrupted Stood by and did nothing while Grand Moff Tarkin destroyed the planet Alderaan Cut off your hand Killed more 1
people than we’ll ever know She gestured to the red planet outside the viewport and added Do you have any idea how many Chubbits died on Aridus because of Vader Luke knew a great deal about the unfortunate Chubbits but he remained silent As Leia gazed into space she said It seems everywhere everywhere we go we find more of Vader’s victims more evidence of his horrific service to the Empire She shook her head Why would I even want to think about that monster Because our father wasn’t just Darth Vader Luke said He was also Anakin Skywalker a Jedi I’ve tried to tell you what happened on the Death Star at Endor how he saved me from the Emperor and Saved you Leia said Luke as I recall Vader delivered you to the Emperor She sighed I know you believe that Anakin Skywalker returned in the end and if that’s how you prefer to remember him as the Jedi hero who destroyed the Emperor that’s your decision But you can’t expect me to do the same because my father Bail Organa the man who raised me he died on Alderaan I’m sorry Leia Luke said I just thought You thought wrong Luke Leia said I have more important things on my mind than this In case you haven’t noticed the Empire didn’t die with the Emperor We don’t know how many Star Destroyers are still in 2
service Moff Harlov Jarnek has blockaded Spirador Hundreds of planets still need our help She moved away from the viewport Now if you’ll excuse me I have a meeting to attend The Chubbits are justifiably cautious of offworlders but I’m determined to convince them that an alliance with the New Republic is their best defense against the Empire She turned and walked for the meeting room’s exit Alone in the room Luke returned his gaze to Aridus He’d visited the desert planet before Except that it had a single sun he’d found it very similar to his own homeworld homeworld Tatooine So much had happened since the day he’d left Mos Eisley Spaceport with Ben Kenobi on the Millennium Falcon Back then his greatest desire had been to have adventures on other worlds He’d never imagined that he would eventually encounter the father he’d been told was dead discover that Princess Leia was his sister or become a champion of the Rebel Alliance But despite his accomplishments and many good friends Luke sensed there was something missing in his life as if part of him were somehow incomplete The Empire had destroyed nearly all the records of the Jedi Order including any information about Anakin Skywalker leaving Luke with many questions about his place in the universe Can I avoid my father’s mistakes Are all the other Jedi Knights truly gone 3
