Star Wars

The New Jedi Order

Agent Of Chaos

Book 2

Jedi Eclipse

by James Luceno



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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, Creche (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 Hurt)

Roa; prisoner (male human)

Sapha; prisoner (female Ryn)

Talon Karrde; liaison (male human)

Viqi Shesh; senator (female human)

Wurth Skidder; Jedi Knight (male human)

1

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 be hind 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 out like shafts of profuse sunlight or concentrated into dazzling curtains that set the horizon glowing red as a frozen dawn.

Loosed by advancing enemy contingents, missiles of superheated rock assailed what remained of the city, holing surviving towers and toppling those already gutted by fire. Hunks of shattered ferrocrete and twisted plasteel tumbled onto cratered streets and clogged alleyways. A few civilians dashed desperately for shelter while others huddled, paralyzed with fear, in gaping, fire-blackened maws that were once entryways and storefronts. In some quarters, ion cannons and nearly depleted turbolaser batteries answered the missile barrage with darts of cyan light. But only in the environs of the New Republic embassy were the enemy projectiles deflected, turned by a hastily installed containment shield.

Dangerously close to the shield's shimmering perimeter, a thousands-strong mixed-sp...

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