Shadows of the Empire
	Steve Perry
	1996
	3.5-4 Years After The Battle of Yavin
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SPOILER ALERT: This Will Spoil The Plot of the Book!

Prince Xizor looks on from the shadows as the Emperor talks with his minion Darth Vader about the new threat, Luke Skywalker.  Xizor is shocked to learn that Vader has a son and he listens intently as Vader suggests that Luke join the Dark Side or die.

Leia Organa awakes from a nightmare about her good friend Han Solo being encased in carbonite and taken away from her.

On Tatooine, Luke Skywalker is busy constructing his new lightsaber from plans found the former dwelling of his mentor Ben Kenobi.  While his training is still unfinished, he can already sense that the Dark Side is growing ever closer as he practices honing his Force ability.

Months later, Xizor, the leader of Black Sun, prepares to enact his plan to rid the galaxy of Vader and take over his role as the Emperor’s second in command.

In a cantina on Tatooine, Leia and Chewbacca meet with Lando Calrissian, who they have only recently forgiven for his betrayal on Bespin.  He tells them that he’s located Boba Fett and Han on a planet called Gall and a man named Dash Rendar is checking things out to confirm.  Gall is an Imperial occupied area and getting in and out will not be easy.  They head off to tell Luke the news.

While Vader describes the Imperials needs for the Outer Rim to Xizor, the prince thinks back to how Vader’s experiments on his home world left most of his family dead.  His revenge will be even sweeter.

Leia and the others reach Luke who is eager to find Han.  Chewie asks if the Rebel Alliance would be willing to help out and Luke says he knows the Wedge Antilles and the Rogue Squadron will definitely be on board.

Xizor meets with Guri, his beautiful assassin, who is actually a human replica droid making her nearly impossible to differentiate from a real human.  He tells her to summon Jabba the Hutt to his office.  His plan is to kill Luke Skywalker, but make it appear that it was Vader’s doing rather than bring him before the Emperor as he’d promised.

Alone in his hyperbaric medical chamber, Vader contemplates his encounter with Luke and his surprise and pride that Luke was able to survive the encounter.  He wonders if the Force is stronger in Luke than in Anakin.  He knows that he and his son could indeed rule the galaxy together without the Emperor.

Xizor meets with Jabba and discuss his connection with Solo and thus Skywalker.  Xizor puts the word out that the best way to find Skywalker will be to find Boba Fett.

After meeting up with the Rogues, Wedge leads the group to the base near Gall where Dash Rendar is also waiting.  Dash shows them the intel, but says that despite the long odds, if they can keep the tie fighters occupied, he’ll be able to sneak Lando to Fett’s ship.