Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
	James Luceno
	2005
	19 Years Before The Battle of Yavin
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SPOILER ALERT: This Will Spoil The Plot of the Book!

It is the final moments of the Clone Wars.  Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak, along with Padawan Olee Starstone are engaged in a battle on the planet Murkhana.  While they are attempting to secure a landing platform for the Republic attack, Salvo, the Clone Commander receives Order 66.  As they complete their mission the Jedi are ambushed by several Clones.  The attack, however, is thwarted by another trooper named Climber who does not entirely understand the order to kill all the Jedi.  Salvo arrives and reveals the order came from Palpatine himself.  Climber tells the Jedi that if he sees them again, he won’t let them pass.  After a few hours the Jedi receive a signal to return home to the Jedi Temple.  Unsure of what the signal means they decide to steal a transport once the other Republic ships arrive.  As they attempt to do so, a second beacon signal arrives telling them to stay away from Coruscant and go into hiding.  This delay results in their capture by the Clone troopers.

The Star Destroyer Exactor is in orbit around Murkhana.  It has been four weeks since the planet fell to Republic/Imperial control.  Vader is aboard the ship and communicates with Sidious.  Sidious tells him of the Clone Troopers that disobeyed Order 66.  He asks Vader to find them and make examples of them and find any Jedi that survived.  After the command, Vader reflects on his position with uncertainty.  He doubts his own abilities and reflects on what could have been had things not turned out as they have.  He is dismayed with his suit and runs over a number of defects that hinder his abilities.  He considers it solitary confinement.

Still being an unknown entity in the galaxy, Vader’s ship lands on the planet.  Some think he is a new type of trooper.  Salvo speaks with him and presents him with several dead Jedi.  Vader is displeased that not all Jedi are accounted for and wants to know who allowed the others to escape.  Climber steps forward and argues with Vader.  Shryne overhears the conversation and learns that several Jedi attacked Palpatine and the Republic is now an Empire.  He also realizes that Vader is a Sith Lord.  Climber and his men attack Vader, but he easily dispatches most of them.  Chatak decides to attack Vader and actually injures his arm.  Shryne comments on how Vader appears clumsy with a lightsaber, but seems very capable.  Nevertheless Vader kills Chatak.  All captives are loaded onto a transport.  Shryne uses force persuasion on the troopers and they allow him and Starstone to escape.

Back on Coruscant, Vader is questioning his abilities as he curses his injured arm.  He wonders if he has lost force abilities since he lost his limbs.  He is concerned that he has lost all the power that he sought and is now only a minion of Palpatine.  He thinks back to the events that lead him to this position and begins to blame Padme and Obi-Wan and their warped since of betrayal.  He was attempting to save Padme’s life and Obi-Wan from ignorance, but they could not see his side.  He would no longer be a servant of the Force.  It would now be subservient to him.  Captain Appo tells Vader that two captives are missing.  Vader says he’ll handle it personally.

Shryne and Starstone visit a smuggler named Cash Garrulan looking for help off the planet.  They learn the Clone Wars have indeed ended and the blame has been placed squarely on the Jedi and Count Dooku.  They also learn that most Jedi are dead.  Despite Starstone’s objections, Shryne strikes a deal with Cash to escape.  Vader enters Cash’s place, and Cash tells him where their ship is headed.   Imperial ships catch the ship in a tractor beam, but the two on board are actually unknowing decoys.  Vader decides to continue the hunt in his own ship.  He quickly locates the Jedi, but they escape with the help of a passing ship that drops off a booster ring allowing both ships to jump into hyperspace.