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Story: Timothy Zahn Writer: Michael A. Stackpole Artist: Carlos Ezquerra Colorist: James Sinclair Letterer: Michael Taylor Cover Artist: Kilian Plunkett Book Design: Kristen Burda Assistant Editor: Mike Hansen Editor: Peet Janes Publisher: Mike Richardson CHARACTER Featured Mara Jade Skywalker Supporting Strok (Captain), Palpatine (dies), Coruscant bartender, Coruscant barfly, Ysanne Isard, Imperial Center Security 1, Imperial Center Security 2 Villain Dequc imposter (dies) Other Lutrillian child, Lutrillian mother (dead), Human samaritan (helping injured), Black Nebula guard (alien 3) (ID'ing passerbys), Black Nebula guard (Whipid) (presumed dead), Black Nebula guard (Human) (dead), Imperial Captain (Coruscant), Coruscant tourist, Black Nebula guard (Quarren) (dies), Coruscant bureaucrat Cameo Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker DROID Kaythree LOCATION Coruscant, Imperial Opera, Svivren STARSHIP Z-95 Headhunter, Mara Jade's ship | ||
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According to the inside cover, the events in this issue takes place 4 years after the Battle of Yavin. More specifically it occurs during the end of Return of the Jedi.
The issue contains a letters page, Mara Jade Letters, and features letters from Amy Pronovost, and Anthony Avrahm Capati.
The other diners at the Coruscant eatery where Mara eats, look surprisingly like Al Bundy and his next door neighbor Marcie.
Being convinced that is one of her best covert missions, Mara Jade makes some quick moves when confronted by half a dozen armed Black Nebula operatives. She blasts the light source and using the Force leaps out of the room, taking out bad guys along the way.
She then discovers a second room, where Dequc and his harem are holed up. Mara quickly goes to work and beheads the Black Nebula leader, taking his medallion as proof of her mission. She notices that Captain Strok and most of his men made it out, so she leaves as well.
Disguising herself as a pilgrim, she moves through the carnage outside the bargaining arenas, moving amongst the dead civilians, upset at the cost of the operation. She dispatches a couple of guards near her headhunter fighter and returns to her ship in orbit.
Via her Force connection with Palpatine, she presents him with her mission report and he beckons her back to Coruscant to enjoy herself. She takes in an opera, and other sightseeing opportunities, but something about the Dequc operation just does not sit right with her.
She realizes that the medallion she removed from Dequc was a fake, and that leads her to realize that the assassination was staged. She orders her droid, kaythree, to get her all information on Dequc.
Mara then receives a message via the Force from her master. What she witnesses through that connection is his murder by Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. His last command to her is to "kill Luke Skywalker!"
Shocked by the psychic backlash of these events, Mara passes out. She is found by Ysanne Isard and a couple of her men. Isard takes her into custody as a traitor to the Emperor and sentences her death.