Jacen Solo is being hunted by Alema Rar. She managed to survive her encounter with Princess Leia on Tenupe and has sworn that Leia will suffer like she has. In the Corellian system, Leia and Han are asked to travel to Hapes to meet with Tenel Ka and convince her to switch sides in the conflict, but unknown to them, they are only meant as a distraction while Aurra Sing assassinates Tenel Ka. Thwarting the assassination attempt, they flee Hapes in the company of Aurra Sing and decide to find out who hired the assassin by pretending to be part of the scheme. On Coruscant, Jedi Master Tresina Lobi is following Ben Skywalker and learns of Jacen's dealings with Lumiya. Before she can complete her transmission though, she is attacked and defeated by Lumiya and Alema Rar. Luke and Mara Skywalker follow the clues left by Tresina Lobi's killers and learn that Lumiya is being assisted the Galactic Alliance Guard. They decide that it's time Ben comes back to them for a while and so follow him and Jacen out to Hapes. They are sent by Jacen to a rendezvous with Ben, but instead they encounter Lumiya and Alema Rar and are lucky to escape the encounter with their lives. Ben meanwhile helps to rescue Jaina and Zekk who in turn uncovered one of the leaders in the plot to overthrow Tenel Ka. They return to Hapes in time to warn Tenel Ka but find themselves EV and stranded. They are rescued by Han and Leia who have also helped to protect Tenel Ka from the coup attempt, but in the heat of the battle Jacen is convinced that his parents are behind the assassination attempt and so orders his Star Destroyer to destroy the Millennium Falcon. They very nearly succeed so Han launches his lifepods with Jaina, Zekk and Ben in them, then he and Leia flee to where they can perform repairs. With the conflict resolved, Luke and Mara confront Jacen about Lumiya and Jacen's growing darkness. When he shows no remorse for the things he has done, they decide to take Ben back with them where he will not be under Jacen's influence.
