Cover Artist: John Harris

Shortly after the operations on Belkadan, Bimmiel and Dantooine, the Jedi have gathered together to discuss the next steps they are to take in the war with the Yuuzhan Vong. Among all the decisions, it is decided that Corran Horn, who has been recalled to active duty in the military, will take a team of Jedi and Noghri to Garqi to connect with the local resistance and determine what the Vong are up to there. They are inserted successfully and spend about a week collecting intel on their enemies. In the meantime, the military also infitrates the Sernpidal system to find that the destroyed planet is being used to create capital ships for the invaders, Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade and Anakin Solo track down a Jedi who is determined to find a superweapon to use against the Vong, and Senator Elegos A'kla attempts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict before more people die. Back on Garqi, the infiltration team decides to capture a couple of the Vong slaves in the chance that they can find a cure for what is being done to them. While attempting to escape, they are cornered in a bafforr grove and Ganner Rhysode is seriously injured before the pollen from the trees causes an allergic reaction in the Vong bioweapons which in turn causes the death of the invaders. As the escape ship is attempting to rendezvous with the New Republic Fleet, a Vong fleet appears to intercept and then a fleet from the Imperial Remnant arrives to assist. They retreat to Ithor, where they regroup and prepare to defend in the four weeks it takes the Vong to discover what the Jedi were hiding on Garqi. Meanwhile, Elegos feels that he is having success with Shedao Shai, but when Shai decides to send him back with a message to the New Republic, it turns out that he is the message when Corran Horn finds him dead and his bones turned into a trophy. The Vong arrive shortly and begin their assault, and Corran challenges Shai to a duel for the fate of Ithor. Shai accepts and a week later they meet for their duel. Corran nearly loses, but manages to overcome in the end and the Yuuzhan Vong retreat, but not before the second in command poisons Ithor in retaliation. As they attempt to escape, the combined Republic and Imperial fleet manages to destroy the Vong supercruiser, but the remains fall into the atmosphere of Ithor, igniting the poisoned air and destroying the planet. Corran is blamed by the New Republic government for the death of Ithor and he decides to distance himself from the Jedi as well, so they don't suffer political blowback from him either.