Pencils: Chris Gossett, Dario Carrasco, Jr.
Inks: Mark G. Heike, Bill Black, David Jacob Beckett, Stan Woch
Colors: Perry McNamee, Pamela Rambo
Letters: Willie Schubert, Sean Konot
Cover Artist: Duncan Fegredo

Having lost their parents in the unification of the Koros system under the Empress Teta, Gav and Jori Daragon have become rather unsuccessful hyperspace explorers. After a string of bad luck leaves them penniless, homeless and fleeing assassins, they steal their ship back from Aarrba the Hutt and escape. With the authorities chasing, they try new coordinates, seemingly at random, and enter hyperspace hoping for some luck to finally come their way. On Korriban, Marka Ragnos is laid to rest with the other past Dark Lord's of the Sith. As the Daragon's emerge from hyperspace over the planet, two would-be successors, Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh, duel for supremacy and leadership of the Sith, when the Spirit of Marka Ragnos appears and informs them that something is about to change and they should pick their battles wisely. Back in the Koros system, Jedi Odan-Urr has a nightmare, a premonition that leads him to believe that the ancient, banished dark Jedi are going to reappear soon, and so the Empress agrees to discuss it with the Senate back on Coruscant. As the explorers come in to land, they are taken prisoner to Ziost, while the Sith decide what to do about them. As they sit in a cell, they are informed that the decision is execution, bringing them to the lowest point in their short lives. Naga Sadow disagrees with the decision of the council, seeing an opportunity for growth and expansion, so he rescues Gav and Jori, killing an ancient Sith and framing it all on the Republic. His ploy works and he convinces the council to name him Dark Lord of the Sith so his mission of expansion can begin, while on Coruscant, Odan-Urr's warning goes unheeded in the light of other more apparent concerns. On Ziost, Naga Sadow steals Gav and Jori's ship from Ludo Kressh, making it obvious that he was responsible. This enrages Ludo, who gathers his forces and assaults Naga's decoy fortress. In the confusion, Naga allows Jori to escape and return to the Republic with a tracking device attached to her ship, and then obliterates Ludo's forces. Ludo escapes and with no one to contest him, Naga begins preparations for his invasion.