Cover Artist: LucasArts

Theron Shan of Republic Intelligence is on Nar Shaddaa trying to bail Teff'ith out of trouble without her knowledge, when he receives orders from the Director that he is to return to Coruscant. He ignores those orders and, in the process of helping Teff'ith, rescues a group of Republic P.O.W.'s that were to be sold into slavery, thus foiling a months long plan to shut down the slave trade. He manages to eliminate one assassin, which allows her and her crew to escape with their lives, and returns home where he is assigned to analytical duty as punishment. He is helping to figure out a plan to bring down Darth Karrid and the Ascendant Spear, the last of Darth Mekhis' creations, when he gets a call from Teff'ith, demanding he stay out of her life. Something she says leads him to look towards Ziost, where they find their solution. The idea is to sneak onto Ziost and steal one of the Empire's encryption devices so they can learn when the Ascendant Spear puts into port so they can then infiltrate and plant a virus. Theron is chosen to steal the cube with the help of Kel Dor Jedi Master Gnost-Dural, and he contacts Teff'ith to help them get onto the planet. They succeed in pulling off the theft with the Empire unaware of what has happened and then prepare for the next phase of the mission. Theron again contacts Teff'ith and works out a deal with her boss to smuggle them onto Reaver station, where they can pull off their plan, and Teff'ith's boss agrees as long as she goes with them. While at the station, they learn of a Sith attack against civilians, and Theron calls home to find out why the Republic didn't stop it since they had advance notice. Jace lets slip that the next Sith attack will be at Duro, but makes it clear that the most important thing that can happen is the destruction of the Axcendant Spear, and if they have to accept some losses to achieve their goal, that is acceptable. Theron and Gnost-Dural, concerned about the loss of innocent life, send Teff'ith to meet with Theron's mother, Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan, to get her to convince Jace that they will make sure the Ascendant Spear gets to Duro, and they put their plan into play. Gnost-Dural goes to confront his one-time apprentice, Darth Karrid, which frees Theron to sneak onto the ship so he can do his magic, but once there, Theron learns that it will be much more difficult than he thought at first. Teff'ith convinces Satele, who then convinces Jace to trust his son Theron, and they take the fleet to Duro to hopefully stop the Ascendant Spear. Gnost-Dural eventually manipulates Karrid into thinking that she needs to go to Duro, where she quickly engages the Republic fleet. At first nothing seems to be working right for her but she quickly learns she has someone in the system, and shuts Theron out. He then rescues Gnost-Dural, and the two of them storm Karrid's command deck where she has merged with the ship. He eventually breaks her connection to the ship, allowing the Republic forces to deliver a beating, and as she tries to meld with the ship again, Theron's exploding blaster under her chair ends her life. Theron and Gnost-Dural escape as the ship is finally destroyed, and they both receive an award before moving on to their next assignments. Teff'ith asks Theron to stop following her, and he agrees, but secretly vows that they are family and he will always look over her.