Cover Artist: Drew Struzan

In the last three months, Han Solo had become a trusted pilot on Ylesia and he and Muuurgh had developed a close bond. Teroenza had followed his recommendation and Bria was now working in the administration building as opposed to the glitterstim factories. After she had recovered from the effects of her factory work, Han played the recording of Teroenza that he made and offered her a vial of glitterstim so that she could tell he wasn't lying. Devastated, she went to her services and ingested the glitterstim. Reading Teroenza's mind she discovered that it was all true, and when Han later found her, he told her how he had been making plans to steal some of Teroenza's collection and escape with her. When she asks him about Muuurgh, he says that he'll do what he has to for them to escape. When told that Muuurgh is looking for his mate, Mrrov, she tells him that there was another Togorian on Ylesia who was sent to one of the other colonies. The next morning, Han is attacked by Muuurgh, who heard part of the previous nights conversation. Before he can turn Han in though, Han reveals that Mrrov might be on Ylesia and that the priests were lying to him, Muuurgh agrees to join him.While Han and Jalus Nebl go deliver a message to Jiliac on Nal Hutta, Muuurgh goes looking for, and finds, Mrrov at Colony Two, but notices that she is to be shipped out to the spice mines of Kessel the next day. Bria is accosted by Teroenza's assistant Ganar Tos who takes her before the High Priest to marry him. She persuades them that she needs to wait a day due to her customs, and they agree to the delay.Han and Jalus return that night and Muuurgh explains his situation to Han, so Han puts his plan into action. They break into Teroenza's treasure room and collect the most valuable small items there, but Han accidentally triggers an alarm. In the ensuing firefight, Han injures Teroenza and Zavval the Hutt is killed when part of the room collapses. They fly to Colony Two and rescue Mrrov, and fight their way past the slaver ship Helot's Shackle with the help of Jalus, who decided it was time for him to leave as well. They go to Togoria where Muuurgh and Mrrov are married, and then go to Tralus where Han sells the ship he stole. They catch a ride to Corellia, where Bria is reunited with her family who are thrilled to have her back. The next day Han fences almost all of their stolen items and sends the credits to Coruscant under the ID of Jenos Idanian. Returning back to Bria's estate, he encounters her ex-fiancé and the truth about several of his scams with Garris Shrike starts to come out. With the help of Bria's father, who understands just how much danger she was in on Ylesia, the two of them leave Corellia for Coruscant. When they arrive there, they find a place to stay and the next morning Han goes to withdraw his money and finds that he can't because the Hutts were a step ahead of him. With his dreams shattered, he begins to make plans for his future with Bria. That night, Bria decides that she is holding Han back from her dream and so calls her father. He tells her to not come home and sends her a large amount of credits that she leaves for Han with a note thanking him for everything and saying goodbye. Through his broken heart, Han determines to never rely on someone else again and then goes to have his retinal patterns altered and an Imperial ID forged so that he can apply to the Imperial Academy. He does so and undergoes the grueling testing to eventually find himself accepted. He goes out to celebrate and is found by Garris Shrike who came out of retirement to claim the Hutt bounty on him. They struggle and Shrike chases him across the rooftops and they struggle again. While Han holds Shrike at blasterpoint, another bounty hunter kills Shrike to claim the bounty for himself. They struggle and the hunter ends up dead, and then Han decides to kill his aliases. He changes clothes with the dead bounty hunter and plants his fake ids on him, then shoots the dead body in the face. Throwing him down a shaft, he leaves Shrike's body where it is and goes to find some rest. The next day he joins the other Imperial cadets as they prepare to leave for Carida. Filled with bittersweet memories, he marches onto the ship and into his future, leaving his past behind.