The Lost Holocron
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The Lost Holocron
Heir to the Empire | Chapter 30 | The Lost Holocron
Chapter 30 of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (1991) (EU: 9 ABY) by Timothy Zahn.
The Story So Far
Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo have been on the run from a mysterious taskforce set on abducting them, directed from the shadows of Imperial Command by Grand Admiral Thrawn. On Kashyyyk, Leia uncovers the identity of the Noghri assailants from one they manage to pull into custody.
In the Sluissi Sector, Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon are prepared for their assault on the Sluis Van Shipyards, prototype cloaking technology in-hand and operational.
On Myrkr, Luke ends up captured, disarmed, and recaptured, trekking through the wilderness with ex-Imperial operative Mara Jade. Thrawn had left a contingent of Stormtroopers at their exitpoint to intercept whom Thrawn suspected was Skywalker. Talon Karrde worked with Han Solo and Lando Calrissian to extract Luke and Mara, hoping to delay retribution from the Grand Admiral for his concealed (albeit reluctant) partisanship.
In the ensuing ambush, Lando stakes his life on Luke's Jedi intuition. The gamble costs him dearly, leaving him mortally wounded, but betting on Luke wins out even without use of the Force.
Chapter 30
In the aftermath of the firefight, Karrde directs his people to evacuate Myrkr, believing their ruse impossible to hide from Thrawn's observational and inferential prowess. Before parting ways, he asks Solo to loan one of the New Republic 's gutted warships to help with the evacuation.
Luke and Han help an injured but very much alive Lando onto the Millennium Falcon. They debrief each other as they depart, and Han says that he wants to take a detour through Sluis Van to give Lando proper medical treatment and Luke some much needed rest before diving into the political hotbed on Coruscant.
However: Lying in wait at Sluis Van, Thrawn has begun his operation to take ships out of the shipyard. Upon hearing that the Imperial detachment on Myrkr has failed to report in, he concludes that Skywalker was indeed there, undoubtedly aided by Karrde. He makes a point of deferring retribution to focus on the imminent battle.