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Story: Timothy Zahn Writer: Michael A. Stackpole Artist: Carlos Ezquerra Colorist: James Sinclair Color Separation: Chris Chuckry Letterer: Michael Taylor Cover Artist: Kilian Plunkett Book Design: Kristen Burda Assistant Editor: Mike Hansen Editor: Peet Janes Publisher: Mike Richardson | ||
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According to the inside cover, the events in this issue takes place 4 years after the Battle of Yavin.
The issue contains a letters page, Mara Jade Letters, and features letters from Sinead Reilly, Elak G. Swindell, Suisan Radclyff, Jay Shepard, and Kenny McKie.
Trapped in a small cell, Mara Jade reviews how she got there. Captured after the Emperor's death by Ysanne Isard, and branded as a traitor, she now has no resources and no way to confirm to any Imperials the true nature of her missions as the Emperor's Hand.
Meanwhile, Isard and acting Emperor Sate Pestage discuss just how much Mara Jade knows about Palpatine's secrets. Pestage does not know, but offers Isard the ability top continuing to find out.
Back in her cell, Mara is interrogated by Ivak, one of her Imperial jailers. She maintains that she is just a simple dancer, but he knows her to be of more value and has been directed by Isard to get more information out of her. After he leaves, Mara begins plotting her escape. Using some food to cover up one of the microscopic cameras watching her, she begins to act desperate in hopes that Ivak will return.
He does, and she is able to use what remains of her Force abilities to have him take her to a computer terminal, with which she gains access to the mechanical and computer systems of the Imperial Palace. Mara then locks down the normal access to the detention area.
Alerted to her escape, Isard and a squad of stormtroopers show up to find Tal Burren, Ivak's partner, quickly using his computer skills to override Mara's handywork. Under Isard's orders, he uses his skills to change the atmospheric pressure and climate in parts of the palace, hoping to slow the escapee down.
Breaking into Isard's office, Mara reclaims her ID cards, lightsaber and blaster. She also notices Isard's data pad still plugged in and orders herself a shuttle to be ready for her departure.
Burren notices that the amount of air he has pumped out is greater than the volume of the levels, and reversing pressure discovers a secret passage. A Passage that Mara is using to move around the palace. She makes her way through the deserted throne room, and out to the shuttle boarding area, where she is able to blend in with the hundreds of other beings.
Isard is not handling losing her prize catch very well, and demands that Burren increase his scanning of the identicards being used to board the shuttles. Mara's card however does check out, and she bids farewell to Coruscant, wondering how she will find her way in the galaxy now.