Introduction

Empire of Light is the second volume of what's looking to be a trilogy bridging the gap between the Del Rey novels and Dark Horse's Legacy comics. When starting this project I knew the biggest thing that needed to be addressed was the creation of the Fel Empire and the Imperial Knights. As you might guess from the title, that's what this book is about. At the same time it also wraps up some plot threads left dangling from the Fate of the Jedi series, which means it's a long book with a lot of stuff to cover.

When writing the first volume I made a conscious effort to re-use story elements from first installments of previous SW trilogies (the climactic fight at a superweapon, the dying mentor who passes the torch, the major villain who's beaten at the end while the larger threat remains). This story strikes out on its own a bit more and picks up almost a generation after A Shadowed Peace, which means characters from the Legacy comics are starting to move into the picture.

The unique advantage of a bridge project is that the beginning and the end are already written, but there's enough space in between to create a unique story that draws on ideas from either end but can still stand on it's own. That's certainly the case for Jedi of the Future and on some level, I think, for Empire of Light too. At this stage in the story the heroes from the Del Rey novels are in their waning years and those from the Legacy comics are just getting started. That means this middle book is where the grandchildren of Luke, Han, and Leia will make the choices that define them.

What's Gone Before

In the decades following the defeat of Abeloth and the Lost Tribe of the Sith, the galaxy settled into a period of stability known as the Long Peace. The Galactic Alliance ruled on Coruscant. The Imperial Remnant steadily democratized under the guidance of Jagged Fel and established its own Jedi academy under Jaina Solo. The Jedi Order, guided by Luke Skywalker and later his son Ben, worked in cooperation with secular governments while remaining independent on Ossus.

In 63 ABY, a coup on Hapes backed by the One Sith's Darth Xoran ousted Queen Mother Tenel Ka and killed Ben's wife Katia. Their daughter Jade survived and trained as a Jedi with Jodram Tainer and Wharn, the Order's first Chiss apprentice. Princess Allana Solo Djo became a senator representing the Hapan exiles on Coruscant.

In 75 ABY, Darth Xoran engineered a larger and bloodier insurrection in the Senex and Juvex Sectors with the help of Mandalorian mercenaries and her apprentice, Darth Kheykid. Jaina's son Davek, a lieutenant in the Imperal Navy, was forced to take command of the frigate Voidwalker and kept its crew alive for six weeks behind enemy lines. Davek's Jedi brother Arlen, with the help of wayward Mandalorian Tamar Skirata, helped discover the depth of Xoran's activity.

In a final confrontation, the Fel brothers joined Ben Skywalker's Jedi to attack Darth Xoran's worldship. During the battle Wharn was captured by Darth Kheykid and taken to the Sith stronghold on Hapes. Ben and Jade confronted Darth Xoran and together defeated her, at the cost of Ben's life. In the aftermath of the crisis, Allana was elected Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance and pledged to uphold the Long Peace.

Dramatis Personae

Gevern Auchs, Mand'alor (human male)
Darth Avanc, Sith Lord (Keshiri male)
Neela Avaris, Imperial Head of State (human female)
Lukas Briggs, Imperial quartermaster (human male)
Damien Corde, Imperial spy (human male)
Allana Solo Djo, Jedi Knight (human female)
Por Dun, Imperial captain (Kel Dor female)
Arlen Fel, Jedi Master (human male)
Davek Fel, Imperial admiral (human male)
Jaina Solo Fel, Jedi Master (human female)
Jagged Fel, former statesman (human male)
Marasiah Valtor Fel, Jedi Knight (human female)
Marin Fel, Jedi apprentice (human female)
Roan Fel, child (human male)
Vitor Fel, Jedi apprentice (human male)
Darth Kheykid, Sith Lord (Barabel male)
Darth Kroan, Sith Lord (human male)
Demia Lohr, Queen of Hapes (human female)
Serissa Lohr, Hapan princess (human female)
Tamar Skirata, ranger (human female)
Jade Skywalker Tainer, Jedi Knight (human female)
Jodram Tainer, Jedi Knight (human male)
Darth Terrid, Sith Lord (Chiss male)
Corrien Veers, Imperial moff (human male)