Title: The Coming Challenge

Time Period:
Part I: During the Young Jedi Knights Third Arc (Return to Ord Mantell, Trouble on Cloud City, Crisis on Crystal Reef)

Part II: Pre-NJO through to end of The Unifying Force, Although this section is mostly a whirlwind through the war, to finish up some loose threads and frankly write some scenes that I wanted to see during the NJO...bringing the story firmly to a close.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Angst...I'm not so sure that I've got a lot of humor in this one...

Summary: The third section in my never-ending journey to write Mara's story of where she was during most of the YJK storyline. This third installment takes place after 'To Honor the Dead' and 'Changing of the Guard' which take place during Arc 1 and Arc 2 of the YJK Stories and begins after the events of The Emperor's Plague. Meanwhile, after the events of 'Changing of the Guard' Tristan Romani begins his own journey to find and kill Iker Rafagr (really Nom Anor, but no one but the reader knows that yet). Upon reaching Thyferria he is grief stricken and bitter following the destruction and manipulation of Valdet/Danshitie by Iker and the death of his beloved wife, Elbereth Dono Morodin-Romani.

With Elbereth's and now Tristan's loyal bodyguard Nestor Alluvia, Tristan finds himself finally taking the steps necessary to achieve inner peace.

Meanwhile, in Part I: Mara Jade-Skywalker receives a message from the Force sending her to Valdet to unravel a mystery finally bring the Valdet/Danshitie conflict to a close. This journey allows her to finally achieve the confidence and mastery over her past and the Force.

As mentioned above, Part II is a whirlwind tour through the NJO, and is meant to see pivotal events of the war from the point of view of civilians, those watching hero's from a far, but still very, very much effected by the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong.

Characters: The YJK Gang from Arc III, Han/Leia, Borsk Fey'lya, Mara/Luke, Tristan Romani, Nestor Alluvia.

Introducing: Keladry Stanton, and lots of other people.

Notes: Ha! So when I put up the Notes for 'Changing of the Guard' I said that it was the longest story that I had written so far. I lied, now this is the longest story I have ever written. Finding that much of what I had written could still, in theory, work within the 'official' EU timeline, I decided to keep it that way trying to be as accurate as possible to keep with the continuity.

Also, as with the two prequels, I will provide brief summaries of the three YJK books. I'm not sure what I will do with the NJO, those of you who have read the books should be ok, and if you haven't I've tried to structure it in a manner that won't be too confusing. The story still works without having read them...(but be warned there are spoilers.)

Unlike the other two stories, there isn't a lot of YJK specific action, just some hole-plugging. But those sections that I do use information or do a perspective change, a la M. Stackpole's I,Jedi, (or just give you part of the book) I will give the proper citations so that you are aware of what is my writing and what is not my writing. That being said, we must remember that the Star Wars Galaxy is not mine, and the situations and characters are the property of Lucasbooks, and the SW world. I will always give credit where credit is due, so with each post, as mentioned if necessary there will be note if its one of the aforementioned sections.

In order to understand the events of my OC's I would recommend reading both stories from before, also on want to give a shout out to my beta's, Kags and Ylesly who kindly volunteered upon my request on TF.N.

Also thanks to my former beta -Trickster- who allowed me to borrow a name...:)

Thanks for reading..
Jade

Young Jedi Knights Arc 3: Black Sun Trilogy

Kevin J. Anderson and Rebeca Moesta
Return to Ord Mantell

In an opening speech of the book, Luke Skywalker states: "Challenges and diversity make us strong. Too much protection can prevent us from learning, from reaching our potential. We can learn from others, but we must also learn from our own experiences...and our own mistakes." (13)

This book, this series is about that challenge and bridging that gap. The book opens with Han Solo taking his children on a Trip to Ord Mantell, where he has been asked to be the Grand Marshal for the Blockade Runner's Derby. Jaina takes the ship down and we see lots of interaction between Han and the kids, and upon landing we are introduced to Czethros an old bounty hunter turned good (or so we think) of Han. Czethros is now a legitimate businessman on Ord Mantell.

This trip is hit with a few incidents. First, as the pace craft the Falcon encounters a few problems when there are random mines within the path of the race. Then, to the twins surprise, the ship that wins the derby is none other than the Rock Dragon Tenel Ka's ship, piloted by Zekk. The trio had entered at the last minute as a surprise. After the race the group is attacked by wraith-like creatures trying to steal the mines (evidence from the earlier accident) and they are aided by a twenty-something year old woman who is, to the YJK's surprise carrying her own lightsaber. Her name is Anja Gallandro, the daughter of an old smuggling partner of Han's who died when he tried to double cross the team. Anja got the story wrong and believes that Han killed her father, and is determined to use his children to make him pay.
Left an orphan on war-torn Anobis she resents the New Republic for not helping her planet, still fighting between descendants of those supporting the empire and those supporting the rebellion. She taunts Han and them into going and helping the planet. In affect she is setting him up for Czethros and the Black Sun. She does what he wants with Han Solo and his family (because he sees Han as a threat to his operation), and the Black Sun provides her with spice to feed her addiction (and the opportunity to discredit the man she thinks murdered her father.) Her slight madness and bizarre energy has left an impression on the young men (Zekk and Jacen) and together the YJK, Han, Anakin, accompanied by Kyp Durron and Zekk go to Anobis to help the planet.

While there, Han gains a measure of respect from Anja when he deals with some smugglers shipping arms, and then after a large battle between the two groups (one where Anja clearly has her own agenda –and watches it backfire killing someone on her side) the Jedi Knights are able to convince the group into a cease fire. They help both sides unearth and remove the mines that prevent either side from living a decent life. Because Zekk and Jacen are slightly enamored with her, Jacen invites her to Yavin 4 to see if she has potential—an action that does not go unnoticed by Jaina and Tenel Ka. There is clearly something larger going on...