Star Wars: Twilight of the Jedi: The Long Night

by HandofThrawn45

A finale to the Coruscant Night series: Jedi survivors Jax Pavan and A'Sharad Hett continue their battles against the Empire. Darth Vader, beseiged by rivals, is set to track them down. His chase leads him back to Naboo, where he is charged with subduing all dissidents, even the family of his late wife.

1. Introduction

After writing my SWORD OF THE JEDI trilogy, I had a yen to go tie up some more loose ends left behind when Disney abandoned the old canon. I enjoyed a lot of the EU dealing with the Clone Wars and the Dark Times and wanted to see anend to some of those uncomleted story arcs. Hence, TWILIGHT OF THE JEDI. The first book, The Dying Day, completes the Republic/Imperial Commando series left unfinished after Karen Traviss quit writing Star Wars. The second, The Long Night, finishes Michael Reaves' Coruscant Nights series. A third storyline, starring former Jedi Master and future Sith Lord A'Sharad Hett, spans the two, so in the end you can think of it as a loose duology.

The four books in Michael Reaves' Coruscant Nights series form a pretty complete arc overall, but I wanted to bring the story of Jax Pavan, cynical journalist Dhen Dur, and loyal sentient droid I-5YQ to a full conclusion. I also wanted to get inside Darth Vader's head, which Reaves' novels never did; to portray the Empire as a sad sack of corruption and backstabbing; and finally to bring Anakin Skywalker back to Naboo and end the prequel era stories where they began.

As a final mention, I've noticed that a lot of the EU stories dealing with the Dark Times, well, aren't totally dark. It's fair enough that lots of writers like their characters and don't want to have them offed by the Empire, but the end result is a list of Jedi purge survivors so long you wonder what Vader & co were doing for 20 years. This is not that type of story. You've been warned.

Dramatis Personae
The Empire
Bocas'eca, slave (Twi'lek male)
Garm Bel Iblis, senator (human male)
Hanna Ding, apprentice Inquisitor (Arkanian female)
Jan Dodonna, general (human male)
Drayneen, Inquisitor (human female)
Octavian Grant, vice admiral (human male)
Amise Griff, captain, Majesty (human male)
Jerec, High Inquisitor (Miraluka male)
Kuthara, Inquisitor (Falleen male)
Ni-sihl-Nahm, captain, Starwind (Cerean male)
Quarsh Panaka, colonel (human male)
Terrinald Screed, admiral (human male)
Darth Sidious, Emperor (human male)
Darth Vader, executor (human male)

The Whiplash
Den Dhur, former journalist (Sullustan male)
Magash Drashi, former Dathomiri witch (Zabrak female)
Pol Haus, police prefect (Zabrak male)
I-5YQ, sentient droid
Sheel Mafeen, poet (Togruta female)
Jax Pavan, Jedi Knight (human male)
Sacha Swiftbird, Antarian Ranger (human female)
Thi Xon Yimmon, Whiplash leader (Cerean male)

The Rebels
A'Sharad Hett, Jedi Master (human male)
Avit Madrisk, captain, Leveler (human male)
Sajin Nevaleen, Syne's aide (human female)
Zozridor Slayke, captain, Freedom Song (human male)
Jadesei Syne, infant (human female)
Jereveth Syne, leader, Bavinyar Avengers (human female)
Andrein Yvolton, captain, Valediction (human male)
Wells, former ARC Commando (human male)

The Jedi
Djinn Altis, Jedi Master (human male)
Thracia Cho Leem, Jedi Master (human female)
Kina Ha, Jedi Master (Kaminoan female)
Ash Jarvee, Jedi Knight (human female)
Scout, Jedi padawan (human female)

The Naboo
Apailana, Queen of Naboo (human female)
Sio Bibble, queen's advisor (human male)
Raiella Maran, Royal Naboo Security (human female)
Sola Naberrié, queen's advisor (human female)