{"product_id":"darth-plagueis-star-wars-legends-isbn-9780593358801","title":"Darth Plagueis: Star Wars Legends","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES \u003c\/i\u003eBESTSELLER • This essential \u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e Legends novel chronicles the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, and the origins of the saga’s most enduring evil—the malevolent Sith master Palpatine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“The best \u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e publication to date . . . [James] Luceno takes \u003ci\u003eDarth Plagueis\u003c\/i\u003e down the dark path and never looks back.”—\u003ci\u003eNewsday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDarth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires; losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. When the time is right, he destroys his Master—and vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDarth Sidious: Plagueis’s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDarth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination—and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Luceno draws on his storytelling skill and prodigious knowledge of the [\u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e] world . . . to craft a complex tale of ambition and desire.”—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames Luceno \u003c\/b\u003eis the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of the \u003ci\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/i\u003e novels \u003ci\u003eMillennium Falcon, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, Cloak of Deception, Labyrinth of Evil,\u003c\/i\u003e as well as the New Jedi Order novels \u003ci\u003eAgents of Chaos I: Hero’s Trial \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, The Unifying Force, \u003c\/i\u003eand the eBook \u003ci\u003eDarth Maul: Saboteur\u003c\/i\u003e. He is also the author of the fantasy novel \u003ci\u003eHunt for the Mayan Looking-Glass\u003c\/i\u003e, available as an eBook. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with his wife and youngest child.\u003cb\u003ePART ONE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Enlistment\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 67–­65 Years Before the Battle of Yavin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1: THE UNDERWORLD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Forty-­seven standard years before the harrowing reign of Emperor      Palpatine, Bal’demnic was nothing more than an embryonic world in      the Outer Rim’s Auril sector, populated by reptilian sentients who      expressed as little tolerance for outsiders as they did for one      another. Decades later the planet would have a part to play in      galactic events, its own wink of historical notoriety, but in      those formative years that presaged the Republic’s ineluctable      slide into decadence and turmoil, Bal’demnic was of interest only      to xenobiologists and cartographers. It might even have escaped      the notice of Darth Plagueis, for whom remote worlds held a      special allure, had his Master, Tenebrous, not discovered      something special about the planet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Darth Bane would appreciate our efforts,” the Sith Master was      telling his apprentice as they stood side by side in the      crystalline cave that had drawn them across the stars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A Bith, Tenebrous was as tall as Plagueis and nearly as      cadaverously thin. To human eyes, his bilious complexion might      have made him appear as haggard as the pallid Muun, but in fact      both beings were in robust health. Though they conversed in Basic,      each was fluent in the other’s native language.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Darth Bane’s early years,” Plagueis said through his transpirator      mask. “Carrying on the ancestral business, as it were.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Behind the faceplate of his own mask, Tenebrous’s puckered lips      twitched in disapproval. The breathing device looked absurdly      small on his outsized cleft head, and the convexity of the mask      made the flat disks of his lidless eyes look like close-­set holes      in his pinched face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Bane’s seminal years,” he corrected.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis weathered the gentle rebuke. He had been apprenticed to      Tenebrous for as many years as the average human might live, and      still Tenebrous never failed to find fault when he could.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “What more appropriate way for us to close the circle than by      mimicking the Sith’ari’s seminal efforts,” Tenebrous continued.      “We weave ourselves into the warp and weft of the tapestry he      created.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis kept his thoughts to himself. The aptly named Darth Bane,      who had redefined the Sith by limiting their number and operating      from concealment, had mined cortosis as a youth on Apatros long      before embracing the tenets of the dark side. In the thousand      years since his death, Bane had become deified; the powers      attributed to him, legendary. And indeed what more appropriate      place for his disciples to complete the circle, Plagueis told      himself, than in profound obscurity, deep within an escarpment      that walled an azure expanse of Bal’demnic’s Northern Sea.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The two Sith were outfitted in environment suits that protected      them from scorching heat and noxious atmosphere. The cave was      crosshatched by scores of enormous crystals that resembled glowing      lances thrust every which way into a trick chest by a stage      magician. A recent seismic event had tipped the landmass, emptying      the labyrinthine cave system of mineral-­rich waters, but the      magma chamber that had kept the waters simmering for millions of      years still heated the humid air to temperatures in excess of what      even Tenebrous and Plagueis could endure unaided. Close at hand      sat a stubby treddroid tasked with monitoring the progress of a      mining probe that was sampling a rich vein of cortosis ore at the      bottom of a deep shaft. A fabled ore, some called it—­owing to its      scarcity, but even more for its intrinsic ability to diminish the      effectiveness of the Jedi lightsaber. For that reason, the Jedi      Order had gone to great lengths to restrict mining and refinement      of the ore. If not the bane of the Order’s existence, cortosis was      a kind of irritant, a challenge to their weapon’s reputation for      fearsome invincibility.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was to Tenebrous’s credit that the Sith had learned of      Bal’demnic’s rich lodes before the Jedi, who by means of an      agreement with the Republic Senate had first claim to all      discoveries, as they had with Adegan crystals and Force-­sensitive      younglings of all species. But Tenebrous and the generations of      Sith Masters who had preceded him were privy to covert data      gleaned by vast networks of informants the Senate and the Jedi      knew nothing about, including mining survey teams and weapons      manufacturers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Based on the data I am receiving,” the treddroid intoned,      “eighty-­two percent of the ore is capable of being purified into      weapons-­grade cortosis shield.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis looked at Tenebrous, who returned a nod of satisfaction.      “The percentage is consistent with what I was told to expect.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “By whom, Master?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Of no consequence,” Tenebrous said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Strewn about the superheated tunnel were broken borer bits,      expended gasifiers, and clogged filtration masks, all abandoned by      the        exploratory team that had sunk the shaft several standard months      earlier. From the shaft’s broad mouth issued the repeated reports      of the probe droid’s hydraulic jacks. Music to Tenebrous’s      auditory organs, Plagueis was certain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Can you not share your plans for this discovery?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “In due time, Darth Plagueis.” Tenebrous turned away from him to      address the treddroid. “Instruct the probe to evaluate the      properties of the secondary lode.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis studied the screen affixed to the droid’s flat head. It      displayed a map of the probe’s movements and a graphic analysis of      its penetrating scans, which reached clear to the upper limits of      the magma chamber.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “The probe is running an analysis,” the treddroid updated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With the reciprocating sounds of the probe’s hydraulic jacks      echoing in the crystal cave, Tenebrous began to circle the shaft,      only to come to a sudden halt when the drilling ceased.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Why has it stopped?” he asked before Plagueis could.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The droid’s reply was immediate. “The Em-­Two unit informs me that      it has discovered a pocket of gas directly beneath the new      borehole.” The droid paused, then added: “I’m sorry to report,      sirs, that the gas is a highly combustible variant of lethane. The      Em-­Two unit predicts that the heat generated by its hydraulic      jacks will ignite an explosion of significant magnitude.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Suspicion crept into Tenebrous’s voice. “The original report made      no mention of lethane.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The droid pivoted to face him. “I know nothing of that, sir. But      the Em-­Two unit is quite insistent. What’s more, my own      programming corroborates the fact that it is not unusual to find      pockets of lethane in close proximity to cortosis ore.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Query the probe about excavating around the lethane pocket,”      Plagueis said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “The Em-­Two unit recommends employing that very strategy, sir.      Shall I order it to proceed?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis looked at Tenebrous, who nodded.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Task the probe to proceed,” Plagueis said. When the hammering      recommenced, he fixed his gaze on the display screen to monitor      the probe’s progress. “Tell the probe to stop,” he said after only      a moment had elapsed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Why are you interfering?” Tenebrous said, storming forward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis gestured to the display. “The map indicates a more      massive concentration of lethane in the area where it’s drilling.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “You’re correct, sir,” the droid said in what amounted to dismay.      “I will order the unit to halt all activity.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And yet the hammering continued.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Droid,” Plagueis snapped, “did the probe acknowledge your order?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “No, sir. The Em-­Two is not responding.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Tenebrous stiffened, narrowly avoiding slamming his head into one      of the cave’s massive crystals. “Is it still within range?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Yes, sir.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Then run a communications diagnostic.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “I have, sir, and all systems are nominal. The unit’s inability to             respond—­” It fell briefly silent and began again. “The unit’s      refusal        to respond appears to be deliberate.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Deactivate it,” Tenebrous said. “At once.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The hammering slowed and eventually ceased, but not for long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “The Em-­Two unit has overridden my command.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Impossible,” Tenebrous said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Clearly not, sir. In fact, it is highly probable that the unit is      executing a deep-­seated subroutine that escaped earlier notice.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Plagueis glanced at Tenebrous. “Who procured the probe?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This isn’t the time for questions. The probe is about to breach      the pocket.”New York Times bestseller","brand":"Random House Worlds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302095573221,"sku":"NP9780593358801","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593358801.jpg?v=1767724736","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/darth-plagueis-star-wars-legends-isbn-9780593358801","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}