Darksaber (novel)

The Callista trilogy is a series of three ''Star Wars'' novels featuring the ex-Jedi character Callista Ming; while not officially branded as a trilogy, they are often regarded as such. They take place beginning several months after the ''Jedi Academy'' trilogy, or eight years after ''Return of the Jedi''. The first book, ''Children of the Jedi'' (1995), was written by American writer Barbara Hambly. The second book is ''Darksaber'' (1995) by Kevin J. Anderson. Hambly also wrote the final novel in the cycle, ''Planet of Twilight'' (1997).

After the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney, the books were rebranded as ''Star Wars Legends''.

Summary

''Children of the Jedi''

Han Solo and Princess Leia learn of the now-abandoned Jedi stronghold on the planet of Belsavis from Drub McKumb, a former smuggler with ties to the criminal underworld, and travel there to investigate rumors of ancient Jedi artifacts and knowledge. However, they quickly discover a complex political conspiracy involving Seti Ashgad, a charismatic Force-adept who has been manipulating events from behind the scenes, along with corrupt members of the Ancient Houses—noble families with centuries-old grudges against the New Republic—and a mysterious figure known as the Emperor's Hand. This shadowy operative possesses the unprecedented ability to slice into and reprogram droids and mechanical systems, turning them into unwitting agents of sabotage and surveillance.

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker embarks on what should have been a routine training mission with C-3PO and two of his most promising Jedi students: Nichos Marr, a former pilot whose body was severely damaged in a starfighter accident and now exists in a hybrid organic-mechanical form, and Cray Mingla, a brilliant scientist and Nichos's devoted partner who helped create his cybernetic body. Their mission takes an unexpected and dangerous turn when they are abducted along with a diverse group of alien passengers and crew members, as well as Triv Pothman, a former Imperial stormtrooper seeking redemption for his past actions. All are taken aboard the Eye of Palpatine, a massive automated dreadnought that was thought destroyed decades earlier but has somehow been reactivated after lying dormant for thirty years in the depths of space.

The Eye of Palpatine proves to be a nightmarish prison where the ship's malevolent artificial intelligence, known as the Will, subjects its captives to systematic psychological conditioning, physical torture, and sophisticated mind control techniques designed to break their resistance and turn them into compliant servants. The ship's horrific security measures include hunter-killer droids, poison gas systems, and isolation chambers that prey on the prisoners' deepest fears and traumas. Luke struggles against these overwhelming odds while fighting off the effects of drugs, sensory deprivation, and the constant mental assault from the ship's AI, which has classified all aboard as "Rebel Saboteurs" and subjects them to increasingly brutal interrogation methods.

As Luke gradually uncovers the truth about their situation, he realizes that the Eye of Palpatine is not just a prison ship but a mobile superweapon of devastating power, originally designed as part of Emperor Palpatine's contingency plans to eliminate entire worlds that showed signs of rebellion. The ship is now on an automated course toward Belsavis, where it will unleash its planet-killing weaponry on the Jedi stronghold and the surrounding population centers. Racing against time and his own physical and mental exhaustion, Luke must find a way to rescue his fellow prisoners—many of whom have been driven to the brink of madness by their ordeal—locate a method to transport the ship's diverse alien captives back to their scattered homeworlds across the galaxy, and discover some means of destroying the massive superweapon before it can complete its deadly mission.

In his darkest hour, Luke makes an extraordinary and unexpected ally in Callista Ming, a courageous Jedi Knight who made the ultimate sacrifice thirty years earlier when she transferred her consciousness into the ship's gunnery computer systems in a desperate attempt to stop the Eye of Palpatine's original mission of destruction. Now existing as a slowly fading digital ghost within the ship's vast computer networks, Callista retains fragmented memories of her former life and her Jedi training, though her ethereal existence is becoming increasingly unstable as the years pass. Despite the seemingly impossible nature of their connection—she as pure consciousness, he as flesh and blood—a deep and genuine affection develops between Luke and Callista as they work together to sabotage the ship from within and protect the other prisoners from the Will's increasingly desperate attempts to maintain control.

Their growing bond is both a source of strength and profound sadness, as both realize that any victory over the Eye of Palpatine will likely result in the destruction of the ship's computer systems and, with them, Callista's final dissolution into nothingness. The weight of this impending loss adds emotional urgency to their mission, as Luke must choose between his feelings for Callista and his duty to save the lives of countless innocents on Belsavis and the prisoners aboard the ship.

In a climactic twist that defies all expectations and seems to offer hope where none existed, Callista is miraculously restored to physical form when Cray Mingla, devastated by the apparent death of her beloved Nichos during their imprisonment, makes the ultimate sacrifice of love and friendship. Choosing to end her own life to be spiritually reunited with Nichos in whatever afterlife awaits them, Cray uses her scientific knowledge and the ship's advanced technology to transfer Callista's consciousness into her own dying body, giving the former Jedi Knight a second chance at physical existence.

However, this miracle comes with a devastating price that will haunt both Luke and Callista in the trials ahead: while Callista has regained her human form and her memories of her past life, she has completely lost her connection to the Force. The very power that once defined her as a Jedi—her ability to sense the living energy that binds all things together—has been severed, leaving her feeling spiritually hollow and cut off from the mystical foundation of her identity. This profound loss becomes a central source of conflict and heartbreak as their love story continues to unfold in the subsequent novels, Darksaber and Planet of Twilight, where they must navigate not only external threats but also the internal struggle of a relationship between a Jedi Master at the height of his powers and a woman who has lost the very essence of what she once was.

''Darksaber''

While searching Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo learn that the Hutts are planning to build another superweapon. Meanwhile, in the Hoth Asteroid Belt, Durga the Hutt is planning a diplomatic mission to Coruscant, where he will secretly obtain the plans for the Death Star super laser for Bevel Lemelisk, the Death Star's designer. Skywalker and Solo reveal their discoveries, but not before Durga's subordinates steal the plans from the Imperial Palace. In order to find out the location of the superweapon, the New Republic launches a covert operation to Nal Hutta, disguised as a diplomatic summit. Back at the Hoth asteroid belt, Lemelisk starts construction on the cylindrical superlaser, which he calls the "Darksaber" for its shape is similar to the hilt of a lightsaber.

Luke and Callista embark on a journey to help Callista regain her Force powers. They discover that Callista can only tap into the Dark Side of the Force after they were attacked by some strange flying creatures on Dagobah. Their journey continues to the Hoth system where they encounter a group of stranded refugees. The group is attacked by a pack of wampas, led by the same wampa Luke dismembered several years ago. The refugees are killed in the attack, Luke and Callista try to escape only to find their ship wrecked. They lift off, but have little power and become stranded in the asteroid belt surrounding Hoth.

They are rescued by Han and Leia, who just returned from the successful mission on Nal Hutta. However, Luke and Callista's rescue is mainly thanks to the Republic fleet, who arrived to launch Crix Madine and his squad to locate the Darksaber reported to be under construction in the region. While Madine succeeds in relaying the location to the fleet, he is captured and killed by Durga. However, Durga's triumph is short-lived when the Republic fleet spots the Darksaber and begins pursuit. The Darksaber attempts to fire its superlaser and make an escape, but the weapon fails and the ship is destroyed by two large asteroids.

Meanwhile, Admiral Daala succeeds in uniting the remains of the Empire in the core systems. With the help of Pellaeon, she plans a strike force against a series of New Republic targets, including the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. They also attack Khomm, where Jedi trainees Kyp Durron and Dorsk 81 are visiting. Furious, the pair of Jedi spy on Daala's fleet and succeed in warning the academy of the attack. Using the powers of the Force, the Jedi trainees back at Yavin 4 manage to hold off Daala's forces until New Republic reinforcements arrive. Daala is forced to retreat when her Super Star Destroyer, the ''Knight Hammer'', is destroyed. After the failed attack, Daala transfers control over the Imperial forces to Pellaeon. Meanwhile, Callista decides to temporarily leave Luke and venture on a journey to regain her powers. Luke is heartbroken but decides to move on and continue to build the Jedi Academy.

''Planet of Twilight''

The story takes place about a year after the previous book on Nam Chorios, a backwater world in the Outer Rim which infamously was the center of the Death Seed Plague centuries ago. It is now home to a fanatic religious cult which is plotting to use a new weapon system of quasi-intelligent crystals as unstoppable, unmanned starfighters to attack the New Republic. Leia unofficially goes on a trip to meet with Seti Ashgad, the leader of the Rationalist Party.

Luke Skywalker is there after receiving a message from Callista. Luke's ship is shot down and Leia is kidnapped by the ancient and corrupt Beldorion the Hutt.

After a series of adventures the two escape and end the political conspiracy between the Rationalists and the New Republic.

Reception

As with all of Bantam Spectra's ''Star Wars'' releases from the mid-1990s, ''Children of the Jedi'' is a bestseller. Although ''Darksaber'' was not as successful as the ''Jedi Academy'' trilogy, it peaked at number three on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list.Interview with Kevin J. Anderson
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See also

* Irek Ismaren

References

External links

*
GFA Books: Children of the Jedi
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*
Official CargoBay Listing
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Darksaber (novel)
on Wookieepedia, a ''Star Wars'' wiki

{{DEFAULTSORT:Children Of The Jedi
1995 American novels
1995 science fiction novels
Star Wars Legends novels
Novels by Barbara Hambly
Bantam Spectra books