rivulet027's review
5.0
I really enjoyed the first story in this collection Aayla and Bly have discovered that the Separatist outpost is deserted and there's no sign of the scouting squad they sent for recon. Then they find evidence of a battle with destroyed battle droid and empty clone trooper armor. Aayla goes to scout on her own and quickly finds a battle droid. She cuts off it's legs and arms...and then Aayla is knocked out. When she wakes up she surrounded by Ewoks with the battle droid tied up. The battle droid says he hopes the Ewoks eat Aayla. It takes a moment for everyone to get along. Aayla is not pleased that her troopers are missing and the battle droid gets sassy, but eventually agrees to translate. It turns out there's a monster (which is very um arachnoid in nature) that's dragging people back to it's lair and eating them. Aayla takes the droid with her and goes to fight it. She wins, but in doing so the battle droid is destroyed. Aayla meets back up with Bly and tells him, " We must find out why the Separatists are building these small outposts in these remote systems. I'll discuss this matter with Master Yoda once we've returned from Felucia." And then they take off together.
The nest story is called Bailed Out. I'm sure the pun is intended. Bail, Captain Antilles, and an unnamed woman are meeting 'Foreman' Tambor on Metalorn so Bail can be shown how if Alderaan joins the Separatists he can start using all of Alderaan's natural resource to make money. Bail is more interested in seeing how they handle crime and their jailing system. Tambor is all why would you want to see that when I can show you how to use all your planet's nature resources and subjugate your people, to which Bail responds, "Well, if I'm to Indenture Alderaan's entire population as my workforce I'll need a secure place to house dissidents." Tambor is convinced and they head off to the jail, though Captain Antilles heads back to the ship and Bail apologizes for his weak stomach. Then Bail insists on seeing where the worst offenders are held, the most secure cells. There is currently only one occupied cell. Bail throws the box he's been carrying this entire time and yells "Shaak Ti!" Her lightsaber comes out of the box and she uses it to cut herself out of her cell and then they escape! When they're safely flying away they decide that their first priority is to report the Metalorn situation to the council.
The third story has Count Dooku and General Grievous orbiting Vidaav. The Republic has arrived with troops and Count Dooku had the battle droid rig the planets mining charges to activate in a sequence that will leave the planet's surface destroyed. A battle droid asks about the mining colonists. Count Dooku says, "We need them to keep the Republic troops pinned down, let them live on in history." The Republic troops quickly realize what's going on and that the planet will be destroyed. They don't have enough time to evacuate themselves so they decide to fight their way through the colonists in the hopes of being able to deactivate the mines. Only the Commander survives to make it into the building. a Viidaav follows him in. They both make it to the computer and are pointing their blasters at each other. Then they fire. The Viidaav dies wounded. The ship contacts the commander saying the mines didn't go off, but they heard blaster fire and want to know if he's okay. The Commander said he was never the target, the Viidaav had shot the computer and not the Commander.
The forth story is Master Sev and Padawan Joc. They're on Ragmar V. Joc is upset because he thought his first solo battle would be "real action" and not a small fight that will create a staging ground for the larger battle. There's a settlement and they man leading them gets everyone ready to fight the Republic and demands that the Jedi be left for him. Then Order 66 happens. Joc is very confused as he hides from his troopers. The guy in charge of the settlement is upset because he wanted to kill the Jedi...he orders the other settlers to take out the clone troopers and then realizes the clone troopers are about to kill him and hides in the same place Joc did. Joc is trying to reach Master Sev...and then you see him dead and the Commander on the ship ordering a detachment to be sent to Ragmar V so that they can eliminate Joc. Joc and the settlers decide to team up to have a last stand against the clone troopers and the ending is of them fighting together.
The nest story is called Bailed Out. I'm sure the pun is intended. Bail, Captain Antilles, and an unnamed woman are meeting 'Foreman' Tambor on Metalorn so Bail can be shown how if Alderaan joins the Separatists he can start using all of Alderaan's natural resource to make money. Bail is more interested in seeing how they handle crime and their jailing system. Tambor is all why would you want to see that when I can show you how to use all your planet's nature resources and subjugate your people, to which Bail responds, "Well, if I'm to Indenture Alderaan's entire population as my workforce I'll need a secure place to house dissidents." Tambor is convinced and they head off to the jail, though Captain Antilles heads back to the ship and Bail apologizes for his weak stomach. Then Bail insists on seeing where the worst offenders are held, the most secure cells. There is currently only one occupied cell. Bail throws the box he's been carrying this entire time and yells "Shaak Ti!" Her lightsaber comes out of the box and she uses it to cut herself out of her cell and then they escape! When they're safely flying away they decide that their first priority is to report the Metalorn situation to the council.
The third story has Count Dooku and General Grievous orbiting Vidaav. The Republic has arrived with troops and Count Dooku had the battle droid rig the planets mining charges to activate in a sequence that will leave the planet's surface destroyed. A battle droid asks about the mining colonists. Count Dooku says, "We need them to keep the Republic troops pinned down, let them live on in history." The Republic troops quickly realize what's going on and that the planet will be destroyed. They don't have enough time to evacuate themselves so they decide to fight their way through the colonists in the hopes of being able to deactivate the mines. Only the Commander survives to make it into the building. a Viidaav follows him in. They both make it to the computer and are pointing their blasters at each other. Then they fire. The Viidaav dies wounded. The ship contacts the commander saying the mines didn't go off, but they heard blaster fire and want to know if he's okay. The Commander said he was never the target, the Viidaav had shot the computer and not the Commander.
The forth story is Master Sev and Padawan Joc. They're on Ragmar V. Joc is upset because he thought his first solo battle would be "real action" and not a small fight that will create a staging ground for the larger battle. There's a settlement and they man leading them gets everyone ready to fight the Republic and demands that the Jedi be left for him. Then Order 66 happens. Joc is very confused as he hides from his troopers. The guy in charge of the settlement is upset because he wanted to kill the Jedi...he orders the other settlers to take out the clone troopers and then realizes the clone troopers are about to kill him and hides in the same place Joc did. Joc is trying to reach Master Sev...and then you see him dead and the Commander on the ship ordering a detachment to be sent to Ragmar V so that they can eliminate Joc. Joc and the settlers decide to team up to have a last stand against the clone troopers and the ending is of them fighting together.
jmshirtz's review
4.0
I liked every story in this volume, but especially the one featuring Bail Organa (and Leia making a cameo)!
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