Battle of Jakku — Republic Under Siege 3

Publisher's summary

A STARTLING REVELATION! An assassination on Chandrila! LANDO takes the offensive against the consolidated Imperial forces — but is it too late? A hero falls at the hands of a deadly bounty hunter! A mysterious killer stalks the Imperial leader — but can they get past his defenses?

Opening crawl

Following the Battle of Endor and the destruction of the second Death Star, the galaxy
is in a time of uncertainty. While the rebels forge a path toward peace, there are still
those who would bring chaos and destruction. The war continues on in….

A surprise visit from Doctor Aphra on the planet Lehanis
revealed that the ancient Jedi Compendium Luke and Rynn
had been protecting was a fake, meaning Luke's journey
to the Outer Rim was another part in Adelhard's scheme to
keep Luke and the rest of the Republic's forces separated.
But not all Imperials agree with Adelhard's tactics. On the
planet Souwecer, the remaining leaders of the Empire met to
discuss how to stop Adelhard and preserve former Emperor
Palpatine's original wishes for their regime. As the Imperial
forces grow, the Republic's rebel forces must find their
way back to each other--especially now that an assassin
threatens the galaxy, and their sights are set on high-ranking
officials within the New Republic….

Plot summary

At a Kijimi headquarters of the Spice Runners of Kijimi, the leader Zeva Bliss speaks with Tomasso about her skepticism of how their alliance with rogue Imperial Grand Moff Ubrik Adelhard has been evolving. Tomasso concurs, adding that if Adelhard's power grab grows too much, the Spice Runners may no longer benefit. Zeva shelves the issue and calls in Tomasso's informant, Weazel. The informant warns Bliss that the threat facing the Spice Runners is larger than she imagines. He says that Adelhard is playing all the sides, working with the Acolytes of the Beyond and making contracts in the criminal underworld. One such plan he reveals is that Adelhard has enlisted two bounty hunters to kill Luke Skywalker. Bliss dismisses the man and reveals to him that it's she who owns that very contract. On their way out, Tomasso and Weazel discuss how the revelation of the bounty hunters working for the Spice Runners was a surprise to Tomasso. He asks Weazel to call on New Republic intelligence agent Calder Behrens to inform him of the threat facing Skywalker and who could protect the Jedi.

In a massive brawl of fisticuffs at Hamix Outpost, on the fringes of the Outer Rim, the cyborg Beilert Valance throws punches amidst the crowd. Hardly looking up, he starts conversing with Behrens, who just entered. He suspects the agent is there to ask for help against the Shadow Council, but Behrens has another reason to call on the cyborg.

In an Imperial stronghold, the Exterior, Grand Moff Randd speaks with a shadowy hologram of the Shadow Council's mole in Adelhard's ranks. He activates their mole to make their move against the rogue governor. The contact is wary of acting too early against Adelhard, given his tactical skills and having been already tipped off about a traitor in his ranks.

In the New Republic provisional capital Chandrila, someone observes Luke Skywalker and his pregnant sister Leia Organa via binoculars. The two siblings discuss an encrypted message from Behrens concerning more allies Adelhard has added into his cause. They are interrupted by Chancellor Mon Mothma, who just spoke to Behrens and now carries an urgent warning. Before she can share it, Luke senses imminent danger through the Force.

At that moment, the lurking Imperial behind the screen sends in the ferocious Trandoshan bounty hunter Kranor, armed with an E-5C heavy blaster rifle and an electro sword, to burst through the window. Luke immediately ignites his lightsaber and assumes a defensive position. The Trandoshan taunts the Jedi and starts to slash at Luke, knocking him back before aiming his blaster at the man. A skillful shot from Leia strikes the attacker and disarms him of his electro sword. Luke takes the opportunity to slice at the bounty hunter, disarming him of his blaster too. Luke orders the Trandoshan to reveal his identity and employer, but instead the bounty hunter lurches at Mothma and Organa. He punches Mothma in the face before Leia is able to get another shot at the assassin. Luke slashes at the Trandoshan again, and the attacker announces that the message has been sent that no one is safe before leaping out the window.

Aboard Adelhard's Imperial Star Destroyer Scepter, the Grand Moff is stealthily approached by a shadowy figure brandishing a sharp dagger. At the last moment, Adelhard registers the threat and catches Reyna Oskure's wrist. He angrily demands to know what is going on, and the mystic gleefully compliments the man's reflexes. He calls out the betrayal of the Acolytes, as well as from the other factions. He asks her if she will act of her own accord and join his cause in earnest before pulling her in for a kiss.

In Krassinique, capital city of the planet Krassis, Calder Behrens calls Mon Mothma about another would-be recuited senator who has been assassinated, Galward Paronis. Standing over the late senator's corpse, he details what he knows about the murder and emphasizes the urgency of their collaboration with Beilert Valance. Their conversation is interrupted by Behrens being fatally shot by the Arcona bounty hunter Lan-Drus.

Media

Cover gallery

Final cover by Taurin Clarke

Reveal cover by Taurin Clarke

Variant cover by Leinil Francis Yu

Solicit variant cover by Leinil Francis Yu

Collected in

• Star Wars: Battle of Jakku trade paperback

Appearances

This Appearances list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia by expanding it.

Sources

• The Final Battle of the Galactic Civil War is Told Across Three New 'Star Wars' Comic Series on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 228

Notes and references

External links

• Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege (2024) #3 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)