Author | James Luceno |
---|---|
Cover artist | Rick Berry |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Series | The New Jedi Order |
Subject | Star Wars |
Genre | Science fiction |
Publisher | Del Rey |
Publication date
|
August 1, 2000 |
Media type | Paperback |
Pages | 352 |
ISBN | |
Preceded by | Dark Tide: Ruin |
Followed by | Agents of Chaos: Jedi Eclipse |
Agents of Chaos: Hero's Trial (also released as Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial) is the first novel in a two-part story by James Luceno. Published and released in 2000, it is the fourth installment of the New Jedi Order series set in the Star Wars galaxy.
As the Yuuzhan Vong continue their invasion of the galaxy, their recent conquest of the library world of Obroa-skai yields them much information of the galaxy that they are invading. They learn of the potential threat that the Jedi pose against them, and decide to send in an infiltrator in the form of their Priestess Elan. Elan's mission will be to carry lethal bo'tous spores (a bio-weapon developed by Nom Anor) in her lungs so that she will unleash it upon as many Jedi as she can. To do that, she will have to pose as a defector from the Vong who sees the error of her species' ways. Coming with her is her pet and familiar, Vergere.
Meanwhile, Han Solo is still grieving over the loss of his best friend, Chewbacca, who perished on Sernpidal back in Vector Prime. In his grief, he separates himself from his friends and family to be alone. His isolation brings him into contact with his smuggler mentor, Roa, who tells him that he has information regarding a new galactic party called the Peace Brigade. The Brigade strives to help the Yuuzhan Vong against the New Republic in whatever way possible. One of Han's fellow smugglers, Reck Desh, is a leader of a Peace Brigade cell. To find out about Desh's whereabouts, the two of them travel to the Jubilee Wheel, a space station in orbit over the planet Ord Mantell. There, they meet with their contact, Fasgo. Fasgo divulges that one of Reck Desh's next operation will be at Bilbringi. The trio, however, are then harassed by a rival of Han's, a rival named Bossk and his cronies. Bossk provokes Han into a bar fight after saying something bad about Wookiees, particularly about Chewbacca. Roa and Fasgo are forced into the fight as a result, and they, along with Bossk and his group, are thrown into a jail cell for their trouble. Han, Roa, and Fasgo are soon released by Boss Bunji, another comrade of Han's in his glory days. Bunji released Han because he felt that he owed him after his wife, Leia, killed Jabba the Hutt more than two decades earlier, toppling his empire and allowing Bunji's business to grow. Before any more can happen, however, Ord Mantell is attacked by the Yuuzhan Vong in order to help further Elan's ploy that she and Vergere are defectors from the Vong (Elan previously divulged to New Republic Intelligence that Ord Mantell would be a target). The Jubilee Wheel is soon attacked by one of the Vong's creature-weapons, an ychna, which sucks up many people from the Wheel, including Roa and Fasgo. Han is able to escape aboard a weaponless shuttle craft with Droma, a member of a species called the Ryn and several other people. Han uses his piloting skills and the structure of the Jubilee Wheel against attacking Yuuzhan Vong coralskippers to destroy them, and land it safely on Ord Mantell when the Vong retreat to give the illusion that they have given up in their attack. Han then takes a pleasure yacht called the Queen of Empire, as it is heading to Bilbringi, so that he can confront Reck Desh. Meanwhile, New Republic Intelligence sneaks Elan and Vergere aboard the same yacht for Coruscant.