The Thrawn Saga - Dark Force Rising

Two weeks after the Battle of Sluis Van, Grand Admiral Thrawn attacks Talon Karrde's base on Myrkr, but Karrde's people have already left for his backup base on Rishi. Karrde sticks around to watch, however, and only Mara's Force abilities save them from capture. At Sluis Van, Luke and Lando have a run - in with smuggler and ship thief Niles Ferrier, then go to meet Han and Leia on Coruscant.

Ackbar, it seems, was paid off by the Empire for making sure all those ships were waiting at Sluis Van. Unable to believe it, Luke and his friends begin an investigation into Fey'yla's accusations, and discovers Fey'yla is dealing with former war hero Garm Bel Iblis on New Cov to supply warships. Han attempts to bring Iblis to the Republic's side, with little success. Lando discovers that the Dreadnaughts Bel Iblis is using comes from a legendary fleet....

On Rishi, Karrde reveals to Mara that he knows the location of the fabled 'Katana Fleet'. They find themselves trailed by bounty hunters and abandons Rishi. Receiving information from "Delta Source" - a spy within the Imperial Palace of Coruscant itself - Thrawn runs the Rebel fleet in circles. He decides to head for Honoghr to discipline the Noghri for their failure to capture Leia. Leia is already there with Threepio and Chewbacca, trying to bring the Noghri over to the Republic's side, and barely avoids being caught by him.

Luke travels to Jomark to meet with Joruus, and finds himself at odds with C'Baoth's strange take on Jedi justice. He decides C'Baoth is insane, and vows to help him. Mara Jade is captured and used by Thrawn to kidnap Talon Karrde. Thrawn makes it appear to Karrde's group that Mara has sold them out. Leia discovers how the Empire has been using the Noghri by keeping Honoghr just barely habitable, and gains the Noghri's tacit support. Escaping from Thrawn, Mara travels to Jomark to find C'Baoth trying to turn Luke to the Dark Side. With her (and a Ysalamiri's) help, Skywalker sees through the deception and escapes with her.

Luke and Mara rescues Karrde from Thrawn, and the reunited heroes attempt to find and salvage the fleet before the Empire does. But thanks to Ferrier's aid (and Fey'yla's interference with the Republic's recovery efforts), the Empire is able to steal almost all of the two hundred Dreadnaughts, though not until after pitched battle with Iblis's and Republic forces, a battle that indirectly results in the breaking of Fey'yla's power and the clearing of Ackbar's name.

At the same time, C'Baoth declares himself the new ruler of the Empire, and announces he will return to Wayland to take charge of Thrawn's project there.... After the battle, Luke rescued an injured Mara from the battlefield, and Han discovers the Empire has been using clones from the Spaarti cylinders to crew the ships. Once the entire 'Katana' fleet is crewed - in a matter of weeks - Thrawn may well be unstoppable....