Having recovered with the help of Alliance medical droids, Dustini hugged Dustangle and the other Duro archaeologists. As he beheld the storehouse of treasures in the cargo hold, Dustini's eyes widened in amazement.

"Thank you, Luke-thank you, everyone!" Dustini said. "Now the history of our planet Duro will be preserved, to be studied by future generations."

"Speaking of study," Chip said, putting his hands on his metallic hips, "I see that our truant student has finally returned to start school at Dagobah Tech."

"Missing school was an accident, Chip," Ken replied. "I couldn't help it."

"A likely story," Chip said sternly. "A very likely story indeed."

As the guards took Triclops toward an entrance into DRAPAC, Ken glanced at the Imperial prisoner. Ken couldn't help but wonder why the Empire had decided to keep Triclops alive for all these years, especially since the Empire considered him to be such a threat.

Could Triclops prove to be a threat to the Alliance as well? Were these really the last days of the Alliance, as in Kadann's recent prophecy?

When the dragon pack, Perched upon Yoda's stony back, Receives a visitor pierced by gold, Then come the last days of the Rebel Alliance.

A visitor had been pierced by gold. And now the son of the evil Emperor Palpatine was in their midst, claiming to be a pacifist who wanted to destroy his father's Empire.

It was all too troublesome for a boy of twelve to dwell on, especially when Leia distracted him by reaching over and mussing up his moppy brown hair.

Ken and Leia both grinned, breaking into wide smiles at the same instant. It was a good feeling, Ken thought-to be back with all his friends from SPIN, sheltered at the mountaintop fortress on the planet that the wise Jedi master Yoda once called home. It was a good feeling indeed.

Glossary

a.s.sa.s.sin droid A very menacing and dangerous Imperial droid designed to carry out a.s.sa.s.sinations. An a.s.sa.s.sin droid a.s.sists Triclops in his escape from the Imperial Reprogramming Inst.i.tute.

Carbonite A substance made from Tibanna gas, plentiful on the planet Bespin, where it is mined and sold in liquid form as a fuel in Cloud City. When carbonite is turned into a solid, it can be used for keeping humans or other organisms alive in a State of suspended animation, encasing them completely. Zorba the Hutt encased Trioculus in carbonite, just as Darth Vader did to Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back.

Chief Muskov Chief of the Cloud Police of Cloud City.

Chip (short for Microchip) Ken's personal droid, who lived with him in the Lost City of the Jedi and has now gone out into the world with him.

Corellian Action VI Transport A s.p.a.ce transport that Han and Chewbacca pilot from Orbiting s.h.i.+pyard Alpha to the surface of the planet Duro.

Defeen A cunning, sharp-clawed Defel alien. Defeen is an interrogator first cla.s.s at the Imperial Reprogramming Inst.i.tute in the Valley of Royalty on the planet Duro.

DRAPAC.

A new Rebel Alliance center, built at the peak of Mount Yoda on Dagobah, the planet where the Jedi Master Yoda lived. DRAPAC stands for Defense Research and Planetary a.s.sistance Center. This Alliance installation has become SPIN's most well defended fortress.

Duro A planet that had a grand history, especially during its Golden Age, but which now is being used by the Empire as a toxic waste dump and the site of its Imperial Reprogramming Inst.i.tute.

Dustangle An alien archaeologist who's in hiding in the underground caverns of Duro. He's a cousin of Dustini.

Dustini An alien archaeologist from the planet Duro, Dustini makes a voyage to get help from the Alliance.

Emperor Palpatine Now deceased, Emperor Palpatine was once a senator in the Old Republic, but he destroyed the old democratic order and established the ruthless Galactic Empire in its place.

Palpatine ruled the galaxy with military might and tyranny, forcing human and alien citizens of every planet to live in fear. He was a.s.sisted by Darth Vader, who eventually turned against him, hurling the Emperor to his death in the power core of the Death Star.

Triclops, his three-eyed son, is considered insane by the Empire and kept imprisoned in Imperial asylums.

Grand Moff Hissa The Imperial grand moff (high-ranking Imperial governor) whom Trioculus trusts the most.

He has spear-pointed teeth and is now in command of the grand moffs.

High Prophet Jedgar A seven-foot-tall prophet whom Kadann, the Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side, most relies upon to help fulfill his prophecies and commands.

Kadann A black-bearded dwarf, Kadann is the Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side. The Prophets of the Dark Side are a group of Imperials who, while posing as being very mystical, are actually a sort of Imperial Bureau of Investigation with its own network of spies.

Kadann prophesied that the next Emperor would wear the glove of Darth Vader. Kadann's prophecies are mysterious four-line, nonrhyming verses. They are carefully studied by the Rebel Alliance for clues about what the Empire might be planning.

Kate (short for KT-18) A female, pearl-colored housekeeping droid that Luke bought from jawas on Tatooine as a housewarming gift for Han Solo.

Ken A twelve-year-old Jedi Prince who was raised by droids in the Lost City of the Jedi after being brought to the underground city as a small child by a Jedi Knight in a brown robe.

He knows nothing of his origins, but he does know many Imperial secrets, which he learned from studying the files of the master Jedi computer in the Jedi Library where he went to school. Long an admirer of Luke Skywalker, he has departed the Lost City and joined the Alliance.

Mon Mothma A distinguished-looking leader, she has long been in charge of the Rebel Alliance.

Mount Yoda A mountain on the planet Dagobah, named in honor of the late Jedi Master, Yoda. This is the site where the Rebel Alliance has built DRAPAC, their new Defense Research and Planetary a.s.sistance Center.

Orbiting s.h.i.+pyard Alpha A s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p repair dock that orbits the planet Duro.

Prophets of the Dark Side A sort of Imperial Bureau of Investigation run by black-bearded prophets who work within a network of spies. The prophets have much power within the Empire. To retain their control, they make sure their prophecies come true-even if it takes force, bribery, or murder.

Queen Rana An ancient queen of Duro. There's a large monument to Queen Rana in the Valley of Royalty.

Scardia Voyager The gold-colored s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p of the Prophets of the Dark Side.

Septapus Ocean creatures with seven tentacles and five glowing eyes, septapuses are said to be harmless vegetarians, though Han Solo claims he was once viciously attacked by one.

s.p.a.ce Station Scardia A cube-shaped s.p.a.ce station where the Prophets of the Dark Side live.

Triclops The true mutant, three-eyed son of the late Emperor Palpatine. Triclops has spent most of his life in Imperial insane asylums, and was recently moved to the Imperial Reprogramming Inst.i.tute on the planet Duro. He has two eyes on the front of his head and one on the back. He has scars on his temples from shock treatments, and his hair is white and jagged, sticking out in all directions. Considered insane by the Empire, Triclops has a serene, peaceful look with quiet, iron determination.

Trioculus A three-eyed mutant who was the Supreme Slavelord of Kessel. He was encased in carbonite by Zorba the Hutt. Trioculus is a liar and impostor who claims to be the son of Emperor Palpatine. In his rise to power as Emperor, he was supported by the grand moffs, who helped him find the glove of Darth Vader, an everlasting symbol of evil.

Valley of Royalty A famous valley on the planet Duro, surrounded by a large stone wall. The Valley of Royalty is the site of monuments to many of Duro's ancient kings and queens, such as Queen Rana.

Yoda The Jedi Master Yoda was a small creature who lived on the bog planet Dagobah. For eight hundred years before pa.s.sing away he taught Jedi Knights, including Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi and Luke Skywalker, in the ways of the Force.

Zenomach A ground-boring machine of great power, much like a giant drill.

Zorba the Hutt The father of Jabba the Hutt. A sluglike creature with a long braided white beard, Zorba is now the ruling Governor of Cloud City. He expelled Lando Calrissian from that post, after having beaten Lando in a rigged card game of sabacc in the Holiday Towers Hotel and Casino.

Z'trop The planet Z'trop is an extremely scenic and romantic tropical world. Noted for its pleasant volcanic islands, it has wide beaches and clear waters. Han and Leia vacation on Z'trop with Luke, Ken, Chewbacca, and the droids after Zorba the Hutt's Revenge.