#the search for jorj car'das

[jedidryad]

WIP Wednesday: It's hard to be practical and pragmatic in this galaxy

If you've read The Hand of Thrawn Duology, you will know that Mara's search for Jorj Car'das results in data on how to get to a planet called Exocron. Since it's all a retcon, Zahn handwaves it with about three lines of set up in a dialogue exchange between Karrde and Lando while Mara is on Nirauan.

But she had to get that information somehow, so here's my supposition about how the journey to Exocron began, with information pulled from The Darkstryder Campaign- Kathol Outback via Wook.

“You found something then.” Karrde sounded relieved if still nonplussed as he grabbed two datapads off his desk. He handed one to me as I stood up holding one of the datacards.

Ghent continued to wriggle uncomfortably. He mumbled about things being impossible as Karrde and I pulled up the records.

What he’d found was a collection of star charts and entries in historical records, and also references in other texts: mythologies, religious ceremonies, folk tales.

I felt my brows knit together as Karrde continued to ask questions and Ghent only grew more flustered.

Then I stumbled across a verse, a holographic image that had clearly started life as vellum or nerf hide. The quatrain looked ancient.

I read aloud, 

“The coveted haven of the precious vessel, In celestial realms of treach’rous spectro, None alight without doubtful wrestle –”

“– on the hidden world of Exo”

I glanced up at Karrde as he cut me off to finish the fabled verse. He looked at me, bemused, “it’s the Cothian Rubei”

“Kriff. We’re at a total dead end.” I flopped down on Karrde’s sofa next to Ghent, “Sithspawn. Two years and all we come up with is a crikking mythical planet!”

“Car’das was a philosophical sort,” Karrde mused, rubbing his chin.

“Deamos Na Coth wasn’t a philosopher,  he was a madcap spiritualist.”

“Says the Jedi.”

“I’m not a Jedi!”

“Fine, you just use the Force sometimes.”

“That’s right, and don’t you forget it.”

“Mara, do you really think it’s impossible there’s some unexplored planet out there that resembles the lush green paradise of Exo?”

I stared down at the star charts and historical accounts in my hands. I’d read the stories of the expeditions to find Exo. They’d been led by a philosopher named Deamos-Na Coth in pre-Imperial times. The planet was supposed to be incredibly beautiful, a paradise available to those who knew where to seek it. 

Most of the expeditions had been disasters with few ships ever returning. Those that were recovered had clearly been raided by bloodthirsty pirates and slavers, or had become sites of bitter mutinies. Most ships had disappeared forever, lost somewhere between the stars. It had been presented to me as foolish to try to find a mythical planet when there was a beautiful, glorious Empire to serve.

“Of course it’s possible." I conceded, "there’s any number of planets that could match that description: Naboo, Yavin, even Endor if your paradise includes Ewoks, but that’s the thing. He could be anywhere now.”

“Ghent’s digging seems to point to Kathol.”

“Oh of course, the Kathol Rift, where comms get inexplicably jammed,  pilots go mad and pirates lie in wait to scavenge over the wreckage.”

“You don’t need to go in there, just pay a visit to the Kathol Republic and see what you can find out about the area.”

“You’re starting to sound desperate, Karrde.”

“You know I wouldn’t dare trust anyone else with this.”

I frowned. “I know.”

[scifiliteraryreviews]

Specter of the Past - Zahn is, in my view, the penultimate Star Wars novelist. He started it all, and he continues to offer us memorable characters and plots. The Hand of Thrawn duology was, I think, my favorite offering by him so far for several reasons. 

First and foremost the plot. The idea that Thrawn could have returned, and continued to wreak havoc was thrilling. 

Second the characters, Mara,  Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, Talon Karrade and so many others new and old. Third the whole idea of the Caamas Document and what that might mean, not only to the Bothans and the New Republic, but also to the idea of final peace between the Empire and the New Republic. Fourth, the fact that these are the books that finally, finally brought Luke and Mara together. 

Vision of the Future - Thrawn has returned, or has he? In any case, the threat has plunged the New Republic into chaos, and sparked several separate missions to try and resolve the conflict before all out war erupts. Talon and Shada have gone off in search of the elusive Jorj Car'das hoping he might have a copy of the Caamas Document, while in the Imperial capital Bastion, and base at Yaga Minor, Han and Lando, and Bel Iblis and Booster, respectively, are after the same thing. Leia has gone to meet with Paellon to try and broker peace, and Wedge and Rogue Squadron are trying to keep the Bothan homeworld from falling. 

In the midst of all of this is Luke, who had a terrifying vision of Mara, and has set off on a rescue mission for her. Together, they will face not only The Hand of Thrawn, but choices and emotions surrounding each of them and their lives together. In the end, it will take extraordinary courage, strength and heart on the part of everyone to bring this simmering conflict to an end, and finally, finally, have a chance at true peace. 

This was, if possible, better than the first book in the series. My two favorite aspects were the whole adventure on the Hand of Thrawn, seeing Luke and Mara come together, and seeing Mara finally embrace becoming a Jedi Master, and the Caamas Crisis and how that was resolved. Finally seeing, or reading, about the Peace ceremony was like a reward for faithfully reading the novels over all the years.