Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - The Golden Age of the Sith #0

5,000 years before the Battle of Yavin

Author: Kevin J. Anderson

The story opens with the Jedi Knight Odan-Urr studying under his Master, Ooroo. We are given a brief summary of the split ages ago between the Jedi Knights. After a century of war, the Dark Jedi were banished from the known galaxy and beyond the edge of the galaxy, they discovered a primitive race known as the Sith. The Dark Jedi were worshiped by the Sith and in return, the Dark Jedi subverted them, forging a new empire of darkness and evil.

Ooroo dispatches Odan-Urr to the Koros System to aide the Empress Teta in her struggle to unite the system. At the same time on the central world of the Koros System, Cinnagar, the parents of Jori and Gav Daragon are preparing to make an in-system run to the besieged world of Kirrek, the sole holdout world in the war against the Empress Teta. As their ship, Shadow Runner departs, Odan-Urr arrives and is met by the Empress Tete's Jedi counselor, Memit Nadill. After a brief audience with the Empress, the attack on Kirrek is launched with the Jedi assisting using the art of Jedi Battle Meditation. With the assistance of the Jedi, the Battle of Kirrek is swiftly over, but not before Shadow Runner is destroyed in the crossfire, killing all aboard. News of the death of their parents reaches Gav and Jori, who take their own ship. Starbreaker 12, to explore the galaxy and to make their parents proud.

Thoughts: Well, for good or ill, this is the starting point of Star Wars history, the story set the furthest back from the Battle of Yavin. This story was obviously planned as a hook for the Golden Age of the Sith series and reads best as part of the whole story. It introduces us to the key characters, places and themes for the story and that's about all. Still, I like the story as it is a look at the early Jedi and stories like this makes you wonder where Mace Windu's "We're keepers of the peace, not soldiers." line comes from, because the Jedi clearly were not in the early days.