G'Hinji ducks as Luke shoots Vader, but this is a hologram keyed to Luke's blood. Revealing that Shira, Vader's trusted agent, was planted in the Rebellion years ago to kill him or make him a pariah, the device explodes. Luke and Chewie leave for Krake's Planet to learn more. In a meditation chamber aboard Executor , Vader senses Giel's arrival and scorns his failure in the teezl incident. Giel's integrity spares his life, but with a demotion to Leftenant. A crewman reports that the Shalyvane transmitter self-destructed, so he heads for Krake's Planet. Chewie and Luke explore a cave once used by smugglers, finding Krake Data Vault, an organic cocoon grown by huge slugs and shaped by Imperial engineering. While Plif consoles Leia on Arbra, Luke watches Farlie, a mess officer, toss out trash, realizing how to get inside. As the captain dines on soup to avoid mess-hall payday rush, Luke pulls a weapon on him and says he poisoned the soup with silicartha, which kills sand-borers on Tatooine; he'll die unless he gives information on Shira. Luke downloads Reference Log #49734 to the kitchen computer, alerting computer center guards, then Chewie knocks him unconscious; the "poison" was just a dish-washing droid's soap flakes. Shira's file says she was a Major in the Imperial Special Forces raised by Palpatine on Coruscant in an adolescent indoctrination program; trained in fighting, self-healing, and spying; chosen by Vader to abrogate Luke; and sent to raze Chinshasaa to establish credibility. As troops pour in, a blaster destroys the computer. One trooper, Grotto, threatens to fry them "hotter'n Farlie's pepper mash," but Luke elbows his ribs and Chewie hits others. A trooper named Turk jumps him, but another accidentally shoots him and Luke and Chewie escape, separated. As Executor arrives, Luke runs to the Falcon , dodging fire, and scans for Chewie. Using the Force, he makes the security chief drop shields, then finds Chewie and departs. As the shields come back on, he destroys the complex. Vader tells Bosun to track him he leaves, but it is too late. Luke is angry at losing the chip, but Chewie grabbed it before joining him. Later, Vader visits an Executor medical lab, where FX-9 monitors a bacta tank. Inside is Shira Brie, barely alive.

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