Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vaderteam up against a threat to the Empire in this thrilling novel frombestselling author Timothy Zahn.“I have sensed a disturbance in the Force.”Ominouswords under any circumstances, but all the more so when uttered byEmperor Palpatine. On Batuu, at the edges of the Unknown Regions, athreat to the Empire is taking root—its existence little more than aglimmer, its consequences as yet unknowable. But it is troubling enoughto the Imperial leader to warrant investigation by his most powerfulagents: ruthless enforcer Lord Darth Vader and brilliant strategistGrand Admiral Thrawn. Fierce rivals for the emperor’s favor, andoutspoken adversaries on Imperial affairs—including the Death Starproject—the formidable pair seem unlikely partners for such a crucialmission. But the Emperor knows it’s not the first time Vader and Thrawnhave joined forces. And there’s more behind his royal command thaneither man suspects.In what seems like a lifetime ago, GeneralAnakin Skywalker of the Galactic Republic, and CommanderMitth’raw’nuruodo, officer of the Chiss Ascendancy, crossed paths forthe first time. One on a desperate personal quest, the other withmotives unknown . . . and undisclosed. But facing a gauntlet of dangerson a far-flung world, they forged an uneasy alliance—neither remotelyaware of what their futures held in store.Now, thrust togetheronce more, they find themselves bound again for the planet where theyonce fought side by side. There they will be doubly challenged—by a testof their allegiance to the Empire . . . and an enemy that threatenseven their combined might.About the AuthorTimothy Zahnis the author ofmore than forty novels, nearly ninety short stories and novellas, andfour short-fiction collections. In 1984, he won the Hugo Award for BestNovella. Zahn is best known for hisStar Warsnovels (Heir tothe Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Specter of the Past,Vision of the Future, Survivor’s Quest, Outbound Flight, Allegiance,Choices of One,andScoundrels),with more than four million copies of his books in print. Other booksinclude the Cobra series, the Quadrail series, and the young adultDragonback series. Zahn has a B.S. in physics from Michigan StateUniversity and an M.S. from the University of Illinois. He lives withhis family on the Oregon coast.