Chapters 21-22 Summary

Mara chooses a harrowing vertical landing on a ledge and starts to climb toward the rim when Artoo arrives, piloting the X-wing, and offers her a ride. C'baoth declares that Thrawn is Mara's enemy and her goal is to take his Jedi away. She decides that C'baoth is ruthless, calculating, and unstable, but not mad and declares that she needs to "borrow" Luke. C'baoth mocks her blaster and the ysalamir she wears but refrains from destroying her, foreseeing that she will one day kneel before him.

C'baoth reprimands Luke for leaving his bed. Mara quickly explains Karrde's plight, sees that C'baoth is putting Luke to sleep, and moves to put him inside the ysalamir shield. C'baoth launches lightning from his fingertips, which Luke blocks with his lightsaber, but before Mara can fire, Artoo blasts the X-wing's laser cannons. Luke refuses to...