JediTrial:StarWarsACloneWarsNovel

“Withintwenty-fourstandardhourswewillsitfirmlyastridethecommunicationslinkthatconnectstheworldsoftheRepublic....OurcontrolwillbeadaggerthrustdirectlyatCoruscant.Thisisthemovethatwillwinthewarforus.”Withtheseominouswords，PorsTonith，ruthlessminionofCountDooku，declaresthefateoftheRepublicsealed.CommandingaSeparatistinvasionforcemorethanonemillionstrong，thecunningfinancier-turned-warriorlayssiegetotheplanetPraesitlyn，homeofthestrategicintergalacticcommunicationscenterthatiskeytotheRepublic’ssurvivalintheCloneWars.Leftunchallenged，thisdecisivestrikecouldindeedpavethewayforthetopplingofmoreRepublicworlds...andultimatevictoryfortheSeparatists.Retaliationmustbeswiftandcertain.ButengagingtheenemythroughoutthegalaxyhasalreadystretchedSupremeChancellorPalpatine’sarmiestothelimit.Thereisnochoicebuttomoveagainstthesurgingwavesofinvadingbattle-droidsonPraesitlynwithonlyasmallcontingentofclonesoldiers.CommandingthemwillbeJediMasterNejaaHalcyon–hand-pickedbytheCouncilforthedo-or-diemission.Andathisside，skilledyoungstarfighterpilotAnakinSkywalker，apromisingyoungJediPadawaneagertobefreedofthebondsofapprenticeship–andtobeawardedthetitleofJediKnight.ShouldertoshoulderwitharogueRepublicarmyofficerandhisbattle-hardenedcrew，ahulkingRondianmercenarywithaninsatiabletasteforcombat，andaduoofready-for-anythingsoldiers，theJedigeneralstaketotheskiesandthepunishingdesertterrainofoccupiedPraesitlyn–tobringthebattletotheSeparatistforces.Alreadyoutnumberedandoutgunned，whenconfrontedwithanenemyultimatumthatcouldleadtothemassacreofinnocents，theymayalsobeoutofoptions.UnlessAnakinSkywalkercanstrikeacrucialbalancebetweenthewisdombornoftheForce...andtheinstinctsofabornwarrior.