We were introduced to Brakiss as a story in the last book, and he made
a large appearance in The New Rebellion.
He was an Imperial spy sent to infiltrate the Jedi Academy, and when Luke
discovered him, he tried to turn him to the light side. But Brakiss
left the Academy, and in this book, he's started up his own Shadow Academy.
He kidnaps Jacen, Jaina and Lowie while they are on a tour of
Lando's gem mining station. They are forced to train with and against
each other, and other students, using just the Force, and sometimes lightsabers.
Meanwhile, Tenel Ka was awaiting an ambassador from her father's
planet of Hapes, so she couldn't go on the tour. She and Luke set
off in search of clues to the kidnapping. They follow the trail to
Dathomir, where they find a new breed of Nightsisters. They apply
to the Shadow Academy, and are accepted. They ride to the Academy
in a sleek new cruiser with supposedly impenetrable armour, and take it
over while in transit.
The twins and Lowbacca manage to escape, and reach the docking
bay just in time for Luke and Tenel Ka to land and get them out.
Luke faces Brakiss in a showdown, but the doors are sealed before either
of them can make a move.
Brakiss and Tamith Kai (a nightsister) rule the Shadow Academy
as allies. But their truce is a very uneasy one. It can be
seen that their differences will be a major cause of breakup in the future.
It is also revealed that the Empire has a new Supreme Leader,
and that he can detonate the entire Shadow Academy space station at will,
if he is displeased. The TIE pilot shows up again, and his defences
seem to be weakening. He seems to be growing to like the Young Jedi.
Not much really happened here, except the inception and introduction
of the Shadow Academy. Taken alone, this book did nothing.
Taken as part of the whole, I can see it leading up to something bigger.
by Warren Dunn, all rights reserved.
