In 3 ABY, the Auction for Han Solo, also known as the Auction on Jekara, or as the auction of Han Solo, was hosted by the criminal syndicate Crimson Dawn on the planet Jekara for the carbonite-encased rebel smuggler Han Solo after it stole Solo from the bounty hunter Boba Fett on the moon Nar Shaddaa. Crimson Dawn's leader, Lady Qi'ra, intended to use the auction to allow the great galactic powers witness the return of the Dawn, which many believed had disappeared, though in reality they had been planning something big to announce their return.
Among the factions invited to the auction was Black Sun, who were represented by Lord Gyuti; the Galactic Empire, represented by Sub-Administrator Sly Moore, who was also attempting to capture Solo for the Sith Lord Darth Vader; the Hutt Clan, who were represented by the Grand Hutt Council; and the Unbroken Clan led by General Vukorah. The Rebel Alliance became aware of the auction thanks to Amilyn Holdo, and Leia Organa, Lando Calrissian, and Chewbacca traveled to Jekara to rescue Solo.
Sent there by Domina Tagge of TaggeCo, Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra and smuggler Sana Starros were also at the auction, but Aphra was intending to steal from the rich guests. Fett also arrived, intending to take Solo back. Once the auction began, multiple bids were placed for Solo, with Jabba Desilijic Tiure ultimately winning possession of the smuggler for one million credits.
Darth Vader arrived after the end of the auction to claim Solo was his property.
As Jabba was intending to leave Jekara, Vader arrived at the auction, claiming that Solo was his. Although Jabba eventually gave up Solo, Qira demanded the Empire provide the credits instead and after Vader refused, Qi'ra decided to fight the Sith Lord, due to her experience with her former boss Maul. Vader quickly disarmed Qira and prepared to kill her, but—with Vader sensing that his son, Luke Skywalker, had arrived—Qira quickly slipped away. Vader ordered his Star Destroyer to contact Skywalker, which they did, and then Vader delivered his ultimatum to his son: if the young Jedi did not face him, he would cut Solo in half. Luke Skywalker calmed his friends and used the Force to communicate to his father that he would face him in his X-wing. Vader agreed to face his son and ordered Solo be taken to his Star Destroyer. While an Imperial shuttle took Solo up, the Millennium Falcon trailed them and, with Lobot's help, they disabled it, but a seismic charge from Slave I forced them out of the way. But before Fett, who had been joined by cyborg bounty hunter Beilert Valance, could reach the shuttle, the Hutts launched all of the ships to the shuttle, thus revealing why they let Vader take Solo.
During the chaos, Doctor Aphra recovered a Crimson Dawn spy's necklace with vital underworld information, but she got caught and imprisoned. However, after escaping prison with her crew, they nearly re-stole the necklace, only for Deathstick to intervene.
- "Crime and Punishment" — Star Wars Insider 209
- Star Wars: Timelines
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire