In this followup to "Imperial Commando: 501st" the Clone Wars are over, and the Republic commandos now wear the white armor of the stormtroopers in service to the Galactic Empire. But not all those commandos are loyal to the Emperor, turning the fight against the rebels into a war between clone brothers! The newly-fledged Empire is strengthening its foothold on Mandalore, but Kal Skirata's clan of clone deserters and fugitive Jedi face a new threat as an older, more insidious enemy emerges from decades in hiding. The Death Watch is back. The loathed Mandalorian hardliners - the brutal nationalist faction that murdered Jango Fett's parents - are now on the Imperial payroll, threatening to bring civil war to the Mandalore sector. As Clan Skirata prepares to settle old scores, knowing they may lose the battle, Imperial commandos Darman and Niner arrive on a covert mission that will put them on a collision course with their former brothers. Their task: to hunt down and kill eccentric Jedi Master Djinn Altis, an unlikely ally of Clan Skirata. But Darman has plans of his own that he hasn't even revealed to Niner. He's come looking for his son, Kad. The galaxy is a dangerous place for a kid who's half-Force user, half clone, and Darman's set on getting Kad out of the reach of both the Emperor and the last of the Jedi any way he can - even if that means taking on the man he's always called father.
The novel was originally to be written by Karen Traviss, who penned the previous novels. However, Traviss withdrew from the project over contractual issues, and continuity changes introduced by The Clone Wars TV series.
Despite Del Rey and Lucasfilm Licensing later giving the novel a tentative release date of February 2012 with an unknown author attached, Sue Rostoni confirmed on July 19, 2010 that the novel had been canceled.
According to Traviss' FAQs on her official website, she would have ended the cancelled book as follows:
In this followup to "Imperial Commando: 501st" the Clone Wars are over, and the Republic commandos now wear the white armor of the stormtroopers in service to the Galactic Empire. But not all those commandos are loyal to the Emperor, turning the fight against the rebels into a war between clone brothers! The newly-fledged Empire is strengthening its foothold on Mandalore, but Kal Skirata's clan of clone deserters and fugitive Jedi face a new threat as an older, more insidious enemy emerges from decades in hiding. The Death Watch is back. The loathed Mandalorian hardliners - the brutal nationalist faction that murdered Jango Fett's parents - are now on the Imperial payroll, threatening to bring civil war to the Mandalore sector. As Clan Skirata prepares to settle old scores, knowing they may lose the battle, Imperial commandos Darman and Niner arrive on a covert mission that will put them on a collision course with their former brothers. Their task: to hunt down and kill eccentric Jedi Master Djinn Altis, an unlikely ally of Clan Skirata. But Darman has plans of his own that he hasn't even revealed to Niner. He's come looking for his son, Kad. The galaxy is a dangerous place for a kid who's half-Force user, half clone, and Darman's set on getting Kad out of the reach of both the Emperor and the last of the Jedi any way he can - even if that means taking on the man he's always called father.
The novel was originally to be written by Karen Traviss, who penned the previous novels. However, Traviss withdrew from the project over contractual issues, and continuity changes introduced by The Clone Wars TV series.
Despite Del Rey and Lucasfilm Licensing later giving the novel a tentative release date of February 2012 with an unknown author attached, Sue Rostoni confirmed on July 19, 2010 that the novel had been canceled.
According to Traviss' FAQs on her official website, she would have ended the cancelled book as follows:
- Bardan Jusik would have rubbed Arla Fett's memory, enabling her to cope with her trauma. Afterwards, she would have forgotten being Arla Fett or what had happened to her family, but she didn't feel the pain of memory. She and Jusik would then have gotten married.
- Kal Skirata and Djinn Altis would have teamed up, and the Nulls would have helped Altis fake his death to escape the Empire. Scout would have been adopted by Mij Gilamar and Dr. Uthan, but she would have joined the Altisian Jedi.
- Skirata and Nyreen Vollen would marry, as would Gilamar and Uthan.
- Maze and Arligan Zey would have gone off traveling with Altis and Kina Ha.
- Skirata would have reached some kind of peace with some of the Kaminoans, and Dr. Uthan would have perfected the treatment to stop the clones' accelerated aging.
- Darman would have returned to Mandalore, kidnapped his son Kad, and gone on the run. Niner would have deserted the 501st Legion and joined the clan at Kyrimorut.
- The Death Watch would have found out about Dred Priest's death at the hands of Gilamar, and would have started hunting for Clan Skirata.
- Rede would have turned out to be loyal and not naïve, and Skirata would have been forced to kill him to save the others—an act that would have haunted him until his death.
- Clan Skirata would have been forced to flee Mandalore in a ba'slan shev'la (strategic disappearance) to evade the Empire. Darman would have joined the clan in their disappearance, bringing Kad with him.