Kunda stones—used in the construction of lightsabers, various medicinal devices, and comlinks—are grown and harvested on the planet Kadril. Soon after the destruction of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the Princess Leia Organa, captain Han Solo, and Chewbacca traveled here to secure a trade deal between the Kadrillians and the Rebel Alliance. Unknown to the Rebels, however, the Sith Lord Darth Vader had also come to Kadril, to secure his own crystals. Vader had developed a chemical compound, pacifog, which enhances the weakest traits of most victims. However, it is deadly to humans, causing their flesh to become a frothy ooze. Vader wanted Kundas stones to place in the masks of stormtroopers, as the stones made perfect filters against the pacifog gas.
Using the gas on Lon Prador, Kadril's Lord Councilor, Vader used Prador to order the Kadrillians to gather up all the planet's Kundas. But, the greatest concentration of the stones were to be found among the hills where a group of anti-technology Kadrillians, the Nocivs, lived. Visiting the at that time was Deerna, the betrothed of young Rodno, who was the assistant to Kadril's leading scientist, Dal Quirz. Quirz was administrator of the , where perfect Kunda stones were grown. Fearing for Deerna, and knowing that the Nocivs wouldn't obey Prador's edict (thus putting them at odds with the Imperial forces), Rodno convinced Solo and Skywalker to accompany him to the Nocivs enclave. Once there, after meeting with Mdel, the elder of the village, the Rebels were attacked by stormtroopers. Among the casualties of this assault was Mdel.
Meanwhile, back at the Zero-G lab, Princess Leia and Chewbacca decide to use a small repair pod to disable an orbiting relay satellite, thus disrupting the Empire's broadcasts. As Chewie was too big to fit in the pod, Leia took it up.
As the funeral for Mdel commenced, troops stormed the Zero-G lab, capturing Leia and Chewie. Vader ordered the troopers not to harm Leia, but to do as they would with the Wookiee. Using the gas on Chewbacca, however, only resulted in his sneezing—and getting angry. During the ensuing battle, between Chewie and the troopers, Princess Leia activated a device created by young Rodno, a Vibro-Crystal, which shattered the Kundas in the stormtroopers' filters. Leia quickly contacted Luke, telling him of the invention, then she and Chewie commandeered the shuttle the troopers had used to reach the lab.
Leia and Chewie are followed to the Nociv village by Imperial forces, and barely arrive in time to deliver the Vibro-Crystal before they are attacked. Using the Vibro-Crystal, the Rebels and their newfound allies manage to defeat the Imperials, and Leia then takes the Vibro-Crystal to Vader's headquarters, destroying all Kunda stones in the vicinity. Vader then orders a full evacuation of his troops from Kadril, realizing that with this new weapon, pacification of the entire planet would be impossible.
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