The fourth installment of the 6-part comic series, Star Wars: Crimson Empire, Crimson Empire 4 was made available on March 18, 1998 thanks to Dark Horse Comics.
Having survived the previous issue's assault by the Imperial forces, the Rebels are compelled to evacuate their clandestine headquarters. Before they do, they must confront Tem Merkon, the turncoat in their midst! If they believed an Empire attack was dire, they will soon discover that the nefarious Carnor Jax and his select stormtroopers have arrived . . . with Mirith Sinn, the Rebel commander, as their target! Will she compromise Kir Kanos's whereabouts? And more importantly, where is he hiding? Uncover the answers in the next act of this captivating, star-studded epic!
Following the Imperial offensive led by Colonel Xexus Shev, Mirith Sinn and the New Republic forces stationed on Phaeda are getting ready for relocation to Collo Fauale. However, Sinn and Sish Sadeet both realize that Kir Kanos could not have been involved in the assault due to his intense fighting against the stormtroopers. Sinn and Sadeet come to the conclusion that a traitor exists within their group. Tem Merkon makes an appearance, stating he will return to the city to monitor Shev's troops. Sadeet harbors suspicions that Merkon may not be as reliable as they initially believed.
In the meantime, Carnor Jax has reached Phaeda, disembarking from his shuttle, the Emperor's Revenge. Jax is accompanied by his personal squad of shadow stormtroopers. While Jax confers with his officers, including General Wessel and Geff Blim, about his strategy to capture Kanos, Tem Merkon arrives to share information.
Upon Merkon's return to the New Republic base, Sinn and Sadeet confront him, having fully discovered Merkon's betrayal. Merkon proposes splitting Jax's bounty with Sinn and Sadeet, but they decline. Realizing his precarious situation, Merkon attempts to escape but is stopped and killed by Lieutenant Massimo. Based on the information Merkon provided to Jax, a group of stormtroopers sets up a stakeout near Kanos's ship in the spaceport. They successfully capture a cloaked figure and bring them back to Jax.
Much to General Wessel's disappointment, the cloaked figure is revealed to be Mirith Sinn disguised, not Kanos. Jax, however, uses this to his advantage and tortures her for information about Kanos. Meanwhile, Jax's soldiers searching for Merkon find his corpse rigged with explosives. As Jax resumes torturing Sinn, the Star Destroyer Steadfast arrives in orbit to join the Emperor's Revenge. When Sinn continues to withhold information about Kanos, Jax orders an orbital bombardment of Collo Fauale, the location Merkon provided. In an attempt to save her comrades, Sinn tells Jax that Kanos has gone to the spaceport in Chinesti. However, Jax sees through her deception using the Force and slaps Sinn. Sinn then reveals that Kanos has gone to Yinchorr, which is the truth. Jax orders the Steadfast to continue bombarding Phaeda and prepares to leave for Yinchorr. As promised, Jax allows Sinn to escape alive.
Upon Sinn's return to the base, Sadeet greets her and subdues a Kubaz spy sent by Jax to follow her. Sadeet also mentions that the base at Collo Fauale might be saved by a surprise awaiting the Imperials. Soon after Jax's departure from the Phaeda system, leaving orders for Commander Vivant to obliterate Collo Fauale, a squadron of starfighters emerges from hyperspace: E-wings and B-wings representing the most recent version of the New Republic's top-tier squadron, Rogue Squadron.