Han Solo - Imperial Cadet 1

THE SAGA OF YOUNG SOLO CONTINUES! To get away from Corellia, HAN SOLO enlists in the IMPERIAL NAVY, promising himself he'll return for QI'RA. But how will a former street thief handle the strict order and rules of the military? Not easily! Han's aspiration to become a pilot quickly crumbles as he realizes he might not even make it through basic training!

Han Solo and Qi'ra pilfer a piece of luggage from a group of mobsters in a Corellia warehouse, specifically in the Phien District. Solo creates an opening in the wall with a blaster, and they both escape by latching onto a repulsorlift droid. A rival gangster fires at the droid, causing the pair to fall into the streets below. The duo land on a hovertrain but are chased by the rival gangsters using speeder bikes and airspeeders. Solo sabotages the controls of a train car, causing it to veer into the path of the pursuing vehicles. Qi'ra notices that they could have stolen more if their operation had been better organized while they inspect their stolen food rations. Solo assures Qi'ra that Lady Proxima is going to be very happy.

Solo and Qi'ra are assaulted by Lady Proxima's enforcers for failing to steal four cases of rations after arriving back at the Den of the White Worms. The pair are sentenced to a week in the sewage pits as punishment. Qi'ra comforts Solo in their watery "cell," promising that they will one day escape Corellia and Lady Proxima and be free from anyone's control. Solo is determined to find a way out, despite the odds. He suggests that they steal something from one of Proxima's jobs. Qi'ra warns that they are vulnerable to traffickers or being sold to the Crimson Dawn or Hutt Cartel, since they have no protection. Solo assures Qi'ra that he is not going to let it happen.

Solo steals a vial of coaxium and an M-68 landspeeder after several fights and adventures. Solo also gives his dice to Qi'ra as a symbol of good luck. While passing through Coronet's spaceport, Qi'ra is grabbed by Rebolt and Moloch, and the two are separated. Solo is separated by the barrier and promises to return. Qi'ra tells him to run. Solo comes across a recruitment expo hosted by the Imperial Military as stormtroopers rush to the scene to investigate the breach.

He speaks with Drawd Munbrin, the Imperial recruitment officer, and tells him that he wants to train as a pilot. Munbrin responds that it depends on how well Solo follows orders when Solo asks how long the training will take. Solo confirms that he has to be back on Corellia as soon as he can. Solo reveals that he doesn't have a family because he is alone when Munbrin asks for his family name. Munbrin then gives him the surname Solo and sends him on the Sentinel-class landing craft ID-83 to the Naval Academy of Carida.

Solo is gazing at several parked TIE fighters as the shuttle disembarks at the Imperial Naval Academy on Carida. An Imperial officer tells Solo that he will only get to fly a TIE fighter if he survives basic training, and addresses him as Cadet 124-329. The officer tells Solo that he will only be known by his cadet designation when Solo protests that his name is Han.

Solo enters a delousing chamber after landing, where droids remove his clothes and give him a haircut and shave. Solo and the other cadets are addressed by Training Officer Triosa Broog after receiving a cadet's uniform, who informs them that they are now members of the Galactic Empire. She continues by saying that they no longer have names, only numbers. She informs them that they will earn a name and a spot in the flight-training program if they complete their training. She informs the cadets that they will be transformed into weapons of the Imperial Navy. Solo yearns for Qi'ra as he gets used to the demands of Academy life.

Solo and his fellow cadets must wear Swamptrooper armor and train in the swarms as part of basic training. Broog singles him out in front of his fellow cadets when Solo complains about wanting to learn how to fly. She makes the entire unit run up a nearby mountain twice in full gear as punishment. During the run, Solo is assaulted by several cadets, including Beilert Valance (404-913), who mocks him as an orphan and a scrumrat.

Cadet Kanina Nico (803-308) intervenes and tells Valance to leave Solo alone. Valance is initially reluctant to back down, but one of the Dree brothers warns Valance that assaulting Nico would result in a night in the brig for all of them. Solo expresses his gratitude to Nico, but she is dismissive of him. Lyttan and Tamu Dree become friends with Solo. They explain that Kanina hates everyone, especially Valance, who believes that being the best means beating others into submission. The brothers explain that they joined the Empire to avoid starving on Boiyuh. He replies that he signed up to get back to Corellia when they ask Solo why he signed up. Another cadet dismisses the idea of going back to Corellia, arguing that the Empire is more likely to send them to a war zone like Urthak or Mimban.

Solo decides to do something he considers "stupid." He later breaks into a hangar and steals a TIE fighter. Several TIEs and TIE/rb heavy starfighters quickly pursue Solo. Solo flies between two of the pursuing starfighters, causing them to collide and crash. Before Solo can advance further, he is shot down by another TIE fighter and crash lands. Solo survives the crash and surrenders to several armed stormtroopers, offering an explanation.

• UPC 759606091454; November 7 , 2018 ; Marvel Comics [1] 00111; Cover A; David Nakayama 00121; Cover B; Lucasfilm Ltd. 00131; Cover C; Elsa Charretier, Matt Wilson 00141; Cover D; Luke Ross, Java Tartaglia