Jedi Apprentice: The Threat Within marks the eighteenth installment in a sequence of novels crafted for younger audiences. These books recount the early exploits of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi before the events of the film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.
Obi-Wan Kenobi's journey as Qui-Gon Jinn's apprentice began in his youth. Now, approaching adulthood, he embarks on the path that will shape him into a Jedi Knight…and the master of his own destiny.
While investigating a series of peculiar planetary sabotage incidents, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon find their relationship evolving, sometimes in a perilous direction. As events escalate to a dangerous level, their lives may be forever altered.
After a two-month interval since their previous assignment, Qui-Gon Jinn and the young Obi-Wan Kenobi are summoned before the Jedi Council. A request for Jedi assistance has come from the planet Vorzyd 4. Vorzyd 4 was the dominant planet within its system, and Vorzyd 5 relied heavily on Vorzyd 4 for its survival. Vorzyd 5 has recently established casinos and is generating sufficient revenue to settle its debts. Vorzyd 4 alleges that Vorzyd 5 is responsible for the sabotage occurring on their planet, driven by ambitions to usurp their position as the system's leading power. Jocasta Nu informs Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan that all Vorzydiaks on Vorzyd 4 are employed, with children attending school and gradually increasing their work hours each year until they reach full-time employment at the age of 17. Soon after, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan journey to Vorzyd 4.
Upon arrival, the Jedi are greeted at the landing platform by a Vorzydiak guide who will escort them to Chairman Port, the individual who requested the Jedi's assistance. They discover that Vorzyd adults are solely focused on work and its improvement, while leisure and recreation are discouraged. The design of buildings and clothing prioritizes functionality over aesthetics. The Jedi are taken to Multycorp and promptly ascend via Turbolift to the twenty-fourth floor, where accounting operations are conducted. Chairman Port welcomes the Jedi and reveals that he has deported all individuals from Vorzyd 5, yet the attacks persist. Although no one has been injured, productivity has suffered. During the initial meeting with the chairman, another attack commences, causing the computers in the building to display inaccurate information.
Obi-Wan endeavors to repair the computers, while Qui-Gon and Chairman Port attempt to pacify the workers. The disruption of work is causing both physical and psychological distress to the employees. Abruptly, the attack ceases, and operations return to normal. Shortly after, a sound reverberates throughout the building, signaling the end of the workday. All the laborers and Jedi board shuttles that transport them away from the workspace and towards their residences. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are taken to Chairman Port's home, where they are introduced to his wife, Bryn, and anticipate meeting their son Grath, only to be informed that he is working and will return home later.
They also learn that the planet's youth, particularly a gang known as the Freelies, disapprove of this lifestyle and are sabotaging the factories in hopes of instigating social change. Obi-Wan infiltrates the Freelies, but is exposed, causing the Freelie group to divide into two factions: one led by Grath, and the other by Flip, a Vorzydiak with a propensity for violence. Ultimately, Obi-Wan and his comrades succeed in ending the work-centric mindset of the populace.