Prophets of the Dark Side (1993), authored by Paul and Hollace Davids, represents the sixth and concluding installment in the Adventures of a Jedi Prince series. This narrative unfolds within the New Republic era, tailored specifically for a youthful readership.
'A JEDI PRINCE.'
A TREACHEROUS DECEPTION.
AND THE ANNIHILATION OF THE FORGOTTEN METROPOLIS?
The conflict against the malevolent Empire persists, with valiant individuals, both human and alien, within the Rebel Alliance steadfastly striving to bring an end to the age of shadows. However, by liberating an Imperial captive, have the Rebels inadvertently invited calamity upon themselves?
During a hazardous expedition into the fungal woodlands of Arzid, Luke and Ken find themselves ensnared by Kadann, the Supreme Imperial Prophet. Having successfully enticed the young Jedi Prince to divulge the whereabouts of the Lost City of the Jedi, the Supreme Prophet intends to seize the ancient wisdom possessed by the Jedi Knights. Kadann now aspires to preside over a newly established, oppressive empire, as divined by the… Prophets of the Dark Side.
As Trioculus approached his demise, he extracted a vow from Grand Moff Hissa: to ensure that Luke Skywalker and his Rebel compatriots would suffer retribution for his death. Concurrently, at the Rebel stronghold, they discover that Triclops, while in a somnambulistic state, accesses files within the base and transmits them, via an implant embedded in his tooth, to Imperial probe droids that are adept at evading defenses. Leia suggests constructing a defensive probe utilizing schematics recovered from the Lost City of the Jedi. These schematics, coincidentally, originate from Ken's academic assignments, prompting him and Luke to revisit the city. While there, Ken's guardian, Dee-Jay, along with the other droids, inform them about a deceptive transport route to the city that now leads to a subterranean sea of molten lava. They also caution them about a prophecy made by Supreme Prophet Kadann, which states:
Upon their return to the Rebel base on Yavin, Zorba the Hutt convenes with the Prophets of the Dark Side aboard their space station, Scardia. He divulges the grand moffs' acts of betrayal and their schemes to reinstate Trioculus as leader. When the Moffship is captured, they are subjected to a trial, where they are astonished to find Zorba serving as the principal witness. All of the moffs are condemned to various forms of execution, with Hissa's fate being the most agonizing, given his unwavering support for Trioculus.
Back on Yavin 4, Luke resolves to provide Triclops with misleading information regarding the decoy transporter. To completely halt the information leak, Luke, Ken, and Chewbacca journey to the planet Arzid in search of a mushroom capable of deactivating the implant. While there, they are apprehended by Imperial stormtroopers and brought before the Prophets. Kadann, acting on the false intelligence provided by Triclops, dispatches Hissa to his doom via the decoy transport. He then threatens to send Luke to the same fate unless Ken reveals the location of the actual transport. He also pledges to reveal the identity of Ken's father. Motivated by this promise, Ken betrays the city and is transported there alongside the Prophets. Upon arrival, Kadann reveals that Ken's father is Triclops, implying that his grandfather was the Emperor. Refusing to accept this revelation and overcome with emotion, Ken is informed that he will be groomed to become the new Emperor and will be initiated into the Dark Side of the Force. Meanwhile, Luke, having finally managed to free himself from his captors and rescued by Han and the others, manages to infiltrate the city through a steam vent. He succeeds in rescuing Ken, but not before the Imperials initiate a lockdown of the city, and an earthquake obliterates the main computer. Although Luke and Ken manage to escape to the surface, Kadann and the remaining prophets are trapped within the city. Ken comes to terms with his lineage but is unable to confront his father about it, as Triclops manages to escape and evade capture within the forests of Yavin. The narrative concludes with Leia, preparing for her wedding and experiencing a vision of Han with their two offspring, pondering whether they are twins.
- ISBN 0553405322 , August 1993 , Bantam Books , UK edition