Republic Commando: Hard Contact, a novel of 293 pages, serves as a tie-in to the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando, and marks the initial installment in the Republic Commando series. Penned by Karen Traviss and released by Del Rey on October 26, 2004, the narrative unfolds in 22 BBY, during the Rise of the Empire era. The story centers around a squad of clone commandos tasked with the destruction of a Separatist bioweapons laboratory situated on the world of Qiilura. These commandos – Niner, Fi, Atin, and Darman – receive assistance from the Gurlanins Jinart and Valaqil, alongside an unseasoned Padawan named Etain Tur-Mukan and a Weequay character, Guta-Nay.
Amidst the Clone Wars' intensity, the fate of the galaxy hinges on specialized squads undertaking the most perilous missions – battle-hardened soldiers venturing where others dare not, to accomplish what others cannot….
Infiltrating a Separatist-controlled planet to cripple a nanovirus research center, four clone troopers operate covertly within enemy territory. Vastly outnumbered and outgunned, these commandos find themselves isolated behind enemy lines, lacking reinforcements and collaborating with unfamiliar individuals instead of their trusted comrades. Complications escalate when Darman, the squad's demolitions expert, becomes separated from the group during the planetary descent. Even Darman's apparent fortune in encountering a Jedi Padawan is short-lived, as she confesses her profound lack of experience.
For the isolated clone commandos and the marooned Jedi, a treacherous odyssey awaits, navigating through hostile landscapes teeming with Trandoshan slavers, Separatist forces, and untrustworthy indigenous inhabitants. A solitary blunder could lead to exposure … and ultimate demise. This mission epitomizes a suicide endeavor for virtually anyone—except, perhaps, Republic Commandos.
Niner, Darman, Fi, and Atin, four clone commandos, are brought together to establish Omega Squad following the decimation of their original units early in the Clone Wars. Concurrently on Qiilura, Etain Tur-Mukan, a Jedi Padawan, is in hiding from the militia of Ghez Hokan, the local warlord, after the death of her master, Kast Fulier.
Omega discovers their assignment: to obliterate a nanovirus, designed to eliminate clones, being developed by the Separatists on Qiilura, and to capture Ovolot Qail Uthan, the project's lead scientist. During insertion, Darman sustains injuries and becomes separated from the squad while attempting to retrieve additional equipment from their downed vehicle, gradually making his way to the rendezvous point and eliminating several of Hokan's soldiers. Re-grouping is hampered by the Neimoidians who control the planet's communications, limiting Omega to a mere 10-meter communication range. Alarmed by the Republic's intrusion, Dr. Uthan appoints Hokan as a Separatist officer and reinforces the area with 100 battle droids and additional officers, including the highly skilled Lieutenant Hurati.
Aided by Jinart and Valaqil, two Gurlanins, Darman encounters Etain, and together they proceed to a safehouse. After being betrayed by the locals, they advance to reunite with the rest of Omega. Darman imparts crucial combat and leadership skills to Etain, fostering a developing connection between them. Omega Squad pilfers a substantial quantity of explosives from a nearby gem mine, and Niner seizes an excavation droid to transport the charges to the ground station supporting the Neimoidians' communications, subsequently destroying it. While securing the explosives, Omega also captures Guta-Nay, a Weequay formerly employed by Hokan, gaining valuable insights into the facility. With restored communications, Omega Squad, Etain, and Jinart convene to strategize their assault on the facility.
Jinart plants a detonator in the cellar of Lik Ankkit's mansion, where the majority of the droids are stationed, leaving the nanovirus facility vulnerable. The squad advances towards the facility, with Niner, Fi, and Etain establishing an E-Web heavy repeating blaster position for covering fire. Jinart assists Darman and Atin in infiltrating the heavily fortified facility through the adjacent gdan burrows. The two commandos blast their way into the facility, initiating a lockdown, trapping Hokan and his officers, planting implosion devices to annihilate the virus, and capturing Uthan before escaping through the burrows. Hurati manages to override the lockdown and flees with Hokan. As Darman, Atin, and Etain move towards the LAAT/i for extraction, Hurati wounds Atin and Uthan with a Verpine shatter gun, but Darman eliminates Hurati with a headshot. Niner and Fi confront Hokan, with Niner feigning injury to lure him in. Etain discovers Hokan and decapitates him with her lightsaber, recovering her deceased master's lightsaber from Hokan's headless body. Etain realizes that she is getting attached to the Omega squad, because she never wanted to hear their screams again. Omega Squad is extracted, and Etain chooses to remain on Qiilura with Master Arligan Zey, primarily to avoid the burgeoning attachment she feels for Darman.
- ISBN 0345478274 ; October 26 , 2004 , Del Rey , a paperback edition spanning 293 pages.
- ISBN 9780593599495 ; April 25 , 2023 ; Random House Worlds ; US trade paperback, The Essential Legends Collection edition [4]
- ISBN 83-241-2684-8 ; published in 2006 by Amber, a 320-page Polish paperback version.
- ISBN 978-80-252-1680-4 ; released in February 2011 by EGMONT ČR, a 240-page Czech paperback ( Republikové komando I. Přímý kontakt ).