Republic Commando: True Colors, penned by Karen Traviss, represents the third installment in the Republic Commando series. The narrative unfolds almost two years following the events of the First Battle of Geonosis. The book was made available on October 30, 2007, and it also features the short story Odds along with an excerpt from the novel Death Star, a collaboration between Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. Greg Knight crafted the cover art, drawing inspiration from one of his conceptual designs for the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando.
Amidst the relentless and brutal Clone Wars, the Republic's most formidable warriors come face-to-face with a harsh reality: the Separatists are not their only adversaries—nor are they the most dangerous.
In the Grand Army's desperate struggle to overcome the Separatists, the covert special operations executed by its elite clone soldiers have become more vital—and perilous—than ever before. As a growing threat looms over the Republic's prospects for victory, the members of Omega Squad uncover a shocking truth that challenges their unwavering loyalty.
As the boundaries between allies and enemies become increasingly indistinct, individuals—ranging from ordinary citizens and seasoned sergeants to powerful Jedi and influential generals—find themselves grappling with a new enemy: the seeds of doubt that have taken root within their own hearts and minds. The truth is revealed as a delicate and ever-changing illusion—and only the impending inferno will expose all sides in their authentic, unmasked forms.
The narrative commences with Sergeant Walon Vau, now a civilian, alongside Delta Squad, situated on the frigid and desolate world of Mygeeto. Vau's objective is to "liberate" funds from the bank vaults nestled beneath Mygeeto's glaciers, absconding with over 55 million credits and other valuable assets from his family's vault. However, their departure encounters unforeseen complications, leaving Vau stranded and isolated beneath tons of ice, slowly succumbing to the freezing temperatures, while Delta Squad is compelled to abandon him.
Concurrently, Omega Squad, including Darman, is dispatched to Gaftikar, a planet under Separatist control, to aid the Null ARC A'den in training the local rebels, a reptilian-humanoid species, to overthrow the human-Separatist regime. Skirata engages in negotiations with a Rodian for a submersible-flight capable vessel, with which he intends to locate Ko Sai, the renegade Kaminoan geneticist. It is revealed that Ko Sai defected from the Republic to the Separatists, eventually betraying them as well, "Doing a runner with the creds" according to Skirata. Delta informs him of Vau's presumed demise, lost beneath a mountain of ice and snow. Skirata, accompanied by the Null ARC Ordo, journeys to Mygeeto to commence his search for Vau. They discover Mird, Vau's loyal strill, desperately attempting to dig towards its master's last known location. Skirata utilizes the submersible craft (named Aay'han, signifying a time for Mandos to remember the dead while with loved ones) to penetrate the glacier. After extensive efforts of scraping and blasting through the ice, they locate Vau's frozen, yet still living, body, and successfully thaw him without incident. Skirata, both angered and relieved by Vau's survival, is astonished when Vau presents him with the stolen treasures from his family's vaults, donating them to the "Clone Retirement Fund."
Meanwhile, Darman and Atin infiltrate a city on Gaftikar disguised as civilians. They are surprised to encounter Sull, an ARC trooper who had been MIA for weeks. Sull is alive and has integrated into civilian life, abandoning his military past. The duo apprehends him and forcibly returns him to base, where they learn that Sull had uncovered the truth behind Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's scheme. Sull, disillusioned with the war, had chosen to desert and live peacefully. He agrees to leave Gaftikar after providing A'den and Omega with information about the Gaftikari capital and the location of his discarded armor, which Darman retrieves. Upon returning to Sull's home, Darman encounters two Clone Covert Ops Troopers who mistake him for Sull. Darman eliminates them, questioning why clones would be ordered to kill clones.
During the assault on Gaftikar's capital, Fi sustains a severe head injury, rendering him virtually brain-dead. He is transported to a medical facility on Coruscant, but remains comatose. Besany Wennen discovers that clones deemed too difficult or costly to save are left to die, with medical care reserved for those who can be quickly returned to combat. Facing termination, Fi is rescued by Besany Wennen and Captain Jaller Obrim of the Coruscant Security Force. They take him to Obrim's residence, where Bardan Jusik utilizes the Force to heal Fi's brain tissue, allowing him to survive. However, the healing is incomplete, and Fi is significantly altered.
On Qiilura, Etain Tur-Mukan is tasked with forcibly "evacuating" the human farmers who resisted the Separatists. The Republic promised the planet to the native Gurlanins, who demand the removal of all humans. Etain begins to hemorrhage and fears a miscarriage. Skirata sends Ordo with a medical droid to assist her. Following her recovery, Ordo escorts her to Dorumaa, where Skirata, Mereel, and Vau have captured Ko Sai. Skirata transports the group to Mandalore and imprisons Ko Sai in his home, seeking to reverse the accelerated aging of the clone troopers. Mereel and Vau are unable to extract any information from her until Etain offers Ko Sai a sample of her tissue and umbilical cord tissue from her unborn son. Ko Sai accepts, providing Etain with data to reverse the aging process. However, Ko Sai's despair over her declining reputation leads her to commit suicide, hanging herself with Etain's umbilical cord after the birth of her son, Venku.
Etain's son, Venku, is born on Mandalore (Venku is Mando'a for future). Skirata inquires about Darman's preferred name for a son, and Darman expresses his fondness for "Kad." Skirata and Jusik nickname the boy Kad'ika and arrange for him to stay at Besany Wennen's apartment while Etain is on assignment. Etain is saddened by Darman's continued unawareness of his paternity.
Delta Squad presents General Zey with Ko Sai's head, falsely claiming to have found it on Dorumaa to deceive General Zey and the Chancellor.
The book concludes with a limmie game involving Niner, Atin, Corr, Ordo, Mereel, Skirata, and Vau.
- ISBN 9780345498007 ; October 30 , 2007 ; Del Rey ; US paperback [1]
- ISBN 9780345498007 ; October 30, 2007; Del Rey; US paperback, Legends edition [1]
- ISBN 9788025228661 ; February 2014, EGMONT ČR, 432-page, Czech paperback (Republikové komando: Pravé barvy)
- ISBN 9780593722206 ; October 24, 2023; Random House Worlds; Trade Paperback [4]