The Lost Legion is a young-adult book in the "Decide Your Destiny" series, drawing its story from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television program. Its release date was July 23, 2009.
Can you prove yourself worthy as a clone trooper within the Republic Army? This Decide Your Destiny tale, rooted in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars universe, allows you to embody diverse characters—such as a field medic, commanding officer, demolitions expert, or reconnaissance specialist—and navigate countless pathways to craft your unique adventure. Boasting more than twenty-five distinct conclusions, each reading experience promises an entirely fresh and unpredictable journey.
During a standard deployment to the ice-covered world of Ando Prime, the 313th Legion, led by Jedi General Po Bandis, uncovers a hidden Separatist production facility. This installation is actively producing battle droids and also houses Skakoan engineer Vylagos, under Separatist employ to create weapons, including experimental armaments and transportation technology. One such device, a hyperspace wormhole transporter, was designed for a surprise assault on Coruscant. However, it is inadvertently triggered during the conflict between the 313th and Koorivar General [Terrus]'s droid forces, sending all involved to an uncharted planet within the Outer Rim. Convinced that the "lost legion" still survives, the Jedi Council tasks Clone Commander [Vargus]'s Excelsior Company with investigating Ando Prime and determining the cause of their disappearance. Simultaneously, Count Dooku dispatches General Grievous and a contingent of battle droids to Ando Prime to evaluate the status of the facility.
Initially, Vargus and his team make a stop at Kamino to bolster their ranks, recruiting newly trained clone troopers who have just completed their final evaluations for specialization and squad assignments. Among the shinies selected for Excelsior's mission are at least one scout, medic, demolitions expert, and sergeant.
Upon arriving on Ando Prime, Excelsior Squad divides into smaller units, pairing experienced veterans with the new recruits, empowering them to make critical decisions in the field regarding the mission's direction. ARF trooper Falco and the new scout, later known as "Recon", guide team members to the hidden facility, where they encounter General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody. They were operating near Ando Prime and decided to contribute their expertise to the search. During the mission, the seasoned medic, Splice, and a rookie medic assist an injured native Talid named Gen-Goma, who guides squad members to the facility. This medic also revives engineer Vylagos so his knowledge of the transporter can be used and (once transported to the unknown location of the 313th) synthesizes an anti-venom, saving the life of General Bandis. Demolitions expert Dom (also known as "Bruiser") collaborates with the newly named "Demo" to clear a collapsed secret passage to the facility and destroy portions of Separatist weaponry transported with the combat forces. The new sergeant, emboldened by the trust shown by Vargus, Cody, and Kenobi, excels in his leadership role, commandeering a Separatist tank and earning the moniker "Ace."
Excelsior Squad, together with Kenobi and Cody, convince Vylagos to repair and activate the transportation device, arriving on the uncharted desert planet. There, they shift the momentum of the ongoing battle. Utilizing a homing beacon and the hyperspace wormhole transporter, the Republic forces are safely transported back to Ando Prime, where the new clones are commended for their newly proven courage.
The "decide your destiny" structure of this book means that the reader experiences the story from the viewpoint of a single clone trooper, initially identified as 18 (based on the last two digits of his serial number), through four distinct paths: scout, demolitions, medic, and sergeant. Other new troopers joining Excelsior Squad are numbered 15, 16, 23, 35, 44, and 57. Depending on the reader's choices for 18, two other troopers receive nicknames: "Slug" (for 44) and "Patch" (for 57). The plot summary provided is a compilation of the "correct" choices for all four paths. Assuming the possibility of four separate trooper 18s, even the medic path doesn't necessarily contradict the others ("Patch" is the nickname for medic trooper 57), as there could be multiple medics in the squad. Each path potentially offers unique perspectives on the same core events. Even "incorrect" choices lead to ambiguous, unresolved endings, but never the death of 18, the failure of Excelsior Squad's overall mission, or the permanent loss of the 313th Legion.