As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Allianceānow a fledgling New Republicāpresses its advantage by hunting down the enemyās scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemyās strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but heās taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders. Ā Meanwhile, on the planetās surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native worldāwar weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antillesās urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesnāt know is just how close the enemy isāor how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be. Ā Determined to preserve the Empireās power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summitāto consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they havenāt reckoned on Norra and her newfound alliesāher technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defectorāwho are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empireās oppressive reign once and for all.
