An exclusive excerpt from the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic novel “Escape From Valo” teases a mysterious Force-sensitive with a telltale red lightsaber in the High Republic Era. Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The High Republic transmedia initiative is one of the most ambitious projects in Star Wars history. Since 2021, a range of novels, comics, and audiobooks have told a story set 200 years before the events of the prequel trilogy.
Lucasfilm recently launched Star Wars: The High Republic Phase III – the culmination of the entire project. A portion of the Star Wars galaxy has been cut off by the space marauders known as the Nihil, who have established their own anarchic realm in this area of space. The latest novel, Daniel José Older’s “Escape from Valo,” tells the story of a group of Jedi Younglings stranded inside the Nihil “Occlusion Zone” – and Screen Rant has been given an exclusive excerpt hinting at a mysterious red blade…
The Prologue Of Escape From Valo, By Daniel José Older
“WELCOME TO VALO, NIHIL DIGNITARIES!” a voice boomed from the broadcast speakers Vark had had set up all around the city. But that wasn’t right; they were supposed to broadcast the music, not a message.
“WE’RE SO THRILLED THAT YOU’VE CHOSEN LONISA CITY AS THE SITE OF THE DARK FAIR!” the voice continued. The words were right, but Vark thought he detected a hint of sarcasm in the tone. He whirled on Idrax.
“Who did you get to make this announcement? And why didn’t you clear it with me?”
Idrax winced. “I, uh, didn’t?”
“Didn’t what?” Vark demanded, but his voice was swallowed up by another booming message from the speakers. “UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER”—Was that a blasted teenager? It sounded like it, Vark thought, taking an irritated sip of his caf—“THE NIHIL OCCUPATION OF VALO IS SUPER ILLEGAL!”
“What?” Vark sputtered, spitting out the caf. “Who allowed this? What’s happening?”
“No idea, sir!” Idrax insisted.
“AND THEREFORE I REGRET TO INFORM YOU . . .” the voice rattled on.
“Well, find out, you sniveling yato fist! Now!”
“. . . THAT THE DARK FAIR IS HEREBY CANCELED!”
Vark was winding up to holler something at Idrax and the others—he didn’t even know what; he was too enraged to form words—when the air shifted suddenly, like an invisible giant had just taken in a sudden gulp of air. And then:
KATHOOM!
A massive explosion rocked one of the landing docks, blowing it to pieces. Some of the approaching Nihil ships were caught in the blast, their landing gear ripped off. They quickly zoomed out of the way, trailing plumes of smoke and debris. The air was filled with burning metal shards. Another explosion detonated beneath one of the cruisers, and then another, and another.
Vark watched in horror as his dream project went up in flames. The banquet, the respect and adoration, his chance to impress the Eye—it was all gone. “Get to the landing pads!” he barked. “Find out what the karkbucket just happened!” His team scrambled to obey, falling over themselves as they rushed through the door. Vark followed them, dignity abandoned, running down the ornate stairwell and out into the night, then sprinting full speed toward the fairgrounds.
This was awful! What if Marchion Ro had been in one of those ships? What if the Eye of the Nihil had exploded and it was all Vark’s fault?
Just as Vark reached the burning landing pad, the voice boomed out once more.
“THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE SCARLET SKULL!”
The Scarlet Skull? It rang a bell, Vark thought. Something from one of those historical holodramas his wife, Cheriville, was always prattling on about. Nonsense and silliness, in other words. They would catch this fool and make an example of him, whoever he was.
“I HAVE ARRIVED ON VALO TO SEND ALL YOUR BEST-LAID PLANS TO THE SWEET ABYSMAL BASIN OF THE VOID!” the Scarlet Skull gleefully announced. “CONSIDER YOUR DREAMS DUST, YOUR HOPES ASH! AS YOU CAN SEE, I’VE ALREADY—”
Just then, another explosion tore through a different section of the fairgrounds. These flames were blue, sending plumes of colorful smoke rolling across the tents and stands. Vark whipped around. As he did, he heard the voice register surprise, too:
“WAIT, WHA—”
“That way!” Vark shouted, pointing at the colorful explosion. “Deploy our troops to secure what’s left of the landing pads. We’ll handle this one.” The Scarlet Skull had been surprised, too. That meant there was division in the ranks of the enemy, whoever they were. And that meant a new target, and an easier one to chase down than a voice on a loudspeaker. Determined to press the advantage, Vark and his team pulled on the gas masks hanging around their necks and charged straight into the smoke with their blasters drawn. They raced through the tents, shoving past Lonisa City townspeople.
The smoke was mostly dye, Vark realized, not caustic at all. He grinned. At best, it was a weak imitation of the gas the Nihil deployed during their attacks—amateurish.
And these troublemakers would be easy prey, by the look of them. Vark, Idrax, Kimal, and Driggit cornered them by a large striped tent. Three short hooded figures huddled together defensively. They were very short, actually, Vark noticed.
“Take them in,” Vark growled, gesturing with his blaster. Idrax, Kimal, and Driggit closed in, training their weapons on the figures. The tallest hooded person reached out a hand, fingers extended toward Vark’s team—but the middle hooded figure grabbed their arm, shaking their head furiously.
And then the unmistakable bristled shriek of a lightsaber igniting came from behind Vark. Every hair on his neck stood straight up. Not the Jedi, Vark thought. Not here. They wouldn’t dare. He and his team whirled around to see another hooded figure, only slightly taller than the others. A bright red lightsaber burned through the smoke like a terrible promise.
Everyone gasped—including the three hooded figures behind Vark. The person holding the red lightsaber stalked forward, pointing the weapon at Vark. He and his team backed away from that deadly blade. The figure’s long black cloak swirled as they swung the lightsaber down—
And then vanished. There was a rapid cascade of footsteps as the hooded figure disappeared into the smoke.
“After them!” Vark roared. Driggit hesitated, glancing at him. Even Idrax seemed taken aback.
Kimal darted off into the smoke, her long body cutting through it like a knife. After a moment, Idrax followed her.
Vark pointed at Driggit. “You! Keep an eye on—”
But when Vark looked behind him, he realized that the three hooded figures were gone. No. The whir and blast of cruiser propulsors sounded from above, and Vark glanced up to see each and every ship in the Nihil fleet pointing toward the stars and blasting away, far away from Valo. The last one to go left a distinct purple glow haunting the night sky like a ghost.
Star Wars’ High Republic Explained & Release Guide (Books, Comics & Show)
The Star Wars franchise is expanding into the High Republic Era – and here’s everything you need to know about the books, comics, and shows.
