Novel References

The Paradise Snare

PAGE QUOTATION COMMENTS

1
The ancient troopship, a relic from the Clone Wars, hung in orbit over the planet Corellia, silent and seemingly derelict. Looks were decieving, however. The old Liberator-class vessel, once called guardian of the Republic, now had a new life as Trader's Luck. The interior had been gutted and refitted with a motley assortment of living environments, and now contained nearly one hundred sentient beings, many of them humanoid.

Liberator-class troopship dating from the Clone Wars. Perhpas the upcoming prequel films will briefly show one of these vessels in the background?

2
One of his fellow players, a hulking Elomin suddenly turned his tusked head to glance behind him. A light on one of the auxiliary "status" panels was blinking. The huge , shaggy-furred Elomin grunted, then said in gutteral Basic,
...
The giant being wrinkled his tusked snout.

Here the Elomin species is treated according to its original definition: the race to which "The Mole" in Jabba's palace belongs. This was contradicted by Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, which invented a near-like species with the same name, because the sourcebook author unfortunately knew less about the species than Timothy Zahn. Aliens: Enemies and Allies, published several years later, went some way towards atoning for the error: it stated that there were two intelligent species on the planet Elom. Now The Paradise Snare brings us back to the original correct definition, introducing Barfid the Elomin as a member of the species seen in Return of the Jedi, which Zahn had intended as opponents of Grand Admiral Thrawn.

5
Ahead of him, the near tunnel widened out, and Han realised he was almost at his destination. Only a few more miutes, he told himself, continuing to move with a stealthy grace that made his progress as soundless as that of a wonat's furred toe-pads.

creature: wonat
reference to a creature which haas furry toes, renowned for its silent movement.

15

acceleration patterns

16
Mentally, Han pictured them thrusting away from Trader's Luck, out of the embrace of Corellia's gravity field. Closing his eyes, he pictured his homeworld turning lazily against the backdrop of stars. Corellia was a pretty planet, with narrow blue seas, green-brown forests, tan deserts, and large cities. On the nightside it glittered like a battle remote studded with lights...

planet: Corellia
Solo considers the features of the planet Corellia. Interestingly, it has significant areas whch are not clad by cities, although much of the planet aslo seems to be urbanised. A Core world of Corellia's supposed importance should be more heavily settled, like Coruscant. Perhaps this is an indication that Corellia has been much overrated in other STAR WARS novels. Otherwise, perhaps this impression of Corellia is distorted by Solo's interests: for a boy living aboard a spacecraft, the natural, under-urbanised terrains of a planet would assume exagerrated significance. According to the SWCCG card, Corellia is largely covered by grey city, interspersed with patchy seas and marginal areas of greenish unihabited land.

17

Solo's promise

18-19
A year or so later, Isshaddik had been killed during a smuggling run to Nar Hekka, one of the worlds in the Hutt sector.

planet: Nar Hekka
Huttese name for an inhabited world in Hutt Space. The translation of "Nal Hutta" is "Glorious Jewel" "Hutta" is probably "glorious", which is how the Hutts view themselves. Perhaps "Nar" and "Nal" are generic and related, possibly designations for "world" with the last consonant varied to connote different levels of prestige. "Nar" may be a diminutive form. Perhaps "Nar" is "small jewel" or "rock" and "Nal" is "big jewel". Nar Hekka may then be a smaller world, like Nar Shaada.

22

creature: vrelts

27

R2 unit "new"

33
Han began using rhe manual interface mode to disengage the hyperdrive. Altering course and speed could only be done in realspace.

Course alterations are difficult or inconvenient to accomplish while in hyperspace, although it has rarely been done under extreme circumstances by powerful and well-tuned naval vessels, like the Imperator-class star destroyer Emancipator entering the Battle of Calamari.

42

Solo family

43
Just a few weeks past, Hand had been attending such a school — a school so well known that it had merited a visit from the famous Senator Garm Bel Iblis. Han had raised his hand and asked the Senator two questions that had been insightful and intelligent enough to make the Senator really notice him. After class was over, Bel Iblis had stopped Han, shaken his hand, and asked him his name. Han had glanced around quickly, seeing that nobody else was within earshot, and proudly told the Senator his real name. It had felt great to be able to do that ...

Solo recalls his recent encounter with a respected Imperial Senator, Garm Bel Iblis. They would meet again many years later, during the campaign against Grand Admiral Thrawn [Dark Force Rising].

46
The person who'd grabbed him was head and shoulders taller than the younger boy. He had darker hair than Han, and was stockier as well. But it was his face that made Han stand staring at him in blank amazement.
Han gaped, speechless, at the older boy. If he'd ever doubted that he was really related to the Solo family, those doubts died an instant death. The face of the youth who was holding his arm looked like an older version of the face Han saw in the mirror every morning.
Not that they were twins or anything. But there was too much resemblance in their features to be coincidence. The same shape of the brown eyes, the same kind of the lips, the same quirk to the eyebrows ... the same nose and jawline ...
The other boy was gaping back at Han, having evidently noticed the same thing. "Hey!" He shook Han's arm roughly. "Who are you?"
"My name is Han Solo," Han replied steadily. "You must be Thracken Sal-Solo."

Introduction of Han Solo's cousin, who later becomes a villain of the Corellian trilogy.

59

alien, Vykk Draygo

60

Teroenza

62

fake identification

65

t'landa Til; spice

74

Muurrgh

81-82

Togorian habits

89
Then as he focused his eyes, he slowly made out oily, pebbled blackness barely visible against the black stone wall. But there were eyes in the midst of that blackness — beady reddish-orange eyes. Four of them. Han squinted, holding still, straining his vision. Then he saw two blasters, each strapped to a warty black thigh.
Aar'aa! he realised.
The Aar'aa were an alien species from a planet on the other side of the galaxy. Denizens of Aar could gradually change colour to match the colour of the background behind them. This ability made them very difficult to see, especially in darkness.

planet: Aar
aliens: Aar'aa

98
The visitors were ushered into the room by an ancient Zisian majordomo, whom Teroenza addressed as "Ganar Tos." The Zisian was humanoid, but he had wrinkly green skin that hung in flaccid wattles from his receding chinline. His orange eyes were rheumy, and he snuffled constantly, as though he had a sinus infection.

aliens: Zisian

107

jump

112
As his fingers clicked on the comm unit, the vid-screen filled with an image of a kindly looking man with a little, dark haired girl sitting on his lap. Han was startled, then realised that this message was prerecorded, and played to every ship on an approach vector.
A voice-over identified the man: "His Majesty, Bail Prestor Organa, Viceroy and First Chairman."
The man smiled into the screen. "Greetings. On behalf of myself and my people, I bid you welcome to Alderaan."

The King of Alderaan is identified according to an amalgamation of both the names given by contradictory references: "Prestor" in the A New Hope: Radio Dramatisation, and "Bail Organa" in the A New Hope novel.
Application of the term "Viceroy" implies that, although Organa is King of his own people, in a different sense he reigns as the local representative of a greater sovereign: presumably the Emperor Palpatine.

122
Obviously, the man's "talk" had been a not-so-veiled warning to stop trying to sell his cargo. He'd have to take it back to Ylesia. There weren't any other planets close enough to reach so he could make the sale.

This reference almost seems to imply that Ylesia and Alderaan are nearby systems, perhaps in the same sector. This is odd since other references seem to imply that Ylesia is close to either Corellia or Hutt Space. They can't all be close to each other. Perhaps Solo is also considering factors other than raw proximity, like the time involved in making side-trips and the time constraints imposed by the Ylesians' expectations for his return.

124

interstellar communications

126

Aryn Dro & Bornan Thul

137

Zavval

147
He was rescued by the arrival of a Hutt, who came gliding over the mudflat on his repulsorlift sled. A small squad of guards trotted vigorously alongside, panting in the humid heat as they struggled to keep up.
"Zavval!" Teroenza hailed his Hutt overlord, standing respectfully. Feeling like a fool, Han did likewise.
This was the Corellian's first close-up encounter with a Hutt, and he tried not to stare at the creature's huge, recumbent form, the enormous, pouchy eyes amid leathery tan skin, and the green slime that oozed from the corners of the being's mouth. Ugh ... they're even uglier than Teroenza and his crew, Han thought. He reminded himself that Hutts had been civilised for probably longer than his own species — but he still couldn't quite eliminate the revulsion their appearance caused.

Solo meets a Hutt for the first time: Zavval at the mudbath

177
"... Nal Hutta's two systems away, and it'll take us four days, maybe five.

Implies that Ylesia and Nal Hutta are moderately close, but not so close that there exists any direct hyperjump route between them. It is necessary to pass through at least one intermediate system. the sectors in which the planets are located are probably separated by a distance which would be visible on an map of the galactic disk, but not a really great fraction of the Empire's span.

182
"... This unfortunate individual revealed — before succumbing to a weak heart — that he was recruited and sent on is villainous missions by you and your great-nephew, Jabba. ..."

Jiliac = Jabba's great uncle

190
He nodded shortly. "Very well, wife-to-be. I swear to you, I will be a good husband. It is my fondest wish that we will be blessed with many children."

How is it possible for a human and a zisian to produce children? Either these two individuals have little understanding of biology, or the zisians are actually a racial sub-group of a greater human species.

199

torsk from Alzoc III

215

corvette

222

Togoria

223
Overhead, Han spotted a large flying creature, and realised it must be one of the mosgoths Muuurgh had told him were the principal means of travel on Togoria. Mosgoths were large flying lizards, very intelligent. Togorians had domesticated mosgoths long ago. Each species worked together to protect each other against even larger winged reptiles, the deadly liphons who stole both togorian cubs and mosgoth eggs.

creatures: liphons and mosgoths

230
As they stroled through the breakers, Han told her more about his determination to get into the Imperial Academy. "People look up to an Imperial officer," he said. "Nobody's ever looked up to me for anything, before, but if I can get in, that's all going to change. I'll be able to turn my life around, Bria. I'll neve have to steal or smuggle or cheat anyone again."

Han declares his ambition. This passage gives the impression that in most parts of galactic society, the Imperial Navy is esteemed highly and without question. The rebels and their cause are very far from mainstream thinking.

250
He disembarked from the shuttle in the port city of Tyrena and went to a lockbox office, where he retrieved a few hundred credits and a set of "clean" IDs for one "Jenos Idanian." Then he went off to a branch of the Imperial Bank and opened an account, using the credits and ID.

An important galactic institution is named: the Imperial Bank.
Note that the name Jenos Idanian is an anagram for Indiana Jones, both of whom were played by the same actor.

251
He held back his favourite treasure, though, a tiny golden statue of a long-extinct Corellian paledor. it was beautiful, and its eyes were flawless Keral fire-gems.

creature: Corellian paledor, an extinct animal of Corellia which possessed more than one eye. The extinction is presumably due to human settlement on the planet, like that which has been brought to a greater state of completion on Coruscant and the other more advanced Core worlds.

260-262

Coruscant, described in lavish detail.

262
"I took a look at the Imperial guards. They were all armed. I saw security guards on Alderaan, and none of the ones I saw were armed. So it's a good bet whoever they would be going up against wasn't either. But these Imperials are armed, and wearing armour, too. Gotta be a reason for it."

Solo considers what seem to be the Coruscant Guards, the metropolitain stormtroopers who keep peace in the Imperial capital. These are the red-armoured soldier/police seen in Shadows of the Empire.

262-263
"I'm gonna feel strange walking into that bank tomorrow, with no blaster at my side," Han said, looking sadly at his empty thigh.
"Come on, Han," she whispered, "of all the places in the world, they wouldn't let you walk into a bank armed!"
"Why not?" Han asked. "It's not like a guy could swipe the credits. They don't keep hardly any credit disks there, or coins either. It's all electronic data entry onto personal IDs. Good system," he added thoughtfully. "Saves on guards."

Banking security in the Galactic Empire.

264
"Nici the Specialist. Glow Spider," she repeated. "Where is it?"
"Level 132, megablock 17, block 5, subblock 12," Han recited. "Memorise that perfectly. This world is a maze, Bria."
...
When he came back to Bria, she saw that he had a palm-sized locator computer. "How much did that cost?" she asked, eyeing it worriedly. Their funds from the sale of the Ylesian yacht were running low.
"Only twenty," Han said. "This world's too easy to get lost on, I figure. All I gotta do is enter our destination, like this ..." Squinting with concentration, he entered, "Level 86, megablock 4, block 2, subblock 13 ..."
"What's that?"
"The place where I got us a room for tonight," Han answered, not looking up. "And ... there!"
Directions from their present location appeared on the screen. "First we take turbolist down to levle 16 ..." Han muttered, looking around. "There!"

Glow Spider and underworld contact Nici the Specialist.
Navigation and addressing on Coruscant. The level numbers appear to count downwards from the roof level rather than upwards from the ground.

267

Imperial Bank, Coruscant

274
He was now almost twleve hundred stories down. Approximately thirty-six hundred metres below where he'd started at the top level at the Imperial Bank.

The depth of the buildings in this part of Imperial city is about 3.6km, over two miles.

279

Public communications between Coruscant and Corellia

287

Hall of Admissions

288
"Hello," he said. "My name is Han Solo, and I'd like to apply for admission into the Imperial Academy. I've always wanted to be a Naval officer."
...
Minutes later the clerk handed Han's IDs back to him and offered a remote smile. "Everything checks out, Solo. You can begin the application and testing process today. Are you aware that over fifty percent of candidates are not accepted? And that fifty percent of those accepted neve rcomplete their course at the Academy?"
"Yes, sir, I am," Han said. "But I'm determined to try. I'm a good pilot."
"The Emperor needs good pilots," the man said, his smile actually genuine for a moment. "Very well, let's get you started ...".

Solo begins application for entry to the Imperial Academy. Less than a quarter of the initial applicants actually graduate from the Academy.

289

questions: Daedalon; Noolian Crisis;

290
Every day, the candidates practiced piloting in a variety of different situations. Han did well, and knew he'd passed each test. Only one off-note was struck — one of Han's testing officers (human instructors were used during this portion) commented sourly to the other instructors that he felt stricken because it was highly irregular for a cadet candidate to fly a shuttle through Emperor Palpatine's Arch of Triumph on Imperial Centre, rather than above it.
He frightened several thousand Imperial citizens! We received hundreds of complaints!" the officer sputtered.
the head testing officer shrugged. "Nobody was injured, right?"
"Correct, sir."
"Then Cadet Candidate Solo's score stands. those citizens could use a little excitement from time to time. Good for their circulation," the head officer decided.

Arch of Triumph, a significatn public monument on Coruscant.
Solo demonstrates his reckless and innovative piloting tendencies.

291
.. he would be slated for remedial studies in that area, should he pass and be accepted into the Academy.
Not surprisingly, "Music" was among those areas, as was "Ancient Pre-Republic History," "Interspatial Quantum Physics," and "Nonlinear Hyperspace Geometry."

Subjects which are determined to be Solo's points of weakness.

292
Once out of the brightest glare of the lights, Han leaned against a railing and tried to see the stars. He picked out one or two of the brightest, but the horizon completely overshadowed the heavens. Red and green auroras shimmered and flickered, seemingly painted against the blackness by some mad, gargantuan artist. It was a breathtaking view.

Coruscant's night sky; drowned in light pollustion from the dazzling City and aurorae.

304
The transport Imperator lay waiting for them on the landing field. Soon, the cadets would be boarding it for their trip to Carida, the military training world. Han smiled a little as he studied its lines, its oversized dorsal fin. A Corellian corvette. How fitting ...

The humble transport ship seems to have been assigned the same name as the star destroyer Imperator, the first of its famous class, constructed at Gyndine early in Palpatine's reign. Considering that the Imperial Starfleet must consist of at least millions of vessels of all sizes, it is inevitable that many ship names are used repeatedly.
Solo is honoured with assignment to the elite Caridan Academy, not merely any ordinary sector Academy.

306
... noncommissioned officer was standing beside the lieutenant, giving orders. "Imperial cadets! Assemble in ranks!"
There was general confusion for a second, then the lines of cadets formed into ranks. "We will board the transport ship in rows. No talking, and pick up your feet."
Silence fell. Han was in Row 4. He stood as straight as he could, looking neither left nor right, waiting for his orders to move. From somewhere, the martial theme of the Imperial Navy began playing in the background.

The martial theme of the Imperial Navy is played. A novel cannot convey literal sound, so the reader is left forever to wonder whether this theme is the same as the "Imperial March" which is used as Lord Vader's theme in The Empire Strikes Back, Shadows of the Empire and Return of the Jedi.

The Paradise Snare
PAGE	QUOTATION	COMMENTS
1	The ancient troopship, a relic from the Clone Wars, hung in orbit over the planet Corellia, silent and seemingly derelict. Looks were decieving, however. The old Liberator-class vessel, once called guardian of the Republic, now had a new life as Trader's Luck. The interior had been gutted and refitted with a motley assortment of living environments, and now contained nearly one hundred sentient beings, many of them humanoid.	Liberator-class troopship dating from the Clone Wars. Perhpas the upcoming prequel films will briefly show one of these vessels in the background?
2	One of his fellow players, a hulking Elomin suddenly turned his tusked head to glance behind him. A light on one of the auxiliary "status" panels was blinking. The huge , shaggy-furred Elomin grunted, then said in gutteral Basic, ... The giant being wrinkled his tusked snout.	Here the Elomin species is treated according to its original definition: the race to which "The Mole" in Jabba's palace belongs. This was contradicted by Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, which invented a near-like species with the same name, because the sourcebook author unfortunately knew less about the species than Timothy Zahn. Aliens: Enemies and Allies, published several years later, went some way towards atoning for the error: it stated that there were two intelligent species on the planet Elom. Now The Paradise Snare brings us back to the original correct definition, introducing Barfid the Elomin as a member of the species seen in Return of the Jedi, which Zahn had intended as opponents of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
5	Ahead of him, the near tunnel widened out, and Han realised he was almost at his destination. Only a few more miutes, he told himself, continuing to move with a stealthy grace that made his progress as soundless as that of a wonat's furred toe-pads.	creature: wonat reference to a creature which haas furry toes, renowned for its silent movement.
15		acceleration patterns
16	Mentally, Han pictured them thrusting away from Trader's Luck, out of the embrace of Corellia's gravity field. Closing his eyes, he pictured his homeworld turning lazily against the backdrop of stars. Corellia was a pretty planet, with narrow blue seas, green-brown forests, tan deserts, and large cities. On the nightside it glittered like a battle remote studded with lights...	planet: Corellia Solo considers the features of the planet Corellia. Interestingly, it has significant areas whch are not clad by cities, although much of the planet aslo seems to be urbanised. A Core world of Corellia's supposed importance should be more heavily settled, like Coruscant. Perhaps this is an indication that Corellia has been much overrated in other STAR WARS novels. Otherwise, perhaps this impression of Corellia is distorted by Solo's interests: for a boy living aboard a spacecraft, the natural, under-urbanised terrains of a planet would assume exagerrated significance. According to the SWCCG card, Corellia is largely covered by grey city, interspersed with patchy seas and marginal areas of greenish unihabited land.
17		Solo's promise
18-19	A year or so later, Isshaddik had been killed during a smuggling run to Nar Hekka, one of the worlds in the Hutt sector.	planet: Nar Hekka Huttese name for an inhabited world in Hutt Space. The translation of "Nal Hutta" is "Glorious Jewel" "Hutta" is probably "glorious", which is how the Hutts view themselves. Perhaps "Nar" and "Nal" are generic and related, possibly designations for "world" with the last consonant varied to connote different levels of prestige. "Nar" may be a diminutive form. Perhaps "Nar" is "small jewel" or "rock" and "Nal" is "big jewel". Nar Hekka may then be a smaller world, like Nar Shaada.
22		creature: vrelts
27		R2 unit "new"
33	Han began using rhe manual interface mode to disengage the hyperdrive. Altering course and speed could only be done in realspace.	Course alterations are difficult or inconvenient to accomplish while in hyperspace, although it has rarely been done under extreme circumstances by powerful and well-tuned naval vessels, like the Imperator-class star destroyer Emancipator entering the Battle of Calamari.
42		Solo family
43	Just a few weeks past, Hand had been attending such a school — a school so well known that it had merited a visit from the famous Senator Garm Bel Iblis. Han had raised his hand and asked the Senator two questions that had been insightful and intelligent enough to make the Senator really notice him. After class was over, Bel Iblis had stopped Han, shaken his hand, and asked him his name. Han had glanced around quickly, seeing that nobody else was within earshot, and proudly told the Senator his real name. It had felt great to be able to do that ...	Solo recalls his recent encounter with a respected Imperial Senator, Garm Bel Iblis. They would meet again many years later, during the campaign against Grand Admiral Thrawn [Dark Force Rising].
46	The person who'd grabbed him was head and shoulders taller than the younger boy. He had darker hair than Han, and was stockier as well. But it was his face that made Han stand staring at him in blank amazement. Han gaped, speechless, at the older boy. If he'd ever doubted that he was really related to the Solo family, those doubts died an instant death. The face of the youth who was holding his arm looked like an older version of the face Han saw in the mirror every morning. Not that they were twins or anything. But there was too much resemblance in their features to be coincidence. The same shape of the brown eyes, the same kind of the lips, the same quirk to the eyebrows ... the same nose and jawline ... The other boy was gaping back at Han, having evidently noticed the same thing. "Hey!" He shook Han's arm roughly. "Who are you?" "My name is Han Solo," Han replied steadily. "You must be Thracken Sal-Solo."	Introduction of Han Solo's cousin, who later becomes a villain of the Corellian trilogy.
59		alien, Vykk Draygo
60		Teroenza
62		fake identification
65		t'landa Til; spice
74		Muurrgh
81-82		Togorian habits
89	Then as he focused his eyes, he slowly made out oily, pebbled blackness barely visible against the black stone wall. But there were eyes in the midst of that blackness — beady reddish-orange eyes. Four of them. Han squinted, holding still, straining his vision. Then he saw two blasters, each strapped to a warty black thigh. Aar'aa! he realised. The Aar'aa were an alien species from a planet on the other side of the galaxy. Denizens of Aar could gradually change colour to match the colour of the background behind them. This ability made them very difficult to see, especially in darkness.	planet: Aar aliens: Aar'aa
98	The visitors were ushered into the room by an ancient Zisian majordomo, whom Teroenza addressed as "Ganar Tos." The Zisian was humanoid, but he had wrinkly green skin that hung in flaccid wattles from his receding chinline. His orange eyes were rheumy, and he snuffled constantly, as though he had a sinus infection.	aliens: Zisian
107		jump
112	As his fingers clicked on the comm unit, the vid-screen filled with an image of a kindly looking man with a little, dark haired girl sitting on his lap. Han was startled, then realised that this message was prerecorded, and played to every ship on an approach vector. A voice-over identified the man: "His Majesty, Bail Prestor Organa, Viceroy and First Chairman." The man smiled into the screen. "Greetings. On behalf of myself and my people, I bid you welcome to Alderaan."	The King of Alderaan is identified according to an amalgamation of both the names given by contradictory references: "Prestor" in the A New Hope: Radio Dramatisation, and "Bail Organa" in the A New Hope novel. Application of the term "Viceroy" implies that, although Organa is King of his own people, in a different sense he reigns as the local representative of a greater sovereign: presumably the Emperor Palpatine.
122	Obviously, the man's "talk" had been a not-so-veiled warning to stop trying to sell his cargo. He'd have to take it back to Ylesia. There weren't any other planets close enough to reach so he could make the sale.	This reference almost seems to imply that Ylesia and Alderaan are nearby systems, perhaps in the same sector. This is odd since other references seem to imply that Ylesia is close to either Corellia or Hutt Space. They can't all be close to each other. Perhaps Solo is also considering factors other than raw proximity, like the time involved in making side-trips and the time constraints imposed by the Ylesians' expectations for his return.
124		interstellar communications
126		Aryn Dro & Bornan Thul
137		Zavval
147	He was rescued by the arrival of a Hutt, who came gliding over the mudflat on his repulsorlift sled. A small squad of guards trotted vigorously alongside, panting in the humid heat as they struggled to keep up. "Zavval!" Teroenza hailed his Hutt overlord, standing respectfully. Feeling like a fool, Han did likewise. This was the Corellian's first close-up encounter with a Hutt, and he tried not to stare at the creature's huge, recumbent form, the enormous, pouchy eyes amid leathery tan skin, and the green slime that oozed from the corners of the being's mouth. Ugh ... they're even uglier than Teroenza and his crew, Han thought. He reminded himself that Hutts had been civilised for probably longer than his own species — but he still couldn't quite eliminate the revulsion their appearance caused.	Solo meets a Hutt for the first time: Zavval at the mudbath
177	"... Nal Hutta's two systems away, and it'll take us four days, maybe five.	Implies that Ylesia and Nal Hutta are moderately close, but not so close that there exists any direct hyperjump route between them. It is necessary to pass through at least one intermediate system. the sectors in which the planets are located are probably separated by a distance which would be visible on an map of the galactic disk, but not a really great fraction of the Empire's span.
182	"... This unfortunate individual revealed — before succumbing to a weak heart — that he was recruited and sent on is villainous missions by you and your great-nephew, Jabba. ..."	Jiliac = Jabba's great uncle
190	He nodded shortly. "Very well, wife-to-be. I swear to you, I will be a good husband. It is my fondest wish that we will be blessed with many children."	How is it possible for a human and a zisian to produce children? Either these two individuals have little understanding of biology, or the zisians are actually a racial sub-group of a greater human species.
199		torsk from Alzoc III
215		corvette
222		Togoria
223	Overhead, Han spotted a large flying creature, and realised it must be one of the mosgoths Muuurgh had told him were the principal means of travel on Togoria. Mosgoths were large flying lizards, very intelligent. Togorians had domesticated mosgoths long ago. Each species worked together to protect each other against even larger winged reptiles, the deadly liphons who stole both togorian cubs and mosgoth eggs.	creatures: liphons and mosgoths
230	As they stroled through the breakers, Han told her more about his determination to get into the Imperial Academy. "People look up to an Imperial officer," he said. "Nobody's ever looked up to me for anything, before, but if I can get in, that's all going to change. I'll be able to turn my life around, Bria. I'll neve have to steal or smuggle or cheat anyone again."	Han declares his ambition. This passage gives the impression that in most parts of galactic society, the Imperial Navy is esteemed highly and without question. The rebels and their cause are very far from mainstream thinking.
250	He disembarked from the shuttle in the port city of Tyrena and went to a lockbox office, where he retrieved a few hundred credits and a set of "clean" IDs for one "Jenos Idanian." Then he went off to a branch of the Imperial Bank and opened an account, using the credits and ID.	An important galactic institution is named: the Imperial Bank. Note that the name Jenos Idanian is an anagram for Indiana Jones, both of whom were played by the same actor.
251	He held back his favourite treasure, though, a tiny golden statue of a long-extinct Corellian paledor. it was beautiful, and its eyes were flawless Keral fire-gems.	creature: Corellian paledor, an extinct animal of Corellia which possessed more than one eye. The extinction is presumably due to human settlement on the planet, like that which has been brought to a greater state of completion on Coruscant and the other more advanced Core worlds.
260-262		Coruscant, described in lavish detail.
262	"I took a look at the Imperial guards. They were all armed. I saw security guards on Alderaan, and none of the ones I saw were armed. So it's a good bet whoever they would be going up against wasn't either. But these Imperials are armed, and wearing armour, too. Gotta be a reason for it."	Solo considers what seem to be the Coruscant Guards, the metropolitain stormtroopers who keep peace in the Imperial capital. These are the red-armoured soldier/police seen in Shadows of the Empire.
262-263	"I'm gonna feel strange walking into that bank tomorrow, with no blaster at my side," Han said, looking sadly at his empty thigh. "Come on, Han," she whispered, "of all the places in the world, they wouldn't let you walk into a bank armed!" "Why not?" Han asked. "It's not like a guy could swipe the credits. They don't keep hardly any credit disks there, or coins either. It's all electronic data entry onto personal IDs. Good system," he added thoughtfully. "Saves on guards."	Banking security in the Galactic Empire.
264	"Nici the Specialist. Glow Spider," she repeated. "Where is it?" "Level 132, megablock 17, block 5, subblock 12," Han recited. "Memorise that perfectly. This world is a maze, Bria." ... When he came back to Bria, she saw that he had a palm-sized locator computer. "How much did that cost?" she asked, eyeing it worriedly. Their funds from the sale of the Ylesian yacht were running low. "Only twenty," Han said. "This world's too easy to get lost on, I figure. All I gotta do is enter our destination, like this ..." Squinting with concentration, he entered, "Level 86, megablock 4, block 2, subblock 13 ..." "What's that?" "The place where I got us a room for tonight," Han answered, not looking up. "And ... there!" Directions from their present location appeared on the screen. "First we take turbolist down to levle 16 ..." Han muttered, looking around. "There!"	Glow Spider and underworld contact Nici the Specialist. Navigation and addressing on Coruscant. The level numbers appear to count downwards from the roof level rather than upwards from the ground.
267		Imperial Bank, Coruscant
274	He was now almost twleve hundred stories down. Approximately thirty-six hundred metres below where he'd started at the top level at the Imperial Bank.	The depth of the buildings in this part of Imperial city is about 3.6km, over two miles.
279		Public communications between Coruscant and Corellia
287		Hall of Admissions
288	"Hello," he said. "My name is Han Solo, and I'd like to apply for admission into the Imperial Academy. I've always wanted to be a Naval officer." ... Minutes later the clerk handed Han's IDs back to him and offered a remote smile. "Everything checks out, Solo. You can begin the application and testing process today. Are you aware that over fifty percent of candidates are not accepted? And that fifty percent of those accepted neve rcomplete their course at the Academy?" "Yes, sir, I am," Han said. "But I'm determined to try. I'm a good pilot." "The Emperor needs good pilots," the man said, his smile actually genuine for a moment. "Very well, let's get you started ...".	Solo begins application for entry to the Imperial Academy. Less than a quarter of the initial applicants actually graduate from the Academy.
289		questions: Daedalon; Noolian Crisis;
290	Every day, the candidates practiced piloting in a variety of different situations. Han did well, and knew he'd passed each test. Only one off-note was struck — one of Han's testing officers (human instructors were used during this portion) commented sourly to the other instructors that he felt stricken because it was highly irregular for a cadet candidate to fly a shuttle through Emperor Palpatine's Arch of Triumph on Imperial Centre, rather than above it. He frightened several thousand Imperial citizens! We received hundreds of complaints!" the officer sputtered. the head testing officer shrugged. "Nobody was injured, right?" "Correct, sir." "Then Cadet Candidate Solo's score stands. those citizens could use a little excitement from time to time. Good for their circulation," the head officer decided.	Arch of Triumph, a significatn public monument on Coruscant. Solo demonstrates his reckless and innovative piloting tendencies.
291	.. he would be slated for remedial studies in that area, should he pass and be accepted into the Academy. Not surprisingly, "Music" was among those areas, as was "Ancient Pre-Republic History," "Interspatial Quantum Physics," and "Nonlinear Hyperspace Geometry."	Subjects which are determined to be Solo's points of weakness.
292	Once out of the brightest glare of the lights, Han leaned against a railing and tried to see the stars. He picked out one or two of the brightest, but the horizon completely overshadowed the heavens. Red and green auroras shimmered and flickered, seemingly painted against the blackness by some mad, gargantuan artist. It was a breathtaking view.	Coruscant's night sky; drowned in light pollustion from the dazzling City and aurorae.
304	The transport Imperator lay waiting for them on the landing field. Soon, the cadets would be boarding it for their trip to Carida, the military training world. Han smiled a little as he studied its lines, its oversized dorsal fin. A Corellian corvette. How fitting ...	The humble transport ship seems to have been assigned the same name as the star destroyer Imperator, the first of its famous class, constructed at Gyndine early in Palpatine's reign. Considering that the Imperial Starfleet must consist of at least millions of vessels of all sizes, it is inevitable that many ship names are used repeatedly. Solo is honoured with assignment to the elite Caridan Academy, not merely any ordinary sector Academy.
306	... noncommissioned officer was standing beside the lieutenant, giving orders. "Imperial cadets! Assemble in ranks!" There was general confusion for a second, then the lines of cadets formed into ranks. "We will board the transport ship in rows. No talking, and pick up your feet." Silence fell. Han was in Row 4. He stood as straight as he could, looking neither left nor right, waiting for his orders to move. From somewhere, the martial theme of the Imperial Navy began playing in the background.	The martial theme of the Imperial Navy is played. A novel cannot convey literal sound, so the reader is left forever to wonder whether this theme is the same as the "Imperial March" which is used as Lord Vader's theme in The Empire Strikes Back, Shadows of the Empire and Return of the Jedi.

Return to STAR WARS Novel References.
Return to STAR WARS Technical Commentaries.
Return to Curtis Saxton home page.
Original content is © copyright Curtis Saxton 1997.
Last updated 25 November 1997.
Online since January 1, 1997.

This page was constructed and is maintained by Curtis Saxton <swtc@theforce.net>.
This page is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Lucasfilm Ltd.
Illustrations included in or linked from this page are copyright Lucasfilm Ltd. and are used here under Fair Useage terms of copyright law.
This site is kindly hosted by TheForce.net.