The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream

Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, part of the New Jedi Order series and first book of the Enemy Lines Duology, is a novel by Aaron Allston, published on March 26, 2002. An excerpt was included in the paperback version of Cloak of Deception.

The book tells of the New Republic response, led by Wedge Antilles, to the Yuuzhan Vong's capture of the galactic capital of Coruscant. Old friends and heroes of the New Republic, including Luke Skywalker, Han and Leia Solo, Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, as well as Jaina Solo, are brought together in a seemingly impossible defense of Borleias against overwhelming forces.

Publisher's summary
As the Yuuzhan Vong's devastating conquests continue unchecked, Luke Skywalker, Han and Leia Solo, and Wedge Antilles are forced to destroy what they have risked their lives to create&hellip;

Scattering after the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory Council pause just long enough to set up a mock defense on nearby Borleias&mdash;an attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all the Jedi.

''Leia and Han Solo travel from world to world to foment rebellion against the New Republic's disastrous appeasement policies. But Luke Skywalker has chosen the most dangerous assignment of all: to sneak into the Yuuzhan Vong's stronghold on Coruscant. His outrageous scheme to gain entry is either brilliant or suicidal, depending on the outcome. Bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Yuuzhan Vong invasion fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy's remaining defenders&hellip;''

American

 * ISBN: 0345428668 - Del Rey - 304-Page Paperback.

Foregin

 * ISBN 978-80-252-1597-5, January 18, 2011, EGMONT ČR, 232-page Czech paperback (Nový řád Jedi. Nepřátelské linie I - Sen rebelů).

Plot summary
Wedge Antilles, in command of Fleet Group Three, withdraws from the debacle at Coruscant to the Yuuzhan Vong-held Borleias, intent on re-taking the planet. With a vanguard that includes Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, Corran Horn, Rogue Squadron, and the Wild Knights under Saba Sebatyne's command, the Star Destroyer Mon Mothma blows through enemy defenses, allowing Lando Calrissian and his YVH battle droids to land on the planet, along with other New Republic troops. With the destruction of an enemy rakamat, the planet is quickly secured. Wedge lands his forces at the site of the old Alderaan Biotics facility and prepares to hold the planet, even with no idea of the state of the government or the whereabouts of his family.

Meanwhile, former Kuati senator Viqi Shesh is in Yuuzhan Vong hands, soon to be executed for failing to capture Ben Skywalker. However, she persuades Warmaster Tsavong Lah to let her live by convincing him that his new arm implant is being sabotaged by the shapers and priests.

Back on Borleias, Wedge's plan is complicated by the arrival of Councilor Pwoe and his cronies. With the death of Borsk Fey'lya, Pwoe claims to hold the position of Chief of State. He orders Wedge to hold Borleias in a rearguard defense, but plans to negotiate a settlement with the Yuuzhan Vong. Wedge agrees, but only after wresting control of the Lusankya, free reign over all the forces currently near Borleias, and the freedom to have volunteers join his forces. Pwoe begrudgingly agrees, leaving Wedge to his devices as he flees the planet. Wedge and several other key figures, including the Skywalkers, Lando, and Booster Terrik form a group known as the Insiders to set up resistance cells independent of the New Republic to fight the Vong on both conquered and so-far spared worlds.

More information arrives to Wedge when Wolam Tser, famous documentarian, and his assistant Tam Elgrin arrive from occupied Coruscant. Little does Wolam or the New Republic forces know that Tam is under Yuuzhan Vong mental control, and is forced to spy for them, controlled by Viqi Shesh.

Tsavong Lah responds to the New Republic occupation of Borleias by sending a large war fleet under Wyrpuuk Cha to retake the world and recoup the embarrassment suffered by the Vong there. Wedge plans on a long intensive campaign against the commander, allowing the Yuuzhan Vong to slowly accomplish their goals, but at a horrific price in personnel and material. However, during what was supposed to be an abortive battle, the Lusankya and the Millennium Falcon revert from hyperspace in the middle of the enemy fleet, and Wedge is forced to destroy the Yuuzhan Vong fleet immediately or lose more ships. Fortunately, Danni Quee reports to Wedge that the yammosk coordinators were quickly destroyed, giving the New Republic forces the edge they need to quickly defeat Cha and his fleet.

Wedge, however, is highly displeased. Not only did the arrival of the Super Star Destroyer ruin his plan, but it is crewed with politically inconvenient personnel with little competence or experience. Lusankya master is a mere Commander, named Eldo Davip, on a ship that rates an Admiral commanding it. Han and Leia Organa Solo meet up with Wedge, who recruits them into the Insiders. Their first trip will be to the Maw, to deliver the Jedi survivors of the Mission to Myrkr to safety.

The loss of Cha's fleet irks Tsavong Lah, who is also trying to ferret out any treachery from the shapers and priests. Realizing that a more skilled commander is needed, he consults his father, Czulkang Lah, a famous but aged Yuuzhan Vong tactician who currently teaches young warriors. He convinces Czulkang to take a massive fleet to Borleias and utterly destroy the garrison there. At the same time, he also has Nen Yim brought to him to examine his implants for sabotage.

While on Borleias, Luke Skywalker receives disturbing visions of the dark side of the Force on Coruscant. He begins planning to journey there, a plan strongly objected to by his wife, who insists on being close to the infant Ben. Iella Wessiri, freshly arrived on Borleias, offers the services of New Republic Intelligence, including Wraith Squadron in helping Luke. At the same time, Lando puts together a plan to surprise Yuuzhan Vong forces preying on refugee ships. When a Yuuzhan Vong ship interdicts a refugee ship, they get more than they bargained for when they are ambushed by Rogue Squadron and their boarding team faces Alema Rar and Lando's droids. That Vong team is immediately defeated and terminated in the ensuing engagement.

Meanwhile, Jaina Solo, Kyp Durron, and Jagged Fel arrive on Borleias from Hapes. As Luke is going to Coruscant, he offers command of his own Twin Suns Squadron to Jaina so she can use psychological warfare against the Yuuzhan Vong by posing as an avatar of Yun-Harla, the Vong's Trickster Goddess. Jag and Kyp join this elite squadron also, and with Wedge's permission, Jaina commences her career as a Yuuzhan Vong goddess. While on a practice run, Czulkang Lah's fleet arrives, and one of the ships launches still living hostages on a ballistic course towards Borleias, dooming them to die as fiery meteors. Thanks to trick flying by Jag, Jaina, and Kyp, most of the hostages were saved. However, Wedge realizes that this new commander is much more formidable than Cha had been. To combat this new foe, Wedge concocts the Starlancer Project, a fake superweapon. Lah is quickly apprised of this weapon via Yuuzhan Vong scouts and Tam Elgrin, who has been spying on Danni Quee, but fails to take an opportunity to kill her, thinking that she does not deserve death.

Jaina nearly decides to go to Coruscant with Luke and Mara, who has finally acquiesced and agreed to go with Luke, but Tahiri Veila talks her out of it, telling her that the Yuuzhan Vong place ultimate importance on the Twin sacrifice, and if Jacen is alive, she will be captured and most likely forced to fight to the death by Jaina's presumed dead brother Jacen. Tahiri agrees to go in her stead, leaving Jaina to work things out with Jag and Kyp. However, Jaina remains emotionally distant, isolating herself from others, because the Yuuzhan Vong War had been taking away those whom Jaina loved, such as Chewbacca and her youngest brother Anakin, and Jaina finds that if the war keeps up going as it is, she will be among the dead. She does not want those who love her, such as her parents, her uncle Luke and aunt Mara and others, to grieve deeply for her if she dies, just as Chewbacca and Anakin have died.

Wedge launches a test of the Starlancer weapon while the Millennium Falcon begins its ferrying mission to the Maw and, as expected, Yuuzhan Vong forces converge on the New Republic deception. However, Czulkang Lah is not as interested in destroying the weapon as he is in capturing Jaina Solo, and thanks to a tracking creature fixed by Tam Elgrin, he knows which fighter is hers. Jagged Fel, with the help of a pair of Jedi shadow bombs, blows a hole in the interdiction net, allowing Twin Suns to escape, but is cut off in the process. Jaina refuses to leave him, and she and Kyp Durron disobey Wedge Antilles to rescue him. After they landed, Jag asks Jaina why she rescued him, and she tells him that she's tired of everyone leaving her. Jag tells her that he's not going to leave and, in her place, convinces Wedge Antilles that she did the right thing.

Czulkang Lah, smarting from his failure to capture Jaina, reluctantly prepares an all-out assault on Borleias, egged on by his son, who is convinced of the danger of the Starlancer weapon. After the close encounter with death in combat, Jaina makes up with her mother upon Leia's return to Borleias, settling a years-old score between them.

In the confusion surrounding the launch of the Yuuzhan Vong attack, Lando Calrissian ferries Luke, Mara, Tahiri and the Wraiths to Coruscant, where they descend from orbit onto the planet in disguised drop pods. Though the Record Time is destroyed, Lando escapes in a B-wing starfighter, with YVH 1-1A, back to Borleias.

Back on Borleias, Tam overcomes his brainwashing and confesses everything, preventing the Yuuzhan Vong from tracking Jaina Solo. The New Republic forces, despite the advance warning of the assault, are slowly beaten back by the overwhelming numbers and not even the best efforts of Twin Suns and Rogue Squadron can stop the ground outpost from being taken. However, just as the New Republic troops and pilots are completely surrounded, the Lusankya unleashes a punishing orbital bombardment on the massed Vong troops, annihilating the invasion force. In light of the loss, Czulkang Lah withdraws his forces, and the New Republic forces, rejoined by Lando, celebrate the victory.

Behind the scenes

 * Rebel Dream lists Jaina and Alema as Jedi Knights in its Dramatis Personae. However, they are not Knighted until later in the series with Destiny's Way. It could have simply been referring to all Jedi as Jedi Knights, however, Jaina was promoted to apprentice Jedi Knight at the end of Young Jedi Knights.
 * In chapter eight, Tsavong Lah is said to be fully clothed while on the shaper's table. At the end of the chapter, a shaper is sent to fetch "his garments." Also, on page 116, Borleias is misspelled as Borleious.
 * This novel firmly establishes Jaina Solo and Jagged Fel's relationship that would run beyond the end of this series.