Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi — The Golden Age of the Sith

Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith is a sub-series of the Tales of the Jedi series of comics. It ran from July 1, 1996 to February 1, 1997, then compiled as a trade paperback on August 6, 1997.

It tells the story leading up to the Great Hyperspace War, as well as the final battle in the Unification Wars of the Koros system.

Publisher's summary
The history of the Old Republic has become legend: how the bold explorations of young Gav and Jori Daragon brought two galactic empires crashing together, how Odan-Urr became a powerful Jedi, and how the seven worlds of the Koros system were finally united by the wise and skilled Empress Teta.

Five millennia before the birth of Luke Skywalker and the fall of Palpatine's Empire, our story unfolds&hellip;

Plot summary
Odan-Urr was studying Jedi history when his master, Ooroo, sent him to the Koros system to help Empress Teta fight the Unification Wars and unite the seven worlds located in the system. Once he arrived on Cinnagar he helped to conquer the last planet, Kirrek, with a technique he had learned about in his studies, battle meditation. But even with this technique he couldn't prevent casualties from occurring; among them were two blockade runners, Hok and Timar Daragon. With their parents dead, Gav and Jori Daragon got their ship, Starbreaker 12, back from Aarrba the Hutt who was holding it back as collateral.

With the ship Gav and Jori had become hyperspace explorers, but their latest route proved less then successful; they just barely made it through. They made it back to Cinnagar, but their ship was heavily damaged. Aarrba the Hutt agreed to make the repairs, but he wouldn't give their ship back until they had paid all the bills.

Ssk Kahorr sent one of his drone ships along the route discovered by Gav and Jori, but it was destroyed when it passed too close to Primus Goluud, a red supergiant. Ssk Kahorr wasn't pleased with this and sent two bounty hunters after the two hyperspace explorers. But they were saved by two Jedi, Odan-Urr and Memit Nadill. They advised them to leave the Koros system, because it was not safe for them. Gav and Jori stole back the Starbreaker 12 and desperately fled the system with random hyperspace coordinates.

On Korriban on the far side of the galaxy, a funeral procession was held for Marka Ragnos, a Dark Lord of the Sith. The procession was lead by Ludo Kressh, but just when the tomb is about to be closed, his nemesis arrived, Naga Sadow. A fight about who should be the next Dark Lord ensued between the two rivals, but they were stopped by the ghost of Marka Ragnos, who warned them of what was to come.

Meanwhile, back in the Koros system, Odan-Urr had a premonition about the evil Jedi banished centuries ago. He told Empress Teta about his dreams, and she promised that she would raise the matter on Coruscant.

Back on Korriban, the Starbreaker 12 arrived and Gav and Jori were captured by the Sith forces.

On Ziost, the Sith Lords discussed what to do with the prisoners. After a long debate it was decided to have Gav and Jori killed. But Naga Sadow, seeing in these prisoners a chance to expand the Sith Empire, did not give up that easily. He sent one of his Massassi warriors to retrieve the weapons on their ship. He hatched a plan to capture the prisoners for himself and use them to regain contact with the Republic.

Together with his most loyal Massassi warriors, he freed the Daragons. But to keep his identity hidden from the other Sith Lords, he had to kill everyone in his path, including his old mentor Simus. He left a Republic blaster behind, to let others think it was an attack by the Republic. Gav and Jori were sent to his stronghold on Khar Shian and Sadow returned to Ziost where an urgent meeting was held between the Sith Lords. The other Sith Lords were indecisive about what to do and in the confusion he claimed to be named the new Dark Lord of the Sith. The other Sith Lords, except Ludo Kressh and his supporters, agreed.

Sadow immediately called upon the others to prepare their ships and warriors so they could attack the Republic first.

Empress Teta and her two Jedi advisors had arrived at Coruscant, where she addressed the Senate about Odan-Urr's premonition, but the people listening did not believe her. Even without the help of the Republic, Teta decided to prepare her own forces.

In Naga Sadow's hidden fortress on the dark side of Kar Shian, Gav Daragon was trained in the ways of the Sith by Naga Sadow.

Naga Sadow sent his Massassi warriors to retrieve the Starbreaker 12 from Ziost and then traveled to his decoy fortress on Khar Delba, where Jori Daragon was held. On Ziost, Sadow's loyal Massassi stole the Starbreaker 12, but not without leaving evidence of their Master's involvement. Ludo Kressh discoved this evidence, and together with his supporters, Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram, he prepared to attack Sadow's fortress on Khar Delba. Meanwhile the Starbreaker 12 arrived there.

Ludo Kressh' forces had arrived at Khar Delba and had opened fire at Sadow's apparently defenseless fortress. Naga Sadow convinced Jori Daragon that she must return to the Republic before the fortress is destroyed. Reluctant to leave her brother behind she agreed. After the Starbreaker 12 had escaped to hyperspace, Sadow called in his fleet that he had hidden on the dark side of Khar Shian. But that was not all; Massassi warriors on the ships of Horak-mul and Dol Gal-ram killed the Sith Lords and directed their fire on the ships of Ludo Kressh, who had no choice but to retreat. After this victory, Naga Sadow prepared his forces to invade the Republic, using the tracing beacon hidden on the Starbreaker 12.

Issues

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 0: Conquest and Unification
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 1: Into the Unknown
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 2: Funeral for a Dark Lord
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 3: The Fabric of an Empire
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 4: Pawns of a Sith Lord
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 5: The Flight of Starbreaker 12

Collections

 * The Golden Age of the Sith
 * Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi Volume 1