The Old Republic: Annihilation

The Old Republic: Annihilation is a novel by Drew Karpyshyn which was released on November 13, 2012. This novel is the fourth entry in the Star Wars: The Old Republic novel series. News of the book was released at the Del Rey Star Wars books panel at the 2011 New York Comic-Con. It takes place just after the events of the Star Wars: The Old Republic class stories and focuses on Theron Shan. The paperback edition was released on October 29, 2013, while the UK paperback was released on May 24, 2013.

Publisher's summary
''The Sith Empire is in flux. The Emperor is missing, presumed dead, and an ambitious Sith Lord’s attempt to seize the throne has ended fatally. Still, Darth Karrid, commander of the fearsome Imperial battle cruiser Ascendant Spear, continues her relentless efforts to achieve total Sith domination of the galaxy.''

''But Karrid's ruthless determination is more than matched in the steely resolve of Theron Shan, whose unfinished business with the Empire could change the course of the war for good. Though the son of a Jedi Master, Theron does not wield the Force—but like his renowned mother, the spirit of rebellion is in his blood. As a top covert agent for the Republic, he struck a crucial blow against the Empire by exposing and destroying a Sith superweapon arsenal—which makes him the ideal operative for a daring and dangerous mission to end Ascendant Spear’s reign of terror.''

''Joined by hot-headed smuggler Teff'ith, with whom he has an inexplicable bond, and wise Jedi warrior Gnost-Dural, Darth Karrid’s former master, Theron must match wits and weapons with a battle-tested crew of the most cold-blooded dark side disciples. But time is brutally short. And if they don’t seize their one chance to succeed, they will surely have countless opportunities to die...''

Plot summary
The novel begins in a flashback in 3666 BBY with the birth of Theron Shan. His mother, Satele Shan, later Grand Master of the Jedi Order, names her son and then reluctantly gives Theron to be raised by Jedi Master Ngani Zho. The novel moves then to the present in 3640 BBY. Now a covert agent with the Republic Strategic Information Service, Theron Shan is on Nar Shaddaa to talk with Morbo the Hutt to plead for the life of Teff'ith, a Twi'lek female smuggler for the Old Tion Brotherhood that Theron has taken under his watch. Morbo the Hutt has decided to have Teff'ith and the crew she is with killed for violating his terms of spice smuggling in his territory. Before talking with Morbo, Theron interrupts a 3 month long SIS operation to free several Republic Military prisoners of war who are being sold by Morbo. Though Theron frees the soldiers, the SIS operation falls apart. Unable to convince Morbo to back off, Theron races to the spaceport. He arrives in time to help Teff'ith, though she is unaware of it, to kill the thugs sent by Morbo. On Coruscant, Director of Republic Strategic Information Service Marcus Trant meets with the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military, Jace Malcom. Together they discuss the state of the Cold War, now turned into the Galactic War. Trant and Malcom plan a new mission to destroy the Ascendant Spear, a dangerous prototype Imperial battle cruiser under the command of Darth Karrid, a Falleen Sith Lord. The mission is planned as a joint operation between the Republic Military, SIS, and the Jedi Order.

Meanwhile, the Dark Council debates possible candidates to be promoted to the council. Darth Marr puts Darth Karrid's name forward, though the Council is hesitant because she was Darth Malgus' apprentice and Malgus attempted to claim the Imperial throne and was branded as a traitor. Added to that, Karrid is a Falleen, not a pure Sith blood or a Human. The council comes to no decision and though Marr assures Karrid and urges her to be patient, she is angry, determined to be on the council. Theron Shan arrives on Coruscant and is escorted to SIS headquarters. He is chewed out by Trant for disobeying orders and causing the mission to fail. Trant reassigns Theron to the Analytics Department as a punishment. He asks Theron to trust him and to being planning a new special mission, Operation End Game. Theron is able to later develop a plan after a call from Teff'ith and the mention of Ziost inspires him. Darth Karrid meanwhile joins the battle over Leritor where she manipulates Darth Gravus into attacking her and she proceeds to destroy him and the Republic forces. The move wins approval from the Dark Council and they decide to let Darth Karrid join them. Shortly there after, Minister Davidge of the Imperial Ministry of Logistics reports to Darth Marr that there is a risk of loosing Boranall and there is a growing number of Republic ships. Darth Karrid agrees to go there to ensure Imperial rule.

On Coruscant, Theron's plans move forward with Jedi Master Gnost-Dural joining the group. Theron has been chosen by Supreme Commander Malcom to lead the operation. After the meeting, Malcom invites Theron to his apartment. During the conversation, Malcom reveals he was in a relationship with Satele Shan and that Theron's birth date confirmed to Malcom that he was Theron's father. The two agree to talk more later and they part on good terms. Theron and Master Gnost-Dural leave for Ziost. They are able to secure a black cipher from Minister Davidge's office. The black cipher allows the SIS to monitor Imperial transmissions and make further plans. Theron goes to see his mother and confronts her about not revealing who his father is. They argue but Satele stands by her position that it was the right course to take. At the she had believed that Jace Malcom could follow the dark side. After Theron leaves, Satele dreams a flashback. It involves an argument she had with Jace Malcom when she confronted him about brutally pursuing Imperial soldiers after the Battle of Alderaan. Malcom refuses to back down and Satele breaks down but decides to break off their 6 month affair and not reveal to him she is pregnant.

Theron and Master Gnost-Dural leave for Desevro. They arrive at Jigani Port where Teff'ith takes them to Gorvich who is living in Maslovar. Gorvich gives Theron a disguise to enter Reaver Station, an Imperial post. There Theron intends to infiltrate the Ascendant Spear. However, he learns that the Empire attacked Ruan causing massive devastation. Theron contacts Malcom and Trant who acknowledge they knew the attack was coming and the next attack will be to Duro. They plan on allowing the attack to go ahead since Ascendant Spear will not be there. Angered, Theron hatches a plan with Gnost-Dural to have the Ascendant Spear take part in the attack forcing Malcom and Trant to send a fleet. Theron also asks to Teff'ith to inform Satele Shan of what is happening to have her convince Malcom to send the fleet. Meanwhile, Gnost-Dural, aiming to force Karrid to take part in the attack, infiltrates the Ascendant Spear and takes on Darth Karrid and several of her Sith apprentices. Gnost-Dural intentionally lets himself be defeated and taken alive. Theron meanwhile sets off a simulated Republic attack. The confusion allows Theron to also get on to the Ascendant Spear where he begins scouting the ship and hacking into the system. Following Theron's request, Teff'ith fights with Gorvich who wants to keep the ship, the Prosperity. She is able to escape and make her way to Coruscant.

Karrid starts torturing Gnost-Dural to find out what he knows. Teff'ith meanwhile arrives on Coruscant and is taken into custody by two Coruscant Security Force police officers. She is able to surprise one of them and take his blaster and forces the other to contact Satele Shan. After arriving on the scene, Satele is told by Teff'ith what has occurred. Gnost-Dural pretends to finally "crack" and "gives up" that he was hoping to keep Karrid away from Duro. Karrid decides to head for Duro. At the same Satele and Teff'ith convince Malcom to send a fleet to Duro to intercept the coming Imperial attack and the Ascendant Spear. When the Imperial fleet under Moff Nezzor arrives, the Republic is waiting under the command of the Aegis and opens fire surprising the Imperials. The Imperials are routed and Nezzor attempts a suicide run but his ship is destroyed. The two remaining Imperial ships attempt to flee but are destroyed by the Ascendant Spear as Karrid arrives and executes them for cowardice. The Ascendant Spear then faces off with the Republic fleet. Theron meanwhile has started to slice the Ascendant Spear's systems. Targeting systems, shields, and sensors go awry or completely offline. Karrid recognizes a slicer on board and prevents further hacks. Theron frees Gnost-Dural who overwhelms his guards and a Sith apprentice.

They both make their way to Karrid's command pod and begin the attack. Karrid's three apprentices attack Gnost-Dural as Theron starts slicing the command console. Meanwhile the Republic fleet is being hammered and Malcom is running of a time. Theron slices in to convince the ship it is damaged causing Karrid to leave her command pod. Moff Lorman fails to take command, unsure if Karrid is still alive. The Republic fleet begins to tear the Ascendant Spear apart and Lorman gives the order to abandon ship. Karrid runs for the command pod and Theron throws is ruined blaster inside, activating it just before the pod closes. The blaster explodes, killing Karrid. Gnost-Dural has meanwhile killed one of the apprentices and the other two flee with the abandon ship order. The Ascendant Spear falls apart, capsizing under the Republic attack. Malcom lets the thousands of escape pods leave the ship while hoping that Theron and Master Gnost-Dural make it out. The two are able to get into Karrid's personal escape pod, moments before the Ascendant Spear is vaporized by a hyper matter explosion. Theron and Gnost-Dural are brought aboard the Aegis and everyone celebrates. Gnost-Dural, Teff'ith, and Theron are awarded the Cross of Glory.

Three days later in the Supreme Commander's office, Malcom meets with Satele Shan, Gnost-Dural, and Director Trant for a debriefing. Theron sends his regrets and is unable to attend. Afterwards, Malcom and Satele discuss Theron as Malcom wants to be closer with his son. Satele tells him to be patient and the two part on good terms. Malcom finds a recording from Theron inviting him to a drink later and Malcom smiles. Meanwhile Theron visits Teff'ith's hotel room and gives her the 10,000 credits promised for delivering the message to Satele Shan. Teff'ith accepts the money but rejects a job offer. Teff'ith tells Theron to stop watching her and leaves. Theron, to himself, vows to watch over Teff'ith because that's what family does. The novel ends.

Continuity
Annihilation was originally unconfirmed as to where the novel falls in the timeline. When Rise of the Hutt Cartel was released, the Codex entry for Darth Acina claimed that she was Darth Hadra's successor instead of Darth Karrid, though this was later remedied, placing Annihilation between the Battle of Ilum but before the events of Rise of the Hutt Cartel. Annihilation focuses on a number of primary characters: Theron Shan and Teff'ith from The Lost Suns, Gnost-Dural from the Galactic Timeline videos, and Satele Shan and Jace Malcom from The Old Republic and its cinematic trailers. Annihilation directly references several elements from The Old Republic, such as Darth Malgus's betrayal on Ilum, the death of the Emperor, and the death of three Dark Councilors on Corellia. The novel was the first to give a name to the SIS Director, who had previously gone unnamed in The Lost Suns; however, the novel did contradict the game and the rest of the metaseries by claiming that the Battle of Alderaan occurred thirty years prior to the novel in 3670 BBY. Annihilation also reveals Theron Shan's father to be Jace Malcom, expanding on the events of the cinematic trailers in which Satele Shan and Malcom appeared. Marcus Trant and Theron Shan have both been featured in promotional material framed as official SIS reports that were released to lead up to Rise of the Hutt Cartel.

Appearances
{{App
 * dramatis personae=
 * Theron Shan; Republic Strategic Information Service agent (Human male)
 * Marcus Trant; Director of Republic Strategic Information Service (Human male)
 * Jace Malcom; Supreme Commander of the Republic Military (Human male)
 * Satele Shan; Grand Master of the Jedi Order (Human female)
 * Gnost-Dural; Jedi Master (Kel Dor male) / "Ess Drellid"
 * Teff'ith; smuggler for the Old Tion Brotherhood (Twi'lek female)
 * Gorvich; smuggler for the Old Tion Brotherhood (Human male)
 * Darth Karrid; Sith Lord (Falleen female) / Kana Terrid
 * Darth Marr; Sith Lord (Human male)
 * Minister Davidge; Imperial Minister of Logistics (Human male)


 * other characters=
 * Frinn
 * Gorwin
 * Darth Gravus
 * Darth Hadra
 * Dorian Janarus
 * Lorman
 * Jace Malcom's receptionist
 * Darth Malgus
 * Darth Mekhis
 * Morbo
 * Darth Mortis
 * Nezzor
 * Ordez
 * Pressik
 * Quux
 * Darth Ravage
 * Darth Rictus
 * Leontyne Saresh
 * Rers Shallit
 * Sith Emperor
 * Unidentified Human male Sith apprentice
 * Unidentified Sith Pureblood female Sith apprentice
 * Vebb
 * Vinn
 * Darth Vowrawn
 * Zedania {{1stm}}
 * Ngani Zho


 * creatures=
 * Tach


 * droids=
 * Medical droid


 * events=
 * Cold War
 * Taris Reclamation Effort
 * Galactic War
 * Battle of Boranall
 * Battle of Ilum {{Imo}}
 * Dromund Kaas operation {{Imo}}
 * First battle of Leritor {{1stm}}
 * Operation End Game
 * Battle of Ruan {{1stm}}
 * Mission to Ziost
 * Mission to Reaver Station }
 * Battle of Duro
 * Operation Transom
 * Second battle of Leritor
 * Great Galactic War
 * Battle of Alderaan
 * Battle of Korriban
 * Treaty of Coruscant


 * locations=
 * The galaxy
 * Alderaan
 * Belsavis
 * Boranall system
 * Boranall
 * Bothawui
 * Core Worlds
 * Alderaan
 * Coruscant
 * Diplomatic Spaceport 27-B
 * Heorem Complex
 * Director's office
 * Jace Malcom's apartment
 * Satele Shan's apartment
 * Senate Building
 * Military wing
 * Supreme Commander's office
 * Theron Shan's apartment
 * Deadalis sector
 * Desevro
 * Jigani Port
 * Crooked Finger
 * Maslovar
 * Gorvich's apartment
 * Reaver Station
 * Dromund Kaas
 * Darth Marr's stronghold
 * Kaas City
 * Imperial Citadel
 * Dark Council chamber
 * Duro
 * Kashyyyk
 * Korriban
 * Manaan
 * Nar Shaddaa
 * Promenade
 * Red Light District
 * Morbo's Paradise
 * Ruan
 * Taris
 * Tython
 * Jedi Temple
 * Yucrales sector
 * Leritor
 * Ziost
 * Market district
 * Orbital Defense Command Center
 * Minister of Logistics' office
 * Ziost (star)


 * organizations=
 * Assassin
 * Bounty hunter
 * Corellian Engineering Corporation
 * Galactic Republic
 * Coruscant Flight Control 473
 * Coruscant Security Force
 * Customs Enforcement Division
 * Police officer
 * Galactic Senate
 * Senator
 * Supreme Chancellor
 * Republic Military
 * Republic Army
 * General
 * Republic Special Forces Division
 * Havoc Squad
 * Republic trooper
 * Republic Navy
 * Admiral
 * Supreme Commander
 * Republic Strategic Information Service
 * Agent
 * Analytics Department
 * Director of Republic Strategic Information Service
 * Spy
 * Jedi Order
 * Grand Master
 * Jedi historian
 * Jedi Knight
 * Jedi Master
 * Padawan
 * Old Tion Brotherhood
 * Shan family
 * Sith Empire
 * Dark Council
 * Spheres of Influence
 * Sphere of Defense of the Empire
 * Sphere of Laws and Justice
 * Sphere of Military Offense
 * Sphere of Production and Logistics
 * Sphere of Technology
 * Ministry of Intelligence
 * Imperial Intelligence
 * Ministry of Logistics
 * Minister of Logistics
 * Ministry of War
 * Minister of War
 * Moff
 * Imperial Military
 * Imperial Army
 * Imperial soldier
 * Major
 * Imperial Navy
 * Captain
 * Sith Order
 * Darth
 * Sith apprentice
 * Sith Lord
 * Tion Hegemony
 * Desevro Customs
 * Customs official
 * Ziost Liberation Front "ZLF"


 * species=
 * Advozse
 * Cathar
 * Falleen
 * Gamorrean
 * Houk
 * Human
 * Hutt
 * Kel Dor
 * Neimoidian
 * Rodian
 * Sith
 * Twi'lek


 * vehicles=
 * Ascendant Spear
 * Command pod
 * Airspeeder
 * BT-7 Thunderclap
 * Delta-class carrier
 * Extempus
 * Fury-class Imperial interceptor
 * Hammerhead-class cruiser
 * Harrower-class dreadnought
 * Exemplar
 * Hoverbike
 * Sojourner
 * Speeder
 * Swoop bike
 * Terminus-class destroyer
 * Dravilla
 * Thranta-class corvette
 * TZ-6 executive shuttle
 * Prosperity
 * Valor-class cruiser
 * Aegis
 * Mardorus
 * Wanderer-class transport


 * technology=
 * Black cipher
 * Blaster
 * Blaster pistol
 * Breath mask
 * Cybernetics
 * Datapad
 * Deflector shield
 * Hologram
 * Holoscreen
 * Ion cannon
 * Lightsaber
 * Medkit
 * Nav computer
 * Stun cuffs
 * Thermal detonator
 * Theron Shan's bracers
 * Turbolaser
 * Turbolift
 * Vibroblade

}}
 * miscellanea=
 * Alderaanian wine
 * Basic
 * Corellian Reserve
 * Cross of Glory
 * Durasteel
 * The Force
 * Dark side of the Force
 * Force vision
 * Meditation
 * Oneness
 * Force-sensitive
 * Galactic Constitution
 * 36 war-time provisions
 * Helium
 * Hyperspace
 * Jedi robe
 * Kolto
 * Kri'gee
 * Old High Gamorrese
 * Orbital bombardment
 * Slave
 * Spaceport
 * Spice
 * Tattoo
 * Time
 * 3667 BBY
 * 3666 BBY
 * Torture
 * Trash compactor