Before the Storm

Before the Storm
Attribution information
Author(s)	Michael P. Kube-McDowell
Cover artist	Drew Struzan
Publication information
Publisher	Bantam Spectra
Release date	March 1996
Media type	Paperback eBook
Pages	336
ISBN	9780553572735
Chronology
Timeline	4 ABY (In flashback(s)) 16 ABY–17 ABY
Series	The Black Fleet Crisis
Followed by	Shield of Lies

Before the Storm is a Star Wars Legends novel written by Michael P. Kube-McDowell. It is the first book in the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy, and it was first published in March 1996. A sequel, Shield of Lies, was published later that year.

Publisher's summary

In the blockbuster bestselling tradition of Heir to the Empire comes this thrilling addition to the Star Wars saga, as peace gives way to a dire new threat…

It is a time of tranquillity for the New Republic. The remnants of the Empire now lie in complete disarray, and the reemergence of the Jedi Knights has brought power and prestige to the fledgling government on Coruscant. Yesterday's Rebels have become today's administrators and diplomats, and the factions that fought against Imperial tyranny seem united in savoring the fruits of peace.

But the peace is short-lived. A restless Luke must journey to his mother's homeworld in a desperate and dangerous quest to find her people. An adventurous Lando must seize a mysterious spacecraft that has weapons of enormous destructive power and an unknown mission. And Leia, a living symbol of the New Republic's triumph, must face down a ruthless leader of the Duskhan League, an arrogant Yevetha who seems bent on a genocidal war that could shatter the fragile unity of the New Republic…and threaten its very survival.

Continuity

The Imperial Order of Battle discovered in a crippled Star Destroyer is named in reference to the author's daughter. It consists of her initials and date of birth (given in the dedication).

Media

Editions

American

• ISBN 9780553572735; March 1996; Bantam Spectra; US paperback
• ISBN 9780307796301; June 28, 2011; Del Rey; US eBook

International

• Heyne-Verlag; German-language hardcover
• ISBN 9788427021679; 1997; Ediciones Martínez Roca, S.A.; Spanish-language edition
• ISBN 3453136721; 1998; Heyne-Verlag; German-language paperback
• March 1999; Amber; Polish-language edition
• ISBN 9545285141; 2005; Trud; Bulgarian-language paperback
• ISBN 9785699232864; October 2007; Eksmo Publishing; Russian-language edition

Cover gallery

Full cover art, by Drew Struzan US paperback German-language hardcover German-language paperback Polish-language edition Russian-language edition Japanese-language edition Japanese-language edition

Appearances

By type

Characters	Organisms	Droid models	Events	Locations
Organizations and titles	Sentient species	Vehicles and vessels	Weapons and technology	Miscellanea

Characters

Etahn A'baht (First appearance) Gial Ackbar Akanah / Lady Anna (First appearance) Alole (First appearance) Padmé Amidala (Indirect mention only) Wedge Antilles Archimar (First mentioned) Baintorf (First mentioned) Behn-kihl-nahm (First appearance) Dar Bille (First appearance) C-3PO Lando Calrissian Mother Calrissian (Mentioned only) Chewbacca DA-1 (First appearance) DA-2 (First appearance) Natasi Daala (Mentioned only) Jan Dodonna (Mentioned only) Miranda Doni (First mentioned) Hiram Drayson Vor Duull (First appearance) Nanaod Engh (First appearance) Fall Topas (First mentioned) Turat Il Feen (First appearance) Gabby (First appearance) Gotagei (First mentioned) Bijo Hammax (First appearance) Hannser (First appearance) Ijix Harona (First appearance) Hatirma Havighasu (First mentioned) Hethrir (Mentioned only) Hodidiji (First appearance) Hodo (First appearance) Mara Jade (Mentioned only) Ji (First mentioned) Jiod (First appearance) Obi-Wan Kenobi (Mentioned only) Jobath Knox (First appearance) Aitro Koornacht (First mentioned) Kiles L'toth (First appearance) Beru Whitesun Lars (Mentioned only) Owen Lars (Mentioned only) Lilatb (First appearance) Lobot Lumpawaroo (Mentioned only) Makki (First appearance) Mallatobuck (Indirect mention only) Cian Marook (First appearance) Marty (First appearance) Mistal (Mentioned only) Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn" (Mentioned only) Morano (First mentioned) Jarse Motempe (First appearance) Mon Mothma (Mentioned only) Nashira (First mentioned) Negus Nigekus (First appearance) Cair Tok Noimm (First appearance)

Vol Noorr (First appearance) Isela Talsava Norand (as Isela) (First mentioned) Noria (First mentioned) Norika (First mentioned) Ayddar Nylykerka (First appearance) Oolas (First appearance) Bail Prestor Organa (Mentioned only) Breha Organa (Indirect mention only) Belezaboth Ourn (First appearance) Paffen (First appearance) (as Force illusion) Ejagga Pakkpekatt (First appearance) Eri Palle (First appearance) Palpatine (Mentioned only) Jian Paret (First appearance) Tig Peramis (First appearance) Plat Hovath (First mentioned) Plat Mallar (First appearance) Preedu III (First mentioned) Norda Proi (First appearance) R2-D2 R7-T1 (First appearance) Carlist Rieekan Rulffe (First appearance) Skids (First appearance) SM-1 (First appearance) SM-2 (First appearance) SM-3 (First appearance) SM-4 (First appearance) SM-5 (First appearance) SM-6 (First appearance) Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader (Mentioned only) Luke Skywalker Syub Snunb Anakin Solo Han Solo Jacen Solo Jaina Solo Leia Organa Solo Nil Spaar (First appearance) Stanz (First mentioned) Streen Cassio Tagge (Mentioned only) Durga Besadii Tai (Mentioned only) Taisdan (First appearance) Tanea (First appearance) Wilhuff Tarkin (Mentioned only) Tionne (Mentioned only) Jabba Desilijic Tiure (Mentioned only) Toma (First mentioned) Jip Toorr (First appearance) Esege Tuketu (First appearance) Unidentified yard boss (First appearance) Uta (First mentioned) Wialu (First appearance) Winter (Mentioned only) Tolik Yar (First appearance) Yoda (Mentioned only)

Organisms

Carrion deathbird (First mentioned) Cowlpup (First appearance) Dog (Mentioned only) Kitehawk (First appearance) Horse (Mentioned only) Nackhawn (First mentioned) Ralltiir tiger (Mentioned only) Rancor (Mentioned only) Sandfrog (First mentioned) Seamote Sea shrike (First appearance) Stonebat (First appearance) Tauntaun (Mentioned only) Wolf (Mentioned only)

Droid models

Astromech droid R2-series astromech droid R7-series astromech droid Butler droid DA-series droid (First appearance) Interrogator droid (Mentioned only) Medical droid MD-7 medical droid (First appearance) Pilot droid Power droid Protocol droid 3PO-series protocol droid E-series protocol droid (First mentioned) Recorder droid Reconnaissance drone (First mentioned) Security droid Sentry droid (Mentioned only) SM-series scavenger droid (First appearance) Surveillance droid (First mentioned) Tug droid (First mentioned) Valet droid (First appearance)

Events

Battle of Endor (Mentioned only) Battle of Hoth (Mentioned only) Battle of Orinda (First mentioned) Battle of Yavin (Mentioned only) Clone Wars (Mentioned only) Second Battle of Coruscant (Indirect mention only) Great Jedi Purge (Indirect mention only) Kidnapping on Munto Codru (Mentioned only) Mission to Teljkon Vagabond (First appearance) Operation Flotsam (First appearance) Operation Hammerblow (First appearance) Rescue of Princess Leia (Mentioned only) Second Birth (First mentioned) Third General Survey (First mentioned) Thrawn campaign (Indirect mention only) Wedding of Han Solo and Leia Organa (Mentioned only) Yevethan Purge / Great Purge (First appearance) Battle of Polneye (First appearance) Yevethan Uprising (First appearance) (In flashback(s))

Locations

Alderaan (Mentioned only) Baraboo (First mentioned) Bespin Cloud City Bessimir (First appearance) Alpha moon (First appearance) Brath Qella (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only) Brigia (Mentioned only) Byss (Mentioned only) Carratos (First mentioned) Chandrila (Mentioned only) Core (Mentioned only) Corellia/Legends (Mentioned only) Cortina (First mentioned) Corridan sector (First mentioned) Coruscant Darth Vader's Coruscant fortress retreat (First appearance) (re-created by Luke Skywalker) Duraka (First mentioned) Grand Hall Great Western Sea (First appearance) Imperial City Alliance War Museum (First mentioned) Eastport (First appearance) Imperial Palace New Republic Defense Force headquarters (First appearance) Newport (First mentioned) Presidential residence (First appearance) Senate Building Memorial Corridor (First appearance) Senate Chamber Velocidrome (First mentioned) Westport (Mentioned only) Manarai Mountains Surtsey (First mentioned) Victory Lake (First appearance) Admiral Ackbar's residence (First appearance) Dagobah (Mentioned only) Derra IV (Mentioned only) Dornea (First mentioned) Endor (Mentioned only) Farlax sector (First appearance) Galantos (First mentioned) Koornacht Cluster (First appearance) Doornik-319 / Morning's Bell (First appearance) (Appears in hologram) Doornik-1142 (First appearance) J't'p'tan (First appearance) N'zoth (First mentioned) New Brigia (First appearance) Pit 4 (First appearance) Pirol-5 (First appearance) Polneye (First appearance) Eleven North (First appearance) Eleven South (First appearance) Fourteen North (First appearance) Nine North (First appearance) Nine South (First appearance) Ten South (First appearance) 10S Technical Institute (First appearance) Three North (First mentioned) Twelve North (First appearance) Wakiza (First mentioned) Zhina (First mentioned) Wehttam (First mentioned) Woqua (First mentioned)

Gaios (First mentioned) Gmar Askilon (First appearance) Haarkan (First mentioned) Hakassi (First mentioned) Hatawa sector (First appearance) The Marais (First mentioned) Hoth (Mentioned only) Hrasskis (First mentioned) Ihopek (First mentioned) Inner Line Jandur (First mentioned) Joruna (First mentioned) Kashyyyk (Mentioned only) Kho Nai (First mentioned) Kokash sector (First mentioned) Lucazec (First appearance) Big Hill (First mentioned) Crown Pass Road (First mentioned) East District Trail (First appearance) Hastings Watershed (First appearance) Ialtra (First appearance) Jisasu (First mentioned) Kaa (First appearance) North Plateau (First appearance) The Towers (First mentioned) Morath Nebula (First mentioned) Narth (First mentioned) Narvath (First mentioned) Noryath (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only) Notak (First appearance) Nouane (First mentioned) Obroa-skai (Mentioned only) Orinda (First mentioned) Paig (First mentioned) Paqwepori (First mentioned) Praff Run (First mentioned) Praxlis sector (First mentioned) Pyjridj (First mentioned) Qalita Prime (First mentioned) Rishi (Mentioned only) Rudrig (Mentioned only) Seventh Security Zone (First mentioned) Walalla (First mentioned) Tamban (First mentioned) Tammar (First mentioned) Tatoo I (Indirect mention only) Tatoo II (Indirect mention only) Tatooine (Mentioned only) Teljkon system (First mentioned) Teyr (First mentioned) Toprawa (Mentioned only) Torranix sector (First mentioned) Widek (First mentioned) Yag'Dhul (Mentioned only) (as "Givin") Yavin Yavin 4 Great Temple Jedi Praxeum Temple Atun (First appearance) Zone 90 East (First appearance)

Organizations and titles

Alderaan's Council of Elders Ambassador Astrographic Survey Institute (First appearance) Baron Black market (Mentioned only) Chandrila Defense Fleet (First mentioned) Coruscant Global Newsgrid Coruscant Air Traffic Control Dornean Navy (First mentioned) Duchess (Mentioned only) Duskhan League (First appearance) Majordomo (Mentioned only) Primate (First appearance) Proctor of information science (First appearance) Viceroy (First appearance) Etaias (First appearance) Fallanassi (First appearance) Galactic Empire (Mentioned only) Galactic Emperor (Mentioned only) Grand Admiral (Mentioned only) Grand Moff (Mentioned only) Imperial governor (Mentioned only) Stormtrooper (Mentioned only) Imperial Fleet (Mentioned only) Black Sword Command (First mentioned) Galactic Republic "Old Republic" (Mentioned only) H'kig (First mentioned) Incom Corporation (Mentioned only) Institute for Sentient Studies (First mentioned) Miner Moisture farmer (Mentioned only) New Jedi Order Jedi apprentice (Mentioned only) Jedi Master Obroan Institute for Archaeology (First mentioned) Pirate (Mentioned only) Poranji (First mentioned) Prinawe Princess Prisoner (Mentioned only) Rebel Alliance (Mentioned only) Right Earl (First mentioned) Sienar Fleet Systems (Mentioned only) Sith (Mentioned only) Dark Lord (Mentioned only) Smuggler (Mentioned only) SoroSuub Corporation (Mentioned only) Warlord (Mentioned only)

New Republic / New Empire Chairman Chief of State First Administrator New Republic Defense Fleet Admiral Battle management (First appearance) Captain Colonel Commodore (Mentioned only) Deck officer Ensign General Helmsman Joint Defense Operations Staff New Republic Fifth Battle Group (First appearance) 24th Bombardment Squadron Black Flight (First appearance) Black Leader Green Flight Green Leader Red Flight (First appearance) Red Leader Red Two Red Three Blackfire Flight (First appearance) Lieutenant First Fleet (First mentioned) Second Fleet (First mentioned) New Republic Intelligence Service Alpha Blue (First appearance) New Republic Fleet Intelligence (First appearance) Asset Tracking (First appearance) New Republic Prime Newsgrid (First appearance) New Republic Ruling Council (First appearance) New Republic Senate Chair of the Senate / Chairman Council on the Common Defense (First appearance) President of the Senate Senator Science and Technology Council Wehttam (group) (First mentioned) Y'taa (First mentioned)

Sentient species

Ahra Naffi (First mentioned) Belovian (First mentioned) Bothan (Mentioned only) Brigian Corasgh (First mentioned) Donadi (First mentioned) Dornean (First appearance) Fian (First appearance) Gamorrean Grannan (First appearance) Hortek (First appearance) Hrasskis (First appearance) Human Polneyi (First appearance) Hutt (Mentioned only) Ka'aa (First mentioned) Khotta (First mentioned) Kubaz (Mentioned only)

Massassi (Mentioned only) Mon Calamari Morath (First mentioned) Narvath (First appearance) Oolid (First appearance) Paqwe (First appearance) Qella (First mentioned) Qonet (First mentioned) Tammarian (First appearance) Twi'lek (Mentioned only) Verpine Wookiee Yevetha (First appearance)

Vehicles and vessels

Agave-class picket ship "Interdiction picket" (First appearance) Kauri (First appearance) Adventurer (First appearance) Mud Sloth (First appearance) All Terrain Armored Transport "AT-AT" (Mentioned only) Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wing "Assault gunboat" (Mentioned only) Another Chance (First mentioned) Aramadia-class thrustship (First appearance) Aramadia (First appearance) Astrogator-class probe ship (First appearance) Astrolabe (First appearance) B-wing starfighter (Mentioned only) Beauty (First mentioned) Belarus-class medium cruiser (First appearance) Glorious (First appearance) Number Five External Hard Dock (First appearance) Blessings (First mentioned) Boldheart (First mentioned) BTL-S8 K-wing assault starfighter (First appearance) Calamari water skimmer Cart D-type fighter "Yevethan starfighter" (First appearance) Death Star I (Mentioned only) Death Star II (Mentioned only) Defender-class assault carrier (as an assault cruiser) (First appearance) Drone fighter E-wing escort starfighter EX-F / Glory (First mentioned) Endurance-class fleet carrier (as a fleet carrier) (First appearance) Endurance (First mentioned) Intrepid (First appearance) Escape pod (Mentioned only) Executor-class Star Dreadnought Knight Hammer (Mentioned only) Intimidator / Pride of Yevetha (First appearance) Reaper (Indirect mention only) Ferret-class reconnaissance vessel (First appearance) D-89 (First appearance) IX-26 (First mentioned) IX-44F (First appearance) Foresight (First mentioned) Freebird (First mentioned) Hajen-class fleet tender (as a transport) (First appearance) Ahazi (First appearance) Honor (First appearance) Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Gnisnal (First appearance)

Imperious (First appearance) Interdictor (Mentioned only) Katana fleet (Mentioned only) Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser (Mentioned only) Landspeeder (Mentioned only) Mother's Valkyrie (First appearance) Liberty (First appearance) Nebula-class Star Destroyer (First appearance) (as New Republic Star Destroyer) Brilliant (First appearance) Resolve (First appearance) Orbital jumper (First appearance) Prowler-class reconnaissance vessel (First appearance) 5P8 (First appearance) Prinawe racer (First appearance) Lightning Purity (First appearance) Redoubtable (First appearance) RZ-1 A-wing interceptor Selonia (First mentioned) Shuttle (Mentioned only) Tydirium (Indirect mention only) Skimmer Speeder Airspeeder Star Dream (First appearance) Steadfast "fleet hauler" (First appearance) T-16 skyhopper (Mentioned only) T-65 X-wing starfighter (Mentioned only) Teljkon Vagabond (First appearance) TIE/IN interceptor TIE/ln space superiority starfighter (as a toy) TIE/rc starfighter (First appearance) TIE/sa bomber (Mentioned only) Spacetug Victory-class Star Destroyer Harridan (First mentioned) Devotion / Valorous (First appearance) Warrior-class gunship (as a gunboat) (First appearance) Marauder (First appearance) Yacht Lady Luck Yevethan dropship (First appearance) Yevethan ground skimmer (First appearance) Yevethan scout fighter (First appearance) YT-1300 light freighter Millennium Falcon

Weapons and technology

Acceleration couch / flight couch Aircart (First appearance) Anti-personnel blaster Aradian pulse-lifter (First appearance) Audio telescope (First mentioned) Autofiring laser cannon (First mentioned) Autopilot Bacta tank Blaster rifle Borg Construct Aj^6 Ceremonial dagger Chit (Mentioned only) Chrono Cofferdam Combat armor Comlink Burst-transmission comlink Headset comlink Comm station Comm unit Computer Cryotank (First mentioned) Cryptocomm (First appearance) Datacard Datapad Deceleration thruster Deflector emitter (First appearance) Deflector shield Durasteel Emergency buoy Environment suit Flechétte missile (First appearance) Hemostat (Mentioned only) Holocam Hologram Holomap HoloNet (Mentioned only) Hoverjet (First appearance) HVs-2 hypervelocity gun (First appearance) Hyperdrive (Mentioned only) Hyperdrive motivator Hypercomm / Hyperspace comm (First appearance) Hyperspace transponder

ID card Interdiction field Ion cannon Laser cannon L-s9.3 laser cannon Lightsaber Limpet (First mentioned) Medical cocoon (Mentioned only) Memory bank Memory wipe (Mentioned only) New Republic hypernet (First mentioned) Optical-laser pulse (First appearance) Particle shield Penetration bomb (First appearance) Personal energy shield Photoamplifier Planetary shield Poacher's bomb (First mentioned) Power coupling Proton torpedo (Mentioned only) Pulse cannon Ray shield Refresher (Mentioned only) Sanitary entry station Scanner Scrub chamber Sienar Systems augmentor (First appearance) (misspelled "Seinar") Sleeper mine (First appearance) Slug cannon SM-series scavenger droid Thermal detonator (Mentioned only) Torque wrench Tractor beam Transparisteel Trim thruster Turbolaser Turbolift Twin ion engine Universal Data Exchange Wing de-icer YT-1300 battery regulator (First mentioned)

Miscellanea

Ahred AK031995 (First appearance) Aleph-lamed-zayin-shin (First appearance) Articles of Withdrawal (First appearance) Asteroid (Mentioned only) Barlaz (First mentioned) Basic Binary Bolo-ball (Mentioned only) Books of Massassi (First mentioned) Brightgum (First mentioned) Calamari blessing pot (First mentioned) Channel 1 (First appearance) Channel 11 (First appearance) Channel 81 (First appearance) Chromite Clarinet (First mentioned) Class 1 pass Class Four Cold (Mentioned only) D9020616 (First mentioned) Darna Death Star plans (Mentioned only) Donadi stain-painting (First mentioned) Dornean brandy (First appearance) Dragonjuice Durasteel Egg (Mentioned only) The Force / White Current Dark side of the Force (Mentioned only) Force cloak Force immersion (First appearance) Force jump Force storm (Mentioned only) Meditation Mind trick Force illusion Telekinesis Force Pull Saber Throw Foss (First appearance) Historical Battle Site Preservation Act (First mentioned) House of Organa Hundred Prescriptions of Alsidas (First mentioned) Hyperspace I have a bad feeling about this Insignia of the New Republic Intersystem Library Exchange (First mentioned)

Isophane (First appearance) Jedi training Jewel of Haarkan (as an exclamation) Kesslerite lounging chair (First appearance) Lifath Life debt Lightsaber combat (Indirect mention only) Mara-nas Massassi language "Sith symbology" (Mentioned only) May the Force be with you Naris-bud tea (First mentioned) Nebula (Mentioned only) New Republic Common Charter (First mentioned) Noreti (First appearance) Noryath meatbread (First appearance) Orbital bombardment Order of Battle Ormachek (First mentioned) Para-roll (First appearance) Parsec Pawei juice (First appearance) Plasteel Quarrelgrass (First mentioned) Quartz (First appearance) Quicksand (Mentioned only) Radiation (Mentioned only) Rebreather Sabacc (Mentioned only) Salt (Mentioned only) Sanitizer (First mentioned) Shyriiwook Silicon Slave (Mentioned only) Snubfighter (Mentioned only) Spaceport Standard Time (First appearance) Stomach (Mentioned only) Tatooine sand cape The Shooter (First appearance) The Sniffer (First appearance) Thunder Alley (First mentioned) Tibanna Tissue (Mentioned only) Universal Data Exchange (First mentioned) Viewport Viewscreen Vortex pool Wallball (Mentioned only) Yavin (deity) (First mentioned) Yevethan (First appearance)

Sources

• Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle, Updated Edition

External links

• Before the Storm: Star Wars Legends (The Black Fleet Crisis) on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link) (Paperback)
• Before the Storm: Star Wars Legends (The Black Fleet Crisis) on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link) (eBook)

The Black Fleet Crisis
Before the Storm (audiobook)	Shield of Lies (audiobook)	Tyrant's Test (audiobook)

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