Fool's Bargain is a Legends novella which was written by Timothy Zahn in 2004 and was originally in eBook format. The story is a supplement to his novel Survivor's Quest and was subsequently included in the paperback version which was published on December 28, 2004 by Del Rey. Fool's Bargain details the exploits of the 501st Legion shortly before the events of the novel. It is the only book that is completely dedicated to Imperial stormtroopers and that shows a story solely from their point of view.
Publisher's summary[]
THE EMPIRE STRIKES A DEAL
The history of the planet Kariek has been one of seemingly endless violence— thanks to the constantly erupting revolutions among the many divided tribes of the native Eickarie race battling for dominance. Yet none of these tribes has held sway since a mysterious Warlord and his legion of alien mercenaries seized power and began a fifty-year reign of terror.
Now, at last, the tide may be turning: the leaders of the warring Eickarie factions have forged an alliance—strong enough to capture a city and corner the Warlord and his minions in their fortress. And the post-Palpatine Empire of the Hand is lending support to this revolt against tyranny by deploying no less a fighting force than the Imperial 501st Legion of stormtroopers.
Once infamously known as “Vader’s Fist,” the legendary 501st are the best men for the dangerous objective at hand—capturing the Warlord alive. It’s a risky mission that might be jeopardized when Imperial unit commander Twister and his comrades, Shadow, Cloud, and Watchman, are waylaid by a band of zealous freedom fighters, armed with their own agenda . . . and plenty of firepower. The Eickarie renegades—determined to free hundreds of their people from the Warlord’s dungeons—have an offer to make, and a strategy that could give the Imperials the edge in the bloody showdown to come. But can Twister and his men trust their new allies? Or will they get more than they bargain for?
This novella includes an excerpt from the novel STAR WARS: SURVIVOR’S QUEST by Timothy Zahn and an interview with the author.
Plot summary[]
In a disguised transport, Aurek Company of the 501st Legion prepares to attack the stronghold of the Warlord in order to free the Eickarie people. The troopers of Unit Aurek-Seven leave the transport and proceed to the alleyway they have been assigned to. The Eickarie named Su-mil emerges from a nearby cantina and invites the stormtroopers into a building where they make a bargain: the troopers help to free the Eickarie prisoners before attempting to capture the Warlord in exchange for a way into the fortress.
The Eickaries and stormtroopers use an underground passage and gain entry to the fortress, where they fight their way to the prison area. After convincing the Eickarie prisoners to join the battle, they split up. Two stormtroopers and many Eickaries returned to the city via the tunnel well the other troopers and Eickaries proceeded to the center of the fortress. After fighting past an ambush, the second party secures the fortress and captures the Warlord. Twister then invites Su-mil to join the Empire of the Hand. Su-mil accepts and joins Aurek-seven.
Appearances[]
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
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Droid models
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Events
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Locations
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Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
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Vehicles and vessels
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Weapons and technology
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Miscellanea
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Sources[]
Coming Soon: Fool's Bargain on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑
Coming Soon: Fool's Bargain on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ The Essential Reader's Companion establishes that the plot of Survivor's Quest is set in 22 ABY and that Fool's Bargain is set right before it.