Star Wars (1998) #36

The legendary John Ostrander wrote the 4-part Twilight story arc in Star Wars #19 - 22 introducing Aayla Secura to Star Wars fans.  He became the regular writer on the title with issue #32 and remained with the title through the name change to Star Wars: Republic with issue #46.  He wrote the majority of the stories for Star Wars: Republic until it ended with issue #83.  He is the writer for the 4-part The Stark Hyperspace War that begins in Star Wars #36.

Master Plo Koon is helping Aayla Secura's regain her memories in the presence of Jedi Council members Master Tholme, Master Mace Windu, and Master Adi Gallia.  Jace Dallin interrupts to say hello to Plo Koon.  Aayla is surprised to see Jace has facial scars which prompts the present Jedi and Jace to tell Aayla about the Stark Hyperspace War, "the last major conflict in the galaxy prior to the battle of Naboo." The war took place 14 years ago, during a time of unrest between the outer rim worlds and the Republic.  A smuggler named Iaco Stark was able to form a coalition of outer rim smugglers, pirates, mercenaries, bounty hunters, and assassins called the Stark Commercial Combine which was large enough to challenge the Trade Federation.  When a processing plant on the planet Thyferra exploded causing Bacta shortages and price increases, the Combine began attacking ships with Bacta supplies.

Nute Gunray takes the issue to the Senate and threatened to increase their droid armies.  Senator Ranulph Tarkin from Eriadu siezes the opportunity to propose a central Republic army, but Senator Finis Valorum opposed a central army and instead proposes diplomacy.  The Jedi are asked to mediate a meeting between the Stark Commercial Combine, the Trade Federation, and the Republic led by the Wookiee Master Tyvokka and his apprentice Plo Koon.  At a Jedi Council meeting, it is revealed the negotations are to take place in secret on the planet Troiken and the Jedi ambassadors will also include Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Adi Gallia.  Master Tholme and Quinlan Vos are assigned by the Council to investigate the processing plant on Thyferra because Tyvokka is suspicous that Bacta is actually scarce.  At the same time, another meeting between Nute Gunray and Ranulph Tarkin is attended by Jace Dallin.  Ranulph blackmails Nute into revealing Troiken as the location for the negotiations.  Ranulph will lead a fleet of ships including those supplied by the Neimoidians to Troiken to bombard the conference site from orbit.

Meanwhile on Thyferra, Tholme and Quinlan are at the destroyed plant and discover the explosion occurred long before it was reported to the galaxy.  A hunter-killer droid attacks the pair, but they are able to easily dispatch it.  Shortly afterwards, the meeting on Troiken unfolds.  When Iaco Stark arrives, the Neimoidian ambassador sends a secret signal to Ranulph Tarkin to begin the attack.  His assembled fleet enters hyperspace as Iaco's men at the meeting pull their weapons on the Republic and Trade Federation delegates.  Iaco reveals he knows about the trap set by the Trade Federation and Ranulph Tarkin.  His group planted a Navcomputer Virus in Ranulph's fleet, causing ships to miscalculate their hyperspace jumps.  Many of the ships are destroyed after exiting hyperspace, but a small percentage, include the ship commanded by Ranulph, are able to make it to Troiken, but the Stark Commercial Combine fleet is there to meet them.  Ioca Stark asks the other delegates to surrender.

Begun the Stark Hyperspace War has!

The cover artwork by Jon Foster depicts Master Tholme and his apprentice Quinlan Vos fighting the hunter-killer droid at the site of the destroyed processing plant on the planet Thyferra.  The characters are highly stylized and hidden in dark shadows, so it is hard to make the connection to specific characters without reading the story inside.  Unfortunately you also cannot tell from the cover that the hunter-killer droid looks like a B1 Battle Droid prototype which is a cool addition by the interior artist Davide Fabbri.

Star Wars #36a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (November 2001)

Reading modern Marvel comics alongside issues from the Dark Horse era reminds me of just how dense the stories were in that older era.  So much is packed into this issue which is deftly told from the point of view of characters who were around during the Stark Hyperspace War.  This Star Wars title is fondly remembered by fans and it is because of story arcs like this one.  John Ostrander is able to weave a complex tale that includes many familiar faces and I am greatly enjoying it.