Five millennia before Luke Skywalker was born — and 1,000 years before two young Jedi reawakened a long-dormant evil — the dark power of The Sith held unquestioning rule over the galaxy. For those black-souled, corrupt Jedi, it was a golden age. For the rest of the galaxy, it was a nightmare.
Odan-Urr, Jedi historian on Ossus, has completed his Jedi training. Odan-Urr is interested in ancient lore particularly the history of the Sith. He is familiar with the First Great Schism, the Hundred-Year Darkness, and the Dark Jedi Exiles who established the Sith Empire. Deemed ready, Odan-Urr is sent by his Master Ooroo to fight in the Koros system's Unification Wars alongside Empress Teta.
On the planet Cinnagar in the Koros system, Hok and his wife Timar Daragon work as supply runners for the benevolent Hutt Aarrba, who owns a repair dock. Their children Gav and Jori want to accompany their parents for a supply run to the rebel-held planet of Kirrek. However, Hok refuses since it is too dangerous. Since Aarrba is keeping their ship Starbreaker 12 as collateral, the couple depart in the Shadow Runner.
Meanwhile, Odan-Urr meets with his fellow Jedi Memit Nadill, who serves as Empress Teta's Jedi advisor. The Empress has unified six of the seven worlds in the Koros system through mutual commerce and aid. However, the pirates of Kirrek have rebuffed all attempts, and have been raiding ships. The rebels are still besieging their advanced contingent, and have slaughtered fifty Tetan hostages in retaliation for their last rescue-aid.
While Odan-Urr is not a warrior, he proposes using battle meditation to bring about the defeat of the Kirrek-rebels. He and Memit Nadill fight in the final battle against the rebellion on Kirrek. Using Odan-Urr's battle meditation, the Jedi are able to sway the tide in their favor and eventually win, but Odan-Urr clearly does not enjoy the experience. However, a desperate rebel fires upon Hok and Timar's ship Shadow Runner, killing them.
Following the surrender of the Kirrek-rebels, Odan-Urr despairs at the deaths of Hok and Timar. However, Memit reassures him that the battle could have been much worse had it not been for his battle meditation.
Back on Cinnagar, Aarrba informs a distraught Gav and Jori of their parents' deaths. Taking pity on the Daragons, Aarrba gives Gav and Jori their parent's ship, the Starbreaker 12, which was previously held as collateral, saying their parents "paid for it in blood."
- UPC 761568954166; July 31, 1996;Dark Horse Comics; Direct edition
- ; November 10, 2015; Marvel Comics; Digital edition, Legends
- Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi — The Golden Age of the Sith TPB
- Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Volume 1
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Tales of the Jedi Vol. 2
- Star Wars Legends: Tales of the Jedi Omnibus
- Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition
- Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, New Edition