Rebel Stand: The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines II, a novel penned by Aaron Allston, forms a part of the New Jedi Order series and is the second book in the Enemy Lines duology. It saw publication on May 28, 2002.
The Jedi face a level of monstrous evil unseen since the reign of Emperor Palpatine. The galaxy's fate hangs in the balance, dependent on their triumph against overwhelming odds.
Luke Skywalker's valiant endeavor to thwart the Yuuzhan Vong's sinister scheme to topple the New Republic is faltering on every front. Meanwhile, Han and Leia Organa Solo find themselves ensnared on a small world, its leaders on the verge of succumbing to Yuuzhan Vong demands to surrender the Jedi rebels.
On Coruscant, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker have stumbled upon a startling revelation that is impeding the Yuuzhan Vong's complete dominance. However, when the enemy zeroes in on their location, Luke and Mara are plunged into a desperate fight for survival. Suddenly, escape seems almost unattainable. Simultaneously, a separate battle unfolds in space, carrying grave implications for both the New Republic and the Jedi Order itself…
Luke Skywalker, along with Mara Jade Skywalker and Tahiri Veila, makes his way to Coruscant, which has recently fallen. On this planet, they encounter Irek Ismaren, a monstrous being created through genetic engineering. Irek, who murdered his mother Roganda, is posing as Lord Nyax. Nyax, whose mind is almost entirely mechanical, is determined to unlock a Force nexus situated beneath the former Jedi Temple. Elsewhere, acting on advice from Viqi Shesh, Tsavong Lah uncovers a plot among members of the shaper caste and the priest caste to manipulate him via his implant. With assistance from the shaper Nen Yim, Tsavong Lah identifies the conspirators, including Ghithra Dal and Takhaff Uul, and executes them using a rancor.
Han and Leia Organa Solo are journeying to regions of the galaxy most likely to side with the Yuuzhan Vong in exchange for favorable treatment for their own worlds, populations, and especially governments. Han and Leia aim to establish contact with clandestine resistance cells on each world, supporting them to prevent their governments from aligning with the Vong and enabling them to resist the invaders. During a trip to Aphran IV, they are imprisoned, prompting C-3PO and R2-D2 to orchestrate their escape. Han and Leia overcome their captors and flee, leaving the government of Aphran IV unlikely to join the Vong.
Returning to Borleias, Wedge Antilles persists in managing the defenses there, repelling Czulkang Lah's forces for the majority of the events and reinforcing the Yuuzhan Vong's notion that Jaina Solo embodies their Trickster goddess Yun-Harla and that pipefighters could serve as a superweapon against Coruscant's defense fleet.
On Coruscant, the team deduces that Irek seeks access to something after finding survivors working mindlessly on an excavation. However, their presence does not go unnoticed, as a group of twenty Yuuzhan Vong warriors led by Denua Ku arrives to confront Irek. Recognizing the need for all available assistance, Luke, Mara, and Tahiri join the fray.
During the conflict, a massive construction droid causes the floor to collapse. Irek escapes, and the team pursues him. Eventually, they reach a wall that the construction droid is demolishing, where Irek awaits. Luke, Mara, and Tahiri engage him once more. Unexpectedly, the construction droid breaches the wall, unleashing the Force Nexus during the battle.
Once the barrier is broken, Nyax submerges himself in the mountain's energies and elevates himself through the Temple Ziggurat's roof.
The five spires of the Jedi Council had fallen and were scattered as rubble on the Temple roof. A gaping hole marked the former location of the Temple Spire, from which Nyax emerged, emitting Force energies. Denua Ku marveled at the cyborg's raw combat prowess, but during the battle, he was hurled against the debris and impaled by a rebar spar.
After a grueling mental battle with Irek, Luke, Mara, and Tahiri proceed to the construction droid to evacuate the survivors, who are no longer under Irek's sway. By this point, Coralskippers have arrived and are attacking the construction droid. Amplified by the Nexus, the Jedi employ the Force to hurl debris at the Coralskippers.
After intercepting Irek, Luke and Mara create a diversion while Tahiri ambushes him. As he is overwhelmed, the roof they are on collapses, pulling Irek down with it.
Following Nyax's demise and during the strike team's departure from Coruscant, they encounter Viqi Shesh, who was dispatched to the planet to capture them. Simultaneously, the dying Denua Ku catches up with her. The Kuati woman is shocked when Denua Ku reappears, mortally wounded and vowing to kill her. Shesh chooses suicide to avoid capture and likely death at the hands of either side.
Upon their return to Borleias, the strike team discovers the Lusankya in a state of severe disrepair, which is ultimately part of General Antilles's strategy. Using the pipefighters to distract Czulkang Lah's forces from the real weapon, the Lusankya is crashed into the Domain Hul worldship, executing Operation Emperor's Spear and achieving the objectives Antilles set for himself and the Borleias defense crew in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. The final battle of the New Republic campaign at Borleias also results in the death of Yuuzhan Vong veteran coralskipper pilot Charat Kraal, who had been involved in the Vong occupation of the planet since before the New Republic invasion.
The New Republic relinquished Borleias after their defensive victory, which ultimately granted the government significant time to strategize their subsequent actions and alliances, precisely as then-Chief of State Pwoe had instructed the fleet to do.
- ISBN 9780345428684 , June 2002 , Del Rey , 366 pages, Paperback.
- ISBN 978-80-252-1674-3 ; March 8, 2011 , EGMONT ČR , Czech paperback ( Nový řád Jedi. Nepřátelské linie II - Bašta rebelů ), 248 pages. Czech language.