#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader team up against a threat to the Empire in this thrilling novel from bestselling author Timothy Zahn. 'I have sensed a disturbance in the Force.' Ominous words under any circumstances, but all the more so when uttered by Emperor Palpatine. On Batuu, at the edge of the Unknown Regions, a threat to the Empire is taking root--its existence little more than a glimmer, its consequences as yet unknowable. But it is troubling enough to the Imperial leader to warrant investigation by his most powerful agents: ruthless enforcer Lord Vader and brilliant strategist Grand Admiral Thrawn. Fierce rivals for the Emperor's favor and outspoken adversaries on Imperial affairs--including the Death Star project--the formidable pair seem unlikely partners for such a crucial mission. But the Emperor knows it's not the first time Vader and Thrawn have joined forces. And there's more behind his royal command than either man suspects. In what