Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

Stealing the plans for the Death Star may be the Rebels' main mission in the upcoming movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but the new Star Wars novel Rogue One: Catalyst puts a human face on the Empire’s super-weapon of mass destruction.

Out Nov. 15, author James Luceno’s Catalyst (Del Rey) acts as a leadup to the Rogue One film (in theaters Dec. 16) by focusing on two characters who play important roles in the construction of the Death Star, talented scientist Galen Erso (played in Rogue One by Mads Mikkelsen) and ambitious Imperial officer Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). Also receiving an introduction: Felicity Jones’ new Star Wars heroine Jyn Erso.

Pablo Hidalgo, a creative executive in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Story Group, promises that the book will answer some of the questions about the history of the moon-sized Death Star, which annihilated the planet Alderaan — and later was blown up by Luke Skywalker — in 1977’s original Star Wars film.

“Everyone knows about the Death Star as this way-larger-than-life concept,” Hidalgo says. “It’s hard to wrap your head around this weapon that’s so powerful. But this is the idea of understanding who were some of its architects and what were they thinking?

“It’s no accident that we’ve taken a look at the Manhattan project and what was happening at Los Alamos laboratories during the tail end of World War II. Being able to look at that kind of thing through history and then apply the Star Wars filter to it is really fascinating.”

Krennic is a mastermind but Galen is the genius, and the former needs the secrets that are in the latter’s mind in order to fulfill this dream project, Hidalgo says. “We jokingly refer to it as like Mozart and Salieri or even Jobs and Wozniak. It’s these opposites that come together.”

Their character dynamic reminds Hidalgo of The Social Network, with “all the twists and turns that those kinds of relationships can take in the development of something as big as, in this case, the Death Star and not Facebook."

The schematics of the Death Star are first seen in the prequel Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, so Catalyst goes all the way back to the Clone Wars in its story. Grand Moff Tarkin, a villain well known from the original Star Wars movie, figures prominently as does Galen’s family, including his wife Lyra and daughter Jyn. In the exclusive excerpt below, Krennic meets baby Jyn for the first time as Galen is being sprung from prison.

“One of the great opportunities we have with Jyn, unlike some of our heroes in a Star Wars film, is she knows her past,” Hidalgo explains. “She knows her parents. She knows where she came from. So we’re able to take these characters and really flesh them out because we have this grounding of them actually established in the context of the film.”

Jyn’s a little girl throughout Catalyst, but once folks see her as a young woman in the movie, Hidalgo says, “you start to see puzzle pieces start to connect and you’ll understand things about Jyn from reading this book that you might not have otherwise.”

Read an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 5 of Star Wars: Rogue One: Catalyst.

The tall gates swung open and suddenly Galen Erso was standing alongside the carriage, bracketed by two prison guards, looking much thinner than Lyra allowed herself to admit. The guards, however, made no effort to restrain him when he shuffled to her, embracing her and Jyn for a long moment.

“You look lovelier than ever,” he said, stepping back to take them in. His eyes went to Jyn. “Let me hold her.”

Lyra passed Jyn to him. Carefully he peeled away the swaddling that masked her face and smiled more broadly than Lyra had ever seen him smile. Jyn stirred in his arms, and Lyra said: “She remembers you, Galen.”

“She’s beautiful,” he said, inspecting her face. “Her eyes have changed color.”

Lyra nodded. “They’re sort of flecked.”

“Stardust,” Galen said. “That’s what’s in her eyes.”

“Galen, what’s happening?” Lyra risked asking. “Why have we been brought here. They’re not going to—”

“I haven’t been told anything. They took me out of my cell before dawn.”

“The same with us. I’m worried.”

“Don’t be.” He showed her his grimy hands. “See? No restraints. And no one has brandished a weapon at me all morning.”

Lyra didn’t find much relief in it. “Could they be sending us somewhere else? Is there a worse prison?”

Before he could reply, one of the guards ordered Galen up into the carriage.

He did as instructed, and the drivers snapped their whips over the heads of the lead taqwa, who set off at a brisk pace. The carriage’s wooden wheels bounded over bumps and ruts, and Lyra inadvertently bit down on her tongue. When Tambolor had disappeared from view, Galen raised himself up on the bench seat to take a look around.

“We’re heading for the spaceport.”

Lyra’s eyes widened. “You don’t think—”

“I don’t want to jinx anything by thinking.”

As if on cue, a starship appeared high overhead and began a very controlled descent toward the landing zone.

Galen squinted at the emblem emblazoned on the light-freighter’s underbelly. “Zerpen!”

Lyra put the edge of her hand to her brow and followed his gaze. “Since when does Zerpen Industries fly anything that ragged?”

Galen ignored the question. “I knew they wouldn’t forget us.”

Lyra gave her head a shake, as if to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She hugged Jyn closer as the Zerpen vessel settled on its trio of landing gear, blasting everyone with grit. The boarding ramp lowered and a sole figure in a white environment suit similarly emblazoned with the company logo descended to the pad. Lyra felt her jaw drop, and when she turned to Galen she saw that he too was agape.

“Orson Krennic?” she whispered.

He nodded, seemingly incapable of speaking or looking away

“But—”

“We need to play this by ear,” Galen managed.

Their captors met Krennic halfway, and the three of them stood regarding one another for a long moment.

Krennic looked around with purpose before speaking. “Which of you is in charge?”

Chieftain Gruppe answered him in Basic. “The Dergue has granted me authority to settle this matter.”

Krennic opened his jacket and pulled out a datapad, calling Gruppe’s attention to something on the display screen, “Satisfied?”

Gruppe nodded and Krennic handed the datapad to the chieftain. “Yours to keep.”

Gruppe dropped the datapad into one of her coat pockets and motioned to where Galen and Lyra were standing. “I don’t suppose there’s any need to introduce you.”

Krennic grinned and sauntered over to them. Reaching for Galen’s hand, he said: “Dr. Erso, I’m so relieved to find you in good health.” He turned to Lyra while he was still pumping Galen’s hand. “And Mrs. Erso, and—oh, my, is this the child?”

Lyra had her mouth open to respond but nothing emerged.

“May I have a peek?”

She moved Jyn forward and removed the wrappings that covered her face.

“Precious! She looks just like you!”

Business-like once more, Krennic returned to the boarding ramp. “Dr. Erso, if you and your wife would be so kind as to hurry aboard.”

“I hope that your journeys are fruitful,” Chieftain Gruppe called out as Galen and Lyra were climbing into the ship.

Once inside, Krennic whirled Galen into an embrace. “How wonderful to see you after all this time!”

“Orson, I don’t under—”

“Not now,” Krennic interrupted, stepping back but continuing to grip Galen’s arms. “I’ll explain everything in due course, but right now there are more important matters to attend to.”

Everyone moved into the main cabin, where three other humans with close-cropped hair were seated at various duty stations. All eyes were on them as Galen and Lyra strapped into one of the acceleration couches. Lyra cradled Jyn close.

“Contact Commander Prakas as soon as we lift off,” Krennic told the comm tech as he was strapping in. “Tell him to give us just enough time to get up the well.”

The freighter lifted off and rocketed into Vallt’s pale sky. Galen turned his attention to the cabin’s starboard-side viewport as stars began to reveal themselves.

“Brace yourselves for evasive action,” Krennic warned.

Galen twisted slightly in the direction of the viewport. A sudden shift in the starfield was followed by a brief glimpse of a Separatist warship bristling with weapons; then the darkening sky came alive with crisscrossing hyphens of laser fire.

“Ha! So much for honoring the terms of the exchange!” Krennic shouted.

Lyra pressed Jyn more tightly to her chest as the freighter was jolted by fire. A flash of nova-bright light filled the viewport and the freighter rolled over on its port side, its belly peppered with debris.

“Lieutenant-Commander, we’re in position.”

Krennic swiveled toward the console. “Right on schedule, Prakas! There were droids and a Settie-class dropship on the surface, though it might be in the air by now. When you’re done with them, target the city.”

“Orson, no!” Lyra said in an anguished voice. “It’s done. It’s over with!”

“Not quite,” Krennic said without looking at her. His gaze favored Galen. “A strike will give the pro-Republic legions an opportunity to reclaim power. What’s more, we promised Zerpen that they’d get their ignition facility back.”

“They’re harmless, Orson,” Galen said, “Separatists or no.”

Krennic’s look was patronizing. “Perhaps. But we’re at war, and they’re on the wrong side.”