The Dark Empire audio drama was a full cast audio adaption of Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars: Dark Empirecomic book series. It was adapted by John Whitman from the source material by Tom Veitch. It was directed by Arthur G. Insana and featured parts of composer John Williams's classic score along with authentic stereo sound effects. The adaptation was originally released in the form of two cassettes in 1994 by Time Warner Audio Publishing,[2] and later in the form of two CD-ROMs in May 52005 by HighBridge Audio.[1]
Following the deaths of Darth Vader and the Emperor and the destruction of the second Death Star, the Rebel Alliance proclaimed a NEW REPUBLIC over three-fourths of the galaxy. But without the thousands of Jedi knights who formed the backbone of the Old Republic, the new confederation was a precarious one.
Long years of struggle followed, during which, Imperial factions consolidated control over a fourth of the galaxy. Whole systems became fortresses bristling with firepower.
Then, five years after the battle of Endor, the infamous Grand Admiral Thrawn mounted a terrible assault nearly bringing the fledgling Republic to it's knees. Ultimately, Thrawn was defeated, but within days of his downfall, surviving members of the Emperor's ruling circle staged a stunning assault on the Emperor's throne world, a planet called CORUSCANT, and that vital system once again fell under Imperial control.
It looked certain that a new empire was about to emerge from the ashes of the old. That very possibility triggered a ferocious civil war among the numerous Imperial factions. Who would sit in the Emperor's throne? Who had the right? And the might?
Meanwhile, the Rebels were quick to seize the opportunity to sow confusion among the feuding Imperials, using two captured Star Destroyers to conduct hit-and-run sorties into the war zone. One such raid, over the raging Imperial City battleground ended in disaster. The Alliance Star Destroyer, Liberator, commanded by Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian crash-landed on the planet's surface.
As out story opens, Princess Leia and her husband, Han Solo, have left their two children in safekeeping and together with the Wookie Chewbacca, and the protocol droid C3P0 are on a daring mission to rescue their fallen comrades...