Crimson Empire 2 Crimson Empire 2 was the second issue in the six - part " Crimson Empire " series of comics , and was released on January 28 , 1998 by Dark Horse Comics . Publisher ' s summary . The last member of the Crimson Guard , Kir Kanos , has found some possible allies with a band of Rebels . . . but can they trust a former servant of the evil Emperor ? This issue also details an amazing untold encounter with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine ! Plus , not one , but two groups of Imperials are after Kanos - - with their own agendas ! Plot summary . Back on Phaeda , the local who assisted the visitor reveals his name to be Tem Markon and is a member of the local New Republic fighters . Markon tells the visitor that the only combatants he had seen of such skill were either Jedi or Palpatine ' s Royal Guards . As Markon leaves the visitor in a safehouse , the visitor ponders his situation : for " he " is Kir Kanos . Alone in the safehouse , Kanos recalls a particularly intense memory of his training on Yinchorr , when he and the other trainees were visited by Palpatine himself and Darth Vader . The two arrived while the trainees fought in The Squall , a combat arena precariously above a pit into which anyone who fell would die . Trainees fought to the death . Palpatine and Vader arrived to meet and inspect the latest batch of trainees . Vader demands to meet the best among them , and Burr Danid is called forward . In The Squall , Vader and Danid duel with - Vader without a lightsaber , though - and Danid holds his own for a time . Ultimately , Vader severs Danid ' s right hand and kicks him into the pit to his death . Vader comments to the others , " If " he " was your best , you are not yet fit to serve the Emperor . " The lesson was well - learned . On Phaeda , General Wessel responds to a report of one man killing dozens of stormtroopers and Imperial officers . Wessel suspects this incident could lead to Kanos . Meanwhile , Kanos meets Markon again as well as Mirith Sinn , commander of the New Republic ' s presence on Phaeda , and her second - in - command , Sish Sadeet . Realizing that Kanos is no friend of Jax and his forces , Mirith takes him to their hideout . Meanwhile , Colonel Xexus Shev is contacted by Carnor Jax , who informs Shev that he en route to Phaeda to investigate the slaughter of Imperials , believing it to be the handiwork of Kir Kanos . Jax orders Shev not to take any action against the Rebels , but Shev receives intelligence from his informant , " Tem Markon " , concerning the whereabouts of the mysterious visitor , Kir Kanos . Shev then deliberately orders an attack on the New Republic base in direct defiance of Jax ' s orders . When Mirith returns to the base with Kanos , there is resistance from her lieutenants , such as Massimo , who argue that he may be an Imperial spy . Mirith speaks with Kanos , and recognizes a scar across as his face as being a distinctive lightsaber scar . As Kanos listens to Mirith spar with Massimo concerning the safety of allowing Kanos to enter the compound , he recalls another memory . Kanos ' s final test before becoming a full - fledge Royal Guard was to battle to the death with his friend and classmate , Lemmet Tauk , before the Emperor . Kanos won , impaling Tauk on the end of his blade . Kanos mourned the loss of his friend , but was told off by Darth Vader , who sliced Kanos ' s helmet with his lightsaber - giving him the scar - and reminding Kanos that he ought " never " to underestimate the power of the dark side . However , Kanos is shaken out of his reverie and the New Republic forces panic as Colonel Shev begins his attack on their hidden base . . .