Star Wars: Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika

Star Wars: Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika was a five-issue series of comics published between 2000 and 2001.
It recounts the madcap adventure to retrieve the fabled Yavin Vassilika for a trio of Hutts competing to see who could gather the most talented team of mercenaries.
The chase included Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Bossk, Dengar, IG-88B, Zuckuss, Greedo, and even the mysterious Boba Fett. In the end, the Vassilika was found outside the rim, and nabbed by one of the Hutt's assistants, Jozzel Moffet, on behalf of the Rebel Alliance (and Han's old flame, Bria Tharen). The Vassilika, it turns out, contained a key to an ancient Massassi temple which would provide the Alliance with a strategic outpost.
==Publisher's summary==
When three Hutts place a wager on who can raise the most successful squad of henchmen to procure a highly valuable, mythical treasure, the most conniving rogues of the Star Wars Galaxy are recruited to get the dirty work done.
Three teams comprising the galaxy's most scandalous scoundrels—including Boba Fett, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Dengar, and IG-88—set out to be the first to find the mysterious Yavin Vassilika, but staying alive and ahead of each other is harder than any of these toughs might imagine... and with the unforeseen addition of a fourth secret investor and his seductive, conniving agent, the competition gets hotter than the twin suns of Tatooine!
Set before the landmark events of A New Hope, this mad-dash adventure explodes with top-notch action and hilarious wit that Star Wars fans of any era will enjoy.
==Plot summary==
On Tatooine, two Hutts, Embra and Malta, visit with Jabba the Hutt. They are discussing the merits of their various business strategies. Jabba is a supporter of manipulation, Embra of honesty, and Malta of brute force. Their servants, Bib Fortuna, Farquil, and Jozzel Moffet, respectively, discuss their various masters. Jozzel has a strong desire to leave Malta's employ to seek her own fortune. She suggests to the Hutts a wager. Garindan has brought information regarding a man named Illyan Webble, who has apparently discovered the location of the Yavin Vassilika, a statue carved from a single huge corusca gem. The items is priceless, and the madman may hold the key to finding it. She suggests that the Hutts each send three, and only three, people to seek out the object, with the winner keeping the valuable artifact and thus proving that his business strategy is superior. The Hutts accept the proposal.
In Mos Eisley on Tatooine, a short time later, Holgurn, in Jabba's employ, makes contact with Han Solo and Chewbacca, who have recently arrived on Tatooine. Holgurn tells Han that the item Jabba wants him to help seek out was stolen from Jabba's library, and that Jabba will pay 50,000 credits (10,000 up front and 40,000 on delivery) for the recapture of the item, which (according to rules laid down by the Hutts) must be delivered to the Hutt on Nar Shaddaa. Han is wary, given how many enemies he has recently made on the moon, but agrees anyway. Han is Jabba's first operative. On Nar Shaddaa, Bib Fortuna saves Lando Calrissian from being killed by Rooty, a Cragmoloid gambler. Bib pays the gambler the money Lando owes, and offers Lando the job of seeking out the Yavin Vassilika for Jabba. Lando agrees to take part in the search for 100,000 credits. Jabba's team now has Han and Lando, who, by the way, are at odds.
In the Jundland Wastes on Tatooine, Malta has called upon IG-88, Bossk, and Dengar. They are each promised 50,000 credits for their participation, plus Malta will match the bounty on any of the other competitors. Outside, the hunters are approached by Jozzel, who has offered another deal. They are to go on as Malta wishes, but instead of giving Malta the Vassilika, they are to give it to Jozzel for 300,000 credits, and Jozzel will give them a fake, which they can give to Malta to collect their fees from Malta. The hunters are up for the double-cross.
Elsewhere, Embra has called upon Zuckuss, 4-LOM, and a tracker named Sardu Sallowe. They are all concerned that Jabba has only seemed to have contacted two members for his team, but leave Embra, assured that they will know soon enough who the other member of Jabba's team is. Out in the mainstream of Nar Shaddaa, Holgurn mentions to Greedo that Han Solo, who has just arrived with Chewie, is taking on a job for Jabba, even when he's been effectively blackballed. Greedo believes that he is the man for the job. Back on Tatooine, Jabba greets the third expected member of his team, Boba Fett.
On Kalkovak, Han and Chewie discover that Webble can be found in the Quarren sector of Crevasse City. At about the same time, Malta's team arrives, soon learning the same information. Jozzel also arrives, followed closely by Greedo. It would seem that Jozzel is working for an employer known as the Collector to retrieve the Vassilika. Lando has also arrived, and narrowly misses being seen by Boba Fett. In the Quarren Sector, Han and Chewbacca discover Greedo following them, and then the three of them run into Bossk, IG-88, and Dengar. Han and Chewie had just discovered that Webble had left for Mon Calamari, but now the others know it too, including the Embra team, who had one of Sardu's Jawas spying on them all. In a market, Lando is propositioned by Jozzel Moffet. She hopes to make him trade alliances to her side. Elsewhere, Dengar, Bossk, and IG-88 are chasing Han, Chewie, and Greedo, guns blazing, when they come across Boba Fett, who gets caught in the crossfire. As Han, Chewie, and Greedo escape, they bump into Jozzel and Lando (who is none too happy to see Han). They are all forced to escape together on the Millennium Falcon, with the Malta team in hot pursuit in the Hound's Tooth, and with Boba Fett in hot pursuit of both.
The Falcon group arrives on Mon Calamari, just after Zuckuss' group. Jozzel repeats her offer of riches and a forgery for Jabba to Han, annoying Lando. Han, Lando, and company discover that Webble stole a skiff and ran toward where "lesser beings" supposedly go mad. They take a skiff after Webble anyway, followed closely by Zuckuss' team. They are disabled by a charge planted on their skiff, and are left by Zuckuss' group. Next, they go underwater, where everyone hears disembodied voices, but discover Webble's body, and hear his spirit telling them where the Vassilika is located. Upon returning to the surface, they find that Dengar, Bossk, and IG-88 have taken control of their skiff, but when Fett shows up and is a distraction, Chewie rigs the skiff to blow and the "good guys" escape in the trio's skiff. As they escape, Fett gives the trio a blast from his engines before escaping. As Fett leaves, the trio begin to hear the voices too.
In space, Jozzel sorts out the sides in the race for Han and the others, even as Zuckuss, 4-LOM, and Sardu beat them to the target planet. As Han's team lands, Zuckuss' team finds a tribe of beings that appear to be descendants of Barundi. When 4-LOM tries to take the Vassilika from them, they attack, forcing a retreat. A short time later, Han's team, hounded by jungle creatures, enters the village. When Jozzel tries to take the Vassilika, the villagers attack and capture all of them except Jozzel. Near the ships, Zuckuss, Sardu, 4-LOM, and Sardu's Jawas are attacked by Boba Fett. Fett, it seems, doesn't want the Vassilika. He wants Han. Elsewhere, Jozzel contacts the Collector to tell him she'll soon have the Vassilika, but she is found by Dengar, Bossk, and IG-88, who are ready to kill her for betrayal, but she offers them an even higher pay if they still help her get the Vassilika. Back in the village, 4-LOM and the captured members of Han's team are all about to be beaten to death by "flowers". They are saved when their makeshift cell/hut is cut into by someone they hope is Jozzel. It turns out, though, that their "savior" is Boba Fett.
But Fett really is their savior, because he has dumped his Besadii contract and gone with Jabba's, which was to protect Han. So, Han, Chewie, Greedo, Lando, and Boba Fett head off to get the Vassilika, while Dengar, Jozzel, Bossk, and IG-88 find themselves attacked by jungle creatures and forced into the village, where both the creatures and the villagers want to kill them. Above, Zuckuss and Sardu stand ready to create a distraction, but the situation with Jozzel and the others nixes any need for it. Han goes for the Vassilika, but one of Sardu's Jawas gets to it first. Jozzel trips the Jawa and takes the Vassilika, but a blast from Boba Fett sends her and Han reeling. When the smoke clears, IG-88, Bossk, and Dengar are in a standoff with Fett, while the Jawas carry off 4-LOM, Lando tends to Han, and Sardu and Zuckuss make their way to join them. But where is Jozzel?
Jozzel has stolen the Millennium Falcon and the Vassilika and taken off to rendezvous with "The Collector" on Yavin IV. It turns out that the Collector is actually a Rebel Alliance commander, Jan Dodonna. Jozzel meets the Collector, a female Rebel, and two other Rebels, turning over the Vassilika for the fake one she can give to her master. Han and the others arrive, though, and stop the transaction, just as Han recognizes the female Rebel, Bria Tharen. Dengar tries to take the Vassilika, but Zuckuss has placed a bounty for Dengar and Bossk, which turns IG-88 against them. As IG-88 hunts them down, Zuckuss takes the fake Vassilika, then loses it, and then watches as a Jawa steals it. Meanwhile, Lando, Chewie, Han, and Fett race after Bria, looking to settle their score over the spice raid. They corner the Rebels only to discover that they never wanted the Vassilika itself, but a key inside. The Collector breaks it, revealing the key to the largest Massassi Temple on the moon, which the Rebels need as a base of operations.
Elsewhere, Greedo stops the Jawa, but then has the fake Vassilika stolen by Jozzel, who is then shot by Farquil Ban'n, who had been tracking her. She gets away with the fake Vassilika, paying Zuckuss and Sardu for their efforts on Embra's behalf. Deeper in the jungle, the Rebels help Han, Chewie, and Lando catch Dengar and Bossk, allowing them to, presumably, try to collect the bounty placed on them, as means of repayment for the Vassilika and the spice job. But, as everyone is well aware, this doesn't even begin to settle things between Han and Bria. A short time later, Farquil has a stash of credits from selling the fake Vassilika and is lounging on a beach when Fett finds her and takes the money to Jabba. In the end, Jabba has won the day, in a manner of speaking.
==Issues==
Color code key: 	Color code key:	Color code key:
Collected (TPB) issue	Released issue 	Future issue
Issue	Title 	Publication date 	Trade paperback 	Star Wars Omnibus 	Epic Collection
1 	Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 1	December 13, 2000	Underworld: The Yavin VassilikaNovember 21, 2001	Boba FettMarch 24, 2010	The Empire Vol. 7September 6, 2022
2 	Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 2	January 10, 2001 	Underworld: The Yavin VassilikaNovember 21, 2001	Boba FettMarch 24, 2010	The Empire Vol. 7September 6, 2022
3 	Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 3	March 14, 2001 	Underworld: The Yavin VassilikaNovember 21, 2001	Boba FettMarch 24, 2010	The Empire Vol. 7September 6, 2022
4 	Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 4	April 25, 2001 	Underworld: The Yavin VassilikaNovember 21, 2001	Boba FettMarch 24, 2010	The Empire Vol. 7September 6, 2022
5 	Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 5	June 20, 2001 	Underworld: The Yavin VassilikaNovember 21, 2001	Boba FettMarch 24, 2010	The Empire Vol. 7September 6, 2022
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
Category:Dark Horse Comics comic miniseries
Category:Legends comic miniseries