History Literature / StarWarsScoundrels

* ProperlyParanoid: [[spoiler: Han becomes suspicious of 'Eanjer' after they rescue Lando and Zerba. Han realizes Eanjer's more focused on getting inside the mansion rather than the team actually retrieving his credits. While Han chalks this up to simply vengeance, something about it leaves him paranoid enough to set up a decoy ''Falcon'' at the 'rendezvous' just in case. This ultimately saves him and Chewie, as 'Eanjer' was actually Boba Fett and was planning to capture them at the end of the 'heist' to claim Jabba's bounty.]]

* ForegoneConclusion: Han can't make millions of credits, because he's still in debt to Jabba during ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. He also has to fall back in with the Rebellion somehow. [[spoiler:The heist is a smashing success, but the credits are inaccessible since the real Eanjer was DeadAllAlong. Han ends up with enough credits to pay off Jabba (but it's too late; Jabba has already raised his price) and Black Sun's blackmail files, which he uses to buy his way back into the Rebellion so he can hide out with them from Jabba's bounty hunters.]]
** Likewise, despite working together, Han and Lando won't reconcile as they're still estranged come ''The Empire Strikes Back''.

** Han has already lost the reward he won in ''Film/ANewHope'', and is reluctant to go back to Leia and ask for more because of the manner in which it was lost, to "a kriffing pirate"--an indirect allusion to Crimson Jack from the ''ComicBook/MarvelStarWars'' comics.

* SpiritualSuccessor: In a small way, to the ''ComicBook/MarvelStarWars'' story arc ''Eight for Abuba-3''. Both stories feature Han Solo, having lost his reward money from Episode IV, getting caught up in a WholePlotReference and recruiting a RagtagBandOfMisfits to help out some poor oppressed schlub. Possibly more of a SpiritualAntithesis, since one emphasizes Han-the-stoic-tough-guy-gunslinger and the other Han-the-smooth-talking-sneaky-manipulator.

** Kell is a proto-ace; he hasn't yet attained the skill he will display in the ComicBook/XWingSeries, and was brought onto the team for completely different reasons, but he does pilot a Z-95 Headhunter during that same rescue attempt with proficiency, including blasting a hole in a factory, flying through that hole, and then maneuvering within the confines of the building while calling out targeting data.

** Kell (Tainer, though he never gives his last name in this book) is part of Wraith Squadron in the ComicBook/XWingSeries, and the more-or-less main character of the book ''Wraith Squadron'', which takes place seven years after ''Scoundrels''. Also an Alderaanian, he's a bit adrift after the loss of his homeworld and his father (in a separate incident), and has fallen in with Mazzic. He already knows droids and explosives, and a bit of piloting. Since he's not in charge of anyone, he only shows a hint of the performance anxiety that dogs him later. If his biography in ''Wraith Squadron'' is accurate, his share of the take probably goes towards mechanic's training at the Sluis Van shipyards before he joins the New Republic as a commando and later a fighter pilot.

** Kell Tainer is the New Kid, appearing here as a teenager long before his role in the ComicBook/XWingSeries. He's already a steady hand with explosives and knows a lot about droids, but isn't very experienced otherwise.

* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: The team agrees to never mention this job to anyone when it's all over, given the unusual outcome. This neatly explains why, say, Han and Winter act like they only know each other through Leia in Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy, or Kell never brings up the fact that he's met Han (who is at that point far superior to him in rank in the New Republic military) in the ComicBook/XWingSeries.

* BigFancyHouse: Avrak Villachor's house started life as a sector governor's mansion, an enormous K-shaped[[labelnote:*]]or ''aurek''-shaped in the ''Star Wars'' Aurebesh alphabet[[/labelnote]] building with multiple wings, suites, garages, and ballrooms. One of the ballrooms has been converted into Villachor's vault. The mansion sits on an estate so large Han mistakes it for a municipal park from the air; during the Festival of Four Honorings, the grounds play host to thousands of Wukkar's citizens on each of the four days.

* AscendedMeme: Han has to gun down ''another'' bounty hunter in a cantina. This establishment isn't quite as used to regular violence as Mos Eisley's, so Han has to justify his action as self-defense to the other patrons, in a line also directed to the readers familiar with Han's TheDogShotFirst moment in ''Film/ANewHope''.

** [[Film/ANewHope Once again,]] Han is cornered in a cantina by a bounty hunter looking to capture him for Jabba. This time, the bounty hunter is smart enough to tell him to keep his hands on the table, so he can't just [[TheDogShotFirst shoot first]]. But this time, Han has Chewbacca with him, so he's able to distract and disarm the man, who gets one shot off. It's only when the bounty hunter draws ''another'' blaster that Han shoots him. Eanjer is impressed by this display of quick thinking, and approaches him about TheCaper.

''Scoundrels''[[note]][[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Scoundrels Wookieepedia]][[/note]] is a Franchise/StarWarsLegends novel by Creator/TimothyZahn. Set in the immediate aftermath of ''Film/ANewHope'', ''Scoundrels'' concerns Han Solo and Chewbacca's attempts to come up with another source of cash to pay off Jabba the Hutt, after their reward was stolen by pirates before they could make it back to Tatooine. Accordingly, when a stranger approaches him about a job with a possible take of 163 million credits, Han assembles a team of fellow rogues, thieves, and scoundrels to try to break into a crime lord's safe and get away with the loot.

** Zerba Cher'dak is the Pickpocket and sleight-of-hand expert, and also makes special tear-away outfits to aid in con jobs. He owns an antique and somewhat faulty lightsaber (the blade is only 14 cm long) that makes a fine door opener.

* ForegoneConclusion: Han can't make millions of credits, because he's still in debt to Jabba during ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. He also has to fall back in with the Rebellion somehow. [[spoiler:The heist is a smashing success, but the credits are inaccessible since the real Eanjer was DeadAllAlong. Han ends up with enough credits to pay off Jabba (but it's too late; Jabba has already raised his price) and Black Sun's blackmail files, which he uses to buy his way back into the Rebellion so they can protect him from Jabba's bounty hunters.]]

* PolarOppositeTwins: Bink and Tavia Kitik are amazingly identical physically, but couldn't be farther apart in personality. Bink is bold, outgoing, and a risk-taker, a ClassyCatBurgler who's very good at infiltration and the physical aspects of the robbery. Tavia is quieter and less confident, but very skilled with electronics and computers, acting as an able MissionControl and support for her sister. Tavia makes herself sick with worry every time Bink goes on a job, is even more nervous when she has to go into the field herself, and would like for them to go legit, but every time she tries Bink pulls them back into the life. Bink, for her part, considers Tavia naïve; her "legitimate" jobs have all involved someone taking advantage of her to accomplish something even more shady than thievery with her skills.

* AscendedMeme: Han has to gun down ''another'' bounty hunter in a cantina. This one isn't quite as used to regular violence as Mos Eisley's, so Han has to justify his action as self-defense to the other patrons, in a line also directed to the readers familiar with Han's TheDogShotFirst moment in ''Film/ANewHope''.

* BigFancyHouse: Avrak Villachor's house started life as a sector governor's mansion, an enormous K-shaped[[labelnote:*]]or ''aurek''-shaped in the ''Star Wars'' Aurebesh alphabet[[/labelnote]] building with multiple wings, suites, garages, and ballrooms. One of the ballrooms has been converted into Villachor's vault. The mansion sits on an estate so large Han mistakes it for a municipal park from the air. During the Festival of Four Honorings, the grounds play host to thousands of Wukkar's citizens on each of the four days.

** And, of course, Black Sun will become an enemy of the Rebellion in ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire''

** Zerba Cher'dak is the Pickpocket and sleight-of-hand expert, and also makes special tear-away outfits to aid in con jobs.

* CaperRationalization: Avrak Villachor tried to take over Eanjer's father's shipping business, and when Eanjer's father refused, settled for simply killing him and taking everything in his safe. Eanjer hires Han and the team to get it back, since Villachor has way too many cops and officials in his pocket to go after legally. The 163 million is in credit tabs that are keyed to Eanjer; without his authorization, hacking them open yields only a tiny fraction of their value (still a significant sum), and he needs them back before Villachor succeeds in doing so. [[spoiler:It's all a con; the real Eanjer died with his father, and Boba Fett steals his identity and sets up the whole caper to collect the bounty on Villachor's Black Sun guest, Qazadi, and then nab Han himself afterward. The team has to settle for that tiny fraction when this comes to light.]]

* ContinuityNod: Villachor meditates on other crime lords who fell from power after getting overconfident. The names he lists are Sise Fromm (''WesternAnimation/{{Droids}}''), Alexi Garyn (Dark Horse's ''Darth Maul'' comics), and Jorj Car'das (''Literature/HandOfThrawn'').]
%% Batross

* [[RecycledINSPACE Recycled IN SPACE!]]: ''Film/OceansEleven'' IN ''STAR WARS!'' Right down to the number of members in the CaperCrew. Though they aren't robbing a casino, thanks to the Festival of Four Honorings Villachor's estate is similarly public-and-yet-heavily-guarded. In fact, Zahn's intended title was ''Solo's Eleven'', but [[ExecutiveVeto Lucasfilm's lawyers decided that it was too close to the copyright]].

* ContinuityNod: Villachor meditates on other crime lords who fell from power after getting overconfident. The names he lists are Sise Fromm (''WesternAnimation/{{Droids}}''), Alexi Garyn (Dark Horse's ''Darth Maul'' comics), and Jorj Car'das (''Literature/HandOfThrawn'').

--->'''Han:''' ''[to the wary cantina patrons]'' You all saw it. He shot first.

* MythologyGag: Villachor meditates on other crime lords who fell from power after getting overconfident. The names he lists are Sise Fromm (''WesternAnimation/{{Droids}}''), Alexi Garyn (Dark Horse's ''Darth Maul'' comics), and Jorj Car'dos (''Literature/HandOfThrawn''). Oh, there's also Han's "You all saw it; he shot first!"

* CallBack: This is the second time Lando agrees to work with Han after a previous falling out leads them to swear never to see each other again (in Literature/TheHanSoloTrilogy and the comic book ''Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika''). Lando is now willing to admit that the previous incidents may not have been wholly Han's fault, but given how badly Han has misplaced his trust in the past, Lando is leery and demands the blackmail files upfront in lieu of credits if they pull the job off, so that he can leave and not get screwed over again. It doesn't help him all that much. It's up in the air which of the three incidents Han "I'm sure he's forgotten about that" Solo and Lando "You double-crossing no-good swindler" Calrissian are referring to in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''.

** Dozer Creed, ship thief, is brought on to be the ConMan. Chewie wants Lando for the role, but Han doesn't invite him because of their bad blood; when Lando shows up anyway, Dozer runs a support role as the Acquirer, finding things and vehicles the team needs, up to and including a starfighter on one occasion.

** Han is the Mastermind with Chewbacca his Partner-in-Crime; even though they don't have much experience in thievery Han is a master of both the IndyPloy and using his team's strengths effectively. Being pilots they both act as the Driver on occasion as well. Chewie's intimidating stature and Wookiee strength make him the Muscle.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: Han and his crew are smugglers, thieves, and con artists--low-level criminals just out to make a living. The goal for most of them if they make the big score is to pay off their debts and retire. Their target is a high-ranking member of the galaxy's most notorious [[TheSyndicate Syndicate]], Black Sun, who regularly engages in high-level blackmail, arms dealing, and murder, and the money they want to steal from him [[CaperRationalization was stolen from one of them in the first place]].

* TheCaper: Break into a local criminal bigwig's BigFancyHouse and steal the contents of his vault, including 163 million credits. Later, it turns out Villachor isn't just the head honcho of planet Wukkar, but also a lieutenant in the galaxy's most notorious [[TheSyndicate Syndicate]], Black Sun, and his vault is currently hosting the files Black Sun uses to blackmail officials across the Empire. The files become both an additional target and a way of gaining access to Villachor.

** Eanjer Kunarazti is the Backer. It's his father's credits that Villachor stole, and the credit tabs are keyed to him; without his authorization, hacking them open yields only a tiny fraction of their value. Even though it's his money, he offers to split it evenly with everyone Han brings in, and to pay their expenses even if they fail. [[spoiler:It's all a con; the real Eanjer has been dead for weeks, and Boba Fett steals his identity and sets up the whole caper to collect the bounties on both Han and Villachor's Black Sun guest, Qazadi. The team has to settle for that tiny fraction when this comes to light.]]

** Rechele Ree is the Coordinator and Hacker, using her contacts both in the underworld and the Wukkar aristocracy to assemble the team and find out anything they need to know. Winter assists her in that role, using her perfect memory to make sure they don't miss any important details.
** Kell Tainer is the New Meat, appearing here as an adrift teenager long before his role in the ComicBook/XWingSeries. He's already a steady hand with explosives and knows a lot about droids, but isn't very experienced otherwise.

Published in 2013, ''Scoundrels'' was one of the last Legends novels released before the ContinuityReboot of 2014, and as such is less well-known than Zahn's earlier ''Star Wars'' work. It's also of a much smaller scale than, say, ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'', taking place almost entirely on one planet, with the Galactic Civil War a peripheral concern. But it still has all of the convoluted interlocking plot threads and twists that Zahn is known for.

* FutureSlang: Lando Calrissian talks his way out of a jam by claiming to a [[TheSyndicate Black Sun]] boss that a particular word is Falleen slang for "Hutt." Once he's clear of the mess, he remarks to Zerba that that's the beauty of slang: you can never be sure you know all of it since it changes so fast.

* RecycledINSPACE: ''Film/OceansEleven'' IN ''STAR WARS!'' Right down to the number of members in the CaperCrew. Though they aren't robbing a casino, thanks to the Festival of Four Honorings Villachor's estate is similarly public-and-yet-heavily-guarded. Zahn's intended title was ''Solo's Eleven'', but [[ExecutiveVeto Lucasfilm's lawyers decided that it was too close to the copyright]].