Praxium

The Tom Veitch Files

Yale’s Beinecke Library 1016 photographs

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Original photograph

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Tom Veitch archive photograph IMG_4381
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Transcription

Automatic transcription · may contain errors

Dark Lords working notebook

[margin: the Emperor's [uncertain: Deathmask?]] [circled: 43] DARK EMPIRE: WRATH of the EMPEROR [struck: THE] [struck: EP] LAST EMPEROR * Right away, the Galaxy Gun blasting planets. [margin: Rebel Enclaves + abandoned command posts] * the Rebels on Nespis VIII -- basically in hiding ... the spy gives away their location -- Nespis VIII is destroyed by the Galaxy Gun -- * Where will they go? < OSSUS, of course! > [inserted: months later -- the Emperor aging.] The Emperor: -- make clear at beginning this was his last clone ... he will need others (his men could be [uncertain: rushing?] them but they are failing -- furious, he executes his science/adepts). "Will need a fresh young body to [uncertain: inhabit?]" -- (yeah, but the "kidnapping" theme is weak ... this might be a subplot, but not for [illegible] ... [uncertain: rather?], want to clone the Jedi DNA...) What if Jem or other Ysanna are brought in.... "packed on ice"? OK, so his scientists are working w/ Ysanna DNA... it looks good... Then, at apex of story, it's a bust ... he's stranded w/o a future ... and aging fast... (faster than before) Ossus is safe, because the Empire itself is excavating the Jedi ruins. Or... what about Tatooine --? Something from Kevin's book / McQuarrie paintings >

Read alongside the photograph, especially for handwritten passages. Bracketed notes may mark uncertain or illegible text.

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The Tom Veitch Files

On August 18, 2026, Praxis visited Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and photographed 1016 pages from the Tom Veitch papers. This collection brings those early drafts, unused stories, correspondence, and handwritten notes together for everyone to explore.

YCAL MSS 1368 · Boxes 3, 5, 42, 76, and 77

Box 3
Dark Empire and Tales of the Jedi correspondence, proposals, and annotated drafts.
Box 5
Lucasfilm approvals, contracts, Kevin J. Anderson correspondence, and audio adaptation material.
Box 42
Tales of the Jedi and Dark Lords of the Sith proposals, scripts, artwork, and proofs.
Box 76
Handwritten Star Wars drafts and the Log X notebook.
Box 77
Dark Empire, Dark Lords of the Sith, and Tales of the Jedi notebooks and plots.

The descriptions above follow Yale’s finding aid. These photographs are a selection from those boxes; individual images have not yet been assigned to exact boxes and folders. Image numbers follow photography order, with occasional gaps.

These are working papers: some ideas were approved, some changed, and some never reached publication. Most transcriptions are automatic; checked passages use the corrected text.

There’s plenty to explore. Have fun looking!

Yale’s finding aid ↗Download all photographs ↗