I will always defend to my last breath in the Grand Fanboy Arena that Stackpole and Zahn were two of the best things to happen to the Star Wars franchise, second only to Stackpole and Zahn teaming up together. I own this as a GN, and I'd go read it right now if I weren't busy at the moment.
This story was rather refreshing because it gave insight in to how good Emperor-loving citizens of the Empire could view and justify things like the Empire's totalitarianism and xenophobic hiring policies (though I notice that the nuking of Alderaan isn't covered).
Then there's the little things. The last panel on scan 4 is beautifully done and is a clear representation of both improvement and the passage of time. And then there's the gardening. Gardening is not the hobby of a hotshot adrenaline junkie starjockey; Soontir is instead a calm, collected, and patient man.
One thing that's always bugged me, though: Does anyone else think Isard here resembles Kate Mulgrew, AKA Janeway from Voyager? The resemblance struck me when I first got this, and from then on I could never read any of Isard's lines (be they in novel or comic form) without hearing Mulgrew's voice.