Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II/Palace Escape

Level Eight: Palace Escape
''Now that your father's map is destroyed, 8t88's memory unit is your only hope of finding the Valley of the Jedi. Escape from the ballroom and fight your way through the towers to 8t88's shuttle.''

Mission Objective: Escape from the ballroom to the palace rooftop.
Secret Area 1/5: Make your way to the elevator and ride it to the floor below. The secret area is in the back left-hand corner of the room.



In order to access the roof, the circuit board controlling the elevator must be destroyed. It is located in the elevator shaft behind a grate. Cut the grate and then cut the circuit board with the lightsaber. The elevator will now go up to the roof.

Mission Objective: Use the air ducts to gain entrance back into the tower and track down 8t88.
Once on the roof, jump out of the trench and get away from the trench as quickly as possible; a TIE bomber will begin bombing the roof, starting with a run down the trench. Keep an eye out for turrets. Quickly run toward the lowest part of the wall (across the way from the trench) and Force Jump to the top.



This next part is a little difficult. In order to get back inside the building, Kyle needs to get inside the air ducts. To the left of the roof is a concrete grid over the top of a very long, slanted shaft; the grid divides it into quadrants. Carefully walk along the grid to the bottom and locate one of the openings to the air ducts; there’s one on either side. To get inside the air duct, line up with the center of the opening and slowly back up and over the edge to allow yourself to fall into the shaft, then hold the forward key to stick the landing. Continue forward and drop down into the air duct.

Secret Area 2/5: There is a sentry droid hovering in the air duct that will begin shooting once you drop down. Destroy it and it will explode, revealing the secret area in the floor of the duct. If—for whatever reason—the sentry droid is too far away from it to blow it open, simply throw a thermal detonator. The duct is divided into individual panels, and the secret area is contained underneath the fourth panel.

Secret Area 3/5: Continue along the air duct and round the corner, making your way to the opening in the ceiling. About halfway between the corner and the opening is the third secret area, behind a differently-colored panel in the left wall.

Mission Objective: Find 8t88's shuttle by using the palace ventilation system to cross to the far tower.
At the end of the air duct is the opening in the ceiling to the interior of the palace. Drop through and continue through the door up ahead.



'''Hint: The officer will order someone to “call for reinforcements,” even if everyone is dead, including the officer. It is possible to run through the door before it closes, in which case reinforcements will not show up.'''

Round the corner and head down the ramp, then down the hallway to the elevator. It is not necessary to ride the elevator unless you want to have a party with the Imperials’ pet Kell Dragon. In order to progress through the level, jump on top of the small crate in the elevator and up through the hole in the ceiling. From there, look down and to the right, then drop onto the ledge. Cut the grate and continue through the tunnel to the huge shaft. Continue along the rafter until it becomes safe to drop down to the second layer of rafters. Once down on the lower layer, cross over the shaft and through the next tunnel.

Good timing is required for this next part. There are two metal cubes traveling up and down at different timing intervals, separated by a network of supports. The basic idea is to get from one cube to the other, and then to jump into the garbage chute down below. Once in the chute, stand on the metal door in the floor, and it will open. You will then fall into the next area.



Jump up onto the left-hand bank of the chute and onto the floor. There is a corridor up ahead and to the left that leads to another air venting system. The vent nearest you cycles air, and the basic idea is to wait until the airflow is high enough to push you across to the next building.

Secret Area 4/5: This secret area is contained within the nearest air vent. When the airflow has reduced enough to allow access, run into the vent and drop down into it. Look up to find the cubbyhole in the wall.

Secret Area 5/5: After using the air vent to cross over to the next building, jump out of the next vent and onto the ledge to the right. Walk along the ledge and round the corner, then continue to the end of the next ledge and slash the grate in the wall. Be careful when nearing the corner; the wind is strong enough to push you off the ledge.



Jump up behind the air vent and continue on to the next area. Carefully drop down from ledge to ledge to get to the floor below. Once down, crouch to get through the doorway and look for the elevator to the left of it.

Ride the elevator to the top and proceed through the hallway. Round the corner to emerge at the shuttle hangar. Once you step onto the metal roof, it will begin to open up. Quickly make your way across to the far platform to end the level.