Mara’s eyes snapped open when she registered the muffled shouting from the corridor. Groggily, she rolled off her cot – acquired by Hobbie and Sarkli in lieu of proper bunks – and stumbled to the door, shaking her head and trying to force herself to alertness as she hit the release. The door hissed open, allowing her to finally make sense of the shouting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“…isn’t a civilian cruise ship! And then<\/em> I find Wes Janson released from the medical bay and promptly vanished into this forsaken corridor that isn’t even cleared for occupation!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mara squinted against the harsher light of the corridor. What time is it, anyway?<\/em> She glanced back into her room where a chronometer glowed in subdued red numbers. 0541. Kriff, it’s too early for this.<\/em> She turned back to the escalating argument outside in the corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles stood shoulder-to-shoulder, clearly blocking the path. Opposite them was another man – human, or near enough – who towered a solid thirty centimeters taller than either Skywalker or Antilles, and was at least fifty kilos heavier, a mountain of a man whose face was currently red enough to be a Zeltron. “We have authorization from Captain Verrack,” Wedge calmly answered. “I talked to him less than an hour after we landed…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I’m the commanding officer for the Independence<\/em> air wing,” the man snarled. “All fighter operations report to me<\/em>, not to Captain Verrack.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Colonel S’man<\/em>, Mara thought. He found us faster than Wedge thought he would.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n “With all due respect,” Skywalker said, “you’re not in our chain of command. We’re not assigned to the Independence<\/em>. Our chain of command runs through General Dodonna to High Command.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Your little vanity group was assigned to Massassi Base, which is now in Imperial hands,” S’man ground out. “Your base of operations is now the Independence<\/em>, which puts you under my purview.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this time, more hatches in the corridor were sliding open. Mara turned enough to see that Hobbie, Sarkli, and Puck had all become aware of the argument; and further down, Wes Janson leaned into the hallway, his expression more asleep than awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n S’man picked it up immediately. “Lieutenant Janson!” he shouted. “Report to the main hangar at 0700. You’re slotted for the bomber squadron.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mara glanced back down the corridor and saw Wes offering a jaunty smile and wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “No, he’s not,” Wedge said smoothly. “He’s assigned to our squadron. It’s already recorded with Captain Verrack, along with our authorization to occupy these quarters, approved requisitions for fuel and munitions for our X-wings, and scheduled maintenance for our fighters and astromechs. If you don’t like it, take it up with Captain Verrack.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n S’man turned on Wedge, his face now a match for the stripes on Wedge and Skywalker’s X-wings. “Listen here, Antilles! Your little rogue squadron may be squatting in my auxiliary hangar for now, but all fighter operations run through me<\/em>. This is my<\/em> air wing, and you won’t be setting up your own kingdom on the Independence<\/em> like the rules don’t apply to you!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Colonel, if you have a problem with our authorizations or activities or roster, I’d suggest you take it up with General Dodonna,” Skywalker said mildly. “We’re operating under High Command’s authority. Or perhaps you’d like to appeal to High Command directly. I’m sure Mon Mothma and Princess Leia will gladly set aside their critical work keeping the Alliance together to deal with your complaints about the squadron that pulled a general off Yavin that had already been left for dead. We did commit the crimes of parking in an auxiliary hangar, servicing our own X-wings, and sleeping.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The colonel stared daggers at Skywalker and Wedge in turn. “This isn’t over. I’ll have Janson back on my roster before the day’s over, and filling the holes in my fighter wing is far more important to the war than keeping your little group together.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge crossed his arms. “We’re not going anywhere, Colonel. But I’d be surprised if anyone at the command level is eager to disband the Hero of Yavin’s own squadron, the day after we saved General Dodonna’s life.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I’ll be back after I’ve had your authorizations revoked,” S’man hissed. His glare slid past Skywalker and Antilles to the pilots in the hallway, though his face twisted into surprise when he spotted Mara. Then he turned and stormed away, two aides in his wake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mara rubbed her face tiredly, looking down at herself and belatedly realizing she was only half-dressed in sleep clothes and barefoot, her pendant exposed instead of tucked away. In her right hand she was gripping her DL-18. Oh, that explains the look.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Skywalker and Wedge turned back toward the corridor and their pilots: eight in total with Karie Neth finally joining them. Unlike Mara, she’d taken the time to get dressed before exiting her quarters. Probably better that S’man didn’t know Wedge had signed up one of the escort pilots, too<\/em>, Mara decided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “That went well,” Skywalker said dryly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “As expected,” Wedge answered just as dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Skywalker grinned, and Mara wanted to shoot him on principle. No one should be that cheerful at this forsaken hour.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n “I like it,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It does have a ring to it,” Wedge agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What does?” Mara finally found her voice, raspy from sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Rogue Squadron. It’s definitely going to be in S’man’s written complaint.” Skywalker’s grin broadened. “He meant it as an insult. Let’s make it ours.” His gaze shifted down and around the corridor at each of the pilots: Hobbie, Sarkli, Karie, Wes, Puck, and finally Mara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Rogue Squadron,” Puck repeated thoughtfully after a moment. “It’s no Skywalker’s Angels<\/em>, but it has a ring to it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smiles began to spread up and down the corridor as each of them considered it, and Mara felt her own lips tug upward as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge crossed his arms. Even his expression had cracked its usual serious mask. “Rogue Squadron it is.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cluster of rooms and cargo bays attached to the Auxiliary Two hangar was extensive and, thankfully, almost devoid of any stored goods. Wedge had already earmarked empty rooms for a squadron lounge and a briefing room, with two smaller rooms marked with flimsiplast signs as the CO and XO offices. One of the pilots, almost certainly Puck or Wes, had strung together a flimsiplast banner at the end of the corridor declaring the entire area “Rogue Territory.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke had merely smiled and let it go. “Good for morale,” he’d told a disapproving Wedge. “It doesn’t affect squadron discipline in any real way.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Are you sure you want to thumb your nose at S’man like that?” Wedge had asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We just adopted ‘Rogue Squadron’ as our moniker. I doubt the flimsi is going to make it worse.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge had vanished into the Independence<\/em> proper to continue his datapad war with Colonel S’man, and Luke had dragged a few empty crates into his designated office for temporary furniture. A trio of large crates pressed together formed a makeshift desk, and he sat on a smaller crate with its twin sitting across from the desk as a guest seat. It was moderately ridiculous, but it gave Luke room to spread out several datapads and a stack of datacards. Before disappearing, Wedge had pulled the most recent list of stray pilots littering the Independence<\/em> after the evacuation of Yavin. If we’re lucky, we can fill out the rest of the squadron before S’man snatches them all up.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke was deep in the roster when a knock echoed from the hatch. He looked up just before it slid open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Commander Skywalker,” Sarkli said from the doorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sarkli,” Luke answered with a nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You wanted to see me?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Yes. Please, sit.” Luke offered a self-deprecating smile. “Don’t worry, my chair isn’t any better than yours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pathfinder sat down on the crate, looking slightly ridiculous. Luke was sure he didn’t look any better. “I aspire to having actual furniture for the squadron,” he said dryly. “Though this probably fits our new name better.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarkli smiled faintly but waited without speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here it goes<\/em>, Luke thought grimly. “I assumed you’d want to talk to me about what happened on Yavin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Respectfully, Commander, we got the Luminous<\/em> and General Dodonna out,” Sarkli said flatly. “The mission was a success.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Yes, it was,” Luke said steadily. “But, as Captain Antilles and I discussed, success isn’t the only measure of command decisions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n A trace of irritation crossed Sarkli’s face. “Permission to speak freely, Commander?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Granted,” Luke said, deliberately setting his hands on his makeshift desk, defying his instinctive desire to cross his arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You had a Pathfinder on your wing when we were covering the Luminous<\/em>. The mission changed and required a ground extraction, and when you made the call for someone to accompany you, instead of the Pathfinder – me – you took Flight Officer Jade with you. And I’d like to understand why<\/em>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n And there it is,<\/em> Luke thought. At least Sarkli’s willing to approach it directly.<\/em> “You’re a better flier than Jade. I ordered you to continue covering the evacuation. When we got Dodonna out, clear skies were critical for survival.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “With all due respect, that’s bantha droppings,” Sarkli said, a little more heat edging into his voice. “Captain Antilles and Two Flight were already providing high cover.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sarkli, your experience as a Pathfinder is valuable,” Luke said steadily. “It’s one of the reasons Captain Antilles recommended you for the squadron. Your simulator scores were very good, and that earned you a training flight so I could evaluate you. Our training flight turned into a combat mission and you did well and followed orders. That earned you a slot in the unit.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Then why didn’t you take me?” the other man asked, his voice tightly controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Because I made a snap judgment call in the middle of a combat zone,” Luke answered. “It was the call I thought was our best chance of getting Dodonna back and the Luminous<\/em> safely away from Yavin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “That’s not an answer,” Sarkli said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke shook his head. “It’s not the answer you want.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It’s not an answer at all.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and let it out before he spoke again, forcing his own irritation down. “You’re right.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarkli froze at that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “On paper, you were – are – the obvious choice for that scenario,” the commander continued. “You have ground combat training. You have experience in commando operations. If Captain Antilles had made the call, you would’ve gone into the Temple with me. And if we had planned<\/em> for that operation, rather than it being forced on us, I<\/em> would have assigned you to the role.” He kept pushing through, even as Sarkli’s eyes narrowed. “But it wasn’t planned, and Captain Antilles didn’t make the call. When the moment came, I<\/em> made the call and I chose Jade. We got Dodonna. We got out. All of us made it off Yavin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sir, success doesn’t mean a call was right,” Sarkli said, heat back in his voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You’re right, it doesn’t.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the first time since he’d entered the makeshift office, Sarkli looked uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I own that call, Sarkli. Not Captain Antilles. Not Flight Officer Jade. Not you. Me. If it had gone wrong, it would be a reflection on my command, nobody else.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “And what happens the next time?” Sarkli asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The next time, I expect you to follow orders,” Luke said. “Even if they don’t make sense to you. Even if you think I’m wrong.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarkli’s chin lifted. “I followed orders over Yavin.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I know you did.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I also expect my commanding officer to use my skills appropriately.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “So do I,” Luke said, meeting Sarkli’s gaze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The silence stretched uncomfortably before Sarkli answered, his tone chilly. “Understood.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I’m not blind to what you bring to the squadron, Lieutenant,” Luke said after another moment. “You have valuable training. Valuable experience. Valuable skills, both developed and natural. I have no doubt we’ll have missions, sooner than I’d like, where you<\/em> will be the difference between success and failure.” He hesitated. “I understand you disagreed with my orders. It matters to me that you followed your orders far more than whether you agreed with them. The next time you disagree with one of my orders, though, bring it to me directly. Not over the squadron comm while we’re in the thick of combat.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Yes, Commander,” Sarkli said stiffly, hearing the dismissal in Luke’s tone and rising to his feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “And Sarkli,” Luke added, “don’t take what happened on Yavin as a lack of trust. I wouldn’t put you on my wing if I didn’t trust you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pathfinder nodded, tightly controlled, and left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke felt like he’d taken a surprise test and failed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge was happy to see a trio of ground crew in the Auxiliary Two hangar when he arrived. Fuel umbilicals, connected to the Independence<\/em>‘s internal distribution network, sprawled across the hangar decking to the six X-wings standing ready. The fighters looked too small, too few to be occupying the hangar alone. There will be more soon<\/em>, Wedge told himself. Even if S’man is going to fight us tooth and claw for every spaceframe and astromech<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind the X-wings, Wes, Sarkli, Hobbie, and Puck were sitting on crates around a large, empty wire spool. Card game<\/em>, Wedge identified it from a distance. Probably sabacc.<\/em> Three meters beyond them, leaning against the bulkhead, Mara and Karie were deep in a discussion of some sort. Judging by Karie’s hand motions, Wedge suspected Karie was explaining a recent combat mission, possibly her most recent that had left her squadron-orphaned and now a member of Rogue Squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rogue Squadron<\/em>, Wedge laughed to himself. S’man is probably chewing metal shavings right now off the bulkhead. <\/em>He glanced around, looking for Luke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As if summoned by the thought, Luke’s voice called from behind him, coming through the same corridor Wedge had just trod. “Captain!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge turned and froze. Skywalker wasn’t alone. Accompanying him was an older man in an Alliance general’s uniform, fair-skinned with dark brown hair that hadn’t yet begun to grey. “General Rieekan,” Wedge said, snapping into a salute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Captain Antilles,” Rieekan answered soberly. “I was looking for you and Skywalker both.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You have us both now, sir,” Wedge said. “Is this about Colonel S’man?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Indirectly.” Rieekan went silent for a moment, giving Wedge a moment to evaluate the Rebel officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carlist Rieekan was a well-known officer in the Rebellion. He’d entered the Republic’s Judicial forces, and after the declaration of the New Order, he’d shifted his allegiance to his homeworld of Alderaan. When Bail Organa began building the resistance on Alderaan, Rieekan had been one of his founding members. Bail had died only a few months ago on Alderaan when the Death Star attacked, but Rieekan had been offworld on a mission for the Alliance. And now, at least according to scuttlebutt, Rieekan was maintaining what was left of Organa’s network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I understand your Red Squadron caused quite a stir with the air wing,” Rieekan said at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Rogue Squadron,” Luke corrected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rieekan’s smile was genuine. “I heard about that, too, though I didn’t know if you were actually adopting it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It was that or ‘Skywalker’s Angels’,” Wedge deadpanned. Luke shot him a betrayed look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Then I need Rogue Squadron<\/em> for a mission,” Rieekan said, as though making a decision. “How many pilots can you put in a cockpit right now?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Six,” Luke answered. “The six of us that flew coming off Yavin. Lieutenant Janson is on our roster now, but he’s not quite recovered from Hesken Fever, and we’re short on X-wings anyway. Flight Officer Neth needs a familiarization course on the T-65 and we need to put her through an evaluation sim even if I had a Headhunter for her to fly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The general shook his head. “Five of you, then.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sir?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I have a son of Alderaan waiting on Dantooine. Tycho Celchu, formerly of the Imperial service as a TIE Interceptor pilot on the Star Destroyer Accuser<\/em>. He deserted while on shore leave on Commenor after Alderaan was destroyed. I’ve been exchanging brief encrypted messages with him on the old Fulcrum communication network. We were supposed to send a pickup team for him yesterday, but then we were forced to evacuate Massassi Base. Colonel S’man claims he can’t spare any pilots for at least three days.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We’re not equipped for a pickup,” Wedge said cautiously. “We’re an X-wing unit.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If you can be off the Independence<\/em> in an hour, I’ll have a U-wing ready to fly. Your people will need to fly it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wedge considered for a moment. UT-60D is an Incom ship. If we can fly X-wings, we can fly a U-wing.<\/em> “Best to run with a pilot and copilot,” he said to Luke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luke was clearly turning over the implications himself. “Four X-wings,” he said aloud. “Me, you, Sarkli, and Puck. Hobbie as the U-wing pilot. He’s got some Y-wing experience, too, and that U-wing won’t be as nimble as one of our fighters. Mara as his copilot. He trained her, so they already know how to work together. Any other pairing we put in the U-wing won’t work as well.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flaw was immediately apparent to Wedge. “Three X-wings. Someone needs to stay here to make sure S’man doesn’t disassemble our squadron while we’re gone. Neth is too new, and Janson’s not the sort to leave in charge.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You,” Luke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Me,” Wedge agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rieekan smiled faintly as the two pilots planned the mission right in front of him. “I have coordinates for a rendezvous. He’s already there and waiting. If we take too long, the Empire will probably find him first.” His already small smile faded into a hard look. “There’s already too few Alderaanians left. Celchu will have current intelligence on the latest Imperial deployments and tactics.” He paused for a moment. “If you can safely get him back to the Independence<\/em>, I’ll give you first crack at him once we’re done debriefing. I know you’re already talking to evacuation pilots. S’man’s complaints have been thorough. If you want Celchu as an X-wing pilot and he’s willing, he’s yours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We’ll get him back, General,” Luke said, his voice firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He’s already decided<\/em>, Wedge noted. Not that I disagree<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If you get Celchu back,” Rieekan said, “I’ll keep S’man off your back. Your squadron will be more useful outside of the air wing’s bureaucracy.” Rieekan nodded at both pilots. “I’ll have the rendezvous data delivered to you in half an hour. Good luck, Rogue Squadron.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mara’s eyes snapped open when she registered the muffled shouting from the corridor. Groggily, she rolled off her cot – acquired by Hobbie and Sarkli in lieu of proper bunks – and stumbled to the door, shaking her head and … Continue reading
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