Entry Into the Saga

Author: Dark Xavier

Notice: This fanfic bases itself off of an original character from the Star Wars: X-Wing series of novels written by Arron Allston and Michael A. Stackpole. However, this is also an alternate universe version, and thus Wraith Squadron, a group that transfers over to New Republic Intelligence in the original story, does not. They remain as part of the New Republic Starfighter Command. Also, Major Wes Janson remains with Wraith Squadron (much against his wishes) as their XO and Lieutenant Narwara Ven is still the XO of Rogue Squadron.

Prologue: In Too Deep

The young pilot engaged his four fusial thrust engines at full throttle, launching his X-wing deeper into the furball surrounding the New Republic Cruiser, Mon Remonda, a beautiful vessel manufactured by the Mon Calamari, a fishlike species of bipeds that were well known for their great engineering and manufacturing skills. His R2 unit beeped loudly at him as the Empire's most maneuverable starfighter, a TIE Interceptor, fell in place behind him, locking him up with its targeting systems. The pilot's R2 unit squealed loudly as the TIE began raining deadly streams of laser fire at the X-wing's rear shields. The pilot felt hit after hit dissipate on the shields, mere meters from his snubfighter. He grimaced – not a good sign. He was sure that the sensors recording his flight would notice that.

Bringing himself back to the battle at hand, the pilot found a pair of TIE fighters chasing after a pair of his wingmen.

"Green Seven?"

"You have lead, Eight."

The pilot dove into the fray, chasing after the two TIEs endangering his wingmen. He locked up the trailing TIE in his targeting brackets and squeezed the trigger. A pair of red lasers launched themselves from two of the cannons on the tips of his X-wing's stabilizers. They sliced cleanly through the TIE's port wing, hulling the craft as they continued on their course. The dead TIE rolled lazily over onto its starboard wing and fell towards the distant planet's gravity well.

"Nice shot, Eight."

"Thanks, Seven."

Just behind Green Eight, Green Seven's pilot fired a quad-linked set of lasers at the lead TIE, shearing the starboard wing clean off, sending the TIE into an uncontrollable spin. It exploded into an incandescent ball of gases and shrapnel two seconds later.

The comm unit crackled to life. "Thanks Seven, Eight."

"No problem, but you owe us a drink when this is all over."

"Done."

Green Eight's R2 unit squealed once again as a pair of new TIE Interceptors fell in behind the two X-Wings.

"Eight, look out behind..." Green Seven's X-wing blew apart as a quartet of green lasers from one of the TIEs punctured his shields and slammed into the back of the X-wing. "...you" the pilot said after his X-wing was a rapidly dissipating cloud of gas a kilometer or so back.

Green Eight slammed his foot down on the etheric rudder, swinging his fighter around one hundred and eighty degrees. What he saw frightened him. The two TIE Interceptors that had been following him were from the infamous 181st Imperial Fighter Group, led by the great Imperial ace, Baron Soontir Fel. The last thing he saw before his fighter was destroyed was the horizontal red stripes of the 181st and eight green lasers converging on his snubfighter's nose.

The seal on Green Eight's simulator popped open, exposing the pilot to the bright lights of the simulator room. His vision cleared to reveal a colonel, his training instructor, standing over him with a scowl on his face.

"Now, class. Can anyone tell me PRECISELY what Pilot Candidate Torin did wrong in this exercise?"

Torin shamefully looked down back into his simulator's cockpit. It was going to be one of those days...