"Watch out for that cruiser rogue 3, he's got a lock on your fighter" announced wedge.
"Copy that lead I'm trying to shake him but it's kind of hard flying through this asteroid field".
"Wedge were not doing that great here, and I read three more frigates and a star destroyer exiting hyperspace" said Hobbie.
"All rogues fall back to the rendezvous coordinates stay away from those capital ships".
"Sir we have more imperial ships exiting hyperspace"
"how many"? Asked Wedge.
"Too many I count seven corvette's a pair of marauder class cruiser's and a carrier on the port side".
With no hope of survival even for the rogues Wedge made a decision he never make's.
"Simulation terminate."
"Aw come on wedge we could have taken a few of them with us" said Janson.
"Emdee please get in here"
Rogue squadrons quarter master droid walks into the room.
"Yes Colonel Antilles."
"Emdee when you programmed this simulation what made you think anyone could have ever come out of that alive."
"Well sir Rogue Squadron has the highest percent of successful missions and the fewest casualties of any squadron in the new republic."
"I understand that but that simulation was impossible to win"
"Yes I know it was sir but I am programmed to challenge the squadron if I do not then you will lose your skill and become terminated and I am quite fond of you sir."
"Uh well thank you I guess, but next time make it so we at least have a chance to win."
"I will keep that in mind sir"
"alright that is all Emdee."
"So what was up with the simulation Wedge" asked Tycho.
"Emdee just felt like giving us a challenge" explained Wedge.
"Well I thought it was fun I took out nine tie's and I hit one of those frigates pretty good."
"Ya and ended up getting yourself vaped in the process" laughed Hobbie.
"Alright its over lets go get something to eat in the mess", said Sahar the Rogues communication specialist.
"Ok you guys go have fun I'm heading straight to my bunk wake me if you need me".
"Alright goodnight Wedge the squadron said in unison".
Little did they know Emdee was trying to prepare the squadron for a fight in the near future. Having the ability to hack into the New Republic Intelligence computer network anytime he wanted Emdee knew that the squadron was about to placed into the push to defeat one of the last Imperial warlords, Admiral Pelloan. The fleet they faced was just one of five that he commands with his power growing everyday with other Imperials joining his cause. If the New Republic found out that Emdee new that information they would have him scrapped for spare parts, but Emdee truly didn't want to see any of his squadron members die.
General Cracken the head of Intelligence knew for some time what the Rogues droid had been doing and he only leaked out information he knew they could use to improve themselves. There squadron would just be one of many who would go into action in the upcoming weeks. In all he planned on calling the first, second, fifth, ninth, and the twelfth fleets in total over one hundred and eighty capital ships and support craft. Still he did not know if this would be enough admiral Pelloan was a skilled and cunning foe who would use every tactic at his disposal to defeat the new republic. He was counting on Rogue squadron to be the tip of the spear in this operation they are going to strike at the heart of the enemy by going for the admiral's flagship. They won't be alone he's assembling the best pilots in the New Republic for this mission. With day's of planning left to go he decided to get some sleep only to realize it was seven A.M. and he spent another night worrying for his men.
It had been a week since that slaughter of a simulation Emdee programmed and Wedge had to admit they didn't get much simpler. But they managed to come out with only minor casualties in these new simulations. After so researching he figured out they were training for a mission all of the simulations revolved around one of admiral Palloan's fleet's mainly his own. Wedge wasn't about to tell his squadron what they were going into they would figure it out soon enough.
Admiral Pelloan didn't want personal wealth or glory like the other Imperial warlords he truly cared about the empire and wanted to see it survive he was a captain at the battle of Yavin and when the death star blew up he stayed calm and rallied all of the Imperial forces that he could and regrouped a couple of systems over expecting to counter attack but realizing he just didn't have enough ships. He spent the next few years building up his forces and allying himself with other warlords who wanted the old empire back. The only thing left was for one side to strike the other this would be the crucial battle in the war.
The New Republic knew there was only a few place's the empire would attack if they hoped to gain anything. They just didn't have the resources to commit force's to every planet. So they decided to put the majority of the fleets at Kuat, Correlia and Courasant. If one planet is attacked parts of the other defending fleets would jump to the system and help defend that world. Rogue squadron was posted at Courasant, if they lost here it would prolong the war by months trying to take back the heart of the government. Wedge knew how to defend the world he helped take it from the empire four years ago. He would wait until the Imperial and New Republic force's were fully engaged to attack this way he could sneak around the lines to attack the Imperial flagship. With this ship out of the way Wedge hoped that it would cause disarray with the command structure and different captains would fight for control. Rogue squadron has taken out Star destroyers by themselves before but never with that many imperial ships around. The plan was to have Rogue squadron team up with Wraith and Gold squadrons to escort the B-Wings in to make bombing runs. Wedge briefed his pilots on the mission and he knew they would do their best and that's all he could ask from them. With all of his force's ready Admiral Pelloan gave the go ahead on for the attack on Courasant.
His plan was simple use his operatives already in place on the planet and in various orbital defense platforms to disable many of the planets defense's. he would send his forces straight toward the senate district that way if he had to he could make an orbital bombardment and still achieve his goal. Of course that was a last option he wanted to minimize civilian casualties. Both fleets were equally matched but once the New Republic received reinforcements the battle would start to turn in there favor, that is why the empire had to get a foot hold on the planet. There was no doubt in Pelloan's mind that if he could do this then every imperial force around the galaxy would come to join his cause and finally defeat the rebels.
Wedge awoke to the sound of the battle stations over the intercom and knew this was it this was what they have been preparing for, if the New Republic lost this battle they just might lose it all. When he got to the hanger everyone was already climbing into their X-Wings, he hurried over to his fighter and started her up calling for system's go from all the Rogue's. With green on all the fighters Wedge ordered the squadron to form up with Wraith and Gold Squadrons already escorting the B-Wings up into space. By the time they got up there the battle was in full swing, already they had lost four defense platforms by the looks of them the explosions came from the inside.
The fleet wasn't fairing a lot better the empire came out of hyperspace in one group, with the Republic force's spread around the entire planet the first ships to attack the empire were destroyed within minutes. There was already imperial shuttle's landing planet side, the New Republic was in big trouble the Other two defense fleets from Kuat and Correlia were already on their way but it would take hours for them to get here in time. Wedge spotted the admirals flagship at the heart of the fleet just where he thought it would be.
"All wings stay in formation X-Wing's launch two proton torpedoes at the Star Destroyer then get into cover formation."
"B-Wings I want you to make strafing runs on it and don't let up we've got your back." With acknowledges from all Squadrons they began their run.
"Sir I only read three tie fighter squadrons guarding the flagship with that many we should be done in five minutes."
"Don't be so sure Sahar" said Wedge
"I've seen this tactic before once we focus all are energy on the main threat they will send in the corvette's to pulverize us."
And Wedge was right after the X-Wings launched their torpedoes six corvettes came in and started firing, Wraith and Rogue Squadron made it out fine but Gold squadron lost half of its pilots in that first attack and the B-Wings weren't proving much better. If they attacked the corvettes then their main objective the Star Destroyer would continue to destroy Republic ships. He decided he had no other option but to switch his X-Wings from fighter cover to bombing the Destroyer, he knew a lot of his bomber pilots would die, but he had no choice he needed all his guns on that Star Destroyer.
"Rogues hit the bridge with everything you got, Wraiths go for the engines if we can't destroy her maybe we can stop her".
Admiral Pelloan knew they would try and take him out of the battle, and he would have destroyed any other squadron by now but it had to be Rogue Squadron. He couldn't pay any attention to them they were just minor pest's to be dealt with the real threat was the reinforcement fleet's coming through hyperspace. He had the battle won he had legions of his stormtroopers on the planet seizing government building and his fleet was mopping up the remaining defenses in the area. The only thing now was to quickly set up a defense to repel the Republics counter attack.
What no one knew was that General Cracken had a reserve force behind Courasant's only moon. They were only too attack when they had a clear shot at the heart on the Imperial fleet they would cut it in two, by the time the reinforcements arrived all they would have to do was pick up the pieces.
"Sir I read Mon Calamari cruiser's coming over the moon's horizon."
"What? When did they get here, it doesn't matter patch me through to their flagship."
"This is Commander Sheppard of the Katana, What is it Colonel Antilles."
"Sir we could use some help I've lost more than half my men and were trying to destroy Admiral Pelloans flagship, this might be are only chance to take it out."
"Understood Antilles we are on our way."
"Thank you Sir" replied Wedge.
"Sir!"
"yes ensign what is it?" asked Pelloan.
"There appears to be a group of cruisers heading straight for us."
"Fire everything we have at those ships we must take them out now" shouted Pelloan.
With all of the empire's attention on the cruiser's Wedge saw his chance to destroy the ship. With the Star Destroyers shields being diverted to the forward sections he ordered all of his remaining ships to attack from behind and aim for the main reactor. If he destroyed this the entire ship would be vaporized in a matter of minutes.
With everything happening Pelloan realized to late what was about to happen. He all but forgot about Rogue Squadron until it was too late he gave the order to abandon ship when the reactor melt down siren went off. With only minutes left the crew of the Star Destroyer abandoned ship and once the Imperial fleet saw this they knew all hope was lost and began to retreat back into hyperspace, having no leader to unite them they would once again fall apart and await the Republic to find and destroy them. With the rest of the New Republic fleets finally making to courasant, Rogue Squadron was ordered back to base were they would have enjoy some nice and quite R and R time.