Entry Into the Saga

Chapter 1

Three standard hours after the end to another disastrous simulator run, Pilot Candidate Cole Torin stood at attention in his commanding officer's private study. Torin, a native of Corellia, prided himself on being from the same planet as some of the great heroes of the New Republic, such as Wedge Antilles, commander of the highly successful Rogue and Wraith Squadrons, and General Han Solo, whose very flagship Torin had been flying over in his recent simulator run. The young man had startlingly handsome features, and was slightly taller than the average pilot in the New Republic Starfighter Command. He had dark, mysterious blue eyes, which sometimes made many of the females that he encountered blush if they looked at him. He had a full head of soft, thick, brown hair, and had a very good build, some of his features clearly noticeable under his uniform. Unfortunately for Torin, his superiors didn't care where he hailed from or what he looked like. Torin wasn't even sure whether they cared about him at all.

Torin stared at the wall just above his commanding officer's head. He could see that the officer was tapping at the datapad in front of him.

"Pilot Candidate Torin," the officer, Colonel Mora, said with a firm tone. "Since your entry into the pilot candidate training program for the New Republic Starfighter Command, you have shown excellent marks in astronavigation and your skills in battle are quite commendable. However..." The way that the colonel began his sentence made Torin wince. "...you have had several incidences of gross insubordination, and at times, your peers have reported a...lack of logic...in your decisions in and out of the cockpit. Take today for example. You and your wingman pursued two lone TIE fighters who were hot on the tails of another pair of X-wings. However, you failed to notice, or do anything about, the four TIE Interceptors that were sitting behind you, taking shots at your shields as you attempted to rescue your wingmen. Tell me, Torin...What were you thinking?!"

Torin stood silent for a moment, and then gave his response. "I was concentrating on helping out my fellow wingmen at the cost of myself, sir."

The colonel smirked. "Very good, Torin. I'm glad you were able to see the fault in your logic. Now, tell me. What did your wingman think of this?"

Torin didn't know how to respond. "I never had the chance to ask him, sir."

"EXACTLY, Torin." The colonel put down the datapad and folded his hands across his desk. A lean man, sometimes appearing sickeningly thin, Colonel Mora had been brought up into a family heavily involved in the Rebel Alliance, as they had been known at that time. He prided himself on his military upbringing, and sometimes looked down on other people who did not receive that upbringing. His small, bright green eyes and short, military regulation black hair sometimes intimidated anyone he was with. "You see, Torin. You view yourself as someone who thinks that they can win a battle on their own. You see yourself as a person who tries to be a hero by saving others before thinking of himself. Believe me, Torin. The New Republic already has quite enough martyrs. We don't need a hotshot pilot becoming the next. However, considering your scores and battle data, I can't drop you from this program. Thus, I've decided to let you graduate with the remainder of your peers. However, I'm tempted to write recommendations to keep you out of front line service until you straighten yourself out. That is all, Torin. Dismissed."

Torin threw a crisp military salute and turned on his heel. He marched out of the room as if being graded on his precision. Once he was gone, Colonel Mora gave a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. He activated his personal terminal and began recording a message for a close friend of his, General Wedge Antilles.

- - - - -

Cole activated the door panel outside of his quarters and scuffed over to his bed. He collapsed on it and closed his eyes. A few seconds later the door to his quarters slid open and his roommate, Renar Voss, also known as "Tiger," walked in, a smile on his face. Voss received the name after an unfortunate incident with a heating grid in the mess. He got a little too close after tripping over a piece of food and it left him with a series of lines going across his cheeks and lower arms. Somehow his injury never dampened his spirit.

"What are you so happy about, Tiger?" Torin grumbled.

Tiger gave a smirk and opened the small storage panel above his bunk, taking out a colorful datapad full of his favorite games. "Another lecture from Colonel Mora, I gather?"

Cole groaned and shoved his face into his pillow.

"Thought so." Tiger gave a toothy grin and took out his pointer, tapping repeatedly as he played virtual sabacc on the datapad.

Torin sat up, glaring at Tiger. "You annoy me," he stated simply. "I'm going to the refresher. Find somewhere to roll over and die for me, will you?"

Tiger looked up from his game, a smile still on his face. "Sure thing, Cole. Will you find me a nice planet somewhere for my grave, too?"

Torin grunted and punched the button to close the refresher door with a bang. Tiger looked up and chuckled to himself.

- - - - -

General Wedge Antilles sat down in the chair behind his desk in his personal office, his two Executive Officers, or XOs, Lieutenant Narwara Ven from Rogue Squadron, and Major Wes Janson from Wraith Squadron, sitting in dented, dirty ejection seats taken from decommissioned X-wings. Narwara Ven was a Twi'lek, a humanoid species from the planet Ryloth, known for the fleshy appendages that protruded from their heads that were called lekku or brain tails. Ryloth was a culture with a great pride in its warriors, but not many served with the New Republic. Before joining Rogue Squadron, Ven was a defense attorney, and had served for the squadron in one case before. After an unfortunate encounter with shrapnel, Narwara Ven was decommissioned as a pilot, but remained with the squadron anyway, a metal replacement serving as the lower portion of his right leg. Wes Janson, on the other hand, was a babyfaced human from one of many human-inhabited worlds, Tanaab. He had served by Wedge's side for many years, and was one of the few friends that he had left from long ago.

Wedge activated his terminal, a message from a friend of his, Colonel Mora, immediately popping up. He opened it and watched as the face of Colonel Mora appeared, his two XOs remaining quiet as he looked over the message. The hologram of Colonel Mora began speaking almost immediately:

General Antilles,

It is good to once again speak to you after your extended leave. I hope all is well. However, I don't have much time for formalities, so I'll keep this brief. My next class of X-wing pilots is due to graduate come next week. There is one pilot in particular, Cole Torin, that I'd like you to watch over for me. He shows great promise, but he's a bit...well...he needs a surgical laser to implant some logic into his head..

Wedge gave a small chuckle as the hologram looked down at a datapad and then looked back up.

I have recommended that Torin be kept out of front line service until he learns some discipline. However, I think that it would do him some good to work with his idol. Needless to say, that idol is you.

The Colonel smiled and continued.

I learned that in your recent battles you have suffered some losses, and I thought that you might have a position open for him. Please consider this offer, Commander. I await your reply.

The hologram faded and Wedge turned off his terminal. He sat behind his desk and thought.