Title: A New Path

Summary: Tycho Celchu's journey from the Empire to the Alliance.

Disclaimer: Star Wars is, quite clearly, not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is not written for profit.

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Chapter 9: An Elite Squadron

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Wedge knocked on Jesina's door later that same day. "You said you needed to talk to me?"

She nodded and motioned him inside, and then closed and locked the door behind him.

Her action didn't go unnoticed by Wedge, who held up a hand to prevent her from speaking just yet. "Wait a second. There are enough people in the Alliance who dislike me already, and a few who actually hate me. So, please, think twice before you drag me into anything."

"I'm not – why do people hate you?" she asked, interrupting herself.

He shook his head. "Long story. I'm being serious, though."

"I'm not dragging you into anything. I want to talk to you about Tycho."

"Tycho?"

"My friend who just defected."

"Why does he concern me?"

"He doesn't just yet, but he might, when they finally clear him." She told him about the delay.

He shook his head. "Next time, shoot one of the Imps – or more than one, for that matter. Leave them with no doubt."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You were being serious a minute ago. Can't you stay that way for a little longer?"

"Janson's rubbing off on me." When she hit him for that remark, he held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "All right. I'll behave. Tell me how Tycho concerns me."

"He's a pilot. He flew TIEs – in battle – for more than a year. And he's very good."

"To last even a year, he'd have to halfway decent." Wedge paused and studied her expression. "From the look on your face, I get the feeling he wasn't flying against smugglers and pirates."

Jesina shook her head. "No. He's flown against the Alliance."

Wedge hesitated. It wasn't good, but it wasn't terrible, either. "That's not exactly uncharted territory, Jes."

"Give me another minute or two and you'll understand. He flew at Kien'tol." Kien'tol was a largely uninhabited planet on the outskirts of the Expansion Region. The planet's smallest moon had been the site of a minor skirmish about a year before.

She had hoped Wedge would recognize the name, but he didn't seem to. "When?"

She gave him an exasperated look. "There's only been one battle at Kien'tol – only one that mattered, anyway. A patrol from a Vic was ambushed by a rebel squadron and completely destroyed, but the ambushers were chased off by the Vic's second squadron."

Wedge frowned. He'd heard this story before. Then he swore. "Janson."

Jesina nodded. "The ambushing squadron was the Tierfon Yellow Aces."

"If Wes finds out, one of the two of them is liable to end up dead. And – no offense – but my credits are on Janson to come out of it."

"Yeah, mine too. Oh, don't get me wrong; Tycho's no slouch. He proved that on Nar Shaddaa."

"You took an ex-Imperial officer to the Smuggler's Moon?" Wedge interrupted, incredulous. "Are you crazy?"

"No. It was a safe place to meet. Besides, give me some credit. He blended right in after I was through with him." A wicked grin appeared on her face, but vanished just as quickly. "I don't know what to do about this."

"Keep them apart," Wedge said. "I don't see that we have much choice."

"I don't see how we can manage that," she countered. "Think about it. You, Skywalker, Janson and Hobbie are all here to form a new squadron under Narra. It would make sense for Tycho to be assigned to Narra, too. He's good enough – I can guarantee it even without seeing him in the sims. And he's here."

"So we tell Narra the situation."

She shook her head. "I don't think that'll do much good. I don't have much to go on, but Narra strikes me as the type to tell them to get over it or he'll bind them together for a week and see who comes out the other side."

"I've only spoken to him for a few minutes, but I think you might be right." He paused. "So what do we do?"

"Tell them?" she suggested.

"Not Wes." Wedge shook his head vehemently. "That could only end one way."

That was true. She could just envision Janson marching down to the cellblock, blaster drawn. "Then I'll tell Tycho, and tell him not to say ANYTHING about it to anyone. That's the only thing I can think of." Something told her that it still wouldn't be enough.

"We should probably still tell Narra – at least, we should tell him if Tycho does get assigned to us. So he'll know in case something does happen."

Just then Jesina's comlink beeped. "Dreis."

"Captain, Lieutenant Celchu has been cleared."

"Thank you. Dreis out."

Just as she pocketed her comlink, Wedge's sounded, and he rolled his eyes. "Antilles."

"Lieutenant, Commander Narra requests that you meet him in the simulator room at 1700 hours."

Wedge glanced at his chrono. Less than twenty minutes. "Understood. Out."

"I'm going to go talk to Tycho. I'd bet twenty credits that Narra's going to sim Tycho against the rest of you."

Wedge shook his head. "No bet. I learned something from Booster, and that's never to bet against you." He paused. "You going to watch?"

"If Narra'll let me." She looked thoughtful. "Tell the others not to take it easy on Tycho. He's good. I want them to see it."

"And you want him to see that Rebel pilots aren't easy, either?" Wedge asked, his easy grin returning to his face.

She nodded, smirking, and slipped out the door.

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Wedge was the first to reach the sim room, which was good because it gave him a chance to talk to Narra alone. The man was silent throughout the conversation, doing little more than nodding and frowning. When Wedge had finished speaking, he thanked him for telling him and then said, "You're right. I have no intention of trying to separate the two. If Celchu's as good as Dreis believes, I want him in this squadron. And they'll manage if it kills them." It might, Wedge thought to himself.

The conversation had ended then because Janson and Hobbie had arrived, with Luke right behind them. Narra glanced at his chrono. "Good. Early. I like that. Now, I want to properly introduce myself. I am, as you presumably know by now, Commander Bennington Narra. I knew Garven Dreis very well, and for those of you who flew under him, you'll learn that our attitudes toward command are very similar, though I take less flak from my pilots." He offered a small grin, but sobered quickly.

"You know by this point that we're forming a brand new squadron. And while you are all no doubt aware that you are some of the best pilots in the Alliance, you may not be aware that that is why you are here. The Alliance is seeking to form an elite squadron of fighter pilots that can also act as commandos, should the situation require it."

The four of them glanced at each other. He was right, they knew they were good. But – with the possible exception of Janson – they didn't think of themselves as the best.

"I've tapped several other Alliance pilots for this squadron, and I'll discuss my plans in further detail once they arrive, which should be over the next few days." He glanced at his datapad, ensuring that he hadn't forgotten anything. He hadn't.

"I do have one order of business right now. I've been asked to test a pilot who is new to the Alliance. Lieutenant Celchu flew TIEs for the Empire for about a year, and has just been cleared following his defection."

Wes opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by a deadly look from their new CO. "I'm having all four of you operate as TIE pilots to fly against him. I want to see EXACTLY what he can do. And I want to see what you can do. He's not going to be the only one I'm watching. Questions?"

Hobbie raised a hand. "Sir, did you say Lieutenant Celchu?"

"Yes, I did. Why?"

"Lieutenant Tycho Celchu, sir?"

Wedge nodded this time. "That's him." That earned him a glare from Janson that said clearly, you knew about this? Wedge inwardly cringed. Oh, Janson I can only imagine what you'd do if you ever learned exactly how much I know, Wedge thought. "You know him?"

"He was at Prefsbelt when Biggs and I were there." He looked at Narra. "He's good, sir. He was at the top of our class. And I'd bet my life we can trust him." He cast a sideways glance at Janson, guessing what the other man must be thinking. "He was from Alderaan. Had a fiancé and his whole family at home."

"Have you been in communication with him, Lieutenant, since you defected?" Narra asked, eyes slightly narrowed.

Hobbie grimaced, knowing how his words could potentially be perceived. "No, sir. Like I said, I knew him at Prefsbelt. We were friends."