"Wedge's Gamble": Book 2 in the X-Wing Series

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 1:

 

In the month after the rebel takeover of Borleias, most ships entering the systems are on Alliance business, but some are Imperial recon ships, diplomatic transports from potential member worlds or scout ships sent to verify whether the rumors are true.

 

But when the Vengeance Derra IV arrives, Corran still has a bad feeling. He is doing patrol with two Y-Wings and can’t shake the feeling that there’s something wrong about this freighter.

 

He advises the Y-Wings to check the security code. When they mention the code was correct on the second try, he remembers an incident in CorSec in which a burglar had used technology that had sliced into the lock and would give a thief the security code if he gave the wrong one first.

 

He orders the freighter to stand down. The Y pilots are concerned about this, but Corran’s instincts prove correct when the freighter launches four TIEs and two bombers.

 

The pilots engage in battle, a Y-Wing picking one off Corran’s tail when his shields are hit. In the end, they destroy five ships and capture one.
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• Derra IV seems to keep coming up in these books as an example of battles the Alliance fought. In researching, it appears the world was first mentioned in the NPR version of The Empire Strikes Back and name checked in several other sources.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 2:

 

Wedge explains to the two new pilots that he was delayed because of another attempt by the Empire to probe the system. Then he welcomes Captain Aril Nunb and Captain Pash Cracken to the squadron.

 

He starts with Nunb, making sure she understands that his not selecting her for the Rogues six months ago had nothing to do with her piloting skills. The initial training of the Rogues was meant to bring them up to speed with Rogue Squadron’s reputation and, since her piloting skills are already superior, he didn’t think she would get much out of the training phase.

 

Cracken is the son of Alliance Intellience’s own Airen Cracken. He’d gone to the Imperial Naval Academy under an assumed name, then took off with an entire wing of TIEs on his first assignment after graduation. That group took down a Victory-class Star Destroyer and became legendary.

 

Wedge wants to know why Cracken wants to join the Rogues. When Cracken says it’s hard to explain, Wedge notes that, since he will taking a rank reduction to lieutenant to come to Rogue Squadron, he’d like to know Cracken’s reasons. Cracken explains that he’s always had a talent for flying. His exploits have become so famous that the people who’ve survived along with him, in addition to the newer pilots, seem to think that Cracken leads a charmed life. Inevitable deaths are not attributed to his leadership, but to the fault of the dead pilot. He fears that, if he is not as good as people think he is, he may lead his squadron down with him.

 

Wedge understands the burden that commanding a squadron has. He has watched friend after friend die. Pilots like Jek Porkins, Dak Ralter, Biggs Darklighter and Bror Jace were among the best, too.

 

He tells Cracken that he would solve his unit’s false sense of security by letting them fly without him, but he himself could go to any unit, especially since most other wings utilize his speciality, the A-Wing.

 

Cracken points out that other units would just put him in command of it and he would have the same problem there. He needs to be able to measure his piloting skills against the best the Alliance has to offer.

 

Wedge wonders what his father thinks of this. Cracken is surprised, but mentions that his father has nothing to do with this decision and has the utmost respect for Antilles.

 

Wedge appreciates that, but part of him wonders if Pash Cracken is coming here as an agent of his father’s. There have been some security and intelligence issues that have caused some to wonder if there’s a spy in their midst. General Salm would very much like to believe that it’s Tycho Celchu.

 

Since the taking of Borleias is a stepping stone to the ultimate goal of seizing Coruscant, it is very possible that putting a rebel agent in the Squadron would be seen as a way to boost security.

 

But he has no proof of this, so he welcomes them both. He will be leaving for a meeting with the Provisional Council. Because of Celchu’s status, Nunb will be in command while he’s gone.

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• In the last book, Imperial Agent Kirtan Loor had arranged for Rogue Pilot Bror Jace to be killed en route to his homeworld of Thyferra. Imperial Director of Intelligence and current head of government Ysanne Isard wanted him captured instead. We have not yet been given information on what happened with Jace, but obviously Wedge believes him to be dead.

• Wedge had chosen Tycho as his executive officer over Aril Nunb in the first book.

• We first met Pash's father, General Airen Cracken in Rebel Force #3: Renegade. He appeared again in Choices of One.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 3:

 

The Borleias installation is more spacious than their previous habitats so Corran has a larger suite now with some scavenged furnishings. A holo of images from other worlds provides some life to the bland room when Tycho Celchu comes in to see an image from Alderaan.

 

Though the images are randomized, Corran apologizes for the timing.

 

Emtrey joins them by invitation and expresses his gratitude which the two pilots respond to by telling him three times to shut up. This action shuts the droid down for now. Corran explains that he has looked into Emtrey’s scrounging program which seems to be the cause of various odd behaviors.

 

It seems that a supply quartermaster on Hoth was having trouble getting equipment after the incident at Derra IV. A Lt. Losca wanted to set up a commodities exchange. Since it would have taken up too many computer resources that were needed elsewhere and might have also compromised their location, she set up a program in Emtrey. Emtrey essentially has a split personality. When he’s asked to scrounge something, the brokering program comes into play without the knowledge of the protocol droid personality.

 

They can’t ask Losca anything else because she died on Hoth. Emtrey has been booted around from unit to unit. Besides the scrounging program, there doesn’t seem to be anything else wrong with him so he’s probably not a security risk.

 

Tycho congratulates him to on getting into Alliance records so easily. Corran doesn’t think information about Hoth is going to harm anyone and they were easy to get into anyway. Portions of Tycho’s records are not.

 

Tycho isn’t angry at him for trying peek, but is disappointed. Corran can always ask him if he has a question. Corran admits he’s curious, but can’t be certain he would get the truthful answer. After all, there are two Alliance guards outside waiting to escort him when he’s done here. Clearly someone thinks he’s a threat.

 

Corran doesn’t like being suspicious of Tycho who has saved his life more than once. But the CorSec officer inside him doesn’t let him give up investigating so easily.

 

Tycho swears him to secrecy and explains the situation. He had volunteered to fly a heavily-modified TIE fighter captured at Bakura to Coruscant and collect data on the orbital defenses of the planet. He was to land, download the data which would be shipped out in various ways, then leave the planet. But he was captured by an Imperial Star Destroyer.

 

He was taken to the infamous Lusankya prison. There are rumors that Isard runs a private prison where inmates are subjected to mind-altering experiments that turn them into ticking time bombs.

 

The prisoner is then let go, behaves perfectly normal until someone somewhere activates the programming inside their brain and they become makeshift terrorists. The name Lusankya doesn’t come up until after the bizarre change so it’s difficult to tell who has been reprogrammed and who hasn’t.

 

Tycho says he was catatonic most of the time, but he was interrogated and finally sent to a penal colony where he made his escape. Alliance security debriefed him for two months and found nothing, but General Salm is convinced that Tycho, unlike the others, was allowed to retain his memory of his time there and then allowed to escape.

 

He knows he’s not been turned into an Imperial agent, but cannot prove it to anyone. He tolerates the restrictions on his movements because he refuses to let Isard win and take him out of the game. He also believes that some minor inconveniences now are better than what he endured while detained by the Empire.

 

They decide to reactive Emtrey now. His scrounging program isn’t an issue as long as they can keep him from adding items likely to be obtained on an upcoming mission to his roster of goods. Whistler is altering the scrounging parameters to keep that from happening.

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• Another Derra IV mention.

• At the end of The Truce at Bakura, Luke flew the one TIE fighter the rebels were taking as spoils of war out for a jaunt. This may be the fighter Tycho used.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 4:

 

Wedge is excited at being in the presence of the Provisional Council. Mon Mothma asks Senator Organa to give an update on the overtures to Warlord Zsinj. Leia explains that the Alliance has made several attempts to contact the man who has elevated himself to Warlord status due to his commanding the Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist.

 

Though the Bothan spynet has assured her that the messages have been received, there has been no answer.

 

However, it would appear that Zsinj is still trying to keep tabs on them. Wedge offers that a captured TIE fighter and pilot confirms that the freighter they tangled with recently was sent by Zsinj to determine whether or not the Alliance actually held Borleias and to strike if possible.

 

Councilor Borsk Fey’lya marvels that they let the freighter escape. Wedge counters that there were only three ships on patrol and they did bring down five TIEs and capture one. Anything else would have been suicidal. Fey’lya points out that impossible missions are Rogue Squadron’s specialty.

 

Ackbar intervenes and notes that diminishing the Rogues’ sacrifices essentially diminishes the sacrifices that others have made on behalf of the Alliance, too. Since the Bothans are quick to remind others of the sacrifices their spies have made, Fey’lya cannot easily dismiss the dangers to Rogue Squadron without doing the same for his own people.

 

Admiral Ackbar briefs them on their goal. He presents to them the planet Coruscant which is the administrative center of the government. Though it is currently known to the Empire as Imperial Center, Coruscant is the name in the hearts of most beings. Whoever controls it will be seen as the legitimate head of government.

 

After the death of the Emperor, the government was run by Sate Pestage for six months until he was ousted by a coup of Imperial advisors, one of whom may have been Ysanne Isard. Though she is still going by her title of Director of Intelligence, there is no doubt she is in charge and has not allowed the planet’s defenses to slacken.

 

Besides the Golan Space Defense Stations which will have to be taken down, there are seven Victory-class Star Destroyers in orbit on top of the ground and orbital based fighter groups. They must assume that skyhooks and mirror stations have been armed.

 

The main problem will be the overlapping shields. To do anything, they have to bring the shields down. A bombardment will be faster and simpler, but messy. He recommends a blockade as the best way to minimize losses both among the rebel troops and the planet’s civilian population.

 

Mon Mothma points out two problems with a blockade. It will bottle up the rebel fleet here for an extended period of time which may be long enough to allow Isard time to recall reinforcements to Coruscant. Ackbar also mentions that a blockade might encourage Imperial commanders to sever ties with the Empire, breaking it up quicker.

 

Fey’lya notes that doing that comes with the risk that they will get many more warlords like Zsinj who will also doubtlessly begin attacking ill-defended New Republic worlds while the Alliance fleet is blockading Coruscant.

 

Mon Mothma also worries about the civilian population suffering on Coruscant because of a blockade, especially those in the lowest levels who are barely surviving as it is.

 

Ackbar points out that he is in an impossible situation. Any method they use to take Coruscant will cause civilians to suffer. And taking the world by force may be pointless as they may not be able to hold it before someone else comes along and seizes it from them.

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• Sate Pestage, we remember, was one of Palpatine’s special advisors as far back as Darth Plagueis. He also appeared in Cloak of Deception, Jedi Trial, Labrynth of Evil, Dark Horse Comic’s Rogue Squadron series and was mentioned in the novelization of Revenge of the Sith.

• At one point, Ackbar explains the importance of Coruscant to running a legitimate government. I have to believe that inclusion was for the reader’s sake because I cannot imagine that those on the Provisional Council do not understand that he who runs Coruscant runs the galaxy.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 5:

 

Wedge had promised to walk through the peaceful savannahs of Noquivzor when he got the chance, but the Provisional Council’s presence here is not peaceful. Princess Leia approaches him and admits that there are sticky situations here that make agreement difficult.

 

Borsk Fey’lya has things he wants and is bound and determined to get them. In fact, this world being the meeting place for the Council’s briefing was his idea, in large part because everyone who opposes him finds the temperature and climate uncomfortable. That’s why Ackbar suggested the unworkable blockade first so he would be forced to compromise and show he was able to do so. That will require others to compromise, too.

 

They never dreamed, a few years ago, that they would even get this far to have these types of problems. This Rebellion may take decades to pan out. She wonders if Wedge is considering starting a family.

 

He tells her that he doesn’t have time to court and his pilots are all the children he needs for now. But Leia found someone without even looking. He asks about Han. She admits she misses him when he’s gone but often wonders why she chose him of all people.

 

Wedge offers to give her many reasons why she did and asks about Luke. Leia tells him that Luke is continuing his Jedi training by looking for any information he can find about the Jedi Order. This is very difficult as Palpatine was as thorough in getting rid of Jedi history and lore as he was the Jedi themselves. Much of what Luke has found has been tainted with information he’s certain is designed to lead someone to the dark side. But he has put together a training program that he wants her to begin using.

 

It’s hard for her to find the time to do the exercises, especially when the calm she’s supposed to project is disrupted by political frustrations.

 

After Leia is called away by Mon Mothma, Wedge is approached by General Cracken who asks for a moment to speak with him. He wants to express his gratitude that Wedge accepted Pash into Rogue Squadron. Many commanders wouldn’t out of fear that Pash was being used an agent of Intelligence.

 

Wedge asks if that’s what’s happening as there are security concerns. Cracken explains that he’s aware of the situation with Tycho Celchu and isn’t overly concerned there. His son needs to be challenged which is hard to do when he has to command those who believe he’s invincible. He cannot test the upper limits of his abilities without worrying about his men being killed. Cracken thinks that the Rogues, who do not take chances, but who do not shrink from their duty, will be a good place for him.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 6:

 

On a supply run to Mrisst, Mirax Terrik and her Pulsar Skate had noted the presence of a freighter called the Vengeance Derra IV. Now there’s a recon flight to Mrisst of which Corran Horn is now a part.

 

The mission has been difficult because of two pieces of information learned while planning it. One was that the remains of Bror Jace’s X-Wing have been found with no signs of life. An Imperial Interdictor was working in that area so Jace must have been pulled out of hyperspace and attacked with overwhelming forces. Corran is disturbed because there is no TIE fighter debris. He believes Jace would have taken some with him. Additionally, the ship responsible for the kill was the Black Asp which the Rogues had encountered on their first mission. He doesn’t believe that was a coincidence. It’s possible that there was something wrong with his X-Wing, but Zraii the Verpine mechanic keeps the ships in top-notch shape.

 

The second piece of news is that Emtrey had found a thorough report confirming the death of Gil Bastra, his former colleague from CorSec. Apparently, the man had died while under interrogation by Agent Kirtan Loor who had been the Imperial Liason with CorSec while Corran worked there. Bastra had been the ones who’d arranged for fake identities for Corran and his co-workers. If Loor is involved, then he may be searching for them all.

 

He fingers the medallion that had belonged to his father and that Mirax had identified as a Jedi commemorative credit coin. He is certain that Loor had something to do with Jace’s death.

 

The eight Rogue X-Wings come into realspace to find the Vengeance Derra IV still there and a ship called Contruum’s Pride transporting cargo aboard it. Pash Cracken comes from Contruum and notes that transports are assigned names of beasts of burden, not virtues. There’s clearly another enemy there.

 

The Rogues take on the TIE fighters that soon emerge from the Vengeance, demonstrating both Cracken’s and Nunb’s piloting skills. The Vengeance is ultimately damaged enough that the Contruum’s Pride has to shore it up to keep it from falling into Mrisst’s atmosphere.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 7:

 

Ysanne Isard is irritated that Major Wortin of the Black Asp ignored orders to make sure that Bror Jace be taken alive. She agrees that Loor’s assessment of the situation was that the destroyed X-Wing was not the result of an accident is probably right on the mark, but she didn’t appreciate his comments that Wortin should have been executed. Maybe the Empire could afford to randomly execute personnel in the past, but it can’t now. She has agreed to ship him off to the Inexorable where he will learn lessons under Thrawn he should already know or die.

 

In other news, she notes that General Derricote has asked for Quarren. It would appear that the contagion he is introducing into Gamorreans is incubating for too long to be of use to them. Subjects are contagious for four days and it can last in a water supply for one.

 

She asks if it can’t be made airborne but he explains it cannot without affecting humans, too. Isard tells him to give Derricote what he wants by sweeping the undercity for Quarren. She also wants the incubation period cut in half.

 

As for Warlord Zsinj, his probing efforts will not be stopped. She knows he’s only an opportunist, trying to gauge both her strength and that of the Rebels. Very likely, he hopes to wrest control of the planet from the Alliance is they emerge the victor.

 

But for right now he’s just a distraction. She wants defending against the rebels to be the prime focus here. If Derricote’s project isn’t ready when they arrive, she will have to eliminate everyone who knows about it as a precaution. That should make Loor very frightened indeed.
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• Nothing we’ve read in the chronology up to this point indicates that Thrawn is a man who executes liberally. Obviously, this book was written earlier than others that have provided a more balanced view of Thrawn. Of course, he may not tolerate those who disobey orders…

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 8:

At the next session of the Provisional Council’s planning session, Ackbar concedes that, while a blockade is preferable, it is not workable. There are other alternatives, though. First and foremost is the need to bring down the planetary shields, something that should be done from within and prior to any assault.

They have agents on Coruscant but they are not placed in positions where they can be useful when it comes to planetary defenses. He believes Rogue Squadron will be of help here. Cracken’s Intelligence Agents are more suited to this task but none of them are pilots. The newly formed Squadron has been chosen with care for bringing in not only the best pilots, but those with unique skills.

Wedge adds that they will need to find power plants and communications centers to hit and, as a pilot, he is best suited to finding where the hits will need to be made and how much firepower can be used. In addition, this operation will have to take into account that Warlord Zsinj or someone else may try to take the planet back from them while they are trying to restore the defenses later on. For this reason, conduits, which are more easily replaced, will have to be hit rather than the actual power reactors.

Fey’lya concedes that information is necessary before launching a strike and that some disruption of Imperial activities will be beneficial. But he’s also concerned that Imperial authorities may be working against Rogue Squadron and that something should distract them.

His people have a plan that could be useful. After the death of the Emperor, the inmates of the Kessel spice mines overthrew their Imperial overseers and began overseeing the mines themselves. A minor official by the name of Moruth Doole is in charge now and he has connections to the spice trade.

The Imperials and the political prisoners were sent to work in the mines. Some have been released, but only after their friends and families were fleeced for huge ransoms.

However, there are officers of Black Sun there, too. If they free certain select people from Kessel and bring them to Coruscant, they could help focus Black Sun’s remnants there to sabotage the Empire.

He doesn’t see this as any different from working with Imperial forces at Bakura or of reaching out to the Hapans. The enemy of their enemy is their friend, after all. They can take some of Doole’s rivals for power off his hands and perhaps even ransom some of their own people who are being held there. As Black Sun performs well, they can get some of their minions back to them.

Ackbar doesn’t see how unleashing thieves and murderers on Coruscant is beneficial.

Fey’lya emphasizes that they will be stealing Imperial equipment and killing Imperial officers.

Leia notes that taking Coruscant will be difficult, especially if they don’t know what they will be dealing with ahead of time. She believes the time may come that they regret dealing with Black Sun, but, for the time being, having some of the underworld’s good graces may be useful.

Ackbar is uncomfortable with this plan. Even Zsinj hasn’t been foolish enough to free those at Kessel. If they are to go with this plan, he wants every detail gone over to make certain his people are not taken hostage or equipment converted to use by criminals. He does not want a repeat of the catastrophe they first faced at Borleias.

This reminder bristles Fey’lya whose distant relative, General Kre’fey, was killed at Borleias when incomplete information was given to the Alliance before the battle there. Still, the Bothan agrees that he wants this operation to go smoothly as well. He suggests that Rogue Squadron might be used, as well, to establish some rapport with the people they are going to be working with.

Wedge whispers to Ackbar that he does not want Rogue Squadron to be used to free criminals. Ackbar reminds him that Isard doesn’t want to give up Coruscant either. They all have things they don’t want to do.

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• So are we to believe then that, if political prisoners are still working the mines, that Kessel is now being run by actual criminals? If that's the case, then who will the Alliance be freeing? I would imagine that those involved with Black Sun would have taken an active interest in running the planet and wouldn't be working the mines themselves. Thus, why would they want rescuing?

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 9:

 

Though Wedge doesn’t like what they have to do, he tells his team they are going to do it. Albeit their way. There used to be an Imperial base on the moon orbiting Kessel, but they don’t know what the Imps left behind. So they will flyover the moon and destroy any automated defenses that are left before Page and his commandoes land and secure the site.

 

They will do the same thing on Kessel so that the commandos can clear a landing site. Wedge, Nawara and Corran will land, while Aril Nunb will command the others flying cover for both the landing zone and for Tycho who will be using the shuttle Forbidden to ferry people from Kessel to the moon base. At the base, the people they bring back will be processed and shipped out to either be inserted on Coruscant or returned to their homeworlds.

 

This processing phase is important because the entire operation will be aborted if there’s trouble caused by any of those liberated. He warns them they will be dealing with dangerous people, but they will be getting some good with the bad. They are trying to ransom as many political prisoners as possible in exchange for getting rid of potential troublemakers for Doole. He should consider this beneficial to him.

 

Corran isn’t so sure they won’t have problems here. After all, most of the people on Kessel are likely desperate to leave. Moruth Doole may be one of them. Some of the more dangerous ones could threaten innocents, such as Lujayne Forge’s family, if they aren’t taken off planet, too.

 

Wedge assures him that they will find Doole’s storehouse of spice and target it if he refuses to control his people. Nawara Ven is concerned because, in perusing the list of persons on the so-called good list, he is finding a number of Bothans who really could fall on either side of the list. On the other hand, he also notes that a number of people he knows who are actual political prisoners, some of whom were his clients, are not on the list.

 

Wedge explains that obviously some weight had to be given to political factors involved in making this decision, but he plans to try to ransom as many of the political prisoners as he can. He will be counting on Nawara to help negotiate that. As it happens, Wedge has been given leeway to add those who are connected to the ransomed by marriage or birth.

 

Corran asks if they can remove some people from the bad list. For example, he’s noting one Zekka Thyne who was pretty high up in Black Sun and is only on Kessel because Corran and his father put him there and because Prince Xizor’s attempt to slice his way into Thyne’s record and have him shipped off the planet failed.

 

He wonders if they can alter information and report that Thyne is dead so that they can have an excuse to leave very dangerous people still imprisoned.

 

Wedge isn’t happy with dealing with organized crime either and the idea of eliminating some of the more malignant targets is attractive, but their mission is to insert elements onto Coruscant who are best suited to causing trouble for the Empire. Pash Cracken points out that, if they only put Black Sun operatives who are weak, the Empire will easily squash it as they did before.

 

Corran objects that they could lose the trust of the people they’ve sworn to liberate on the capital if they let criminals loose there. Xizor himself would have taken down Palpatine if he could. Thyne could very well go after Isard. Wedge thinks that sound just like the kind of person they want on Coruscant then.

 

Corran doesn’t like this, but it’s a mission and they’ll do what they have to do. Wedge warns them all to get some sleep after giving Emtrey a list of their belongings. The Provisional Council wants them to move back to Noquivzor for the time being.
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• So, again, if the Imperials and the true political prisoners are the ones doing the actual mining, what are the rest doing? Aren’t they helping Doole run the place? I mean, I get that he may want some of those who are rivals for his power let go, but then would he really want the political prisoners freed who are his source of labor? And would the criminals really want to go if they are the masters of the world and not the servants anymore?

• Wedge considers that the Empire pretty much cut down Black Sun. Did they do that in the six months after Xizor died because I really didn’t get the idea that Black Sun was hurting very much under Imperial rule?

• Zekka Thyne appeared in the Timothy Zahn/Michael Stackpole short story, “Side-Trip”.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 10:

 

After the landing zone on Kessel is secured, Corran, Nawara and Wedge land. Page’s commandoes have already set up a tent and brought Kassar and Myda Forge to meet with them. Wedge explains that they’ve been in contact with Moruth Doole who seems a bit paranoid.

 

Corran explains that Doole is probably using pure uncut glitterstim which tends to make people think they can read minds and become suspicious of those whom they can’t. Obviously, he didn’t realize Wedge was a hologram when he contacted him and no mind reading was possible.

 

Wedge tells the Forges that they are here to take some nasty people off of Doole’s hands in exchange for freeing some legitimate prisoners. He offers them safe passage off of Kessel if they wish to go. Mr. Forge thanks them for the communication they received after their daughter’s death.

 

He has been here since before the Clone Wars and thinks he’s done more good than harm. He wants to stay.

 

Though his wife did not initially come here as a free person, she has long supported her husband’s endeavors here and will stay also. They are reluctant to help Wedge determine who to free and who to leave behind though. They are not afraid of the prisoners as they’ve been here so long that they are considered harmless. But they will tell Wedge what they know about those on these lists.

 

Wedge contacts Doole and tells him he is sending a list over of ten Sullustans he’d like freed. In exchange, he’ll take Arb Skynxnex off Doole’s hands. Doole refuses to let Skynxnex go. He’ll give three Sullustans and in exchange he wants them to take Zekka Thyne.

 

Corran recognizes that Doole obviously wants Thyne off the planet and Wedge should bargain for more. When Doole won’t, Wedge gives orders to target his spice storehouse. Doole caves in and says that he will give the ten Sullustans, but Wedge will have to take Thyne. Wedge then wants five Bothans freed, including one named Ersca Plo’kre.

 

Doole agrees and warns him that Thyne comes with his cutter, too. Corran explains that a cutter is someone highly trusted by the dealer who prepares the spice for use or sale. It’s an old term so Doole probably means aide.

 

Kassar corrects that Doole means lover instead. The girl’s name is Inyri and she is their daughter.

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• I still think it’s interesting that these educators were allowed to be here under the Empire. I’m still wondering that if criminals are running the place!

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 11:

 

Corran and Wedge tell the Forges that they will remove their daughter from Thyne’s company if they want. Her mother is all for it, but Kassar Forge explains they cannot make their daughter’s decisions for her, regardless of how poor her choices are. It is possible that she sees something good in him and could serve as a brake on his bad behavior. The two Rogues are not convinced that is the case. In any event, Corran assures Wedge that he will enact their contingency plan for anyone who gets out of line.

 

Corran’s father had complained that Black Sun may have been ruthless, but they used to have some code of honor. When they took someone out, it was on an individual basis. The new breed of organized crime will use a bomb in a crowded cantina to kill one person or kill an entire family for the sins of one.

 

When Thyne comes out, he’s every bit the malevolent presence Corran remembers. He even implies he arranged for Hal Horn’s death. Corran really doesn’t believe it as Thyne had been here at Kessel for over a year when his father died and Black Sun tends to be immediate in its retribution.

 

Inyri Forge is brought in, looking much like a younger version of her sister. Wedge explains that those removed from Kessel will be given certain tasks from the New Republic. Those prisoners taken will be given a conditional pardon if they perform those tasks as directed.

 

Thyne indicates that he could possibly escape and not do anything for them, but the Rogues maintain that the Emperor couldn’t hide from the Alliance and neither can he. They urge Inyri to stay with them, but she refuses. Bitter because the Alliance couldn’t save her sister, she insists that they don’t know Thyne the way she does. Wedge reminds her she can change her mind at any time.

 

In exchange for 16 dangerous criminals, they get 150 political prisoners removed, as well. They also demand one more person be brought along to keep Thyne in line: Moff Fliry Vorru who had been administrator of the Corellian sector in the Old Republic. He’d turned a blind eye to smuggling which had made Corellia somewhat of a mecca for those in that trade.

 

Palpatine had considered him a rival of sorts after declaring himself Emperor. After being betrayed by Prince Xizor, Vorru was sent here. He wasn’t killed because he apparently had datafiles that compromised several people in high places which he doled out to the Emperor piecemeal.

 

They explain that they need someone to control Thyne. He tells them he really can’t control Thyne, but he can control the people Thyne needs if he decides to go too far. He’s up for the challenge if only to see Imperial Center again.

 

They are surprised he knows where they are going, but he assures them that they wouldn’t want someone working for them who couldn’t figure out that relatively simple fact.
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• So, did Vorru become a Moff after the Emperor restructured the Old Republic to an Empire? I can’t imagine that he was a Moff before then!

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 12:

 

Loor heads to meet with Derricote as he ponders the rebels’ latest move. He knows they’ve freed several prisoners from Kessel and inserted them onto the planet. The Empire has to keep law and order, but its resources are limited. These particular insertions have caused alarm among the law enforcement agencies already.

 

Still, it amuses him to think of poor Corran Horn having to escort people he’d had imprisoned himself out of incarceration. He’s learned not to assume too much now that Isard has pointed out his weaknesses. He knows Horn can be violent, but has the ability to control himself, especially after realizing that the smuggler murders he’d assumed Horn had commited was based solely on reports created by his former superior, Gil Bastra.

 

Bastra is dead and Loor has no idea where Iella Wessiri and her husband are, but he is sure to see Horn soon. To motivate Loor, Isard has let it be known that he killed Bastra and is on Imperial Center now. Horn will be here as part of an anticipated rebel attack, but he will be distracted by Loor’s presence.

 

Derricote shows Loor the subjects he’s exposed to the virus he calls Krytos. There are several stages of the virus which just gets worse until the infected person has burst opened boils and bleeding out. The Gamorreans infected are in a terrible state, while the Quarren just liquefy.

 

Bacta can cure all but the most advanced stages of infection. He’s working on introducing the Quarren strain to Mon Calamari species and may try to work on one for Wookiees. Loor cautions him about eradicating species that have proved useful in the past. Humans have only a small chance of getting the virus, but it could mutate so precautions should be taken.

 

When the rebels arrive, they will encounter a planet full of sick beings.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 13:

 

Mirax Terrik arrives on the Pulsar Skate with the freed Sullustans, one of whom is a female whom her first mate appears to have fallen madly in love with. She thinks they might have even had a wedding in the cargo hold, but can’t be sure.

 

She warns Corran about making deals with Doole, though. He is having second thoughts himself about doing this. The criminals they freed can do the job they were hired to do very well, but it’s because they are ruthless and don’t much care who their violence affects. It’s likely there will be innocents harmed.

 

Mirax offers to help him hunt down any that are still running around after the New Republic wins. He reminds her not to tell her father she’s working with a Horn and she laughs, telling him she’d like her father not to die of shock.

 

On the way to get some lunch, he finds he’s comfortable speaking with her, is more relaxed and enjoys her humor. That must be what he finds attractive about her. He’s not in love with her, but he can see himself at the top of that slope. Since his father died, he’s had some friends who have helped him stay on course, but that’s been difficult on the run.

 

Ooryl Qyrgg approaches and shows Corran how the bacta capsule has sped up his previously unknown regenerative abilities. His severed forearm is now as good as new. He tells his friend that Commander Antilles wants to see him right away on official business.

 

Mirax promises to eat slowly and takes Ooryl along for company.

 

Corran finds Erisi Dlarit in Wedge’s office. Wedge explains that they are going on a fact-finding mission to determine defenses and targets they will need to help retake Coruscant. Erisi knows that the two of them cannot do this alone and believes that the others will be going, too.

 

Wedge is not at liberty to provide any other details regarding the mission. Erisi and Corran will be part of a cell and so the less they know about other cells the better and safer for them.

 

One of General Cracken’s men will be flying them in the Forbidden. Corran considers that this mission is so sensitive even Tycho isn’t being trusted to fly them.

 

Wedge also asks that they allow some credits from their personal accounts to be transferred to accounts they’ll be using on the capital. There is a budget for this, but Wedge would rather they not end up needing extra funds on Coruscant and not have it. Corran allows for ten to be removed.

 

Erisi asks if that would be enough. Corran tells her he meant ten thousand credits. Erisi meant ten million. Being a so-called bacta queen has its benefits.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 14:

 

Aboard the Jewel of Churba, Wedge is stopped by an Imperial Customs official who asks for his identification. Wedge is posing as Colonel Antar Roat, a disfigured Imperial pilot coming to the capital for reconstructive surgery. He plays his part very well.

 

The disguise allows for much of Wedge’s face to be obscured and the part that isn’t won’t be remembered because most people will only remember the prosthetics. Once they are removed, anyone suspicious of the identity will be looking for a non-existent man. Additionally, making him a pilot gives Wedge the ability to describe space combat accurately.

 

He notices private shuttles leaving for the planet and marvels at those who continue to spend money in such difficult times. There are those who stick their heads in the ground and refuse to believe the Empire could fall or that the Rebellion is more than just a nuisance. There are others who acknowledge problems with the system but believe that they can solve those issues within the workings of the legitimate government, failing to recognize that a system as corrupt as the Empire cannot be fine-tuned to eliminate these problems.

 

Unfortunately, all sides can make reasonable and logical arguments to support their point of view. Politics is all about compromise and, when that happens, the only time change can be made is when individuals make commitments to support that change. Most Imperial citizens will not commit themselves to that.

 

Pash Cracken is posting as an Imperial prefect named Dodt who recognizes Colonel Roat and sits with him. They have a perfectly pleasant conversation which serves to disguise as communication that all is well thus far and that they hope there are no tie ups at the spaceport as that is where trouble inevitably occurs.

 

An agent of Cracken’s approaches them and pretends to be from a biomechanical clinic that will be working on Colonel Roat’s reconstruction. Inside the aircar, Wedge asks if he can take the mask off. When he does, the female agent recognizes his face from old Imperial warrants on Corellia. She introduces herself as Iella Wessiri.

 

Wedge remembers that name as being one of Corran’s co-workers from CorSec. He tells her he’s heard of her, but cannot say where from. However, he knows he’s in good hands now.

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• On a top secret mission, is it really a good idea for a secret agent to reveal their name, even to someone they recognize?

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 15:

 

In the meantime, Corran and Erisi are on the luxury deck of the same ship, but in entirely different personas. She is a Kuati noble and he is her telbun servant. Telbuns are used by the noble families to sire heirs, otherwise they are treated little better than slaves and Eriri plays the part well.

 

In the airtaxi, she apologizes for her rudeness, but he continues to play the part. She realizes that he is not dropping the charade in case they are being monitored. The ease at which she adapts to the role of wealth indicates to him how mismatched they actually are. Corran did not grow up impoverished, but he has enough respect about the value of money to care about spills or waste that Erisi seems to take for granted. She may have joined the Rebellion but there is enough of an heiress about her that has played a part in his keeping his distance from her. They are from two different worlds and he doesn’t belong in hers.

 

She’s made no secret of her attraction to him, but he wants more out of a relationship than just the physical. Since they really don’t mesh in any other way than being fellow pilots, the physical is all they would have. And the other part of him fears betraying Mirax in that way. Not that he and Mirax are involved, but it could possibly happen.

 

The shuttle bringing them down to the planet is piloted by a beautiful woman with white hair who reminds him of Princess Leia. Though she’s not the princess, he is sure she must be from Alderaan. She is also their contact. Her code name is Targeter and is going by the name of Rima Borealis. They have been booked into a fancy hotel but will be living out of another with new identities. Erisi realizes they are not the only ones here.

 

Gathering information is going to be difficult, but the woman known as Rima Borealis assures them that, while she doesn’t know anything else about the mission as a whole, she knows that Rogue Squadron can twist that thorn in the Empire’s side enough to make it hurt.

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• We learned a little about the telbun aspect of Kuat society in the Bounty Hunter Wars books.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 16:

 

The Pulsar Skate enters Coruscant’s atmosphere under an assumed name. Mirax gives Gavin Darklighter his first look at the city planet. For a Tatooine farmboy, he’s a bit more sophisticated than most, but he’s still overwhelmed at what he sees.

 

She explains they are headed to Invisec – the invisible sector – which is also known as the Alien Protection Zone. Most citizens ignore its existence as it’s an incredibly poor and very dangerous area.

 

In a building, she takes them to a trash bin with information regarding their fake identities. Gavin is posing as a con man whose trick is to use his youth to get others to cheat him while the Shistavenan he’s traveling with, Shiel, robs the cheaters.

 

Gavin muses how this fake identity has a longer history than he does. He remembers how he looked out at the Dune Sea on Tatooine, wondering if Luke Skywalker had done the same thing. His father had come out then and recognized the look that all Darklighter men get at some point in their lives.

 

Biggs had it and his father couldn’t let him run with it without meddling so Huff got him an appointment at the Academy instead. That rift never really mended. Gavin’s own father was always too afraid to look and see what his destiny held and regrets it. He figures the Rebellion’s been without a Darklighter for too long.

 

Now Gavin is on the capital world trying to find a way to bring it down. When Shiel calls for him, Gavin reminds him that his name is now Vin Leiger.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 17:

 

It turns out that Wedge and Pash have been given a very difficult task: to assess the loyalty of Coruscant’s population.

 

They start at the Imperial museum and learn about flora and fauna, some of which are extinct at the hands of so-called outlaws and malcontents. Among them are incredibly cute and powerless Ewoks.

 

Afterwards, they view floors devoted to the Emperor himself who is portrayed in a far more benevolent light than should be possible. More disturbing is how the Battle of Endor has been twisted into an evil scheme of the Rebel Alliance that cost the life of the helpless Emperor who pleaded with them for peace.

 

The Hall of Justice traces the lineage of Jedi Knights from a noble order to one corrupted by the influence of non-humans that began to harbor secrets. After the Clone Wars, the Jedi had made a grab for power that was thwarted by Senator Palpatine. He exposed the lies and did away with the corruption of the Old Republic with the help of one Jedi who did not follow his comrades into treachery: Darth Vader.

 

They note that Vader is portrayed of the last of the old Jedi with no mention of a new Jedi. Luke is obviously the heir to the corrupt Order.

 

There is a sealed off section that Iella tells them used to contain mementos of Jedi Masters of old but was sealed off more than 30 years ago during the Old Republic.

 

They decide to leave the museum and head up to the tower overlooking the museum when a flash storm erupts.

Meteorologists don’t do a very good job predicting the weather here, but it doesn’t matter as most of the population has no reason to go outside.

 

Pash has picked up a couple of souvenirs though, Determining that the best way to figure out what people believe about the Empire is finding what they spent their money on, Pash has bought a most popular souvenir of a resin statue of the Emperor that displays photos of his life. Pash is sure his father will appreciate it. He also bought two holodiscs of periods of Palpatine’s life that are also popular. One is on the Clone Wars and the other is the “Sacrifice at Endor”.

 

They aren’t too concerned about the holodiscs. They may be popular, but they confirm that even the Empire is not denying that the Emperor is dead and, despite the Endor propaganda claiming that he took a good part of the Rebel fleet with him, it is obvious that the Rebellion is still powerful. If statues of the Emperor are good sellers, however, it still indicates that many people revere him.

 

They are about to leave when Wedge is grabbed and kissed by a woman he recognizes as Mirax. She greets him lovingly and tells him she’s missed a couple of connections which sometimes happens and she positively has no idea what to do.

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• Am I missing something? Did something change about Coruscant under the Empire? I ask this because we’ve been given every reason to believe that Coruscant’s weather is controlled. In past books, there’ve been blurbs about the weather stations arranging clear days for important events, etc.

• Why were the legendary exploits of the Jedi Masters sealed off over 30 years ago? That would have been at the outbreak of the Clone Wars when Jedi were quite popular as we know. My official guess here is that the author had no way of knowing the official timeline of when things took place. Particularly as we all know that it was Supreme Chancellor Palpatine who exposed the so-called Jedi Rebellion, not Senator Palpatine.

• And it appears that, long before the prequel films came out, this book postulated a Jedi Rebellion that was used as a pretext to wipe them out.

• So the Empire also acknowledges that Darth Vader was a Jedi at one time? Has Luke made it publicly known that Vader was Anakin Skywalker?

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 18:

 

Corran, Erisi and the woman called Rima spend time touring the city and making notes about security/peacekeeping forces, as well about the medical and government facilities. When they reach the Grand Corridor of the Palace, he is nervous because security is probably very tight here.

 

A tour of the Palace displays the beautiful purple and green ch’hala trees that were supposedly favored by the Emperor. But while there is an asthetically-pleasing style to the palace, Corran does not fail to note that the seemingly lax security really isn’t. There are likely passive screeners installed, maybe even in the ch’hala trees, to scan for weapons and other types of materials.

 

He notes that Rima seems distracted. She admits she’s been thinking about a friend that she believes he also knows. Remembering that she seems to be from Alderaan, he assumes that she means Tycho and abbreviates his friend’s last name in conversation.

 

She picks up on that and confirms his guess. They tell her that he is fine. Corran wonders if there’s something between Tycho and her. He mentions that she must know Tycho better than he does, though there’s some distance between the two men. She asks about this and he explains that Tycho is a man with secrets.

 

When Rima mentions Tycho’s difficult life, Corran gets angry and points out that he watched a bounty hunter walk into a cantina and kill his father and two others. He was helpless to do anything, but hold his father as he died. Rima points points out that Corran’s story does not mean that Tycho has had a less difficult time. Tycho was a TIE Fighter pilot whose father ran the largest HoloNet company on Alderaan. Since TIE pilots rarely reach their birthdays, they are usually celebrated with gusto. He was on a real-time message with his parents, siblings, fiancée and extended family when the connection was cut. He didn’t think anything of it and planned to tease his father for the lapse in service at his next opportunity, only to find that there wouldn’t be another opportunity. The cut connection was due to the destruction of Alderaan.

 

Corran realizes that his angry feelings are the result of the betrayal he feels at not being able to fully trust a man whose skills he admires. He understands that he at least had the ability to see his father before his death and hold a funeral. This was more than Tycho had.

 

The story moves Erisi to tears. Corran looks over, panics at the sight of a familiar face, then grabs her face and kisses her. They kiss for a long time before parting. Rima tells him that Kirtan Loor is gone now.

 

Corran had wanted to jump over there and throw the man off the promenade when he’d seen him, but knew he had a mission to perform. Rima mentions that they made it a point to know who is on Imperial Center and so knew Loor was here. It wasn’t hard to learn about his connection to Corran.

 

He thanks Erisi for saving his life then. She is amused and offers to do so again if he needs it. Corran explains that he wants Loor dead because he let the Trandoshan bounty hunter go that was responsible for killing his father. But he knows what his mission is and justice against Kirtan Loor can wait until the rebels are victorious here.

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• Do they really allow tours of the Imperial Palace’s lower levels? Really? I mean, I believe that the Republic would have allowed it but the Empire??

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 19:

 

Gavin and Shiel sit in a grungy cantina that Gavin’s father would have pulled him out of had he known and wait for the others. They started here in Invisec because they needed to find out how easily an invasion force could launch from here. The walls on the buildings that officially separate this section from Coruscant proper are windowless and doorless. But the native borrats have cut holes into them that the alien residents down here have expanded upon in order to move out and into other buildings that border what is colloquially known as the Outer Rim.

 

Stormtroopers try to keep them out, but it’s not easy. There is graffiti everywhere warning of patrols and booby traps and the like. When Aril, Nawara, Ooryl and Rhysati join them, they report on what they’ve found.

 

Food supplies here could last two or three months if necessary, however, pressure could cause shortages sooner. Much of the black market thrives on bribes to Imperials, Black Sun and any local factions that run things down here. Blockading this world would be hard on the Imperials, but much harder on the alien population which, they have no doubt, Isard would use to either ransom for more supplies or just kill off and steal their supplies.

 

An Imperial patrol comes in and they try to play casual. There is a Gotal behind them trying to escape notice. Since Gotal are sometimes able to read minds, Gavin wonders privately what it would be like to know what the stormtroopers are thinking. Two Quarren are told to come with stormtroopers who then stop and note Gavin’s youthful appearance. They demand his ID and explain it appears he left home under unusual circumstances. They offer to remove him from this company. Gavin, in his guise as Vin Leiger, insists he’s fine. They demand Rhysati’s ID. Nawara gives a hundred-credit chip over and claims they don’t need to see it. Playing up that Rhysati is a possession of Nawara’s seems to work though it disgusts the stormtroopers before they move on.

 

The group doesn’t understand why the Quarren were taken, although it does seem to confirm the reports they’ve seen and heard about round-ups of both Quarren and Gamorreans. It’s possible that there could have been an anti-Imperial uprising on Gamorr but that doesn’t explain the Quarrens.

 

The species is not wholly united with the Mon Calamari with whom they share a planet, so the Empire may be hoping to exploit the Quarren to divide the world.

 

A black-furred Bothan female approaches Gavin and notes that he’s a long way from home. She recognizes the name Vin Leiger and offers a dance. Gavin refuses because he’s with his friends. She understands and lets him know her name is Asyr Sei’lar if he changes his mind. He lets on that it might.

 

The Gotal tells her that Gavin is lying. He sensed that the boy was terrified at her arrival and relieved when she started to leave. They both pull blasters on him.

 

The two of them believe Gavin to be a bigot. They are members of a group called the Alien Combine who’ve noted the number of kidnapping of aliens down here and plan to stop it by sending a message to the Imperials in the form of a dead human body. Since Gavin apparently doesn’t like other species, he will serve the purpose well.

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• You know, Gavin is sitting with a Twi’lek (Nawara), a Gand (Ooryl), a Shistavenan (Shield) and a Sullustan (Aril Nunb) whom he identified to the stormtroopers as his friends. Whatever his reasons for not dancing with this Asyr Sei’lar, it’s a bit silly to assume that it’s because he doesn’t like aliens!

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 20:

 

Loor hates visiting Isard in person more than her holovists to his office. When he gets there, she asks him about Derricote’s demands for Sullustans to experiment on. Sullustans are a valuable resource to the Empire, true, but Loor explains that they were a compromise after Derricote had asked for even more valuable Wookiees.

 

In fact, Loor had really suggested Ewoks, but Derricote has a reason for the species he requests. The Quarren are a link to semi-aquatic species, Gamorreans to another. Sullustans, who also support the Rebellion, happen to be a bridge to species such as the Bothans and Shistavenan.

 

Isard notes that she would like to reserve some Sullustans in quarantine so their world can be repopulated, but she can handle a large number of the mainstream Sullustan population dying if it means they take Bothans with them.

 

Loor notes his concern that the Krytos virus can be cured by bacta. Isard acknowledges that she not only knows that, but included that guideline in her instructions to Derricote. She explains that the Emperor and Lord Vader, along with others who think like them, try to eliminate the Rebels in single strikes. That doesn’t work because the Rebellion is a fire. One must hit hot spots one at a time.

 

The Rebellion is heavy on volunteers, but short on supplies and materials. The Rebels will seize Coruscant and find themselves on a planet filled with sick people. They will be forced to try to cure them, but the amount of bacta needed to cure billions of aliens will be difficult to obtain and quite expensive. The Rebellion will be bankrupted trying to meet the need.

 

When they cannot save everyone, and since the virus will not affect humans, this will appear to the alien population that the human rebels do not care for aliens any more than they accuse the Empire of not caring about them. Further, since Rogue Squadron is on the planet, rumors will spread that they were the ones who introduced the virus. After all, they were the ones who freed dangerous criminals from Kessel and brought them here.

 

Suspicion will start with the paranoid Bothans and spread before the aliens begin to leave what they consider to be a treacherous Rebel Alliance. For the time being, they are to leave the members of Rogue Squadron already spotted alone and let them come up with their plan of attack. Their agent is keeping her abreast of their timetable. The rebels will have to be prevented from acting before the virus can be introduced.

 

She wants him to meet with that agent this evening. He starts to protest and she assumes it’s because he’s afraid Corran Horn will find him and kill him. Loor is more concerned that asking him to meet with a spy within the Rebel Alliance is risky. It’s obvious that he is expendable to Isard, something he doesn’t think of himself as. He will have to take precautions and use his resources here on Imperial Center to protect himself in case Horn becomes an issue.

 

Isard tells him their agent must be assured of Imperial support and he will provide it. She also approves of Derricote getting Sullustans for his project. The sooner he perfects it, the sooner they can restore the Empire to glory.

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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 21:

 

Wedge watches Mirax and Iella walk through a department store as if they were just two friends chatting amicably. They try on dresses and use the scanners to adjust colors and lengths. He and Pash are not comfortable wandering around women’s clothing. This whole scene looks so normal, but Wedge does not know what a normal life is.

 

Everything he thinks of is normal is what parameters his X-Wing is set to. Those who try to eke out a living under Imperial rule can live normally only so long as a single indiscretion puts them under scrutiny.

 

They finally board an air taxi that takes them all, without direction from Iella, to a building where they enter a room. Iella asks what Mirax can tell her to prove she’s not an Imperial agent.

 

Mirax and Wedge assure her that they know each other, but Iella is suspicious at how Mirax turned up exactly where someone she knew was. That should be impossible on Coruscant with its trillions of residents.

 

Mirax explains that she knew that a Corellian pilot couldn’t possibly pass up the chance to view the Imperial Museum’s exhibit on Endor. Their egos just won’t let them get by without looking at it.

 

Iella determines that Mirax must have brought other pilots in, but not Wedge. Mirax agrees that it’s a likely scenario without admitting too much and notes that Iella seems to have CorSec’s deductive reasoning down pat. Iella admits she was trained by CorSec and is shocked to learn that she is speaking to Booster Terrik’s daughter. As it happens, there’s someone coming to debrief and interrogate her.

 

Obviously, Mirax’s presence now means her cover was blown which means the pilots she ferried here could be in trouble, too. Mirax explains that she’d arranged for identity code through a broker and an exit window. But when she entered her flight plan with the ID code, it locked up. She was in Invisec and an Imp security ship landed. She had to take off quickly and call in some favors certain people within Black Sun owed her father.

 

Obviously, the use of a broker shielded her from being discovered too quickly, but they located her through use of the access code. They will have to use slicers to backtrack and determine how bad the situation is.

 

Not only could members of the Squadron be compromised but, if the Imperial forces know they are here, they may have time to make sure a conquest of Coruscant is impossible.
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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 22:

 

Avoiding a storm near the museum, Corran, Erisi and Rima walk along until the storm stops a people mover. He notices that public transportation can be interrupted while the news and propaganda sources continue unabated.

 

He apologizes to Rima for what happened earlier. She tells him she was wrong, too. Many Alderaanians experience survivor guilt, but they don’t want to be pitied for it. There’s a difference between pity and respect. She had thought he was denigrating the loss of Alderaan which would have reduced the survivors to a pathetic lot when, in fact, many of them support the Alliance to get the respect they would rather have.

 

As for Tycho, he’s haunted by the missing hours in which he thought the disruption in communications was nothing significant. They were both underinformed about the other’s personal tragedy.

 

Rima has other activities to accomplish so she leaves them at the Hotel Imperial where Corran finds everything exactly the way they left it. He and Erisi start kissing very quickly and events move rapidly enough that they find themselves in the bedroom. He cuts it off because he knows that he’s already determined how relationships can change once romance settles in and because he knows that he and Erisi are not a good fit, despite the attraction. Besides, his father always warned him that criminals fail because they fixate on what happens now and not later.

 

She admires a man who can factor in his future emotions and he appreciates one who won’t be scorned because a man says no. He heads out to get some food for them both.

 

Corran heads to the lowest level the lift offers and walks around, thinking. His life has changed so much in the last five years. His father is dead, his friends from CorSec are gone, even CorSec itself has been absorbed into the new Public Safety Service on Corellia which has weeded out those who aren’t completely loyal to the Diktat. He’s on a strange world where he was nearly recognized by the one person he can’t have notice him and he can’t even wear his lucky medallion because it would compromise security. Whistler has the Jedcred for the time being.

 

He finds himself on a level that is seedier than even the seediest parts of his own homeworld. Inside a grungy cantina, he finds himself nearly the only human among aliens that do not look welcoming. Using his observational skills, he can find several aliens that could definitely take him down, especially without a weapon, and a frightened looking Gamorrean.

 

He also sees Tycho Celchu speaking to a man in a hooded cloak who can only be Kirtan Loor.

 

Realizing he has to get out of here and warn someone, he slams right into a Trandoshan who refuses to let him leave. Zekka Thyne walks in and pulls Inyri Forge along with him. She hands him a blaster which Thyne has a great many ideas how to use.

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• I thought Corran and Erisi were only checked into the Imperial Hotel, not actually staying there. Why did they go back there, then? And are they using their Kuati disguises at the Imperial?

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 23:

 

The Rogues are deprived of their power packs and marched to a building that is housing aliens of all shapes and sizes. Asyr explains to the Devaronian, Dmaynel, that this young human male is the bigot they will use to make an example of and send a message to the Empire.

 

Nawara steps forward and agrees that it will send a message that the Empire is right about aliens. He challenges her assertion that Gavin is a bigot just because he would not dance with her. There could be many reasons for that, up to and including being a poor dancer or being allergic to Bothan fur. She points out the relief that her Gotal friend sensed when she retreated from the table. Nawara explains that Gavin also felt relief when the stormtrooper patrol walked away. He felt threatened by them as he felt threatened by her amorous attentions and his fear that he could not possibly measure up to her expectations. He was obviously relieved when he would not have to disappoint her.

 

And, of course, he has certainly heard of the bravery of the Bothan people who risked their lives to find out the location of the second Death Star. He would certainly feel threatened at the presence of a Bothan. Besides, is he not being singled out to be killed and to send a message to people he does not know? Is that not what the Empire is all about? If they use the Empire’s methods, they will have to accept being compared to it.

 

He reminds them that, while aliens have fought with the Rebellion, men formed it. While aliens were enslaved, men suffered the destruction of the planet Alderaan. Men fired the shots that destroyed both Death Stars and men killed the Emperor. How can they condemn a young man to death without even knowing if he could be just as much of an enemy of the Empire as they are?

 

The Devaronian decides that the Rebellion is too far away and it will be a long time before they arrive on Coruscant. By the time they do, one young human will be forgotten. For now, he can be of use to tell the Empire that the alien population of this planet will not tolerate being targeted.

 

Before the Gotal can shoot Gavin, though, a floating fortress arrives and dispatches two dozen stormtroopers who order that this unlawful assembly disperse immediately.
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[Jedi Cool]

chapter 24:

 

When the white-haired woman known as Rima enters the room, Wedge knows the Provisional Government is serious about taking this planet. He greets her as Winter. She is the one who was to interrogate Mirax, but explains she’s found no direct Imperial involvement on her part.

 

The men don’t know how Iella was able to send for her as they never saw her send a message. They explain that Iella used an account number at the dress shop that was special. The series of colors she used on dresses in the shop displayed a code that Winter was able to decipher so she knew to come to this safehouse.

 

Unfortunately, slicing into the shop that way does not mean they have access to Coruscant’s central computer system.

 

Winter goes on to say that security on this world is much less stringent than she would expect with Isard in charge. She sat in front of the Imperial Palace for hours without a problem. Although there was an incident in which one of her companions recognized an Intelligence agent named Kirtan Loor and nearly went after him.

 

Iella is surprised to hear that Kirtan Loor is here. When Mirax comments that she can imagine Corran reacting to Loor the way Mirax describes, they all realize they are connected. Wedge steps in and confirms that Corran Horn is here, that he is in Rogue Squadron and that he knew that Iella had been his former partner. He is working with Erisi Dlarit right now, much to Mirax’s irritation, although she admits they are just friends.

 

The important thing is that Mirax’s exit was blown and they have to find out if that was just a lucky break on the Imps’ behalf or if they know what she was doing here. She dropped off the rest of the team in Invisec, but that’s all she knows.

 

Corran and Erisi should be fine. There were teams watching them, but they’ve been moved to Invisec where it appears the Imperials are picking up Gamorreans and Quarren for some reason.

 

Wedge notices there are red and green lights outside, then he yells for everyone to drop. They all fall back as the couch topples over to provide a small amount of cover before a speeder bike crashes into the transparisteel window of what was supposed to be a safe house.

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• We first encountered Winter’s name in The Last of the Jedi: The Master of Deception but she made her first appearance in Rebel Dawn, chronologically speaking, and has appeared in several Dark Horse Comic’s Rogue Squadron issues, as well as Scoundrels.

[Jedi Cool]

chapter 25:

 

Corran has a blaster to his right held on him by a man and the Trandoshan in front of him. He falls back on the man, pushing him back, which throws off his aim and sends the blaster bolt into the Trandoshan.

 

Then he kicks the man back and pulls his blaster out of his hand, before evading the blaster bolts shot by Thyne and everyone else.

 

In the alleyway, he kicks a Rodian off of a speeder bike and takes off. He is pursued throughout the city, part of the way with a line tugging on him from a pursuer. He uses his blaster to try to get rid of some of them as he continues to try to evade.

 

He dives off the bike and inside a doorway in just enough time to twirl around and try to pick one of way too many targets now on him. He could have sworn that Thyne’s Black Sun cohorts were pursuing him so he doesn’t understand where all these stormtroopers came from.

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