X-WING

　Meeting Halley Kadorto

　It happened after my first day on the historical simulators. I was in the mess hall. Hamo was away on some mission he couldn't talk about, so I was eating alone. I found a table that was practically empty. I had decided to think about the day's events for a few minutes while I ate.
　The only other occupant of the large table was an older man dressed in civilian clothes. At first, I was going to sit at the far end of the table, but something prompted me to sit nearer the old man.
　"Starfighter cadet!" he asked as I sat down.
　"Yes, sir. Keyan Farlander. Just joined up... at Agamar."
　"Ahh. Agamar. I was there once. Nice planet," the man said. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Kadorto. Halley Kadorto."
　I must have looked like a stunned hoska, because he laughed and nodded his head.
　"That's right. I'm the one from the simulators. You flown my mission yet!"
　"Yessir. I did it today, as a matter of fact."
　"The key, you know, is identifying the containers with the slaves. I was lucky. We knew something was up around Mon Calamari, but we never suspected the Imperial scum would actually try to destroy the slave containers before we could get there. I saw the TIEs zeroing in on the distant containers and took off to see what they were up to. I wasn't following orders. Instinct, maybe. Luck. Doesn't matter much, does it!"
　I didn't know what to say, so I just smiled knowingly.
　"I've been shot up a lot of times. In the early days, our ships were prone to fail on us. You don't have that in the simulators. They're better these days, but back then... I was technically dead three or four times, but the medical droids always brought me back.
　"That day, I was sharp. I flew circles around those TIE bastards and shot them all to hell. By the time reinforcements arrived, well... there wasn't much left. It was a proud day, young Farlander, but I flew a lot of missions before and after that one, and every one of them was just as important. Remember that. Don't let up for an instant, or you'll be staring into the ugly face of one of those medical droids - if you're lucky!"
　I was still sitting with Halley Kadorto when Hamo suddenly appeared in the mess. He seemed to be in a hurry. When he spotted me, he came directly over to the table.
　"Come on, Farlander. There's a call for volunteers to fly a very important mission. They need more pilots, and I volunteered you."

　Many people have already heard the story of my first mission. It became the subject of general conversation on the Independence after I returned. Perhaps much has been made of it - it being my first mission and all - but I figure that I was just lucky, in spite of what Mon Mothma told me after my promotion.
　Reluctantly I followed Hamo to a briefing room. By this time, I had a better idea about how things worked on board, but I was pretty surprised to see Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar heading up the briefing. The admiral began speaking soon after we arrived.
　"The Frigate will pop in here." The Calamarian was pointing to a spot in the holo projection. A label indicated that it was a quadrant of the Hadar sector. A Corellian corvette filled the lower corner of the projection. A small world was visible in the background. As the admiral spoke, a Nebulon-B Frigate popped into view in the upper quadrant. Within moments, a stream of TIE fighters appeared and headed directly for the Frigate. Then a squadron of X-wings appeared behind the TIE fighters. catching them in a cross fire between their guns and the Frigate's. The second X-wing squadron and the Y-wings surrounded the corvette.
　"Blue Squadron will flank the enemy fighters, catching them in a crossfire with the Calamarian Frigate Liberator. Red Squadron will protect the Storm Unit as it attempts to board the corvette Talon. The Y-wings of Gold Squadron will use their ion cannons to disable the corvette's weapons and electricals. If Blue Squadron is successful, there should be limited resistance; but Red Squadron, your job is to protect the Y-wings and the Storm Unit.
　"When the Storm Unit successfully boards the Talon, the commandos will make their way to the captain's quarters and to the bridge. They will confiscate all available holos and capture any senior ranking officers. In addition, R2 units will scan the corvette's computer system and retrieve anything found there. Are there any questions!"
　Captain Charger, one of our senior officers, stood up and asked, "Do we take the corvette when we leave, destroy it, or abandon it!"
　The admiral was quick to answer. "Carry out the mission objectives and retreat immediately. We want as few casualties on this mission as possible. And we don't want any complications. Just hit hard, hit fast, and get out!"
　When assignments were made, Hamo was assigned to Red Squadron. He volunteered me as his wingman. I kept asking myself what I was doing here. I asked Hamo the same question.
　"There are a lot of ops going on right now," he replied later, as we made our way back to our quarters. "They're short on pilots." He grinned and added, "So you're elected."
　Ready or not, Empire, here I come. This was what I had joined the Alliance for, after all. I just hoped I made it back.
　"Don't worry," Hamo told me, for the hundredth time, it seemed. "You'll be fine."
　We had a few days before the mission, and Hamo yanked me from my normal training schedule to drill me in X-wing maneuvers and get me some real flight time. It was perhaps the most exciting time of my life. It would have been fun too, if I could have forgotten what lay ahead. But every time I questioned my abilities, Hamo would reassure me, and slowly I gained confidence in myself. The X-wing did feel much like a T-16 - only better.
　The day arrived. We strapped in and did our instrument checkouts. Then the tractor beams floated us from the hangar and into space. It wasn't the first time I had seen the black, infinite canvas of space from inside an X-wing, but it was the first time I was going to hyperspace into battle. My stomach was queasy, and I could hardly maintain my focus on the equipment and the readouts from the console before me.
　"You OK, Red Two!" It was Hamo, checking in.
　"Fine," I answered, not entirely truthfully. "I'm fine." I struggled to gain control, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Gradually, I put aside all fear of the future and concentrated on handling my starfighter. My starfighter, I thought. I was finally ready for action. "I'm ready," I breathed into my communicator.
　"What's that, Red Two!" came Hamo's reply.
　"Nothing, Red Leader. Ready when you are," I answered, this time with some conviction.
　"Just stick close to me," he replied. "Hyperspace in T-minus 15."
　I had been in hyperspace a few times by now. but I never got used to the feeling of losing my reference points. I could feel my body's anchor in the real world literally rip away. I could sense myself receding from my known point in space and heading for another. When I described this feeling to others, they all looked at me blankly or implied that it was just my imagination - except for one Sullustan navigator who said nothing, but nodded sagely and offered what passed for a smile among Sullustans.
　This eerie sensation was all the more intense when it was just me and the X-wing alone in limbo. Fortunately, it didn't last long. We came out a few clicks from a raging battle.
　There was a slight pressure change. Faint static played over the comlink. And off in the distance, laser bursts flashed and ships were disintegrating in iridescent blues, greens, and violets against the backdrop of a distant galaxy. In that surreal moment, I think I formed an image of space battle that would forever haunt me: contradictory visions of beauty and death; of graceful, weightless dancing; and awesome, destructive power.
　All this in a heartbeat.
　I found myself pulling hard on the controls and spinning into an approach position, the enemy corvette filling my view screen. I could see Hamo's X-wing just ahead of me, and I adjusted to match his trajectory. I pushed too hard! Suddenly I lost him, spinning off course as I tried to compensate. In a speeding X-wing, a small miscalculation can really throw you off.
　Angry at myself for making this stupid error, I started to come around again when I spotted two TIE fighters speeding in my direction. A quick mental calculation told me that they were headed straight for Hamo's X-wing!
　I swung in behind the closer of the two. He had almost lined up with Hamo already. "Watch out, Red Leader," I yelled as I punched the fire button. My hand wasn't steady, and my aim was off, but one of the quad-linked lasers hit the TIE on the side panel just before his green lasers squirted out at Hamo. I could see the TIE slew sideways, and his shot went wide, a single beam just clipping the back of Hamo's X-wing.
　I kept the TIE fighter in my sights and closed in to finish him off. It all happened so fast; I was flying on instinct. I noticed that the TIE seemed to be circling to starboard. Later I realized that his steering was probably damaged, but at the time, I just took an angle inside his turn and fired a couple of dual-linked blasts. The second one hit him amidships, and the small TIE fighter lit up with electrical sparks and careened off course, spinning out of control. A moment later, the ship exploded, sending pieces flying in all directions.
　"Good shooting, Red Two." It was Hamo on the comm. "And thanks. But next time, watch out for the wingman. I barely got him off your tail."
　The wingman! I had forgotten about him as I concentrated on the TIE in front. If it hadn't been for Hamo acting as my wingman, I would have been dead meat.
　"Red Two, come in."
　"I'm here, Red Leader. I'm OK, I guess."
　"Hey kid, that was good shooting. You'll be all right. But listen. I'm afraid I've been damaged. It's not too severe, but my R2 has been disabled. I won't be able to return to base - no hyperspace, you know - unless I can dock with the Liberator. I'm leaving the fight to you, Red Two. I'm joining Blue Squadron. You're on your own. You copy!"
　"Sh... shouldn't I stay with you, Red Leader!" I asked. I didn't know whether to be scared, angry. or flattered that Hamo was going to leave me to fend for myself. Angry and scared were top contenders, however.
　"Negative. Complete the mission. Hurry now, or you'll miss all the fun." The comm clicked off and then on again. "Good luck, Keyan."
　"Thank you, sir. Same to you" I answered dubiously.
　"Hey, kid. Don't worry. Just keep your wits about you. You're a natural, you know."
　Then Hamo's X-wing banked and flew out of view. I was headed for the Talon. Staying on course, I watched the Y-wings firing ion blasts at specific locations, trying to penetrate the corvette's shields. Other X-wings from Red Squadron were helping by targeting the active guns.
　I began weaving my way around the laser shots, heading in toward one of the gun emplacements. So far, it wasn't much different from the simulation drills. If you kept moving, the ship's lasers couldn't home in on you. Then a call come over the comm.
　"Storm Leader to all units. Any of you X-wing jockeys got a spare R2? We need help here at the main airlock. Come in..."
　"Red Leader to Red Two. You hear that? Go on in, boy. Give the commandos a hand." Hamo was still watching out for me.
　"Acknowledged," I called. "Red Two to Storm Leader. Where's the air lock? Come in, Storm Leader."
　"This is Storm Leader. Red Two, come in along the belly, aft of amidships. You'll see our boarding craft jamming the hatch. You should be able to squeeze your X-wing around it. We'll meet you in the landing bay."
　"I'm on my way, Storm Leader," I told him. I finished my pass at the gun emplacement, squeezing off three or four shots before I veered around the edge of the corvette and circled under it.
　The boarding craft was smoking, so it was easy to spot. I pulled up to the air lock, slowing my engines nearly to zero, and drifted past the boarding craft. I could see a gaping hole in the hull, and smoking fumes from burning metal poured out into the vacuum.
　As I eased out of the cockpit, assault troopers began removing my R2 unit from its socket in the X-wing. I climbed down and saluted the officers who approached me.
　"We've finally got this section secured," one of them told me. "We're trying to jam their gun computers. A few of the others have already gone forward to find the bridge."
　"What should I do!" I asked. I hadn't planned on boarding the Talon, although I had been briefed on some basics of the ship's layout.
　"Take your R2 forward and see if you can help us jam the guns. This section has been cut off from the main defense computers. And while you're there, get anything that looks important and get back here. You've got 15 minutes."
　Now I know that if I had thought about it much, I would have been scared to death. I was scared, I'll admit that. But I was also excited. This was an adventure beyond even my own youthful daydreams. I forged ahead, the R2 guiding me with its characteristic beeps, pops, whines, and sproings. I didn't know what any of it meant, but the intent was generally to turn one way or the other at an intersection, and I got the idea quickly enough.
　The corridors were mostly empty. Here and there, we passed the bodies of Imperial stormtroopers and Rebel assault commandos where heavy battles had apparently taken place. A few commandos passed, going in the opposite direction or moving down side corridors. We had been told that this ship would be lightly defended, but the evidence suggested otherwise.
　The air was filled with an acrid smell. Blaster burn? The sight of the bodies deflated my excitement, but my R2 unit didn't seem to notice. I hurried to keep up.
　The stormtrooper was waiting, his blaster pointed directly in my face as I hurried around a corner. Fortunately for me, I think that he was almost as surprised as I was. He probably didn't expect anyone to blunder into him like that. Whatever the reason, he didn't shoot quickly enough, and I slashed upward with my arm, knocking the blaster from his gloved hand. A sharp pain lanced through my wrist as it contacted the hard ceramic armor, and my own blaster fell from my grip as I instinctively grabbed the painful area. The stormtrooper reached out and took me by the throat.
　He pushed me down on my back, my own blaster trapped beneath me, poking uselessly into my spine through the flight suit. I couldn't breathe, and I had no weapon. Fists were pretty useless against ceramic armor, and, although I tried to break his grip on my throat, I could do nothing. My vision was beginning to dim as I ran out of air. I was on the verge of unconsciousness.
　Then the stormtrooper shuddered violently, went stiff, and fell off me. His hands released their death grip, and I inhaled a deep, gasping breath. Next to the stormtrooper, who appeared to be dead or unconscious, my R2 unit was retracting a half-meter-long shock probe.
　Now I had never heard of a droid attacking a human like that, but I wasn't about to question it just then. All I could think of was that perhaps shocking the trooper wasn't technically harming him, just immobilizing him. Or perhaps someone had tinkered with this one. Or maybe it had been mistreated by stormtroopers. Whatever the reason, it was clear that this apparently simple R2 unit was more than just a navigation droid. It was also a loyal companion.
　"Thanks, R2," I said, when I had caught my breath again. The droid beeped a contented sound, or at least that's how I interpreted it. I got to my feet and ran onward.
　When I reached the bridge, it was a wreck. I quickly spotted roughly ten dead stormtroopers and at least half that many Rebel commandos. But now the place was deserted. I began to search for anything that might be useful while the R2 linked with the command computer, first shutting down any external guns that were still active and then downloading information from the ship's memory banks.
　I found nothing that looked important and was about to give up when I heard the muffled sound of a blaster being fired nearby. It came from behind a wall with no apparent doorway, but it was unmistakably the sound of a blaster. I suspected that there must be a doorway, even if I couldn't see it.
　"R2!"
　"Beep... pop!" it answered. Or something like that.
　"I think there's a door or something over on that wall," I said. "Can you open it!"
　The droid whistled a few more times, and then the entire wall slid aside, revealing a secret room. Inside, burning holo disks were everywhere. An older man in an Imperial officer's uniform stood behind a large desk, his expression that of someone caught in the act. He held a blaster pointed roughly in my direction. When he saw me, he raised the blaster and fired. A heartbeat later, I fired my own blaster, hitting him square in the chest. He crumpled and fell behind the great desk.
　It was only after I had fired that I realized two things. First, I was still alive - in fact, I hadn't even been hit. Second, he hadn't been aiming at me. His blaster had been aimed at another pile of holo disks on the desk between him and me.
　I ran cautiously over to see what had happened to him. It was immediately obvious that he was dead, his face frozen in a rictus of surprise. I felt weak. I had just killed a man, face to face. And he hadn't even been shooting at me. I felt momentarily dizzy and had to clutch the edge of the desk to keep from falling. I had never killed a man before.
　I realized suddenly that this was, in fact, the second man I had killed, the first being the pilot of the TIE fighter I had shot. Was it more noble or acceptable to shoot an enemy pilot, or to shoot an officer in cold blood? I found myself wondering what could be in these disks that he had thought was worth dying for.
　I regained my composure and remembered that the commando in the air lock had given me 15 minutes. I didn't have much time left. I gathered all the holos I could find. Some were still undamaged; others were little more than slag, but I took them all and stuffed them into the pockets of my flight suit.
　I took a last look at the man I had shot, and, as an afterthought, I took his ID badge. Perhaps it would be useful to know who he had been. I knew that I would never forget him.
　"Come on, R2. I think we got what we came for," I said after taking a deep breath. "Let's get out of here."
　I ran from the bridge, followed by the R2 unit, who was emitting a solid stream of high-pitched whistles, pops, and sproings. I made my way back to the air lock and took off in my X-wing as soon as it was ready, saluting the commandos who were beginning their own evacuation.
　"R2!" I called over the comm. "Space us out of here. Let's go home."

　Of course, I didn't know the importance of the holos I had recovered. And I think that Mon Mothma and the other commanders made too much of my exploits. But who could complain? I got a promotion to lieutenant and made many new friends. And I guess that any group of loyalists, outnumbered and outgunned, would try to boost morale by creating heroes. I just didn't really see myself as one.
　It was what Mon Mothma told me privately about my having something to do with destiny and the Force that bothered me most. That and the dreams I was starting to have. But that's another story.

　Mission 6: Farlander's First Mission

　File Name: keyan
　Mission Briefing
　This mission teaches you the importance of teamwork in a complicated operation to capture secret Imperial documents.
　Dafid's Training Objective
　"Welcome back, Lieutenant Farlander. We've got another surprise for you. Your little adventure has become one of our training missions. And you get to fly it again!
　"In this mission, you must realize the value of teamwork. Take care of your responsibilities, and lend a hand to the others whenever possible. You won't be called upon to board the Talon, as Farlander was, but you will have an opportunity to reduce our losses, which were considerable on this mission. Try to secure the Talon first, and then help out Blue Squadron and protect the Liberafor."
　Tactical Summary
　As you begin this mission, a furious battle will already have begun between the Alliance Frigate Liberator and the Imperial corvette Talon's TIE escorts. Two groups of two TIE fighters will have remained with the Talon.
　Go to full throttle and query the CMD for the nearest TIE fighter as you head toward the Talon. Order your wingman to attack it and select the next one for yourself. Try to eliminate it on the first pass. As soon as possible, fire two or three torpedoes at the Talon to help bring down its shields and make the Y-wings' job easier. Be careful not to destroy it! Proceed to eliminate the remaining TIE fighters as quickly as possible. After the corvette has been disabled, make a close fly-by to ID it so that the Storm Unit commandos will enter.
　If the area around the Talon is safe for the boarding party, you may want to go to the assistance of the Liberator by engaging the remaining TIE Bombers that are attacking it.
　Win Conditions
　T/F Gamma and T/F Delta must be destroyed. TRN Storm Unit must board CRV Talon and then escape into hyperspace.