Chapter 6: Seek and Destroyed

[Fel]

Back at the Rebel base in the Outer Sectors, the convoy guarding phase was effectively over. Ilven said that they'd finished with getting their supplies. All the pilots considered it a relief.

The cargo missions were not particularly dangerous, and nobody had been injured or killed - also a great relief, in following the first death in the squadron.

Fel was walking down the hallway when he encountered Kirtan Anduin. The sweat and pilot suit gave away the fact that the Correllian had just come back from another round of duty.

"Sir, have you got a minute?" Anduin asked.

"Yes, Flight Officer..." Fel ducked into the side passage, out of the main flow of traffic in the hallway, and Anduin followed.

"I noticed while I was out there that even after the docking operations, the cargo freighters always seemed to show 'No Cargo' - through the whole thing. Don't try telling me that this is supposed to happen... sir... I mean, we surely were not picking up nothing."

Fel was willing to overlook his tone, even if it wasn't the sort one should use with his commanding officer. The frustration was understandable. "I don't know, either. I would love to tell you, but I know as much as you do."

"Aye, captain. But something about it is strange... And it makes me worry." Anduin wanted to say more about the proximity to their colleagues in the Empire, but he knew that the Rebels could be listening in.

"I will keep you informed. Keep your eyes open..."

"Aye, sir." Anduin headed back into the flow of traffic, disappearing amongst the crowd.

Fel continued on his way up to the command lounge. The decor of the room looked like it was last replaced when Valorum was still chancellor. Still, it was only open to officers ranked Captain and above, so he found it to be quiet. Except for the fact that a couple of the other squadron commanders seemed never to leave the room...

Once he got there, he reviewed the latest update he received from Captain Ilven. Speaking of Ilven, she had been making heavy use of Obsidian Squadron for convoy guarding duty. Renzen had expressed concern to Fel that this had meant that they were considered second class citizens. Fel was concerned, too, but not half so much as Renzen...

Yamaguchi, Arkada, and Gann were assigned to a scouting mission. Each of them had a specific scouting target. They were scouting out a planet for the Rebel scientists to deploy their project. While the Imperials might wish to screw up the data readings to keep the project - whatever it is - delayed, Fel and crew simply did not know what it is the Rebels were looking for, so they could really only go along with the plan.

The scientists reported themselves to be "almost ready", but who knew with them...

It was going to be a tough one for Arkada and Yamaguchi, since they were going to have to fly the Pike's scout X-Wings, with extra sensors in place of the missile system. Gann was going to fly his standard T/I, but he'd still be all on his own.

At least as far as Fel knew, the main targets would be Harrsk's. This lessened the conflict that the squadron would have. Still, out here in the Outer Sectors, this close to Grand Admiral Daemon's command, it couldn't be long before they had to fight their friends...

Y-Wings would be standing by to swoop into a target if they were needed, but by that time it would be too late if the pilots had gotten into trouble. Fel wasn't thrilled with the fact that they were being sent in alone. He'd rather have gone himself, but Ilven refused to allow it. Fel got the feeling this meant this was a suicide mission, but he wouldn't dare reveal this to his pilots - for fear it would be a self-fulfilling prophecy...

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Mission Assignments:

TIE: ERS210
XvT: ERS208
XWA: ERS209
GB: Fiction
EaW: Fiction