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- For the Star Wars series by Aaron Allston, see X-wing (series).
Wraith Squadron is a fictional elite X-wing starfighter squadron in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It was founded by Wedge Antilles as a "commandos first, starfighters second" unit. The unit was made up of men and women who had ground combat and starfighter training but were on the verge of being washed out of the Alliance military before they were offered a chance to try out for the squadron.
Squadron history
Formation
After returning to Coruscant with Rogue Squadron following the Bacta War, Wedge Antilles, with his experiences of insurgency with the Rogues during the war, decided to create a new starfighter unit which would take only pilots with commando-type skills. When pitching the idea to Admiral Ackbar, the Mon Calamari raised the issue of the cost to assemble such an elite unit. Antilles countered by saying he'd only take pilots who were on the verge of being discharged from Starfighter Command, reasoning that while many would be irredeemable, there would be a few pilots who had just made one mistake too many.Capture of the Night Caller
After being trapped by an Empion bomb, Wraith Squadron cobbled together the Lunatic from a smuggling compartment aboard Narra. Voort saBinring rode this "ship" into the Night Caller. Armed with the wingtip laser cannon off an X-wing powered by the X-wing's battery, he took the ship by blasting a hole through the floor of the bridge and threatening to do the same to the foward viewport. This vessel was used by Wraith Squadron to perform covert operations while posing as Imperial Navy officers, under the nose of Warlord Zsinj and his lieutenants. This mission resulted in the sabotage of many facilities and businesses supplying the warlord, and cumulated in the destruction of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Implacable and the death of Admiral Apwar Trigit.
Wraith Squadron was accompanied by chief mechanic Cubber Daine and squadron quartermaster/3P0 unit Squeaky during its missions. Whether the two continued to serve Wraith Squadron when the squadron was in intelligence is unknown.
Original squadron roster
Wedge Antilles
- See main article: Wedge Antilles
Commander Wedge Antilles (Wraith One/Wraith Leader) was the founder of Wraith Squadron, an idea developed from the experiences of Rogue Squadron during the effort to retake Thyferra during the Bacta War. Despite initial resistance to the idea, Wedge was permitted to go ahead, on the condition that if the project was a failure after three months, he would finally accept a promotion and join Admiral Ackbar’s staff.
He would retain command of Wraith Squadron for the three months of the experiment, transferring back to the Rogues after it was a proven success.
Jesmin Ackbar
Flight Officer Jesmin Ackbar (Wraith Two) was the niece of the Mon Calamari war hero Admiral Ackbar. Her "failure" in Starfighter Command was that, despite her high marks in training and obvious skill in the cockpit, her relation to the Admiral prompted commanders to place her in low-risk positions, fearing retribution should she be harmed in combat. She functioned as the squadron's communications specialist until her X-wing was shot down by ground fire over a pirate base on the moon M2398.Falynn Sandskimmer
Flight Officer Falynn Sandskimmer (Wraith Three) was a human female from Tatooine. She had a severe problem with command, a so called "chronic insolence", and refused to respect superior officers who she felt did not deserve it. She also detested being compared to Luke Skywalker, due to their mutually shared homeworld and profession. She was the squadron's vehicle specialist and considered herself an ‘all round second best’.During the squadron's fight around Admiral Trigit's flagship, the Star Destroyer Implacable, she managed to fly her stolen TIE fighter into the hull of the Star Destroyer, using her unique position to systematically destroy the ship's power cells. She did this against direct orders from Wedge Antilles, because it was the one thing nobody else had ever done. Her fighter became entangled in the wreckage, and she was presumed killed in action when the Implacable crashed into a moon of Ession. When last seen, she was trapped, and her Tie Fighter, with no ejection pod, was filled with cracks and no longer airtight.
It was believed that she had romantic feelings for another Wraith pilot, Myn Donos, but neither person acted on them.
Eurrsk "Grinder" Thri'ag
Flight Officer Eurrsk "Grinder" Thri'ag (Wraith Four) was a Bothan male from Bothawui.A code-slicer for the squadron, he was also the unit's behind-the-scenes prankster, doing such things as putting an assembly in Kell's locker that leapt out at him and putting a harmless insect in Face's cockpit. He was also very condescending and egotistic. Face, Kell, and Phanan finally put a stop to Grinder's pranks by playing an elaborate prank of their own on him, and subsequently blackmailing him into stopping his pranks.
During the battle against the Implacable, he died when his fighter clipped a piece of wreckage and was subsequently hit by a turbolaser. He was attempting to follow and aid Falynn, against direct orders from Wedge.
Kell Tainer
Flight Officer Kell Tainer (Wraith Five) is a human male from Alderaan. His father served with Wraith Squadron’s Executive Officer, Wes Janson in the Tierfon Yellow Aces. Kell was initially unsure about serving in the squadron, as Janson had been forced to shoot down Kell’s father during a botched mission.
Born Kell Doran, his mother changed their last name to "Tainer" to distant themselves from the actions of Kell's father. He grew up in Sluis Van. Kell became a mechanic and later joined the Rebellion. Kell initially trained and joined Page's Commandos during their liberation of Borleias, for which he was highly decorated. Kell also trained under Vula Nelprin, Shalla's older sister and noted unarmed combat trainer. He is the Wraiths' demolitions expert and mechanic, and is considered to be the best non-Rogue Squadron pilot present. Throughout the Zsinj conflict, he stayed as a constant friend and wingmate to Runt, who was initially assigned with him during the training process.
Kell is romantically involved with Tyria, eventually marrying her and fathering a child, Doran. He earned the Kalidor Crescent, the highest award in Starfighter Command, for his efforts to save Jesmin Ackbar, was eventually promoted to lieutenant after the battle with the Implacable's task force over Talasea, and in later years, became the unofficial second-in-command of the squadron. He is also a flying ace after scoring 5 kills in the battle at Ession.
Early in his pilot career, he also suffered extreme bouts of cowardice during battle, and at one point nearly deserted in the middle of a heated battle. He managed to overcome his fears when he realized that running would doom his friends and his love, Tyria. Wedge Antilles felt that it was not true cowardice Kell felt, but rather a form of performance anxiety, since Kell feared that being his fathers son meant he would eventually perform a gross error and lead others to their doom.
Physically, Kell is a tall, well-built, handsome man.
Kell Tainer not only was a central character in three X-wing novels, but also made an appearance in several New Jedi Order novels by Aaron Allston.
Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh
Flight Officer Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh (Wraith Six) is a Thakwaash male from Thakwaa. He is the only member of his species in Starfighter Command; as he is a midget compared to the rest of his species, but is still barely able to fit into an X-wing's cockpit.He, along with the entire Thakwaa race, suffers a form of dissociative identity disorder; each of his "minds" controls a different skill or talent (such as piloting, studying, or evading inquiries). Although changing from one mind to another was initially uncontrolled, he later develops a level of control with the assistance of Kell Tainer; able to find the appropriate mind to solve a problem or handle a situation.
He was initially recruited for his raw strength, but later becomes the squadron's new communications specialist, along with filling the unofficial role of "morale officer". He was assigned Kell Tainer's wingmate during training, and stayed with him through the Zsinj conflict.
Trivia: According to the "Making of Revenge of the Sith" (page 29), Runt (or "Horse Pilot" as he was known) became regarded as the mascot for the concept artists of the movie. One of the concept artists even designed a special Horse Box X-wing for him.
Ton Phanan
Flight Officer Ton Phanan (Wraith Seven) was a human male from Rudrig. Due to an allergy to bacta, Phanan has been forced to resort to prosthetic replacements to compensate for his many injuries; he noted early on that he is "twenty percent mechanical, and gaining."Born to wealthy parents, he was briefly a doctor with the Alliance, but sustained most of his injuries during the Battle of Endor, while working on board a medical frigate. He later joined Starfighter Command; his prior skills gained him the role of unit medic. He quickly became good friends with Face, and the two gained the reputation as the squadron's resident comic duo.
Phanan suffered from depression, due to his mechanical parts and his bad track record with ladies, a trait which manifested itself during the second month of the squadron’s trial. His TIE interceptor was shot down only days later during a covert mission, and he suffered massive internal injuries. Despite a heroic rescue attempt by Face, the injuries proved fatal. In his will, he left most of his wealth to Face, his only friend, under the sole condition that Face put his own dark past behind him, and use some of the money to remove the scar on his face.
Garik "Face" Loran
Flight Officer Garik "Face" Loran (Wraith Eight) is a human male from Lorrd. When he was young, he was a galactically-famous child actor, starring in many holodramas and winning the hearts of the galaxies adolescent femals. Unfortunately, in addition to his standard entertaining roles, he also starred in various propaganda films that were used to boost Imperial military recruitment. As a teen, he was captured by a rogue Rebel group who gave him a "hardcore Intel briefing" on how much damage he was doing; planning to kill him once they were finished. A rescue attempt was launched by the Imperials, but both combatants nearly wiped each other out and, troubled by why he had seen, Face went underground. During the fight, he sustained a wound from a near-miss laser blast, leaving him with a scar that ran from his left cheek up to his right forehead, along with severe mental and emotional shock.After a brief stay on Pantolomin, he decided to join the Alliance, purchasing two starfighters with his expansive funds. He is the squadron's 'insertion expert', using his acting skills to assist the Wraiths in covert operations and intelligence gathering in addition to creating disgusies for the more well-known members of Wraith squadron.
Face was quickly promoted to lieutenant, then later advanced to the rank of Brevet Captain and nominal command of Wraith Squadron, a rank and position that became permanent when the Wraiths succeeded in Ackbar’s challenge and transferred over to the Intelligence division of the Alliance. He would continue to hold this role for many years, leading the Wraiths in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. During the Vong War, he remained close friends with fellow squadmate Kell Tainer, who helped fill the void Phanan's death left.
He kept the scar on his face because he saw it as a reminder of the guilt he has for furthering the Imperial cause as an actor. Phanan forced him to see that there was no karmic debt and all but blackmailed him into having the scar surgically removed.
Myn Donos
Lieutenant Myn Donos (Wraith Nine) is a sniper from Corellia and a former CorSec counterinsurgent. Donos had been the commander of Talon Squadron, which was destroyed in a single ambush engineered by Admiral Trigit, with the help of Gara Petothel. Wracked by guilt, and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, he retreated into his own head and dedicated his life to protecting Shiner, his R2 unit and the only surviving member of Talon Squadron. When Shiner was destroyed, Donos came close to suffering a mental breakdown, which was averted by the efforts of his squadmates, in particular Falynn and Tyria. He attained a sort of catharsis by killing Trigit as he tried to flee Ession in his TIE interceptor. Donos became romantically involved with Lara Notsil until realizing her true identity.When the Wraiths transferred over to Intelligence, Donos elected not to go, and was offered a position in Rogue Squadron.
Tyria Sarkin
- See main article: Tyria Sarkin
Flight Officer Tyria Sarkin (Wraith Ten) is an Antarian Ranger from Toprawa, a world bombed into barbarism by the Empire. She had blond hair and an elegant figure, which attracted the attention of the squadron's male pilots and specifically Ton Phanan and Kell Tainer. She possessed minor Force abilities, which developed during her time with the Wraiths.
During her training, her commanding officer, Colonel Repness, asked her to steal an X-wing so it could be sold on the black market. She refused, but was blackmailed into silence with the fact that the officer had been modifying her scores, information that would have ruined her career in Starfighter Command. She kept quiet, and was transferred to Wraith Squadron. She later secretly confided this information to Kell and Phanan, who, with the help of Face, orchestrated a plot to expose the corrupt Repness.
She later formed a relationship with Wraith Five, Kell Tainer, the pair eventually marrying and having one child, at which point she quit the squadron. She became accepted into the ranks of the Jedi, and dedicated her time to studying the Force and training her Force-sensitive son.
Wes Janson
- See main entry: Wes Janson
Lieutenant Wes Janson (Wraith Eleven) is a human male from Tanaab. He is a former Rogue Squadron veteran and longtime friend of Wedge Antillies, serving as Wraith Squadron’s initial Executive Officer as a favour to Wedge.
Voort "Piggy" saBinring
Flight Officer Voort "Piggy" saBinring (Wraith Twelve) is a Gamorrean male. Although his race is primitive, Piggy was extensively modified by an Imperial medical facility under the direction of Dr. Gast to be used as a spy and covert agent by the Empire, granting him intelligence and temperament far outside the Gamorrean norm.Piggy's "failure" in Starfighter command was violence against a superior officer. He was charged with striking his commander, however he claims this his not true. "You will notice the charges were filed within a half-hour of the incident," he notes. "No one I have ever struck has been able to speak coherently within half an hour." Piggy claims that his commander struck him, Piggy blocked the blow, and the commander chose to call it an attack.
Piggy is a mathematical and tactical genius, often functioning as a biological battle computer for the squadron. Additionally, his Gamorrean body grants him vast physical strength and the ability to survive the cold of space for far longer than a human pilot. He remains with the squadron throughout the duration of their service to the New Republic, and is one of only a few members still present during the Yuuzhan Vong war.
Since his species' language is largely unknown to most non-Gamorrean, Piggy wears a translator implanted in his throat.
Cubber Daine
Though technically not a pilot, Cubber serves a vital secondary support role to the Wraiths. As the squadron's chief mechanic, he is responsible for making sure that all of the Wraith's ships and equipment stays in fighting condition. He also pilots the squadron's Lambda-class shuttle, the Narra.
Cubber is a human male who holds a low opinion of brand new starfighters, as they always contain flaws and factory defects that everybody misses. He also detests the fact that the starfighter manufacturers are always adding in new technology and equipment in without proper testing, documentation, or his explicit permission. Kell quickly realizes that Cubber is right. Cubber also takes several odd-jobs in return for favors, such as building a special refigrated compartment in Face's R2 unit that could shoot out bottles of liquor, similar to how R2-D2 fired Luke's lightsaber in Return of the Jedi. He is known for purposefully giving his superiors overestimates of how long a job will take, then using the excess as break time.
Squeaky
Squeaky is a protocol droid with a serious attitude. Unlike other protocol droids, Squeaky is fiercely independent, and does not hesitate in insulting people he does not like, though he still proves to be a valued and well-liked member of the squadron. Squeaky acts as the squadron quartermaster, much like his Rogue Squadron counterpart Emtrey. When he first met Kell, he was working as a bar tender. Kell interrupted him twice, without being called on. Squeaky warned him that if he spoke up a third time, it would be best for Kell to "Not drink what I give you." This prompted Kell to ask Tyria about Squeaky's origin story.
Squeaky once worked at an Imperial spaceport on Kessel and managed many everyday tasks there. One day, he organized every single droid in the spaceport to be loaded on a freighter docked in the port. He then programmed the autopilot to fly the frieghter to fly a low altitude course and then fly for space once it was out of range of the port's defensive batteries. Unfortunately, he had set the autopilot for strictly "height above ground" on terrain that had many canyons and chasms culminating in what would be known as the "Runaway Droid Ride". He managed to reach the Alliance, and provided much useful information, as well as a freighter loaded with droids. In return for his efforts, the Alliance granted Squeaky total independence. He doesn't even have a restraining bolt port anymore.
The Zsinj Campaign
Following the defeat of Admiral Apwar Trigit, Wraith Squadron was authorized to attempt the infiltration of Warlord Zsinj's military structure. Posing as a pirate group, Wraith Squadron were able to discover that a Super Star Destroyer was under construction, and that Zsinj planned to steal it. This plan was foiled by Wraith Squadron, along with the taskforce under the command of General Solo, resulting in the destruction of the second Super Star Destroyer.Wraith Squadron was then assigned as a permanent part of the anti-Zsinj force led by General Solo, contributing to the downfall of Zsinj's corporate empire. Along with help from the inside, Wraith Squadron and Solo's taskforce were able to also destroy Zsinj's fleet, and appeared to have destroyed the Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist.
After the apparent success of the Zsinj Campaign, Wraith Squadron was deemed a success and transferred to New Republic Intelligence. Only three pilots chose not to transfer: Wedge Antilles, Wes Janson and Myn Donos instead transferred into Rogue Squadron
Replacement Pilots
The casualties received during the fight against Admiral Trigit had to be replaced, and further death visited the Wraiths during the greater campaign against Zsinj.Castin Donn
Castin Donn was part of a Non-Alliance rebel cell on Coruscant during the Galactic Civil War. He was a skilled slicer, and used his talents to broadcast news of the Rebel victory at Endor across Coruscant. He later joined the Alliance in an attempt to stop the aftermath of the events he caused from happening to anyone else again. When he joins Wraith Squadron, he becomes their computer expert, and is assigned the callsign of Wraith Two.Although an excellent slicer, Donn was a mediocre pilot, an insubordinate soldier, mildly xenophobic, and an arrogant egotist. He was shot to death by stormtroopers during an unauthorized attempt to plant tracking software into the main computer of Zsinj's Super Star Destroyer. He discovered Zsinj's alien experimentation plans, but failed to report it in. His tracking software was later used, however, aboard the Super Star Destroyer Razor's Kiss.
Dia Passik
Dia Passik is a Twi'lek female, originally a slave girl for an Imperial aristocrat. She later killed the aristocrat, destroyed his personal starship, and escaped to join the Rebel Alliance. She joins Wraith Squadron directly following the defeat of Admiral Trigit, using her knowledge of criminal syndicates to assist the squadron. She becomes Wraith Four.Although showing a tough exterior, Dia is in a fragile mental state because of her time spent as a slave. She becomes suicidal, but is able to recover thanks to the help of Face. She and Face would later become a couple, remaining together throughout the Wraith Squadron story arc. The author has stated on his website that Dia and Face split on good terms, at a point several years after the end of the story arc, but concedes that this is not canonical, and may be over-ridden by later novels.
Shalla Nelprin
Sister to the unarmed combat trainer, Vula Nelprin, who "threw Kell around as though he was a dust rag", Shalla's experience in unarmed combat and Imperial Intelligence doctrine assists Wraith Squadron in their efforts against Zsinj. Her most important contribution to Wraith Squadron was during the operation to destroy the Razor's Kiss. She covertly downloaded a tracker program, written by Castin Donn, in the ship's computer, stole a TIE interceptor, and destroyed the ship's shield generators. Due to her actions, she was allowed to paint half of a Super Star Destroyer on her X-wing. She was later promoted to lieutenant. Her father was once a member of Republic Intelligence, until he faked his own death in order to escape what the organization was turning into after the rise of the Empire.Lara Notsil
- See main article: Gara Petothel
A cover identity for the Imperial Intelligence operative Gara Petothel, Lara initially infiltrated Wraith Squadron to make herself useful to Warlord Zsinj, but quickly came to see through the lies constructed by Imperial Intelligence concerning the Rebel Alliance. She joined the squadron as Wraith Thirteen, though she later became Wraith Two and the resident "jack-of-all-trades" after Castin's and Phanan's deaths.
She was later exposed as responsible for the death of Myn Donos's Talon Squadron, which forced her to leave Wraith Squadron. She still played a key part in the downfall of Zsinj by sabotaging his Super Star Destroyer and providing vital information concerning his brainwashing projects.
After leaving the squadron, she assumed the name Kirney Slane and starts up a freighter business. She sent a message to Donos about a possible reconciliation.
Elassar Targon
A Devaronian, Elassar Targon was the final pilot to join the Wraiths during the campaign against Warlord Zsinj. Although fresh from training, Elassar proves himself a competent pilot, but one possessing a slightly unhinged personality. He is also incredibly superstitious. He acted as a temporary squad medic.Elassar is still serving with Wraith Squadron during the Yuuzhan Vong war, taking part in Luke Skywalker's mission to Yuuzhan'tar.
Kettch
Originally a joke instigated by Wes Janson during the initial recruitment of Wraith Squadron, counterpointed by the appearance of "Piggy" and the line "Yub yub, Commander", Lieutenant Kettch became a fictional member of Wraith Squadron during the Hawkbat operation.Kettch was a stuffed Ewok doll with a knack for turning up in the most unusual places, and the inspiration for several practical jokes within the squadron, including one in which the communications equipment of a Hawkbat TIE interceptor flown by Wedge Antilles was hooked up to a computer voice-scrambler. The scrambler made his voice resemble the gruff, high-pitched voice of a true Ewok, a prank that was recorded by Warlord Zsinj's forces. The Wraiths were forced to elaborate on the Kettch story, claiming that he was an escapee from a bioengineering lab, similar to "Piggy" saBinring, and Wedge was forced to fly into combat with Kettch strapped to his chest. A set of fake prosthetics was strapped to his body to further the illusion.
After the conclusion of the Hawkbat operation, Wedge investigated the events related to Kettch and discovered that all of them could be linked in some way to Wes Janson. He in turn staged an elaborate charade in revenge, involving the entire personnel of Wraith Squadron; the prank culminated in Wes exposing his rear end to the entire squadron. Shalla Nelprin commented that he had a nice rear, and upon his transfer back to Rogue Squadron, commented that she would "miss * rear." Wes fell for the joke, but took the events in good humour.
Interestingly, as Lara Notsil was evacuating the subjects of the bioengineering project contained aboard Iron Fist, she encountered a genetically modified Ewok by the name of Kolot, who appeared to be in every respect identical to the fictional Kettch.
The New Jedi Order
After the campaign against Warlord Zsinj, Wraith Squadron was claimed by New Republic Intelligence, and performed many covert operations for the organisation. The squadron continued its service to Intelligence until the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, where their unique combination of talents found extreme use in the war effort.The first mention of the Wraiths during this time is a rumour that the Wraiths were attempting to enter Yuuzhan Vong territory near the world of Myrkr. They later appear during Wedge Antilles' stand at Borleias, having helped Wedge's family flee from Coruscant.
While present, two members of the Wraiths join Twin Suns Squadron, while the remainder of the group assisted Luke Skywalker on his mission to Coruscant. The Wraiths returned to their starfighter roots for the Battle of Yuuzhan'tar, making their way to the surface in X-wings.
Squadron roster during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion
- Garik Loran still leads the Wraiths. His nominal rank remains as Captain, although it is accepted that he could appropriate almost any military rank and get away with it.
- Kell Tainer remains with the Wraiths, and is the squadron's unofficial executive officer, mechanic, and demolitions expert. He is also one of the best and most experienced pilots in the unit.
- Piggy SaBinring, while on Borleias, takes on the position of Twin Suns Five, and acts as Jaina Solo's tutor in leadership, battle management, and starfighter tactics.
- Elassar Targon maintains his flamboyance and naive outlook on life, although it is accepted that this is a cover designed to impart a false impression. He does not appear to have lost any of his superstitious beliefs.
- Sharr Latt, a human male, is a psychological warfare expert, assigned to Jaina Solo as an adviser in her role as the avatar of a Yuuzhan Vong goddess. He is believed to be from Coruscant.
- Baljos Arnjak is a biological expert, a role that saw increased importance during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. He is responsible for the adaptation of many Yuuzhan Vong biots for human usage, most notably the modified ooglith masquers used by the group infiltrating Coruscant. Arnjak remains on Coruscant after the infiltration team leaves, and is responsible for organising many of the escaped slaves and Shamed Ones into resistance cells.
- Bhindi Drayson is a tactical expert, specialising in Yuuzhan Vong tactics. She was originally to remain behind on Coruscant to supervise the foundation of resistance cells from the remaining human population, a role that was later taken on by Baljos Arnjak.
The Swarm War
After the campaign against Yuuzhan Vong, Wraith Squadron and Rogue Squadron assisted Admiral Gilad Pellaeon and Luke Skywalker in recapturing the Galactic Alliance Star Destroyer Admiral Ackbar from the Killiks, Lomi Plo, and Raynar Thul. This mission enabled the Galactic Alliance to end the Killik Threat.References
- The New Jedi Order
- Star by Star, by Troy Denning (brief mention only)
- Rebel Dream, by Aaron Allston
- Rebel Stand, by Aaron Allston
- The Unifying Force, by James Luceno (brief mentions only)
- ''The Dark Nest trilogy by Troy Denning
- The Swarm War (brief mention only)
"Wraith Squadron"