Erosion Part 3
How Renegade Wing lost Toseng
Contributors: Syntax, Knight, Bone, Freak, Zippy, Prowler, FLATTOP, Shadow, Frosty, Gnoizic, Wildcard, Guardian, Thanatos, Jalb, Dobber, Wolf, Blixus, Damak, Raptor, Ant, Animal, Angel, Dragon, Jasted, Rainman, Jedi, Barraken, Rogue, Lock, Silence, Savage, Professor, Bulldog, Junior, Gremlin
Continuation of Debriefing
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-21
Subject: 1st Lieutenant Kevin Clayborn
Callsign: Raptor
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Raptor: Kevin Clayborn, First Lieutenant, assigned as Buccaneer 9 under Renegade Wing aboard the cruiser Vigilant.
X: And what was your previous duty posting before joining Buccaneer Squadron?
Raptor: I was assigned to Green Squadron aboard the frigate Rehz'nor under the listing of Green 17 before my transfer after the Battle of Endor.
X: Once Buccaneer Squadron made it into the area and formed up, what was the first order from Lieutenant Colonel Stephen?
Raptor: The Colonel ordered a flat out attack on the Imperial forces that were responding to our presence. Two Acclamator class warships and a pair of older Dreadnought vessels were making best speed towards our ingress point. They weren't the cream of the crop by any means, but if they began launch operations we would certainly have been in a more difficult position if they weren't swiftly removed.
X: And how did your squadron do in this regard?
Raptor: Surprisingly well given the elements we had available. We dropped the first Acclamator, identified as the Regency, with a healthy dose of overkill via Proton torpedo attack. I would like to have seen our pilots be a bit more judicious with our ordnance at the time, but better overkill than no kill. And we took out the Regency before she launched a single starfighter, so I can't complain on that front either.
Y: Your squadron was missing four regular members: Flight Officers Shuun and Zynnadi, and Captains Clark and Davis. How did you manage to make such short work of your first target?
Raptor: I offered a suggestion to Animal that was quickly accepted given my strike experience. As I had asked for, my X-wing was kitted out with Ion torpedoes. To avoid countermeasure action against the Proton spread our bombers were meant to launch, I eyeballed a volley of Ion torps that left the Regency without shields or major operational control. Timed with my signal, the bombers, with Wildcard in what was apparently Captain Clark's Y-wing, made an attack run that overwhelmed the Imperial vessel. It's my opinion that they fired more warheads than were strictly necessary given the vulnerable state of the Acclamator. I'm hoping to be able to impart my experience on that front to the Squadron during my assignment, though.
Y: And how did Lieutenant J'ruce handle that Y-wing?
Raptor: He seemed competent enough.
X: I see. Well, thank you for your time and candor, Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-22
Subject: 2nd Lieutenant Anton Whitemont
Callsign: Ant
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Ant: 2nd Lieutenant Anton Whitemont. Buccaneer Eleven.
X: Seems like a fairly innocuous callsign, no?
Ant: ... aren't callsigns supposed to be?
X: After the destruction of the Acclamator, you and the Buccaneers immediately destroyed one of the nearby Imperial Support Vessels. How did you manage that?
Ant: The old one-two punch of ion cannons and lasers is still a tried-and-true method. Maybe the angles of attack and other specifics change, but the core strategies still work quite often. Don't need to do away with what's broken, just tweak it.
Y: Your squadron was down four regular members, and while you gained one in Lieutenant J'ruce flying Captain Clark's Y-wing, we still are quite impressed with the skill you and your comrades displayed.
Ant: Thank you ... though if I may speak candidly—I don't believe you called me in here to simply praise my flying skills...
X: How well would you say you knew Captain Clark?
Ant: We've flown together, drank together, hung out ... Outside of that, he was an incredible support system for me during one of the hardest times of my life. He's a good friend.
Y: Where was Captain Clark for the battle?
Ant: I don't know.
Y: Why hasn't he reported in?
Ant: *Annoyed glare* Clearly he's preoccupied.
Y: Did he confide in you that he may be unhappy?
Ant: *Crosses Arms* That's an overly simplified question with a complicated answer. We'd all been under a lot of stress up to and during the whole Toseng situation, so define 'unhappy' ... That seems like—
Y: *datapad chirps* He was involved in a brawl that included many members of Renegade Wing. Some unofficial reports indicate he was the cause of the fight.
Ant: *Scoffs* Fights break out in bars. Words are said, punches are thrown. These things happen.
Y: It resulted in detainment for a short period of time. Do you think that made him angry with the New Republic?
Ant: This line of questioning is sounding somewhat accusatory. I don't like it. Besides, if you wanna know his emotions, ask him. How the Sith would I know his exact feelings? I'm not a Jedi.
Y: A few weeks after that incident, he was involved in another ... incident that included breaking and entering and property damage.
Ant: That's not a question. Get to the point.
Y: It landed him back in the brig for an even longer stay.
Ant: You get rowdy, you get thrown in the brig. That's how these things go ... and that's still not a question.
Y: Did he get mad then?
Ant: I can't speak for his emotions, but I can tell you I'm getting pretty damn mad—mainly at useless suits who sit behind desks and know nothing about being in actual battles then have the balls to question certain minutia.
Y: Did he betray the New Republic and help lay the trap that was sprung upon our forces?
Ant: That's a Death Star-sized logical leap with barely-veiled accusation. What the Sith are we even doing here? What is this useless—
*door opens*
Stryker: That is enough.
Jalb: I'll have your commission torn up if you continue to badger my people, Captain!
X: No further questions for the Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-23
Subject: Lieutenant Colonel Chris Stephen
Callsign: Animal
Animal: Fantastic, another shakedown. How can I help you get promoted today?
X: *annoyed glare* State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Animal: Chris Stephen, Lieutenant Colonel, Buccaneer Squadron Oh-Cee, Renegade Wing Heavy Assault.
X: How long have you served with Renegade Wing? Give us a progression of your positions for the record.
Animal: I don't recall how long I have been with Renegade Wing, but I have yet to get that beach vacation they promised me at 5 years so I would say a little less than that. Time isn't really a constant thing when you're at war. If I am not on a mission, I am preparing for the next one. It all seems to run together. *pause* Joined Renegade wing as Heavy Assault, showed some aptitude making things go boom. Now I lead the squadron, nothing too exciting.
Y: *datapad chirps* Our records, at least the sporadic ones we have from the days of the Alliance, have you listed as a Rogue qualified pilot that flew with the squadron.
Animal: *pursed lips*
X: *Waited an uncomfortable amount of time* And before that, you were an Imperial pilot. What was the cause of your defection?
Animal: I was an Imperial cadet, close to graduating flight school at the top of my class. I defected due to having a moral code ... Which I must admit gets tested from time to time.
Y: *datapad chirps* That's it? There's nothing ... more substantial to the story?
Animal: *long pause* No.
X: Thank you. We've spoken with a few of your pilots about the skillful destruction of the Acclamator and the Imperial Support Vessel. How did you all manage it while missing four of your pilots?
Animal: Heh, skillful ... Why do I think you're lubing me up to get farkled here? *pause* I did what I do best, destroy objectives with overwhelming firepower. Eight bombers were more than enough. I could have done it with three. It just would have taken a bit longer.
X: It's just that simple?
Animal: *Dark laugh* You've been watching too many holovids, Colonel. We don't all get to come back when the battle is over. Eventually luck runs out. *pause* As to the suggestion that these pilots are somehow AWOL, that is a very serious charge. And here I thought you were my friends. I trust every pilot I fly with with my life, and each of these men is owed the courtesy of due process before you drag them through the mud. *thoughtful pause* I'm sure each of them is on some deep cover op from the darkest levels of your organization with orders so compartmentalized the person that issued the commands probably forgot about them.
Y: You deftly side-stepped the important part of that question, Major. Why weren't your missing pilots present for the battle? Do you know their whereabouts now?
Animal: *Subject leans back and affects an air of nonchalance* As luck would have it, I do know the whereabouts of these pilots. You know them as Flight Officers Shuun and Zynnadi and Captains Clark and Davis, but artistically they are known as the Three B's. The 3 Bastards, Bums, Buttheads, Bombads, you take your ick. They had a jam session planned for today to practice for the big event. Don't let anyone say that the pilots of Renegade Wing don't want the talent show trophy back from those filthy mechanics and their one trick pure electric whatever you call em! *Leans forward* Would have been a momentum shifter for sure to have Foo provide a few timely weapons reloads, but he was not medically cleared to participate.
Y: Not medically cleared? *datapad keys punched rapidly* I see nothing in the system about a medical impediment, and a previous subject saw Captain Davis on the ground at the base before launching. Are you incompetent? You replaced Captain Clark with Captain Davis as your executive officer, and both were absent during the battle.
Animal: I think you asked a question somewhere in that monologue, but I kind of lost focus there. Is this some kind of intimidation tactic? I'd really like to take some notes if it is, can I get my datapad?
Y: Are. You. Incompetent?
Animal: I don't think I am incompetent, but then again wouldn't that be something that someone who is incompetent would say? Did you hear someone call me incompetent? Who was it? Was it that bucket of bolts Syntax? Between you and me, I think that droid has it out for me. Him and Iggy are conspiring against me. I think I even heard one say 'roger roger' the other day. *shakes head and smirks* Circling back to your original question ... I'd have to say no, I am not incontinent. I do not have any issues urinating or defecating, and that's about as far as I want to go with someone who isn't a medical professional. Did this just turn into a medical exam? I am NOT turning and coughing.
X: *admonishing glance at both beings* After the destruction of those two ships, the Imperial Star Destroyer Consolidator began to enter the atmosphere on a heading toward our base. Why didn't Buccaneer Squadron engage?
Animal: That is both a complex calculation and a simple answer. One I take full ownership of. I didn't want to give up my ride out of the system.
Y: What?
Animal: After taking out the Acclamator and its escort, I called for Buccaneer to reform closer to the Vigilant. Our options to rearm or support other offensives were greater closer to our ship. I didn't feel as though we had the quick punch-out ability on an unsupported offensive against the Consolidator as I did with overwhelming the two other ships. *pauses* The eventual hope at that time would be to clear the immediate threat to the taskforce and then turn back to the planet when we had time.
Y: *datapad chirps* Was your judgment clouded in any way by the possibility of losing another ship you called home, as you did when the Liberty was blasted to atoms at Endor?
Animal: *stern glare* That wasn't going to happen.
Y: Are you a coward? Or just lacking in initiative?
Animal: I am many things, but a coward isn't one of them. To sit behind a desk and meticulously evaluate my actions during a battle is not a luxury that I have in the moment. I make decisions that cost lives. I make them decisively. I make them confidently ... And I live with the results.
*door opens*
Stryker: ENOUGH!
Jalb: You have this man's service record. To insinuate that he is either incompetent or a coward is ridiculous.
X: Indeed. That will be all.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-24
Subject: Flight Officer Glenn Ahdee'khee
Callsign: Wolvinator
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Wolvinator: Glenn Ahdee'khee, Flight Officer, Buccaneer 7.
X: You flew at Endor, correct? With which squadron?
Wolvinator: Indeed. Green Squadron.
Y: How are you still a lowly Flight Officer? I thought all of the surviving Endor veterans were given at least one rank bump.
Wolvinator: *smirks* When you get shot down and presumed dead along with the majority of your squadron, it's really hard to get promoted. By the time I was reshuffled into the fold, my former glories were apparently forgotten. If you're offering a promotion, my bank account would surely appreciate it.
X: *stern glare* When the Imperial Star Destroyer Consolidator entered the atmosphere, you were ordered not to pursue. Why?
Wolvinator: I'm a Flight Officer, as you have confirmed. That decision was above my paygrade.
Y: Did you think you all could handle it despite being low on warheads?
Wolvinator: If I had to guess, and this is just coming from a guy that was shot down at Endor flying straight into the teeth of an enemy fighter squadron, but the odds aren't great in a maneuver like that. The boss probably did the mental math and agreed.
X: Were there any friendly fighters in the area that could help screen your attack?
Wolvinator: Look man, I was just busy trying not to die. If there were any available friendly escorts, it was probably a few Corsairs too busy picking TIEs off of the fleet to come help us.
X: I see. Thank you for your time, Flight Officer.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-25
Subject: 1st Lieutenant Jeni Courtner
Callsign: Angel
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Angel: Jeni Courtner, 1st Lieutenant. I'm assigned as Spectre Six.
X: What was your duty posting before joining Renegade Wing?
Angel: I spent most of my time in Red Squadron, but was transferred to Gold during the Battle of Endor.
X: *slightly awestruck* During Endor, you made a run inside the second Death Star. What was that like?
Angel: Terrifying? Exhilarating? I'll be honest, I didn't really think much. General Calrissian said 'go' so I just went.
Y: You did a stretch in between pilot billets as a snubfighter tech. Why did you take a break from the cockpit?
Angel: I um, was injured during the Death Star run. I'm actually not sure how I got out. Spent a lot of time in the Medbay and for a long time I just ... I just couldn't pass the flight exam to return.
X: Thank you for your candor, Lieutenant. While these items were in our database, it's always more interesting to hear them from a primary source.
Angel: With all due respect, what would be really wonderful is for some of those who fought in the Rebellion to receive adequate mental health treatment. I'll be honest. The Angel who came out of the Death Star will never be the one who went in. It's the same for a lot of others. When this war is over, you're going to have an army of beings who are going to need help.
X: *Thoughtful pause* Let's get back to the battle. Why do you think it took the taskforce so long to get moving?
Angel: They took a lot of damage by the ion bombing. I was honestly surprised they could move at all.
Y: Do you think any foul-play may have been involved?
Angel: I'm not sure I understand?
Y: I mean, do you think there was any sort of inside play to cause our ships to fall into enemy hands?
Angel: If there was, it wouldn't have been from any of our maintenance staff. I knew a lot of those people personally. Many came from places the Empire destroyed. Some had no home to return to. They were committed, every one of them. I imagine they're the ones to thank for getting any of the ships moving at all.
X: Your squadron was deployed as a fighter screen by your commanding officer, Major Krenn. Is there anything you would have changed about your mission parameters?
Angel: No, it seemed the right play. Defending our fleet was definitely the main goal.
X: Do you think the battle would have gone a different way if Spectre Squadron was allowed to assist Buccaneer Squadron in the destruction of the Imperial capital ships? The undermanned Buccaneers managed to down two of the 6 ships on their own. Surely the addition of Spectre Squadron would have helped in that regard?
Angel: And leave the fleet unguarded? No, I think what we did was the right move. If we'd have left our post, who knows how many of our ships would have been lost.
Y: Where is Captain Gemilan?
Angel: *Pregnant pause and a very worried expression* Honestly, I don't know. She told me she was going to spend some time with the war orphans in town ... and then the bombing happened.
Y: And she couldn't have been deceiving you?
Angel: That's what she told me, and Gemi—Gemilan wouldn't lie to me.
X: Thank you for your time, Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-26
Subject: Captain Kell Arcfire
Callsign: Dragon
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Dragon: *Glances knowingly at Z and nods in greeting* Kell Arcfire, Captain, recently reassigned to Rogue Squadron.
X: Congratulations are in order for joining such an elite unit.
Dragon: Thank you.
X: What was your role in the battle?
Dragon: Link up with pilots from Corsair and Spectre squadrons to engage enemy starfighters and protect damaged New Republic vessels.
X: How many kills did you have during the entire engagement?
Dragon: Five.
X: 5 kills makes you an ace in the New Republic Starfighter Corps, doesn't it?
Dragon: *Shrugs*
Y: So it's safe to say it was a pretty target-rich environment that was easy to score kills?
Dragon: I find your lack of understanding of the battlefield proper, appalling.
X: Can you tell me what Flight Officer Reynolds' assignment was? Was it the same as yours?
Dragon: Junior and McSmell got orders to enter the planet's atmosphere to engage TIE starfighters on an intercept vector towards our evac shuttles.
X: Did he return from this assignment?
Dragon: McSmell bought a real nice farm. Karking shame that. I've heard nothing of Junior since.
X: Do you think Flight Officer Reynolds may have also been shot down and either captured or killed around that time? Did you hear anything from him after the death of Lieutenant Faus'tus?
Dragon: You know what they say about assumptions. I don't know. I can tell you I've heard nothing from Junior since the incident.
X: Did anybody go into the atmosphere after them to look?
Dragon: It was a hornet's nest of TIEs. I tried, but I was threatened with court martial—and other select punishments if I, and I quote, didn't turn that blasted A-wing 'round.
X: Why not?
Dragon: There wasn't time. The moment you vaped one TIE, another was on your six.
Y: Do you think there is a possibility that Flight Officer Reynolds was a spy for the Empire?
Dragon: No.
Y: Tell us for the record how many kills the Flight Officer had during the battle.
Dragon: I don't know, wasn't keeping score.
Y: It was one.
Dragon: If you knew already, why do you keep asking me pointless questions?
Y: You don't find it odd that in such an easy environment to score a kill that Flight Officer Reynolds only scored one measly kill?
*door opens*
Stryker: *Storming in with a menacing finger raised* You have been warned repeatedly to avoid overstepping your bounds, and now it's time to pay the piper. I'm ending this interview now, and I'm going to have your commission flushed down the refresher by the end of the day!
Y: I don't think it is out of the bounds of this debriefing to chase every avenue. *nods toward a grief-stricken Jalb back by the doorway* Especially one in which the son of one of the most skilled pilots in the Corps only managed one kill where any green rookie could have scored at least five.
Dragon: *stern glare* Are you calling me a green pilot?!
Stryker: A green pilot wouldn't have survived long enough for that!
Dragon: *Addressing Y* Your ignorance is the reason you're a spook instead of a pilot. *Turns to Stryker* Can I go now? This guy is starting to piss me off, and I don't like his face.
Y: So was Flight Officer Reynolds unskilled and allowed a berth in the wing at the personal appointment of his father? Or was he skilled enough to join the ranks of Renegade Wing and just suddenly ... forgot how to kill Imperials?
X: Enough! We are finished with Captain Arcfire.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-27
Subject: 1st Lieutenant Nick Finelli
Callsign: Jasted
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Jasted: 1st Lieutenant Nick Finelli, currently assigned to Rogue Squadron as Rogue Five.
X: How long have you been a member of Rogue Squadron?
Jasted: Prior to the Battle of Endor.
X: What was your duty posting before joining Rogue Squadron?
Jasted: I was transferred to Rogue Squadron from Gray Squadron. I conducted advanced recon in the outer rim territories as Gray Five.
Y: Why did you leave them to join the Rogues?
Jasted: I left the Gray Berets for a squadron that was assigned tours of duty on the offensive. Gray was considered a defensive unit in the Atrivis Sector at that time. Of course I had no idea they'd be called in for the big show at Endor at the time of my transfer...
X: How were the Rogues faring during the battle?
Jasted: We were smoking the frak out of the bastards! They hadn't splashed any of the Rogue boys, but they were swarming the civilian freighters with sheer numbers. Bunch of cowards.
X: Why do you think that you and your wingmen weren't ordered to link up with the screen Spectre and Corsair were maintaining near the Vigilant task force ships?
Jasted: Spectre and Corsair were holding their own. The civvies had nobody to protect them.
X: Why weren't you ordered to go after the Imperial Star Destroyer Consolidator when it entered the atmosphere?
Jasted: You'll have to take that up with the brass. My job is to break stuff and kill Imps when they give me the green light. If they wanted that destroyer, we would have wasted it.
Y: Surely the vaunted Rogue Squadron would have been enough to tip the scales in Renegade Wing's favor if they'd combined their firepower?
Jasted: Yeah man, you're barking at me like I got a chance in the black void of space to light up any thing I want. I get orders and follow them. I don't have the option of hiding behind a desk and spitting on the aftermath when shavit goes wrong.
Y: Do you lack confidence in your skills?
Jasted: *Angry glare* If you ask questions like that, I'll be done with this interview.
X: What was the status of the taskforce ships?
Jasted: They looked like they were having catastrophic failures. Lights were flickering, no weapons that I could see ... I don't even think their comm systems were up. Moving slowly, but they looked beat.
X: Thank you for your time, Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-28
Subject: 1st Lieutenant Brennan Roth
Callsign: Rainman
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Rainman: 1st Lieutenant Brennan Roth, callsign 'Rainman'. I'm a snubfighter pilot attached to Rogue Squadron
X: Can you explain your callsign to us?
Rainman: I'm from Donovia. I was a third-generation member of the Rainman's Guild before I left the planet. It just kind of became what everyone called me...
Y: Why weren't you at Endor?
Rainman: The specifics are classified and I'm still not sure what I'm clear to divulge. But I can tell you that I was operating in conjunction with Alliance Intelligence in a non-flight capacity due to my background and personal connections. The Alliance thought I was more useful elsewhere. If you need more information I'd refer you to your Section Commander. If you are cleared, there should be a link to my debrief in my dossier.
X: It's been a long day for us, so I'll go straight to the point. What was the fighting like as the taskforce retreated?
Rainman: Intense. The initial attack was crippling and we were on the back foot from the jump. By the time we hypered into the system everything was under heavy attack by TIE squadrons. Rogue was running interference for the freighters that were trying to bug out. I was just trying to acquire Tangos and take them out as fast as I could to give our ships time to evac. Our position was ... tenuous. We weren't really close enough to help or be helped by Corsair and Spectre. It sounds like they had their own hands full anyway.
X: Do you think, had the order to hold the line been given, that New Republic forces would have prevailed?
Rainman: It was a losing battle. We were fighting from a position of weakness and not of strength. We've fought overwhelming numbers at desperate times before ... but the odds weren't good and the upside wasn't there. Better to cut and run and regroup.
Y: *datapad chirps* You've been logging a ton of sim hours ever since you returned to the wing. Why?
Rainman: I'm shaking the rust off. Flying at an elite level is a lot like being a professional Limmie player. If a guy comes back from injury you don't start them the next game ... you've got to ease them back in so they get their game sharpness back. On Toseng I had the luxury of getting back up to speed before being thrown in the deep end. Thankfully my CO understood and encouraged me. I'm still here, so it looks like the sim time paid off.
Y: So with all that extra intense training, you still don't think you all were up to snuff to hold the line?
Rainman: Listen, I'm a good soldier and I do what I'm told. If Command had said to hold the line, I would've held the line and gone down fighting. I know that, on some level, all of us are expendable. Do you want to know why I'm willing to do that? Because Command has shown me time and again that they'll make the right call. And they called for the retreat.
X: The Imperials seemed to almost let the taskforce go according to our reports. Why do you think this is? Why not press their advantage?
Rainman: I dunno ... maybe they're learning from their mistakes? They've been bitten in the ass by overconfidence in the past. Maybe they've finally got some leadership that doesn't underestimate us? Or maybe there's something else at work...
Y: Do you think it was suspect that they didn't close in with a more aggressive posture?
Rainman: Well it DOES seem unlike them...
Y: Do you think there is a spy in our midst that the Empire was letting go for a future betrayal?
Rainman: This is war. I'd be more surprised if they DON'T have spies infiltrating our ranks. WE have spies in THEIRS. Spies are expendable ... unless ... wait, you don't think they've somehow managed to get into COMMAND?
Y: Do you know of any plots that were in motion to hand Toseng back to the Empire?
Rainman: No, I don't ... and pilots don't have that kind of pull anyway. This can't be about pilots ... are you telling me we can't trust someone in COMMAND?
X: That's enough
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-29
Subject: Lieutenant Colonel Bill Morrison
Callsign: Jedi
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Jedi: Bill "Jedi" Morrison, Lieutenant Colonel, Renegade Wing XO, and CO of Renegade Wing's Support Squadron.
X: Interesting callsign. Is it ironic?
Jedi: Maybe, considering I've never officially been trained as a Jedi. But back in the days of Yavin, Hoth, and the lead up to Endor, I was told I had the reflexes and piloting skills of one. Name stuck and I didn't argue.
X: According to our files, you were an accomplished fighter pilot before. Have you kept your skills up to snuff?
Jedi: I certainly pulled my weight back in my youth ... planned a good number of Ops, too. Was the XO of Rogue Squadron for a good long spell, though you'd be too young to remember it. These days though I fly a desk more often than not. But I try to knock the cobwebs off, as often as I can. I think it helps these nuggets feel secure seeing one of the Old Guard still out there lighting things up.
Y: Looks like you were in the cockpit during the first battle of Toseng. Escorted the StarFortress as it turned the tide of the battle.
Jedi: I was indeed. I've seen a lot in my days, but watching that StarFortress reducing a ship to slag ... Well, let's just say I'm glad it's on our side.
X: Did you get into your cockpit during this latest battle?
Jedi: No, I did not ... though I suppose some part of me probably wanted to.
Y: Why not?
Jedi: Our comms were fried. It was all hands on deck rerouting systems to get them back up, while keeping the rest of the lights on and the burners lit. We needed cool heads covering the retreat with eyes on the Big Picture. And when your head is wrapped up in pulling G's and protecting your wing, your picture gets a lot more narrow.
Y: Perhaps you and the General arriving in your fighters might have turned the tide as they did during the first battle?
Jedi: *irritated look* Perhaps it would have, perhaps it wouldn't. Look— Younger Me's ego would have loved to sit here and play this game of "what ifs" and "I coulda's", but you don't get to my age and rank without learning there's a time and place, and without swallowing a Bantha-sized dose of pride. Everyone in this outfit from the CO down to the techs cranking the spanners in the access shafts pulls their weight and leverages their skills when and where they're needed. This was neither the time nor the place to go running off chasing glory. *Subject holds the gaze of the Y's eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time without flinching*
X: An Interdictor Cruiser arrived late in the battle?
Jedi: That's correct.
X: Where was it during the rest of the battle?
Jedi: I wish I knew. I can tell you as soon as we saw it though, we had no intention on sticking around to ask it any questions.
X: I see. And so once it was sighted, somehow you got everybody on the same page to jump out before they were trapped?
Jedi: *Laughs* Somehow? You're really not that familiar with Renegade Wing, are you? The men and women of this outfit, for all the ribbing, all the hot tempers, the boasting and bravado have two things that set us apart from other Wings and divisions: Trust and Faith. Trust in each other and trust that the command structure is gonna make the right call. Faith that all our hours of training, drills, and time in the field fighting these bastards is going to kick in where we all reflexively "do the right thing". There's no "somehow" about it. When the Old Man reads the battlefield, calmly leans into the commlink and quietly says "it's time to go, folks..."
We. Just. Go.
Y: Could you all, had you stayed and fought and you and General Rambo gotten into your fighters, have won the battle in your opinion?
Jedi: *Leans forward and locks eyes with Y, and all semblance of patience is gone. Voice is dead serious* We. Just. Go.
X: Thank you for your time, Lieutenant Colonel.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-30
Subject: 2nd Lieutenant Dion Ninx
Callsign: Loth-Cat
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Loth-Cat: Dion Ninx, 2nd Lieutenant, Buccaneer Squadron.
Y: What's with the wannabe Mando gear?
Loth-Cat: *examines their dress* What?
X: *admonishing look* How long have you been stationed with Renegade Wing?
Loth-Cat: *nervously looks around the room* Th—Three or four months?
X: And before you were with Renegade Wing, you managed to learn how to pilot a Y-wing that had crashed on your planet?
Loth-Cat: *gulps noticeably* Gale Andromeda was the pilot. She ... she taught me how to fly until ... she died.
X: Relax, you aren't in trouble. This is a routine debriefing. We've heard from many of your comrades about the battle. We're curious how things looked when you finally jumped out of the system at the rendezvous point.
Loth-Cat: Comms from the ships were recovered and immediately orders were being issued to set up defensive patrols, and the damaged ships were ordered to come down for repairs. That was me, I took some nasty hits during the attack run on the dreadnaught.
X: Despite the hairy fighting, Renegade Wing got off relatively light on the losses front. 1 confirmed KIA from Corsair, and a few MIA from the Wing. Why do you think we got off so easy?
Loth-Cat: *unsure* I ... I don't think we got off easy. A lot of us had some pretty bad damage and barely made the jump out.
Y: What he's asking is: do you think it was awfully strange that we retreated despite not taking many losses?
Loth-Cat: I don't know?
Y: Why not reform and come back to finish the fight?
Loth-Cat: *pauses* I don't know.
X: It's ok, we are aware you weren't included in the decision. No need to worry. Let's talk about some of the missing in action personnel. Do you have any idea where Flight Officer Shuun, Lieutenant Zynnadi, and Captains Clark and Davis are?
Loth-Cat: *flinches visibly* No. I was with them, and others, the day and night before the Imperials came back.
X: You were with them the day and night before the battle?
Loth-Cat: Yes.
X: Doing what, exactly?
Loth-Cat: There was a village ... a lot like the one I grew up in. They were being preyed upon by a nearby gang. We ... fought them off...
Y: How well did you know the missing Buccaneers?
Loth-Cat: *confused* Well? Captain Clark was like a ... well, he looked out for me. And Bearcat—I mean Zynnadi, was a friend. Davis was a good man as well. And Blue ... she was great.
Y: Is there any possibility any of them are spies or otherwise were working against the New Republic to hand the planet back over to the Empire?
Loth-Cat: *angry glare* No. Absolutely not.
Y: I find it awfully convenient that none of them have reported in since the battle.
Loth-Cat: *confused silence*
Y: I don't believe that all of them are traitors. But one or two? Maybe. Captain Clark had a motive after being locked in the brig for weeks. Davis? Used to be an Imp, and could have been a deep-cover double agent this whole time. Flying a support ship is just the way to avoid getting your hands dirty killing your friends. Shuun? There's always a chance a spy slips through our net during training. Zynnadi? Well, he's the only one I actually don't suspect. His record indicates that he's an open book, if not sheltered somewhat.
Loth-Cat: *anger flashes across their face* None of them were traitors! No way Blue was ... No!
Y: Touched a nerve, did I? *pause* Oh, I get it. You had feelings for Shuun, didn't you?
Loth-Cat: *angry glare*
Y: *datapad chirps* How well did you know her? Did you know her family dealt in slaves?
Loth-Cat: *defiant, but confused* She said it was her uncle!
Y: *snorts* That's what she told you, eh? Guess that hefty ... allowance she received once a month was just a way for her family to say they missed her and had nothing to do with that ... enterprise.
*door opens*
X: Relax, we're done with the Lieutenant.
Y: I'm not—
X: *sternly* We're done with the Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-31
Subject: Captain Moggaz Murg
Callsign: Barraken
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Barraken: Captain Moggaz Murg, assigned to the CRS Vigilant at the moment.
X: *confused* Captain? Aren't you a Major?
Barraken: The opportunity to return to doing what I was very good at developed in Renegade Wing, so I had to take it. Even if it meant my reduction in rank. I'll be an SAR pilot now. Search and Rescue, that is.
X: *still confused* Why would you do that? You were the right-hand man for Admiral Vodani.
Barraken: I've always taken life one mission at a time, but the big picture is in the back of my mind, too. And if I can save some of our best from the hands of the Empire, that big picture improves ... don't you think?
Y: Does that mean your neurological treatments have been successful?
Barraken: *shocked expression for the briefest of moments, imperceptible if not for the slow motion video recording* The treatments haven't been perfect, but I've regained some of my old function. I thought ... that was a classified matter.
X: Why the starfighter corps though?
Barraken: Well, there may be a U-wing squadron forming with us soon. One with a flexible, multi-role mission profile. I'd like to see firsthand how a U-wing would function for the SAR mission profile compared to the transports and shuttles we used to use.
X: *surprised* That's news to us.
Y: Seems like you know more than we do, Captain.
Barraken: I don't know what you're hearing about a spy or such thing among us, but those rumors, whatever they are, have to be tenuous and circumstantial at best.
Y: Oh yeah? How do you know?
Barraken: When the Wing reformed after Endor, I looked over all of the personnel records as part of my duties with Admiral Vodani's office. I won't pretend I know them better than they know themselves, but I firmly believe these men, women, beings are dedicated to the service of the New Republic.
Y: *sarcastic* It looks as though we should have just interviewed you first. Would have saved us a whole lot of trouble.
Barraken: *nods in acknowledgement and agreement*
X: Thank you for your time, Captain. Good luck in your future endeavors.
Barraken: Thank you, sirs!
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-32
Subject: 1st Lieutenant Paul Sweet
Callsign: Rogue
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Rogue: Paul Sweet, 1st Lieutenant, Spectre Three.
X: How would you characterize the morale of Renegade Wing right now?
Rogue: Morale has taken a beating, but this is something to be expected when we've just come out the other side of what we've been through. Some will mourn and grieve, others will get angry and want revenge. Me, I just need the next assignment to focus on.
Y: Doesn't your callsign get confusing, given the fact that THE Rogue Squadron is also a part of the taskforce with which you operate?
Rogue: Not really. If there's members of Rogue Squadron on the same mission, normally they call out their number or their own callsigns, so no issue. And we don't often fly in the same circles.
X: Run us through your previous duty postings.
Rogue: For the Alliance? Some of them are classified still. I'm not sure you have the correct clearance for me to answer that properly, so I'll pass on that.
Y: We have clearance.
Rogue: I still don't know that.
X: We can circle back to that if it is germane to this discussion. You used to be an Imperial, correct?
Rogue: I did.
X: What was your position and duty posting there?
Rogue: I was an Operative, and a damn good one as well. I was responsible for a whole heap of clandestine ops including infiltration, assassinations, sabotage, reconnaissance, political manipulations, and some even nastier things...
X: Any chance you are responsible for any of the Alliance's deep cover operatives going missing during your time there?
Rogue: I can neither confirm nor deny, as I fear we both may not have proper clearance to compare notes. It is highly possible that I was responsible due to some of the intelligence I was able to steal or intercept.
X: What ultimately made you defect?
Rogue: My wife. She was able to show me what was really going on. I knew some things, but because of her position and clearance she was able to show me the whole unfiltered truth. She's my moral compass. Without her to temper me, I can, have, and will do unspeakable things.
Y: So you've got this very special skill-set that not many beings in the universe can claim to have. Have you continued to sharpen them, or have they languished as you've focused on your piloting?
Rogue: It's something that I maintain. Something like this *looks at his hands* you don't just switch it off.
Y: Would you say you could identify a double agent if you encountered one?
Rogue: I would hope so, and have done so previously.
X: What can you tell us about the departure of Lieutenant KalDan?
Rogue: Talon ultimately left weeks before the battle to stay near his wounded best friend Flight Officer Tlatren Pristolaque.
Y: Do you think it was strange how sudden his transfer request was?
Rogue: No, this is still an active war. Things like this happen all the time during conflicts.
Y: How about the timing? A few weeks before the best coordinated attack we've ever experienced in this sector.
Rogue: If you look for patterns and anomalies I'm sure you'll find them in everything. I try not to speculate about things I do not know.
Y: Do you think he was a double agent, and this was his escape to provide key details for our defense to his Imperial handlers?
Rogue: I don't know, and as I said I try not to speculate on matters I don't have information on.
Y: Sounds to me that despite you stating that you maintain your former skill set that you are no longer as good as you think you are.
Rogue: I don't think I'm as good as I used to be, Captain. I know I am. Take you for example. You're one of the easiest people I've ever had the displeasure of assessing.
Y: Me? You're assessing me? *Laughs* I doubt that very much Lieutenant.
Rogue: Your accent places you from Naboo, the city of Ferentina to be more precise. Your parents had money and you were an only child—and spoiled—and they let you get away with most things which gave you an overinflated sense of entitlement. When you were old enough, you probably wanted to join the Empire. But when the first Death Star was destroyed, you saw that the Empire wasn't all powerful. So you waited—hedged your bets and joined the Alliance instead.
Y: I—
Rogue: Your parents bought your commission for you and you opted for Intelligence because you're a coward at heart, and the thought of actual combat scares the drukk out of you. So here you can abuse your position, bullying and intimidating others thinking that they can't do anything to you as you're protected
X: Let's calm—
Rogue: You have no romantic relationships, as most women find you repulsive and manipulative when they get to know you. So you seek the comfort of slab walkers and pay them to tell you how much of a man you are, but the truth is, you're just a pathetic individual that hides behind their rank markings thinking that those precious two dots will deflect blaster bolts, knives, and fists. But guess what—they don't! Want me to show you?
Y: I will have you court-martialed and thrown into the brig. How dare you speak to a superior officer like that!
Rogue: For what, telling the truth? You've not denied a single thing I've said. I doubt your own people like you enough to take this further anyway, but if they do and I do get a court-martial and busted, I'll just make you my personal project with all the new free time I've suddenly got.
Y: *Looks uneasily around the room* You're threatening me? You all heard him threaten me.
Rogue: No, if I was threatening you, I would have said 'I'm going to take my knife and carve your face off. Then I'm going to gouge out your eyes and cut out your tongue.' The other thing I said was just a statement—see the difference between the two?
Y: Guards! Come sei—
*door opens*
X: *Waves off the guard* That is enough. Thank you for your time, Lieutenant.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-33
Subject: Captain Roy Callahan
Callsign: Lock
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Lock: *Long sigh* Roy Callahan, Captain, Rogue Squadron.
X: What were your previous duty postings? Alliance records are a little spotty.
Lock: Red Squadron.
Y: You used to be a squadron leader yourself. How does it feel to be taking orders again?
Lock: Beats giving orders.
X: To your recollection, what is the current strength of Rogue Squadron?
Lock: Does the word 'elite' ring a bell?
Y: Still short-staffed despite the need more evident than ever?
Lock: We'll manage.
Y: If Renegade Wing were up to full strength, do you think they'd be able to retake Toseng?
Lock: A bit above my paygrade, don't you think?
X: There was an order put in recently by General Firth that Renegade Wing would be given replacements before any other task force. Do you think any of them will make the cut for Rogue Squadron? Here is a roster of replacement pilots near graduation from flight school.
*datapad slides across the table*
Lock: Sure, why not. I'm sure one or two have the talent.
X: There is also a rumbling we're hearing about a tactical strike and recon Y-wing group that is looking for a new home. Do you think they'd be welcome here?
Lock: *Impatience clearly evident* Sure. Why not.
Y: You seemed to be very close to Captain Clark. Would you say you two were friends?
Lock: Yes.
Y: He was missing for the battle, and hasn't reported in since. Where is he?
Lock: How am I supposed to know?
Y: Do you think it's suspicious that he was gone and hasn't reported back?
Lock: Do I think it's suspicious that someone who was locked up when we abandoned them on-planet wouldn't report back? No.
X: You were close to Captain Gemilan as well, yes? What are your thoughts on her continued absence?
Lock: May the Force be with her.
Y: Do you think either her or Captain Clark could have been involved in a plot to betray our forces at Toseng?
Lock: Go blast yours —
*door opens*
X: *holds out a hand toward the new arrivals* We're done with that line of questioning.
Stryker: Better be.
Jalb: Roy, if you're finished with the questions, you can leave now.
X: *stern glare* Wait one minute longer, please. Captain Callahan may have important insight into the next subject we'd like to discuss. You two may wait inside or step back outside. We will be finished with Captain Callahan shortly either way.
Jalb: *icily* We'll wait right here.
Y: Let's talk about Major Shen'ryu. He also hasn't been seen anywhere since the battle. He's been demoted twice since you first met him, yes?
Lock: *Heavy sigh* Yes.
X: Our records indicate he pulled you and Captain Clark into a scouting mission that was rough. Care to elaborate?
Lock: Everything I have to say is in my after action report of the incident.
X: Would you say your relationship with the Major is ... strained?
Lock: I would say my relationship with the major is ... *mimes an 'X' with both arms* Nonexistent.
Y: Do you think he was incompetent enough to have allowed something like what happened at Toseng to occur?
Lock: *Voice takes on a dry edge* Whomever decided that Major Shen'ryu should have so much power when a higher ranking individual like General Rambo was in the system was incompetent.
Y: Could he have been a double agent?
Lock: You're the one being paid to find that out, not me. Are we done here?
X: Thank you for your time, Captain.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-34
Subject: Captain Rosk Vikeron
Callsign: Silence
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Silence: Fir—Um, Captain Rosk Vikeron.
X: You've been recently promoted to Captain, and had been promoted a month prior to First Lieutenant. Two promotions in such a short time ... How did that happen?
Silence: I just do my job to the best of my abilities. Sometimes that earns me a promotion. Sometimes it earns me a demotion. You want to know the logic behind it, you'll have to ask brass.
X: Another promotion and you'll end up leading a squadron probably.
Silence: Not likely.
Y: You think you're fit to lead again, given your ... history?
Silence: Probably not. But that didn't stop them last time.
X: Let's get down to business. How well did you know Captain Clark?
Silence: He's not part of my squadron, but I guess I know him well enough.
X: The two of you had run-in on the planet, landing him in the brig and you with a nasty bruise.
Silence: It wasn't a run-in. He was throwing down with someone else. I just got in the way.
Y: What was he like? Was he a good officer? Did he have a ... temper?
Silence: Some people might call him disagreeable. He never tried to make friends, which in my opinion usually shows honesty.
Y: Did he ever do anything that made you ... question his morality or allegiance?
Silence: I question everyone's morality and allegiance. Call it a holdover from my NRI days. You'd be surprised who turns out to be a spy. But that's the thing, isn't it. It's always a surprise. Because spies ingratiate themselves. Question Captain Clark's morality all you want, but I don't think his allegiance is in doubt.
X: Was there anything that made you think he may have been working against the best interests of the New Republic? You were one of the pilots that had to retrieve him from that... questionable situation on Kijimi a ways back.
Silence: I think anyone around can tell you Captain Clark is often working against the best interests of himself. But against the New Republic? Look, there's no spy in the world bold enough to get half as inebriated as Bulldog gets. They'd be too afraid of letting something slip in a drunken stupor.
X: There's no secret that he and Major Shen'ryu had a ... troubled working relationship. Do you think the recent lengthy brig stays may have caused something to break within him to cause him to betray the New Republic?
Silence: Everybody and Major Shen'ryu had a troubled working relationship. There's no one who has ever worked with that Bothan who actually likes him. And you can put me on the record as having said that. Maybe I'll get another demotion. Lieutenant suits me just fine. As for his time in the brig ... he deserved the time and I'm sure he knew it. It'll take more than free rack time to break a man like him. I mean, after the workloads some of us have been through, some people would kill for a few weeks in the slammer just to catch a break. Figuratively speaking, of course.
Y: Given your history with New Republic Intelligence, did you ever try to dig deeper on Captain Clark, or any other member of Renegade Wing for that matter?
Silence: Sure. I like knowing who I'm dealing with.
X: Was there anything that gave you any inkling that there might be any sort of conspiracy to give away the planet?
Silence: *laughs* Well, you clearly didn't do your research on me, did you now? If you had, you'd know that if anything seemed suspect to me, I'd already have submitted a report on it. Security's nothing to mess about with.
X: Captain Gemilan was conspicuously missing during the battle and hasn't reported in, along with Captains Davis and Clark, Lieutenant Zynnadi, and Flight Officers Shuun and Reynolds. Is there anything about any of those members that may have indicated they weren't on the up-and-up?
Silence: No.
Y: It's kind of convenient that Captain Clark is out of the picture, isn't it?
Silence: Excuse me? When is it ever convenient for good pilots to go missing?
Y: There has been word, and it has been all-but confirmed by another interviewee, that a new squadron is going to be stood up within Renegade Wing. A U-wing only squadron that focuses on a three-pronged mission profile consisting of SAR, combat support, and combat troop insertion.
Silence: I'll believe it when I see it.
Y: While it may have been a long shot, there's a greater than zero percent chance that General Rambo and Colonel Reynolds would have spit in the eye of military discipline to put Captain Clark in charge of it. Given the rocky relationship between Renegade Wing and Major Shen'ryu, the probability of that coming to pass increased, if only to stick it to the Major.
Silence: Your words, not mine, but I can't say I disagree.
Y: What I'm getting at, Captain, is that with Captain Clark out of the picture, you stand a much better chance to be the one in charge of the new squadron, given your recent sim practice and live-fire experience in the cockpit of a UT-60D U-wing starfighter. And your otherwise exemplary performance in your duties, that is.
Silence: *laughs again* Yeah right. 'Exemplary'.
Y: Did you have a hand in Captain Clark's ... disappearance ... to bring this to pass?
Silence: I have exactly negative interest in assuming a command position again. And if you or anyone else insinuates his disappearance will put me in charge of anything, I'll go hunt him down myself. Just give me a ship and I'll comb every inch of this galaxy.
X: I see you had quite an injury scare very recently. Spent about 2 weeks in Bacta.
Silence: Yes. And I was just informed they wanted me to go back for more medical care regarding that injury. It seems I may have ... pushed myself too hard too quickly.
Y: Why didn't he return to the base with you and the others when the general recall message went out?
Silence: We don't leave people behind. He and Lieutenant Zynnadi went to rescue Flight Officer Shuun.
*door opens*
Master-At-Arms: I've just received an urgent communique from General Cracken ordering you to cease questioning Captain Vikeron, as well as end the inquiry after all previously scheduled interviews are concluded. No new interviews may be conducted.
*flimsiplast rustling*
X: *examines the order and sighs* Very well. We've learned all we can.
Y: Are you serious? I'm not finished with the Captain, and there are many personnel I'd like to call back for secondary questioning!
X: *looks at the communique* The wording is quite clear. We can only finish the previously scheduled interviews, and not make any more.
Y: *sighs angrily* Fine. You are dismissed, Captain Vikeron.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-35
Subject: Flight Officer Queequeg Black Cloud
Callsign: Savage
X: *sighs* State your name, rank, and assignment.
Savage: Queequeg Black Cloud. I'm a Flight Officer. I just sort of ferry around the ground pounders.
Y: Ah, I see why you are here. You must be assigned to that new unit.
X: *admonishing glance* The Flight Officer probably has no idea what his next orders are, correct?
Savage: No one's told me anything.
Y: It says here that your callsign is ... The ... Savage?
X: Your callsign is ... interesting. Care to explain it?
Savage: I come from a primitive planet. The last crew I was on started calling me that and it stuck.
X: Interesting. Where were you during the battle? Our records indicate that you weren't there. Can you explain that absence?
Savage: I'm sure you can view my records and see I wasn't officially a part of this unit until very recently. So I have no idea what battle you're referring to. Chances are I was out flying some of the boys on an insertion. All flights like that have a bit of a sensitive mission profile. If you don't have them on your records there, then I doubt I'm supposed to talk about it.
Y: Convenient absence during a suspect battle, wouldn't you say?
Savage: Tell that to the dispatch team. I wasn't the one who decided when to go out.
Y: Dispatch orders can be finagled or delayed until the last minute.
X: *Admonishing glance* There is a recommendation for commendation from a previous mission from one of the Commando squad leaders. Something about avoiding a ... Summa-Verminoth?
Y: That can't be right. *Rifles through a datapad*
Savage: *Shrugs*
X: Do you plan to stick with the New Republic long-term, or were these past few missions a short-term deal?
Savage: I think I'll stick around. Hard to pass on that healthcare plan.
X: *Snorts* Thank you, Flight Officer. That'll be all.
Debrief: NR-01255TOS-36
Subject: Flight Officer Wen Mirthstone
Callsign: Professor
Y: We're done, right? That ... creepy guy was the last, yeah?
*datapad chirps*
X: It would seem we are not finished yet.
Y: There's one more? *Furiously typing* Who is this Mirthstone guy? Where did he come from?!
X: Perhaps we should invite him in and ask him.
*Door opens*
X: State your name, rank, and assignment for the record please.
Professor: Wen Mirthstone, Flight Officer, Corsair 5.
X: Well, Flight Officer, I have to admit your arrival caught us off guard. We thought we had interviewed everybody in Renegade Wing.
Y: Where were you during this debacle?
Professor: I was on a sanctioned leave of absence to investigate some records I have been tracking down for some time now. I was not present at this encounter, only having just returned from my search.
X: What sort of ... records ... were you searching for?
Professor: I have been working to recover and recreate the mission logs and intelligence reports of a member of a Rebel squadron that began operations after the Battle of Yavin: Nomad Squadron. Perhaps you are familiar with them?
X: Did you find anything?
Professor: In fact, I did. I was able to recover a few after-action reports from a pilot named Gussky Trubold. I'm told the AARs are somewhat detailed for having been written by a civilian turned starfighter pilot, but these records have—until now—been absent from the Rebel chronological records. I have the most recent AAR here, though I will forewarn you the data has been corrupted a bit here and there. I think you will get the general picture of the related mission though.
*datapad slides across the table*
X: Did any of this information provide any sort of intelligence that would have helped avoid the outcome of this battle?
Professor: This particular battle? No, I do not think so. This is more a matter of working to recover a complete history of the Rebellion, which I am sure—
Y: —Awfully convenient you were off the planet for the battle, don't you think?
Professor: No, unfortunate. I would have greatly preferred to have been here and provided what assistance I could. Sadly, when my leave was approved there was no way to predict how events would play out. To be honest, having only recently returned, I am not entirely clear exactly what happened...
X: What my partner means is, why did you decide to go at this time to search for those records?
Professor: Before the Rebellion, I was a linguist and a historian. This is my passion. I believe that future generations will be guided and educated by the recording of history. My goal was to find information I feel will be valuable to the full history of the Rebellion—a record of valor and sacrifices to show the worth of the work we've done and do.
Y: I will want to see the order of leave and who signed off on it.
Professor: Respectfully, the approval came from Command, Sir. I am certain they would be happy to provide the orders and an explanation of why my leave was approved for this timeframe. I cannot presume to speak for their intentions.
*datapad chirps*
Y: *Scoffs* Your approved leave couldn't have been longer than two weeks. It shows you've been gone for over three.
X: *admonishing glance* We will surely follow up with Renegade Wing Command to confirm those orders. What took you so long to return?
Professor: Unfortunately, the Wing was forced to retreat to another location and this disrupted the rendezvous point I had been provided to return. I had to spend some time making connections to be redirected so that I could return.
Y: Do you make it a habit to shirk your duty to play archaeologist?
Professor: *Raises an eyebrow* You've confirmed the liberty order, I was tending to a personal matter. I take exception to your implication that I was shirking my duties when I was specifically at liberty. If you have a problem with the order, I suggest you take it up with command.
X: Who all did you contact or interact with during or before this leave?
Professor: Just Command, other members of the squad, deck crew beforehand, and a few civilians on Refnar while I was there.
Y: Do you have chat logs to back that up?
Professor: You're welcome to examine my datapad and ship logs. I have nothing to hide.
X: Thank you for your time, Flight Officer.
** End Transcript **
Investigator's Conclusions: The whereabouts of Captains Clark and Davis, Lieutenant Zynnadi, and Flight Officers Reynolds and Shuun are still unknown. The highest likelihood is that they are still on the surface of Toseng, either as prisoners or killed in action. I suggest moving intelligence assets into the region to confirm, as well as paint a clearer picture for our forces should either a rescue mission be mounted or a mission enacted to retake the planet.
Despite the use of sound interrogation strategies by myself and Captain Odai, with keen insights from Agent Orvan from her time onboard the CRS Vigilant, there were no new bytes of information that were not already in our dossiers. Motives for betrayal are tenuous, and the evidence circumstantial. When pressed on the locations and possible reasons for malfeasance, the members of Renegade Wing circled the hovertucks so to speak. Nothing from any of the testimony leads me to believe that any of the members of Renegade Wing are hiding anything from us with that regard, though a few were quite evasive and hostile at times. Outside interference from General Rambo and Colonel Reynolds interrupted a few interview sessions, but the timing of their disruptions did not change the fact that we were likely not going to glean any helpful information from those subjects at that point in the process.
Despite Lieutenant MacCurrich's thoughts that this might have been planned from the inside, no other evidence or testimony leads us to believe this was an inside job. Perhaps his proximity to the opening ion blast and the fact that he was included in the heaviest of fighting for the longest period of time has colored his recollections.
Contact with the agent Lieutenant Desrosiers mentioned has proven difficult, but inquiries have indeed mentioned that such an individual exists under an assumed alias, still in a deep cover position. While it would be nice to track down the agent to confirm testimony, it most likely would not be prudent due to the agent's current assignment.
If Captain Vikeron is an embedded asset of General Cracken's, please send her my regrets for her interview. As a courtesy in the future, it would be helpful if any agents are included in an operational debriefing that we are made aware ahead of time. If she isn't an asset, then my apologies for assuming as such. The General's message ending the inquiry led me to believe this was the case.
Aside from a slightly questionable decision to allow the ion-bomb laden freighters to close into effective range by the officers of the Vigilant Task Force, there is no evidence of incompetence, and it is the investigator's recommendation that they not be held accountable. The decision not to fire upon what appeared to be civilian freighters is well within the protocols of the fleet, and Captain Quelle along with the other Captains of the fleet felt that not destroying the freighters would avoid a public relations disaster. Hindsight is 20/20, but I cannot fault them for erring on the side of caution and compassion.
In the future, I would prefer not to work with Captain Odai again, as they were overzealous on multiple occasions that may have borne some fruit with a softer touch. It is my recommendation that they be reassigned to another duty posting that doesn't require interrogation or interviewing of subjects in the future.
Signed,
Colonel Bic Fal'cona
P.S.
One of the attached vid files were recently pulled by our slicers from the Imperials on Toseng, and it might be of great interest regarding Renegade Wing and a confirmed sighting of Flight Officer Reynolds on the planet. However, we did not share it with Renegade Wing leadership without you vetting things first. The second is an Intelligence briefing that one of the analysts tagged as of interest to Renegade Wing personnel, but we cannot confirm their suspicions. I thought it best that you and your team get a look and view it with regard to this situation to see if we can confirm or debunk that analyst's suspicions.
Both files will appear in your inbox after the end of this transmission.
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*End Transmission*
The lights of the briefing room were low, the better to show the grainy holo-images which had emerged from Toseng. The head Intelligence officer leaned forwards in his chair, frowning. "Explain the circumstances again?"
A young Twi'lek intelligence analyst, still new enough that her uniform showed knife-sharp creases, cleared her throat. "Sir, we've been monitoring the holonet bulletins on Toseng. Any time something mentions Rebel keywords or refers to anti-Imperial—uh, Imperial remnant activity, I mean," a green flush mounted her cheekbones at the error, "it's flagged to our database so we can review it."
"And why was this clip flagged?"
The officer stretched one hand towards the controls. On the screen, the images whizzed backwards as the device re-set. "Two reasons, we believe, sir. One is that the holo looks like it's coming from body armour worn by Imp—I mean, former Imperial stormtroopers. There's a patrol, three to four strong, and as you can see," she let the holo play from the beginning, "it's clear they are being attacked by someone who knows the weak points of their armour and how best to capitalise on that. Some of Toseng's inhabitants are fighting back against the re-occupation."
The image was hazy with smoke or mist drifting across the camera's field of vision. It juddered as the wearer moved, the point of view swinging wildly from side to side as if the stormtrooper was trying to look for a potential attacker. From out of the haze to one side, a blaster flashed and a stormtrooper crumpled to the ground, smoke curling from an exit wound at his neck. Arterial blood spattered, reddish-black in the low light, and the cross-chatter on the comm channel notched upwards, panic clear in their tones.
"When we cleaned up the comms, we could hear the troopers shouting something like "It's a red ghost" but others said "spectre", which is probably the second reason why this was flagged—the algorithm would consider it referred to Spectre Squadron, sir, even though it's clear that no X-wings were involved. This happened yesterday, long after Renegade Wing had abandoned Toseng."
On the grainy screen a biker scout who had been looking around, blaster drawn, slumped forwards over his speeder bike. The left eye of his helmet had been blown out. His collapsing body pushed the throttles forward; the bike screamed offscreen and, almost immediately, a bloom of orange flame was swiftly followed by the boom of an explosion. The body-worn camera started to bounce around as its wearer began to run before the screen went temporarily dark—the stormtrooper had tripped and fallen, the holo showing another body stretched on the ground as the hapless combatant turned over, clearly trying to push themselves away from the corpse.
"This is where it gets interesting, sir—just before the camera is smashed, we think by a knife, we were able to pick up this image."
A blur of shapes, then the holo-picture froze. Reaching towards the camera—and the viewers—was the rough shape of a red fist, clenched, and faintly behind it a wide, staring eye, blurred and indistinct.
The Twi'lek's voice was regretful. "Our techs have slowed it down as much as possible, but I'm afraid we couldn't get a clear view of the assailant. But at least we can see why they've got the name of the 'red ghost'." She refined the image as much as possible. "Red skin—could be a Zabrak? One of the Toseng inhabitants fighting back?"
"The 'red' could also refer to the blood they're shedding." The head Intelligence officer gave a thin smile. "Better ex-Imperial blood than ours. File this, Lieutenant, and keep us informed if this 'red ghost' appears in the holo-bulletins again. If we're able to win the planet back, they may be in line for a New Republic commendation."
"If they're still alive," another intelligence officer interjected as the meeting broke up. "I can't imagine they'll survive long if they keep going up against stormtroopers."
As the senior officers left the briefing room, the intelligence analyst took one more look at the screen, then cleared it and saved the clip, tagging it with new keywords: Toseng. Vigilante. Red. Ghost. Zabrak? Just before she filed the holo, she added two more keywords, in the interests of providing a complete picture: Spectre of Toseng.
The Imperial crest gives way to a relatively disheveled, but otherwise healthy-looking New Republic Pilot on the screen. A Corsair Squadron patch, as well as a Renegade Wing patch, are visible on his shoulders.
"My name is Flight Officer Kyle Reynolds and I am giving this statement of my own volition and speaking with free will. Cough. The New Republic has been lying to us all, we are not the beacon of hope and freedom that we may have been told, it has taken me a long time to see the truth as it has been explained to me. Cough. The Empire was subverted through lies and sabotage, and I implore all of you to see through the veil of high promises and buzzwords. The New Republic is and always has been the aggressors in his conflict, and are tantamount to terrorists. Please, renounce the sham and fight for the continued reign of the true ruler of the galaxy. Cough Long live the Empire. Cough."
The camera fades back into the Imperial crest...
