Wraith Squadron

"Pretty. What do we blow up first?"

- Wraith Squadron motto, first coined by Myn Donos

Wraith Squadron was an elite X-wing starfighter/covert operations unit founded by Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson in 7.5 ABY.

History
Following Rogue Squadron's freelance insurrection of an Ysanne Isard-backed regime on Thyferra, Antilles recommended creating a commando-pilot unit capable of counter-intelligence and sabotage missions in addition to starfighter combat. With Admiral Ackbar's tentative approval, Antilles recruited pilots considered the dregs of starfighter squadrons across the New Republic, issuing an open call for washouts, discipline cases and, in some instances, petty criminals. Among the squadron's final provisional roster were demolitions expert Kell Tainer, who held Janson responsible for the murder of his father; Garik Loran, a one-time star of Imperial holodramas whose Alliance starfighter career was crippled by self-loathing and guilt; and Voort saBinring, a Gamorrean and former biomedical test subject who could speak Basic (with help from a translator inplanted in his throat) and posssessed a genius-level astromathematical problem solving acumen. The unit trained on the moon of Folor, under the skeptical eye of Alliance Intelligence supervisor Edor Crespin. They wore green flightsuits as opposed to the standard orange.

The squadron's name, following an intramural competition sponsored by Antilles, was suggested by insertion specialist Tyria Sarkin. "For the Empire, for the warlords, we're the phantoms under the bed, the monsters in the storage cubicles", she explained. The idea stuck, coinciding with Antilles' goal for the new squadron to be the New Republic's "back alley vibroblades", accomplishing the clandestine work that more high-profile outfits like Rogue Squadron could not.

During an assault on a Zsinj-affiliated pirate nest on the moon of M2398, the Wraiths were dealt their first casualty when communications officer Jesmin Ackbar—niece of the famous admiral—was hit by a groundside laser cannon. Her X-wing was damaged and, despite the best efforts of fellow pilot Tainer, crashed into the surface of the moon.

More deaths followed, as Zsinj-affiliated Imperial Admiral Apwar Trigit launched a vicious attack on the Folor moon. During a battle with Trigit's Imperial Star Destroyer, Implacable, Wraiths Falynn Sandskimmer and Eurrsk Thri'ag were killed as Sandskimmer attempted to destroy the ship by blasting its fuel reserves. The ship was eventually destroyed; Trigit was shot down by Myn Donos while fleeing in his personal TIE Interceptor.



Despite an attrition rate of twenty-five percent, the fledgling squadron was given provisional approval by Ackbar and Crespin. The Wraiths returned to Coruscant and regrouped, adding slicer Castin Donn, insertion specialist Shalla Nelprin, and vehicle expert Dia Passik to their ranks. Following their protocol, the group posed as a pirate band called The Hawk-Bats and began attacking Zsinj operations in an effort to build credibility and draw attention to themselves. While on a raid over Halmad, unit medic Ton Phanan was shot down. Despite a heroic rescue attempt by friend and squadmate Loran, he died of massive internal injuries on the planet's surface.

The Wraiths continued the Hawk-Bats charade, eventually earning a meeting with Zsinj aboard his personal flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist. During the meeting, Donn went against Antilles' direct orders and snuck aboard the ship, hoping to plant a tracking program into the Iron Fist's computers. He inadvertently stumbled onto a biomedical research project Zsinj's scientists were performing, and was fatally shot by stormtroopers while attempting to free the test subjects.

Payback of sorts came when the Hawk-bats participated in the destruction of the Super Star Destroyer Razor's Kiss after Zsinj liberated it from the Kuat Drive Yards. Shortly thereafter, Antilles returned to Rogue Squadron but continued to command both units as part of Han Solo's anti-Zsinj task force. After Zsinj was defeated at Selaggis Six, Wraith Squadron was decomissioned as a starfighter squadron and turned into a clandestine intelligence cell under New Republic Intelligence chief Airen Cracken.

The Wraiths would continue to serve into the Yuuzhan Vong war, acting as scouts, pilots, and counter-intelligence agents for the Republic. They would be instrumental in the retaking of Coruscant at the end of the war.

Original Members

 * Commander Wedge Antilles: Wraith Leader (returned to Rogue Squadron)
 * Flight Officer Jesmin Ackbar: Wraith Two (KIA)
 * Flight Officer Falynn Sandskimmer: Wraith Three (KIA)
 * Flight Officer Eurrsk Thri'ag: Wraith Four (KIA)
 * Flight Officer Kell Tainer: Wraith Five
 * Flight Officer Hohass Ekwesh: Wraith Six
 * Flight Officer Ton Phanan: Wraith Seven (KIA)
 * Flight Officer Garik Loran: Wraith Eight
 * Lieutenant Myn Donos: Wraith Nine (transferred to Rogue Squadron)
 * Flight Officer Tyria Sarkin: Wraith Ten (trained as a Jedi Knight)
 * Lieutenant Wes Janson: Wraith Eleven (returned to Rogue Squadron)
 * Flight Officer Voort saBinring: Wraith Twelve

During the Assault on Razor's Kiss

 * Commander Wedge Antilles: Wraith Leader
 * Flight Officer Castin Donn: Wraith Two (KIA)
 * Lieutenant Wes Janson: Wraith Three
 * Flight Officer Dia Passik: Wraith Four
 * Lieutenant Kell Tainer: Wraith Five
 * Flight Officer Hohass Ekwesh: Wraith Six
 * Lieutenant Garik Loran: Wraith Eight
 * Lieutenant Myn Donos: Wraith Nine
 * Flight Officer Shalla Nelprin: Wraith Ten
 * Flight Officer Tyria Sarkin: Wraith Eleven
 * Flight Officer Voort saBinring: Wraith Twelve
 * Flight Officer Lara Notsil: Wraith Thirteen

During Hunt for the Iron Fist

 * Commander Wedge Antilles: Wraith Leader
 * Lieutenant Garik Loran: Wraith One
 * Flight Officer Lara Notsil: Wraith Two (returned to Zsinj's forces)
 * Lieutenant Myn Donos: Wraith Three
 * Flight Officer Tyria Sarkin: Wraith Four
 * Lieutenant Kell Tainer: Wraith Five
 * Flight Officer Hohass Ekwesh: Wraith Six
 * Flight Officer Dia Passik: Wraith Seven
 * Flight Officer Voort saBinring: Wraith Eight
 * Lieutenant Shalla Nelprin: Wraith Nine
 * Lieutenant Wes Janson: Wraith Ten
 * Flight Officer Elassar Targon: Wraith Eleven

During the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion

 * Captain Garik Loran: Wraith Leader
 * Kell Tainer
 * Voort saBinring
 * Elassar Targon
 * Sharr Latt
 * Baljos Arnjak
 * Bhindi Drayson

Appearances

 * X-wing: Wraith Squadron
 * X-wing: Iron Fist
 * X-wing: Solo Command
 * Star by Star
 * Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream
 * Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand
 * Destiny's Way
 * The Final Prophecy
 * The Unifying Force