Airen Cracken/Legends

General Airen Cracken was a resistance fighter and military officer in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and New Republic.

Contruum's hero
Born and raised on his parents' farm on Contruum, Cracken developed an early proficiency with machinery and modifications. He put these skills to use performing repairs on nearby farmers' equipment and eventually Cracken opened a mechanic's shop. He married his Corellian love Josta and had two children: Pash and Dena. Airen Cracken may also be related to Colonel Cracken.

When the Galactic Empire arrived to lay claim to Contruum, Cracken organized his mechanically talented employees into a group of guerrilla resistance fighters specializing in mechanical sabotage. Supply depots, mining operations, star docks and landing bays were all primary targets of Cracken's Crew, and their sabotage provided enough distraction to the Imperial commander to allow for the establishment of a Contruum militia. With Cracken's aid, the saboteurs and militia forces created a strong enough resistance to force the Imperial Moff into retreat rather than risk further loses in subjugating Contruum.

Alliance Intelligence
With success on Contruum, Cracken and his Crew left their families behind to offer their skills and knowledge to the Rebel Alliance in the hope that he could help liberate yet more worlds. Cracken's reputation from his battles on Contruum preceded him, and his skills were quickly put to use. His knowledge of useful field modifications and equipment were codified in Cracken's Rebel Field Guide and his writings proved essential in the training of the Alliance Special Forces. Cracken continued to operate in the field, twice earning the Nebula Award, one of which was awarded for bravely surviving capture and Bavo Six-aided interrogation at the hands of the Imperial Security Bureau on Quanton.

Mon Mothma, impressed with Cracken's knowledge and record, appointed him Chief of Alliance Intelligence with the rank of General, replacing General Vernan, who had been killed shortly before the Battle of Hoth.

Shortly thereafter, Cracken used his new office to create a false identity for his son to infiltrate an Imperial Academy and eventually lead his starfighter wing to mutiny. He also personally tracked and recruited potential agents, including Imperial turncoats, to aid the growing organization&mdash;a number of his most valuable assets were documents in Cracken's Rebel Operatives. His imagination also spawned several innovative operations, such as the theft of the Super Star Destroyer Guardian and the infiltration of BlasTech's weapons research department by Inat Rangoon.

New Republic
Following the establishment of the New Republic, Cracken transitioned as the first Director of New Republic Intelligence. As NRI relocated to Coruscant alongside the Provisional Council, Cracken oversaw the investigation and prosecution of Tycho Celchu for the murder of Corran Horn and acts of high treason and took up the challenge of forming the New Republic Security Force on top of maintaining a watchful eye on Zsinj and Ysanne Isard. In this post, Cracken tracked and reported on a variety of threats to the Republic that were compiled into Cracken's Threat Dossier.

Cracken quickly earned a reputation amongst the elite operatives and officers of the New Republic as the source for quiet favors. Like his clandestine counterpart Hiram Drayson, Cracken secretly took part in efforts to do what was best for the New Republic, even if it meant bending the rules, like arranging for Rogue Squadron's resignations to mysteriously go unprocessed or for the transfer of Wraith Squadron to his direct command. General Cracken was instrumental in stopping a Zsinj-led program to isolate nonhumans from the New Republic, including Sullustan Rostat Manr's attempt to crash a starliner into the atmosphere of Coruscant. Additionally, Cracken played a large part in the operation that sent General Wedge Antilles, Colonel Tycho Celchu, Major Derek Klivian, and Major Wes Janson to Adumar and the subsuquent admission of that planet into the New Republic.

The red-haired General continued to serve well unto his late seventies and lent his aid to the Republic during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

Appearances

 * Small Favors
 * X-wing: Wedge's Gamble
 * X-wing: The Krytos Trap
 * X-wing: The Bacta War
 * X-wing: Solo Command
 * Heir to the Empire
 * The Last Command
 * X-wing: Isard's Revenge
 * I, Jedi
 * X-wing: Starfighters of Adumar
 * The Unifying Force