X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar

Starfighters of Adumar is the ninth installment in the X-wing series of novels, written in 1999. It is a science fiction novel written by Aaron Allston.

Editions

 * ISBN 0-553-57418-3, Bantam Spectra, 1999, 1st paperback printing

Plot
The planet of Adumar is an anomaly, settled by anonymous colonists during the early years of the Old Republic and isolated ever since. But now it has been discovered. The Adumari love pilots, so the New Republic's best snubfighter jock, General Wedge Antilles, is dispatched as a diplomat, along with three of Rogue Squadron's finest: taciturn Colonel Tycho Celchu, pessimist Major Derek "Hobbie" Klivian and child-at-heart extraordinaire Major Wes Janson. They are also aided by native guide and blastsword fighting champion Cheriss ke Hanadi, New Republic diplomat and former Y-wing pilot Tomer Darpen, and New Republic Documentarian Hallis Saper, who wears the head of a 3PO as a camera.

Wedge assumes that he will somehow hammer out a treaty and bring the planet of Adumar into the New Republic, but it becomes quickly apparent that all is not as it seems. Firstly, the Empire's best pilot, General Turr Phennir, and three of his best are here too. Secondly, Adumar is not a united planet, and right now Wedge is only talking to its largest nation, Cartann. Thirdly, the Cartannese seem to like nothing better than killing each other for bragging rights, and Wedge is expected to join in&mdash;especially since they try to kill him for bragging rights too. (Phennir seems to have no problem with it.) Fourthly, a certain woman whom Wedge is acquainted with, Iella Wessiri, is on-planet as a New Republic Intelligence operative and has been so for the past six months&mdash;despite the fact that, supposedly, Adumar was only discovered a few weeks before. (It also doesn't help that Wedge would like to be a little more than friends with her.) Wedge must somehow make his way through Adumar's bizarre culture while not offending his or their sensibilities, bring Adumar into the New Republic, and maybe try to get the girl as well.

Red Flight

 * General Wedge Antilles (Red One) (human male from Corellia)
 * Colonel Tycho Celchu (Red Two) (human male from Alderaan)
 * Major Wes Janson (Red Three) (human male from Taanab)
 * Major Derek "Hobbie" Klivian (Red Four) (human male from Ralltiir)

New Republic Armed Forces, Intelligence, and Diplomatic Corps

 * Iella Wessiri (human female from Corellia)
 * Tomer Darpen (human male from Commenor)
 * General Airen Cracken (human male from Contruum)
 * Captain Geng Salaban (human male from Bestine)

New Republic civilians

 * Hallis Saper (human female from Bonadan)

Imperial Pilots

 * Turr Phennir (human male)

Other Characters

 * R5-G8
 * Buan ke Shia
 * Pekaelic ke Teldan
 * Dyans ke Vasan
 * Whitecap
 * Qwi Xux

Locations

 * Adumar
 * Coruscant

Trivia
The novel is celebrated in the Star Wars fandom for author Aaron Allston's use of humor, which is frequent and often genuinely funny. Allston often characterizes the four pilots through their joking styles: Tycho with occasional and devastating one-liners, Hobbie with pessimistic backtalk, Janson with constant irreverencies, and Wedge as the smirking straight man.

The book is also noteworthy for being the final Star Wars book released under the Bantam label, the license to publish Star Wars fiction being transferred to Del Rey shortly following its release.