Story:Saints Reborn
From New Republic Navy Wiki
Star Wars
Saints Reborn
By LongShot
The Mon Calamari cruiser Excalibur floated in the space over Coruscant, its fluid lines highlighted by twinkling lights and sloping curves. Within its cavernous hull, in the offices of NRN high command, Admiral Das scanned the datapad he was holding. During the campaign of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Silver Saints squadron was virtually destroyed at the Battle of Bilbringi. Only the CO and XO survived. Sniper retired after recovering from his wounds and Gecko resigned his commission. Das sighed, even the Saints command vessel had been destroyed, and all that he had available was an Assault Frigate that didn’t even have fighter bays.
A yeoman poked his head into the office, “Admiral? Lt. Commander LongShot is here as you requested.”
Das nodded, “Thank you, Lieutenant, please show him in.”
A moment later the door hissed open and the rugged Alderaanian stepped through, dressed in his tan uniform.
“Welcome aboard the Excalibur, Commander.” Das smiled, “how was the flight from the Destiny?”
LongShot’s lip curled in a smirk. “You’ve been in the cockpit, Admiral, ten hours in hyperspace in any snub fighter isn’t what I would call travel for pleasure.”
Das grinned, “True enough.”
“You didn’t call me here to shoot the bull, Admiral, what’s on your mind?” LongShot sat down in one of the chairs opposite Das.
Das’ grin stayed in place, “Never one to beat around the bush, are you?”
LongShot shook his head, “Nope. You got better things to do until you go to the officer’s club tonight, and I need to get some sleep before than.”
Das nodded, then the grin faded, “You know what happened to the Silver Saints at Bilbringi?”
LongShot nodded, “Yeah, I remember. I was on the outside of that fight when their cruiser went up. Sniper and Gecko got out, but the rest of em were basically wiped out.”
“That’s the long and short of it, yes.” Das leaned forward, handing LongShot a datacard, “I want you to rebuild them, LongShot.”
LongShot looked at the card, looking at the fighters and the available vessel. He sighed, wondering how he was supposed to organize a squadron if they didn’t even have a base to carry them.
“We don’t have anything that can carry fighters?” LongShot asked.
Das shook his head, “But I have worked something out with High Command to get you a stationary command center.”
LongShot leaned back, “I’m listening.”
“We have a flight platform lined up for you and the Saints right now. We can have it in orbit in a matter of days.”
The Alderaanian scanned the datacard, “We’re covering the Athega sector, right?”
Das nodded and LongShot thought for a moment, “Golan Two, no less, to defend that area. Even then, if the Imps hit us with more than a single ISD we won’t stand a chance.”
Das slumped, “I know, but the only Golan we have is a Golan Three, and that is brand new.”
LongShot snorted, “Are they making a museum? It would do us a lot more good than it will in orbit around Coruscant.”
Das groaned, knowing that this would be a long argument.
He was right.
LongShot won.
A week later, the Golan was being moved to its position near Nkhlon. The three assault frigates that were escorting the bulk freighters remained vigilant. Two of them carried fighters on docking couplers, those belonging to Wraith Squadron under General Sespetox and the fighters of the Silver Saints. The Saints only had six fighters, the rest of their pilots due to arrive within the week. It was a nerve-wracking thought to have the freighters and frigates vulnerable and have only nineteen fighters to protect them. Two flights of two fighters each were constantly on patrol, and at this hour it was LongShot and Mother for the Saints and Sespetox and Ionforce for Wraith. Ionforce, LongShot’s cousin, was flying his last mission for Wraith before taking command of Aces High.
“You awake over there?” Mother called with a laugh in her voice. LongShot thanked his lucky stars that he had gotten her to be his XO. She was a sensible person, skilled in communication and had an incredible knack for information and intelligence.
“Much as it pains me.” LongShot replied grumpily.
Ion laughed, sounding tinny over the comlink, “Yeah, escort duty can really just be a pain, huh?”
A threat indicator warbled on the control board of the X-Wing, “INCOMING!” Ses shouted, “Dropping out of hyperspace five klicks out!”
LongShot pulled the lever to set his s-foils to attack position and keyed his microphone for the lead frigate.
“Moving to intercept! Send backup as soon as possible!”
In a flicker of pseudo-motion, an Imperial Star Destroyer and to Lancer class frigates flared into existence.
The ISD rotated to the side, providing cover for the TIE fighters as they were launching, as well as giving a broadside cannonade to the nearest Assault Frigate. The other two frigates moved into position, hammering on the Star Destroyer even as the Lancers got into position to provide a fighter screen for the larger ship.
“Fighters inbound!” cried Mother, setting her cannons to increased charge and dropping her shields into her engine for maximum maneuverability.
The TIE Interceptors screamed toward the four X-Wings, rapidly closing the distance between them. LongShot braced himself, counting at least a dozen of the Imperial fighters bearing down on them. Three to one odds, and the ISD carried five more waves where the first ones came from.
“Wraith Leader,” he called out, “take the far flight to the port and we’ll handle the flight to the starboard. If we can take them we can swing in together behind the other flights and have a chance.”
The two flights separated, moving toward their intended targets, “Copy, Silver Leader, we’ve got the port. Archangel! Are the others launching yet?”
“Affirmative, Wraith Leader, remaining fighters inbound to your position.” Came the flight controller’s calm voice, then in a softer voice, “be careful out there, Silver Leader.”
Even concentrating on the ever-nearer TIE Interceptors, LongShot permitted himself a slight smile.
“Don’t worry about me, Jessa, you just make sure the others know where to go.”
Mother’s cannons started winking first, the quad lasers eating up the distance as she anticipated the TIE’s arrival. The Imperial fighter pilot, not thinking he was in range, forgot his own forward motion, flying directly into the path of the oncoming shots. Two of the blasts found their targets, one smashing the cockpit, and the other ripping through one of the solar fin mountings before the fighter exploded into flaming debris. With a triumphant laugh, Mother drove her fighter toward her second target, weaving as she fired. The TIE responded in kind, the wingtips flashing with green fire. Mother’s X-Wing jolted from the impact, and her R2 unit squawked out a string of obscenities. Another flash of red fire from the Republic fighter slammed into the Imperial, sending the craft spinning crazily into space before it splattered across one of the assault frigates’ hulls.
“I am SO good!” Mother whooped, swinging her fighter around after the passing TIE’s.
In the meantime, LongShot pushed his fighter into a spiraling weave, cannons spitting laser-fire at the two approaching TIE Interceptors. The first one exploded violently, while the other one spun wildly out of control, careening into deep space. LongShot pulled into a punishing climb then rolled the fighter into a hard downward turn to drop in behind the next flight. Over his comlink, he heard Ses’ war whoop and saw the flash of another TIE as it was blasted into dust. Ionforce’s fighter flashed by just inside the field of vision, taking the last of his opponents down with a quick snap-shot.
“Silver Leader, this is Silver Three, where do you want us, Boss?” Durrron’s voice came sharply over the comlink.
The flash from the incoming X-Wings was unmistakable, and LongShot felt himself grin tightly.
“There’s more where these guys came from, Three, bottle em up as close to that ISD as you can, but keep your distance. Is the rest of Wraith with you?”
“Affirmative, Lead, Wraith Leader is keeping them close to the freighters to make sure the fighters don’t get through to them.” Durrron responded.
The remaining four fighters of Silver Saints streaked past, climbing to meet the launching TIEs; at the same time, Wraith squadron went after the two Lancers, trying to keep their fire away from the freighters and their cargo.
LongShot dispatched another Interceptor, then yelped as a flurry of laser bolts flashed around his canopy. Spiraling wildly, desperately trying to shake his pursuer, the Alderaanian fought to keep his ship under control.
“I got a tail here!” he cried, “I can’t get him off me!”
“I see you, Jayce!” Ion’s voice replied, “he’s tight on you, but I’m coming in!”
LongShot felt his fighter shudder as the laser bolts glanced off the hull, “Damn it! Shield systems offline, targeting system down! Where are you, Ion?”
In front of him, the rapidly growing image of an X-Wing approached apparently on a collision course. A second later a voce cried, “NOW!”
LongShot dropped throttle to one third and dropped the nose of his wounded craft, the other X-Wing opened fire, shattering the startled TIE before it’s pilot knew what hit him.
“Thanks, LockUp,” LongShot breathed, “I owe you one.”
“Good shooting, LockUp.” Lando added, sending another Imperial screaming into the void.
Mother’s voice came in over the comlink, “Silver Lead, we got trouble. Wraith can’t hold off those Lancers much longer, and there are more fighters coming out of the ISD.”
LongShot gritted his teeth, there was no way that they could fight their way out of this one, and they couldn’t save the freighters if they retreated. A nearby explosion caused him to wince; one of the Assault Frigates started to list to one side.
“Wraith Lead? We’re bugging out, there’s nothing more we can do here.”
Ses swore over the comm, “We have to keep up the pressure until the frigates can get away at least.”
Blast’s voice broke into the conversation, “ Another ship coming out of hyperspace, moving on an intercept vector! It’s a Nebulon B and they are launching fighters!”
LongShot felt his stomach tighten, they were trapped…wait, something was familiar about that ship. Then the sunlight flashed off the flaming claw on the side of the vessel.
“It’s the Far Orbit!” He cried. “All craft fall back to the Far Orbit as a rallying point!”
The massive bulk of the Archangel swung around to spray cover fire at the ISD as the other ships rallied around the newcomer. From out of the Far Orbit’s hanger bays came twelve A-Wing starfighters and another twelve X-Wings.
“Somebody order backup?” Came a gleeful voice that LongShot recognized as Razzberry, the wing commander for Raptor Wing.
The A-Wings shot past the X-Wings immediately scattering the TIEs with their cannons blazing.
“We got em disoriented, Boss,” Terkuss, the CO of Republic’s Raiders called out, “time for you boys to follow us up!”
The other X-Wings swung around and followed Nova Squadron into the fray, pressing the attack on the stunned ISD and the now fleeing Lancers. The fight against the TIEs turned into a barroom brawl, with fighters from all four squadrons mixing together like one well-oiled machine. Terkuss, Ionforce, Razzberry, and Durrron broke from the main force, streaking low over the looming superstructure of the Star Destroyer, dodging laser fire and protruding parts of the hull like Tatooine bush-pilots. At the last moment, the group split launching proton torpedoes into the bulbous shield generators on the bridge section of the massive ship. With a withering explosion, both generators vaporized and the ship began to desperately turn to flee. The assault frigates pounded at the now-vulnerable behemoth, tearing into it from behind as it accelerated toward hyperspace.
The TIE fighters lost all cohesion, now just fleeing to escape certain destruction. The New Republic fighters granted no quarter, cutting them off from escape and hunting them down one by one until ten decided to open transmissions and surrender rather than die uselessly.
“Archangel, this is Silver Leader, remaining Imps are bugging out and going home.” LongShot slumped slightly in his seat from exhaustion.
“Copy that, Silver Lead, Archangel sends you all our gratitude.” Jessa’s voice was warm and the cheering crew aboard the frigate in the background made it all worth it. The Silver Saints would survive to reach Nkhlon.
“Come on over to the Archangel, guys,” Ses beamed, “drinks are on LongShot!”
On board the ship, in the officer’s lounge, the pilot’s party was in full swing when LongShot finally walked in. There were cheers and lifted drinks and the Wookie AG roared out a greeting, grabbing him in a bear hug.
“Alright, alright! I’m glad to see you too! Can I have my ribs back now?” LongShot laughed.
LongShot looked around at the pilots, all whom he had served with at one time or another. He then looked at the pilots of the Silver Saints and smiled.
“I’d like to propose a toast,” Mother announced, lifting her glass, “to all the pilots of the Silver Saints who went before us and to those who have helped give it a rebirth.”
They all raised their glasses and drank together, each remembering pilots gone and lost forever from the Battle of Yavin to the Battle of Bilbringi.
Ionforce walked over to his cousin, “Have you thought of a name for your new station, Jayce?”
LongShot nodded, “Paradise Station.”
Ion nodded, smiling. “Appropriate.”
Terkuss stood in the corner where he was talking to Lando, LockUp, and Durrron. The group burst out in laughter as Terk described the unfortunate demise of a previous opponent. Durrron looked up at his CO and raised his glass in salute. LongShot smiled and returned the salute, moving over to where Mother and her son Carnage stood quietly talking. Carnage looked up with a grin then shook LongShot’s hand.
“Gonna stay with this one for awhile, LongShot?” he jabbed playfully.
LongShot grinned, knowing that Carnage was referring to how he had gone from the Raiders to Nova, and then to Gold Squadron in the span of a year.
“Yeah, Carn, I think I am here to stay.” He smiled over at Mother.
A young pilot that LongShot had only met briefly caught his eye. The hard look of an expert pilot unmistakable in his eyes.
“You did real good out there, Sion,“ LongShot told him, “are the Raiders taking good care of you?”
Sion smiled, “Yeah, they keep me busy.”
“Knowing Terkuss, I don’t doubt that at all.” LongShot grinned. “You know, there are still openings with the Saints, Sion.” He threw a sideways glance at Terkuss.
Terk shook his head, “Nothin’ doing, LongShot,” he growled with mock-annoyance, “you find your own pilots.”
The party started to wind down a few hours later, and LongShot stared out the window, watching the stars streak and become the mottled purple swirls of hyperspace as the flotilla made the final jump to their destination. From there, the job would be even harder; maintaining a sharp eye on the Empire, always waiting for an attack. Sometimes he wondered if would ever really end, or if it was the lot of the galaxy to always be at war with itself. Something for the Jedi to answer he supposed. Behind him, he saw the pilots of the Silver Saints all quietly watching him from the table where they sat. Ionforce set a hand on his cousin’s shoulder with a smile.
“That’s the cost, Jayce.” The young Jedi said softly.
LongShot looked at him, “What cost is that?”
Ion smiled, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, Jayce. That’s why we’re here.”
LongShot looked around the room. There were all the pilots who had become his family after Alderaan had been destroyed. They had fought together, bled together, played together, and mourned together. They would face this new challenge together. One fleet, one goal, one purpose that all of them single-mindedly lived for: freedom for themselves, their children, and the people of the galaxy.
“And we’ll be here as long as it takes, Boss.” Durrron said with a grin.
LongShot lifted his glass to the forty-two pilots in the room, “To eternal vigilance then.”
“Eternal vigilance” they all echoed.
That night, with Jessa by his side, LongShot slept soundly with no nightmares for the first time since his homeworld had been destroyed. He didn’t have to be afraid, he had his friends to fight beside him. The Silver Saints had been reborn, and the Republic could rest just a little easier.
-THE END-
(for now)
