In 1997, Michael A. Stackpole polished off his X-Wing saga with The Bacta War. This time, Rogue Squadron's deprived of New Republic resources as they take back control of Thyferra--the biggest manufacturer of bacta galaxy-wide--from the hands of Ysanne Isard. Synopsis: While the Alliance fleet mounts a major campaign against a deadly warlord, Ysanne Isard has seized control of Thyferra, intending to use its precious supply of bacta to destabilize and destroy the New Republic. It falls to Rogue Squadron--undermanned, deprived of Alliance support and even weapons--to
oppose Isard's dangerous designs, defeat her powerful complement of Star Destroyers,
and free Thyferra from her iron rule. But when Isard discovers the
Squadron's secret base, its ragtag group of pilots must scramble for
survival in a winner-take-all battle against Isard's overwhelming and
seemingly superior force.
The novel opens with Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik talking about their new found freedom. Meanwhile, Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu check out an abandoned station in the Yag'Dhul system and begin to set up operations. During that, M-3PO (Emtrey) arrives as surplus along with the squads X-Wings and Iella Wessiri. On Thyferra, Ysanne Isard demands to know how Erisi Dlarit's fighter wing in the Thyferran Home Defense Corps is doing; the two get into arguments throughout the story with Flirry Vorru defending Erisi to Isard. Corran and Mirax, now on Tatooine to try and buy supplies from Huff Darklighter--Gavin Darklighter's uncle--but the man proves resistant. Corran meets Booster Terrik--Mirax's father--and he begins to threaten Corran, but Mirax steps in. Booster berates Corran, for saying that his coupling with Mirax would kill his father and nearly kills him (Booster) because his daughter is in love with CorSec.
Mirax puts her father in his place and, with Huff still refusing, starts to give up. Booster, giving up, demands that Huff hand over the supplies to Wedge, which Huff does despite being angry about it. On a trip to Elshandruu Pica, Wedge manages to convince Captain Sair Yonka to defect from Isard's service by promising him credits and a chance to strike back. He agrees and goes into hiding with his ship Avarice (now called Freedom), his crew, and the local Moff's wife. Wedge convinces former ally Tal'dira to join Rogue Squadron. He also gets word from old comrades Elscol Loro and Sixtus Quin and that they plan to join him. Talon Karrde appears briefly to help out, but one of his people, Melina Carniss, sold them out when the convoy was ambushed by Captain Ait Convarion's Star Destroyer Corrupter. Wedge and his Rogues repulse the attack. Karrde discovers her betrayal and wants to kill her, but Booster manages to convince Karrde to use her to live long enough to feed misinformation to Isard in exchange for a gravity well projector.
Bror Jace also shows up, reveals that he didn't die, but secretly snuck back onto Thyferra and helped set up the local resistance. Isard threatens to kill Thyferran Vratix civilians if resistance to her regime hadn't ceased in one month. No longer keeping their base at Yag'Dhul secret, the Rogues bring in the next supply convoy--including Carniss. Carniss leaves a beacon in the system and the Star Destroyers Virulence and Lusankya and begin to destroy the station; Rogue Squadron and its fleet of freighters appear to be fleeing the system. Booster powers up the gravity well projector and locks Lusankya in place with dozens of tractor beams. Captain Joak Drysso attempts to complete the destruction of the space station, but three hundred proton torpedoes launch into the path of Lusankya, however, Captain Lakwii Varrscha of Virulence selflessly moves her ship in front of Lusankya; Drysso thanks Varrscha for her sacrifice and flees back to Thyferra. Booster, aided by the arrival of a Cracken's Flight Group, led by Captain Pash Cracken, was able to convince Captain Varrscha to surrender Virulence without a fight. Booster proceeds to load it up with his people and Cracken's fighters.
With aid from both Iella and Winter, Elscol and Quin, and the entire campaign stratagized, the Battle of Thyferra kicks off. Vorru flees the battle, with Erisi promising to find him and start a life. Corran tracks Isard's fleeing Lambda-class shuttle and, after sufficient warning to Isard, blows it up; the pilot is revealed to be Erisi; Isard has disappeared. Booster and Cracken's Flight Group arrives and convinces Drysso to surrender. Upon inspecting Lusankya, Corran discovers that General Jan Dodonna, Urlor Sette, and the rest of the prisoners were stored elsewhere; Corran vows to never give up looking for them. General Airen Cracken tries to convince Booster to surrender Virulence, but Booster refuses. Corran and Talon suggest that Booster be allowed to keep the Star Destroyer, just minus a few turbolasers to which Cracken eventually agrees. Corran and Mirax marry, then, with Wedge, they tell Booster who gets angry, but calms down eventually. The novel ends with Wedge leading Rogue Squadron back to Coruscant to reintegrate with the New Republic and continue in the hunt for Warlord Zsinj.
All in all, a very great finale to Stackpole's main arc in the popular X-Wing saga. It's too bad that it was followed by the dreck that was Aaron Allston's childish contributions to the series. Great characterization and wonderful battle descriptions make this the perfect book to fully grasp how rich the Expanded Universe truly is. Plus, this book further solidifies the Timothy Zahn-Michael A. Stackpole saga which the fans love.
The novel opens with Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik talking about their new found freedom. Meanwhile, Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu check out an abandoned station in the Yag'Dhul system and begin to set up operations. During that, M-3PO (Emtrey) arrives as surplus along with the squads X-Wings and Iella Wessiri. On Thyferra, Ysanne Isard demands to know how Erisi Dlarit's fighter wing in the Thyferran Home Defense Corps is doing; the two get into arguments throughout the story with Flirry Vorru defending Erisi to Isard. Corran and Mirax, now on Tatooine to try and buy supplies from Huff Darklighter--Gavin Darklighter's uncle--but the man proves resistant. Corran meets Booster Terrik--Mirax's father--and he begins to threaten Corran, but Mirax steps in. Booster berates Corran, for saying that his coupling with Mirax would kill his father and nearly kills him (Booster) because his daughter is in love with CorSec.
Mirax puts her father in his place and, with Huff still refusing, starts to give up. Booster, giving up, demands that Huff hand over the supplies to Wedge, which Huff does despite being angry about it. On a trip to Elshandruu Pica, Wedge manages to convince Captain Sair Yonka to defect from Isard's service by promising him credits and a chance to strike back. He agrees and goes into hiding with his ship Avarice (now called Freedom), his crew, and the local Moff's wife. Wedge convinces former ally Tal'dira to join Rogue Squadron. He also gets word from old comrades Elscol Loro and Sixtus Quin and that they plan to join him. Talon Karrde appears briefly to help out, but one of his people, Melina Carniss, sold them out when the convoy was ambushed by Captain Ait Convarion's Star Destroyer Corrupter. Wedge and his Rogues repulse the attack. Karrde discovers her betrayal and wants to kill her, but Booster manages to convince Karrde to use her to live long enough to feed misinformation to Isard in exchange for a gravity well projector.
Bror Jace also shows up, reveals that he didn't die, but secretly snuck back onto Thyferra and helped set up the local resistance. Isard threatens to kill Thyferran Vratix civilians if resistance to her regime hadn't ceased in one month. No longer keeping their base at Yag'Dhul secret, the Rogues bring in the next supply convoy--including Carniss. Carniss leaves a beacon in the system and the Star Destroyers Virulence and Lusankya and begin to destroy the station; Rogue Squadron and its fleet of freighters appear to be fleeing the system. Booster powers up the gravity well projector and locks Lusankya in place with dozens of tractor beams. Captain Joak Drysso attempts to complete the destruction of the space station, but three hundred proton torpedoes launch into the path of Lusankya, however, Captain Lakwii Varrscha of Virulence selflessly moves her ship in front of Lusankya; Drysso thanks Varrscha for her sacrifice and flees back to Thyferra. Booster, aided by the arrival of a Cracken's Flight Group, led by Captain Pash Cracken, was able to convince Captain Varrscha to surrender Virulence without a fight. Booster proceeds to load it up with his people and Cracken's fighters.
With aid from both Iella and Winter, Elscol and Quin, and the entire campaign stratagized, the Battle of Thyferra kicks off. Vorru flees the battle, with Erisi promising to find him and start a life. Corran tracks Isard's fleeing Lambda-class shuttle and, after sufficient warning to Isard, blows it up; the pilot is revealed to be Erisi; Isard has disappeared. Booster and Cracken's Flight Group arrives and convinces Drysso to surrender. Upon inspecting Lusankya, Corran discovers that General Jan Dodonna, Urlor Sette, and the rest of the prisoners were stored elsewhere; Corran vows to never give up looking for them. General Airen Cracken tries to convince Booster to surrender Virulence, but Booster refuses. Corran and Talon suggest that Booster be allowed to keep the Star Destroyer, just minus a few turbolasers to which Cracken eventually agrees. Corran and Mirax marry, then, with Wedge, they tell Booster who gets angry, but calms down eventually. The novel ends with Wedge leading Rogue Squadron back to Coruscant to reintegrate with the New Republic and continue in the hunt for Warlord Zsinj.
All in all, a very great finale to Stackpole's main arc in the popular X-Wing saga. It's too bad that it was followed by the dreck that was Aaron Allston's childish contributions to the series. Great characterization and wonderful battle descriptions make this the perfect book to fully grasp how rich the Expanded Universe truly is. Plus, this book further solidifies the Timothy Zahn-Michael A. Stackpole saga which the fans love.
