[Delrina Sector]

Dark Space is one of those areas where you feel as if your lost. Really lost. No close by stars to lets shadows form on the A-Wing's instrument panel, no planets or moons to brighten up the view. This area is so desolate that even meteoroids and space dust are rare here. The debris might help break the feeling of nothingness that fills this area, flying by the hull, making their occasional bright flash against the shields. A void...nothing. A pit in space where Emptiness demands to exist. No wonder this area got the nickname, 'The Hole'.

But it still could be dangerous here. No, not because there's a chance of Imperial activity or marauding pirates moving around. Or space freighters moving from one planet to another, moving their goods and supplies from point to point. Far from it. It's an area where your mind wanders, thinking....

How did I get here? Was it really only five years ago that I joined the Rebel Alliance? Seems so long ago, but yet so much has happened in such a short period of time.

Still remember the return to Alderaan, or, what was left of Alderaan. Our shuttle Captain saying "Sit back and relax, enjoy the flight. We expect an uneventful return." Boy, was he wrong! Entering the system after attending a trade show and finding nothing but an asteroid field orbiting the distant sun. The Captain frantically trying to find out what happened, checking the ships instruments and nav-computer coordinates, wondering if we had a malfunction. Only later did we learn that the Empire, never satisfied with the way it controlled the Galaxy, could only demonstrate their new toy, their new terror weapon, one way, by destroying an entire planet. Why Alderaan?

With my parents long gone, and now my home, what was there? The Rebellion. Hearing that speech for the first time on how the council was disbanded by Palpatine. How he proclaimed himself Emperor and of his new policy of government, doing away with the teachings of the Old Republic.

Absorption of any planet who disagreed with his policies, and taking Coruscant to be the center of his New Realm. All governing rules would come from the Emperor himself, if you could call them rules. Cleaning the galaxy, making the Empire safe and prosperous. If the outer territories disagreed, were warned in no uncertain terms that they, too, might be 'cleaned'.

Then being trained and assigned to my first ship. Getting restless from doing nothing, or what I thought was nothing, and applying for flight training. What was really funny was so many times being told that you ain't going to make it.

"You're too old Sparks, stick with the desk job."

"Quit acting like a kid going for a joyride in a Skyhopper", that's what I was told. Here I was, a Communication Officer on the CRV Wood, applying for flight school. Training as a pilot 'at my age'.

Remember completing school, and being assigned my first flight duty. I reported to CO JoJo Hayes on a Wednesday evening. Getting escorted around the area by the DumDum, the squadrons Executive Officer. Strange nickname for the Exec, but I guess it was to break the bleak mood that so many of the pilots had. Meeting so many new faces, and so many old looking faces at the same time. Sabre, Bones, Freebird, Crossbow, Blitz, Frenchie.....how DID Frenchie get that nickname, 'JFP51', I'll never know.

Blue Squadron, along with Gold, Green, Grey, and Rogue Squadrons, was to try to keep the Empire away from the planets that wanted to remain free and peaceful and follow the old ways, the old, true teachings. Admiral Simons called our first operational meeting later that week, explaining what our mission really was and how we would accomplish our goal in defeating the Empire. Finally we heard news of how the Death Star was destroyed. It gave me some satisfaction to know that the 'toy' ended up the same way as did Alderaan.

We defeated the Empires latest weapon, but the battle wasn't over. Palpatine, and the Imperial forces lead by Darth Vader were still around to keep the other planets from defecting to the Alliance, and to hinder that end, we would give our time.....

Blue Squadron duty was really interesting. Oh, we had our share of glory over the years, but our real mission was to give support to the Fleet when it needed it most. Whether it was testing the new heavy assault B-Wing, escorting ships to Hoth, or being assigned temporary duty to other Squadrons, Blue pilots fit the model of the universal pilot par excellent, stepping in to do whatever job was required. And do it, we could! Many advanced on to Rogue, Gold, Grey, and Green Squadrons. Starduster got his transfer to Gold just as we were about to help test the Super X-Wing.

'Testing' the Super-X ??? Yea, right! Temporary assignment to Grey Squadron. "Oh, it'll be cake duty testing the new space superiority fighter" and unexpectedly, participating in the emergency 'Operation Inoculation'. Well, we did capture the bio-plans from the Empire! And the ship wasn't really that bad, but for me, I'll take one with better shields any day!

Maybe the most difficult thing for me was returning from TD and seeing all the new faces in the Squadron. Some had transferred in, like Psycho from Grey Squadron, a few had been reassigned to duty specialized squadrons, and one or two had even been promoted to Command positions elsewhere within the Alliance Fleet. Others had given it their all and made The Final Jump......

The amber light on the communications panel started flashing, indicating an incoming nav data message from Command. Wonder what they want this time; or more importantly, wondering if I'll get orders to leave this sector. The A-Wing was a really good interceptor, but to get that speed and maneuverability, sacrificed some of the latest gizmos. The jump computer was just one of those things that had to be programmed by a base or ship.

The green light came on, indicating a good download. "Where to?" Punching up the nav computer, I was surprised to see an auto call from the Alliance Frigate Joan d'Arc.

"This has got to be important. There's no reason to get an automated call from a ship unless something is terribly wrong."

"All set. Let's do it.", I said to myself after checking the interceptor's control panel. Hitting the jump button, I left the hours of boredom behind to whatever mad minute lay ahead.......

The A-Wing returned to normal space in just a few seconds. It was really interesting to go from "The Hole" into an area filled with stars....a LOT of Stars! It took a few seconds for my eyes to get accustomed to all the light. Now I know what the Sullustans must feel like when they walk around our brightly lighted ships. My eyes recovered fairly quickly, and I looked at the forward and rear scanners, checking to see if any Imperials were around. All I saw was one green blip, marking a friendly Alliance ship in the area. Punching up the ID, it indicated the ship was the Joan.

I put the A-Wing into an easy left roll and headed toward the Frigate. It was very easy to spot visually, with its bright White and Silver colors. The star and sunlight reflected off of it in many different rays, making the ship look as if it were a lighthouse sending its beacon out to ships at sea. But this ship had its homing beacon on for a landing approach, so I adjusted the A-Wing's course to put it on a fast vector, getting to the landing bay as quickly as possible. Wonder what was going on, and why was the emergency beacon sent if the Joan d'Arc really wasn't in trouble. At least it didn't look like the Frigate was in trouble...

The A-Wing came in fairly quickly toward the landing bay, and I throttled back .18 klicks from the ship. Just then I noticed that the stars behind the Joan were blocked out by the outline of another ship. It was difficult to make out the outline of this new vessel, with all the light reflecting off the Joan, but it seemed to be another FRG - a frigate that didn't register on the my crafts scanners! I glanced back to the landing bay, just in time to see a Transport heading out from the hanger. The auto-land feature of the Frigate took over, preventing a near collision, and once I entered the hanger, set the craft down.

I switched off the repulsor engines and opened the canopy of the small craft. Damm, how I hate autopilot. Somebody could get killed trusting that thing! Just as I was about to loosen up my flight harness, I heard a voice that I thought sounded familiar.

"Hey, Sparks. Welcome to the Joan d'Arc. Sorry for the mess and confusion, but we're evacuating the Joan and moving over to our new vessel, the "Wolfsden".

I looked over to the right and saw a flight officer standing by the side of the craft. Once I saw his face, I knew it was someone I did indeed know.

"Well I'll be.....Moose, long time no see, buddy! What's new since leaving Blue Squadron?" I tried to get the flight harness off in a hurry so I could get out of the craft and shake his hand.

Moose was a former squadmate, and in my flight wing when we were both in Blue Squadron together. Known for being a great wingman to have along, he was an exceptional pilot, and made it up the promotion ladder very quickly. Completing a few "special operations" didn't hurt either. Did he have some stories to tell!!! Ended up being transferred to White Squadron while I was recovering from a blaster wound, so we hadn't seen each other for almost a year.

"Well, nothing much, just that I've made Captain.........and I'm your new Operations Officer! We received orders from Command to have you report to our vessel for flight-duty assignment. Sorry for getting you aboard by sending the E-beacon, but it was the simplest way to get you here ASAP, before we jump. We haven't a ship to spare."

I quit fidgeting with the harness. "I knew you'd make it one day! Congratulations! Flight Officer Robert S. Delinsky reporting as ordered!", I said, trying to hold back a smile. "Jump? Any orders, Sir?"

"Strap back in and head over to the Wolfsden. Once we get the Joan evacuated, I'll meet up with you later on our new ship. Alliance Command has heard rumors that the Empire is testing a new spacefighter, and we've been ordered to investigate. I'll be briefing all pilots when I get back to the Wolfsden. Don't be surprised if you run into a few of our former squadmates. Hardrive and Blitz have both been assigned to Wolfshead Squadron. Report to the Executive Officer, Michael "Vyper" Stauber. Personnel should have received your datafile by now, so - Carry on, Mister!"

"At once, Sir!" We both snapped off a salute to each other.

"Good to see you again, Sparks". Moose grinned. Guess it really is good to see another "old" face.

He turned and quickly walked back to the chaotic task of trying to get as many supplies as possible transferred over to the Wolfsden. I switched the flight controls back on, and started going through my launch checks. When the repulsors came up to speed, I received clearance, and eased the tiny A-Wing forward out of the hanger.

"Here we go......"