By:  Aaron Allston Published by Bantam Books February 1998 It is Wedge Antilles' boldest creation:  a covert-action unit of X-wing fighters, its pilots drawn from the dregs of other units, castoffs and rejects given one last chance.  But before the new pilots can complete their training, the squadron's base is attacked by former Imperial Admiral Trigit, and Wraith Squadron is forced to swing into action--taking over an Imperial warship and impersonating its crew.  The mission:  to gain vital intelligence about Trigit's secret weapons, to sabotage the admiral's plans, and to lure him into an Alliance trap.  But the high-stakes gamble pits Wraith Squadron's ragtag renegades against the Empire's most brilliant master of guile and deception. Are they up to the challenge? If not, the penalty is instant death.

    Myn Donos, the X-wing squadron commander, looked around in confusion.  This wasn't right.  He'd been through this already.  This mission could only lead to . . .
    Death.
    The ambush.  They were all about to die.
    "Talon Leader to squad, break off!  Omega Signal!"  He rolled up on his port wing and curved in a tight arc.  Away from death.
    The other Talons did not follow.  They sped down their destined path to annihilation.
    "Leader to group!  Break off!  Follow me!"
    A woman's voice:  "Can't do it, sir."
    "Follow me.  That's an order!"
    "No sir.  What does it matter whether I die down there or on the way out?"
    Donos continued his arc until he completed a full circle.  He now sped on in the wake of his pilots, heedlessly rushing toward their doom.  He felt an unfamiliar weight crushing his chest.  It wasn't acceleration; it was the inevitability of those pilots' needless deaths.  "Please."
    "Don't 'please' me, Lieutenant.  You don't care enough about yourself to live.  So you don't give a damn about us."
    "You're wrong.  Turn back."
    "Swear it."
    "I swear it!  Turn back!"
    The canopy of his X-wing went black and the roar of his engines died. . . .