Wedge's Gamble

Authors: Michael A. Stackpole

Tags: #Star Wars, #X Wing, #Rogue Squadron series, #6.5-13 ABY

BOOK: Wedge's Gamble

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Wedge's Gamble
X Wing [2]
Stackpole, Michael A.
Random House Publishing Group (2011)
Tags:	Star Wars, X Wing, Rogue Squadron series, 6.5-13 ABY Star Warsttt X Wingttt Rogue Squadron seriesttt 6.5-13 ABYttt

Sleek, swift, and deadly, they are the X-wing fighters. And as the battle against the Empire rages across the vastness of space, the pilots risk both their lives and their machines for the cause of the Rebel Alliance. Now they must embark on a dangerous espionage mission, braving betrayal and death on the Imperial homeworld to smash the power of a ruthless foe!
It is the evil heart of a battered and reeling Empire: Coruscant, the giant city-world from whose massive towers the Imperial High Command directs the war. The Rebels will invade this mighty citadel in a daring move to bring the Empire to its knees. But first Wedge Antilles and his X-wing pilots must infiltrate
Coruscant to gain vital intelligence information. Capture means death, or worse--enslavement by the vicious leader known as "Iceheart," Ysanne Isard, now
Emperor in all but name. And one of Rogue Squadron's own is already her slave, a traitor hidden behind a mask of innocence, working to betray both...

DEATH AMONG THE STARS

The Y-wing let a proton torpedo go at point-blank range, but it shot past the eyeball and would have hit the X-wing had Corran not rolled fast. “Break outside, Champions!”

The Y-wing pilots complied with Corran’s order, but did so slowly. The TIE spun in on Champion Five, pouring verdant laser bolts into its shields. The Y-wing pilot continued his roll and dive, and the TIE corrected to follow him, allowing himself to fly a level arc as he pursued his quarry.

You’re mine, now
. Corran eased back on his stick, millimeter by millimeter centering the Imperial fighter on his targeting crosshairs.

Whistler shrilled a warning.

Behind me? Who?
He glanced at his sensors and saw the other TIE closing in on him and he wanted to break away.
Can’t, Five is history if I do
.

Corran hit his trigger and prepared for nothingness.

STAR WARS: WEDGE’S GAMBLE
A Bantam Spectra Book / June 1996

SPECTRA and the portrayal of a boxed “s” are trademarks of
Bantam Books,
a division of Random House, Inc.

®, ™, & © 1996 by Lucasfilm Ltd.
All rights reserved. Used under authorization.
Cover art by Paul Youll.
Copyright © 1996 Lucasfilm Ltd.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address: Bantam Books.

eISBN: 978-0-307-79622-6

Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words “Bantam Books” and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

v3.1

D
EDICATION
To the memory of
Roger Zelazny

A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to thank the following people for their various contributions to this book:

Janna Silverstein, Tom Dupree, and Ricia Mainhardt for getting me into this mess;

Sue Rostoni and Lucy Autrey Wilson for letting me get away with all they have in this universe;

Kevin J. Anderson, Timothy Zahn, Kathy Tyers, Bill Smith, Bill Slavicsek, Peter Schweighofer, Michael Kogge, and Dave Wolverton for the material they created and the advice they offered;

Lawrence Holland & Edward Kilham for the
X-Wing
and
TIE Fighter
computer games;

Chris Taylor for pointing out to me which ship Tycho was flying in
Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
and Gail Mihara for pointing out controversies I might want to avoid;

My parents, my sister Kerin, my brother Patrick and his wife Joy for their encouragement (and endless efforts to face my other books out on bookstore shelves);

Dennis L. McKiernan, Jennifer Roberson, and especially Elizabeth T. Danforth for listening to bits of this story as it was being written and enduring such abuse with smiles and a supportive manner.

D
RAMATIS
P
ERSONAE
R
OGUE
S
QUADRON

C
OMMANDER
W
EDGE
A
NTILLES
(human male from Corellia)

C
APTAIN
T
YCHO
C
ELCHU
(human male from Alderaan)

C
APTAIN
A
RIL
N
UNB
(Sullustan female from Sullust)

L
IEUTENANT
C
ORRAN
H
ORN
(human male from Corellia)

L
IEUTENANT
P
ASH
C
RACKEN
(human male from Contruum)

O
ORYL
Q
RYGG
(Gand male from Gand)

N
AWARA
V
EN
(Twi’lek male from Ryloth)

R
HYSATI
Y
NR
(human female from Bespin)

E
RISI
D
LARIT
(human female from Thy ferra)

G
AVIN
D
ARKLIGHTER
(human male from Tatooine)

R
IV
S
HIEL
(Shistavanen male from Uvena III)