"I don't know. Fly casual."
Cracken's Flight Group
Born on Contruum, Pash Cracken was a talented pilot at a young age. His father, Airen Cracken, head of Alliance Intelligence, put Pash in the simulator as often as he could. Pash was flying solo before he hit puberty. To develop his son's talent, General Cracken created a false identity and entered him in the Imperial Naval Academy at Carida. Pash's flying skills excelled. He was out performing his instructors, and as squad leader he never lost a pilot. He graduated the Academy at the top of his class with the rank of Lieutenant. Pash, as well as many of his schoolmates, was assigned to the 38th wing 11th squadron aboard the Victory-class Star Destroyer Exsanguinator. Upon his first mission with the 11/38th, he led the entire unit in a defection to the Alliance, killing the Exsanguinator in the process. They became known as "Cracken's Flight Group" and Pash became a legend. Over the years, the A-wing unit has grown smaller due to attrition. It has also grown careless, with the new kids getting caught up in the legend of Captain Cracken's invincibility. Fearing his charmed-life status would eventually get the members of his squadron killed, Pash Cracken has recently allowed himself to be busted down to Lieutenant so that he may join Rogue Squadron.
With the loss of their namesake, the group adopted the new designation of Firedog Squadron. The name was a nod to the fiery red hair of their founder and the space battle dogfights in which they excelled. The Flying Firedogs are the best nine A-wing pilots in the Alliance. "Foes fear the fight of the Flying Firedogs!"
Behr Raritan - As a native of the planet Collibosher, Behr Raritan grew up with the current Commodore of the Collibosh Naval Fighters, Baedeker Hannah. Behr was one of the best pilots to ever come from Collibosher. Baedeker was the other. Behr left to enter the Imperial Naval Academy on Carida with the full intention of joining the Rebellion when he was done. He was hesitant to speak of defecting with the harsh consequences the Empire imposed. He became friends with one of the top pilots in the academy. Together with their whole squadron, they defected to the Alliance on their first mission after graduation. It was then, that Behr learned his friend was Pash Cracken, son of the head of Alliance Intelligence. Cracken's Flight Group, as they became known, fought in many battles, the biggest being the Battle of Endor, where the group lost about three-quarters of its members. To save the group, Pash decided to join Rogue Squadron, the best pilots in the Alliance. As the only remaining original member of the flight group, Behr was promoted to Captain and made commanding officer of the new Firedog Squadron.
Baniss Gypsum - The Duros pilot, Baniss Gypsum, was born in the space station city of Saece that orbits his species' birthworld of Duro, and grew-up throughout the galaxy's hyperspace lanes. His family's condominium on Saece, the sixth of the six orbiting cities, was the anchor point for all the adventures he experienced as a youngster. When he was old enough, Baniss got his own place on Senku, the fifth of the six orbiting cities. As most Duros, Baniss was one serious space jockey. He had done stints as a trader, a spacer, a trainer, an explorer, and even had a short career as a smuggler. The fact that he always came back to his home planet was not what really set him apart from other Duros. It was his rare condition of albinoism that made him special. The blue skin and red eyes that characterized the Duros species, was substituted for a pale, off-white skin and light pink eyes. Baniss never looked at his uniqueness as a negative or a positive. It's just the way things were. His indelible sense of wanderlust led him to join the Alliance as a starfighter pilot and hyperspace navigator. He was assigned to Cracken's Flight Group, and was the first pilot to be transferred into the unit since its inception, as well as the first non-human. With the transfer of Pash Cracken to Rogue Squadron, Baniss was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and become the second-in-command of the newly named Flying Firedogs.
Dim Antilles - Born to affluent parents in the Imperial Center of Coruscant, Dim Antilles never could believe in the Emperor's New Order. Growing up, he made his mother and father more than frustrated with his blatant disregard for their status in society. Dim spent much of his time hanging out at alien bars in the Invisec (Invisible Sector). Although he didn't agree with his parents, the love he had for them kept him from joining the rebellion until after Emperor Palpatine's death. During his training with the Alliance, Dim excelled in the simulator for the small, quick, A-wing fighters. He was assigned to the legendary Cracken's Flight Group as a replacement for losses taken at the Battle of Endor. He became Pash Cracken's wingman, and greatly improved his dogfighting and tactical skills under Pash's tutilage. Over the four and half years that Dim has been in the Alliance, he has improved his rank from Airman to Master Sergeant. Dim is also credited with coming up with the squadron's new designation of the "Flying Firedogs."
Jaron & Jeph Seppala - The twin Sullustan brothers, Jaron and Jeph Seppala, were born in the underground caves of Sullust, but have been navigating the spacelanes of the galaxy since they were old enough to fly. They are, what is known on Sullust as, Tie Twins. It is a phenomenon found very limitedly throughout the galaxy. It is usually attributed to Force-ability. Tie Twins are born sharing the same mind frame. They can communicate thoughts to each other telepathically over hundreds of lightyears, without aide of the Force. This trait has been put to use many times by Jaron and Jeph's squad leaders. One brother jumps into an occupied system with an escort and checks the area for hostiles. He then communicates with the other brother who informs the squad of the situation. This way a status report can be sent without triggering any spy-communications sensors. The Seppala brothers weren't always in the same squadron, but when the Alliance relized the strategic importance of their gift, they were immediately put together in the hit-and-run A-wings. They were eventually transferred to Cracken's Flight Group. Their tour of duty has earned them each the rank of Sergeant in the squad that is now known as the Flying Firedogs.
Coelo - Inspired to join the rebellion by Admiral Ackbar's victory at the Battle of Endor, Coelo became a member of the Rebel Fleet on Ackbar's flagship, Home One. Born on the planet Dac, her family relocated to Mon Calamari when she was five years old. Her father had gotten a job in the shipyards building the famous Mon Cal pleasure cruisers. Soon after the move, Coelo became friends with a young Quarren named Serfas. Having come from Dac, Coelo was not aware of the poor interspecies relations the Mon Calamari and the Quarren had. She was sometimes looked upon with animosity herself for keeping such a friend, especially after a Quarren was rumored to have lowered the planetary defenses, allowing Imperial ships to decimate three floating cities. Coelo wasn't going to turn her back on her friend because of someone else's opinion. She judged everyone on an individual basis, not grouped together in stereotypes. It was this philosophy that got her assigned to Home One, a ship her father had actually helped build. Coelo feel in love with flying when she was selected to test pilot some modifications to the Admiral Ackbar-designed B-wing fighters, but it was the General Dodonna-designed A-wing fighters that demonstrated her piloting skills. She was quickly assigned to Cracken's Flight Group where she has lived to see them become the Flying Firedogs. Her efforts have earned her the rank of Airman First Class.
Serfas - Unlike most Quarren, Serfas preferred to hang-out at the surface. It was there, in the shallows of Mon Calamari, that Serfas met her best friend, a Mon Calamari named Coelo. As a child, the dark, dank ocean depths were far too gloomy for Serfas. She wanted to live in the sunlit shallows where life was abundant.
Niim Oxus - Twi'lek from Ryloth, Airman
Reonuuro - Dresselian from Dressel, Airman
Langdon Augar - Human from Taanab, Airman
NOTES -
The background of Pash Cracken was edited from the book X-wing: Wedge's Gamble by Michael Stackpole.
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