The Wild Squadron

"The Wild Squadron" is a story in the canon comic Tales from the Death Star. The story was written by Cavan Scott, illustrated by Fico Ossio, and published by Dark Horse Comics on October 17, 2023.

Plot summary

In a TIE fighter bay on the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station, two TIE pilots chat while they sip hot beverages. One pilot, Gatt, who has been downtrodden lately, mentions that it is Life Day. Her fellow pilot, Rode, nags her for caring about the Wookiee holiday, saying she would believe in the Wild Squadron too. When Gatt reveals she is unfamiliar, Rode spins for her the story of the Wild Squadron he heard from a Rendellian on Bray.

The legend of the Wild Squadron claims that every Life Day, the ghostly Wild Squadron searches the stars for the souls of the damned. When found, they force those unfortunate souls to join their endless hunt. According to the Rendellian, the squadron had claimed Jedi, smugglers, pirates, and even some Imperials. They could allegedly even be heard whispering over ship comms to "join the hunt." This story spooks Gatt, causing Rode to laugh at his squadmate's dismay.

Their commander, Monne chastises the pilots for their unserious behavior, and the three pilots take off for a patrol of the Endor system. In the stars, Rode continues to tease Gatt about the Wild Squadron, provoking further scolding from Monne. The commander is soon cut off from the Gatt's comms, as well as her sights and sensors. Before long, Rode vanishes too. Rode, however, is present, but can't get through to his squadmate. Gatt starts to panic, calling into the Death Star, when she hears a repeating whisper through her comm: "Join the hunt."

Her sensors pick up multiple signals before a ghostly Jedi Vector bursts into her vicinity at alarming velocity. Gatt's panic mounts as she moves into an attack position on the four-eyed Jedi. She fires a direct hit, but the laser bolts merely pass through the ship without damage. The Vector fires, but its weapon is not lasers, but ghostly dragon-like forms that enter Gatt's cockpit, surrounding her with the partial forms of an Ewok, a Trandoshan, a Nautolan and a Mon Calamari. The ghosts rip off her helmet and clutch her face, taking her air and demanding her to be free. The ghosts of the Wild Squadron continue to haunt her until their sudden release causes Gatt to fling forwards into her controls. Her TIE careens into the path of Monne's TIE interceptor, and the two ships collide and explode.

Rode, who had been trying to get Gatt's attention while she panicked over ships only she had seen, desperately calls into the Death Star to report the accident. There is no reply, and he soon sees numerous ships on his sensor array. The ghostly form of Gatt is now in his cockpit, ripping off his helmet and demanding him to join the hunt.