Free Rogue Squadron by Michael A. Stackpole

a smaller warren of rooms and suites. The Rebel base had once been an extensive mine complex on Commenor’s largest moon, Folor. The Commenor system had been chosen because of the high level of shipping traffic that passed through it and because of its proximity to Corellia and the Core worlds.
    Corran let his right hand trail over the smooth surface of the tunnel walls. “Are we really after justice, Nawara, or do we really want revenge?”
    “Or is this a case, Corran, where revenge and justice are two aspects of the same thing? We are all committed to seeing the Empire brought down. The Emperor’s death advanced our cause, but notenough to bring the conflict to the conclusion we want. Three in ten worlds are in open rebellion and perhaps another twenty percent are nominally supportive of our fight, but half the worlds are still firmly allied against us. When the Emperor dissolved the Senate he gave the Moffs control over their provinces. While I do not believe Palpatine saw that action as a hedge against disaster, that is, in effect, what it has become.”
    “I know. If not for some of the Moffs playing power games against each other, we’d be hard-pressed to keep from being driven away from the Core.” The Corellian frowned. “Then again, with Vader and the Emperor dead and the Death Stars destroyed, I wonder if the Rebellion hasn’t lost some of its fire.”
    “I agree with that.” Rhysati moved to the front of the quartet, then turned to walk backward down the hallway and face them. “Vader was a symbol, just like the Emperor, and when they died the relief was palpable. I think a lot of folks believed the whole Rebellion was won there. I’m taking the revitalization of Rogue Squadron as a sign that at least Commander Antilles and Admiral Ackbar don’t share that belief.”
    The Twi’lek looped one of his brain tails back over his left shoulder. “By defeating the Emperor at Endor, the Rebellion proved itself a legitimate power in the galaxy. Within a month after Endor the Alliance’s Provisional Council issued their Declaration of a New Republic. The Rebellion became a government—albeit one with very little in terms of real assets—and it presented an alternative to the Empire. Worlds joining the New Republic are doing so on their own terms, and those negotiations are far from joyous things. Destroying the Emperor didbring a lot of nations into the fold, but primarily those who felt most oppressed or most threatened.”
    Corran thought for a moment. “What you’re saying is that the victory at Endor transformed a military insurgency into a political entity.”
    “Not exactly, but close. Politics was always part of the Rebellion, but it remained largely dormant while the war was being fought. With the death of the Emperor it became more important because it allowed the Rebellion to bring in more worlds without having to resort to military conquest.” Nawara pointed vaguely back behind them with a taloned finger. “Commander Antilles’s victory tour shows how important politics was and is to the Rebellion—a key military leader was taken out of service and forced into diplomatic duty.”
    “And there are all the stories about Luke Skywalker and the possibility of reestablishing the Jedi Knights.” Rhysati smiled. “Even though the Jedi had been wiped out by the time I was born, my grandmother used to tell me stories about them and the Clone Wars.”
    “My grandfather fought in the Clone Wars.”
    The Twi’lek stared at Corran. “Your grandfather was a Jedi?”
    “No, just an officer with CorSec, like my father and me. He knew some Jedi Knights, and fought alongside them in a couple of actions near Corellia, but he wasn’t one. His best friend was, and died in the wars, but Grandpa never talked about those times very much.” Corran glanced down. “When Vader started hunting down all the Jedi, CorSec resources were used to find them and my grandfather didn’t like that at all.”
    “The