Saga "This One's For You" - Wedge - X-Wing viggie - (cover art added)

Title: This One's For You
Author(s): Arin_Atona
Timeframe: ROTJ
Characters: Wedge Antilles
Genre: behind-the-scenes
Keywords: Wedge, X-Wing

Summary: At a pivotal moment in the Battle of Endor, a hero of the Rebellion reflects on his past.

Notes: Just playing around with Wedge's character a bit and trying to get into his head. Thanks to DarthIshtar for being my beta on this.

Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and I own no part of it. This story is simply in tribute.

Cover Art: (click for correct proportions)
[image=http://www.alcoris.com/tfn-images/tofu/tofu-cover.jpg]

* * *

I can't stay with you.

His gut still churned when he thought about those five little words.

Despite following orders, pulling out of that trench was the most cowardly thing he'd ever done... and it wasn't likely that he'd ever forgive himself for it.

Get clear, Wedge. You can't do any more good back there.

Sure he could have, if he'd bothered to risk it.

He couldn't have flown as fast as Luke and Biggs, but he could have weaved all over that trench and forced those TIEs to slow down long enough to shoot him down. Or he could have taken pot-shots at them as he pulled away. There was any number of things he could have done to slow down those pursuers. He did none of them - and Biggs died because of it.

Sure, Luke was probably right - there may not have been anything he could have done to change the outcome. Those Imp pilots were fast, and they had the discipline to stay on the primary threat despite the temptation of an easy kill when Wedge pulled away. The point was that he didn't even try.

Even if he could someday be the best pilot in the galaxy and rack up kills by the squadron, it would never change the fact that he'd been too busy feeling sorry for himself to at least do something to help. Had their roles been reversed, Biggs would have found a way to slow down two eyeballs and a modified squint.

By rights, Biggs should be the one sitting in this seat and leading this charge.

The R2 droid behind him chirped out a warning just as the tunnel came to an abrupt end and Wedge's X-Wing fighter shot out into the enormous reactor chamber.

"There it is," he announced over the comm.

"All right, Wedge. Go for the power regulator on the north tower."

"Copy, Gold Leader," he acknowledged. "I'm already on my way out."

If he still had more than one pair of proton torpedoes left, he could have easily done the entire job by himself. As it stood, he'd officially be credited for only half the kill, but considering the circumstances... and the target...

Besides, if Biggs were in this seat, he'd probably say that Luke was the only one of them that actually deserved to have an entire Death Star in his kill list... and he'd be right.

Wedge pulled up the nose of his fighter and rolled it to port, lining up the north tower in his sights and flipped a switch to lock the targeting computer onto the regulator.

"This one's for you, Biggs," he sighed to himself while pulling the trigger. Torpedoes streaked from his fighter and exploded the power regulator in a beautiful storm of sparks and shrapnel that danced off his fighter's shields as he pulled back on the stick and slipped his X-Wing between the Death Star's main reactor and the ravaged north tower.

A moment later when the Falcon finished the job and the main reactor disappeared... so did the four-year-old knot in his stomach.

* * *

 

Fantastic. I loved the tie-in between the two runs and the classic survivor's guilt that inevitably follows. You really got into wedge's head in a good way.

 

Excellent work!

I love "the Rogues" and I love "getting into people's heads," and you have combined those two elements to write a fantastic vignette.

Well done.

 

Excellent viggie!

You portayed this character so well and gave him such depth. Loved it!

 

Ishy: Fantastic.



: I loved the tie-in between the two runs and the classic survivor's guilt that inevitably follows.

I pulled his feelings about the first DS run from from things that go through his head in X-Wing: Rogue Squadron. Since being on the run for both Death Stars is something unique only to him, I thought the second one would be a good spot within the Saga to write him. I've got another story coming up for the Saga that has him in it, and I wanted to work on characterization a bit. That's why I chose this particular timeframe as opposed to something more conventional.

: You really got into wedge's head in a good way.

Thanks!

JediMindTrick000: I love "the Rogues" and I love "getting into people's heads," and you have combined those two elements to write a fantastic vignette.

I'm glad I completed my mission! Thanks for reading!

Gina: You portayed this character so well and gave him such depth. Loved it!

I'm glad you thought so. I was taking cues from canon, so I'm happy it came out right.

 

Um . . . ditto what everyone said.

You did a great job with Wedge's regrets. This was a lovely vig.

- lazy

 

Bravo Arin!

Beautiful thought stream there. I can just imagine Wedge running all of that through his head as he flew through the second Death Star. And he would have had the survivors guilt at that stage. I know he gets over that later on but at that point I'm sure Biggs' death would have played very heavily on his mind.

Excellent job!

Ro

 

lazykbys: You did a great job with Wedge's regrets. This was a lovely vig.

Hey, thanks!

Rowan_Jade: I know he gets over that later on but at that point I'm sure Biggs' death would have played very heavily on his mind.

That was my thinking, so I'm glad it seems like a realistic expectation.

Thanks for reading!

 

Ooh very good newbiewanmine, loved it. You know I was kind of thinking to myself the other day that I wonder what would have happened if Biggs had lived...

 

Thanks, Luneywan.

 

Hello, Arin.

Wonderful Wedge viggie. **tempted to say "Wedg-ie" but will resist**

I particularly enjoyed the flow you created from ANH to ROTJ. A great view of how Wedge worked through his angst.

I agree with your other readers ... you did get into Wedge's head.

Well done.

ojn

 

Like I said over at...that other place, I really like this.

Coverart is also great. You obviously are both a talented writer and a talented...graphic...maker...person.

 

oldjedinurse: **tempted to say "Wedg-ie" but will resist**

LOL!

: I particularly enjoyed the flow you created from ANH to ROTJ. A great view of how Wedge worked through his angst.

Thanks!

SweetPea: I really like this.

I'm glad I could entertain!

: You obviously are both a talented writer and a talented...graphic...maker...person.

 

One little bump up before letting this drift down into obscurity...

 

I like it! Good fic.

 

Great job!