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“Biggs was eight years older than I was. There were times he liked having me around and times he didn’t. I couldn’t understand why not then.” Gavin shrugged. “I’ve grown up since then, so I kind of understand now but, still, I didn’t really know him. And not seeing his … him or Luke’s aunt and uncle after, well, it’s not like I know they’re gone. I do, but, you know …”

“I do know.” Wedge folded his arms across his chest. “I was there when Biggs died. I got hit and pulled up out of the trench on Luke’s orders. Your cousin and I both knew we were really there as an added set of shields to keep Luke safe, but we didn’t regret that. We knew he’d have done the same thing for us and we also knew he had to blow the Death Star. Biggs stayed there, keeping the TIEs back, and died there. And even though he died, he bought Luke the time he needed to destroy the Death Star.”

The Rebel commander’s eyes nearly shut as he stared off into space. “I flew with Biggs before Yavin and he was really good. It seemed like he could read the minds of TIE pilots. He knew when to break, when to shoot, and did everything necessary to stay in their ion exhaust and blast them to bits. He was proud of his record and his skill, but not arrogant.”

Gavin smiled. “He had that smirk, the one he’d give you when he’d done something you couldn’t.”

Wedge chuckled. “I used to hate that smirk, but I didn’t have it directed at me all that often. In his first mission we went against an Imperial convoy, right after they’d started assigning Nebulon-B frigates, just like the Reprieve here, to jump cover for the convoys. It launched two dozen TIEs at our squadron. Biggs lit and vaped five, making him an ace, but another pilot claimed his number-three kill. That kill made the other pilot an ace—I think he was on his fifteenth mission at the time. Biggs gave the guy the smirk and let him have it. And thereafter when Biggs got five of something, he’d give this guy the third one. He wasn’t nasty about it, but he didn’t let the guy forget.”

Gavin nodded. “Biggs was like that—he’d needle you with your own little foibles until you did something about it, or it didn’t bother you anymore.”

“It was his way of making everyone toe the line and push themselves to be the best they could. That’s why he used to get after Luke about going to the Academy. He didn’t want to see anyone waste themselves when they could be doing more.” Wedge scratched the back of his neck. “If he’d survived Yavin, we’d be reporting to him now.”

Corran raised a finger. “Did the third-kill guy ever redeem himself?”

The curve of Wedge’s smile flattened out. “The guy, Karsk was his name, Amil Karsk, took the third of five scheduled patrols for Biggs. It was an easy job—nursemaiding a blockade runner on a courier mission. It even promised a couple of days of rest and recreation. It was a plum assignment, but Biggs let him have it and was willing to call it even. That mission and that courier took Karsk to Alderaan. He was on the ground when the Death Star appeared.”

“Ouch.” Corran reached up and hauled himself to his feet. “Biggs was lucky he let the mission slide.”

“Yeah, but luck runs out eventually.” Wedge’s brown eyes hardened. “Ours hasn’t, not entirely, yet. I’m glad you’re both back with us. I’d prefer not having to add you to the list of friends I’ve lost to the Empire. The list is too long already.”

Gavin swallowed hard, once, then extended his hand to Wedge. “Thank you, sir. I feel like I know Biggs a bit better now.”

Wedge shook the youth’s hand. “Thanks for giving me the chance to remember the good things about Biggs. Too much of war is remembering the loss—the point at which people cease contributing to this life. Biggs, Porkins, Dack, Lujayne—they all need to be remembered as more than just casualties. I don’t do that often enough.”

Their commander glanced at the chronometer on the ship’s bulkhead. “I’m due to meet with Admiral Ackbar shortly. You’ve got about four hours before we’ll have a memorial for Lujayne and the other people we lost on Talasea. And