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“I know—still, your mission to Coruscant was staging from Noquivzor, which was where the mission to Borleias staged from, was it not?”

“Yes.”

“So the spectre of a chance that whoever might have betrayed your first mission to Borleias could betray your mission to Coruscant certainly existed, did it not?”

“Yes.”

“Hence your precaution.”

“Yes.”

“And yet you would tell us that you had no cause to suspect Captain Celchu of collusion with the enemy?”

Wedge blinked as Halla shifted her aim to a new target. “I had no reasons to suspect Tycho of anything.”

The prosecutor’s head came up. “You did not find the circumstances of Bror Jace’s death the least bit suspicious?”

“Excuse me?”

Halla folded her arms across her chest. “I believe, Commander Antilles, you were present in the courtroom for the testimony of Captain Uwlla lillor in regard to the mission to capture Bror Jace. At the time of his death did you not consider the possibility that news of his travel to Thyferra had been leaked to the Empire?”

“No.”

“Not at all?”

“Well, not in any substantive way, and certainly not with Tycho being the source of the leak.”

Halla narrowed her eyes. “Who obtained the permissions and filed the flight plan for Bror Jace’s trip to Thyferra?”

“Tycho did, by my order.”

“Did you approve the flight plan?”

Wedge hesitated as he felt pressure building up in himself. “No.”

“Did you know the flight plan?”

“No.”

“To the best of your knowledge, did anyone in your squadron outside of Captain Celchu and Bror Jace know that flight plan?”

Wedge’s hands pulsed into fists. “No.”

“Captain lillor testified that her ship, the Black Asp, had been given specific orders as to where to go and when to be there to encounter Bror Jace. How could they have gotten that information, do you think?”

“A spy, I suppose. I don’t know. Espionage is not really my stock in trade.”

“So you would have a difficult time determining if someone was a spy or not?”

Wedge glanced down. “You’re good at twisting my words, Commander. I know Tycho wasn’t working for the Empire.”

Halla’s eyes narrowed. “You may have felt that, Commander Antilles, but tell me truthfully, when Corran Horn told you he’d seen Captain Celchu speaking to an Imperial Intelligence operative, tell me you didn’t wonder, just for a heartbeat, if everything General Cracken and others had said about Tycho Celchu wasn’t true.”

Wedge closed his eyes. When Corran had come to him on Coruscant and reported what he had seen, Wedge had been unable to cover his shock. I said to him, “That’s impossible, Corran.” I followed up with the explanation about Warlord Zsinj having attacked Noquivzor, but the first thing out of my mouth had been a denial of what I feared might be true. Just for a second I allowed myself to accept what he said, I refused to let myself believe what he had said, but I knew I could not prove his statement to be absolutely false.

The leader of Rogue Squadron nodded and refrained from looking over at Tycho. “Yes, for a heartbeat, I did allow myself to consider what Lieutenant Horn said. I rejected it just that quickly.”

“On what grounds?”

“I knew Tycho wasn’t a spy.”

Halla raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t know Zekka Thyne was working for the Empire, did you?”

“No, but I never truly trusted him.”

“Your opinion of him and his treacherous nature was based on what?”

“His history and …” Wedge caught himself.

“And?”

“His demeanor when I saw him.”

Halla Ettyk opened her hands. “Were there no other factors in your forming your opinion of Thyne?”

Ven stood. “Objection, relevancy, your Honor.”

Admiral Ackbar looked down at the prosecutor. “Commander, this does seem a bit far afield from where you started.”

“It is relevant, your Honor. I’m closing in on my point.”

“Proceed, but be aware I will strike this line of inquiry if you don’t bring us to that point quickly.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The objection is overruled.”

Ettyk nodded toward Wedge. “Commander, were there no other factors in your forming your opinion of Thyne?”

“Not really.”

“Lieutenant Horn’s opinion of Thyne