The fight was done. Aside from a few stragglers, there was nothing left to mop up. Already, a group of shuttles with tractor beams sped toward the disabled transports to bring them aboard.<br/><br/>'Leader to Rogues, finish up your fights when you can and return to base. Five, if you want to help Three and Four, knock yourself out. If not, you're free to dock. I'm out of fuel, so I'll be heading back.'<br/><br/>Taking his craft into a lazy arc, Thor made his way back to the cruiser. [i]Rebel Yell's[/spoiler] hangar was cramped, like most Alliance hangars. He cut his engines and kicked the repulsorlifts on, maneuvering gingerly into a small square of space with the aid of his astromech. As always, he finished his post-flight checks. Satisfied, he unclasped his helmet and dismounted with an apology to the irritated engineers who would have to repair his fighter's sundered hull plates. The familiar cold of the mag-con field and the smells of fuel, tibanna, and coolant felt like home. His wingman met him outside the hangar bay.<br/><br/>'Good flying, Two,' he said.<br/><br/>'Was I, sir?' Blenner replied morosely. 'My fighter's barely holding together and I hardly got any kills.'<br/><br/>'You're still alive. Coming home alive is a good flight in my books.' Statistically, fifty percent of all Rogues failed to survive their first five missions. This was Two's first with the Rogues and while it wasn't the best run, he'd certainly come out of it more or less intact. 'We'll be pulling those cargo vessels aboard in a few minutes. Let's head on down to deck ten, shall we? I'd like to see what it is these guys were so eager to defend in the first place.'<br/><br/>His wingman snorted. 'Hopefully, it's not another superweapon.'<br/><br/>'Agreed. The Rogues could use a change of pace. I'm tired of ex-Imperial warlords compensating for their unsatisfactory genital proportions. I'd like to fight something more fun. Like a TIE Defender. Or a Missile Boat.'<br/><br/>'No, wait,' Blenner said, 'I take that back. I'll fight a Death Star over a Missile Boat.'<br/><br/>Judging by the presence of other X-wings in the Rogues' hangar, the others had also already docked. No doubt, they were either on their way to deck ten as well. Or catching a drink at the ship's lounge. Debriefing wasn't due until an hour or so later, anyway. Strange, Thor thought. Why were there no mercenaries with the enemy fleet? All of the warships and fighters Daala fielded today were Imperial or, in the case of the corvettes, at least heavily used by the old Empire. She must have wanted guards more trustworthy than the average Rim-raiding criminals and scum you found around these parts. Yet another mystery that made him uneasy. What was the Maw up to?