The tenth and concluding book in the Star Wars: X-Wing series is titled X-Wing: Mercy Kill, a Star Wars Legends novel. Aaron Allston penned it, and Del Rey initially released it as a hardcover on August 7, 2012. June 25, 2013 marked the release of the first paperback version.
It's been thirty years since Wraith Squadron's last operation. This X-Wing unit, composed of rogues and misfits, took on the riskiest and most dangerous missions, becoming legendary figures of the Rebellion and the Second Galactic Civil War before disbanding. Now, their unique abilities are needed once more for a mission specifically designed for Wraith Squadron.
A prominent general within the Galactic Alliance Army, once celebrated for his bravery, is under suspicion for involvement in the infamous Lecersen Conspiracy, an event that nearly returned the Alliance to the Empire's control. Tasked with uncovering and capturing this traitor, with full authority to use any means necessary, the Wraiths will become thieves, pirates, impostors, forgers... and targets. They will put their courage, firepower, and most daring strategies to the ultimate test against a deadly adversary.
The story begins in 13 ABY with Imperial Admiral Kosh Teradoc meeting with Captain Hachat to acquire a valuable piece of art. Their meeting takes place in a bar on the planet of Ryvester. After Dr. Mulus Cheems examines the artwork, Teradoc decides to steal all of Hachat's wealth. When Hachat responds with insults, Teradoc threatens to imprison him. The situation escalates into a violent confrontation, during which Hachat, who is actually Garik "Face" Loran, seizes Cheems and escapes with the rest of Wraith Squadron, including Elassar Targon, Voort "Piggy" saBinring, Kell Tainer, Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh, Shalla Nelprin, and Bettin. In the resulting chaos, Teradoc manages to secure the artwork. With Cheems now in their custody, Wraith Squadron informs him that they rescued him from Teradoc, as Cheems was indeed a prisoner, and he expresses his gratitude. The artwork, however, was actually a bomb that detonates in Teradoc's base, killing him (Cheems had lied about the artwork's authenticity to save his own life).
In 19 ABY, Wraith member Piggy, along with fellow Wraiths Shalla and Runt, successfully destroys an Imperial station just before the conclusion of the New Republic's war with the Empire. During this mission, Piggy laments Shalla's impending retirement as the war nears its end.
In 29 ABY, towards the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, on the planet Chashima, Piggy provides sniper cover for Runt and Estoric Sandskimmer as they escape from a shaper damutek with a new weapon developed by the Vong. Despite Piggy's assistance, both Wraith members are killed. Piggy is then forced to perform a mercy killing on Runt, shooting him to end his suffering from the amphistaff venom. Piggy later resigns, renouncing his nickname, not only due to Runt's painful death at his hand but also because his death was ultimately meaningless, as the Vong's weapon would not be effective against the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, which was gaining the upper hand.
The story then advances to 44 ABY on the planet Ayceezee, where Voort works as a mathematics professor. Face Loran appears and persuades him to return to prove that Galactic Alliance General Stavin Thaal was involved in the Lecersen Conspiracy.
Voort and Face journey back to Coruscant, where Face introduces Voort to Myri Antilles and Trey Courser while Wraith Squadron is in the midst of a mission involving the blackout of a spaceport and the hijacking of a GA military transport. Myri, Trey, and Voort travel to their "unsafe house," where they reunite with the rest of Wraith Squadron, including its leader Bhindi Drayson, Jesmin Tainer, Turman Durra, and Viull "Scut" Gorsat, who is revealed to be an Extolled member of the Yuuzhan Vong. After Wraith Squadron evades the GA military, Voort initially distrusts Scut due to his background. Despite Scut's personal issues with Voort, they learn to cooperate as they and the rest of the squadron strategize to expose General Thaal's involvement in the Lecersen Conspiracy.
While the squadron works to prove Thaal's guilt, Voort, Myri, and Trey are dispatched to Vandor-3 for a droid subversion mission, as the planet is under the control of soldiers loyal to Thaal, known as Pop-Dogs. This mission is intended to aid the squadron's investigation. After several days, the trio of Wraiths convince the occupying soldiers that they are part of an anti-violent movement called the Quad-Linked Militant Pacifists. The resulting increase in security by the Pop-Dogs allows more blasters to be smuggled in, enabling Voort, Myri, and Trey to sneak in more miniature droids as blasters. However, Bhindi soon recalls Voort and Trey from Vandor-3 to rejoin the rest of the squad, while Myri remains behind to continue the Vandor-3 mission.
Wraith Squadron travels to Imperial space and boards the Bastion Princess to further their investigation into Thaal's guilt. After sabotaging the ship, they evacuate via escape pod and are picked up by a Burst Fire-class Deep-Space Patrol Vessel called the Concussor. Wraith Squadron takes control of the ship and strands the crew on a habitable planet with ample supplies before they can be rescued. Bhindi then sends Myri a message to deliver to Thaal on Coruscant, posing as Imperial Lieutenant Commander Avvan Hocroft, stating that he wants to collaborate with Thaal for power. If Thaal responds, Wraith Squadron will be able to gather evidence proving his involvement in the Lecersen Conspiracy. Myri successfully delivers the message to Thaal, but he sends Alliance Captain Voyce Evlen, commanding the corvette Starhook, to confront the Concussor instead. Evlen discovers the Wraiths' plan and attacks the Concussor with other Alliance vessels. The attack cripples the Wraiths' commandeered patrol vessel, forcing them to evacuate via shuttle, with Voort using a TIE interceptor to provide cover.
Wraith Squadron secretly returns to Vandor-3 via Tatooine to meet up with Myri. Although Thaal did not respond to Hocraft's proposal, the Wraiths, based on Voort's reasoning, conclude that Thaal is guilty and is deliberately acting foolish as he plans to retire soon. They decide to infiltrate the Caridan animal exhibit, which, while not directly linked to Thaal, is suspected to be under his ownership due to his occupation of Vandor-3 during the Yuuzhan Vong War.
On Coruscant, Face interviews Thaal's most recent ex-wife, Zehrinne, seeking evidence of his involvement in the Lecersen Conspiracy. He finds no substantial evidence other than Thaal's history of multiple wives. Face later discovers that during the Lecersen Conspiracy, equipment from HyperTech Industries, particularly comlinks, were stolen but never recovered. He relays this information to Wraith Squadron as they arrive on Vandor-3, justifying their investigation of the animal exhibit. Face is then pursued by three assassins. He kills two of the assassins and tricks the remaining one into believing he died in a bomb explosion in his airspeeder. Wraith Squadron believes Face is dead. However, Face's wife, Dia Passik, later kills the remaining assassin when he attempts to kill her and her daughter, Adra.
The squad's investigation reveals that Thaal has been storing and secretly selling thermal detonators and other illegal items, including sabotaged comlinks used to relay information back to Thaal for his criminal enterprise. Myri and Trey also discover and free Usan Joyl and Dashan Joyl, the former being a renowned identity forger. The squad leaves before encountering another Wraith Squadron led by Sharr Latt, with members Thaymes Fodrick, Drikall Bessarah, Wran Narcassan, and Huhunna. They are also investigating Thaal's guilt. Both Wraith Squadrons are discovered by the exhibit's security, leading to a hasty escape. Their pursuers force them into a situation where Myri and Jesmin must return to Ackbar City on foot to call for backup, while Bhindi and Huhunna provide cover. Bhindi is shot, and the two squads take refuge in Mount Lyss, fending off attackers for several days. Usan explains that Thaal has been using him to surgically and genetically alter his and his loyal soldiers' appearances to evade punishment for crime and treason, changing their background histories as well. Huhunna arrives with a wounded Bhindi. Despite Drikall's attempts to heal her, Bhindi dies from her injury without passing on command. Voort takes command despite Scut's reluctance. Voort discusses the Yuuzhan Vong's issues with the Gamorrean with Scut, who says Voort is acting irrationally. Voort continues as leader, receiving backup from Wedge Antilles and Tycho Celchu piloting StealthX X-wing starfighters escorting a shuttle piloted by Kirney Slane to extract both Wraith teams. Before leaving, they leave Bhindi's corpse behind to be blown up, killing Thaal's searchers. Thaal believes the late Ton Phanan is leading the Wraiths.
The combined Wraiths' next destination is Kuratooine, where they suspect Thaal will retire as the millionaire Thadley Biolan, possibly with the singer Ledina Chott. Voort resolves his issues with Scut and himself over Runt's death, fully embracing his role as leader, and devises a plan to bring Thaal to justice. Dr. Cheems helps Wraith Squadron forge jewels, grateful for their rescue 31 years earlier and because he is Scut's adoptive father. Voort has Trey disguise himself as Biolan/Thaal, and he and other Wraith members kidnap Ledina to frame Thaal, bringing her to a warehouse used for Thaal's criminal activities. Voort and Myri create chaos in X-wings to attract the military's attention, while the rest of the Wraiths perform their duties elsewhere on Kuratooine. Thaal arrives, tricked by Turman into believing he is part of a species with valuable jewels (Scut created the alien suit). The Wraiths use Thaal's genetic disguise against him, convincing the public he's wearing makeup to appear as he did before his transformation. Thaal is arrested, and the Wraiths leave the planet secretly, with Voort, now Piggy again, having enjoyed himself (as part of the trap, Voort danced to attract attention).
The novel concludes with Face's survival and his confrontation with General Borath Maddeus, head of Galactic Alliance Security. Face accuses Maddeus of being part of the Lecersen Conspiracy with Thaal, helping him escape prison after the events on Kuratooine. Face reveals that Maddeus hired him to reassemble Wraith Squadron to uncover Thaal's guilt as a cover. Face assembled two squadrons to mislead Maddeus. Maddeus is arrested, and Thaal is returned to prison. Face becomes the head of GAS, with Wraith Squadron now a secret, unofficial unit.
On page 152, it is mentioned that Piggy, while piloting a TIE/IN interceptor, raised its deflector shield's and later escaped using its hyperdrive. However, TIE interceptors typically do not have shields or a hyperdrive. Prior X-Wing books, however, do establish that Imperial officers or high ranking pilots could have interceptors fitted with shields and/or hyperdrives.
An error appears on page 156 during the 29 ABY chapter. The narration incorrectly states that Piggy cannot risk opening a comm channel to Bhindi Drayson due to the New Republic Intelligence Service's beliefs about the shapers' nest on Chashima. By this point, the New Republic had been replaced by the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances as the government-in-exile towards the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, and New Republic Intelligence was replaced by the Galactic Alliance Intelligence Service.
On the back cover, Thaal is incorrectly referred to as an "Imperial General," despite serving the Galactic Alliance at the time.
- ISBN 9780345530592 ; August 7 , 2012 ; Del Rey ; US hardcover [1]
- ISBN 9780345530592 ; 2012; Del Rey; US hardcover, Science Fiction Book Club edition (1360313) [6]
- ISBN 9780345534804 ; August 7, 2012; Del Rey; US eBook [2]
- ISBN 9780345511157 ; June 25 , 2013 ; Del Rey; US paperback [3]