| abstract | - The Black Stars, officially known as the 1st Special Operations Squadron, was an elite unit of the Imperial Starfighter Corps. Formed by Danik Kreldin, the unit was intended to be an all-purpose commando unit capable of performing a wide variety of missions, ranging from rescue operations, interdiction, sabotage, and frontal assaults. The unit received the blessings of Vorn Paro, then operational head of COMPNOR, and was approved by Kendal Osbourne. The unit, which would consist of only five pilots, was offered five TIE Interceptor Mark 2s and the HIMS Admiral Canis to serve as their commandship. Kreldin then handpicked the four other pilots to serve with him: his long-time friend and comrade, Fianar Reanus, Gorian Ingsa, Jermaine Kerexis, and Tynan Aileron. As a perk, the unit was granted semi-autonomy from the mainstream military - they were free to execute missions on their own accord as long as it did not interfere with the plans of High Command. In addition, the unit would also perform duties for COMPNOR and Imperial Intelligence at their behest. While many in High Command had their doubts about the effectiveness of such a unit, their concerns would be quieted within just a few months as the Black Stars performed above and beyond anyone's expectations. Within days of their formation, the Black Stars probed the outskirts of the True Empire's territory some weeks before the Venixun Campaign; there, they engaged a moderate-sized patrol force of the True Imperial Fleet, besting each and every pilot that they encountered and forcing the traitorous Imperials into a rout. Later, the Black Stars would be assigned a special mission by Paro to assault the RMS Daedilus, a New Republic shipping frigate. The unit performed admirably, disabling the frigate and boarding it with a complement of Stormtroopers. Meanwhile, they earned the ire of the Republic itself; constant harassment of shipping lines and supply stations, and the routing of some of the best units in the Republic, forced the Republic to respond. They hired the help of Axel Vichten to assemble a squadron for the distinct purpose of hunting down and defeating the Black Stars, who had gained a reputation of invincibility. Vichten himself had fought the Black Stars at the Battle of Kappa, earning a personal rivarly between him and the unit's commander, Kreldin. The unit's image had exploded and had grown too difficult for High Command to control. Although the unit had thus far managed to survive and win every single engagement, High Command feared that the Republic's growing efforts to destroy the unit would eventually prove successful and thus mark a huge morale blow to the Empire. Osbourne was left with no choice but to disband the unit and reinsert them into the regular military. Shortly before the outbreak of the War of the Throne, the unit would be revived by Kreldin, reintroducing three new pilots after the retirements of Fianar, Gorian, and Jermaine. This revitalized unit would last only for a short time - the Civil War would splinter the Empire, and most of the pilots in the Black Stars would eventually move on to participate in the Neo-Imperial Movement. The Black Stars have yet to make a return to the Empire as a squadron, though continues to live on in the annals of space combat history, its pilots now legendary. It is true that not a single Black Star pilot was shot down in combat, nor that they ever lost an engagement. The Battle Hymn of the Black Stars became a famous military hymn shortly after the dismantling of the Black Stars Squadron; the hymn was in commenoration of the famous Imperial squadron, and spread through Imperial space rather quickly. In 18 ABY, the Black Stars were reformed by Danik Kreldin as part of the Imperial Loyalists - its original members were brought back together to fight the war against the Emperor. The original members of the Black Stars were:
* Danik Kreldin (Black Star I)
* Fianar Reanus (Black Star II)
* Tynan Aileron (Black Star III)
* Gorian Ingsa (Black Star IV)
* Jermaine Kerexis (Black Star V) The second formation of the Black Stars squadron consisted of the following members:
* Danik Kreldin (Black Star I)
* Tynan Aileron (Black Star II)
* Grymm Selcan (Black Star III)
* Mark Avery (Black Star IV)
* Drek Mandir for Black Star V The third formation of the Black Stars: Same as the first formation, with Mark Avery, Darenak Alesis and Stark Kaempfer added to the roster.
- The Black Stars, officially known as the 1st Special Operations Squadron, was an elite unit of the Imperial Starfighter Corps. Formed by Danik Kreldin, the unit was intended to be an all-purpose commando unit capable of performing a wide variety of missions, ranging from rescue operations, interdiction, sabotage, and frontal assaults. The unit received the blessings of Vorn Paro, then operational head of COMPNOR, and was approved by Kendal Osbourne. The unit, which would consist of only five pilots, was offered five TIE Interceptor Mark 2s and the HIMS Admiral Canis to serve as their commandship. Kreldin then handpicked the four other pilots to serve with him: his long-time friend and comrade, Fianar Reanus, Gorian Ingsa, Jermaine Kerexis, and Tynan Aileron. As a perk, the unit was granted semi-autonomy from the mainstream military - they were free to execute missions on their own accord as long as it did not interfere with the plans of High Command. In addition, the unit would also perform duties for COMPNOR and Imperial Intelligence at their behest. While many in High Command had their doubts about the effectiveness of such a unit, their concerns would be quieted within just a few months as the Black Stars performed above and beyond anyone's expectations. Within days of their formation, the Black Stars probed the outskirts of the True Empire's territory some weeks before the Athaniss Campaign; there, they engaged a moderate-sized patrol force of the True Imperial Fleet, besting each and every pilot that they encountered and forcing the traitorous Imperials into a rout. Later, the Black Stars would be assigned a special mission by Paro to assault the RMS Daedilus, a New Republic shipping frigate. The unit performed admirably, disabling the frigate and boarding it with a complement of Stormtroopers. Meanwhile, they earned the ire of the Republic itself; constant harassment of shipping lines and supply stations, and the routing of some of the best units in the Republic, forced the Republic to respond. They hired the help of Axel Vichten to assemble a squadron for the distinct purpose of hunting down and defeating the Black Stars, who had gained a reputation of invincibility. Vichten himself had fought the Black Stars at the Battle of Kappa, earning a personal rivarly between him and the unit's commander, Kreldin. The unit's image had exploded and had grown too difficult for High Command to control. Although the unit had thus far managed to survive and win every single engagement, High Command feared that the Republic's growing efforts to destroy the unit would eventually prove successful and thus mark a huge morale blow to the Empire. Osbourne was left with no choice but to disband the unit and reinsert them into the regular military. Shortly before the outbreak of the War of the Throne, the unit would be revived by Kreldin, reintroducing three new pilots after the retirements of Fianar, Gorian, and Jermaine. This revitalized unit would last only for a short time - the Civil War would splinter the Empire, and most of the pilots in the Black Stars would eventually move on to participate in the Neo-Imperial Movement. The Black Stars have yet to make a return to the Empire as a squadron, though continues to live on in the annals of space combat history, its pilots now legendary. It is true that not a single Black Star pilot was shot down in combat, nor that they ever lost an engagement. The Battle Hymn of the Black Stars became a famous military hymn shortly after the dismantling of the Black Stars Squadron; the hymn was in commenoration of the famous Imperial squadron, and spread through Imperial space rather quickly. The original members of the Black Stars were:
* Danik Kreldin (Black Star I)
* Fianar Reanus (Black Star II)
* Tynan Aileron (Black Star III)
* Gorian Ingsa (Black Star IV)
* Jermaine Kerexis (Black Star V) Following the retirement of Jermaine Kerexis, Darenak Alesis was brought in to replace him. The second formation of the Black Stars squadron consisted of the following members:
* Danik Kreldin (Black Star I)
* Tynan Aileron (Black Star II)
* Grymm Selcan (Black Star III)
* Mark Avery (Black Star IV)
* Drek Mandir for Black Star V
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