X - Wing : Starfighters of Adumar X - wing : Starfighters of Adumar is the ninth installment in the " X - Wing " series of novels , published in 1999 by Bantam Spectra , written by Aaron Allston . Narration for the audio version was performed by Anthony Heald . Publisher ' s summary . The X - wing fighter pilots have earned their reputation as the Rebel Alliance ' s ultimate strike force by overwhelming enemies with their rapid - fire assaults . But now they are about to embark on a diplomatic mission that will prove to be even more hazardous than all - out combat . . . " The neutral world of Adumar has decided to pick a side in the war to control the galaxy . Delegates from both the New Republic and the Empire have been invited to Adumar , and each camp will be given a chance to plead its government ' s case . But there is one small catch : since the Adumari prize military skill above all else , they insist that both delegations be composed exclusively of fighter pilots . For pilot Wedge Antilles and his company , it ' s an unfamiliar exercise in diplomacy - and one that ' s filled with unexpected peril . For once they arrive , the X - wing pilots are challenged by Adumar ' s fierce warriors and attacked by Imperial assassins bent on eliminating all competition . But these challenges pale in comparison to the threat posed by a rogue Republic agent . . . one who is determined to win Adumar ' s allegiance once and for all - even if it costs the X - wing pilots their lives . " Plot Summary . The planet Adumar is an anomaly , settled by anonymous colonists during the early years of the Old Republic and isolated for centuries before being rediscovered . Because the Adumari hold starfighter pilots in the highest regard , Wedge Antilles , the New Republic ' s best pilot , is dispatched as a diplomat , taking with him Tycho Celchu , Derek " Hobbie " Klivian and Wes Janson . They are aided by native guide and blastsword fighting champion Cheriss ke Hanadi , New Republic diplomat and former Y - wing pilot Tomer Darpen , and New Republic documentarian Hallis Saper , who wears the head of a 3PO droid as a camera . Wedge assumes that he will somehow hammer out a treaty and bring the planet of Adumar into the New Republic , but it becomes quickly apparent that all is not as it seems . First , the Empire ' s best pilot , Turr Phennir is also on Adumar , and like Wedge is accompanied by three other pilots . Second , Adumar is not a united planet , and Wedge is only talking to its largest nation , Cartann . Third , the people of Cartan seem to like nothing better than killing others for bragging rights , and Wedge is expected to participate in this . Fourth , Iella Wessiri is on Adumar as a New Republic Intelligence operative and has been so for the past six months , although Adumar was supposedly discovered only a few weeks before . Wedge must somehow make his way through Adumar ' s bizarre culture while not offending his or their sensibilities , bring Adumar into the New Republic , and maybe try to get the girl as well . Red Squadron spends its time learning to fly the native Blade - 32 fighters , absorbing Adumari ( or at least Cartannese ) culture , and contemplating their largest diplomatic problem : the fact that Adumar is not united under a world government , and cannot enter the New Republic . The Empire , on the other hand , would have absolutely no problem simply conquering it and imposing a government . Thus , Wedge is delighted when Cartann ' s leader , Perator Pekaelic ke Teldan , announces the formation of a world government . Unfortunately , Pekaelic intends to create it via conquest . He also wants the Empire ' s and New Republic ' s diplomats to assist in the war effort . Phennir agrees , but Wedge , unwilling to compromise the New Republic ' s ideals , refuses . Between this and Darpen ' s willingness to sacrifice Wedge to preserve relations with Cartann , Wedge and his wingmen are forced to run " the gauntlet " , braving mobs of citizens and pilots eager to kill them for honor , in order to escape with their lives . Wedge and his wingmen , as well as Iella , Cheriss and Hallis , flee to the capital of the Yedagon Confederacy , one of the few nations that continues to resist Cartan ' s domination . There , Wedge is presented with a proposal : to lead the combined might of the " rebellious " nations in a military effort to overthrow Cartannese imperialism . Several nations that had previously bowed to Cartann defect to the newly - formed " Adumari Union " on the strength of Wedge ' s reputation , and Wedge ultimately leads an air force only half as strong as Cartann ' s , but far better led and disciplined . After an indecisive air battle , Red Squadron ( with Cheriss ' s help ) are able to reclaim their X - wing s and neutralize Phennir and his TIE interceptor ; the tide thus turned , Cartann is defeated and joins the Adumari Union . Negotiations with the New Republic begin immediately . The Imperials , bitter over their loss , send a fleet to take Adumar by force , but a combined New Republic and Adumari fleet manages to repel them . With the conflict on Adumar over , Wedge and Iella spend a romantic moment with each other , putting a positive note on their future relationship . Behind the scenes . In one scene Hobbie says : " Everyone calls me Hobbie . And I ' ll get back to you on my last name . Lots of people misspell it . " This may be an allusion made by Allston to the fact that throughout the " X - Wing " comic , Hobbie ' s name was incorrectly spelled " Klivan " . In the Hand of Thrawn duology , Wedge was implied to be married to Iella Wessiri , whereas in other novels ( most often the ones penned by Kevin J . Anderson ) he was paired with Qwi Xux . This novel neatly resolves that apparent contradiction , beginning with Wedge and Qwi ' s breakup and ending with Wedge and Iella ' s engagement . The novel is celebrated in the " Star Wars " fandom for author Aaron Allston ' s use of humor , which is frequent and often genuinely funny . Allston often characterizes the four pilots through their joking styles : Tycho with occasional and devastating one - liners , Hobbie with pessimistic backtalk , Janson with constant irreverences , and Wedge as the smirking straight man . The book is also noteworthy for being the final Star Wars book released under the Bantam label ; the license to publish Star Wars fiction was transferred to Del Rey shortly following its release . Adumarian society may also be a reference to George Lucas ' film " THX 1138 " , as it is a highly rigid society with droves of poor and oppressed living underground , often never seeing daylight . Also , like the title character ' s job as a nuclear munitions worker in THX 1138 , Adumar ' s primary industry is munitions , manufactured in underground factories . Cover gallery . This is a gallery of the different cover variations of " X - wing : Starfighters of Adumar " .