X-Wing Rogue Squadron 9

X-Wing Rogue Squadron 9, also labeled as "Battleground: Tatooine, Chapter 1", is the ninth issue in the Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron series of comics. It was released on June 25, 1996 by Dark Horse Comics.
==Publisher's summary==
The crime and death caused by Jabba the Hutt is nothing compared to the chaos created in the wake of his demise! Jabba's legacy is a cache of stolen Imperial hardware and weapons, hidden somewhere on the desert world of Tatooine. Whoever finds the treasure will have enough firepower to rule the planet -- perhaps even the sector! And that means Rogue Squadron must find it first, or else find it aimed at their heads!
==Plot summary==
Wedge Antilles and Admiral Gial Ackbar view a stormtrooper's recording of an incident involving a man named Lirin Banolt. Taken on Tatooine shortly after the abduction of Princess Leia in 0 BBY, it shows the trooper assaulting Banolt for carrying extra I.D. cards. Despite Banolt's pleas that he is loyal to the Emperor and has ranking friends in the Empire, the trooper kills Banolt. Ackbar tells Antilles that Banolt used to pass himself as an Imperial agent, offering "exclusive deals" for bribes, after which he would disappear and continue the grift with a new name. Surprisingly, Banolt was found to own an Imperial Holonet transceiver, revealing that he perhaps did in fact have Imperial connections. Ackbar orders Antilles to take Rogue Squadron to Tatooine to investigate and meet their agent there, but warns him to be wary of the anarchy left after the death of Jabba the Hutt. Tycho Celchu suspects the agent is Winter, as Ackbar referred to the agent as "she". 
At Mos Eisley, Winter prepares for Rogue Squadron's arrival, planning to use Huff Darklighter's reception for the anniversary of his son Biggs' death as cover. The Rogues split up in the city to try and gather intel on the local gang wars under a low profile. As Antilles, Celchu and Elscol Loro land in their X-Wings to join the reception officially, a hooded spy informs Firith Olan of the Rogues' arrival. Scheming from Jabba's palace, the Twi'lek plans to strike that night. 
As Antilles and Loro ready themselves for the reception, Loro voices her dissatisfaction at having to socialize with Imperial sympathizers such as Huff Darklighter. Though Antilles sympathizes with her feelings, he pushes her to do what is needed for the mission. Celchu prepares to meet his date but is startled by Betsi, though Winter quickly arrives to claim Celchu, telling him to call her by an alias, "Windmere Wellen". 
Wes Janson, Dllr Nep, Hobbie Klivin and Plour Ilo attend a music performance at a bar. After a Gran annoys Plour, she starts and altercation and the Rogues leave. A Devaronian stops them on their way out to hire them for a job, ostensibly to encourage a client to pay back gambling debts. The Rogues accept for eight hundred credits, distrusting the man but resolving to play along until they uncover the true nature of the situation. 
At the Darklighters' reception, Huff ruminates over the Death Star trench run with Antilles, opining that his son Biggs was made a hero by staying in the fight while Antilles fled, despite Antilles being ordered away from the battle after his ship was damaged. While beholding a melting ice sculpture of Biggs, Celchu tells Winter how he was talking to his family on Alderaan over the Holonet when the planet was destroyed by the Empire, which was the moment that Celchu became a rebel. 
Raiders arrive at the reception, attacking everybody in sight. Winter and Celchu move to retrieve a valuable data disk locked in Darklighter's safe, as Winter had ordered the raiders as a diversion. Despite asserting that they were ordered to hurt no one, a deadly battle erupts. A group of Rodians steal the disk from Darklighter's safe, leading Winter to deduce that the attackers were not the raiders she hired. As Antilles, Loro, Celchu and Winter pursue the attackers, Darklighter surveys the wreckage, cursing Firith Olan's name. 
==Cover gallery==
File:Xwing9.jpg|Cover
File:XWRS9BT1-FC.jpg|Cover art
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Battleground: Tatooine (TPB)
*Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron Volume 2
*Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The New Republic Vol. 2
*Star Wars Legends: The New Republic Omnibus Vol. 1
==Notes and references==
==External links==
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