Nez Rennoc

> "*If you can't steal it, blow it up.*"
> ― Nez Rennoc to Betseedan Resistance Forces soldiers
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## **Overview**

**Nez Rennoc** was a former Alliance trooper that eventually rose to command the Betseedan Resistance Forces during the campaign to liberate his homeworld of Betseeda Prime. Rennoc was one of the few troopers to survive the Battle of Scarif having escaped the surface in a stolen Imperial ship only moments before the Death Star fired upon the planet. He returned to Betseeda Prime immediately following the battle and offered his services to the fledgling BRF, which at the time was under the command of former Senator, Madeline Gren.

He continued to fight with the BRF under the command of Hooper Croix and eventually took command of the group following the Siege of Tazion. He continued to lead the BRF through the remainder of the liberation campaign and helped usher in a defense force capable of protecting Betseeda Prime and his people.

Hailed a hero by both his own people and Arrow Squadron, Rennoc was a crucial ally and friend.

## **Biography**

### **Early Life and Joining the Rebellion**

Rennoc was raised in a small industrial town on the outskirts of Tazion. His parents divorced when he was young and he spent the majority of his childhood with his mother. As a teen, he grew rebellious and ran into some trouble with the local authorities. While nothing serious came of the charges, he brief encounters gave him a lifelong distrust of authoritarian figures.

When the Empire occupied the Betseeda System in 4 BBY, Rennoc and a number of his friends left their world and joined one of the many small rebel cells that were forming around the galaxy. Although never envisioning himself as a soldier, having a stocky build and a distrust for order and rank, he proved to be a natural. Especially talented with a blaster rifle, Rennoc fought in a number of battles and skirmishes.

### **Battle of Scarif**

> "*For Jedha!!!*"
> ― Nez Rennoc during the Battle of Scarif
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Eventually, he was assigned to the primary Rebel Base on Yavin 4. While stationed here, he briefly crossed paths with Captain Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso. When the Rebel fleet jumped into the Battle of Scarif, Rennoc and his squadron were ferried via Blue Squadron's U-wings to the surface of Scarif. Rennoc and his fellow soldiers rushed onto the beaches and joined the ongoing assault, attempting to buy Andor and Erso time to steal the Death Star plans.

The battle was violent and the largest Rennoc had ever fought. Eventually, the tide turned in the Empire's favor; what few Alliance soldiers remained were being picked off one by one and the Death Star was moving into position high above the planet. In later years, Rennoc would state that the ground fighting didn't scare him nearly as much as seeing the massive battle station move into position.

Along with two other surviving troopers, Rennoc managed to steal a small Imperial cargo ship that had been abandoned during the confusion of battle. One of the other soldiers had been a civilian pilot and, with only moments to spare, they escaped from the surface of Scarif. Their tiny ship shuttered and shook violent and Nez believed that this would be his end.

However, the craft and those aboard survived the battle, evaded the Imperial ships above Scarif and returned to the base at Yavin.

### **Return to Betseeda Prime**

Rennoc left the Alliance, even without an official discharge, and returned to his homeworld. While he knew the mission to Scarif was critical, he believed that his life was best served fighting for his people. His experience as a soldier made him a crucial ally to the exiled Senator Madeline Gren.

For nearly four years, the Empire had occupied their homeworld and Gren had been worked in the shadows to assemble an army. Most of her recruits were raw and had no combat experience. Rennoc was one of the few with a notches in his belt. He took to training the new recruits in secret locations across the system. He also took to founding small cells, especially in locations that were highly loyal to the Empire like the planet of Myyribod. He continued this work even after the arrival of Alliance reinforcements in the form of Arrow Squadron.

### **Partnership**

Rennoc, along with his direct supervisor Colonel Hooper Croix, were quick to see the strengths Arrow Squadron brought to the table. However, Gren was unconvinced and skeptical. She was not a military commander and privately, Rennoc disagreed with many of her decisions. However, a partnership was eventually forged between Gren and Lieutenant Tolamael Benere, the leader of Arrow Squadron. In a jointly planned attack, the BRF and Arrows scored a surprise victory against the occupying Imperial forces at the First Battle of Betseeda Prime.

During the battle, Rennoc fought in the main BRF column which helped capture several key points within the city of Tazion. He personally led the raid against the Imperial barracks and destroyed several key targets. Rennoc felt a sense of purpose fighting for his people and fought with great tenacity. However, Senator Gren was killed in the attack and command of the BRF fell to his close friend, Colonel Croix. With his promotion to leader of the BRF, he named Nez his top deputy.

### **Continued Assault**

Rennoc, as the number two commander of the BRF, continued to train and expand the fighting capabilities of the BRF. While Colonel Croix served as the primary point of contact between the BRF and Arrow Squadron, Rennoc conducted several missions to other planets within the system to either capture and secure supplies or to train new recruits.

During one such mission on Myyribod, Rennoc encountered Arrow Squadron member Vid Paratool. The pilot was long thought to have been killed at the Battle of Myyribod, but in reality, he had survived a crash landing and had been on the run from Imperial forces. Despite firing on the pilot initially as he was unsure of who he was, Rennoc realized who the Twi'lek was and quick sought to help him return to his unit.

Myyribod was a war zone, however, and for nearly a month, Paratool remained with Rennoc and his partisans on the surface, fighting alongside the BRF in their resistance campaign. Eventually, Rennoc was able to secure safe passage for himself and the Twi'lek and they returned to Betseeda Prime, much to the shock and joy of his squadron mates. The Arrows were especially thankful for Rennoc's bravery in returning their lost friend.

Rennoc was instrumental in the pivotal Siege of Tazion. Alongside Colonel Croix, the two men helped develop a plan to break the Imperial bombardment of their homeworld. In a daring raid, several BRF commandos and Arrow Squadron pilots were able to successfully infiltrate the Star Destroyer Salient and caused massive damage. The plan called for the commandos to disable or damage the Salient enough to force it into a retreat. Meanwhile, the remaining Arrows, on their last reserves of fuel, would attack both the Salient and the Venom.

The plan was a success as the Salient was severely crippled and forced to retreat from its siege. The attack had come at a high cost as several of the BRF's best commandos, including Colonel Croix, were killed in the attack. Nez had been with his friend until the very end when the Colonel had ordered him to help the others survivors safely escape the ship.

The death of Hooper Croix was a particularly tough blow for both Rennoc and the BRF. Command of the group passed to the young man who, for the first time in his life, was entirely unsure of what to do next. After speaking with the leaders of Arrow Squadron, Rennoc continued with the mission and worked to expand the profile of the BRF.

### **Final Days of the Campaign**

> "*What's the point if we can't punch back? We need star fighters and lots of them.*"
> ― **Nez Rennoc** to Kostan Stodl
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One of Rennoc's major improvements to the BRF was the implementation of a small fighter pilot squadron. Seeing the benefits of air support and the ability to defend oneself from above, Rennoc had worked with Arrow Squadron members Idolon Jdre and Kostan Stodl, to train and outfit a dozen or so fighters. Mostly made of out older, outdated models, Rennoc hoped the force would be able to blossom into a larger air corp as time went on.

His fighters were critical in the small Second Battle of Betseeda Prime and helped protect valuable mining resources on Betseeda Prime. This success helped prove the worth of the group and Arrow Squadron worked with the Alliance to secure newer ships for the BRF pilots.

Following the final battle of the campaign, the Battle of Jonquil Station, Rennoc realized that while the Imperials had been pushed from the Betseeda System, the war wasn't over. The constant threat of another Imperial occupation was always in his mind. Together with members of the Betseedan government, Rennoc worked to make the BRF a standing army, capable of defending itself.

During the celebratory feast just prior to the Arrow's departing the system for their next assignment, Rennoc offered some congratulatory words for his partners:

> "*Betseedan history is forever changed by the sacrifices of these pilots, men and women from systems across the galaxy, some of whom had never even heard of the Betseeda System. Yet they answered the call. They came here to fight for us, and in some cases, they paid the ultimate price.*
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> We as Betseedans must honor their sacrifice. We must stand up for ourselves and vow to never again be oppressed. We must be free people. Not only that, we must work to ensure that all people are free, that we throw off the yoke of this Empire and restore justice to the galaxy.*"*
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> ― **Nez Rennoc**
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## Legacy

Rennoc continued to lead the BRF throughout the remainder of the Galactic Civil War and after. Considered one of Betseeda Prime's most important citizens, he was wildly respected and revered. His contributions to the Rebel Alliance were not forgotten. Eventually in 12 ABY, a New Republic Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, the *Rennoc*, was commissioned in his honor