Pirate Squadron was the nickname given to the squadron of fighter pilots commanded by Jon Kaloris during the New Republic, who were most famous for destroying a marauding band of Star Destroyers 9 years after the Battle of Yavin. Their official designation was "Iota squadron". The Squadron was headquartered on Coruscant, but spent most of their time patrolling Yavin 4 and the Intergalactic shipping lanes.
History[]
Formation of the squadron[]
The squadron's founder, Jon Kaloris had already made a name for himself aboard his ship the Stroke of Luck. But when he decided to form a group of fighter pilots to protect the New Republic, he again piloted an X-Wing starfighter.
The Squadron Gains Notoriety[]
During the early days of the New Republic, the squadron saw action mopping up pockets of the Imperial Navy. They began a streak of Star Destroyer kills and ended up destroying nine in one streak. Of course, after this feat, the story became that they destroyed nine in one battle. However, the squadron did little to squelch the rumor, as it added a bit of an intimidation factor to their actions.
The Thrawn Years[]
After Grand Admiral Thrawn had taken over the Imperial Navy nine years after the battle of Yavin, the Pirate squadron was again called on to aid the New Republic. In conjunction with Rouge Squadron, and other famous groups of the time, the Pirates chocked up victories across the Galaxy. However, even they were not enough to halt the advance of Thrawn, and were ultimately forced into the same fate as most other squadrons, watching Thrawn systematically defeat the New Republic.
The End of Thrawn[]
With Thrawn defeated at the hand of his Noghri assassin, a time of relative peace descended upon the Galaxy, the squadron disbanded. The pilots went their separate ways, many joining other fighter groups aboard ships in the fleet. Commander Kaloris went on a tour of the Galaxy with is long lost brother.
It seemed the services of fighter squadrons were no longer needed. But that was about to change.
The Yuuzhan Vong Invasion[]
Twenty-five years after the battle of Yavin, a new aggressor began their path of destruction. The Yuuzhan Vong, extragalactic conquerors, began to sweep through the systems of the Republic. As this happened, squadrons across the Fleet were reactivated, including Pirate Squadron. They saw action at the battle of Ithor, Dantooine, and other planets throughout the galaxy. When Dantooine was decimated, however, Jon Kaloris left the squadron for a time to see to the relief efforts, as his home planet and his family's homestead was located there.
After the Yuuzhan Vong[]
Once the Yuuzhan Vong had been defeated, the squadron again disbanded, this time for good. All of the pilots went separate ways, keeping in touch throughout the years, but never again reforming the legendary group.