Palal Seedia, who was nicknamed "Blink" by New Republic pilots and went by Caulra Spring while undercover, was a human female who served as a TIE fighter pilot, eventually at the rank of lieutenant, in the Galactic Empire's 204th Imperial Fighter Wing. She took part in the "cleansing" of the planet Nacronis. Among two TIE/ln space superiority starfighter squadrons aboard the Quasar Fire-class cruiser Aerie, Seedia hunted the New Republic EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Hellion's Dare and its two escort squadrons through the Oridol Cluster, being given the nickname "Blink" by the New Republic pilots due to having only one functioning laser cannon.

When both the Aerie and Dare were damaged, both forces enclosed their vessels. When the RZ-1 A-wing interceptor pilot Wyl Lark reached out to the Imperial pilots, Seedia spoke to him, eventually mocking him. The Aerie's TIEs attacked and destroyed the Hellion's Dare shortly after, with Lark and another pilot escaping. The Aerie and its pilots returned to the 204th's base of operations at the planet Pandem Nai. However, the New Republic's Alphabet Squadron, which Lark had since joined, attacked the 204th there. Seedia persistantly pursued Lark, but the A-wing pilot convinced the TIEs of the 204th to assist him in quelling the firestorm that was threatening the planet. Seedia and the other TIE pilots helped do this, and the surviving ones then escaped on the Aerie.

Around 5 ABY, Seedia led her own flight during an operation at the planet Jarbanov. There, she irradiated the colony on Jarbanov, and defended her actions to Major Soran Keize in a meeting after. The lieutenant also assisted in the recapturing of the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Edict. She later attended a meeting where Keize proposed attacking the New Republic forces from Pandem Nai at the Cerberon system. After the proposal was approved, Seedia took part in training exercises and, during a briefing, brought forth an idea regarding Wyl Lark.

When the 204th arrived at the Cerberon system, Seedia helped in a diversion above the planet Catadra led by Keize. Her TIE was damaged, and she was then rescued by the Children of the Empty Sun, a cult residing in the system. When the Cultists tended to her injuries in their palace, she brought the attention of Chass na Chadic, a New Republic pilot. Chadic and Seedia had a number of confrontations, leading to each agreeing to help one another find a starship off of Catadra. After meeting more, they formulate a plan and Chadic stole access codes. Seedia and her ally accessed the ship area, but the lieutenant betrayed her accomplice, and fled.

Seedia infiltrated the New Republic's forces shortly thereafter, posing as a ground crewmember named Caulra Spring aboard the refitted Star Destroyer Deliverance. She worked as a mole for the 204th, feeding them information and helping facilitate a sabotage droid attack. "Spring" also crossed paths with Captain Nath Tensent when he searched for Chadic on the vessel. During the Battle of Jakku, she plotted to plant a bomb to some subgenerators but was discovered by Lark while she was at work. The lieutenant attacked the suspicious A-wing pilot, lamenting her fallen comrades in the Empire to him and dealing blows to her adversary. Seedia continued to be pursued by Lark until she accepted her end and took her life with the bomb.

Biography[]

Early service[]

Early into her life, Palal Seedia grew up as her father's heir,^[4] promising him that she would take care of the family's estate and pass it onto her children. However, she instead left her twin sister in charge. Seedia spent a year in the astronomy department of the Institute for Quantitative Studies at^[3] the gas giant^[5] Bothawui. During the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, Seedia served as a TIE fighter pilot in the Empire's 204th Imperial Fighter Wing.^[3]

During the Battle of Endor^[6] in 4 ABY,^[5] the Empire suffered a crippling blow with the death of Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer, Darth Vader. As a result, a contingency plan began, including the initiation of the genocidal Operation: Cinder. Two weeks after Endor, the 204th received orders to eliminate all life on the planet Nacronis as part of Cinder.^[6] Seedia took part in the subsequent genocide.^[3]

Pursuing the Hellion's Dare[]

Chase through the Oridol Cluster[]

The Empire's forces became splintered after the Battle of Endor, with the 204th establishing itself a new base of operations in the Pandem Nai system after receiving no further orders from the higher echelons of the Empire. Around a month after Nacronis, Seedia, stationed aboard the Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier Aerie, was among two squadrons of TIE/ln space superiority starfighters which pursued the New Republic EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Hellion's Dare and Riot Squadron and Hound Squadron—two squadrons which escorted the frigate. The mission came as part of an operation conducted by Colonel Shakara Nuress, the 204th's commanding officer, assure that the secrecy of the fighter wing's new base of operations was maintained.^[6]

Led by Lieutenant Preartes, the Aerie and its TIEs, numbering thirty-two, drove the Hellion's Dare and the frigates escort squadrons out of the Jiruus system. The 204th forces then continued to pursue the New Republic forces through the Oridol Cluster, picking off New Republic starfighters along the way and using the jump coordinates in their fighters wreckage to track the rest of the enemy. During one of the skirmishes, Seedia's TIE took a glancing hit from an enemy RZ-1 A-wing interceptor, sending the pilot spinning away. Her TIE was left with only one functioning laser cannon as a result, leading the New Republic pilots to nickname her "Blink."^[6]

Talking with the enemy[]

During one of the engagements, both the Aerie and the Hellion's Dare took damages that prevented each from jumping to hyperspace. As a result, the TIEs of the 204th, Seedia's included, surrounded the Imperial cruiser-carrier in a blockade while repairs were made. The Dare was also being repaired thousands of kilometers from the Aerie being orbited by its remaining complement. Three hours in, the A-wing pilot Wyl Lark tuned into an open frequency used by the TIE pilots and introduced himself, offering to talk with them before being cut off by his own comrades.^[6]

Seedia, having listened to Lark, asked his name over the channel an hour later. Lark confirmed his presence, and the TIE pilot inquired on what fighter he flew and its identifying markings. The A-wing pilot mentioned partially colliding with a TIE a few days prior and Seedia mentioned only having one working cannon. She then asked Lark if he had heard the myths about the Oridol Cluster, the latter denying that he had. The TIE pilot then told a story about how the people of the Tangrada-Nii culture believed the cluster was the face of a god, going on to explain that their descendants, the Tagra-Tel, explored the Oridol Cluster and came to think that it was alive after they experienced hallucinations.^[6]

After Lark called the myth beautiful, Seedia claimed the A-wing pilot would rot in the Oridol Cluster, telling him that the Oridol god was testing the New Republic forces. She then told Lark that he could believe the TIE pilot's voice was the clusters voice speaking, but was cut off by a ten second jammer burst from one of Lark's comrades. Seedia stopped speaking, and the 204th pilots began broadcasting Imperial marches and propaganda lectures after. When the Aerie was eventually repaired, the TIEs attacked the Hellion's Dare and its escort again. The remaining New Republic pilots were picked off one by one until the final two, Lark and the B-wing pilot Chass na Chadic, fled into hyperspace as the Dare was destroyed.^[6]

Fire above Pandem Nai[]

New Republic assault[]

The Aerie and its TIE complement returned to the 204th's base of operations at the Tibanna gas mining stations above the planet Pandem Nai in the Pandem Nai system. Seedia was eventually able to fly with two working laser cannons again. Meanwhile, Lark and Chadic brought reconnaissance information from the Hellion's Dare back a New Republic Intelligence working group, a squadron which eventually became known as Alphabet Squadron, confirming the 204th's presence at Pandem Nai. Lark and Chadic joined the working group, the former coming to think about "Blink" on numerous occasions.^[6]

Alphabet Squadron soon launched an attack on the 204th at Pandem Nai, backed by a battle group led by General Hera Syndulla. While the squadron successfully trapped many TIEs inside the orbital stations by bombing the hangar doors, Seedia and other already launched TIEs engaged the New Republic fighters. She and another TIE pilot, who Lark called "Char," recognized and pursued Lark's A-wing, Seedia following closest to Lark and firing many shots at his fighter. Lark then lured her into the sights of an Alphabet Squadron BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber, which attempted to eliminate the TIE pilot but missed. As Seedia continued to pursue, Chadic then intervened by detonating a Tibanna gas pod on the main mining station, Orbital One. The explosion scattered the TIE pilots.^[6]

Putting out flames[]

Orbital One's reactor's soon detonated from sabotage by a smuggled New Republic strike team. This led to more Tibanna pods exploding in a chain reaction. Seedia and Char pursued Lark as he attempted to flee the detonations, firing at his A-wing to try and force him to veer towards the burning Tibanna clouds of Pandem Nai. The pair were temporarily separated from Lark, but they soon caught up again when the New Republic pilot was detaching Tibanna pods, attacking Lark's A-wing. Lark, though, called out to all frequencies that they must stop fighting and help quell the firestorm, claiming that Pandem Nai was at risk.^[6]

Seedia, Char and other TIEs agreed with the A-wing pilot and assisted him in detaching more pods to prevent the spread of the firestorm. As the Imperial fighters did this, the surviving TIEs withdrew to the Aerie, which fled the system. The fighter wing had ultimately taken many losses, including Nuress.^[6] After, Major Soran Keize took charge of the 204th and Seedia was transferred to be second-in-command the fighter wing's Squadron Four, which was led by Captain Jothal Gablerone, to make up for the death of the pilot Draige.^[3]

Supply operations[]

Attack on Jarbanov[]

Around 5 ABY,^[7] the 204th traveled to the planet Jarbanov, where a colony was supplying the New Republic. Squadron Four was tasked with attacking the colony while the Aerie collected the wreckage of TIE fighters in the planets junk rings. During the planning of the operation, Keize advised the pilots against targeting the hazard vaults at the outskirts of the colony. Seedia led her own flight, which attacked the colony's primary processing plant. When defending patrol craft intervened, the lieutenant called over her comm as one of the enemy craft crashed into a garbage silo.^[3]

As more patrol craft pursued Squadron Four, the TIEs shook their pursuers before rising from the surface. Seedia, though, strayed away from her squadron and attacked some hazard vaults, breaching them. With the entire colony at risk of radiation, Keize suggested that Seedia stayed in her TIE cockpit until the fighter was completely cleansed of radioactivity. A New Republic corvette attempted to intercept Squadron Four above Jarbanov, but the TIEs evaded the vessel and rendezvoused with the Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier Allegiance at the far side of Jarbanov's moon to escape into hyperspace.^[3]

Mission postmortem[]

After, Keize held a meeting with the 204th's squadron commanders and the commanders of the Aerie and Allegiance. The attendees discussed the actions at Jarbanov, and Seedia was called into the room to speak for her flight's actions. Keize allowed the lieutenant and Gablerone to lead the discussions on the Jarbanov operation. Seedia defended her flight's actions and argued that logical worries could lead to errors. Keize agreed with her that these limitations were not needed for low-risk situations.^[3]

Fifteen minutes into the discussions, Keize asked Seedia about her decision to attack the hazard vaults, which he called unnecessary. Seedia compared this to the New Republic setting Pandem Nai's gas clouds on fire, which she saw as also unnecessary, but the major reminded her that the attack on Pandem Nai was not their concern at that time. As the meeting continued, she defended the actions of her flight and argued that logistical worries led to fatal errors. Once the meeting's attendees finished dissecting the details of the events at Jarbanov, Seedia was dismissed from the room.^[3]

Recovery of the Edict[]

The 204th soon traveled to the Pormthulis system, where the immobile^[3] Imperial II-class Star Destroyer^[8] Edict was guarded by New Republic forces. While the 204th's Squadron Five pursued the enemy escorts, Squadron Four and Squadron Two made flybys, and Seedia reported a light go dark in section fourteen of the Edict. Keize, who had landed inside the Star Destroyer, traveled to the sector of the vessel.^[3]

While the major investigated area, he contacted Seedia, asking whether she could pinpoint where the activity was in section fourteen. The lieutenant could not, and offered to make another pass. Keize told her not to and ordered her to open fire if he cut contact abruptly. Seedia acknowledged his orders, and Keize found a number of surviving Imperial crew. With the New Republic escort having been defeated, the Edict was restored to flying ability by scrapping the Allegiance.^[3]

Attack on Cerberon[]

Keize's proposal[]

Later on, the 204th's Squadrons Two, Three and Four attacked a supply outpost which was aiding the New Republic. The squadrons breached the outpost, suffocating the inhabitants and allowing the cargo to be sucked out by the vacuum and received by the Edict. Six hours later, Keize held another conference with the squadron commanders and the senior staff of the Aerie and Edict at the conference table aboard the Edict. Seedia was invited by the major, who anticipated her challenging him. In the conference, Keize proposed an intervention in the Cerberon system, where the Empire was rapidly losing to Hera Syndulla's battle group, including Alphabet Squadron. As he quoted reports on the astronomy of the system, Seedia told him of her year in the Institute for Quantitative Studies and the major promised to give her access to the data.^[3]

Keize continued, detailing an idea to approach the planet Troithe in the Cerberon system on an asteroid and launching a surprise attack before the enemy could sound alarms and raise shields. The major then revealed the fact that Syndulla's forces were leading the invasion of Troithe, leading to a debate between the meeting attendees. Seedia remained silent and observed the other officers in the room, but soon interjected, stating that bringing Syndulla's head home was the honorable thing to do. Keize subsequently promised to lead the 204th in doing this, and his decision to go to the Cerberon system was ultimately accepted by the officers in the conference.^[3]

Battle preparations[]

With the plan approved, Keize ran exercises in preparation, which Seedia took part in. During the training, the pilots were given false sensor readings to assess their reactions. Seedia responded non-aggressively to this, which the major noted. Keize then began a new exercise where he was the target. Within the next few days, he also discussed the reaction exercise with the squadron commanders so that they would advise their pilots accordingly.^[3]

Keize later briefed the entire 204th, Seedia included, on the battle scenarios for the Cerberon system and the tactics of Syndulla and her forces. The major then covered some of the notable individuals and units under the New Republic general, including Wyl Lark and Alphabet Squadron, noting the A-wing pilot's actions at the Oridol Cluster and Pandem Nai. Seedia, having met Lark, interjected, wishing to propose an idea involving the A-wing pilot. Keize was later field promoted to colonel.^[3]

The diversion[]

The 204th traveled to the Cerberon system to begin their attack. Keize chose Seedia and Lieutenant Vann Bragheer beforehand to join him and his squadron of TIE drones. When the colonel told the pair that they may die in their mission, only Seedia hesitated, but did not question him. Keize checked with the lieutenant, shortly after the Edict's arrival in the system, whether their squadron was set. Seedia confirmed to the colonel that everything was ready, and the squadron deployed shortly after, travelling to the planet Catadra with the Aerie. The TIE drones were programmed to follow Keize's fighter, receiving orders via cannon burst patterns, while Seedia and Bragheer were there to herd them when they inevitably entered battle.^[3]

Alphabet Squadron and the New Republic's Meteor Squadron deployed from the planet Troithe to respond to Keize's distraction at Catadra.^[3] As a misguidance attempt,^[4] Seedia contacted Lark, reminding the A-wing pilot of who he was being contacted by and then telling him to return to Troithe. Lark and his comrade Nath Tensent subsequently returned to their battle group's flagship, the Acclamator-class assault ship Lodestar, while Meteor Squadron and Chass na Chadic moved to engage the TIEs above Catadra. Both sides took losses, and Bragheer and the drones were eliminated in the fight. Seedia's TIE was damaged, the lieutenant being injured and receiving burns in the process. Keize returned to the Aerie, assuming that the Seedia had also been killed, and later mourned her and Bragheer during the memorial of Garmen Naadra, a Squadron Three pilot who was lost further into the 204th's time in the Cerberon system.^[3]

Stranded on Catadra[]

Recovery[]

The injured Seedia was found adrift in her TIE fighter by the Children of the Empty Sun, a cult operating in the system. The cultist brought the lieutenant back to Catadra, thinking she was unconscious. Seedia, though, was awake, and saw where the cult kept their starships. The lieutenant eventually introduced herself to her rescuers, who took her to the cult's palace. There, Seedia was tended to in the medical suite of the palace, being held in a cell there.^[3]

A few days after the battle above Catadra, Seedia was visited by Chass na Chadic, who had also taken part in the fighting and been rescued by the Children of the Empty Sun after her fighter had ran out of fuel. Chadic immediately recognized the lieutenant as part of the 204th and asked the Imperial pilot why she shouldn't kill her. After confirming that her visitor was from the New Republic, Seedia told her that they both wanted to get off of Catadra. Chadic then raised a blaster and shot the lieutenant in the arm through the window of the sell. The B-wing pilot told Seedia not to try and manipulate her before leaving.^[3]

Seedia was later released from the medical suite and permitted to mingle with the other members of the Children of the Empty Sun. The lieutenant had to use steel crutches and was guarded by two medics. One evening, she encountered Chadic in a corridor in the palace. The lieutenant jabbed the B-wing pilot with her crutch and the pair scuffled. Seedia deduced that Chadic had been at Pandem Nai, and told the Theelin she knew where to find a ship. The two parted, Seedia bowing her head as they met gazes again.^[3]

An unlikely ally[]

Chadic was urged to make peace with Seedia by the cultist Gruyver of the Children of the Empty Sun. The lieutenant was subsequently confronted by her adversary in a corridor the morning after their fight. Chadic again threatened to kill her, and Seedia listened to her before asking if she would wait until they escaped to settle their differences. She came to explain how she saw where the cult kept their vessels, and told the B-wing pilot that she required her help as well as access codes or grade four explosives.^[3]

Shortly after, both attended a lecture by Let'ij, the leader of the Children of the Empty Sun. During the confessions which took place after, Seedia came forward to try and earn the trust of the cultists and spoke of her involvement in the "cleansing" of Nacronis and her belief in duty and obedience. She also listed things that she was ashamed of, like leaving her estate to her twin, and not telling friends she had loved them before they went to their deaths. The audience gave her applause as she sat down after.^[3]

That night, the lieutenant met with Chadic in the palace gardens. She explained to the Theelin a saying from the ancient Tangrada-Nii General Mardroon that stated that when one knew their foe too well, they risked going from understanding their foe to joining them. Chadic wondered if Seedia was talking about them or the cult, but told her to determine that herself and mocked the idiocy of the cultists. The B-wing pilot remarked that the cult had at least not helped kill a planet like the lieutenant had. A moment passed, and Seedia suggested that they take a hostage if they did not get access codes soon. Chadic said that she could get the access codes, and assured her that one of them would die after.^[3]

Escape[]

One day, Seedia and Chadic attended a disquisition with the Children of the Empty Sun. There, Chadic, who sat opposite to the lieutenant, told the other cultists of a dream she kept having of her living on^[3] the city planet^[9] Coruscant and trying to survive having become unemployed after the war had ended. Chadic was then summoned by Let'ij in the middle of the night, where the Theelin took her opportunity to steal access codes by incapacitating the cult leader and taking her code cylinders.^[3]

Seedia soon joined the B-wing pilot and led her through the corridors of the palace to the blast door to the landing field. Chadic used Let'ij's code cylinders to open the door, and both of them entered the area. As the Theelin was distracted by her fighter, Gruyver interrupted them, but Seedia used her crutch to knock him down. She told Chadic to pay attention as the Theelin who went over to check on Gruyver. The lieutenant then struck the B-wing pilot with her crutch. Seedia attempted to strike Chadic a second time, but her adversary caught the crutch and pulled the TIE pilot forwards. As the pair continued to fight, the Seedia made more blows to Chadic before the Theelin drew her blaster. The lieutenant remarked that the cult had gotten to Chadic before evading her foe's wild blaster firing, fleeing the scene.^[3]

Infiltrating the Deliverance[]

Spying on the enemy[]

The 204th ultimately fled the Cerberon System aboard a bulk freighter later named the Yadeez after New Republic reinforcements led by Hera Syndulla compromised the fighter wing's control at Troithe. Syndulla received a new flagship, the refitted Star Destroyer Deliverance, which took on recruits from the system. Seedia, shaving her head and wearing a red haired wig, used the recruitment as an opportunity to infiltrate the Deliverance, establishing herself as a mole aboard the New Republic vessel while posing as a ground crew member, named "Caulra Spring," for Hail Squadron, a Y-wing squadron that was part of the Deliverance's starfighter wing. She kept to herself, spying on the pilots, including those of Alphabet Squadron, in the meantime and learning that she and her comrades in the Oridol Cluster had all received nicknames like "Blink."^[4]

In 5 ABY,^[10] Alphabet Squadron investigated a series of attacks from the 204th, to track the Imperial fighter wing. While the Deliverance and its starfighter wing investigated the 204th's presence at the planet Fedovoi End, Seedia sent multiple messages to her unit, warning them of Syndulla's forces. She also facilitated an attack on the refitted Star Destroyer by Imperial sabotage droids, which were left by the 204th in a the Deliverance's next destination which Seedia had leaked. The droids were ultimately dealt with, but not before two crewmembers of the Deliverance perished.^[4]

Undercover crew[]

While Seedia spied for the 204th, the fighter wing had it's own mole aboard the Yadeez, the former deserter Yrica Quell, who revealed the 204th's location to the Deliverance through a communications burst. Subsequently, Syndulla's forces attacked the Imperial fighter wing, pursuing the unit through multiple systems thanks to the comm bursts made by Quell. The 204th lost pilots along the way, and Seedia learned that Garl Lykan, a pilot she flew with in the Oridol Cluser, had too been killed in battle.^[4]

The fighter wing soon broke free of the Deliverance's pursuit after a battle in the Chadawa system and joined the Empire that had gathered at the planet Jakku in preparation for a standoff with converging New Republic forces. In the aftermath of the battle at Chadawa, Seedia was at the Deliverance's hangar transferring fuel when Chass na Chadic reviewed her B-wing's repair plan before leaving. Captain Nath Tensent then arrived looking for the Theelin, asking "Spring" where the B-wing pilot had gone. The apparent ground crewmember recalled Chadic's visit and departure, and Tensent asked her name, recognising her as a Cerberon recruit. Seedia revealed her fake name to the captain, who introduced himself in return before departing.^[4]

Confronting Wyl Lark[]

The 204th soon broke free of the Deliverance's pursuit after a battle in the Chadawa system and joined the Empire that had gathered at the planet Jakku in preparation for a standoff with converging New Republic forces. The Deliverance planned to deploy its fighter wing to counter the Imperial fighter wing, but Wyl Lark, the commander of the wing, had second thoughts. While briefing his fighter pilots before the attack, Lark announced that, on principle, he no longer wished to continue the rivalry with the 204th; he told the pilots that he was refusing to fight and would be abandoning his duty to lead them in the battle ahead, calling on the other pilots to join him. Ultimately, all of the pilots rejected him, and Seedia, having learned of this, informed members of the 204th.^[4]

The New Republic fleet soon launched an attack on the Empire at Jakku. During the battle, the Deliverance located the 204th, which was using radiation to suppress New Republic starships to eliminate them. The refitted Star Destroyer deployed its starfighter wing to engage the Imperial fighter wing. Seedia plotted to plant a bomb on the Deliverance's subgenerators and begun work at a maintenance alcove in the reactor section. However, Lark passed nearby and noticed her, asking if she needed assistance. Seedia assured Lark that she was finishing up, but he questioned her statement. She thus jumped at Lark and brought him down with an arc wrench.^[4]

With Lark on the floor, Seedia tried to attack him with her wrench, but failed four times. Lark then knocked her backwards and rose to his feet, confused as to why she had attacked him. The lieutenant revealed her name and that she had been the 204th pilot Lark called "Blink." Shocked, Lark asked how she was aboard the Deliverance. She sarcastically brought up her conception. Lark assumed the 204th had caught "Blink" betraying The Empire by warning him over Troithe, but she corrected him, explaining that it was just part of the 204th's plan. Seedia then recounted her time on Catadra and the Deliverance, taking responsibility for the two New Republic deaths resulting from the sabotage droid attack.^[4]

Death[]

Lark claimed that Seedia could have joined his side, but she mocked his deserting of the battle and predicted the deaths of his starfighter wing. She threw her wrench at him before making for her tool bag, Lark tackling her in the process. The pair wrestled until the lieutenant punched him in the head and was able to find her feet, kicking her opponent repeatedly. Punching him more, she voiced sentiment that her dead comrades in the 204th had names, lamenting them one by one. That was until Lark threw himself into her, both smashing into a bulkhead. Seedia pushed her enemy away and made off with her tool bag, pulling the bomb from it.^[4]

Lark pursued Seedia until she responded with a whirling kick that knocked him back. She named individuals who had been killed by the New Republic. Lark tried to convince her to put down the bomb and walk away, but she made it clear that her intentions were revenge and explained her mission with the explosive, accepting that her end had come. The lieutenant proclaimed that the Empire would never stop fighting and activated the bomb, meeting her demise in the subsequent fireball. The Deliverance eventually received enough damage that its crew, Lark included, abandoned ship. The Battle of Jakku ended with a victory for the New Republic, and the defeat of the Imperial forces, including the demise of the 204th.^[4]

Personality and traits[]

Composure and manipulation[]

Palal Seedia was^[3] a human^[2] female with pale skin, a slender body, and dark fuzzy hair.^[3] She shaved her hair and used a wig to infiltrate the Deliverance.^[4] Seedia gave a stoic and witty impression on Soran Keize, boldly challenging ideas at times. She also sat silently, studying the room, on one occasion.^[3]

Seedia chose to speak to the enemy A-wing pilot Wyl Lark in the Oridol Cluster. She mocked him, claimed that he was going to fall victim to the cluster itself, and sarcastically claimed it was the Oridol Cluster talking to the A-wing pilot. When she recognized Lark at Pandem Nai, Seedia persistently pursued him, despite being under threat by the firestorm from the exploding Tibanna pods. However, the lieutenant ultimately chose to stop trying to kill her adversary when he argued that they needed to work together to stop a firestorm at the planet.^[6] At the Cerberon system, she used her relationship with Lark to trick and confuse him by telling him to return to Troithe.^[3] In her final confrontation with the A-wing pilot, she mocked his decision to give up his rivalry with the 204th and shut down his pleas for her to give up her own vendetta on the New Republic, claiming he did not understand her.^[4]

When meeting the B-wing pilot Chass na Chadic at the Children of the Empty Sun palace, Seedia predicted that the Theelin also wanted to escape Catadra and used that as a bargaining chip. To earn Chadic's interest, she later revealed that she knew where to find a vessel. When Chadic soon threatened to kill her, Seedia again tried to find common ground with the Theelin by claiming she had a plan to escape the Children. She also looked to earn the trust of the cult itself by confessing many things she was ashamed of, but overestimated the stupidity of the members, believing they did not completely buy into her speech. The lieutenant remembered teachings from the Tangrada-Nii General Mardoon that when one gets too close to their enemy, they risk joining them on top of understanding them. This sentiment brought her to immediately betray Chadic when the pair found a starship landing field.^[3]

Revenge, honor and acceptance[]

Seedia was vengeful for the loss of her comrades, whom she mourned deeply,^[4] showing aggression against the New Republic which Soran Keize found worrisome. She justified irradiating the Jarbanov colony by comparing it to the New Republic's act of starting a firestorm above Pandem Nai. During the proposal of the attack on Hera Sundulla's battle group at the Cerberon system, Seedia insisted that getting revenge for the 204th's losses at Pandem Nai was the honorable option. After being injured by Chadic, she later attacked the B-wing pilot in return, but bowed her head when the pair parted ways.^[3]

Seedia also sought to damage Syndulla's forces from the inside to help her allies in the 204th and take revenge for those she had lost. She found the nicknaming of her and her comrades distasteful, and echoed their names to Wyl Lark in their honor.^[4] Seedia did not question Keize's information that she may die at her mission to Catadra.^[3] In her final mission on the Deliverance, she accepted that she would likely perish as a result and be forgotten by the 204th. This led her to take her own life when she was pursued by Lark.^[4]

Skills and abilities[]

Palal Seedia developed her knowledge of astronomy at the Institute for Quatitative Studies. She was skilled in combat, and bested both Chass na Chadic^[3] and Wyl Lark^[4] in hand-to-hand combat, using her fists and feet to deal glancing blows to each in their separate fights.^[4][3]

Equipment[]

Seedia used a medical vocabulator to project her voice. She frequently wore a flight suit and flew a TIE/ln space superiority starfighter. During her time with the Children of the Empty Sun, Seedia used a steel crutch to support her as she had been injured.^[3] While working as a mole aboard the Deliverance, she wore a work suit with a red haired wig and used a tool bag with equipment like an arc wrench, plasma torches, and vibro-cutters. Seedia also had a bomb wrapped in wires and switches which she ultimately used on herself.^[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Palal Seedia first appeared in a fighter and through voice in the 2019 novel Alphabet Squadron, the first instalment of Alexander Freed's Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron trilogy, where she was identified only by the nickname "Blink."^[6] Seedia then appeared under her full name in Alphabet Squadron's sequel, the 2020 novel Shadow Fall, while the voice of "Blink" appeared separately.^[3] It was not until the third installment of the trilogy, the 2021 novel Victory's Price, that Seedia and "Blink" were confirmed to be the same individual.^[4]

Appearances[]

• Alphabet Squadron (First appearance, simultaneous with audiobook) (Starfighter only)
• Alphabet Squadron audiobook (Starfighter only)
• Shadow Fall (First identified as Palal Seedia, simultaneous with audiobook)
• Shadow Fall audiobook
• Victory's Price
• Victory's Price audiobook

Notes and references[]