Tasked by Agent Caern Adan of New Republic Intelligence with the tracking down of the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing, infamously known as Shadow Wing, was a starfighter squadron called Alphabet Squadron. Lieutenant Yrica Quell directly commanded Alphabet Squadron in the field, while General Hera Syndulla oversaw their operations. Alphabet Squadron was involved in several conflicts against Imperial remnant forces and the 204th, including the attack on Pandem Nai, the Cerberon system campaign, and the Battle of Jakku.
Following the Battle of Endor, during the weeks and months that followed, New Republic pilots often faced uncertainty regarding their mission objectives. To better prepare for the diverse challenges encountered on missions and, ideally, improve a squad's chances of success, squads frequently comprised a variety of starships. Reflecting this approach, Alphabet Squadron consisted of five pilots, each piloting a distinct starfighter:
- Alphabet Leader : Yrica Quell (X-wing) [1]
- Chass na Chadic (B-wing) [1]
- Kairos (U-wing) [1]
- Wyl Lark (A-wing) [1]
- Nath Tensent (Y-wing) [1]
In the wake of the pivotal Battle of Endor during the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, which seemingly resulted in the death of Emperor Palpatine and the destruction of the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station, Lieutenant Yrica Quell, along with four other New Republic pilots from the Rebel Alliance's successor government, were handpicked by Agent Caern Adan to form the newly established Alphabet Squadron.
The mission given to Alphabet Squadron by Agent Caern Adan of New Republic Intelligence was to hunt down and eliminate the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing, a mysterious and lethal force of TIE fighters seeking retribution. Quell requested permission from General Hera Syndulla to base her squadron on the Lodestar. Syndulla granted this request, but stipulated that Alphabet Squadron would operate under her direct command, rather than Caern Adan's, in exchange for her support.
Quell subjected her team to training simulations for several weeks, but these failed to meet her standards as a former Imperial pilot accustomed to the Academy's discipline and procedures. Gradually, the team improved sufficiently for Syndulla to authorize space flight training missions. Though individually skilled, the pilots lacked effectiveness as a cohesive unit, a fact recognized by both Quell and Syndulla. The squadron still had much to prove, and Quell needed to demonstrate her leadership abilities to Syndulla.
Alphabet Squadron was dispatched by Syndulla to Abednedo on a mission to investigate reports of Imperial remnants potentially linked to Shadow Wing, who remained on the planet following Operation: Cinder. After an encounter with a Verpine smuggler, the team was ambushed while attempting to escort the smuggler's freighter, carrying Imperial captives, back to base. However, the freighter was destroyed in an engagement with TIE bombers.
As a result of Alphabet Squadron's shortcomings on the Abednedo mission, stemming from a lack of teamwork and mutual trust, Syndulla assigned the Squadron to a non-combat mission in the Harkrova system. Their task was to retrieve supplies from a former rebel base situated on a forest moon. Syndulla explained to Quell that this mission presented an opportunity for the unit to develop as a team.
While Quell was away investigating a possible pirate scout ship overhead, the rest of the team experienced a strange phenomenon within the old Jedi temple where the cache was stored. The team members, having spent time together, relaxed and shared old stories with each other. Upon their return to the Lodestar a few days later, Quell reported a successful mission to Syndulla and also told her of the visual phenomena reported by her team. Syndulla was a little disappointed that Quell hadn't experienced it personally, and therefore missed out on bonding with her team.
At some point following the Battle of Endor, while Alphabet Squadron was either training or on a mission, the New Republic deployed several starfighter squadrons to Argai Minor to support ground forces engaged in combat against Imperial forces operating within the Treinhaus Citadel. The fighting was intense and brutal.
Later, suspecting that Imperial forces on the planet were receiving logistical support from external sources, New Republic Intelligence sought to determine if the enemy's supply lines extended to Pandem Nai, the location of Shadow Wing. Given their expertise regarding Shadow Wing and their return from the Harkrova system, Syndulla dispatched Alphabet Squadron to assist with patrols during the citadel salvage operation.
After the New Republic's triumph on Argai Minor, Alphabet Squadron provided support to Hail Squadron's Y-wings in a battle against a Star Destroyer that had been struggling through the Haldeen sector for several weeks. The two squadrons successfully destroyed the Star Destroyer, securing another victory for the New Republic.
Later on, the New Republic uncovered the location of the Empire's new base on Pandem Nai. Alphabet Squadron spearheaded the attack on Shadow Wing, which had seized control of Orbital One, a tibanna gas mining station in orbit. Following intense combat with TIE fighters, the squadron eliminated Shadow Wing's commander, Colonel Shakara Nuress, and detonated the station's reactor, causing Orbital One to disintegrate and plummet towards the planet's surface, igniting the mining pods along the station's rim. Although the battle concluded, the falling debris still posed a threat to the inhabitants below. Quell and her pilots swiftly worked to vaporize as much debris as possible with their weapons, saving countless lives.
Around 5 ABY, Alphabet Squadron took part in a New Republic campaign within the Cerberon system, during which the squadron executed multiple missions against Imperial forces occupying the system.
During the bombardment of Verzan, an airless garrison world held by the Galactic Empire, Syndulla's Barma Battle Group was supported by Alphabet Squadron, who employed proton bombs to help breach the fortress world, supplementing the Lodestar's firepower.
The New Republic launched an attack on Imperial forces, commanded by Governor Hastemoor, who were shielded within the capital of the planet Troithe. Alphabet Squadron participated in the operation, fighting alongside Hail and Meteor Squadrons, the MC75 Star Cruiser Temperance, and ground forces from the 61st Mobile Infantry. Within a day of fighting, New Republic forces had captured Troithe's main spaceport.
Alphabet Squadron was assigned a mission by the New Republic to apprehend enemy Imperial guerrillas and gather intelligence regarding their supplier. The squadron divided into two task forces, with Kairos, Lark, and Tensent assisting ground forces in capturing the guerrillas and destroying their hideout on Troithe. They succeeded in this objective before the Imperials could issue an alert. Quell and Chadic's target was located in an asteroid field concealing a dozen TIE fighters and a cargo shuttle. They engaged the TIEs in a skirmish, which the rest of Alphabet joined. Afterwards, they swept for survivors and scanned all comm frequencies to ensure the cargo shuttle hadn't sent a distress signal, before returning to Troithe.
While Sundulla was away with the Temperance and following Yrica Quell's arrest and Kairos' injuries in a previous battle, the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing launched a surprise attack on the New Republic forces within the Cerberon system. Alphabet Squadron scrambled their starfighters to defend the Lodestar. The Imperials initiated a diversionary attack, with Colonel Soran Keize leading the Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier Aerie and a squadron of training drones to lure Alphabet and Meteor Squadrons into a battle above Catadra. This left the Lodestar vulnerable to an attack from the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Edict above Troithe. Before reaching Catadra, Lark received a warning from an enemy TIE pilot known as "Blink," urging them to return to Troithe, just as the Edict emitted system-wide jamming, disrupting all communications and sensors. Lark raced back to warn the Lodestar, accompanied by Tensent, after realizing Shadow Wing was the enemy. With the New Republic starfighters above Catadra no longer a threat, including the total loss of Meteor Squadron, Shadow Wing deployed all their TIEs, concealed within a debris field, and attacked the Lodestar, which crashed on Troithe, along with the Edict after the planetary defenses crippled it. While the planetary shield was briefly offline, Shadow Wing's TIEs infiltrated the city. The attack resulted in a significant loss for Alphabet Squadron, with Chadic shot down over Catadra, and Lark and Tensent shot down over Troithe. Furthermore, New Republic forces were scattered across the system and suffered heavy casualties.
Alphabet Squadron made its debut in the 2019 canon novel titled Alphabet Squadron, penned by Alexander Freed. During the Battle of Exegol, an Alphabet Two was heard by voice in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition, a 2020 novel by Rae Carson. In an interview with Alex Damon of the YouTube channel "Star Wars Explained," Freed was asked if this meant Alphabet Squadron was present at the battle. Freed responded that at least one member of Alphabet squadron was at the Battle of Exegol, suggesting that they could be known characters or a legacy squadron. However, his statement did not confirm author Carson's intention in including Alphabet Two.