Ibtisam

Ibtisam, a female Mon Calamari, hailed from the planet of Mon Calamari. Her name, when translated into Basic, carried the meaning of "sunset as viewed from the sea." Reacting to the enslavement of her people by the Galactic Empire, Ibtisam resolved to take action, leading her to join the Alliance to Restore the Republic. She enlisted in the Alliance Starfighter Corps and, following her training, volunteered to serve within the initial B-wing starfighter squadrons established by the Alliance. Around 4 ABY, she undertook significant modifications to the starfighter assigned to her, collaborating with another pilot named Plourr Ilo during the Galactic Civil War. She placed great emphasis on the innovative nature of the B-wing, considering other fighters, such as the X-wing starfighter, to be outdated.

Ibtisam and her squadron participated in the Battle of Endor as part of the Alliance Fleet under the command of Admiral Ackbar, engaging against Baron Soontir Fel's 181st Imperial Fighter Group. However, during the second wave of their assault, Ibtisam's fighter was destroyed by the 181st, forcing her to eject. Subsequently, she spent twelve hours adrift within the Endor system. Despite her eventual retrieval without physical harm, Ibtisam experienced mental trauma as a result of the event, leading to a four-month period of psychiatric leave. She developed a mild form of agoraphobia following the experience, although the confines of a cockpit generally proved sufficient to alleviate her fears. Upon her return to active duty, she received an assignment to Rogue Squadron, an X-wing unit.

At some point after the Battle of Endor, Ibtisam piloted an ARC-170 starfighter on a mission to a jungle planet.

While Ibtisam was not initially selected for the squadron, she remained in a reserve capacity, prepared to join the squadron in the event of casualties. She harbored significant reservations regarding her transfer to Rogue Squadron and openly expressed her contempt for the X-wing, although she fulfilled her assigned duties. Following the loss of several squadron members during a mission on Tatooine, Ibtisam was chosen to fill one of the vacant positions, assuming the callsign of Rogue Two. Under the guidance of Captain Wedge Antilles, she and the other new recruits spent several weeks in simulators to facilitate the squadron's re-integration. Ibtisam performed well in the simulators, but outside of her simulated cockpit, she often displayed arrogance and engaged in frequent disputes with another pilot, Nrin Vakil, a Quarren. The Quarren were known for their traditional animosity towards Mon Calamari, and Ibtisam and Vakil were no exception, often irritating their fellow squadmates with their constant arguments about starfighters. Ibtisam secretly harbored an attraction to her fellow pilot, despite simultaneously disliking him intensely. Although she was not particularly pleased with her assignment to Rogue Squadron, she had, by the time of her first mission, achieved one of the highest simulated kill ratings among the Rogues. Antilles took note of the ongoing conflict between Ibtisam and Nrin and requested that they cease their quarreling. Seeking to appear professional in the eyes of their superior, they both kept their animosity in check.

The Rogues received orders to travel to the planet Eiattu 6, the homeworld of Ibtisam's longtime friend Plourr Ilo, who was also a member of Rogue Squadron. The Rogues were tasked with escorting Ilo to Eiattu 6 and assisting her in her efforts to bring peace to the world, which was on the brink of civil war. While Ilo and some of the squadron's senior members engaged in meetings with Eiattu nobility, Ibtisam and the others spent their time scouting the world on Thuvasaurs. During one of their excursions through the planet's jungles, Dllr Nep, a Sullustan with exceptional auditory senses, detected distant blaster fire, prompting the Rogues to investigate. They located the source of the combat noise, a group of Imperial stormtroopers, and engaged them in a fierce firefight. With TIE fighters conducting strafing runs overhead, the Rogues had little choice but to retreat, eventually encountering a group of People's Liberation Battalion members led by Harrandatha Estillo, the impostor. The rebels provided Ibtisam and her comrades with shelter and food for the night in their camp, although comlink communications were blocked.

As promised, they were escorted to their rendezvous with Antilles in the city, but they soon found themselves back in the jungle searching for Ilo and Count Arian Laabann, who had been ambushed. Dllr Nep used his hearing to locate any blaster fire, but a device hidden on a tree branch was causing interference. Unable to determine the direction they were approaching from, a group of Imperial scout troopers surrounded them and took them all—except Vakil, whom they believed dead—to a prison complex operated by Moff Leonia Tavira. Tavira interrogated them before leaving them alone in their cell, providing Vakil with an opportunity to rescue them. The Rogues blasted their way out of the prison, forcing Tavira to flee with only a portion of her stolen money. The mission was a success, although Ilo decided to remain on Eiattu 6 to ensure the stability of a peaceful regime. The mission also marked the beginning of improved relations between Vakil and Ibtisam, who was deeply grateful for the Quarren's rescue. His bravery in freeing them led her to reevaluate her opinion of him.

Following their departure from Eiattu 6, the Rogues were assigned to locate the Starfaring, a Bothan starship that had vanished within the Malrev system. As they entered the atmosphere of Malrev IV, they were ambushed by a group of TIE fighters, who shot down Antilles. Despite Ibtisam and her fellow Rogues successfully repelling the attack, Antilles crashed in the planet's expansive forest. Before they could initiate a rescue operation, they discovered the Starfaring in a clearing and landed their fighters nearby. The Bothans aboard the starliner informed Ibtisam that their hyperdrive had sustained severe damage and that their engineers had been targeted by indigenous creatures known as Irrukiine. The Bothan tourists pledged to assist in the search for Antilles, but insisted on waiting until morning to avoid the savage Irrukiine.

The Rogues clashed with the male Bothan tourists, who had instigated a fight with Nrin Vakil. The Bothans gained the upper hand, but an Irrukiine attack brought the confrontation to an abrupt end. Ibtisam assisted in fighting them off alongside Vakil, but the Quarren soon fled to the safety of the clearing. Before long, the Rogues were significantly outnumbered, and the Irrukiine were bizarrely wielding Imperial-issue blasters. They were rescued by Vakil, who flew his X-wing into the beasts, eliminating hordes until they retreated into the jungle. Ibtisam expressed her gratitude to Nrin and apologized for calling him a coward. Later that night, she had a dream in which Nrin denounced the Mon Calamari for venturing into space, claiming that their spacefaring would encourage others to enslave the planet. Ibtisam recognized the impossibility of the dream, but she nevertheless understood Nrin's perspective.

The following day, the Rogues and their Bothan allies ventured into the jungle in search of Antilles, but they soon realized that the Bothans were not the tourists they claimed to be, as their hyperdrive had been deliberately sabotaged and they were leading the Rogues away from the crash site of Antilles's fighter. They soon discovered the Bothans' destination: a grand temple infused with dark side energy. The group was once again attacked by Irrukiine, but with the assistance of Antilles—who had escaped his imprisonment in the temple—they defeated the native beasts. However, this victory came at the cost of three squadron members, as Dllr Nep went missing, while Derek Klivian and Herian I'ngre required time in bacta tanks.

While Antilles, Tycho Celchu, and Wes Janson scouted the area in their fighters, Ibtisam and the others remained on the ground. However, the Mon Calamari soon returned to the air, assisting in the fight against Irrukiine-flown TIE fighters, which were guided by the Force by the dark magician Cartariun. Hopelessly outnumbered, the Rogues were saved when Cartariun's magic ceased and the Irrukiine crashed their TIEs. They returned to camp, only to discover that Girov Dza'tey, the Bothan leader, had departed and was assuming Cartariun's role at the Sith temple. Herian I'ngre was receiving telepathic messages from Dllr Nep in the temple and implored Antilles to confront the dark siders and destroy the temple. He agreed, despite the overwhelming odds they would face fighting against Girov's TIE/IN interceptors. Before the battle, Ibtisam revealed her growing feelings for Nrin to the Quarren and told him she would mourn him if he died. The Quarren replied that people would always die in war, but he returned the compliment to Ibtisam.

The Rogues engaged a large number of TIE interceptors while the remaining Bothans attempted to attack the temple on the ground. Ibtisam, Nrin, and the others were rescued by a large number of Eiattu starfighters, led by Plourr Ilo, who helped them fight off the TIEs. The battle was cut short when Herian I'ngre, piloting Feylis Ardele's damaged starfighter, crashed into the temple, killing herself, Cartariun, Girov, and Dllr. The TIE interceptors crashed, and the Rogues left Malrev IV with their mission accomplished, albeit minus two members.

Nine months following the Battle of Endor, the New Republic initiated a significant offensive against the planet Brentaal IV, spearheaded by Ibtisam and Rogue Squadron. The world held considerable strategic importance, and its forces were under the command of Admiral Lon Isoto, a man known for his incompetence, which Ackbar hoped to exploit. The initial skirmish favored the New Republic fleet, but they then had to confront the 181st over the city of Vuultin. Ibtisam and Wes Janson were shot down and forced to eject into hostile territory. To the dismay of Antilles and Vakil, Rogue Squadron received orders to return to the Independence, leaving an injured Ibtisam and Janson stranded behind enemy lines.

The two sought refuge from the desert heat by a large rock and waited for nightfall, but Ibtisam's health was gradually deteriorating. She was becoming dehydrated and delusional. Unwilling to abandon her and escape on his own, Janson remained by her side and attempted to persuade her to move to a safer location. However, before they could do so, a group of Imperial stormtroopers surrounded them and took them prisoner. When Ibtisam awoke, her health had returned to normal, and she and Janson spent several hours in captivity before being released by a stormtrooper. The trooper escorted them to a Devaronian named Kapp Dendo—who was actually a New Republic ground operative. Dendo apologized for their harsh treatment, but explained that they could not risk compromising their cover. To the two pilots' anger, Dendo informed them that he could not spare the personnel to return them to their squadron, but offered them the opportunity to work with him instead. Ibtisam and Janson were tasked with using explosives to internally destroy a planetary defense network installed by Isoto. With limited options, the two Rogues embarked on their mission, supported by Dendo and a group of his commandos.

They stormed the defense complex, with Ibtisam and Dendo's team providing cover for Janson as he placed charges on key points of the structure. Once all the charges were set, Ibtisam, Janson, and Dendo had only seconds to escape the structure on a skiff, which they managed to do without any casualties. With their mission complete, Ibtisam and Janson returned to Home One to learn that the other Rogues had prevailed against the 181st and captured Baron Fel. Impressed by her skills on the ground, Kapp Dendo offered the Mon Calamari a position in his squadron, but Ibtisam declined, stating that she felt ground combat lacked the thrill of starfighter combat. Nrin Vakil had been extremely worried for her safety while she was grounded, but despite the urging of other Rogues, he did not reveal his joy at her recovery.

The Rogues had suffered losses on Brentaal, and to the squadron's great surprise, Baron Fel became their newest member, having defected to the New Republic. Nrin, in particular, was deeply shocked and attempted to strangle Fel. Antilles ordered them to fly with the ex-Imperial pilot, but Ibtisam and Nrin were granted a few days of rest while Klivian, Janson, and Plourr Ilo traveled to Corellia to locate Fel's wife. They soon resumed flying on a routine training run, where they encountered a group of pirates. They drove the pirates away from the cruiser they were attacking, and although Ibtisam obtained their exit vector, they were ordered not to pursue them. Days later, Sate Pestage, the leader of the Empire, arranged a summit with Leia Organa on Eiattu 6, while a decoy Leia, the New Republic agent Winter, accompanied Tycho Celchu to Axxila. The Rogues were stationed around Axxila to assist Celchu and Winter if they were attacked. Janson and Klivian discovered that the pirates they had previously encountered were in one of the local cantinas, and Ibtisam, Nrin, and Xarcce Huwla were sent there to monitor them.

In the cantina on Axxila, Ibtisam remarked to Nrin that she could perceive a positive change in him. Huwla mentioned Nrin's sadness while Ibtisam was on the ground on Brentaal IV, which the Mon Calamari considered a step forward in their improving relationship. She expressed her frustration with the traditional animosity between her species and the Quarren, and the two agreed to overcome old rivalries.

They noticed a group of pirates observing them, and Ibtisam and Nrin pursued them when they moved into the open. Nrin had wanted to go alone, but Ibtisam insisted on accompanying him. They walked straight into an ambush, but with Huwla's assistance, they managed to incapacitate the pirates. They returned to report to Antilles, but they soon found themselves in their X-wings once again, hoping to rescue Celchu and Winter, who had escaped from imprisonment in a starfighter and were being pursued by the pirates they had encountered previously. Nrin, injured by one of the pirate's stray blaster bolts, stayed behind as Huwla and Ibtisam flew through Axxila's streets, blasting the pirate fighters. They were greatly outnumbered, but with the assistance of Han Solo and Baron Fel in the Millennium Falcon, they fought off the pirates, rescued Celchu and Winter, and escaped from Axxila.

Following the events on Axxila, the Rogues were granted some recuperation time, which Ibtisam largely spent in Nrin's company. The bond between the two grew stronger, and they spent much of their free time walking in the public gardens near their base. However, their time together was cut short when an emergency signal ordered the Rogues to assemble and prepare for their next mission. Sate Pestage, the former Imperial Grand Vizier who had defected to the New Republic, had fled to Ciutric IV and been captured by Leonia Tavira. The Rogues, Horton Salm's Aggressor Wing, and a commando team led by Kapp Dendo would fly to Ciutric to extract Pestage and return him to the New Republic. It was an extremely dangerous mission, as the Empire also sought to seize Pestage from Tavira's grasp, but the Rogues planned to leave the system as quickly as possible.

The Rogues and Aggressor Wing engaged the Imperial forces in orbit while Dendo and his men reached the surface via transport shuttles. The Rogues easily dispatched the local Imperial pilots, while Dendo retrieved Pestage on the ground. However, the arrival of an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer and an Interdictor-class Star Destroyer blocked the Rogues' escape route. Aggressor Wing escaped and fled back to inform the New Republic of the situation and request reinforcements. With limited options, Ibtisam and the squadron landed on the surface to wait it out while Salm fled. Dendo, the Rogues, and Pestage established a camp on the planet's rugged terrain.

Ibtisam, Nrin, and the others remained at the camp to guard Pestage while Antilles, Dendo, and Winter infiltrated the Imperial barracks to send a secret message to the New Republic Provisional Council. Ibtisam and Nrin once again discussed their relationship and how it defied native traditions. The Quarren proposed that, once the fighting was over and the Empire defeated, they return to Mon Calamari and demonstrate to their respective species how the rift between them could be healed. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a dozen Imperial TIE fighters approaching from the southwest. The Rogues powered up their fighters and went out to intercept them. During the battle, Ibtisam was struck by an Imperial fighter, and despite Nrin's best efforts, she crashed in the forest and perished, although the other Rogues were unsure of her fate.

When the squadron returned to their base, Nrin voiced a lethal threat against Pestage if Ibtisam did not survive, holding the former Grand Vizier accountable since the entire operation was centered around his retrieval. A search party was immediately dispatched, only to return with her lifeless body. The squadron was overcome with sorrow at her passing, and Nrin remained by her side, grieving for an extended period. The Rogues re-engaged Admiral Delak Krennel's fleet above Ciutric, but retreated to the planet's surface before their ultimate escape attempt. Exhibiting his Humanocentric biases, Pestage nearly jeopardized the mission by objecting to sharing a shuttle with Ibtisam's remains. Antilles intervened, arranging for her body to be transported in a separate vessel, asserting she deserved better company than Pestage. Ultimately, the entire mission, including Ibtisam's sacrifice, proved futile when Pestage chose to rejoin the Empire. Instead of welcoming him back, Delak Krennel executed Pestage, although the Rogues and Commando Team One successfully evacuated without further losses.

A large gathering of New Republic pilots attended Ibtisam's memorial service, where Antilles delivered a eulogy before her final interment. The revelation of her romantic involvement with Nrin eventually surfaced, initiating an improvement in the relations between the Quarren and Mon Calamari. Her demise deeply affected Nrin, prompting him to take a leave of absence from Rogue Squadron. It required several years for him to fully process his grief. Eventually, Nrin entered into matrimony with Koyi Komad, a Twi'lek mechanic who had collaborated with the Rogues, yet neither he nor her fellow pilots ever forgot Ibtisam.

Upon her initial arrival to Rogue Squadron, Ibtisam made no attempt to conceal her disappointment regarding the necessity of piloting X-wings, which she regarded as antiquated and obsolete. She devoted a considerable amount of time engaging in disputes with her fellow pilots—particularly Nrin—concerning starfighters, much to the irritation of several Rogues. Her propensity for argumentation extended beyond discussions about starfighters; during her assignment on Eiattu 6, she also engaged in debates regarding local political affairs and the indigenous fauna. Ibtisam's first encounters with Nrin brought to the surface the longstanding animosity between their respective species.

However, as she integrated into her new squadron, Ibtisam's typical, more gentle nature emerged. She possessed a kind disposition, and following the Eiattu 6 mission, she became widely regarded as one of the squadron's most esteemed and well-liked members. She was highly sociable, establishing enduring friendships not only with Nrin but also with Rogues Huwla and Ilo. Ibtisam enjoyed leisure activities, and when not on duty, she spent her time relishing the company of others. She also encouraged Nrin to embrace enjoyment and playfully teased him about his initially serious demeanor. Ibtisam exhibited a strong sense of trust in others, and while Nrin attempted to conceal his burgeoning affections for the Mon Calamari pilot, she confided in her friends, sharing with Plourr the dream she experienced on Malrev. The bond between the two evolved into love, which they envisioned could serve as a catalyst for reconciliation between the Mon Calamari and the Quarren.

Ibtisam possessed considerable resilience, demonstrating a strength and determination throughout her tenure with the Rogues that was atypical of females of her species. Ibtisam was exceptionally courageous, repeatedly risking her life for the liberation and security of others throughout her career. She refused to passively observe the Empire's devastation of her world and the enslavement of the Mon Calamari, choosing to join the Rebel Alliance despite the inherent dangers of confronting the Empire. During the Galactic Civil War, she confronted overwhelming odds, not for personal gain, but for the benefit of others. During the eulogy at her funeral, Antilles acknowledged her selfless nature, assuring her squadmates that she would have willingly given her life for them.

Ibtisam demonstrated considerable skill as a starfighter pilot, exhibiting proficiency behind the controls of B-wings, X-wings, and ARC-170 fighters. She demonstrated her capabilities in combat against significant numerical disadvantages during aerial engagements on Malrev, and again when confronting Uglies on Axxila, where she was forced to navigate through confined streets while avoiding numerous obstacles. However, Ibtisam's piloting abilities did not match those of some of Rogue Squadron's most accomplished members, and she suffered at least three shoot-downs during her career. At Endor, she proved no match for the 181st, and Fel's forces once again downed her over Brentaal IV. Imperial pilots under Admiral Krennel's command managed to shoot down and kill Ibtisam on Ciutric. Nevertheless, she left a sufficient impression on Kapp Dendo that he requested her inclusion in his commando team should they require a pilot.

In addition to her piloting skills, Ibtisam was adept with blaster weaponry, employing both blaster pistols and heavy blaster rifles during her service with the Rogues. On Eiattu 6, she showcased her abilities when she and several other members of Rogue Squadron fought their way out of Leonia Tavira's prison complex, compelling the moff to evacuate the planet. On Malrev, she defended against native Irrukiine, an action commended by fellow Rogue Wes Janson. When she and Janson collaborated with Dendo on Brentaal IV, she provided covering fire for Janson as he planted explosive charges on Isoto's armaments. She also possessed proficiency in unarmed combat, evident when she, Nrin, and Xarcce Huwla engaged in skirmishes with pirates on Axxila.

Michael A. Stackpole conceived of Ibtisam for the Rogue Squadron comic series, making her debut in The Warrior Princess in October of 1996. Stackpole employed the character throughout the subsequent five story arcs, until her passing in Mandatory Retirement. Ibtisam, particularly her relationship with Nrin Vakil, gained increasing significance in the narrative as the series progressed. Stackpole later referenced Ibtisam in the novel X-Wing: Isard's Revenge in 1999, and she also appeared in Who's Who in Rogue Squadron, Star Wars Handbook 1: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, the Star Wars Encyclopedia, and both editions of The Essential Guide to Alien Species. She also made a cameo appearance in X-Wing: Rogue Leader by W. Haden Blackman.