"[The Light You Bring](link url)" is a short narrative penned by [Joanna Berry](link url), unfolding during the time of the [Star Wars: Squadrons](link url) campaign. It debuted on the [EA Games](link url) platform on [October 8](link url), [2020](link url), showcasing a mission undertaken by [Vanguard Squadron](link url).
[Keo Venzee](link url) and [Feresk Tssat](link url) are on patrol, guarding a small [New Republic](link url) fleet. Tssat voices his frustration at being confined to fleet duty for the past three [weeks](link url). Venzee suggests their assignment might be for a specific purpose, leading Tssat to share a rumor he overheard during a [sabacc](link url) game about a clandestine operation in the works. Their risky flying is cut short by a communication from [Ardo Barodai](link url), instructing them to return to the fleet's primary vessel, the Temperance.
Once aboard, Barodai outlines their new objective to Venzee and Tssat: a covert mission to infiltrate Triad Station Daralto in the [Navlaas Triad](link url). Their goal is to recover intelligence left behind by a New Republic operative with whom Barodai has lost contact. Venzee questions why pilots are being sent instead of special forces, to which Barodai explains that Venzee's past as a racer and Tssat's history as a criminal could be advantageous.
Reaching Navlaas Triad, Venzee and Tssat narrowly avoid a confrontation with four [Imperial](link url) fighters, realizing the Imperials are merely using the debris for target practice and haven't detected them. After the Imperial fighters leave, they dock at Triad Station Daralto. They are then confronted by [the dockmaster](link url) and Imperial [Lieutenant](link url) [Relkin](link url), who demand to see their credentials. Tssat bribes the dockmaster, while Venzee explains to Relkin that they are deserters from the [Alliance to Restore the Republic](link url) when questioned about piloting Rebel starfighters. The New Republic pilots discover that Relkin has established an Imperial presence at the Triad Station, raising Venzee's concerns.
They head to the Station's [cantina](link url) to rendezvous with Ardo's contact. While waiting, Venzee remains uneasy about their surroundings, while Tssat discovers that the Republic's agent had ejected her intel-containing [astromech droid](link url) onto [Laanen](link url), one of Navlaas' moons. They attempt to leave to retrieve the droid, but are intercepted by a vengeful Relkin, who lost a race to Venzee years ago at the [Socorro Sunset Grand Prix](link url). Relkin tries to shoot Venzee with a [blaster](link url), but Tssat intervenes, forcefully disarming the Lieutenant. The Republic pilots are pursued by [stormtroopers](link url) and escape down a loading chute, ending up trapped inside a [droid barge](link url).
Venzee proposes repurposing the barge to return to the Station. Tssat suggests directly confronting Relkin and his Imperial forces, defying Barodai's orders. Venzee senses something amiss with Tssat, who admits to feeling out of place in the more structured New Republic compared to the Rebellion. Venzee assures him that the New Republic embodies the ideals they fought for as rebels, and that he can still use his criminal talents for the greater good.
They devise a scheme to trick Relkin by challenging him to a rematch with Venzee through Laanen's canyons, allowing them to secretly retrieve the agent's astromech without Imperial interference. Relkin eagerly accepts Venzee's challenge. The race through the canyons commences, with Venzee piloting an [A-Wing](link url) and Relkin in a [TIE Interceptor](link url). The race is made treacherous by falling ice, which nearly damages Venzee's starfighter and prevents them from retrieving the astromech via grapple on the first lap. On the second, Venzee attempts to melt some of the ice surrounding the astromech by bringing their starfighter in range of the TIE's engine wash, but the melting is not fast enough for them to improve their chances at grappling the droid.
During the third lap, Relkin attempts to sabotage Venzee by firing a concussion missile at the ice, supposedly to clear debris. The astromech nearly falls into the abyss, but Venzee manages to grapple the droid, although they are struck by ice and thrown off course in the process. Relkin, believing his opponent defeated, tries to overtake Tssat but is thwarted when the Trandoshan pilot releases gas canisters into the air, which collide with the TIE Interceptor and nearly destroy it. The two Republic pilots reunite and return to the Station.
Upon their return to the fleet, Venzee and Tssat are debriefed by Barodai, who is impressed with their accomplishments and grants them each a three-day leave, before taking the retrieved astromech's intel to be used for [Project Starhawk](link url).