Hollis DeMeers

Overview
Hollis DeMeers was a smuggler, pirate, and criminal that also flew briefly with Arrow Squadron in its campaign against the Glaston Pirates. A talented pilot who was disgusted by the violent tactics of the Glaston Pirates, he defected along with his adult children Nath and Saffron in 2 ABY. During his one and only battle flying with the Arrows, his call sign was Arrow Twelve. He was shot down and killed by his former friend and one of the leaders of the Glaston Pirates, Farina.

Early Life of Crime
Born on the trading planet of Brentaal, Hollis DeMeers was thrust into a life of crime at an early age. Given the importance of Brentaal's location and as a hub of commerce and trade, freighters and ships were constantly docking and moving to and from the planet. As the son of a poor mechanic, Hollis wanted a better life and saw his opportunity through crime.

At the age of eight, he began to steal small crates from starports, most of them containing food or fruit, and sold them to restaurants and markets at a discount. At the age of eleven, he joined a gang of boys that roamed the streets and stole from drunken freighter crews. By the time he was fourteen, he was stowing away on cargo ships and altering their manifests. When they would arrive at a given planet, nothing would seem amiss. Meanwhile, Hollis and his contact would offload the "missing" supplies from the cargo hold.

As he reached adulthood, his actions caught up with him and he was arrested by Republic security forces during a botched operation on his homeworld After a brief stint in the Wobani Prison Camp, he was released and went straight back into the criminal world, looking for a new score.

Adulting
Hollis continued his operations, mostly working along or on small crews, and always stealing from safe targets never Republic, and later, Imperial, forces. During the Clone Wars, he stole cargo and shipments from Separatist Forces not out of any allegiance to the Republic, but simply because their security was far worse and he had a suspicion that they would eventually lose the war.

Around this time, he also became a father to two young children named Saffron and Nath. Their mother, a working girl from the streets of Brentaal had died during child birth and Hollis, with no family of his own, took the kids on to raise them. Eventually, he believed he could mold them into the perfect crew.

As his children aged and the Republic became the Empire, Hollis continued his criminal ways often smuggling non-dangerous cargo through Imperial blockades. Food and machinery were his specialty. He did his best to stay away from "hot" items like weapons or slaves, especially given the fact that it was much easier to bribe low level authorities when it came to less illegal goods.

Slowly, his children grew and Hollis brought them into his world. A talented pilot himself, Hollis and his kids became something of a inside legend among the smuggling ring. Nath was a superb mechanic, much like his grandfather, and a natural tinker. Saffron was a dead shot with a blaster and took after her father when it came to piloting and fighting. All three loved the easy money of smuggling.

The Glaston Pirates
Hollis did his best to avoid the Galactic Civil War. The Empire had also been cracking down on smuggling and several of his contacts and former colleagues had been executed or imprisoned. Solo runs through blockades became more and more dangerous. As such, the DeMeers family, with Hollis now aging and his children adults in their own right, sought safety in numbers.

In the past, Hollis had worked with the pirate Ras Moltar. His band of brigands, known as the Glaston Pirates, was particularly feared in the Mid and Inner Rims. Ras knew Hollis as a veteran smuggler and admitted him and his children into the fold. Saffron was quick to warn her father that the Glaston Pirates were far more brutal than their style and, almost from the beginning regretted her father's decision.

The pirates were being paid by a source that Hollis knew nothing of, only that it was a hefty amount and Ras had standing orders to attack any and all craft that could be overwhelmed. What Hollis didn't know was that the pirates were being financed and supported by the Imperial Navy itself. The Imperial Navy, which was seeking to terrorize the Chommell Sector trading companies did not want to besmirch the name of the Emperor.

In one of the first raids with the Glaston Pirates, Hollis watched with frustration as Ras and his crew wasted valuable supplies by simply throwing them out of the airlock. His frustration turned to anger when Ras ordered the murder of all the women aboard the ship, leaving the men alive and feeling helpless. Saffron, and soon Nath, began speaking out against the pirates to their father and warning him that they were in over their heads.

Eventually, after more of these bloody and pointless attacks, Hollis began to realize his children were right. However, one simply could just up and quit a criminal organization. They needed a way out. That way would come through an unlikely encounter.

Arrow Squadron
In 2 ABY, Hollis was part of a raid on a ship that contained several entertainers who were under contract with Niima the Hutt. Two women and a Weequay were captured and, given the possible ransom they offered, were brought back to the Glaston's base on the moon of Rori.

Hollis, however, had recognized one of the women as Jesmina Dant, a singer that he had watched perform at a cantina on the world of Myyribod. However, she was now going under a different name. His inner criminal knew something was immediately up and he confronted the group. Initially, they denied his accusations. However, when Saffron and Nath spoke about the atrocities being committed by the pirates and their desire to escape, Craal broke her cover and admitted that they were part of a covert operation as part of Arrow Squadron.

The DeMeers had fought against Arrow Squadron fighters during the Battle of Ruaha, but we quick to realize that if they helped Noarnn and the others, it could be their ticket away from the pirates. A plan was put into motion.

Using his skills at altering manifests, Hollis fooled Moltar and the other pirates by amending several documents saying that Niima the Hutt wanted to see that her precious hostages were in good health, in person, before paying the ransom. As proof, he provided a doctored message from the Hutt overlord stating as much. S'Hral offered to stay behind to make sure the plan worked. His cover story was that he was the pilot and muscle, not a musician, and as such, would not be worth much in the way of ransom. It was a dangerous, but calculated risk, and Ras Moltar approved of the meeting. With Nath as a pilot and Saffron acting as another guard, Hollis, Noarnn and Sorshara Bray boarded a small shuttle. However, instead of meeting with the Hutts, Bray guided them back to the Arrow's headquarters.

Their arrival was met with mixed emotions. Kostan Stodl, a veteran pilot, nearly came to blows with the elder DeMeers when it was explained who he was. Lieutenant Benere met with Hollis and his children, separately, before agreeing that they could stay and join the unit. Their intelligence on the Glaston Pirates defensive systems and base were critical as a plan began to emerge to eliminate the pirates once and for all.

Battle of Vagabond's Rest and Demise
Hollis and his children, who had only ever flown X-wings on a few occasions, were put through a quick and intensive crash course. They were quick studies and within a few days, Benere felt comfortable taking them into battle and his forces departed for the pirates headquarters, known as Vagabond's Rest. In the ensuing Battle of Vagabond's Rest, Hollis and his children fought bravely.

Lieutenant Benere was apt to destroy the pirates for good, but when the order to target their fleeing transports was given, their was a pause among his pilots. Firing on escaping civilians, even if they were pirates, seemed morally and militarily wrong. However, Hollis broke the silence by launching a spirited attack against the fleeing transports. His resolve and action motivated his fellow Arrows to do the same.

During his attacks, however, he drew the ire of his former colleagues. In a spirited dogfight, he was shot down and killed by Farina, the second in command of the pirates. His death was witnessed by both of his children. Moments later, the last of the Glaston Pirates ships were destroyed and the threat they posed was finally eliminated.

Legacy
DeMeers and his his bravery were remembered by Arrow Squadron commanders and pilots alike. His sacrifice also helped inspire both Nath and Saffron to remain with the Arrows. For a career criminal and rapscallion, he died a hero of the Rebellion.