Monday, Strip 61 -- Raal doesn't have much for patience, even in tense gun-filled standoffs.

Tuesday, Strip 62 -- Things you may not have known about Squibs: they love little bits and baubles, and are masters of tractor beam technology. Hence, Smiley's grabber device, which he uses to disarm Sammie and Kestrel. Now, realistically, if he had used that device, their hands would have shot up with the guns, and then the guns would have been pulled out, because you have to assume they have a decent grip on the things. But in a three panel format (or in this case, a four-panel format) you can only tell so much physical story. So, the guns just kind of go flying.

And now you know why Raal's cockpit had those conspicuous rungs beside the door this entire time, to allow Smiley a means of entering and exiting this convenient little access hatch. The partially obcured Aurebesh says "RELEASE."

Wednesday, Strip 63 -- I thought it a bit bold to throw a Star Destroyer into this situation, and yet never show the whole thing because it's just too darn big.

And so Kestrel reaches for her datapad, but she doesn't have it (and you should be able to piece together who does), but Sammie realizes they've been following the same aims, confirmed by the fact that Kestrel recognizes the same make of datapad sticking out of Raal's dashboard.

Thursday, Strip 64 -- I like the rare panel that captures all four Rookies in it. And ironically, the first one to do it is the last one in this storyline!

Friday, Strip 65 -- We're back on Ord Mantell. That's a Chariot airspeeder, first introduced in the Imperial Sourcebook and then used by Tim Zahn in his Thrawn trilogy. Barezz is on the scene.

That's it for this week. Next week is the last week for Rookies: Rendezvous, but it is by no means the last of the Rookies.

Now, onto some of the comments that have piled up in recent weeks:

Pleeeeaasssee, tell me that we'll be seeing Raal, Sammie, and Kestrel popping up in other EU material. These are too good of characters to limit to this one series (though, what a series!)

Right now, that's the only place slated for them, but they could always make an appearance in a databank update someday.

Will we get to learn the name and model of Raal's ship? (sorry, that's the annoyingly inquisitive Wookieepedian talking)

If they ever make it into the databank, perhaps. This ship will show up in the followup story, but not in any major way.

My only complaint is we only get five strips a week! But, you do have to sleep, I guess...

I know! THat's why the format is perfect for telling relatively "small" non-galaxy shattering stories. They're easier to take at this pace, I think.


ph