Talon Intelligence Squadron | The NRI's Loose Interpretation of an Intelligence Squadron

Talon Intelligence Squadron, New Republic Intelligence, Special Operations Division

The first words penned by Kevin, a.k.a. Talon Squad Leader, were not the most confident choice of words by far.

As a new member of the JC, he probably felt like any newbie posting one of his first threads on a message board. Squadfic, or fiction written about squadrons, was just starting to become popular in late December 1999 and early 2000, so Kevin also happened to type a quick apology to the moderators if the thread was redundant.

Little did he know the explosion in popularity that would occur that next day, and the impact that it would have for years to come.

The JCers who posted in his thread that next day and in the weeks to come were mostly new to Internet message boards and new to fan fiction in general. Some were merely teenagers, but others might have been college age. Altogether, the group that became known as Talons were not professional writers by any means. The idea behind the story that TSL wanted to create was that it was round-robin fiction, and that multiple authors would be able to create a character and add him to the story that was already going. So, when TSL posted his introduction, he then posted a brief plot starter about his own character, Kevin Ski, sitting in his office and waiting for squadmembers to sign up.

It was some of their first attempts at writing. The first JCers to sign up, including MJEH, IA, Stone, and Trika, would begin to weave a plot crazier than a weekday afternoon soap opera. Round-robin writing and the lack of a predetermined outline caused characters to get lost in the action or killed off accidentally. Sometimes, an excited author would hijack the story for his own purposes and lead the story astray.

Somehow, it all came together and still generally worked despite the chaos. Why? Because it was fun. The best fun to be had on the JC fan fiction board at the time was TIS. Many squadfic round-robins popped up and ultimately failed. TIS, however, had the complete package: plenty of authors with vibrant characters, plotlines that somehow survived shoddy planning, and the excitement that comes from being a part of something larger than the usual fiction. From January 29, 2000 onward, TIS ruled the fan fiction board.

As time progressed through the first year of TIS, the talented crew of Talons came together to produce websites, message boards, art, and spin-off stories. Many of the authors became friends, and the crew became well-known for its presence on the JC. TIS drew the best and the brightest in the long run. McClain, Lilith, Hood, Muis, and Albion joined in that first year, and many others, including Roguelead11, Laguna, Jedi-Jade, Mulder, LeiaB, Homer, Derisa, Tellesto, and Mentos contributed significant time and effort into the project and became famous JCers themselves in other areas of the boards. TSL, Kit', and farraday would later become moderators on the JC, and some Talons are still active in various areas of the boards to this day. Collectively, the Talons became known as not only a fan fiction group, but as a social organization as well.

Kevin saw Talon Intelligence Squadron flourish for two years. The series, spanning twenty large threads, which were then called chapters, won multiple awards in the fan fiction community. A minor effort was made at the end of TIS's first run to archive the threads, and Trika spearheaded the effort to put the individual posts into separate documents. At the time, the story came to rest on a free Geocities website, and with the authors of the saga putting more effort into their real lives with education and work, TIS went dormant in 2002.

TIS never left the hearts and minds of many Talons. Even as a year, then two passed, the story remained fresh for a select few who occasionally browsed the JC or remembered the early days of the project. Sadly, Kevin passed away in 2004, and news of his death spread throughout the old Talon ranks. Needless to say, many were devastated. While most of the old Talons had left the JC behind, there were still some who had kept in contact with him throughout that year. His passing would have a huge effect on the Talon revamp to come.

Ashley, a.k.a. Trika, picked up her pen once again in 2004 for the cause of the Talons. With the five-year anniversary of the Talons approaching, she wanted to create a fitting tribute to the story and to Kevin while wrapping up the chaotic ending to the last chapter. It failed miserably, but the idea was still there. Having contacted Christian, a.k.a. IA, and Rachel, a.k.a. MJEH, she was already obsessed with the idea of recapturing the glory of what was Talon Intelligence Squadron. Unsure of how to proceed, she began to search the old threads for inspiration. At the end of 2005, she once again picked up her pen, this time with a far greater intention.

Beginning from the first word, Ashley began to revamp the entire series. She plugged away at rearranging the weird plots, creating background for characters who had none, and rephrasing descriptions and dialog. Her daily reading was the original threads, with multiple print-outs to study and tear apart. It was no exact science, but in 2007, with the confidence that she had a good start to what could potentially call the old Talons back to work, she returned to the JC as Trika and began to hunt down the crew.

In they came, one at a time, the same passion beneath the surface, even after years away. MJEH, IA, Stone, DMC, Lilith, Hood, and Muis. The goal was to re-release Talon Intelligence Squadron for a new generation of JCers who had never heard of the Talons. On February 25, 2008, TIS once again went live on the JC with its first book, Not Always As They Seem, the starting block for the revamp.

Since the first book went live, TIS has seen Mulder and Albion also return to the Talons and many new members join the crew. With the addition of Ghent, TIS found its first artist, and a new insignia was born. StarscreamPrime, Peri, Blue, Tirade, Thumper, and L0B0 soon followed, bringing the total number of Talons to over a dozen. With the addition of a few extra hands, including silverfighter and Serena, TIS has seen extraordinary growth.

From the most humble beginnings to the most elaborate fan fiction ever to grace the JC, Talon Intelligence Squadron is a passion unparalleled. Every Talon has brought fresh and unique talents to the table, and every day brings a new creation to the wonderful Talonverse that the Talons now call a home. In essence, the series, with its ups and downs, has a broad future that is bright, with solid writers and artists to continue the cause. In honor of Kevin and his wondrous creation, the Talons fully intend to give the story a final, glorious pedestal on the World Wide Web.

Ghent's original designs for the new Talon crest