Rickenbacker is a man in his late 20's to early 30's, who lives for flying, usually spaceships of various kinds. He once had a YT-1300 freighter with which he did some trading, helped by his wife, Julie. Then, however, he unwisely decided to help the rebel alliance out and smuggle some guns into Travnin. The Empire got word of this, and intercepted him above the planet. When Rick didn't surrender right away, they blasted the ship out of the sky. Rick got out in time, Julie didn't.

He spent the next year on Travnin avoiding Imp patrols and trying to get to Rebel territory, and eventually made it, with the help of Mercer, who owned a trader at the time. He came to Yelsain, where he unsuccessfully tried to join the Alliance. There was no shortage of willing new pilots, as there hadn't been any major hostilities for a while, so he just hung around, chatting with Haz'lrah and occasionally drinking quite heavily at the Wilderbeast Inn. Eventually he got fed up with it, and tried to steal a Y-wing (Green-3). He was caught, but since trouble was brewing with the Empire, he was given a chance to prove himself as a pilot in the Alliance Navy (by Col. Kyle Storm), and was made a probationary Ensign in Green Squad.

Rickenbacker soon made Squad Leader, and led Gold Squad (Y-wings) into battle over Adarlon, which was under siege by the Imperials. The entire squad was destroyed, even Rick's ship, but he managed to limp back to the Dauntless, which jumped to Yelsain at the last minute, under heavy bombardment by the Imperial Fleet. Upon return to Yelsain he was promoted to Lt. Commander and given Blue Squad(X-wings). He led that squad through the blockade of Yelsain, destroying an Imperial Frigate (Janarell, who later went on to lead the squad firing the final shot), and then transferred to Red Squad(X-wings), which fought successfully at Travnin, where the clusters only Imperial Star Destroyer was brought down.

Rickenbacker is currently a Lieutenant in Red Squad, although not the leader, the circumstances of his demotion unknown, but rumor has it that he had to step down as Squad Leader in order to get transferred back to Adarlon.

OOC Notes: Rickenbacker was created in May of 1995, and is still not dead. i.e. he's a lucky bastard :-).