How could Tetran Cowall fly well enough to fool everyone into thinking he was Fel?
He and the rest of the bogus 181st were enjoying the benefits of computerized coordination from the Iron Fist (and, in an earlier scene, from the Reprisal — see Chapter 13), and this computer help allowed him to impersonate Fel well enough to fool even pilots who’d flown against him previously. (Remember that most pilots who’d flown against Fel previously were dead, so the survivors tended to be pilots who’d seen him from a distance or had their starfighters crippled early in an engagement. Most pilots’ knowledge of Fel’s flying technique comes from reviewing recordings, which isn’t the same as facing him in person.) Cowall was also an excellent pilot, which helped the deception. Additionally, he won some matches through reputation; people would seize up at the thought of facing Fel and become easier prey. However, it’s to be noted that until Solo Command, no one who’d previously flown against the real Fel flew against Cowall, so they couldn’t put his real lethality to the test.
