AA-23 was stationed on an Imperial XQ6 Platform DX-11a in the Eidoloni system some time after the Battle of Hoth. It was one of four shuttles that attempted to flee the platform when Ace Azzameen's squadron staged a diversionary attack on the outpost. Their aim was to give Commander Zaletta, an Imperial officer who had grown sympathetic to the Rebel Alliance's cause, an opportunity to defect.
Kupalo makes his escape in AA-23. Note the trussed-up custodian.
Onboard shuttle AA-23, Zaletta fled the platform after the Rebels were able to disable the platform's shields. Unsure of which of the shuttles the defector was on, Azzameen was ordered to scan each craft before contact could be established. Their attack a success, the Rebels fled to a rendezvous with the Rebel Nebulon-B Frigate Redemption. Zaletta safely docked with the vessel, but the group suddenly came under attack from an Interdictor and an escorting Star Destroyer. With Zaletta under suspicion of luring the Rebels into a trap, he was imprisoned while the Rebels attacked the Interdictor and forced it to disengage.
Before the Rebels had a chance to decode the shuttle's valuable data, however, Libertys Tactical Officer Commander Kupalo, secretly a mole for the Empire, blew his cover, breaking into the hangar. He bound the shuttle's custodian, placing a series of explosives beside him. Despite the deck officer's protests, Kupalo stole the shuttle and blasted his way out of the hangar, detonating the charges and causing huge damage to the hangar as he did so.
The Liberty rapidly deployed a trio of X-wings to pursue the shuttle, but Kupalo was prepared for this. From a hidden compartment on AA-23s underside, he fired three deadly Type-B Homing Mines. Unable to evade the blindingly fast warheads, the X-wings were destroyed, and Kupalo made the jump to hyperspace. The crew of the Liberty was able to track his destination, but suspected he would make multiple jumps to hinder pursuit, giving them very little time. Admiral Yamarus dispatched pilots Ace Azzameen and Olin Garn in a pair of A-Wings to intercept the traitor.
AA-23 fires mines from its underbelly.
Azzameen and Garn eventually caught up with Kupalo, who refused to stand down without a fight. While Garn fought off a flight of Assault Gunboats, Azzameen attacked AA-23. Kupalo was forced to power the shuttle down after sustained heavy damage. Storm Unit then arrived to recover the shuttle and return to the Liberty, while the two pilots fought reinforcements from "Kupalo's ride", the Star Destroyer Imperator. AA-23 was stripped of its databanks so that they could be decoded. Zaletta was cleared of all charges and presented his data to the Rebels, which would lead to the Alliance's discovery of the second Death Star at the planet Endor. Thanks to the overused tactic of capturing shuttles, each Lambda Shuttle was then fitted with a self destruct device if captured to prevent slip of information or data.
The use of "AA-23" is likely a reference to Detention Block AA-23 where Princess Leia was held aboard the first Death Star.