After the successful strike at Qretu 5, Rogue Squadron launched a hit-and-fade campaign against the Thyferrans bacta shipments. In each attack, the Rogues showed up only for the time needed to force the Star Destroyers to scramble their fighters, launch some proton torpedoes to take out a few TIEs and then scatter. As this tactic was costing the Bacta Cartel in both credits and prestige, Ysanne Isard attempted to mount an ambush against the Rogues. Thanks to Fliry Vorru, Isard was able to locate the rendezvous point in the Alderaan system where the Rogues were to receive a big shipment of munitions and spare parts from Talon Karrde's group. An Interdictor cruiser leased by Isard, from High Admiral Treuten Teradoc, was intended to ensure that the Rogues would not be able to escape from the battle zone.
The Graveyard was the place chosen for the rendezvous between the twelve freighters led by Pulsar Skate and escorted by Rogue Squadron and its allies and Karrde's half-dozen ships led by Quelev Tapper on the Starry Ice. As the two groups were beginning the transfer operation, the Interdictor cruiser Aggregator and the Victory II-class Star Destroyer Corrupter left their concealed position. The Corrupter positioned itself between the Interdictor and the Rebel snubfighters, begun to launch its starfighters and opened fire against the freighters. Wedge Antilles led the Rogues in the first run of against the Corrupter, while Tal'dira's squadron covered them from the TIE starfighters. The proton torpedoes volley collapsed the ship's port shield and some of the torpedoes hit the destroyer's hull, blasting apart armor plates and crushing turbolaser batteries. To protect its unshielded flank, the ship rotated on itself to present the starboard shields to the attackers.
While Tycho Celchu was nearing to order the launch the second volley, the Valiant, a Thranta-class War Cruiser, ranged up from the Graveyard and opened fire against the unshielded flank of the Corrupter. The second proton torpedoes volley then arrived adding, up its damage to the doomed ship. Wedge Antilles waited to launch his second pair of proton torpedoes until he was able to target the bridge of the ship, and upon impact his torpedos destroyed it. With its bridge gone, the hull of the Corrupter was left drifting down into the Graveyard. The Valiant then attacked the Aggregators starboard shield, while the Rogues launched proton torpedoes against its port shield. With its shield beginning to collpase in several points, the Aggregator jumped away without waiting to pick up the surviving TIE fighters and the escape pods launched from the Corrupter.
After the battle, Tycho Celchu reported to Commander Antilles that the mysterious ship was the Valiant, an automated Thranta-class War Cruiser originally slaved to the Alderaanian War Frigate Another Chance as one of its escort ships. Having lost contact with Another Chance, the Valiant had returned to the Graveyard and was waiting for the return of its flagship. As the IFF of Captain Celchu was transmitting the Another Chance's code and his fighter was broadcasting tactical targeting data, the Valiant had picked them and joined the fight.
Antilles also had Booster Terrik inquire about black market interest in a "slightly used" Interdictor cruiser, so as to give High Admiral Teradoc the implication that Rogue Squadron would attempt to capture his cruisers if he leased them to Isard again.
- The Essential Chronology
- The New Essential Chronology