The Vorknkx was the prototype vessel used in an Imperial scientific project of the same name, which had the goal of developing a cloaking device for a small-sized craft. It would become the mechanism by which Imperial traitor Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin was finally defeated by his archenemy and Imperial successor, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Though Zaarin and Thrawn had skirmished for months and Zaarin's forces had slowly been whittled down by the larger loyalist force under Thrawn's command, the former Admiral was irritatingly good at keeping his flagship, Imperial-class Star Destroyer Glory, and therefore himself, out of harm's way. Thrawn used his assignment to defend the Vorknkx project from Zaarin as a chance to change this pattern and end Zaarin's rebellion against the Emperor once and for all.
Thrawn knew that Zaarin's core weakness was his desire to possess new military technology for himself. He also had received an exclusive report from the scientists in charge of the project which suggested that the experimental cloaking device aboard the Vorknkx could produce a catastrophic power overload if used in conjunction with the craft's hyperdrive. Both of these weaknesses became a critical part of Thrawn's plan to ensnare his enemy.
Zaarin's forces had attacked the station where the Vorknkx Project was being conducted, but had been repulsed by Thrawn's fighter patrols, led by Maarek Stele. When the project was moved to a hollowed-out asteroid some time later, Thrawn allowed the Vorknkxs new location to be discovered by Zaarin. When Zaarin inevitably threw all of his remaining transports at seizing the project, Stele easily destroyed them. A double agent planted by Zaarin attempted to steal a shuttle and flee in the chaos of the battle, but was also shot down by Stele. With his transports gone and unaware that his spy had been eliminated, Zaarin joined the battle himself aboard Glory. Using the remote device which the spy had planted on the Vorknkx, Zaarin was able to guide the ship into his own hangar bay. He then quickly fled the scene, thinking he had triumphed.
In actuality, Thrawn had already learned that the spy had compromised the Vorknkx and had ordered a homing beacon to be placed aboard the ship. When the Glory disappeared into hyperspace, Thrawn's entire task force followed. Thinking that he had already outsmarted Thrawn, the overconfident Zaarin was caught off guard by the appearance of so many Imperial ships. Thrawn's forces quickly cornered 'Glory', which was overwhelmed and doomed. With his flagship crumbling around him, Zaarin fled in the Vorknkx, assuming that, having cloaked immediately, Thrawn's forces would be too caught up in the destruction of the Glory to notice his escape. Gloating about having given Thrawn the slip once more, Zaarin activated the Vorknkxs hyperdrive. The resulting explosion completely tore the ship apart, killing Zaarin instantly. Thrawn, grinning from the bridge of his Star Destroyer, had finally won the day.
Emperor Palpatine ordered the project mothballed soon afterwards, as the sole intention of the research had been to achieve the final defeat of Zaarin and that had been accomplished. It is not known if the technology used in the Vorknkx project survived in another form after the Vorknkx was destroyed.
The Vorknkx was the prototype vessel used in an Imperial scientific project of the same name, which had the goal of developing a cloaking device for a small-sized craft. It would become the mechanism by which Imperial traitor Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin was finally defeated by his archenemy and Imperial successor, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Though Zaarin and Thrawn had skirmished for months and Zaarin's forces had slowly been whittled down by the larger loyalist force under Thrawn's command, the former Admiral was irritatingly good at keeping his flagship, Imperial-class Star Destroyer Glory, and therefore himself, out of harm's way. Thrawn used his assignment to defend the Vorknkx project from Zaarin as a chance to change this pattern and end Zaarin's rebellion against the Emperor once and for all.
Thrawn knew that Zaarin's core weakness was his desire to possess new military technology for himself. He also had received an exclusive report from the scientists in charge of the project which suggested that the experimental cloaking device aboard the Vorknkx could produce a catastrophic power overload if used in conjunction with the craft's hyperdrive. Both of these weaknesses became a critical part of Thrawn's plan to ensnare his enemy.
Zaarin's forces had attacked the station where the Vorknkx Project was being conducted, but had been repulsed by Thrawn's fighter patrols, led by Maarek Stele. When the project was moved to a hollowed-out asteroid some time later, Thrawn allowed the Vorknkxs new location to be discovered by Zaarin. When Zaarin inevitably threw all of his remaining transports at seizing the project, Stele easily destroyed them. A double agent planted by Zaarin attempted to steal a shuttle and flee in the chaos of the battle, but was also shot down by Stele. With his transports gone and unaware that his spy had been eliminated, Zaarin joined the battle himself aboard Glory. Using the remote device which the spy had planted on the Vorknkx, Zaarin was able to guide the ship into his own hangar bay. He then quickly fled the scene, thinking he had triumphed.
The Vorknkx explodes upon the cloaking device's activation in hyperspace, killing Admiral Zaarin and all hands aboard.
In actuality, Thrawn had already learned that the spy had compromised the Vorknkx and had ordered a homing beacon to be placed aboard the ship. When the Glory disappeared into hyperspace, Thrawn's entire task force followed. Thinking that he had already outsmarted Thrawn, the overconfident Zaarin was caught off guard by the appearance of so many Imperial ships. Thrawn's forces quickly cornered 'Glory', which was overwhelmed and doomed. With his flagship crumbling around him, Zaarin fled in the Vorknkx, assuming that, having cloaked immediately, Thrawn's forces would be too caught up in the destruction of the Glory to notice his escape. Gloating about having given Thrawn the slip once more, Zaarin activated the Vorknkxs hyperdrive. The resulting explosion completely tore the ship apart, killing Zaarin instantly. Thrawn, grinning from the bridge of his Star Destroyer, had finally won the day.
Emperor Palpatine ordered the project mothballed soon afterwards, as the sole intention of the research had been to achieve the final defeat of Zaarin and that had been accomplished. It is not known if the technology used in the Vorknkx project survived in another form after the Vorknkx was destroyed.