The Battle of Bothawui, occurring in 19 ABY, represented the final major confrontation between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant, alongside the Battle of Yaga Minor. While it signified the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War that originated with the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire, it almost triggered another civil war centered on the Caamas Document.
At the onset of the Caamas Document crisis, the resurrected "Grand Admiral Thrawn," actually the imposter Flim, dispatched three Imperial-class Star Destroyers to the Both system. Leading the charge was the Tyrannic, commanded by the Kuati Captain Nalgol. Accompanying it were the Obliterator under Captain Trazzen and the Ironhand under Captain Argona, along with several smaller scout ships disguised as civilian vessels. These three Star Destroyers received orders to anchor themselves to a comet, remaining hidden with their cloaking devices activated. Their mission: to exploit a planned failure in Bothawui's planetary shields orchestrated by Imperial saboteurs, which would ignite a conflict between pro- and anti-Bothan factions in orbit. The Star Destroyers would then obliterate both fleets and inflict massive damage on Bothawui's surface.
Meanwhile, Imperial Intelligence operatives actively fueled the escalating tensions surrounding the Caamas Document and the accusations of Bothan complicity in the Caamasi genocide. Under the direction of agent Navett, the Imperials engaged in acts of sabotage and incited riots across various planets, including Bothawui itself. These violent actions, combined with the existing animosity surrounding the Caamas Document and other disputes among New Republic members, created a volatile situation. The New Republic government appeared incapable of controlling the escalating violence. For example, General Wedge Antilles was unable to prevent Leresen forces from destroying a zero-gravity crystal factory in Bothawui orbit, a retaliatory act for the deaths of two Leresai individuals during a riot on Bothawui.
Quickly, the Both system became crowded with over fifty-six vessels, some threatening and others defending the Bothans. This number rapidly increased, reaching nearly two hundred capital ships representing both pro- and anti-Bothan factions by the time the final battle commenced. The New Republic maintained only a minimal presence in the system, attempting to separate the warring fleets. They received assistance from a few neutral vessels, including an Action II transport from Pakrik Minor commanded by Carib Devist. Devist, a clone of the Imperial war hero Soontir Fel and a former member of an Imperial sleeper cell, had recently switched his allegiance to the New Republic. A larger New Republic fleet, under the command of General Garm Bel Iblis, was supposedly positioned near Kothlis, but was actually gathering in the Mrisst system to prepare for the raid on Yaga Minor.
The New Republic suspected Imperial Remnant involvement in manipulating the growing tensions. Correctly deducing that the Imperials planned to disable Bothawui's shields, enabling anti-Bothan forces to bombard the planet, General Garm Bel Iblis dispatched Wedge Antilles and Corran Horn on an undercover mission to investigate and prevent potential Imperial sabotage. In the city of Drev'starn, they were joined by Moranda Savich, an operative working for the smuggler Talon Karrde who was pursuing a similar objective. Navett's team—consisting of himself, Klif, Pensin, and Horvic—became unsettled by their activities. This resulted in frequent changes to the attack timetables that Navett transmitted to Captain Nalgol through the disguised support vessels. However, Antilles and Horn were summoned to join Bel Iblis's raid on Yaga Minor, and Savich's criminal background prevented her from contacting Bothan authorities.
As the situation continued to deteriorate, Leia Organa Solo and the Caamasi Senator Elegos A'Kla arrived aboard the Millennium Falcon following preliminary, secret peace talks with Imperial Admiral Gilad Pellaeon. Their arrival interrupted a near-skirmish between the Ishori flagship Predominance and four Diamalan and Sif'krie ships. The two dignitaries and their Noghri bodyguards were escorted to a New Republic corvette carrying Chief of State Ponc Gavrisom. They were soon joined by Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, who had returned on Calrissian's yacht Lady Luck from a mission to recover the Caamas Document from Bastion.
The New Republic dignitaries needed to stall for time. Lando Calrissian boarded the Diamalan flagship Industrious Thoughts to meet with Diamalan Senator Porolo Miatamia. Meanwhile, Organa Solo and Gavrisom engaged in discussions with the Ishori leader, Captain Av'muru. Han Solo announced to both sides that he possessed the complete Caamas Document, which would reveal the Bothan leaders who had conspired with Emperor Palpatine to destroy Caamas, but declared that he would not release it until both sides stood down. He was aware, however, that even if the fleets retreated, the issue would remain unresolved, as his copy, provided by "Thrawn" (Flim), had been altered by the Imperials and was therefore worthless.
Back in Drev'starn, Moranda Savich set fire to the pet store that Navett was using as a cover. This forced the saboteurs to initiate their operation prematurely. While Navett and Klif disabled the shields near Drev'starn, Pensin and Horvic infiltrated the Predominance and opened fire on the city. They also jammed the frequencies carrying Gavrisom's plea for calm and transmitted false orders to several flotillas in the system (including the Corellians, Mon Calamari, Diamalan, and Ishori ships), instructing them to commence their attack. The cloaked Star Destroyers, whose crews had become frustrated by the constant delays in Navett's plans, were caught off guard by the sudden change in schedule. Nevertheless, they moved into position as the pro- and anti-Bothan ships began exchanging fire.
During the chaotic engagement, the Millennium Falcon (with Han Solo and Elegos A'Kla aboard) and Devist's Action II transport encountered the cloaked Tyrannic. The two freighters were ensnared in the Star Destroyer's tractor beam. Although they were concealed behind the Tyrannic's cloak, Leia Organa Solo sensed a disturbance in the Force related to her husband's predicament. Lando Calrissian also noticed the Falcon's disappearance. After persuading Senator Miatamia to utilize a diplomatic channel to contact Leia, they realized that Han had entered a cloaking field. Leia used the Force to make small adjustments to the Predominance's helm controls, and helped Gavrisom convince Captain Av'muru to maintain an intercept course towards the comet. Lando convinced the Diamala to follow. Meanwhile, Devist's freighter launched twelve TIE/IN interceptors (repainted with New Republic markings), which destroyed the tractor beam emplacements holding the two freighters in the cloaking field. As the Falcon escaped, revealing the Imperial deception, all three Star Destroyers deactivated their cloaks.
The pro- and anti-Bothan forces, now facing a common adversary, launched a unified attack. Lando Calrissian accepted a temporary reinstatement of his General's commission from President Gavrisom and assumed command of the combined fleets. Han Solo utilized Borsk Fey'lya's private communication channel to request reinforcements from his clan's private security forces - but made sure that his call was overheard by other Bothan clan leaders. Faced with approximately 110 capital ships remaining from the initial phase of the battle, and the arrival of one hundred Bothan starfighters and smaller capital ships as reinforcements, Captain Nalgol realized, to his dismay, that he was outmatched. The Imperials executed a swift retreat to Bastion, intending to demand an explanation from "Thrawn" for the failure of his plan.