The confrontation known as the Battle of Centerpoint Station, also referred to as Operation Sidestep, represented a struggle for dominance over Centerpoint Station within the Corellian system, marking the culmination of the Corellian Crisis. Ultimately, the battle led to the downfall of the separatist forces of the Sacorrian Triad and the reintegration of the Corellian system into the New Republic.
Toward the end of the Galactic Civil War, the Sacorrian Triad, the ruling authoritarian regime of Sacorria in the Corellian sector, devised a plan to destabilize the Corellian system and seize control of the entire sector from the New Republic. They successfully captured Centerpoint Station, an enigmatic and ancient space station situated in the Corellian system, subsequently employing it to obliterate several stars, including Thanta Zilbra, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands. The New Republic found itself largely unable to respond, as the Triad also utilized Centerpoint to establish a massive interdiction field and implement communications jamming across the entire Corellian system. Furthermore, a significant portion of the New Republic Defense Fleet was undergoing repairs in the aftermath of the recent Imperial Skirmishes.
While Admiral Ackbar, the commanding officer of the New Republic Defense Fleet, marshaled available vessels, Luke Skywalker secured assistance from the Bakuran Defense Fleet. The Bakurans had pioneered a technology capable of neutralizing interdiction fields, known as the hyperwave inertial momentum sustainer (HIMS), which could facilitate penetration of the Corellian system. This hastily formed Bakuran task force included the Bakura-class destroyers Watchkeeper, Defender and Sentinel, and the Namana-class light cruiser Intruder, all equipped with HIMS technology, accompanied by a complement of General Purpose Attack Fighters. Leading the fleet were Bakuran Defense Fleet Admiral Hortel Ossilege and former Prime Minister of Bakura Gaeriel Captison.
The Bakuran fleet's use of HIMS technology enabled them to break through the Corellian interdiction field. Upon entering the Corellian system, the New Republic forces steered towards Selonia to mask their true objective: Centerpoint Station. En route, they were engaged by starfighters belonging to the Selonian Overden. The Selonians attempted to obliterate the Bakuran ships using their planetary repulsor, but they only managed to destroy the severely damaged Watchkeeper. Subsequently, the New Republic fleet advanced towards Centerpoint Station. The Bakuran ships were positioned in orbit around the station to allow a scouting party to land aboard Centerpoint and investigate it. There, they discovered that Centerpoint Station was, in fact, the superweapon responsible for the destruction of Thanta Zilbra. Regrettably, they were unable to halt the countdown for Centerpoint's next firing sequence, targeted at Bovo Yagen, a star system with an estimated population of twelve million, scheduled to occur within a few hours.
Shortly afterward, Thrackan Sal-Solo, the leader of the Human League, betrayed the Sacorrian Triad and remotely deactivated Centerpoint's interdiction field and communications jamming. Thrackan, who had been in league with the Sacorrians, had decided to act independently, hoping to seize Centerpoint for himself and become the new Diktat of Corellia. The Triad was compelled to intervene, dispatching its massive starfleet into the Corellian system to regain control. However, the Triad first had to contend with the small New Republic fleet.
The Sacorrian fleet comprised 80 starships, not including their carried starfighters, while the New Republic fleet could only muster three capital ship and their support vessels. Despite the Sacorrian ships being relatively old and poorly maintained, the Bakurans did not anticipate being able to defeat such a large force. Admiral Ossilege opted to engage the Triad, leveraging their superior technology and crew to hold off the Sacorrian Triad forces until the arrival of Ackbar's New Republic fleet. Ossilege hoped to endure long enough for his engineers to utilize the planetary repulsor on Drall against Centerpoint to avert its next firing.
The Bakuran task force initiated the attack to catch their enemy off guard. Ossilege's ships executed a precise minimum-distance hyperspace jump directly into the heart of the Triad fleet. Subsequently, each Bakuran capital ship charged through the enemy formation along a designated lane. Ossilege's strategy was to push through the enemy ships towards the rear, maintaining a series of running engagements, aiming to cause disruption rather than extensive damage. The tactic proved successful, and the Bakuran forces inflicted considerable damage on the enemy fleet while sustaining only minor damage themselves. However, at a critical juncture, a group of Sacorrian robot ramships rammed and critically damaged the Bakuran flagship Intruder. With Hortel Ossilege and Gaeriel Captison mortally wounded, they chose to activate the autodestruct sequence of the Intruder amidst the Sacorrian fleet. The ensuing explosion devastated the Triad fleet.
Amidst the space battle, the countdown to Centerpoint's next firing, aimed at Bovo Yagen, was only minutes away. Antone and other New Republic technicians worked frantically at the controls of the planetary repulsor on Drall to nudge Centerpoint and prevent the firing. Ultimately, young Anakin Solo harnessed the power of the Force and successfully deflected Centerpoint, thereby saving Bovo Yagen.
The Battle of Centerpoint concluded when Admiral Ackbar's forces arrived in the Corellian system. The New Republic easily overwhelmed the remaining Sacorrian defenders and secured control of Centerpoint.
Following the defeat of the Sacorrian Triad fleet, the New Republic was able to reassert its authority over the Corellian sector. A pro-New Republic government was established in the system, led by a native, Marcha, Duchess of Mastigophorous, who garnered widespread acceptance from the Corellian population. Nevertheless, the relationship between the New Republic and the Corellians remained strained. Despite their transgressions, the Sacorrian Triad remained in power on Sacorria and would eventually serve as a model for secessionist Corellians.
After the conclusion of the Corellian Crisis, Centerpoint Station remained under the close supervision of the new Corellian government, which was allied with the New Republic. The station would again be used as a weapon during the Yuuzhan Vong War, following the rise to power on Corellia of Thrackan Sal-Solo's secessionist Centerpoint Party. In the subsequent years, Sal-Solo managed to gain firm control of the station and ultimately exploited it to once again declare the independence of the Corellian system, thereby initiating the Second Galactic Civil War.