The Battle of Talus took place during the time of the Galactic Civil War.
Imperial Special Forces, acting under the explicit direction of the Emperor, established a hunter squadron on the planet of Corellia. Their objective was to locate and eliminate a secret Rebel base situated on the nearby Talus. While initially believed to be merely a reconnaissance outpost, the Imperials discovered that the base served as a launchpad for Rebel sabotage operations within the Corellian system and provided refuge to one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, specifically Rachi Sitra. At the Imperial Academy located on Raithal, a comprehensive week-long briefing was conducted regarding a forthcoming operation within the Corellian system. The Academy even suffered an attack from Alliance forces attempting to disrupt the planning, but they were ultimately driven back.
At the Imperial command center on Corellia, plans were formulated for an assault on the Rebel base. Onyx Squadron, a formation of TIE bombers, was assigned to escort a contingent of landing craft to a designated landing zone near the Rebel installation. The intention was that a swift and clandestine strike would neutralize Rebel operations. However, Rebel spies successfully obtained the operation's schematics. A lone operative, piloting a Z-95 Headhunter, landed inconspicuously near the Imperial outpost and infiltrated it through an unguarded entrance previously identified by Rebel agents. Inside the outpost, the operative managed to download the planning documents for the impending operation. Following a brief exchange of fire with Lieutenant Jeffren Brek, the operative made a rapid escape with the crucial information. After analyzing the acquired data, the Rebels determined that they lacked the resources to adequately defend the facility and initiated preparations to evacuate all personnel.
The rapidly mobilized Imperial strike force journeyed to Talus, where Onyx Squadron unleashed a heavy bombardment, enabling the transports to land in proximity to the Rebel facility. Imperial troops disembarked and promptly engaged the Rebel defenders. However, the Imperials were taken by surprise when a group of Jedi, under the leadership of Rachi Sitra, joined the battle. Although the Imperials were already fighting the Rebels at the base, the group of Jedi proved to be too much for them. The combined forces of the Rebel Alliance and their Jedi allies successfully defended their base on Talus, compelling the Imperials to retreat back to the Imperial outpost. The defensive capabilities of the Rebel base had been significantly underestimated, and the Imperials considered themselves fortunate to have executed a successful withdrawal.
Although Imperial forces were compelled to retreat, the withdrawal was conducted in an organized manner. The damage inflicted upon the Rebel base's troops and facilities had reduced the number of defenders. It was the unexpected presence of the Jedi, both in terms of their numbers and their determination, that ultimately doomed the operation. However, before the troops could rest for the night, the blaring of alarms throughout the Imperial outpost signaled a Rebel counterattack. Barn Sinkko, who had only recently arrived at the outpost, immediately joined the fray and began organizing the defenses. The Rebel assault force, led by captain Coret Bhan, comprised Rebel commandos supported by heavy troopers and Y-wing bombers. All available Imperial soldiers hurried to defend the outpost, while Snopel ensured their proper deployment. The defense of the Imperial outpost's barracks and armory was successful. As the Imperials began to gain the upper hand against the Rebels, captain Bhan issued the order for the Alliance forces to retreat. The Rebels swiftly withdrew to their base, while the Imperials were in no condition to pursue them.
The following morning, the Imperials witnessed the arrival of reinforcement troops and TIE/LN starfighters to strengthen the planned second assault. A coordinated attack was devised, incorporating two squadrons of TIEs operating in conjunction with ground troops on the moon's surface. Later that night, the operation commenced. The TIEs detected a group of transports evacuating from the Rebel base and pursued them, but the ground troops reported that the majority of Alliance personnel on Talus had already escaped.
During an engagement with the escorting Y-wings, the TIE fighters managed to damage several Rebel transports, forcing them to crash-land in a remote area of Corellia. A landing craft was redeployed and dispatched to the location of the evacuated Rebels. The troops on Talus reported that the Rebel base was lightly defended and already under Imperial control. The evacuees in the shuttles remained as the only Rebel presence in the Corellian system. One group of grounded rebels, including Luke Skywalker, mounted a determined defense, but the Imperials pressed their attack and ultimately prevailed. Skywalker and his companions managed to escape in a hastily repaired Y-wing before they could be captured. Another group, led by Rachi Sitra, was confronted by troopers commanded by Darth Vader himself. The ensuing battle was intense and brutal, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, but Sitra ultimately created a diversion long enough for the remaining forces to escape into the wilderness and eventually reach a local spaceport.
Only a small number of Rebels and Jedi were captured during the mission. Despite the crash landing and the attack by the Dark Lord, the majority of the Rebels and Jedi survived. Although the Rebel base on Talus was destroyed, key personnel had been evacuated and soon rejoined the main Alliance forces. With the destruction of the Rebel base on Talus and the defeat of the escaping Alliance troops on Corellia, the entire system was believed to be free of Rebel presence.