The Gepparin Bombardment involved a complex, four-sided battle. Combatants included the forces of the Galactic Empire, the BloodScar pirate group, Emperor's Hand operative Mara Jade, and a joint force composed of members from both the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Hand of Judgment. This engagement occurred on Gepparin during the year 0.5 ABY.
During an investigation into the BloodScar pirate organization, Emperor's Hand agent Mara Jade infiltrated the pirate vessel Cavalcade. While attacking the freighter Happer's Way, she eliminated the majority of the crew, sparing only the pilot, Tannis. Subsequently, she summoned the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Reprisal to assist in repairing the ship. This action unsettled Captain Ozzel and ISB Colonel Somoril, who suspected a trap following the death of an ISB major and the desertion of a squad of stormtroopers.
Mara intended to utilize the Happer's Way to infiltrate the BloodScar base located on the planet Gepparin, accompanied by Tannis and several troopers provided by the Reprisal. Brock and Gilling were actually ISB operatives assigned by Somoril to monitor the Emperor's Hand. Ozzel and Somoril planned to shadow Jade and assault the pirate stronghold with the Star Destroyer, with the convenient side effect of eliminating Mara and concealing their own transgressions, which she was unaware of.
Within the Purnham system, the Millennium Falcon and the Hand of Judgment's ship, the Melnor Spear, cooperated to intercept a BloodScar vessel. Information extracted from the captured crew revealed the location of the BloodScars' base. Believing that Luke Skywalker, due to his possession of a lightsaber, might be the enigmatic Emperor's Hand, the combined force proceeded towards Gepparin to target the pirate base.
Upon arriving at Gepparin with Tannis and the two ISB agents, Mara claimed that she had seized the Happer's Way on behalf of a pirate group seeking to align with the BloodScars. This allowed her to meet with the BloodScar leader, the Commodore, and his second-in-command, Caaldra. Later, the ISB agents betrayed Mara, revealing their intention to assassinate her to prevent her from exposing their knowledge of the Reprisal's defecting stormtroopers, forcing her to eliminate them. She subsequently engaged the Commodore's forces, aided by Tannis. Caaldra then attempted to kill both of them with a fire trap, resulting in severe injuries to Tannis. As the Commodore attempted to flee from Mara, the entire base was under attack by the Reprisal.
Shortly thereafter, the Melnor Spear, carrying the damaged Millennium Falcon, arrived at Gepparin. The Hand of Judgment panicked, fearing discovery by the Reprisal. Utilizing the Falcon as a diversion with only Chewbacca aboard, they separated and evaded the [tractor beam](/article/tractor_beam-legends]'s grasp. When the Millennium Falcon jumped to the Alderaan system, the Star Destroyer pursued it, leaving TIE fighters to finish the assault on the base.
Within the base, Mara discovered the Commodore's body in a control room, uncovering his attempt to contact his benefactor on Shelkonwa, whom Mara suspected to be Imperial Governor Choard. When the TIE fighters attacked her, she was compelled to destroy them using the base's laser turrets. Mara and Tannis attempted to escape the planet aboard the Happer's Way, but Caaldra, who had survived the attack, hijacked the ship and fled. Tannis ultimately died in Mara's arms.
Mara Jade located a Z-10 Seeker within the base and set course for Shelkonwa, pausing briefly to commit Tannis' body to space as he had requested.
Upon arriving at the base, the Rebels and stormtroopers discovered the same information regarding the contact on Shelkonwa, prompting them to travel there together, especially since Luke sensed that Princess Leia was in danger there.