Destruction of the Grappler

Zaarin, a Grand Admiral, leveraged the recent assault on RS-32 to justify the destruction of ZA-13. RS-32 had been the location where Mag Pulse Warheads were seized from the Rebel Alliance. Zaarin's aim was to prevent ZA-13 from producing TIE Advanced fighters for the Imperial loyalists. Furthermore, he located the attacking force and dispatched the Grappler, an Immobilizer 418 cruiser, to ensnare Thrawn, a Vice Admiral, aboard the Victory I-class Star Destroyer Sceltor. Zaarin's intention was to eliminate Thrawn and seize the Warheads for his own purposes.

Maarek Stele made his entrance piloting his TIE Defender, equipped with Mag Pulse warheads to disrupt the Grappler's offensive capabilities. Amidst aerial combat with numerous TIE Fighters, RS-32 met its end through the actions of TIE Bombers, which then set their sights on the Sceltor. Stele swiftly moved to intercept the Bombers, but the situation grew more complex with the arrival of the Serpent, a Strike-class medium cruiser, along with the Shadow, a Nebulon-B2 frigate, both converging on the Sceltor. Stele employed his Mag Pulse warhead to hinder the Serpent, aiding the Sceltor in its destruction. Subsequently, Stele redirected his focus to the Grappler, launching another Mag Pulse warhead that struck the Interdictor. Three TIE Bombers, armed with Heavy rockets, were deployed from the Sceltor, targeting and obliterating the Grappler. The remaining fighters, along with Stele's assistance in disabling the Shadow's weapon systems with a Mag Pulse warhead, then destroyed the frigate. Following this, Stele landed his fighter in the Sceltor's hangar.

Following this engagement, Maarek Stele received the Medal of Dignity due to his success in repelling Zaarin's assaults on the Empire's TIE Avenger production centers.

Nevertheless, all factories located in the Omar system were eventually destroyed. However, the Imperial Navy demonstrated resilience for a considerable duration, successfully eliminating a portion of Zaarin's forces.

Furthermore, Thrawn was elevated to the rank of Admiral and was entrusted by Palpatine, the Emperor, with the mission of locating and neutralizing Zaarin, which gave Thrawn access to top-tier resources, including Maarek Stele.

This battle was originally presented in Star Wars: TIE Fighter, a video game created by LucasArts in 1994, where players assume the role of Maarek Stele. The mission "Trapped," which is the sixth mission in the game's eighth tour of duty within the "Strategic Warfare" campaign, showcases the battle.

The exact rank held by Thrawn remains ambiguous. While he is referred to as "Admiral Thrawn" during the mission briefing, the debriefing indicates that he has been newly promoted to "Admiral Thrawn".