Evacuation of Ciutric

Following a meeting between Grand Vizier Sate Pestage and Leia Organa that occurred on Axxila, Ysanne Isard, the Director of Imperial Intelligence, alerted the Cabal to Pestage's act of treason. Despite this, he was able to escape Coruscant and sought refuge on Ciutric IV. However, upon arriving on the planet, he was taken into custody by Leonia Tavira, a former Moff who had become a pirate. Tavira proposed trading Pestage's life to Isard and the Ruling Council, who then dispatched Admiral Delak Krennel to recapture Pestage.

Concurrently, a Rebel intelligence agent stationed on Ciutric IV informed General Airen Cracken about Pestage's predicament, leading the New Republic Provisional Council to authorize a rescue mission for Pestage. Rogue Squadron, in collaboration with Aggressor Wing and a ground unit known as Commando Team One, was tasked with extracting Pestage from Ciutric.

X-wings and Y-wings furnished aerial support as the commandos made their way into the city where Pestage was being held. After extracting Pestage, several commandos began their escape in an evacuation transport. However, their departure from the planet was impeded by a pair of Star Destroyers under the command of Admiral Delak Krennel: the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Reckoning](/article/reckoning(imperial_ii-class)) and the Interdictor Star Destroyer Binder, which had just entered the system.

While Aggressor Wing successfully jumped to hyperspace, Rogue Squadron, the commandos, and Pestage were ensnared by the Interdictor's gravity well, forcing them to land on the planet's dark side. With the rescue force stranded, a squadron of TIE fighters ambushed the team, resulting in the death of Ibtisam before the remaining Rogues eliminated them.

The next day, Rogue Squadron initiated a risky assault on the Imperial ships in orbit. As the battle commenced, Aggressor Wing reappeared, accompanied by Mirax Terrik's vessel, the Pulsar Skate, and destroyed a large number of TIE fighters. The reinforced Republic force then returned to the planet's surface to replenish their supplies and devise a plan for their escape.

Supported by the Skate and X-wings, the Y-wing squadrons launched salvos of proton torpedoes at the Star Destroyers, disabling the Binder's gravity well projectors and causing the artificial gravity on the Reckoning to fail. Subsequently, both Star Destroyers retreated, clearing a path for the Republic forces to escape.

On the ground, stormtroopers and All Terrain Armored Transports launched an attack on Commando Team One before their Bantha-class troop carrier assault shuttles could take off. However, despite the fighting, both shuttles managed to escape.

Amidst the chaos, Pestage abandoned his rescuers, intending for Krennel to govern the Ciutric Hegemony on his behalf. Krennel, however, used his artificial right hand to strangle Pestage, seizing complete control of the Hegemony. On Coruscant, Ysanne Isard eliminated and imprisoned the leaders of the Cabal, establishing herself as the undisputed ruler of the Empire.

The cover art for X-Wing Rogue Squadron 32 erroneously depicts the Eidolon as being present during the battle.