Seven months following the Battle of Yavin, the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator initiated an evacuation mission to extract Imperial forces stationed on Ivarujar, a world ravaged by a colossal volcanic event. Ciena Ree, holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander, received the assignment to remove a local stormtrooper detachment from the planetary capital. After successfully extracting the stormtroopers, she also oversaw the removal of forty civilians before the city was completely consumed by flowing lava. Ciena's transport barely escaped the volcanic inferno, returning safely to the Devastator. While this act of compassion earned her the respect of the Ivarujarians, Captain Ronnadam of the Imperial Security Bureau disciplined and reprimanded her for not seeking authorization for the civilian rescue.
During the Age of the Empire, the Galactic Empire maintained several garrisons on the planet Ivarujar. A cataclysmic volcanic eruption occurred seven months after the Battle of Yavin, devastating the planet and posing a dire threat to both the civilian population and the Imperial stormtroopers stationed there. Forecasts indicated that the eruption would shroud the planet in smoke and ash for years. The Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, as the nearest Imperial Navy ship within that sector, deployed several troop transports for the purpose of evacuating the Imperial garrisons stranded on Ivarujar, as their own vessels had sustained severe damage from the initial eruption.
Ciena Ree, a Lieutenant Commander recently graduate from the Royal Imperial Academy, was given command of the transport positioned closest to the active volcano. Upon her arrival, the capital city was almost entirely submerged in lava. Ree's pilot, a stormtrooper, identified stormtroopers positioned on a nearby rooftop, awaiting extraction. While the pilot was occupied with verifying instrument readings, Ciena assumed control of the aircraft and directed the pilot to load the injured personnel. Subsequently, Ciena navigated the transport through the lava-filled streets, eventually landing on the garrison's roof.
Despite the pervasive ash and smoke, the stormtroopers stationed in Ivarujar's capital maintained formation, adhering strictly to protocol. Following their evacuation, Ciena observed a group of Ivarujarian civilians gathered on the roof of another structure. She inferred that these individuals had either missed their designated civilian transports or had been denied access due to space constraints. Acting on this observation, Ciena instructed her pilot to redirect the transport to the building and instructed the troops to accommodate additional passengers. Although she had not received explicit orders to evacuate civilians, Ciena found herself unable to disregard her moral compass.
Despite the deteriorating atmospheric conditions, Ree successfully landed the transport near a building's edge. Many civilians exhibited coughing symptoms due to the absence of helmets and ventilation masks. Ciena exited the cockpit to assist the stormtroopers in evacuating the civilians. Setting an example, she lifted a young boy into the shuttle before assisting his father. Her subordinates followed her lead, and they successfully rescued forty civilians. However, the added weight presented challenges to the aircraft's flight capabilities. With the pilot unwilling to fly the transport, Ciena took control of the ship again.
Utilizing the ship's engines at maximum power, Ciena skillfully evaded an approaching firestorm. With considerable effort, she successfully departed Ivarujar and executed a safe landing within the Devastator's hangar bay. Ciena's courageous and selfless actions were met with cheers from the rescued passengers, encompassing both stormtroopers and civilians. Much of Ivarujar's capital was destroyed during the inferno including the Imperial garrison there.
While Ciena's actions garnered praise from the rescued stormtroopers and civilians, her superior, Captain Ronnadam of the Imperial Security Bureau, expressed disapproval due to her perceived disobedience of Imperial directives regarding the rescue of civilians. When Ciena highlighted the absence of an explicit prohibition against such actions in her orders, Ronnadam accused her of seeking loopholes. Ciena responded that she was reacting instinctively and saw no obstacle to doing so, Ronnadam scolded her for failing to consult her superior officers. Realizing that it was no point arguing, Ciena apologized for her mistake in not clearing her mission before undertaking it.
Ronnadam acknowledged her remorse and mandated five weeks of double shifts as a form of disciplinary action. He cautioned Ciena that the Empire's leniency would not extend to future instances. Ciena accepted the punishment and pledged to avoid repeating her mistake. Although Ciena felt resentment towards the reprimand for saving lives, she understood that Ronnadam's punishment stemmed from her circumvention of the chain of command. She rationalized that the Empire would not have objected to evacuating civilians if she had consulted her superior officers. Following the Irajuvarian evacuation, Ciena was later promoted to Commander before becoming Captain of the Star Destroyer Inflictor.
The Ivarujar evacuation was first depicted in Lost Stars, a 2015 novel authored by Claudia Gray. The events are presented from the perspective of Ciena Ree, one of the novel's two main characters.