Inexorable (Imperial I-class)

Description

The Inexorable adhered to the standard design of an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer. This warship measured 1,600 meters in length and was equipped with turbolasers, ion cannons, and tractor beam emitters. Furthermore, the vessel housed a complement of TIE starfighters, ground forces, and a variety of land-based vehicles. Due to restrictions imposed on the Empire following the Battle of Endor, the TIE fighter contingent had been reduced from six to only three squadrons by the time 9 ABY arrived.

History

The Galactic Empire oversaw the construction of the Inexorable at the Kuat Drive Yards located on Kuat during the Galactic Civil War, a period of conflict between the Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Its construction was nearing completion around 3 ABY. Shannon Voorson, whose parents Johan and Nell Voorson worked as officials at Kuat Freight Port, managed to slice the ship's name, along with those of other Star Destroyers, into an Imperial database and then provided this information to her cousin, Deen Voorson, a member of the Rebellion.

In 4 ABY, the Inexorable was observed participating in weapons trials alongside the Imperial-class Star Destroyers Chimaera, Nemesis, and Stormhawk within the Carida system. Ace Azzameen's ship, the Otana, piloted by the Rebel pilot, mistakenly exited hyperspace close to these Star Destroyers, but it successfully escaped. The Inexorable pursued the Otana to the Zhar system, but it arrived too late to stop Azzameen and other Rebel fighters from stealing the Tydirium. This very shuttle was later instrumental in the Rebels' victory at the Battle of Endor.

Following the Battle of Endor, the Inexorable became part of a small Imperial fleet under the command of Thrawn, a renowned Imperial Grand Admiral engaged in a mission within the Unknown Regions.

In later years, the Rebellion, now recognized as the New Republic, had evolved into the legitimate governing body of the galaxy. In 9 ABY, the Inexorable participated in Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign against the New Republic after his return to the known galaxy. The Inexorable was a component of a five-Star Destroyer task force, which the Grand Admiral directed himself, with coordination from the Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth. During this campaign, the Inexorable took part in the attack on Bpfassh, where it obliterated the New Republic starfighter base situated on the third moon of Bpfassh. Thrawn also utilized the vessel to evaluate a prototype cloaking device, having acquired the schematics from the secret Imperial storehouse located on the planet Wayland. Later, the Inexorable engaged in the Battle of Sluis Van, a failed attempt to seize a large fleet of starships at Sluis Van, a significant New Republic shipyard.

Commanders and crew

Ysanne Isard, the Director of Imperial Intelligence, made the decision to reassign Major Wortin from the Interdictor Black Asp to the Inexorable as a form of punishment for his perceived "incompetence" in failing to capture Bror Jace, a pilot from Rogue Squadron, in 6 ABY.

The identity of the Inexorable's captain during Thrawn's campaign remained unconfirmed by the New Republic Intelligence.

Behind the scenes

Timothy Zahn introduced the Inexorable in his 1991 novel, Heir to the Empire. The Heir to the Empire Sourcebook identifies it as part of Thrawn's core fleet, but it receives no mention in the subsequent two novels of the Thrawn Trilogy.

There are differing accounts regarding the starship class of the Inexorable. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (vol 2, p 101) describes the Inexorable as an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer, while Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance (Battle 6, Mission 2) and Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide (p 175) categorize the Inexorable as an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer.