The Liberator functioned as a Venator-class Star Destroyer within the starfleet of the Galactic Empire. Positioned at R/M Facility Four deepdock on Belderone, it had been there for a duration of five years following the establishment of the Empire.
Starfighters, ground-effect vehicles, and at least one Theta-class T-2c shuttle were observed utilizing its dorsal flight deck.
The Liberator found itself stationed at Belderone in 14 BBY, a world that housed an Imperial naval base and the R/M Facility Four deepdock. Accompanying it were multiple CR90 corvettes, a pair of Carrack-class light cruisers, and a number of Victory-class Star Destroyers. Coincidentally, Moff Wilhuff Tarkin from the Empire and Sith Lord Darth Vader were sent to the Outer Rim planet Murkhana to look into some suspect communications devices. The devices were actually a setup to lure the Moff to the planet, giving a rebel cell the opportunity to seize Tarkin's prized corvette, the Carrion Spike, while he was busy examining the fake equipment.
The group of thieves immediately made their way to the Galidraan system, where they launched an attack on the Empire's Galidraan Station using the Carrion Spike's high-tech weapons and cloaking technology. Vader and Tarkin were able to follow the stolen ship to the station and damage its [hyperdrive](/article/hyperdrive], but the corvette managed to escape shortly after. Fearing that the rebels might target another Imperial installation, Tarkin contacted a colonel stationed at Galidraan Station and requested a list of nearby systems with Imperial resources. Upon hearing about Belderone, Tarkin inquired about the ships stationed at its deepdock, a piece of information the colonel provided. Figuring out that the insurgents' next target was likely the planet Nam Chorios, Vader and Tarkin instructed the colonel to order Belderone to dispatch the Liberator to that location.
Following orders, the captain of the Liberator took the starship to Nam Chorios. However, instead of encountering the insurgents there, Tarkin and Vader boarded the ship just before the assault on Lucazec. It was during this time that the Liberator received Teller's HoloNet transmission about the attack. Although Vader departed the ship as soon as the Goliath arrived from Coruscant carrying his personal starfighter, Tarkin remained at the Liberator's data center for several hours. Eventually, he requested the Liberator's captain to provide him with a shuttle for his own use, so he could meet up with the Goliath. After this, the Liberator was sent to Ord Cestus, along the Perlemian Trade Route, instead of going back to Belderone, because of the attack on the TaggeCo mining facility.
The novel Tarkin, authored by James Luceno and published in 2014, marked the initial appearance of the Liberator.