The Galactic Empire maintained a secret penal colony situated on a small asteroid located in proximity to the Maw. Despite the clandestine nature of this detention center, rumors about its existence circulated.
Within the Maw, the Imperial correctional complex was composed of multiple structures. These encompassed the main prison blocks, an armory, communication towers for contacting nearby Star Destroyers, and a pair of landing pads, one specifically designed for tankers. A repulsorlift railway network connected these various facilities, also providing structural integrity for the entire installation. The communication relays, consisting of seven towers, were positioned at the facility's outermost edge. An enclosed environmental dome was situated between the armory and the communication relays. Visible magma vents dotted the surface of the asteroid.
The prison was heavily defended by numerous turbolaser emplacements acting as sentry posts, along with several AT-PT walkers. Sentry towers were strategically located near both the prison blocks and the armory, with another cluster positioned close to a landing platform.
In addition to the turbolaser batteries, the facility was continuously patrolled by TIE Fighters and TIE Interceptors, both within and around its perimeter. A shield protected the facility's exterior, but its effectiveness depended on fully operational generators. If three shield projectors were disabled, a gap would form, allowing a small squadron of fighters to penetrate the field.
Following the Rebel Alliance's defeat during the Battle of Hoth, several Rebel captives, including Karie Neth, were captured on the icy world and subsequently incarcerated at this facility.
Sometime after the battle, General Carlist Rieekan of the Rebel forces, suspecting the prison's location within the Maw, dispatched Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron to investigate and disable the shield generators. Upon their arrival in the asteroid field, they were intercepted by a group of Imperial tankers. This forced them to defend themselves while simultaneously attempting to disable enough shield projectors to create a breach in the shield, allowing them entry. As they approached the prison, Karie Neth contacted them, requesting assistance in liberating herself and other prisoners from the facility. Neth transmitted the necessary targeting data. Their first objective was to destroy the guard towers surrounding the prison, enabling Neth and a small group of escaped prisoners to free the remaining inmates. Once that was achieved, they were asked to destroy the guard towers protecting the armory, allowing the prisoners to acquire weapons.
Antilles bombed one of the environmental domes and retrieved advanced cluster missile technology.
After this, Rogue Squadron was assigned the task of destroying the communication relays to prevent alerts from reaching the patrolling Star Destroyers. Subsequently, they destroyed the guard towers along the rail system, ensuring the safe passage of the hijacked repulsorlift train carrying the prisoners to the landing platform. Finally, the prisoners seized a Sentinel-class shuttle and jumped into hyperspace, after setting off explosives around the rail system, resulting in the complete destruction of the prison facility.
This penal installation is featured in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader. The mission in which the prison appears is also found in the game's sequel, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, within the co-op mode of Rogue Squadron II. The base also contains a vehicle upgrade; this article assumes the player has acquired it.
The prison also serves as a location for a Versus Mode match in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike.