A rescue operation on Delrian was executed by the Confederacy of Independent Systems alongside the Techno Union during the year 20 BBY. Following his seizure by the forces of the Galactic Republic on the planet Metalorn, Wat Tambor, a Foreman from the Techno Union, was transferred, at the specific instruction of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, to the isolated [prison](/article/prison/legends] planet of Delrian. Crucially, the security firm responsible for the prison's safety was under the ownership of the Commerce Guild, an organization aligned with the Separatists. This connection granted the CIS and the Techno Union access to critical information regarding the prison's structure and defensive measures.
Tambor received a visit from a select group of his personnel, including two Skakoan soldiers disguised as legal deputies, and Nuri, a shapeshifting Clawdite mercenary. Once they were inside the detention facility, the Skakoans initiated a suicide bombing, eliminating Tambor's clone trooper guards. Simultaneously, Nuri employed Techno Union technology to circumvent the automated security systems, successfully extracting Tambor to a safe location. The foreman then journeyed to Denus, Foundry to recover, while the Republic tried to suppress the news of his escape.
Following a failed Confederacy of Independent Systems assault on Coruscant in 20 BBY, which occurred ten months into the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic deployed Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to Metalorn, a mechworld controlled by the Techno Union. The Techno Union was producing C-B3 cortosis battle droids at this location. These droids, the brainchild of Wat Tambor, a Foreman within the Techno Union and a CIS Supervising Combat Engineer, were utilized in the attack on Coruscant. Skywalker successfully disabled the facility and, unexpectedly, captured Tambor.
The capture of Tambor by Skywalker came as a surprise to Darth Sidious, who was secretly Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Republic. Sidious was manipulating both sides of the conflict to further his own agenda. Tambor's capture threatened to disrupt the war's delicate balance, potentially favoring the Republic, which was contrary to Sidious's objectives. Using his authority as Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine mandated that Tambor be moved to Delrian, a remote [prison](/article/prison-legends] planet. He was to be guarded by a squad of eight Republic clone troopers in addition to the local security forces. The detention center contracted an external security firm, which, coincidentally, was owned by the Commerce Guild, an ally of the Confederacy and the Techno Union. This arrangement provided the Separatists with detailed knowledge of the facility's defenses, security personnel, and layout. Instead of a large-scale assault, the Techno Union devised a smaller rescue operation, enlisting the aid of Nuri, a Clawdite changeling from Aargau.
Tambor was granted a visit from select members of his staff. Two highly skilled Skakoan commandos, posing as legal deputies, entered the facility alongside Nuri, who was in disguise. Nuri carried advanced Techno Union technology, designed to bypass the prison's automated security systems. Once inside the complex, the two legal deputies intentionally ruptured their pressure suits, releasing the pressurized methane contained within. This action resulted in a powerful explosion, killing Tambor's clone [trooper](/article/trooper-legends] guards and the two Skakoans themselves.
Amidst the resulting chaos, Nuri successfully infiltrated Tambor's holding cell and escorted the foreman to safety. Utilizing the Techno Union technology, the Clawdite bypassed Delrian's automated defenses and escaped the planet with Tambor.
Tambor was transported to his private residence on Denus, Foundry, where he underwent recovery in a hyperbaric recharge globe for several days. The Separatists, through the CIS Shadowfeed, celebrated the bravery of Tambor's staff, who had sacrificed their lives for the Separatist cause. The Shadowfeed used the rescue as a morale boost for Confederate worlds, emphasizing the CIS's audacity and the Republic's shortcomings. While the involvement of a Clawdite was known, Nuri's identity remained a secret. The Republic attempted to suppress the story, preventing mainstream media outlets from reporting on it.
Tambor's rescue enabled Palpatine to continue his machinations undisturbed. With the Techno Union fully operational again, the war remained in a precarious balance, with no clear end in sight. As the conflict progressed, Tambor became increasingly withdrawn, spending more of his time within his fortress located on Xagobah. Nuri, who played a crucial role in the rescue, remained in the Techno Union's service as a guard at the fortress. The New Essential Chronology, a book published by the New Republic's Historical Council under the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, was released in 36 ABY and included details of the mission.
The Delrian mission was initially referenced in the in-universe news article titled CIS Shadowfeed Dispatch 14:4:12 Edition, authored by Pablo Hidalgo and published by Paizo Publishing in Star Wars Insider 67 on April 15, 2003. The mission serves as a continuation of the events depicted in the 2002 video game Star Wars: The New Droid Army. However, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Heroes on Both Sides, which aired in 2010, established that the Republic capital of Coruscant was not attacked during the Clone Wars until the events within that episode. Given that "Heroes on Both Sides" is set at the beginning of 20 BBY, both The New Droid Army and the Delrian mission must have occurred later in the timeline, after the events of the episode.