A military unit, designated as a task force, functioned as an element of the New Republic Navy during the era of the Galactic Civil War. In the year 8 ABY, this particular task force received orders to undertake the liberation of Kal'Shebbol, which served as the capital within the isolated Kathol sector. This region of space was then under the dominion of the Imperial warlord Moff Kentor Sarne. Upon its arrival in the Kal'Shebbol system at a predetermined time, the task force facilitated the clandestine insertion of a freighter carrying members of Page's Commandos onto the planet, with the specific objective of disabling the planetary shields. Although the task force engaged Sarne's forces in orbital combat, they were unsuccessful in preventing the Moff's escape from the planet aboard the Carrack-class light cruiser named Ambition. Despite this, Page's Commandos successfully achieved their objective of neutralizing the shields, thereby enabling the New Republic's capture of Kal'Shebbol.
Following the successful liberation, the task force was allocated a three-day period to contribute to securing the planet. Subsequently, they were scheduled to proceed to the Minos Cluster, link up with Sarin Virgilio and his unit, and then move on to the Bozhnee sector to confront an Imperial officer whom Admiral Gial Ackbar was attempting to corner. Given these commitments, the commanding Admiral felt unable to dedicate substantial resources to a dedicated pursuit of Sarne. However, he authorized the provision of as much personnel and materiel as feasible to support such an endeavor.
During the Galactic Civil War, a task force operated as a component of the New Republic military. In 8 ABY, its mission was to liberate the planet Kal'Shebbol, the sector capital of the Kathol sector located in the Outer Rim Territories. Following the death of Emperor Palpatine four years prior during the Battle of Endor, Moff Kentor Sarne had governed the sector as an independent warlord entity. As part of its broader strategy to address the Imperial warlords who had emerged after the Empire's collapse, coupled with allegations that Sarne possessed advanced alien technology, the New Republic decided to terminate Moff Sarne's reign.
Under the command of an admiral, the task force entered the Kal'Shebbol system at a carefully coordinated time and location. According to the operational plan, a civilian Ghtroc Industries [Class 720 freighter](/article/720_light_freighter-legends], disguised and carrying elements of the elite Page's Commandos, led by Lieutenant Judder Page, had already infiltrated the system before the task force's arrival. Utilizing the ensuing chaos of the assault as concealment, Page's Commandos were tasked with infiltrating Moff Sarne's headquarters and disabling the planetary shields. The task force then engaged Moff Sarne's forces in orbit and initiated an orbital bombardment against the shields.
During the engagement between the task force and Sarne's ships in orbit, the Moff himself managed to escape the planet aboard the Carrack-class light cruiser Ambition. Although Page's Commandos successfully deactivated the shields, Sarne regrouped his forces and broke off the engagement with the New Republic task force, successfully escaping without revealing his hyperspace jump coordinates. With the shields down and Sarne's forces retreating, the liberation of the planet commenced.
Following the New Republic's capture of Kal'Shebbol, a plan was devised to pursue Sarne into the Kathol sector. However, the task force was under orders to depart Kal'Shebbol within three days to rendezvous with a unit commanded by New Republic officer Sarin Virgilio in the Minos Cluster. Admiral Gial Ackbar, the Supreme Commander of the New Republic Defense Force, was dealing with a renegade Imperial causing disruptions in the Bozhnee sector and required reinforcements. Lieutenant Page, the architect of the plan to track down Sarne, requested that the Admiral in command of the task force detach a ship for this mission, but the Admiral declined. However, he assured the Lieutenant that if Page could secure a vessel and crew, he would authorize the allocation of available personnel and supplies to support the mission. When Page discovered a modified CR90 corvette abandoned by Sarne during his escape, the Admiral fulfilled his promise, transferring personnel—including starfighter pilots Lieutenant Commander Ranna Gorjaye, Dasha Defano, and Noell Ciro, navy Petty Officer Colton, and Page's Commandos support operative T'achak T'andar—and starfighters to the corvette, which was subsequently christened the FarStar. Soon after the transfer of personnel and supplies, the task force departed for the Minos Cluster.
The task force consisted of capital ships and starfighters with sufficient power to overcome Moff Sarne's forces and seize control of Kal'Shebbol, provided that the planetary shields were already disabled. An admiral commanded the task force, which also included pilots and support staff for Page's Commandos.
The task force was initially referenced in The Saga Begins, a short story authored by Timothy Zahn that served as a prelude to The DarkStryder Campaign, published by West End Games in 1995.