Orinda campaign

Following the unsuccessful assault on the New Republic in the early stages of 12 ABY and the subsequent departure of Admiral Daala from her position, Vice Admiral Gilad Pellaeon took over command of Imperial forces stationed in the Deep Core. Prior to evacuating the Deep Core and retreating towards the Pentastar Alignment, Pellaeon managed to recover hidden equipment by meticulously examining inherited records. Among the recovered assets were the Super Star Destroyers Dominion and Megador, both found intact at the Deep 3 shipyard, where they had been abandoned. Upon Pellaeon's assimilation of the Pentastar Alignment, these two formidable warships were augmented by the Executor-class Reaper. The Reaper subsequently became the Admiral's flagship for the duration of the impending campaign.

The presence of these three Super Star Destroyers significantly bolstered Pellaeon's influence, leading to his appointment as Supreme Commander of the Remnant's military forces by the Council of Moffs. Empowered by his elevated authority, Pellaeon committed to launching a decisive offensive aimed at revitalizing Imperial morale and demonstrating to the New Republic that the now-designated Imperial Remnant remained a force to be reckoned with.

Orinda was selected as the primary objective. Symbolically, this Mid Rim trade hub held significance as a prominent achievement of the New Order beyond the Core Worlds, and it previously served as the seat of the Imperial Ruling Council. Pellaeon also believed that reclaiming it would project strength, giving the New Republic reason to pause without eliciting an overwhelming response.

The success of the campaign hinged on maintaining the New Republic's ignorance regarding the existence of both Dominion and Megador until the opportune moment. Megador was strategically positioned at Agamar to safeguard the Empire's eastern perimeter, while Reaper welcomed aboard the distinguished 181st Imperial Fighter Group, led by General Turr Phennir, at Borosk.

Pellaeon and Phennir advanced Coreward along the Entralla Route, seizing Orinda and six additional systems within a matter of weeks, before establishing a defensive position at Lonnaw. Concurrently, an attempt was made to secretly subjugate Dathomir and its native witches.

Once firmly entrenched at Lonnaw, Pellaeon communicated terms to Ord Mantell, informing the Republic that Orinda had been retaken to secure the Imperial Remnant's territorial boundaries and due to its cultural importance. Pellaeon also expressed his sincere intention that, should the New Republic respect this claim, the Imperial Remnant would refrain from initiating further offensive actions.

The New Republic remained skeptical of Pellaeon's commitment to uphold the new border and was alarmed by the resurgence of Star Dreadnoughts as instruments of warfare. They interpreted the capture of Orinda as the initial phase of a renewed Imperial effort to penetrate the Core Worlds. The counter-offensive was spearheaded by the Executor-class Lusankya, under the command of General Wedge Antilles, and Rogue Squadron.

The deployment of Lusankya sparked controversy within the New Republic's military ranks. The prevailing trend favored smaller warships and starfighters, as exemplified by the Defender and New Class Modernization Programs. Consequently, many viewed Lusankya as an outdated anomaly, reminiscent of the Galactic Empire's emphasis on colossal capital ships. However, subsequent events during the campaign would prompt a partial reevaluation within the New Republic military, reinforcing the significance of larger capital ships in their fleet. Until then, however, political tensions within the military would hinder the New Republic's overall effectiveness in the campaign.

Reaper and Lusankya, along with the 181st and Rogue Squadron, engaged in numerous skirmishes throughout the Mid Rim. Pellaeon personally seized Corthenia aboard the Reaper, while Phennir's 181st conquered Hewett and Tartaglia. The Lusankya and the Reaper clashed at Darkon, and again at Traval-Pacor. An inconclusive battle unfolded between the starfighter squadrons at Orocco, and Antilles' advance along the Entralla Route was halted by the 181st at Tyan.

While the public on both sides followed the duel with great interest, the indecisive nature of these encounters prompted the New Republic to deploy Endurance, the lead ship of her class of fleet carrier, and its complement of E-wings. Endurance was commanded by Admiral Areta Bell, who faced considerable pressure to demonstrate the superiority of starfighters over capital ships, particularly the E-wing.

With both the Lusankya and the Endurance advancing, Pellaeon issued orders for a gradual retreat towards Orinda and relinquished Obredaan. The New Republic fleet responded by pursuing Reaper, which they mistakenly believed to be the last remaining Super Star Destroyer.

The Imperial and Republic fleets engaged in combat at Orinda, with Reaper and Lusankya facing each other in a direct exchange of broadsides. However, Bell deemed the defenses of the Reaper too formidable for her E-wings, delaying their launch until its defenses had been sufficiently weakened. Once both sides were fully engaged, Pellaeon executed his strategic maneuver: Dominion and six Immobilizer 418 cruisers arrived, trapping the New Republic fleet within gravity wells. Endurance was destroyed with its fighters still inside, and Lusankya narrowly escaped after Rogue Squadron breached the Interdictor screen.

The New Republic's expedition culminated in a disastrous defeat, leading to the abandonment of Orinda in favor of reinforcing nearby systems.

The attempt to subjugate Dathomir was thwarted by an unlikely alliance between several notable New Republic soldiers and the rogue Royal Guardsman Kir Kanos.

The campaign represented a significant triumph for the Empire. However, this very success motivated the Moffs to authorize a poorly planned offensive into the Borderland Regions the following year. The Reaper was subsequently lost during the Battle of Celanon. For the most part, the Orinda campaign was followed by five years of relative calm in the Civil War, as the New Republic was largely occupied with consolidation and dealing with internal crises with Corellia and the Duskhan League. The calm would be broken by a major Imperial offensive in 17 ABY, followed by peace accords two years later.

The performance of the Reaper during the Orinda campaign, along with Operation Shadow Hand and the Black Fleet Crisis, was a contributing factor that encouraged the New Republic to initiate the development of its own dreadnought counterparts, specifically the Mediator-class battle cruiser and the Viscount-class Star Defender.