The Orion, serving the Massassi Group, was a Braha'tok-class gunship. This Rebel cell was under the leadership of General Jan Dodonna. In the year 2 BBY, the Orion journeyed to Atollon, carrying a contingent of the cell to rendezvous with Phoenix Cell. The purpose was to coordinate an assault on the TIE Defender factories located on Lothals, as Phoenix Cell had a base on that planet. However, as preparations for the attack were underway, Grand Admiral Thrawn launched an ambush against the two cells. During their efforts to escape the blockade, the Orion met its end, succumbing to destruction.
Measuring 90 meters in length, the Braha'tok-class gunship Orion accommodated a crew of 75 individuals. Its armament included 8 turbolaser cannons along with 8 concussion missile launchers. Constructed with a silver-plated hull designed to deflect solar radiation, the Orion featured its command bridge situated at the bow, while its class 1 hyperdrive was located at the ship's rear.
The Alliance to Restore the Republic's rebel cell, the Massassi Group, which was under the command of General Jan Dodonna, included the Orion in its fleet. Following the formation of the Alliance, the Orion, in conjunction with two other Braha'tok-class gunships and a portion of Dodonna's forces, made its way to Atollon, the location where Phoenix Cell maintained its base. The combined fleet was in the process of preparing an attack on Lothal's TIE Defender production facilities when Grand Admiral Thrawn discovered their presence. Subsequently, Thrawn's forces initiated a blockade of the planet. Commander Jun Sato, from his flagship, the Phoenix Nest, spearheaded the attacks against the blockade in an attempt to break through. However, these assaults proved ultimately ineffective, resulting in substantial losses of starfighters and starships for the rebels.
Recognizing the unsustainable cost of his initial strategy, Sato issued an order for the fleet to directly engage the blockade. The Orion, along with numerous other vessels, advanced toward the blockade, only to witness an Imperial-class Star Destroyer obliterate a Nebulon-B frigate. Subsequently, TIE fighters initiated an attack run on the Orion, inflicting two critical blows to the gunship's underside. Despite sustaining this damage, the Orion continued its forward trajectory, but the damage resulted in a catastrophic explosion at its bow, effectively severing the front section of the vessel. Sato, witnessing the Orion's destruction from his own ship, received confirmation via comm that it had been destroyed.
The Star Wars Rebels Season Three finale, titled "Zero Hour," marked the first appearance of the Orion.