A coincidental engagement, known as the Second Battle of the Maw, transpired around 11 ABY. Admiral Natasi Daala's Imperial forces were in pursuit of the stolen Sun Crusher, with Han Solo, Chewbacca, Kyp Durron, and the defecting Maw Installation scientist Qwi Xux at the controls. As they were exiting the Maw, a cluster of black holes, they stumbled upon a mercenary fleet from Kessel. This fleet had been assembled by the planet's administrator, Moruth Doole, for protection. Simultaneously, this fleet of mixed vessels was pursuing the Millennium Falcon, piloted by Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian, which was attempting to escape into the Maw. Neither side knew of the other's presence. When the Star Destroyers emerged, the Kessel fleet, acting out of instinct, launched an attack.
Prior to the battle, Qwi Xux liberated Han Solo and Kyp Durron from their confinement within the Maw Installation. She also freed Chewbacca from his forced labor of repairing TIE fighters. Their escape was aboard the Sun Crusher, a nearly impervious spacecraft of unparalleled destructive power. Determined to prevent the Sun Crusher from slipping away, Admiral Daala commanded the Star Destroyer Hydra to obstruct the only viable exit from the Maw. However, due to the Quantum-crystalline armor of the Sun Crusher, Han Solo navigated the ship directly through the Hydra's bridge. This caused the Hydra to plummet uncontrollably into a black hole, resulting in the death of everyone on board, though 40 TIE fighters were salvaged. Enraged, Daala initiated a full-scale pursuit of the Sun Crusher.
On Kessel's orbiting moon, Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian were investigating the disappearance of Han Solo and Chewbacca, who had been on a diplomatic mission for the New Republic. Moruth Doole, the acting administrator of Kessel, had ordered their ship to be shot down and the pair imprisoned in the spice mines. Unbeknownst to Skywalker and Calrissian, the duo had escaped into the Maw with Kyp. While inspecting the defensive fleet Doole had established on the Garrison Moon, they discovered the Millennium Falcon and deduced the truth. They commandeered the ship and fled. Unfortunately, the ship's hyperdrive computer was malfunctioning, forcing them to seek refuge in the Maw. Fearing reprisal from the New Republic, Doole ordered his fleet to give chase. However, the pilots were unfamiliar with the proper mobilization formations, resulting in a disorganized mass of ships.
When Daala's Star Destroyers materialized from the Maw Cluster, they unexpectedly collided with the Kessel fleet. Some mercenary vessels veered off to retreat to Kessel, while others panicked and opened fire. Daala, suspecting a trap laid by the New Republic, ordered her ships to raise their shields and retaliate.
The ensuing battle was both rapid and intense. The mercenaries lacked organization and were unprepared for a large-scale assault. The well-trained and disciplined Imperial forces decimated the diverse ships of the opposing fleet. Many fled the system either before or shortly after the engagement, intimidated by the power of an organized Star Destroyer fleet.
This clash provided the necessary distraction for both pursued parties to rendezvous and escape unnoticed.
As the New Republic envoys prepared to jump to hyperspace, three Carrack-class cruisers positioned themselves to attack the Star Destroyer Basilisk, while all the Star Destroyers deployed their TIE/LN starfighters. The Kessel fleet's Strike-class medium cruiser was destroyed by the combined firepower of the Manticore and the Basilisk. Debris from the destroyed cruiser struck the Basilisk, causing damage to its underside, though it was not critical.
Ultimately, Daala's forces defeated the majority of the Kessel fleet, with the remaining ships fleeing into hyperspace. The Maw fleet sustained fewer losses: three TIE Fighter squadrons were lost, and the Basilisk required connection to the Gorgon's navicomputer before it could depart the Kessel system.
Following the near annihilation of the Kessel fleet, Daala's fleet jumped into hyperspace. She eventually established a staging base in the Cauldron Nebula to launch guerrilla strikes against the New Republic. The first of these attacks would be the Dantooine Massacre.
The Millennium Falcon and Sun Crusher escaped together (the Falcon using coordinates from the Sun Crusher's navicomputer and informed the New Republic of the situation in the Maw Installation, appealing to send an investigatory force. They dispatched some ships to assess the situation on Kessel, gain access to the Installation, and free the Wookiee slaves captive there.
Conflicting accounts exist regarding the extent of the Kessel fleet's destruction during the battle. In Dark Apprentice, Commander Kratas stated that two-thirds of the fleet was destroyed, while in Champions of the Force, Mara Jade claimed that 90% was destroyed. Kratas's figure is likely more accurate, as he was present during the battle, whereas Jade was not.