Serving under the command of Etahn A'baht, a Dornean officer, the Torktarak was a Braha'tok_-class gunship belonging to the navy of the planet Dornea. As part of Dornea's contribution to the Rebel Alliance Fleet in 4 ABY during the Galactic Civil War, the Torktarak and its sister ship, the Braha'tok, were loaned to the Alliance, who required additional vessels for their forthcoming assault against the second Death Star. This Imperial superweapon was capable of annihilating entire planets and was positioned above the Forest Moon of Endor.
During the pivotal battle, the Torktarak provided crucial support to the Braha'tok in their struggle against the Carrack-class light cruiser named Eminence, an enemy vessel significantly larger, exceeding three times the size of the Torktarak. Ultimately, the two gunships succeeded in obliterating the Imperial war vessel. Following the Alliance's triumph over the Imperial Fleet at Endor and the subsequent destruction of the Death Star, the Torktarak, having sustained relatively minor damage, was returned to the Dornean Navy.
The Torktarak, a Braha'tok-class gunship utilized by the Dornean Navy during the Galactic Civil War that pitted the Galactic Empire against the Alliance to Restore the Republic, was manufactured by the Dornean Braha'ket Fleetworks Conglomerate. Measuring ninety meters in length, the Torktarak was armed with eight double turbolasers and an equal number of concussion missile launchers. The ship was equipped with advanced fire control, maneuvering systems, and command facilities, all centrally managed from the bridge. Furthermore, the Torktarak offered limited hangar capacity and lacked provisions for a ground troop complement. Powering the vessel were engines integrated with a hyperdrive system.
In 4 ABY, the Alliance Fleet requested assistance from the planet of Dornea, which had been engaged in its own private war against the Empire for years, seeking battleships to aid in their impending attack on the second Death Star. This Imperial superweapon, capable of planetary destruction, was then under construction above the Forest Moon of Endor. The Dorneans agreed, dispatching the Torktarak and its sister ship, the Braha'tok, under the respective commands of Etahn A'baht and Kiles L'toth. To avoid raising suspicion from Imperial Intelligence and given that the Braha'tok-class gunships had never ventured beyond Dornea's space prior to 4 ABY, the Dornean government officially declared that the two ships were on a "shakedown cruise."
The Torktarak and Braha'tok rendezvoused with the Alliance Fleet, commanded by Mon Calamari Admiral Ackbar, while the fleet was orbiting Sullust. Both Braha'tok-class gunships then accompanied the Alliance Fleet to the Endor system. Upon exiting hyperspace near Endor, the Alliance Fleet found itself ensnared in a trap orchestrated by Emperor Palpatine. The Alliance forces discovered that the shield protecting the second Death Star, which was supposed to have been deactivated by a strike team already deployed to Endor, remained operational. Furthermore, they were confronted by a substantial Imperial Fleet under the command of Admiral Firmus Piett, effectively trapping the Rebels within the system.
The Torktarak, the Braha'tok, and the rest of the Alliance Fleet engaged the Imperials, hoping the shield generator on Endor below would be taken down by the ground strike team before the Imperial Fleet defeated them. During the space battle, the Torktarak was forced to go to the aid of the Braha'tok, which had engaged the Carrack–class cruiser Eminence, a frigate that was more than three times the size of the Dornean gunships. Together, the Braha'tok and the Torktarak were able to destroy the Eminence after the Torktarak attacked the Imperial warship from behind. However, the Braha'tok was seriously damaged during the engagement.
Following the destruction of the Eminence, the Torktarak continued its protective role, shielding the damaged Braha'tok. The Alliance Fleet ultimately succeeded in destroying the second Death Star after the superweapon's shields were finally disabled by the ground team on Endor, securing victory against the Empire. After the Battle of Endor, the relatively undamaged Torktarak was returned to the Dornean Navy.
The Torktarak was operated by a crew of seventy-five Dornean Navy personnel, all under the leadership of Etahn A'baht. Post-battle, A'baht was promoted to the rank of general and continued his service for several more years within the military forces of the Rebel Alliance, which were subsequently reorganized into the New Republic following the events at Endor.
The creation of the Torktarak dates back to 2006, originating from Ello137's winning submission in the StarWars.com Hyperspace feature, "What's The Story?" This initiative invited fans to develop backstories for specific elements of the Star Wars saga; in Ello137's case, the Braha'tok-class gunships. Initially, Ello137 aimed to give the ship a mythical Dornean name but found it challenging to integrate it seamlessly into the final narrative. The information concerning the Torktarak from Ello137's entry was later incorporated into the entry on the Braha'tok-class gunship within the 2008 reference book The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.
A Braha'tok-class gunship can be seen in the background during the space battle over Endor in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. However, this gunship has never been officially identified as either the Torktarak or the Braha'tok.