The Mission to Kuras Drift was a joint operation by the Rebel Alliance to resupply the its sector fleet with a new shipment of warheads.
The Mission
With rebel forces in the Airam sector gradually running low on warheads, Tamaron's offer of resupply was eagerly accepted. A small team of two cargo ferries together with the light Calamari Cruiser Condor was set up to receive the shipment at the asteroid base Attila in the Kuras Drift.
Tamaron suspected that rival clan leader Ilay would not like this course of action, being an Galactic Empire-friendly leader. He was proven correct when the resupply operation began.
While X-wings from Rogue and Gold Squadrons maintained a patrol around the perimeter, inspecting the arriving freighters for accuracy of manifest, unexpected visitors turned up in form of T-wing flight Bravo. Despite numerous hails from the Airam base, the T-wings did not respond as they scanned the vicinity.
Suddenly, Bravo Flight engaged the Airam station, launching proton torpedoes at the facility before the rebel forces could react. Rogue and Gold Squadrons engaged the hostile starfighters and destroyed them quickly. Bravo reinforcements arriving on the scene were likewise shot down.
The situation was complicated further when Imperial Assault Gunboats entered the area and launched a warhead volley at Attila. Amidst the chaos, the final expected Airam cargo ship, Lothar, arrived—with the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Wasp in hot pursuit.
The X-wings of Rogue and Gold Squadron managed to fend off the starfighter attacks on the facility and eventually knocked out the Star Destroyer's shields, forcing it into retreat. However, the relief came too late for the corvette Lothar, which succumbed to the warship's heavy turbolaser batteries.
The Calamari Cruiser and the Alliance's cargo ferries managed to complete their cargo transfer operations and headed off into the safety of hyperspace before Imperial reinforcements could arrive.
Aftermath
With a fresh shipment of warheads, the Alliance to Restore the Republic were now well prepared for further offensive action against Task Force Vengeance. However, the betrayal of Ilay revealed many of the Alliance's sensor probes in the sector to the Imperial Navy. The disabling or circumventing of this network left the Rebels blind to Imperial movements. Tamaron's spy in Ilay's pirate group provided information on the traitor, though, and Tamaron insisted that Ilay be captured. The Rebels conceded to their vital new ally, leading to the Battle of Aiqin 4.
Appearances
- Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter: Balance of Power Campaigns (First appearance)
Notes and references
- ↑ The game Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and its expansion Balance of Power Campaigns do not provide any information about their timeline other than it takes place during the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance (2 BBY ― 4 ABY). Nevertheless, some clues permit to place the game and its expansion around 3 ABY. X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter shows the Empire making extensive use of TIE/ad starfighters. The previous game of the series, Star Wars: TIE Fighter, established that the TIE/ad starfighter was introduced during the Sepan campaign (which is set in 3 ABY per the reasoning here). We can conclude that the game is set between 3 ABY and 4 ABY. Moreover, the most advanced Imperial starfighters from Star Wars: TIE Fighter (the TIE/d "Defender" starfighter and the Missile Boat) were not present in X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, suggesting that the game takes place before their introduction, also dated to 3 ABY as the entire TIE Fighter game is set in 3 ABY (per the reasoning here).