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Orinda campaign

The Orinda campaign of 12 ABY^[1] was the first campaign waged by Gilad Pellaeon in his capacity of commander of the Starfleet of the Imperial Remnant.

1 Background
2 The campaign
3 Aftermath
4 Sources
5 Notes and references

BackgroundEdit

Vice Admiral Pellaeon assumed command of Imperial forces in the Deep Core following the failed offensive against the New Republic in early 12 ABY led to the retirement of Admiral Daala. Before abandoning the Deep Core, Pellaeon salvaged cached equipment located by analysing the records he inherited. Among the bounty were the Super Star Destroyers Dominion and Megador, both of which had been abandoned intact at the Deep 3 shipyard.^[2] These two warships were joined by the Executor-class Reaper once Pellaeon absorbed the Pentastar Alignment.^[3] Reaper would be the Admiral's flagship in the coming campaign.

The three Super Star Destroyers gave Pellaeon enormous leverage, and he was made Supreme Commander of the Remnants forces by the Council of Moffs.^[2] With his new authority, Pellaeon resolved to wage a decisive offensive to restore Imperial morale, and demonstrate to the New Republic that the Empire was not fading away.^[2]

The campaignEdit

PreparationsEdit

Orinda was chosen as the primary target. The world held symbolic value as the former seat of the Ruling Council. Operationally, Pellaeon felt the demonstration of strength needed to retake it would not provoke an overwhelming response from the New Republic.^[2]

The campaign would rest on the New Republic's remaining ignorant of the existence of Dominion and Megador until the crucial moment. Megador deployed to Agamar to guard the flank.^[2]

Reaper embarked the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing at Borosk.^[2]

Orinda capturedEdit

Pellaeon's struck Coreward along the Entralla Route, capturing Orinda and six other systems within a few weeks before digging in at Lonnaw.^[2] At the same time, there was an attempt to covertly subjugate Dathomir and its witches.

Once entrenched at Lonnaw, the New Republic was informed that Orinda had been reclaimed to secure the Empire's borders and for its cultural significance. Pellaeon sincerely added that if the New Republic respected the claim, the Empire would refrain from further offensive action.

New Republic response and politicsEdit

The New Republic was unconvinced by Pellaeon's pledge to respect the new border, and saw the capture of Orinda as the first phase of a renewed Imperial push to the Core. The counter-offensive was spearheaded by the Executor-class Lusankya, commanded by General Wedge Antilles, and Rogue Squadron.^[2]

The deployment of Lusankya was controversial within the New Republic military. The fleet was moving toward smaller warships and starfighters, as embodied by the Defender program; Lusankya was seen as an Imperial anachronism. The campaign helped affirm the place of larger capital ships in the New Republic fleet.^[2]

Imperial withdrawalEdit

Reaper and Lusankya, as well as the 181st and Rogue Squadron, fought numerous skirmishes in the Mid Rim. The indecision induced the New Republic to deploy Endurance, the name ship of her class of fleet carrier, and her complement of E-wings. Endurance was commanded by Admiral Areta Bell. Bell was under pressure to prove the superiority of starfighters, and the E-wing in particular.^[2]

Pellaeon ordered a gradual withdrawal toward Orinda. The New Republic fleet obliged by faithfully pursuing Reaper, which they thought to be the Empire's last Super Star Destroyer.^[2]

Disaster at OrindaEdit

Main article: Second Battle of Orinda

The Imperial and New Republic fleets engaged at Orinda, with Reaper and Lusankya squaring off against one another. Once both sides were entangled, Pellaeon sprung his trap. Dominion and six Interdictor cruisers arrived to trap the New Republic fleet. Endurance was destroyed, having never launched her fighters, and Lusankya only barely managed to escape.^[2]

The New Republic expedition ended as a debacle; Orinda was abandoned in favor of reinforcing nearby systems.

DathomirEdit

The subjugation of Dathomir was foiled by an alliance of convenience between several famous New Republic soldiers and the renegade Royal Guardsman Kir Kanos.

AftermathEdit

The campaign was a resounding success for Empire. However, that same success only inspired the Moffs to order an ill-conceived offensive that led to the destruction of Reaper at the Battle of Celanon^[2] the following year.^[3] For the most part, the Orinda campaign was followed by six years of relative calm in the Civil War, as the New Republic was largely occupied with consolidation and the dealing with internal crises with Corellia and the Dushkan League. The calm would be broken by a major New Republic offensive in 18 ABY, followed by peace accords the next year.