Battle of Blair Cluster
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- "Glory to the Empire! We are victorious!"
- ―Unidentified Imperial comm officer[src]
Take Prisoners Near Blair Cluster was a battle of Task Force Vengeance during its operation in the Airam sector. The name itself was the Imperial mission briefing title, what its Rebel and Airam participants called it is unknown.
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[edit] The Background
In pursuit of Rebel forces into the then neutral Airam sector Imperial Star Destroyer Rage and it auxiliary cruiser, the Interdictor Compellor, set up an ambush near an oft traveled hyperspace transit point at the edge of the Blair cluster. The plan was to have Compellor's gravity well projectors draw out of hyperspace and trap all ships attempting to pass through the area. The attached Avenger Squadron in its shielded TIE interceptors would then force their surrender following which Stormtrooper Transport Squadron Sigma would deliver boarding parties to inspect them. Wanted criminals would be arrested and illegal cargoes seized. Wherever warranted, the Imperials meant to obtain prisoners for interrogation. Capital ship defense was to be supplied by Beta and Gamma Squadrons in their TIE/sa bombers and TIE/ln starfighters.
[edit] The Battle
Minutes into the operation the Airam shuttle Ellichon was returned to subspace. At first it sought to evade surrender by running for a nearby asteroid field in hopes of hiding but Avenger Squadron's warning shots, direct hits on the vessel, halted that. Likewise the Squit, a YT-1300 freighter, and the Escort Transport Redeye tried flight before cooperation. Pace quickened, however, when the Rebel Alliance Gallofree medium transport Gilder arrived with its X-wing escort. After a brief skirmish in which the Rebel starfighters were shot down, it too surrendered.
Quick on the heels of the Imperials' first minor triumph came the Airam Dreadnaught Anat and its two corvette flight group Grom. Defiant even in the face of overwhelming firepower and determined to defend their territory against the intruders, Anat's commanders ordered the launch of their T-wing and R-41 squadrons Spike and Mallet. Spike squadron was to engage the Empire's fighters while Mallet torpedoed Compellor in an attempt to drive it off.
The Imperial response was fast with Rage ordering Beta squadron to first destroy the corvettes and then the dreadnaught. Avenger and Gamma squadrons covered them, wiping out the Airam starfighters. Anat and flight group Grom were felled by Beta's torpedoes and concentrated fire from Rage. With all opposition vanquished Squadron Sigma was successful in finishing their boarding tasks. The Empire had won.
[edit] Aftermath
The Imperials' inspections found every one of the stopped vessels to have aboard either wanted criminals, illicit cargoes, or both. This discovery, combined with the brash attack by the Airam Dreadnaught, confirmed in their minds that their campaign was long overdue. Retaliation was agreed upon, its form and location depending on the knowledge gleaned from their new prisoners.
