Battle of Hapes (Second Galactic Civil War)

"What is this, a war?"

- Han Solo

Prelude
The Hapes Consortium, under Queen Mother Tenel Ka, had pledged their support to the Galactic Alliance in their actions against Corellia in the form of two fleets. However, elements of Hapan society wished to secure independence from the GA, and side with the fledgling rebellion. Due to Tenel Ka's stance, the Heritage Council, a group hostile to the Queen, realised that the only way to change policy was to assassinate Tenel Ka, and her daughter Allana, and assume control. The Corellian leader Dur Gejjen, eager for such a strong ally in Corellia's battle against the Galactic Alliance, promised Corellian aid if necessary. Due to extenuating circumstances, the Heritage Fleet, lead by Ducha AlGray, was forced to engage the Hapan Loyalists in an open fleet battle above Hapes.

Loyalists and Usurpers
The Hapan Royal Navy was assembled over the planet when the forces of the Heritage Council struck. Following intelligence leads, Jacen Solo had taken a portion of the fleet and headed to the Relephon Moons to assault the usurpers fleet, lead by AlGray, stationed there. However AlGray's fleet had already departed for Hapes, forewarned by spies. Linking with the three Corellian Dreadnaughts from the Kiris shipyards, they used a comet as cover to near the planet. However, when they microjumped to further insystem, the Royal Navy was waiting for them at the reversion coordinates, due to intelligence provided by Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo, who had infiltrated the Heritage fleet.

The opening salvo of the entire Royal Navy had a devestating effect on the unshielded usurper fleet as they exited hyperspace. Though they managed to raise shields eventually, the formation sustained much damage and AlGray's flagship Kendall took concentrated fire. However the Corellian Dreadnaughts, designed specifically to rip the heart out of enemy fleets, were preparing for a full assault with the objective of braking into the Royal Navy and destroying the Dragon Queen, Tenel Ka's command ship. The Solos, breaking their cover, sent a message to Tenel Ka telling her to retreat towards Hapes in order to negate the Corellian tactic.

Late Arrivals
Admiral Nek Bwua'tu, who had been monitoring the fleet at the Kiris shipyards, arrived on the far side of Megos. Lead by Bwua'tu on board the Admiral Ackbar, the fleet rounded the Hapan moon and ripped a hole in the usurper flank as it continued its pursuit of the Queen. However just as the engagement looked like a decisive Alliance victory, the Galney fleet exited hyperspace and began to accelerate towards the battle.

Ducha Galney was assumed by Tenel Ka to be one of her staunchest allies; indeed, the Ducha's sister was her chamberlain. However, Jaina Solo and Zekk had discovered that Ducha Galney was in league with AlGray and the Heritage Council. When rescued by Ben Skywalker aboard the Rover, they had to beat the Galney fleet back to Hapes in order to warn the Queen before they infiltrated her formation. Emerging in the centre of the Galney fleet, the Roverevacuated its crew and broadcast a warning to the Hapan Royal Navy. Racing in from Hapes' gravity well, the Galney fleet was designated hostile.

Jacen Solo, aboard the Anakin Solo, returned from the Relephon Moons and began to fire at the Galney Fleet as it moved towards the battle. One Battle Dragon was destroyed before it could raise its shields, and the Loyalist Battle Dragons accompanying the Anakin also destroyed two more during the pursuit. Half of the Galney fleet broke off to engage Solo, hoping to detain him while the other half raced towards the Dragon Queen and the Royal Navy to reinforce the usurper fleet. However unbeknowest to the Hapans accompanying Jacen, Chume'da Allana was present aboard the Anakin, and had already narrowly avoided death at the hands of Aurra Sing. Not wishing to endanger his daughter further, and feeling Tenel Ka would want him to do the same, Solo sent 18 Battle Dragons in pursuit of the attacking element of the Galney fleet to reinforce the Queen, remaining behind with the other two and the Anakin to protect the heiress to the Hapan throne. His pursuit screen took heavy damage as it attempted to break through the defensive half of Galney's forces.

Final Stages
As Bwua'tu tore into the the usurper fleet and the Royal Navy rallied around their Queen, Solo's rescue flotilla finally broke through the Galney defense and pursued the other half of the traitor fleet to the rest of the battle. As the traitors neared, the remnants of the Royal Navy began to open fire on them. Solo's six surviving Battle Dragons in the rescue flotilla also engaged their rear. Solo then led the Anakin and his two Battle Dragons into the remainder of the Galney defensive screen. Operating on a personal agenda, he ordered one long range turbolaser battery] to fire on the Millenium Falcon as it neared the evacuees from the Rover. His strikes caused extensive damage, killing Cakhmaim and Meewahl, and forcing the evacuees to once again eject. The Falcon managed to escape to jump to hyperspace just before destruction.

Aftermath
The three Corellian Dreadnaughts were defeated, though all three cannot be assumed to have been destroyed as Admiral Genna Delpin returned alive from the engagement and was later promoted to Supreme Commander. The Galney fleet was crushed, and Jacen Solo was credited with its destruction and saving Tenel Ka. The Heritage Council's fleet was also defeated, and the nobles who had taken part in the treasonous assault were suitably punished, presumably by execution. The Millenium Falcon, although she had sustained extensive damage, survived and was flown to Gyndine by the Solos where it was repaired by Lando Calrissian.

Appearances

 * Tempest
 * Exile