Thurse

"Thurse, we have visual on the Yuuzhan Vong ship. Low-profile coral oval. Looks to be frigate class or there-abouts."

- Wing Commander Kol Eyttyn

The Thurse was a SoroSuub Corporation Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser used in the New Republic's Defense Fleet in 25 ABY, during the Yuuzhan Vong War. Commanded by Captain Mak Jorlen, the Thurse was a cruiser-carrier that saw action at the Battle of Ord Mantell that year before later going up against a Yuuzhan Vong frigate in the Bilbringi system. There, the Thurse and its complement of starfighter squadrons attempted to save the luxury liner Queen of Empire from the forces of the Peace Brigade and the Yuuzhan Vong frigate in the area. The cruiser-carrier aided the freighter Millennium Falcon in escaping from the frigate before being ultimately successful in its mission after it drove off the Yuuzhan Vong warship.

Description
The Thurse was a Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser produced by the SoroSuub Corporation and measuring 340 meters in length. Possessing launch bays that could hold a multitude of starfighters, the Thurse acted as a cruiser-carrier and retained a complement consisting of the X-wing starfighters of multiple squadrons&mdash;including Green, Red, and Blue Squadrons&mdash;and TIE series starfighters. Equipped with a hyperdrive, the cruiser-carrier was armed with laser batteries and ion cannons, and also had enough room to carry at least a dozen troopers.

History
"Red and Green Squadrons will lay back to deal with assaults directed at the Thurse. Blue will form up behind me to take the fight to the command ship. All other squadrons will break on my command."

- Eyttyn, during the Battle of Bilbringi

The Thurse served in the New Republic's Defense Fleet as of the year 25 ABY,  during the Yuuzhan Vong War, in which the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong species invaded the the galaxy. Commanded by Captain Mak Jorlen, the Thurse served as a cruiser-carrier, and took part in a New Republic surprise attack on Yuuzhan Vong forces at the planet Ord Mantell after the New Republic learned of an impending enemy assault there. Along with a significant force, the Quasar Fire-class cruiser hid behind the world of Quatin in Ord Mantell's Bright Jewel system, and engaged the newly arrived Yuuzhan Vong ships in the Battle of Ord Mantell after they decanted in the star system. During the fighting, X-wings and TIEs launched from the Thurse attempted to kill the massive Yuuzhan Vong Qworlth skaal creature that was attacking the Jubilee Wheel space station, to no avail. However, the New Republic forces were successful in their endeavor, driving off Yuuzhan Vong fleet, but not before the Thurse took damage in the battle.

Shortly afterwards, with the Thurse still not fully recovered from the Battle of Ord Mantell, the luxury liner Queen of Empire&mdash;serving as a transport for refugees from Ord Mantell&mdash;issued a distress call after it was boarded by Peace Brigade members in the Bilbringi system, and the Thurse responded to the call as a Yuuzhan Vong frigate had also been spotted near the stricken vessel. Arriving in the system, the cruiser-carrier deployed Red and Green Squadrons to guard the Thurse while Blue Squadron, led by Wing Commander Kol Eyttyn, was dispatched to attack the frigate; additionally, some of the cruiser-carrier's other starfighter squadrons were launched in the combat area. However, although Blue Squadron managed to fight its way through the frigate's coralskipper complement, the frigate began to make small hyperspace jumps that sent it all over the combat zone, preventing Blue Squadron from affectively harassing the vessel.

While the frigate was still a threat, the freighter Millennium Falcon jumped into the system, and Jorlen on the Thurse warned the occupants to keep out of harm's way, convincing influential New Republic politician Leia Organa Solo and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker to momentarily stay out of the fight despite the fact that Organa Solo's husband Han Solo was aboard the Queen of Empire. Moments later, the Peace Brigadiers issued an order to the Thurse to move away lest they begin to expel the passengers of the Queen of Empire from the airlocks, but Jorlen on the Quasar Fire-class cruiser refused to comply as the New Republic did not make deals with pirates.

Shortly after at least a dozen elite New Republic troops were dispatched from the Thurse to board the Queen of Empire in an attempt to combat the Peace Brigade members, the cruiser-carrier was positioned near a planetoid in the Bilbringi system as its complement of fighters engaged the coralskippers nearby. Just then, the Millenoum Falcon began to chase a Peace Brigade Martial-class shuttle that had departed from the Queen of Empire and was racing for the Yuuzhan Vong frigate. Although Jorlen once again requested the occupants to stay away, Solo, who was at the helm after the Millennium Falcon had docked on the Queen of Empire, informed Jorlen that he would need cover fire from the Thurse after he retrieved two important individuals from the fleeing shuttle.

After Solo had successfully docked with the shuttle when it was mysteriously immobilized and completed his objective, the Thurse covered the Millennium Falcon and attacked the frigate with its batteries as the frigate attempted to pursue the Millenium Falcon, which was headed back towards the Queen of Empire. However, the Millenium Falcon suddenly turned and steered a course directly for the Yuuzhan Vong frigate, blocking some of the Thurse angles on the enemy frigate that it was firing upon. With Jorlen demanding to know what Solo was doing, the freighter was piloted towards the Thurse instead of the frigate, leaving the field between the two warships empty. With clear firing lanes, the Thurse pounded the frigate with its ion cannons and its batteries, and although the last remaining coralskippers attempted to make suicide runs upon the cruiser-carrier, the fighters were quickly destroyed. The Thurse assault forced the frigate to give up its pursuit of the Millenium Falcon, and the damaged Yuuzhan Vong vessel fled to hyperspace, leaving the Thurse victorious.

Commanders and crew
"Unidentified Corellian freighter, this is Captain Jorlen of the New Republic cruiser-carrier Thurse. You've jumped into a combat zone. I suggest you hold fast or return to wherever you came from."

- Captain Mak Jorlen warns the Millenium Falcon away from the fighting.

The Thurse was commanded by Captain Mak Jorlen during its encounter with the Yuuzhan Vong frigate in the Bilbringi system. Jorlen personally knew Solo, who was a hero to many members of the New Republic, and believed that the New Republic had a fighting chance against the Yuuzhan Vong with Solo on their side.

Behind the scenes
The Thurse first appeared in James Luceno's The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial, released in 2000. The cruiser-carrier was later mentioned in multiple entries in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, but did not receive an entry of its own.

Appearances

 * The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial