- "That day, I was sharp. I flew circles around those TIE bastards and shot them all to hell. By the time reinforcements arrived, well … there wasn't much left."
- ―Halley Kadorto, to Keyan Farlander
The Rescue at Mon Calamari was a Rebel Alliance mission to free Mon Calamari slaves being transported to an Imperial Star Destroyer during the Galactic Civil War. Rebel starfighters ambushed a retreating Imperial fleet on the edge of the Calamari system following the Calamarian Revolt and captured the transports carrying the slaves.
Prelude[]
- "We knew something was up around Mon Calamari, but we never suspected the Imperial scum would actually try to destroy the slave containers before we could get there."
- ―Halley Kadorto, to Keyan Farlander
In the aftermath of the uprising that liberated the planet Mon Calamari, withdrawing Imperial forces attempted to escape the Calamari system and headed to the edge of the system.[1] Alliance Intelligence learned of a rendezvous between an Imperial convoy of freighters and container transporting Mon Calamari slaves and materiél to the Star Destroyer Warrior.[5] The bulk freighters were not designed to carry life forms but Mon Calamari slaves were brutally loaded in the overcrowded freighters. The Rebel leaders who were aware of the Imperial atrocities on Mon Calamari saw an opportunity to help the Calamarians and secure their cooperation against the Empire.[4]
The Rebel X-wings of Red Squadron were sent to destroy the convoy's TIE/LN starfighter escorts and identify the freighters' cargo. Gold Squadron's Y-wings would disable the vessels carrying the slaves, after which the freighters Citadel 1 and Citadel 2 would dock with them. The whole operation was planned to be completed before the Warrior arrived.[5]
The battle[]
- "I saw the TIEs zeroing in on the distant containers and took off to see what they were up to. I wasn't following orders. Instinct, maybe. Luck. Doesn't matter much, does it?"
- ―Halley Kadorto, to Keyan Farlander
After the ships arrived at Mon Calamari, fighter pilot Halley Kadorto used his sensors to identify which freighter and container carried the slaves. Red Squadron caught the defending TIE starfighters out of position and they initially proved easy to keep away from the freighters. The mission was going according to plan until the Warrior arrived earlier than expected. Hoping to thwart the rescue, the ship's commander sent TIE Fighters to destroy the freighters with the slaves still inside. The X-wings were now outnumbered almost three to one and the TIEs were too numerous to contain.[4]
Kadorto approached Warrior to engage the incoming TIEs. Though he called for assistance, his wingmates were all engaged and he was forced to work alone. Kadorto held off the attack by destroying wave-after-wave of TIEs until the rescue was finally completed and reinforcements arrived.[4]
Aftermath[]
The mission was successful and Kadorto received the Kalidor Crescent for his heroism. The incident was ported into a simulated exercise for Rebel pilots and made Kadorto famous. The rescue went a long way to persuading the Mon Calamari to join the Rebel Alliance. They provided almost immediately their Star Cruisers to the Alliance[4] as well as their orbital shipyards.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
In Star Wars: X-Wing, where this mission is recreated in the historical simulator, the TIE bombers attacking the slave freighters do no damage to them because they are friendly targets. For the mission to have worked properly, the slave vessels should have been set to neutral faction.[5]
Appearances[]
- "The Farlander Papers" — Star Wars: X-Wing (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: X-Wing (First appearance) (Appears in simulation)
Sources[]
- X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide
- X-Wing Collector's CD-ROM: The Official Strategy Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Strongholds of Resistance
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Strongholds of Resistance
- ↑ According to The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 9 ACK 1-4: Admiral Ackbar, the Battle of Turkana took place after the Mon Calamari joined the Rebel Alliance, which happened following the Rescue at Mon Calamari per "The Farlander Papers" and Strongholds of Resistance.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "The Farlander Papers" — Star Wars: X-Wing
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 Star Wars: X-Wing
- ↑ Strongholds of Resistance places this battle immediately after the Calamarian Revolt, which the book dates to 1 BBY.