ZA-13 was, at the time, manufacturing Hyperdrive units, made with technology from the Habeen from Mylok IV, for Demetrius Zaarin's Imperial forces. These units were originally used for TIE Avengers, but could also be used for TIE Defenders. When Zaarin went rogue, he attacked the Omar facilities and destroyed them. Then-Vice Admiral Thrawn was instructed to capture the facility, as reports were coming in that Zaarin was raiding and destroying the Empire's ability to manufactur the TIE Avengers, with the intention of stripping Palpatine of his stratigic advantage.
The Secret Order also wanted to disable the looting vessels to liberate the cargo being looted and find clues to where the bulk of Zaarin's forces were.
The attack was led by Maarek Stele, who took 3 TIE/D Defender starfighters to sweep the area of enemy forces. The factory was fairly lightly defended, firstly by TIE Fighters, which Stele and his wingmen cut through easily. The factory itself remained neutral during the battle, due to the fact that the station's personnel were not all loyal to either Zaarin or the Empire.
Stele also disabled the various freighters and transports that were attempting to make off with the equipment, which were Modular conveyors, Z-Cod, which carried equipment, the YT-1300 light freighter Z-Coral which was carrying TIE Advanced parts and the modified corvettes Z-Oz which had Hyperdrive units. Imperial Escort shuttles and Assault ransports Tiger came in to take possession of the stolen goods, leaving the ships themselves to be finished off by Stele, who was fighting TIE Avengers that were coming out of the facility. Soon a Stormtrooper transport Z-Elpi launched out the hanger and tried to escape into Hyperspace, only to disabled by Stele, boarded by an Escort shuttle Omega 1 and was sent back into the facility.
The Secret order was pleased that the transports, equipment and materials stolen, that was months worth of progress on TIE Advanced production from ZA-13 and that it did not fall into Zaarin's hands.
Stele was soon to return, leading the attack force in the Capture of ZA-13, which would result in the capture of the station itself.
This battle appears in the PC game Star Wars TIE Fighter. This is Battle 8, combat 2. This article assumes all "Primary", "Secondary" and "Bonus" goals are complete.
- TIE Fighter: Defender of the Empire: Official Secrets & Solutions
- TIE Fighter Collector's CD-ROM: The Official Strategy Guide