Battle of Talasea

A task force led by the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Implacable, under the command of Admiral Apwar Trigit, was sent to Talasea in the Morobe system, where information from Project Morrt indicated that the survivors of Trigit's failed assault on Folor had congregated. However, Project Morrt had been compromised by the New Republic, and a large fleet actually awaited Trigit in an ambush. Intelligence analyst Gara Petothel, about the Implacable, realized the deception, but not until after the task force had jumped to hyperspace. Unable to contact his support ships, Trigit was forced to drop out of hyperspace prematurely and was unable to warn them of the trap.

As a result, the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Provocateur and the CR90 corvette Constrictor arrived in the Morobe system without the Star Destroyer. Their companion, the CR90 corvette Night Caller, had actually been captured by the New Republic's Wraith Squadron, and immediately turned on Zsinj's ships. Its first target was the communication arrays of the enemy ships, to prevent them from revealing that the Night Caller was now under New Republic control. Wraith pilot Garik "Face" Loran, on the bridge in case he was called upon to impersonate the Night Callers deceased captain Zurel Darillian, suggested that the X-wings in the ship's forward hold launch a salvo of proton torpedoes against the Provocateur before launching from the forward hangar, a tactic that would come to be known as the "Loran Spitball." The other Wraith pilots then launched into combat, but before Face could reach his fighter, it and the ship's bridge were both destroyed by a turbolaser volley from the Provocateur. Loran took command of the ship from its secondary bridge, while the Wraiths' other X-wings attacked the frigate and their TIE fighters attacked the enemy corvette. Kell Tainer organized the fighters into a massed proton torpedo attack which split the Provocateur in half along its central spar, venting its atmosphere. The heavily damaged Constrictor then surrendered to the New Republic forces.

A large New Republic force, led by the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Home One and including Rogue Squadron, had been waiting at Talasea for the Implacable, but they played no role in the battle. The New Republic ships could not reach the Provocateur in time to rescue any of its crew, and the ship was considered unsalvageable. The secret of the Night Callers capture was maintained, allowing Wraith Squadron to continue their deception and set another trap for the Implacable.