One of Cloburi's convoys was attacked in the Belat system by prototype starfighters from the TIE Experimental Project, which was being conducted by the Galactic Empire. Hopelessly outgunned, the civilian fleet sent a distress signal to a Rebel Alliance convoy en route to the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Liberty. The Alliance sent two of its A-wing pilots to respond to the attack.
When the two pilots arrived, one of them being Ace Azzameen, the convoy's lead ship, Calico, pleaded for the Rebels to ward off the attacking starfighters, which were hammering the fleet's two Star Galleons. The Rebels were surprised by the radical design of the Imperial starfighters, later classified as the remote-controlled TIE Experimental M1. They began to suspect that the Empire was fielding new and far more battle-worthy starfighters that sacrificed the necessity for actual pilots. Nevertheless, the confused Rebels were successful in destroying all enemy forces and saving most of the convoy. The Calico thanked the Rebels for their assistance and continued onward towards their destination.