Skirmish over Utapau

"You should have come sooner. The CIS fleet is small, but a ship our size can't take it on singlehandedly."

- Ovation captain to Wongata Kelvin

The Skirmish over Utapau was a short conflict during the Clone Wars that immediately followed the Escape from Coruscant. The 1337 N00B5, led by Ilmar Grmek, had deduced that a CIS reconnaissance fleet would be arriving at Utapau soon. To lure the Acclamator-class frigate Ovation that was pursuing them into a trap, the 1337 N00B5 jumped to the Utapau system, knowing that the Ovation would attempt a Hypercourse Ambush. The Republic ship arrived in the Utapau system before the 1337 N00B5, as it had a far superior hyperdrive, and immediately encountered a CIS fleet containing multiple frigates and corvettes. The Ovation captain decided to bravely confront the fleet, though he was outnumbered. After the Ovation captain sent a distress signal, two corvettes, the Ancient and the Short, part of the Utapau Security Force, arrived to help the Republic forces defeat the CIS. Shortly afterward, the 1337 N00B5 appeared.

Change in plans
"Would we be responsible for the loss of life if we left those ships to fall prey to the CIS? Welcome to piracy. Rule number one is you don't help others who have fallen behind. Better one guy living than both killed."

- Ilmar Grmek and Jett Worrap

Though the 1337 N00B5 had planned to use the trap to distract the Ovation so they could make their getaway, the CIS fleet was bigger than they had thought, and saw that a Confederate victory seemed imminent. Ilmar Grmek, feeling responsible for the loss of life that was taking place, lamented and planned a way to defeat the CIS fleet, hoping to save lives.

Using the parts in the freighters of the Blood Karvers, the 1337 N00B5 set up a small portable space station near an asteroid cluster and installed a tractor beam. They then pointed the tractor beam at the corvette Ancient and reeled it in successfully. The unexpected disappearance of one of the ships caused the Ovation captain to fall back temporarily, putting him on the run from the CIS fleet.

Capture
"I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that people don't expect pirates to be honest."

- Kaffman

Wongata Kelvin, captain of the corvette Ancient, was skeptical about the motives of the 1337 N00B5 when they explained their plan. To test them, Wongata first requested various specific measures to ensure that the Utapauans aboard the CIS flagship are liberated, and then said that they had an anti-orbital turbolaser cannon that was very capable of destroying the frigate once the prisoners were rescued. Wongata expressed his intention to destroy the frigate once the prisoners were free; the 1337 N00B5 could not claim the frigate as their own. This was a lie, however: there was no anti-orbital cannon on Utapau. As PK-10 was about to prove Wongata to have lied, Grmek shut him up. The 1337 N00B5 agreed to Wongata's conditions, and headed off to escort the corvette to the CIS frigate.

Storming
"You intended only to destroy your enemies, not save your allies. The pirates here offered their help selflessly, in the interest of protecting our lives, and yours too."

- Wongata to the Ovation captain

The Ancient boarded the CIS frigate successfully as the Ovation was still hitting-and-running from the rest of the Confederate fleet. Wongata's marines stormed the frigate and defeated the limited security aboard the ship, freeing the Pau'an prisoners. The prisoners were taken aboard the 1337 N00B5 Ferrier-class rescue shuttle for transport back to the surface.

Meanwhile, Tion Medon, an Administrator on Utapau, was alarmed by the Confederate appearance over the neutral territory of Utapau. He contacted key CIS and Republic leaders and negotiated a truce that would allow Utapau to remain neutral throughout the Clone Wars.

Aftermath
Impressed by the 1337 N00B5 selflessness and bravery, Wongata requested that he and his crew be allowed to join them to fulfill their collective life debt. The Ovation captain, however, insisted on taking the 1337 N00B5 hostage, but Tion Medon informed him that the terms of the truce between the Republic, Utapau's government, and the Separatists did not allow the Republic to use its military in the Utapau system. The captain, a patriotic loyalist to the Republic, respected the treaty and left.

The 1337 N00B5, now with much larger numbers, departed for the Corellian system, where they hoped to gather resources and strength and plan their next move.

Appearances

 * Avian Hunt