Battle of Doornik - 319 The Battle of Doornik - 319 was a battle between the New Republic and the Duskhan League at the planet Doornik - 319 , the primary in the system of the same name . Prior to the battle , Morning ' s Bell , a Kubaz colony world within the system , had been razed by the Yevetha during the Great Purge . Prelude . The Great Purge resulted in the deaths of countless beings throughout the Koornacht Cluster in an unprovoked , genocidal rampage . Although slow to respond , the New Republic finally sent a warning to Viceroy Nil Spaar of the Duskhan League to withdraw from the conquered planets or risk war against the Republic . No answer was ever received from the Viceroy , despite the ultimatum being relayed for several days across many channels . In response , President Organa Solo , with the backing of the Defense Council , ordered a blockade of Doornik - 319 , one of the planets brutally attacked and settled by the Yevetha . Doornik - 319 was chosen as the target after recon drones showed evidence that the Yevetha were continuing to ship in colonists and supplies in utter defiance of the warning . With a " Victory " - class Star Destroyer known to be on station , the New Republic Fifth Battle Group put together several task forces to enforce this blockade and jumped into the first battle between the New Republic and Black Fleet . The Ambush . The initial deployment into the system consisted of a flotilla from the Fifth Fleet ' s flag group , under the command of General Etahn A ' baht : the " Endurance " - class fleet carrier " Intrepid " , the " Majestic " - class heavy cruisers " Stalwart " , " Illustrious " , " Liberty " and " Vigilant " and the " Defender " - class assault carriers " Repulse " and " Shield " , along with a mixture of light escorts and pickets . Jumping into orbit , this initial force found the system empty of ships , the ground settlements apparently abandoned and no sign of the Yevetha anywhere . Suspicious but without any other choice , the task force moved into blockade orbits against the planet and , almost immediately , the Yevetha struck . Ion cannons and high velocity missiles opened fire from three different sites on the planet ' s surface as a small Yevethan fleet dropped out of hyperspace , microjumping in between the high orbiting pickets and lower orbit capital ships . Caught between the planet and the ambushing Yevetha , the New Republic ships were left without room to maneuver as three " Imperial " - class Star Destroyers and six " Aramadia " - class thrustships , along with the " Glory of Yevetha " , engaged them at high speed , making a single pass through the Republic formation . The " Sacheen " - class light escort " Trenchant " was caught in a barrage of gravity bomb s and proton torpedoes and destroyed . The heavier New Republic ships took varying amounts of damage , mostly to their shields , but the Yevetha did not press their attack , making one pass and breaking off . The captains of the " Liberty " and " Illustrious " requested permission to pursue the attackers , but were denied . General A ' baht instead ordered the task force to break orbit , with the capital ships screening the lighter escorts and picket ships for the run to hyperspace . The Battle . At the same time , General A ' baht relayed the current tactical situation and deployment of the enemy ships via secure hypercomm to task forces Aster and Blackvine . The two battle groups were waiting two light hours above and below the system ' s orbital inclination respectively , out of sensor range of the enemy ships . With the order given , twenty - eight vessels jumped into the battle area , ambushing the ambushers in a carefully planned trap . The carriers launched their complements of the new K - wing bombers in one of their first combat actions before falling back behind the heavy ships . The K - wings were tasked with disabling the enemy vessels ' shields , allowing the heavy turbolaser batteries on the New Republic capital ships to then engage and destroy the Yevethan fleet . Unfortunately , the Yevetha in turn unleashed a new tactic on the Fifth Fleet pilots and gunners , devised by Tal Fraan , an officer on board the " Glory of Yevetha " . As the bombers made their attack runs , they were suddenly subjected to a barrage of pleas from civilian hostages , survivors from the Great Purge now held prisoner on board the ships . Discipline and morale broke down rapidly in the attacking units ; in the end , not a single Yevethan capital ship was claimed . Parts of the New Republic task forces started to retreat spontaneously , with General A ' baht calling an official retreat minutes later . Aftermath . Almost three squadrons of bombers were lost in the aborted engagement , along with the total loss of the " Trenchant " . Several capital ships took damage , especially the cruiser " Phalanx " , which was hit with a lucky shot while trying to recover a damaged K - wing . The total cost in lives to the Fifth Fleet was well over one thousand , in exchange for a complete and disastrous defeat . Behind the scenes . The battle for Doornik - 319 appears in " Shield of Lies " by Michael P . Kube - McDowell . In the novel , no Yevethan casualties result from the conflict ; however , the battle ' s image from " The New Essential Chronology " depicts the Yevethan thrustships taking hits and exploding . Even so , this article uses it for illustrative purposes .