Rescue on Chimaera The rescue on " Chimaera " refers to the successful rescue of the smuggler Talon Karrde , who was imprisoned aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer " Chimaera " in 9 ABY by Grand Admiral Thrawn and his forces . Thrawn had planned to interrogate Karrde and learn the location of the hidden " Katana " fleet . The rescue was orchestrated by Karrde ' s second - in - command Mara Jade and the Jedi Luke Skywalker , who sneaked aboard in a supply shuttle , infiltrated the detention block and escaped with Karrde on the " Millennium Falcon " . As a result , the previously - neutral Karrde became an ally to the New Republic and sold them the location of the " Katana " fleet . Background . In 9 ABY , the smuggler Mara Jade was captured by Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s flagship , the " Chimaera " , while she was picking up the " Etherway " from impoundment on Abregado - rae . Thrawn was seeking the location of the hidden " Katana " fleet , which he believed was in the possession of Jade ' s employer , Talon Karrde . Jade decided the only way to escape Thrawn ' s custody was to provide the fleet ' s location , so , in order to keep Thrawn out of harm ' s way , she asked to be released so she could track down Karrde and obtain the location for the trade . Thrawn agreed . However , after releasing her , Thrawn tracked Jade ' s ship and arrested Karrde when the two met , much to Jade ' s anger . Jade herself was recaptured along with Karrde and later released . Karrde was imprisoned aboard the Chimaera , where Imperial interrogators tried to get him to give up the Katana fleet location and tried , unsuccessfully , to convince him Jade had knowingly betrayed him . Escape . Disgusted by Thrawn ' s actions , Jade decided to break Karrde out of imprisonment and sought the assistance of the Jedi Luke Skywalker , who she despised for his role in the death of Emperor Palpatine and had vowed to kill in the past . Skywalker agreed to assist her , and the two infiltrated the Chimaera in a supply shuttle in the Wistril system . Disguised in TIE pilot uniforms and using stolen passwords to slice into the computers , Jade and Skywalker reached the detention block and freed Karrde , who remained in good spirits because the worst stages of the interrogation had not yet begun . The trio then escaped the detention area through the garbage compactor and Karrde donned a TIE pilot suit himself . Upon learning of the escape , Thrawn shut down the ship ' s computer and sounded an alert . After correctly deducing Skywalker was among the rescue party , the Grand Admiral ordered his Noghri bodyguard , Rukh , to collect all the ysalamir i from the Star Destroyer ' s engineering and systems control bays and bring them to the hangar , with the hopes of preventing the Jedi from escaping . Karrde , Jade and Skywalker were unable to reach their supply shuttle due to Thrawn ' s alert , so Karrde suggested they steal a vehicle from deep storage instead . There they found the " Millennium Falcon " , which , unbeknownst to the trio , had earlier been captured over Endor . Thrawn deduced they would find the ship and ordered his troops to stop them , but he was too late . Karrde piloted the Falcon out of storage and out the hangar bay . While Skywalker held off pursuing TIEs from the gun turret , Karrde flew along the Chimaera ' s hull and exhaust trail , which maximized his cover until he could jump the hyperspace and escape . Aftermath . Although Karrde had previously attempted to remain neutral in the Galactic Civil War , his capture made the smuggler realize the Empire was his enemy . As a result , immediately after escaping Chimaera , the trio went to Coruscant and Karrde decided to sell the Katana fleet ' s location to the New Republic .