AA - 23 AA - 23 was a " Lambda " - class T - 4a shuttle in the service of the Galactic Empire . History . " AA - 23 " was stationed on an Imperial XQ6 Platform DX - 11a in the Eidoloni system some time after the Battle of Hoth . It was one of four shuttles that attempted to flee the platform when Ace Azzameen ' s squadron staged a diversionary attack on the outpost . Their aim was to give Commander Zaletta , an Imperial officer who had grown sympathetic to the Rebel Alliance ' s cause , an opportunity to defect . Onboard shuttle " AA - 23 " , Zaletta fled the platform after the Rebels were able to disable the platform ' s shields . Unsure of which of the shuttles the defector was on , Azzameen was ordered to scan each craft before contact could be established . Their attack a success , the Rebels fled to a rendezvous with the Rebel Nebulon - B Frigate " Redemption " . Zaletta safely docked with the vessel , but the group suddenly came under attack from an Interdictor and an escorting Star Destroyer . With Zaletta under suspicion of luring the Rebels into a trap , he was imprisoned while the Rebels attacked the Interdictor and forced it to disengage . Before the Rebels had a chance to decode the shuttle ' s valuable data , however , " Liberty " ' s Tactical Officer Commander Kupalo , secretly a mole for the Empire , blew his cover , breaking into the hangar . He bound the shuttle ' s custodian , placing a series of explosives beside him . Despite the deck officer ' s protests , Kupalo stole the shuttle and blasted his way out of the hangar , detonating the charges and causing huge damage to the hangar as he did so . The " Liberty " rapidly deployed a trio of X - wings to pursue the shuttle , but Kupalo was prepared for this . From a hidden compartment on " AA - 23 " ' s underside , he fired three deadly Type - B Homing Mine s . Unable to evade the blindingly fast warheads , the X - wings were destroyed , and Kupalo made the jump to hyperspace . The crew of the " Liberty " was able to track his destination , but suspected he would make multiple jumps to hinder pursuit , giving them very little time . Admiral Yamarus dispatched pilots Ace Azzameen and Olin Garn in a pair of A - Wings to intercept the traitor . Azzameen and Garn eventually caught up with Kupalo , who refused to stand down without a fight . While Garn fought off a flight of Assault Gunboats , Azzameen attacked " AA - 23 " . Kupalo was forced to power the shuttle down after sustained heavy damage . Storm Unit then arrived to recover the shuttle and return to the " Liberty " , while the two pilots fought reinforcements from " Kupalo ' s ride " , the Star Destroyer " Imperator " . " AA - 23 " was stripped of its databanks so that they could be decoded . Zaletta was cleared of all charges and presented his data to the Rebels , which would lead to the Alliance ' s discovery of the second Death Star at the planet Endor . Thanks to the overused tactic of capturing shuttles , each Lambda Shuttle was then fitted with a self destruct device if captured to prevent slip of information or data . Behind the scenes . The use of " AA - 23 " is likely a reference to Detention Block AA - 23 where Princess Leia was held aboard the first Death Star .