Rebel Blockade Runner
(CEC Corvette)
The famous "Rebel Blockade Runner" in
actuality was a single ship named the Tantive IV. A Corellian corvette,
the ship was registered as a consular vessel with the Royal House of Alderaan's
diplomatic corps. It was destroyed shortly after being captured by the
Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator over the desert world of Tatooine.
In an elaborate ruse perpetrated by
Lord Darth Vader, all personnel aboard were reported killed in a deep-space
disaster. In truth, only Senetator Leia Organa escaped execution, although
she was held prisonner aboard the Empire's Death Star battle station.
The Tantive IV was commanded
by Captain Antilles (no relation to Wedge Antilles) and was used frequently
by Organa for her covert espionage activities on behalf of the Rebel Alliance.
The Tantive IV's diplomatic status gave the ship free reign in an
era when increasingly aggressive Imperial Navy captains clamped down on
any ship suspected of Rebel activity.
The Tantive IV played a vital
role in the Rebel Alliance victory against the first Death Star. After
interception secret Rebel codes while on a "relief mission" to Ralltiir
(which was under Imperial marshal law), Princess Leia learned about the
construction of the Death Star over the distant prison world of Despayre.
Leia recieved the technical readouts of the Death Star over Toprawa and
then raced to distant Tatooine with the hope of finding the reclusive General
Obi-Wan Kenobi, and convincing his to help lead the Rebel Alliance. However,
a double agent apparently hid a tracking beacon aboard the Blockade Runner,
and the Star Destroyer Devastator emerged in Tatooine system space
immediately behind the ship. Imperial Stormtroopers boarded the ship, rouding
up all personnel for questioning.
The Tanitve IV was armed with six
Taim & Bak H9 turbolaser cannons, and had heavily reinforced shields,
but it was, none the less, no match for the Devastator.
