Task Force Cloverleaf
Task Force Cloverleaf was a detachment of the New Republic's Fifth Fleet. Under the command of Commodore Syub Snunb, Task Force Cloverleaf consisted of the Nebula-class Star Destroyers Resolve, under Commodore Snunb, and Thunderhead under Captain Alax; the Majestic-class cruiser Sunbeam under Captain Vatrim; the Endurance-class fleet carriers Intrepid, under Captain Pollum Morano, and Ballarat; the Warrior-class gunships Farlight and Garland; and squadrons of K-wings, E-wings, and A-wings.[1]
History
Battle of Charros
In 27 ABY, the task force was sent to Charros system to intercept a Yuuzhan Vong push towards the Rim. Before the Yuuzhan Vong attacked, much of the planet Charros IV was evactuated, and Intrepid and Ballarat took on refugee vessels that had no hyperspace capability.
The Yuuzhan Vong attacked with three cruiser analogs protected by a picket ship and multiple squadrons of coralskippers. Two squadrons consisting of K-wings and E-wings, Aklay Squad and Nexu Squad, deployed from Intrepid and destroyed the picket ship. Resolve and Thunderhead subsequently destroyed one of the Yuuzhan Vong cruiser analogs, but Thunderhead was rammed by another cruiser analog; both ships were destroyed in the collision. The third cruiser analog was destroyed before it could finish a suicide run of its own. Coralskippers then rammed the Garland, causing it to explode, before the New Republic forces were able to clear the battlefield.
Immediately after the battle, a transmission from Rathalay revealed that the attack on Charros had been a diversion. Commodore Snunb took Task Force Cloverleaf to Rathalay to assist in the evacuation.[1]
Battle of Rathalay
Arriving in the middle of the Yuuzhan Vong attack on Rathalay, Snunb took the task force into orbit above Rathalay's most populous continent. The Yuuzhan Vong had activated an interdiction field across much of the system, trapping the task force as well as those fleeing Rathalay. Resolve protected the carriers Intrepid and Ballarat as they took on refugees from the surface, while Sunbeam tried to clear a path for their retreat. A grutchin attack destroyed Ballarat as well as parts of Nexu Squad, and Intrepid was only saved by opening multiple sections that had been breached to vacuum. Moments later, Resolve was destroyed, presumably killing Commodore Snunb. Command now fell to Captain Morano on Intrepid, who ceded command to Captain Vatrim on Sunbeam while he went to help repair Intrepid's sole remaining engine. Morano was killed by a grutchin after repairing the engine.
The retired Grand Admiral Grant arrived on Intrepid, accompanied by the Jedi apprentices Eryl Besa, Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila, and attempted to take control of Task Force Cloverleaf. His suggestions led to the destruction of the Yuuzhan Vong war coordinator, which halted the Yuuzhan Vong advance. During the momentary reprieve, a detachment of the Dornean Navy entered the system, led by Etahn A'baht whom Captain Morano had called for help before his death. Grand Admiral Grant challenged the Yuuzhan Vong commander to a ship-to-ship duel, providing a distraction that allowed the three Jedi apprentices to get close to the Yuuzhan Vong interdictor in starfighters and destroy it. The Farlight, which Grant had used for his diversion, was rammed by the Yuuzhan Vong commander's gunship analog and destroyed. With the help of the Dorneans, the remains of Task Force Cloverleaf managed to escape the system.[1]
Behind the scenes
Task Force Cloverleaf is referred to as "Task Force Copperleaf" five times in The New Jedi Order: The Last Admiral. As "Cloverleaf" appears more often (11 times) throughout the story and the "Copperleaf" references are clustered in two sections in the middle, this article assumes that "Cloverleaf" is the correct designation.