Hunter was a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle. This vessel was utilized by the Rebel Alliance throughout the duration of the Galactic Civil War.
Following the discovery of the Death Star initiative, and to gather further details, Alliance Special Forces successfully sabotaged and incapacitated a Delta-class DX-9 stormtrooper transport. This transport was carrying Imperial officers assigned to the Death Star as it transited the Corellian system.
The Alliance dispatched the Hunter, accompanied by the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate Inad, to seize the disabled transport. Three X-wings from Blue Squadron and three Y-wings from Red Squadron provided protection for the operation. The pilots were Keyan Farlander, Namrhe, and Omin-Oreh.
Shortly after the mission's commencement, several Assault Gunboats appeared. The Rebel fighters moved to engage them, resulting in the loss of all three X-wings. The Hunter successfully boarded the transport and apprehended the officers. However, as both vessels were returning to the Inad, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Immortal arrived and began deploying fighters. An Imperial transport also emerged from hyperspace and attempted to reclaim the escaping transport. Farlander eliminated the attacking transport, along with two more that arrived soon after. Regrettably, both of his wingmen were shot down while trying to defend him from the Imperial fighters. Namrhe perished, but Omin-Oreh was rescued, although severely wounded, and subsequently placed in a bacta tank.
Once both ships had boarded the Inad, the Rebels retreated into hyperspace. The captured military advisors could only reveal limited information, specifically that Bevel Lemelisk was heading the design team and that some of his team had recently journeyed to Coruscant for a meeting with Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Consequently, the Alliance devised an attack on their vessel upon their return from the meeting.