In 2287 the Exeter, under the command of Admiral Stephanoff, was on patrol in the sector near to Tau Gamma II. Stephanoff was contacted by Commander Hikaru Sulu aboard the USS Enterprise-A and informed that Captain James T. Kirk and several officers had been captured by the notorious bounty hunter, Sweeney, and that back-up was needed. Shortly after the Exeter arrived in orbit of Tau Gamma II with the USS Avenger and the USS Daran, and together they battled Sweeney's ships alongside the Enterprise. Thankfully, Captain Kirk was able to engineer his own escape from Sweeney's ship and the battle was soon finished, with no damage or casualties aboard the Exeter. (TOS comics: "Going, Going...", "... Gone!")