During the Pandorans' expansion into Independent World space, Christabel seized on an opportunity to invade a number of key Independent star systems, and bring them under her control. She saw the Pandorans as a threat that could easily be dealt with (despite the failing efforts of the allied forces). She hired a number of pirates and mercenaries to help secure weaponry and other supplies, as well as bribing and blackmailing members of the UNF, to either turn a blind eye on her activities, or coerce them into parting with information attributing to the allied forces' goals and strategies.

With everything in place, she ordered the first strikes against Alba, Antomis, Donesta, India, Rothan and Trilliack. While initially successful, the strikes did not progress as well or as quickly as the empress desired. She hired more mercenaries to directly assault a number of the allied forces' capital ships. However, after only a handful of unsuccessful battles, the mercenaries abandoned the deal and Tzac.

Shortly after, the allied forces invaded Mace, eventually surrounding Tzac, and starting a ground assault. Christabel was quick to abandon her palace, first attempting to hide underground before being flushed out by the CMI. Her personal transport was disabled by the allies as it attempted to reach Tzac's closest jumpgate and plans were made for the empress to be taken into custody. However, rather than face arrest and trial, Christabel self-destructed her transport. She exchanged no words with the allies prior to doing so, seemingly accepting her own defeat in silence.

1. Christabel IV only appears in TBFTSS: The Pandoran War and not the novel trilogy.