Rothana

"But before that, Terex was posted somewhere very interesting, weren't you? Tell the ladies."
"I was working base defense at Rothana."
"A shipyard at Rothana, which is not so far from here."

―Corlac and Terex^[5]

Rothana was a planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. It had arctic regions that were home to the arctic horny whelmer. The world was sold to the Kuat Drive Yards (KDY) vehicle building company around 800 BBY and hosted the KDY subsidiary Rothana Heavy Engineering (RHE). The subsidiary had its hand in technological developments, and the KDY corporate-security starfleet also defended Rothana's star system from any espionage from the Trade Federation corporation.

From around 31 BBY, Kuat and Rothana were secretly contracted by the Kaminoans to develop new vehicles for the Galactic Republic's new clone army. RHE designed a number of new vehicles, with the Acclamator-class assault ship being the company's first starcraft and the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer being inspired by Rothana's arctic horny whelmers. These vehicles made their debut at the outbreak of the Clone Wars against the Separatist Alliance in 22 BBY.

After the end of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY, Rothana continued to contribute to the Galactic Empire, the Republic's successor, but was a shadow of its former self and began to specialize in ground vehicle production primarily. The world continued to contribute to the Imperial Military's war efforts, including against a rebel cell in 14 BBY. The Rebel Alliance against the Empire considered Rothana's Imperial facilities as a possible target in 3 ABY.

In 5 ABY, all Imperial personnel on Rothana were redirected to the planet Jakku, where the Empire met its demise. After the Empire's fall, Rothana's shipyards remained abandoned until a salvager crew infiltrated the facility with the help of one of its former security, the ex-stormtrooper Terex. The crew stole an array of abandoned Imperial ships, including the mothballed corvette known as the Carrion Spike.

Description[]

Rothana-SWT — Rothana's galactic surroundings

Rothana was a terrestrial^[3] planet^[6] located in a star system^[3] within an intersecting portion of the Outer Rim Territories^[1] and the Slice.^[2] It was situated at the coordinates T-15 on the Standard Galactic Grid.^[1] A primarily arctic world with mineral-rich soil,^[6] Rothana appeared orange-brown from above.^[5] The arctic regions of the world included icy cliffs and strong wind gusts. The world was home to the arctic horny whelmer, a ten-legged creature found in Rothana's arctic regions that hunted in packs, wearing their prey out with persistence.^[4]

History[]

Republic era[]

Corporate politics[]

"Dignitaries from across the galaxy shelter within the Rothana experimental walker, as Stellan Gios deflects the Nihil attack."

―Jedi Master Harli Cogra, Chronicles of the Jedi^[8]

KDY — The logo of Kuat Drive Yards, the company that purchased Rothana

Around 800 BBY, Rothana was sold to the Kuat Drive Yards (KDY),^[6] a vehicle manufacturing company headquartered on the planet Kuat.^[9] KDY established its subsidiary Rothana Heavy Engineering^[6] (RHE)^[3] on Rothana's rich soil, which bolstered the company's profits.^[6] Over the years, RHE was among a number of technology companies in the galaxy that were developing gravitational manipulation technology,^[10] and the company was developing walker vehicles by the High Republic Era. One experimental walker was sent from Rothana to the Republic Fair on the planet Valo^[11] in 231 BBY,^[12] where many different cultural and technological marvels were brought to display from across the galaxy. The walker was used as cover by some dignitaries, including Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh of the Galactic Republic, when the Nihil marauders attacked the fair, but it was eventually destroyed by the attackers, injuring some of the dignitaries.^[11] The walker's part in the attack was mentioned in the fourth chapter of Jedi Master Harli Cogra's Chronicles of the Jedi publication^[8] in 229 BBY.^[13]

In 33 BBY,^[14] leading Kuati executives were assassinated at the Eriadu Conference, an incident that saw a Neimoidian takeover of the Trade Federation corporation^[3] and a failed assassination attempt on Republic Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum.^[15] The industrialists at Kuat Drive Yards were outraged with the Trade Federation afterward, and Rothana Heavy Engineering itself kept no friendship with the corporation. Rothana's star system was additionally defended by the KDY corporate-security starfleet, with mines being deployed inventively in Rothana's inbound hyperspace routes. Those measures, along with Rothanian etiquette for outsiders, kept the system clear of any Trade Federation espionage.^[3]

Building for an army[]

After the Kaminoans began secretly making a clone army for the Republic in 32 BBY, the Kuat Drive Yards received an order from a secret buyer to produce masses of weapons in 31 BBY.^[12] As Rothana was not far from the Kaminoan homeworld^[6] of Kamino,^[10] the Kaminoan government secretly commissioned Rothana Heavy Engineering to develop starships and ground vehicles to support an army.^[16] RHE's factories and orbital shipyards at Rothana secretly produced an array of vehicles for the Republic.^[3]

Acclamator-TCWIV — The *Acclamator*-class assault ship was the first starship produced at Rothana.

The Acclamator-class assault ship was the first starcraft developed by RHE^[16] and was built on Rothana^[17] under Project Icefang.^[18] The assault ships were also the first intergalactic warships to be built in decades.^[17] Other notable vehicles developed by the company included the Low Altitude Assault Transport, the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, and the Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolaser.^[19] The All Terrain Tactical Enforcer's design was inspired by Rothana's native arctic horny whelmer,^[3] taking on multiple qualities of the creature, such as its ability to withstand strong winds when crossing icy cliffs.^[4]

Limitations in war[]

"These shield generators…Are they designed for cities as defensive umbrellas?"
"They're designed for capital ships."
"I don't understand. Rothana's ships are capable of withstanding most of what the Separatists can deliver in the way of laser—of projectile fire."

―Galen Walton Erso and fellow scientist Reeva Demesne^[20]

The Trade Federation and other corporate bodies like the Techno Union, while officially holding a neutral political stance, became founding members of the Separatist Alliance, a rival government to the Republic that was formed following the Raxus Address^[21] of 24 BBY.^[22] Kuat Drive Yards' grudge with the Trade Federation led to the company, along with Rothana, aligning with the Republic.^[3]

LAATc Geonosis 1 — Rothana's new vehicles debuted at the First Battle of Geonosis.

The new vehicles designed and built by Rothana Heavy Engineering made up an overwhelming majority in the Grand Army of the Republic.^[23] In 22 BBY, the Jedi Grand Master Yoda went to Kamino to inspect the clone army.^[12] During Yoda's mission, a fleet^[17] of twelve^[24] Acclamator-class assault ships were sent straight from Rothana to pick up the clone forces before being deployed against the Separatists in the First Battle of Geonosis,^[17] the outbreak of the Clone Wars.^[12] The battle was the debut for the new vehicles developed by Rothana for the Republic^[16] and the use of the Acclamators was successful enough that the Republic ordered several more from Rothana Heavy Engineering.^[18] As the war continued, limitations to some of RHE's vehicles became more apparent. While existing ones were upgraded,^[23] the Acclamator-class assault ship was largely replaced by the more combat-orientated Venator-class Star Destroyer^[16] developed by Kuat Drive Yards.^[3]

Imperial era[]

Changes in power[]

"On the Admiralty's counsel, the navy is now redirecting resources from as far away as Rothana and Bothawui."

―Harus Ison, Deputy Director of the Imperial Security Bureau, reports on the pursuit of the Carrion Spike^[7]

Rothana-hangar-PD9 — The *Carrion Spike* was mothballed at Rothana's Imperial shipyards.

At the end of the Clone Wars in 19 BBY, the Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire.^[12] While the Kuat Drive Yards came to gain a near monopoly on warship contracts for the Imperial Navy, Rothana Heavy Engineering became a shadow of what it had been, beginning to specialize in ground effort and repulsorlift armored vehicles. It produced products for the Empire such as^[3] the TX-225 Occupier line,^[25] the All Terrain Personal Transport,^[26] and the Scout-class 2-M repulsor tank.^[27] Rothana still made some flight vehicles like the Imperial Dropship Transport,^[28] with Kuat Drive Yards licensing the company to manufacture the Onager-class Star Destroyer.^[27] The Imperial shipyards above Rothana served to repair and construct Imperial starships, including starfighters from the TIE fighter series.^[5]

In 14 BBY,^[12] a rebel cell led by the ex–Republic Intelligence officer Berch Teller stole the Carrion Spike, the personal corvette of Imperial Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. In the Empire's hunt for the Carrion Spike, which attacked multiple Imperial facilities, the Imperial Navy redirected ships from as far as Rothana and^[7] the gas giant^[29] Bothawui under the Imperial Admiralty's counsel. Imperial forces eventually recovered a damaged Carrion Spike.^[7] After Tarkin's death^[30] in 0 BBY,^[31] the corvette was mothballed at Rothana's shipyards.^[30]

War effort[]

"Now, when they pulled you out, were there many ships left there?"
"Yes. A good number, all sizes. Some were still under construction, some were being repaired—they weren't battle-ready, or they'd have gone to Jakku."

―Corlac and Terex^[5]

Rothana-RF — Rothana was among the Galactic Empire's major industrial assets.

By the time of the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance,^[32] the Rothana Imperial Shipyards^[5] were among the Empire's most major shipyards.^[32] After the Alliance's 61st Mobile Infantry caught early success in a campaign named Operation Ringbreaker that sought the eventual sabotage of the Kuat Drive Yards^[32] in 3 ABY,^[12] General Crix Madine considered potential future targets for the Alliance should the 61st's campaign succeed. He made a map of the Empire's major shipyards, drydocks, and key mining centers, with Rothana being marked as a high-priority, high-security target. The map was included in a report on Madine's proposal, which was sent to the Alliance's Commander-in-Chief Mon Mothma. Operation Ringbreaker ultimately failed to reach Kuat.^[32]

In 4 ABY, the Empire suffered a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Endor in which Emperor Sheev Palpatine was killed. The Alliance reorganized into the New Republic and defeated the Empire in many subsequent battles. In 5 ABY, Grand Admiral Gallius Rax began redirecting Imperial forces to the planet Jakku in preparation for a final battle.^[12] The Empire abandoned the Rothana shipyards, taking all operational starships as well as all Imperial personnel, including the stormtrooper Terex. The shipyards were, in turn, shut down, with auto-security being activated and droids staying as guards.^[5]

New Republic era[]

"Ok, so here's what we have—a shipyard full of Imperial warships that just need a little repair work to be ready to go. We have a trooper who was stationed at that shipyard, and knows all the access codes to get in. No way anyone's changed them since Jakku, right?"
"Right, we shut down the facility before we left. Turned on auto-security, droids and so on, but—"
"And we also have two wonderful people who happen to run a large ship repair and salvage operation. They've agreed to help us in exchange for any ships or parts we can't use."

―Corlac and Terex^[5]

Rothana-infiltration-PD9 — Terex helps the ship salvagers infiltrate Rothana's abandoned shipyards.

The New Republic defeated the Empire at Jakku and won the war thereafter. Having escaped the engagement, Terex and fellow stormtrooper Corlac fled Jakku around 6 ABY.^[12] Knowing Terex's past deployment at Rothana's shipyards, Corlac liaised with two of his contacts, the ship salvagers Bett and Wenda, on the planet Kaddak. Corlac introduced Terex to his contacts, and they discussed using the latter's expertise on the Rothana shipyards.^[5]

Corlac promised Terex that they would use the ships to help regroup scattered Imperial forces,^[5] but in reality, Corlac and the ship salvagers were looking to amass a pirate fleet.^[33] Corlac and the salvagers infiltrated the shipyards above Rothana with Terex's help,^[5] salvaging many vessels and ship parts, including the Carrion Spike. Corlac, Bett, and Wenda intended on betraying Terex to start their pirate business,^[33] but Terex learned of their true intentions in 7 ABY and killed them first.^[12] Nevertheless deciding that Imperial order could never be returned to the galaxy,^[33] Terex used their team^[12] and the resources from Rothana to form a pirate group known as the Ranc Gang.^[33]

Inhabitants[]

Those native to the world were known as Rothanians, and they had a complex etiquette that made outsiders stand out. Rothana Heavy Engineering's workforce was famed for its diligence.^[3]