Kar'a'katok

Kar'a'katok was a Core Worlds planet that was home to the sentient Shimholt species. More than four millennia before the reign of the Galactic Empire, the Nelori Marauders launched a devastating invasion of Kar'a'katok that the Shimholt were able to eventually fight off.

Afterward, dissatisfaction with the planetary government led to a coup in which a faction of Shimholt religious fanatics came to power. The Shimholt zealots oversaw the fortification of Kar'a'katok against future invasions as well as increasing seclusion of the species and its homeworld, a state that lasted for four thousand years. Eventually, forces of the Empire carried out a raid on the planet that saw the capture and subsequent exile of Shimholt Suprema Ampotem Za.

Description

Kar'a'katok was a terrestrial, mist-enshrouded planet^[2] located in the Kar'a'katok system of the Core Worlds.^[1]

History

At some point at least several decades prior to 4050 BBY,^[3] the band of warriors,^[4] outlaws,^[5] and pirates^[6] known as the Nelori Marauders launched a devastating invasion of Kar'a'katok^[2] in order to enslave the Shimholt species native to it.^[4] The natives, however, refocused from agriculture toward military self-defense and drove the incursion off. Afterward, many Shimholt, angry over their democratically elected government's inability to prevent the invasion, demanded a change in the planetary leadership. A fanatical religious faction of the Shimholt soon staged a coup that toppled Kar'a'katok's government and put the zealots in power. Subsequently, an unprecedented effort was launched to strengthen the planet's defenses against any would-be invaders. Kar'a'katok was further decreed to be closed to offworlders, and departing the planet by any Shimholt was made a capital crime. The resulting seclusion of the Shimholt homeworld went on to last for four thousand years.^[2]

The Galactic Empire launched a raid on Kar'a'katok at some point following its establishment^[2] in 19 BBY.^[7] The operation saw Imperial forces under the command of Major Stafuv Rahz capture the Shimholt Suprema Ampotem Za and take him offworld. Za eventually escaped the Empire and returned to Kar'a'katok. However, the other Shimholt shunned and exiled Za for having allowed himself to be taken away from his homeworld. At that point, Za surrendered to Rahz, and eventually he came to work for the Empire offworld.^[2]

Inhabitants

Main article: Shimholt

Kar'a'katok was the homeworld of the reptilian sentient species known as the Shimholt. At one point a friendly people who practiced agriculture, the Shimholt were deeply affected by their homeworld's invasion by the Nelori Marauders. They became xenophobic and reclusive and were rarely seen in the wider galaxy, leading to the species being nearly forgotten by the time of the reign of the Galactic Empire.^[2]

Behind the scenes

Kar'a'katok was first mentioned in "Aliens in the Empire, Part 1: Hierarchy of Power," a November 6, 2007 Hyperspace article written by Abel G. Peña and Rich Handley,^[2] with Handley specifically authoring the section^[8] mentioning the planet.^[2] The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas placed the Kar'a'katok system, and therefore Kar'a'katok itself, in grid square K-9.^[1]

Sources

• Aliens in the Empire - Part 1: Hierarchy of Power on Hyperspace (content obsolete and backup link not available) (First mentioned)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. III ("Suprema")

Notes and references