User:Goodmind/Workbench4

Drongar was a mostly uninhabitable tropical planet in the Outer Rim Territories, with the native airborne spores causing death to those who were not protected from them. The climate was characterized by common monsoons with devastating electrical storms, soaring temperatures, and humidity over 90%. There was also a large atmospheric oxygen content. The planet had two small moons and was located in its system with another three planets. Natural features of Drongar included the Sea of Sponges, Great Jasserak Swamp and the Qarohan Steppes.

The planet was discovered by a Nikto survey team around 220 BBY. During the Clone Wars, this planet became important and was fought over by both the Galactic Republic and the Separatists because it was the only planet that could produce bota, a highly valuable miracle drug. When, in 20 BBY, the bota mutated and became worthless, both forces pulled out of Drongar.

Description

Astrography and atmosphere

Drongar was a terrestrial planet^[2] located in the Drongar system of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories.^[1] A remote and a relatively young world, far from the known hyperlanes, Drongar occupied the first orbital position around its star Drongar Prime. In turn, the planet was orbited by two small asteroids that were considered moons despite their size. In addition, the planet was shielded from meteorites and comets by the three gas giants in the outer reaches of the system.^[2] Drongar had a diameter of 12,518 kilometers,^[4] a rotational period just over twenty-three standard hours,^[3] and its gravity was 1.2 times the standard.^[2]

The atmosphere of Drongar was rich in oxygen, higher than that found on most worlds habitable for Humans and humanoids, which caused dizziness and hyperoxygenation for non-native organisms, and corrosion even for the incredibly tough durasteel alloy. The clouds of spores were constantly adrift in the upper atmosphere, which caused the main spore strata to form about a thousand meters above the surface, while the air below was relatively clear. Due to these clouds, the sky appeared with a sickly copper tint from the surface of the planet. When viewed from space, it appeared as a vile, pestilential^[2] green-and-blue world.^[3]

Due to the heat from Drongar Prime, the planet had a nearly tropical climate with the humidity over 90 percent. The temperature on the planet rarely dropped below the human body temperature, even at midnight. Drongar's axial tilt and the lack of a large moon to stabilize it led to extreme seasonal variations. Monsoon seasons were never-ending, except in the poles of the planet, with big, devastating electrical storms, howling winds, and constant rain.^[2] These atmospheric conditions made repulsorlift vehicles inoperable.^[9] It was estimated that in a few hundred million years, Drongar could become a frigid planet similar to Hoth due to the unstable axis.^[2]

Geography

The landscape of Drongar had oceans and primarily consisted of vast, continent-spanning jungles and marshlands. The southern hemisphere consisted of two landmasses, the bigger one was known as the Tanlassa. There were also several small hillocks and the dry planetary poles.^[2]

Biosphere

The biosphere of Drongar consisted of life-forms known for its mutagenic and adaptogenic qualities. They exhibited a constant, and extremely rapid rate of evolution, rather than punctuated one. According to scientific studies, they possessed DNA that granted undifferentiation properties to nearly every cell of the organism, allowing it to adapt to environmental threats in an extremely short period of time. Among these were spores, bacteria, viruses, RNA-ersatz, and millions of other undiscovered tiny life-forms.^[3]

The main spore strata in the upper atmosphere was home to multiple strains of spores, including various tints^[2] of pale green, yellow, blue,^[3] red, and other hues. Some of them were bioluminescent during the night.^[2] Because the most damaging concentrations of the spore swarms occurred in the strata,^[3] the incoming and outgoing ships had to move quickly through the atmosphere to avoid spore-rot of the hull and passengers catching one of the deadly Spore Sicknesses.^[2] However, relative safety was allowed at the ground level.^[3] The aforementioned adaptogenic qualities allowed the spores to develop the immunity to spore disinfectants in one standard month.^[2]

Drongar's flora and fauna also had adaptogenic qualities. The few isolated fields across the planet were home to bota, a rare highly adaptogenic plant. The largest fields^[2] were located in the swamps^[10] of Tanlassa, with several on the opposite side of the planet.^[2] Other flora included a fungus-like tree that grew in the Jasserak Highlands^[3] and bore an avedame fruit;^[5] clinging clusters of snarlvines in a swamp near the Kondrus Sea of the Jasserak Lowlands.^[2] One of the most dangerous examples of the flora was the purple stingwort, a venomous plant that could paralyze its prey with the potent toxin or cause anaphylactic shock and death.^[2] Broadleaf trees,^[3] poptrees,^[6] waxy-leaved croaker bushes,^[3] pink shortgrass, and saw grass also grew on Drongar.^[2]

Drongar was home to a number of invertebrates, including many insect species. The latter included fire gnats, scavenger moths, and wingstingers.^[2] About five meters long and half a meter thick, wrigglers were considered the largest of all known land-based lifeforms on the planet. Other animals included a large rontu,^[7] and hand-sized land shrimp.^[2] The oceans were believed to be home to the variety of large aquatic creatures.^[2]

Other life on Drongar included mold, mildew,^[2] and the mushroom-like vegetation.^[2] The funga displayed different shades and shapes,^[2] and included red-dish fungus.^[8]

• "The trees were in different places, the small hillocks had slightly different shades and shapes of fungi, and there was even another bota patch close by."^[2]
• "bota, a plant somewhere between a mold and a fungus, which, to date, had been found almost nowhere else in the galaxy."^[2]
• "He stepped through a small stand of broad-leaved trees, waving away the wingstingers and fire gnats swarming around him, and saw the bota fields. Twenty or so parallel rows of growth stretching into the misty distance. Bota grew low to the ground; actually, the majority of the plant was underground, with only the fruiting bodies exposed."^[2]
• "Slow, but steady. I have locations for all the major bota fields in this quadrant, many of them in the adjacent quadrants, and several wild patches on the opposite side of the planet that so far have not been officially logged. Nor will they be, unless by accident. I have caused the records to show those locations scanned and found empty of the plant."^[2]
• "Nothing in his life up to now had prepared him for the apocalyptic storms and the almost vile fecundity of Drongar's native life-forms."^[2]
• "The only parts of the planet, with its vast, continent-spanning jungles and marshlands, that remotely reminded him of the veldts of his homeworld were the few isolated patches where the bota grew. He couldn't even see those from orbit. By far the largest fields were on Tanlassa, the bigger of two landmasses in the southern hemisphere."^[2]
• "Supposedly there were aquatic creatures of much greater size and variety in Drongar's oceans, but he'd never seen one, and was just as glad to keep it that way."^[2]

• "D'spores are, um, adepto … uh …" "Adaptogenic," "Yeah, dat's it. Every time d'mechanics and d'medics come up wit' new treatments, d'spores change, y'know? And d'treatments, dey stop workin' Weird t'ing is, dey don't cause problems at ground level, only when y'get up above d'trees, y'know?"
• "A couple of Bothan techs ran up to the shuttle and sprayed the exterior with spore disinfectant. This particular batch of chemicals, Jos knew, would probably be good for another standard month; it took about that long for the spores that attacked the craft's seals to develop immunities to the spray."
• "the spores were visible only as various tints of red, green, and other hues in the air, and an occasional spatter of minute particles against the transparisteel, gone before she could see them clearly."
• "It's the spores," "Some strains glow in the dark," "Clouds make a good backdrop for them. Though you'd think all the rain would wash them out of the air."
• "Drongaran life was both mutagenic and adaptogenic, and its rate of evolution seemed to be constant, rather than punctuated, as well as extremely rapid. Studies had found that the species on this world possessed DNA that granted undedifferentiation properties to virtually every cell of the organism, allowing it to adapt to environmental threats in an astoundingly short time. The swift mutability posed a real threat to the aliens who had come here to harvest bota. Spores, bacteria, viruses, RNA-ersatz, and no doubt millions of other tiny life-forms yet undiscovered roiled through and clogged everything on Drongar."
• "A ship traveling through the spore clouds had to hurry; tarry too long, and the teeming protolife attacked and overcame the seals, sometimes digesting material as quickly as might a strong caustic. It could do much the same—and frequently did—to alien biological systems such as lungs, livers, kidneys, gutsacs, spiracles, and so forth. Fortunately, the most damaging concentrations of spore swarms stayed just above the treetops, high enough to allow people relative safety at ground level."
• "The drop from orbit to the planet was faster than normal, the pilot explained to her, because of the multitude of spores."
• "D'rot'll eat t'rough d'best filters we got in a hour, mebbe less; y'got to change 'em every flight—you don't, d'Spore Sickness get into d'ship and get into you. Not a good way to go, b'lieve it, coughin' up blood 'n' cooking in y'own juices."

History

Clone Wars

The planet Drongar and the Drongar system were discovered by a Nikto survey team^[2] around 220 BBY.^[11] During the Clone Wars, this planet became important and was fought over by both the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems because it was the only planet that could produce bota, a highly valuable miracle drug. Republic Admiral Tarnese Bleyd had been assigned to the MedStar-class frigate MedStar Nineteen stationed in orbit of Drongar, that fielded^[2] fifteen^[3] Republic Mobile Surgical Units on the planet. Chief Surgeon Jos Vondar, a scrub nurse Tolk le Trene, and a surgeon Zan Yant served at the Republic Mobile Surgical Unit 7 under command of Colonel D'Arc Vaetes, which was located in the Jasserak Lowlands of Tanlassa near the Kondrus Sea. Quartermaster Filba and Admiral Bleyd secretly collaborated with the Black Sun, supplying some of the bota grown on the planet to the criminal syndicate. The Black Sun's YT-1300f light freighter took the bota out of the system unnoticed by the blockades of both the Confederates and the Republicans.^[2]

The strengths of the Republic and Separatist armed forces were more or less evenly matched on Drongar. The atmospheric spores made airborne warfare impossible, so the fighting on the planet was limited mostly to the ground, where the problems soldiers on both sides encountered were monsoons, devastating electrical storms, extreme temperatures, and high humidity.^[2] In particular, the high concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere caused dizziness and hyperoxygenation for non-native organisms, and rusting for Separatist battle droids; it also limited military engagements to small arms such as sonic pistols, small blasters, slugthrowers, and others, as risk of fires from laser and particle beam armament was too high, especially near the valuable bota fields.^[2]

After the battle in Poptree Forest^[2] in 20 BBY,^[12] a Mirialan Padawan and healer Barriss Offee arrived at RMSU-7 to assist the doctors there using her abilities in the near-constant treatment of wounded clone troopers, but also prevent bota trade on the black market. Meanwhile in his office on the MedStar Nineteen, Admiral Bleyd reminisced on his assignment to Drongar. As he looked at the planet from orbit, Bleyd was reminded of the veldts of Sakiya and compared them to Drongar's bota fields. As he stepped away from the viewport, Bleyd looked at the hologram of Drongar and reviewed the astrographical information of the planet. As the hologram faded, Bleyd thought that Neimoidia and Sakiya together could not match Drongar's large fetid area.^[2]

As the battle continued, an Equani Separatist spy Klo Merit, who had been operating covertly as a minder in the RMSU-7 for the previous two standard months, sabotaged a transport that was carrying a load of processed bota to be taken off the planet. Soon after the sabotage, the Black Sun agent Mathal visited Bleyd and demanded a larger supply of bota. Not wanting to take a risk, Bleyd decided to murder Mathal, passing off what happened as an accident. When Bleyd visited RMSU-7 for an inspection tour, the Sullustan journalist Den Dhur used the moon moth espionage droid to spy on conversation between Filba the Hutt and the admiral. Remotely via the droid, Dhur witnessed the death of Filba, poisoned by Klo Merit. However, Admiral Bleyd noticed the spycam and destroyed it. He immediately regretted it, and began search for the one who could expose his connections to Black Sun, and remained in RMSU-7 for a few more days in a newly-built personal command module. Another Black Sun agent, the Nediji Kaird, soon arrived on Drongar and met with Merit and Bleyd. Eventually, Kaird discovered that Bleyd was responsible for Mathal's death, so the admiral tried to kill him, but Bleyd fell from the poisonous blade of the Nediji.^[2]

A few days later, the RMSU-7 staff members were warned of an imminent evacuation.^[2] A CIS strike force^[10] of more than eight hundred droids was spotted less than ten kilometers away, and the clone troopers could not set up a defensive line close to RMSU-7 due to the wet ground. However, for the same reason, the droids moved slowly towards the camp, and the RMSU-7 staff had time to evacuate. The RMSU-7's main generator failed shortly after particle weapons started firing on the shields, at which point the backup generator came on. The backup generator for the energy shield soon overloaded.^[2] Under the command of Colonel Sar Omant,^[10] the strike force attacked the personnel who were making their way to the evacuation shuttles using thermal bombs. Doctor Zan Yant, a friend of Vondar's, was killed when one of the evacuation shuttles was hit.^[2] RMSU-7 was set up in the three local days eighty kilometers southeast of the previous location in the Jasserak Highlands of Tanlassa, near the Qarohan Steppes.^[3]

When the bota mutated and became worthless, both the Separatist and Republic forces pulled out of Drongar.^[3]

1. Chapter 9, 11, 15. Bleyd kills a Black Sun agent in orbit
2. Chapter 22, 23, 24, 25. Dhur spies on Bleyd and Filba
3. Chapter 27, 35. Black Sun sents a new agent after Bleyd
4. Chapter 37, 38, 39. RMSU-7 relocating

• "Among the problems the forces on both sides encountered were monsoons with devastating electrical storms, soaring temperatures, and humidity over 90 percent. As if that weren’t enough, the atmospheric oxygen level was higher than that found on most worlds habitable for humans and humanoids. This often caused dizziness and hyperoxygenation for nonindigenous life-forms, and, for the Separatists’ battle droids, rust. Hard to believe, Barriss thought, but even the incredibly tough durasteel alloy of which the droids were constructed would oxidize if conditions were extreme enough. The high oxygen content also limited military engagements, for the most part, to small-arms fire: sonic pistols, small blasters, slugthrowers, and the like, because of the high risk of fire from laser and particle beam armament."
• "The war here was limited mostly to ground troops; very little fighting took place in the air because of the spores."

Later history

Drongar was mentioned in the personal file of Barriss Offee filed by clone trooper lieutenant Galle in an incident report #890-F that documented her death. It would later be included in an Order 66 report compiled by Moff Marcellin Wessel and presented to Emperor Palpatine.^[14] Colonel Maximilian Veers mentioned superiority of the walkers to the repulsorlift vehicles on worlds with the atmospheric conditions that prohibit them, such as Drongar and Jabiim, in authoring a "Vehicles of the Imperial Army" chapter of the Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide, a manual distributed by the Galactic Empire to its officers immediately before the Battle of Yavin.^[9]

The role of Drongar in the Clone Wars was recorded in a historical document published in 36 ABY by the Historical Council of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.^[13]

Locations

An algae-covered Kondrus Sea bordered the Jasserak Lowlands of the Tanlassa continent.^[2] The Jasserak Lowlands were also home to the Jackhack Slough, an ancient dried-up riverbed.^[15]

The plateau of Jasserak Highlands, which formed the border of the Jasserak Lowlands, was mostly covered with strange fungus-like trees that produced avedame fruit.^[5] The Jasserak Highlands had ripe and fecund smell.^[3] The second body of water, the Sea of Sponges, lay over a thousand kilometers between the Rimsoo Three and Rimsoo Seven after the latter's relocation to the Jasserak Highlands.^[3] A region of Qarohan Steppes^[3] lay around eighty kilometers southeast of the previous location of the RMSU-7 near the Kondrus Sea in the Jasserak Lowlands.^[2]

The Great Jasserak Swamp was a swamp covered in fungal growth. The Poptree Forest was a forest covered with poptrees. Two kilometers from the RMSU-7 was a region of severe ecological blight, the Rotfurze Wastes.^[2]

Behind the scenes

Drongar first appeared in MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, a 2004 Clone Wars novel written by Steve Perry and Michael Reaves as the first part of the MedStar Duology. While the Battle Surgeons establishes that Drongar occuped first orbital position, with the outer reaches of the system containing three gas giants,^[2] the 2008 reference book The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia states that Drongar was fourth planet of its system.^[16] This article assumes The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia is in error.

Appearances

• Jedi: Count Dooku (Mentioned only)
• MedStar I: Battle Surgeons (First appearance)
• "MedStar: Intermezzo" — Star Wars Insider 83
• MedStar II: Jedi Healer
• Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight (Mentioned only)
• Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows (Mentioned only)
• Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force (Mentioned only)
• Death Star (Mentioned only)

Sources

• The Official Star Wars Fact File 139 WOR1-2, Worlds of the Clone Wars
• The New Essential Chronology
• "Order 66: Destroy All Jedi" — Star Wars Insider 87
• The New Essential Guide to Droids
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The Essential Atlas
• The Essential Reader's Companion
• Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook
• Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook
• Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide
• The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 61 OFF5, Barriss Offee
• Worse than Hibernation Sickness 7 Deadly Star Wars Diseases on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references