P'w'eck

"Impressive. Throwing off an oppressor is the only beginning of a long and difficult journey."

- Leia Organa Solo

The P'w'ecks were a warm-blooded, saurian species similar in appearance to the Ssi-Ruuk from the tropical planet of Lwhekk in the Ssi-ruuk Star Cluster deep in the Unknown Regions. They were regarded as inferior by the larger Ssi-ruuk who utilized them as slaves.

Biology and appearance
Despite their similarities to the Ssi-ruuk, they were distinguished from their masters by their allegedly lower intelligence, smaller size, three-lidded eyes, short tails and drooping eyes. It was commonly believed that the P'w'ecks were descended from the brown-scale Ssi-Ruuk outcasts. Like their Ssi-ruuvi masters, the P'w'ecks were physiologically unable to speak Galactic Basic and also spoke Ssi-ruuvi.

Society and culture
"The mind of every prototype droid fighter consisted of a soul stolen from the body of a P'w'eck. The fact that their suffering had been lessened was balanced by the fact that they suffered longer. The situation was still undeniably wrong."

- Lwothin

The Ssi-ruuvi Imperium dominated the P'w'ecks for thousands of years; enslaving and controlling their lives. The Ssi-Ruuk considered P'w'ecks extremely expendable; using them as slaves, guards, ship crews and beasts of burden to perform the lowest jobs in society.

At the standard age of 15 years, P'w'ecks were enteched by their Ssi-ruuvi masters which involved electronically transferring the life-energy of a person into a power source for a mechanical construct such as a battle droid. Gradually it was learned that containment of these ‘souls’ for long periods would result in madness. By 28 ABY, the Ssi-ruuk had found ways to nourish the enteched souls. The life energy distilled from concentrated banks of algae and other microscopic life could prevent the enteched souls from decaying and relieved their torment; thus reducing the need for frequent replenishment. This had little effect on the treatment of P'we'cks within Ssi-ruuvi society who were still regarded as inferior along with all other sentient species including Humans.

This unequal treatment of the P'w'ecks by the Ssi-ruuk was justified by Ssi-ruuvi religion especially its sacred text&mdash;the G'nnoch. According to the G'nnoch, four eggs were formed at the creation of the universe. From the first egg, hatched the legendary Ssi and P'w'itthki. Ssi's children hatched from the second egg, while P'w'itthki's children hatched from the third egg. The fourth egg was reserved for those Ssi-Ruuk who earned a place in the afterlife. Eventually, Ssi fought with P'w'itthki and defeated him. After his defeat, Ssi allowed P'w'itthki's hatchlings to live on the condition of serving the children of Ssi for all eternity. This myth described the beginning of the relationship between the Ssi-ruuk (hatchlings of Ssi) and the P'w'ecks (hatchlings of P'w'itthki) and the Ssi-Ruuk's divine supremacy over all other sentient species.

History
"Stay calm, people!...Do not fire on the droid ships! I repeat, do not fire on the droid ships. They're piloted by the P'w'eck, remember, and they're on our side."

- Jagged Fel during the Fourth Battle of Bakura

The P'w'ecks and their Ssi-ruuvi masters were first officially observed by the known galaxy during an attack on the remote Outer Rim world of Bakura in 4 ABY. Following the defeat of the Ssi-ruuk at Bakura and later at the hands of the Chiss Ascendancy, the weakened Imperium observed the birth of a multi-colored Ssi-ruu known as the Keeramak &mdash;which Ssi-ruuvi religion regarded as a prophetic event. According to prophecy, the Keeramak would lead the lower P'w'eck masses to topple the ruling classes; bringing justice and peace to Ssi-ruuvi society.

The Ssi-ruuvi Elder's Council and the Conclave took advantage of this by engineering a faux P'w'eck uprising by the P'w'eck Emancipation Movement led by the Keeramak and Lwothin&mdash;an exceptionally bright P'w'eck leader. Disguised as the new P'weck regime, the Imperium made peace overtures to the Bakurans and arranged for the take-over of the planet with the unscrupulous Bakuran Prime Minister Molierre Cundertol. In 28 ABY, the Ssi-Ruuk attempted a second invasion of Bakura following a "consecration ceremony" and quickly overwhelmed the Bakuran Defense Fleet and the token Galactic Alliance presence.

Ultimately, the Ssi-ruuk were defeated by a genuine P'w'eck uprising under Lwothin who personally dispensed with the Keeramak. The Ssi-ruuk were further weakened by a Yuuzhan Vong invasion in coordination with their attacks on the main Galaxy; effectively crippling the Imperium. After the victory, the P'w'eck Emancipation Movement signed a mutual treaty of allegiance with Bakura. Those P'w'ecks then settled down on Bakura to live in peace and freedom. Some including Leia Organa Solo speculated that this would be followed by an influx of P'w'ecks fleeing from the Imperium to settle on Bakura.

Appearances

 * The Truce at Bakura
 * Tyrant's Test
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee

References and notes
P'w'eck P'w'eck