Shikaakwa

"[..] my little Tasha&mdash;too long gone from Shikaakwa. Mercy is a weakness here!"

- Volnos Ryo

Shikaakwa was a planet that was located within the Tython system of the galaxy's Deep Core region. The planet had a breathable atmosphere and was covered by landmasses and expanses of ocean. Shikaakwa was colonized more than a millennium after the year 36,453 BBY by the non–Force-sensitive settlers of the planet of Tython. Eventually, Shikaakwa came to be ruled by feudal gangster clans known as the Nine Houses. In 25,805 BBY, the Twi'lek female Hadiya, who came to be known as the Despot Queen, united the Shikaakwan crime lords under her rule and began to take over the Settled Worlds of the Tython system. Hadiya's actions brought her into conflict with the mystic Je'daii Order, which sided with those members of the Shikaakwan aristocracy resisting the tyrant's reign. During the ensuing war, Hadiya and her army attacked the Je'daii on Tython, however, the Twi'lek queen herself was killed in that battle.

Following the death of Hadiya, Shikaakwa fell into political infighting. By 25,793 BBY, Shikaakwa had come to serve as a nexus between the inner and the outer Settled Worlds. That year, the Devaronian Kallak assassin Jaris Kan tried to kill Shikaakwan Baron Volnos Ryo in the baron's own fortress, however, his assassination attempt was thwarted by the Ryo's daughter Tasha. A couple of months later, Baron Ryo contacted his wife Kora from Shikaakwa and demanded her to return Tasha to Shikaakwa.

Description
Shikaakwa was a planet with a single moon that was located within the Tython system of the galaxy's Deep Core region. The planet occupied the seventh orbital position around its sun, Tythos, had a breathable atmosphere, and was covered by landmasses and expanses of ocean. Shikaakwa was also home to an avian species. The Cloud Chaser vehicles were used to travel through the planet's atmosphere.

History
"The children of the Je'daii became estranged from their parents. One such was the Despot Queen of Shikaakwa, Queen Hadiya, who first united the crime barons of her planet, then pressed the Settled Worlds to her service."

- Ketu

Shikaakwa was colonized more than a millennium after the year 36,453 BBY by the non–Force-sensitive settlers of Tython&mdash; the fifth planet of the Tython system&mdash; who traveled to Tython's neighboring worlds. Eventually, Shikaakwa came to be ruled by the Nine Houses&mdash;feudal gangster clans answering to an overlord holding the title of Kral. During the years leading up to 25,805 BBY, Volnos Ryo, a Twi'lek member of the Shikaakwan Clan Ryo, was known as the heavyweight champion of Shikaakwa.

In 25,805 BBY, Hadiya&mdash;a Twi'lek female native to Shikaakwa who came to be known as the Despot Queen&mdash;united the Shikaakwan crime lords under her rule and began to take over the Settled Worlds of the Tython system. Hadiya's actions brought her into conflict with the mystic Je'daii Order, which sided with those members of the Shikaakwan aristocracy resisting the tyrant's reign. The Despot War ensued, claiming the deaths of many soldiers, Je'daii and nobles, including Volnos Ryo's father, who was killed by Hadiya because of his insubordination and whose death forced Volnos to take up the title of baron for himself. In the final stages of the war, Hadiya gathered her military forces, known as the Despot Army, and attacked the Je'daii Order on Tython. During the battle, the Twi'lek queen herself was killed. Following the death of Hadiya, a Kral was elected&mdash;one that whom the Shikaakwan nobles could easily dominate&mdash;and Shikaakwa fell into political infighting.

By 25,793 BBY, Shikaakwa had come to be known as an outlaw world of the frontier, however it was very political and served as a nexus between the inner and the outer Settled Worlds. That year, the Devaronian Kallak assassin Jaris Kan was hired by Shikaakwan Baron Garto to kill Baron Ryo. Kan slaughtered the guards at the entrance of Ryo Fortress and hid in the stronghold's grotto, however, his assassination attempt on Ryo was thwarted by the latter's daughter, the Je'daii Journeyer Tasha Ryo, who was having a meeting with her father at the time of Kan's attack. During the struggle between Tasha and Kan, the young Je'daii experienced a Force vision of Xesh&mdash;a Human Force Hound of the Infinite Empire. Tasha used her telekinetic powers to disarm Kan, and Baron Ryo then killed the Devaronian assassin. Two months later, Baron Ryo was on Shikaakwa when he contacted Kora&mdash;a Je'daii Temple Master and his wife&mdash;via hologram, demanding her to return Tasha to Shikaakwa.

Inhabitants
"A Je'daii in the service of Clan Ryo would give us great status among the clans&mdash;make others like Garto think twice before attacking us!"

- Volnos Ryo

Shikaakwa was ruled by feudal gangster clans known as the Nine Houses. These clans were headed by an aristocracy, whose members wore the titles of baron, duke and earl. One of the ruling clans was Clan Ryo, a family of Galactic Basic Standard–speaking Twi'leks. Another native Twi'lek was Hadiya, who would eventually become the queen of Shikaakwa. Following Hadiya's death, Shikaakwa entered a period of political infighting, with alliances and treaties being made and broken by the local aristocrats. The strongest of such treaties were those that involved marriage between the noble families. By 25,793 BBY, it was not uncommon for the Shikaakwan crime lords to hire assassins to kill their rivals.

Locations
The Shikaakwan crime lords ruled their lands from clan strongholds, an example of which was Ryo Fortress, the home of Clan Ryo. It was a large, multi-leveled structure surrounded on all sides by water. At least two Twi'lek guards maintained watch over the entrance of Ryo Fortress. The stronghold also contained a large grotto where various luminescent fungi grew and a species of jellyfish floated in the air.

Behind the scenes
Shikaakwa was first pictured in the entry for Tython in The Holonet feature of the official website for Star Wars: The Old Republic&mdash;a 2011 massively multiplayer online roleplaying game developed by BioWare. The planet was depicted in a schematic of the Tython system. Since its establishment in 2008, The Old Republic website has gone through a number of changes, resulting in the removal of some of the features and images that were originally located there, including the aforementioned schematic. Shikaakwa's name and additional information on it were provided in Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 0, a preview issue of the Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi series of comics. The issue was published on February 1, 2012, and was written by John Ostrander and penciled by Jan Duursema. Shikaakwa also appeared in the first, the second and the seventh issue of the series&mdash;published on February 15, March 21 and December 19 of year 2012, respectively.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 1: Force Storm, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 2: Force Storm, Part 2
 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 4: Force Storm, Part 4
 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 6: The Prisoner of Bogan, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 7: The Prisoner of Bogan, Part 2