Ahto City

Ahto City was the capital city of Manaan. As the entire surface of Manaan is covered with water, Ahto City is the only above-surface city on the entire planet. The city is mainly inhabited by the Selkath, Manaan's native species. The Selkath are amphibious in nature, and only built the city to accomodate the off-worlders that came to Manaan. The main export of Manaan was the healing liquid, kolto. The kolto is collected and distributed by the Selkath, who ship it off-world from Ahto City. Ahto City's greatest time of prosperity was during the Jedi Civil War. Manaan was neutral during the war, and catered to the needs of both the Galactic Republic, and the Sith Empire. After the decline of kolto and the rise of bacta, the Republic abandoned Manaan to its own devices. Having no further need for Ahto City. Most Selkath left for their underwater cities. Ahto City would not be reinhabited until the rise of the Empire.

Description
The massive city floated atop the world-spanning ocean utilizing a bouyancy system, that involved the massive city-center. Ahto City is shell-shaped, with a "base" that slopes down into the water. The area around the city's center was filled with hangers and landing zones. The landing zones were supervised by Selkath dock officers. Upon arrival in Ahto City, a visitor would need to pay a docking fee, or otherwise, they would not be admitted. The gates into the city were often guarded by Mark IV assault droids, that would use armed force to prevent any visitor that refused to pay the docking fee, from entering the city.



Cameras were used extensively throughout the city, and were perhaps the most volitle tool of the Ahto City Civil Authority (ACCA), the service that enforced the laws in Ahto City. Only embassies and hangers were not monitered. Well crafted fountains dotted the many courtyards of Ahto City, around which travelers and Selkath mingled and socialized. The courtyards overlooked the ocean, making the courtyards scenic places for tourists to enjoy. Rather than have closed roofs, open rafters served overlooked many spots in Ahto City, and served as light sources for many locations across the city.

Recreation was abundant in Ahto City, and its inhabitants possessed many means to pass the time. The extenisve city of Ahto held various resorts, hotels, cantinas, and swoop lounges for its people. Swoop racing was the most popular sport in Ahto City. Manaan's famous swoop track was located in the center of the city, on the surface of the water. The racing circuit was very popular, and drew racers from all over the galaxy, to join in Manaan's famous racing tournaments.

History
Millenia before the formation of the Republic, Manaan was a member of the Infinite Empire. During its reign, the Selkath were enslaved and used to build collasal monuments for the Rakata. The empire soon fell, and the Selkath were freed. The enslaved Selkath soon returned to Manaan, and they began to rebuild their civilization. When the Selkath made contact with off-worlders, it can be assumed that they built Ahto City in order to accomodate further guests. Ahto City soon became a major trading hub, as the Selkath started to export their kolto to the rest of the galaxy.

During the Jedi Civil War, the Republic and Sith established embassies in Ahto City so that they could coordinate their kolto shipments to destinations where they were needed. Soldiers roamed the city streets, verbally assaulting each other, since they were prohibited from physically assualting each other. Street fights were not uncommon however, and the Sith and Republic soldiers would taunt each other until one attacked. The two sides felt the sting of the Selkath laws when this occured, and the sides involved in fights would face heavy consequences. The two sides were givin equal kolto rations, but both created secret plans to the upper hand on the other. The Republic negotiated with top Selkath officials, who honored the Republic's integrity, and also knew the consequences if the Sith won the war. The Selkath officials, including Shelkar, the de facto leader of Manaan, gave the Republic a secret kolto mining facility. The Sith however, began kidnapping force-sensitive children in the hopes of brainwashing them into overthrowing the government, and taking over Manaan to give the Sith all the kolto. One such child was Shasa, who would one day form the Order of Shasa, a force-sensitive cult that would protect Manaan until the days of the Empire. With the arrival of an amnesiac Revan, both plans were ultimately discovered and dealt with.

Following the end of the Jedi Civil War, kolto began to decline, causing prices to soar, and customers to flock to the emerging competition, bacta. Off-worlders abandoned Manaan, and the Selkath returned to their underwater cities. During this period of isolation, the Selkath became primitive, with young Selkath warlords destablizing the government and social order of Manaan. Ahto City was left empty for the most part, and fell into disrepair.

During the time of the Galactic Empire, the Selkath had become so primitive, that the mere sight of two Star Destroyers in orbit was enough to make them surrender to the Imperials. The Empire used orbital depth charges to destroy the underwater cities of the Selkath, thus driving them to Ahto City, where they were enslaved by the Empire. Ahto City however, was used by the Empire, which constructed a large base, and the Ahto Luxury Resorts. Rich humans inhabited the resorts, using Selkath slaves as servants. The Selkath were then force to live in floating villages, which were primitive, and poorly constructed. The Order of Shasa, under the secret guidance of Darth Vader, invaded Manaan and killed any imperial unfortunate enough to cross their path. In a frenzie, they murdered all the guests as well. This was the intention of Vader, who had driven the Shasan adepts to the dark side. He then commanded the Shasans to obey the will of their new master, Emperor Palpatine.

Manaan was presumably freed by Admiral Ackbar during his campaign through the Inner Rim. Ahto City was reinhabited again, and kolto was distributed from their for the remainder of the Galactic Civil War.

Ahto East
Ahto East or East Ahto was the eastern-most part of Ahto City in 3,956 BBY, located next to Ahto East Central. Because of the Sith Embassy there, there was a strong concentration of Sith troops in the area, and thus there was frequent recruiting of new officers and troops by the Sith. Swoop fans and Sith troops roamed the area. Revan is known to have passed through this area of Ahto City in his second quest to find the Star Forge. Upon entry of the east courtyard, Revan was stopped momentarily by a group of Sith soldiers demanding 20 credits for right of passage. Revan simply paid the Sith to avoid trouble. He was confronted and taken to court after storming the Sith Embassy there, though was released soon after, and is rumored to have raced and become champion at the swoop tracks there.

Ahto East Central
Ahto East Central was located between Ahto East and Ahto West Central at Ahto City on Manaan. It was the location of the Republic Embassy led by Roland Wann and a hotel owned by Ignus, where Sunry killed a Sith woman named Elassa. At the Republic Embassy, Roland Wann had the redeemed Jedi Revan break into the Sith Embassy and take back a droid the Sith captured, and in return, let Revan take a submersible to the Hrakert Station to search for a Star Map. At the hotel, Revan, as Sunry's arbiter, investigated the murder of Elassa. He learned that a Rodian named Gluupor planted Sunry's medal on Elassa's body for the Sith, making it seem that Sunry did it (despite the fact that Sunry did do it), and he learned from a Pazaak palyer named Firith Me that Elassa was a Dark Jedi. When Revan returned to the Republic Embassy, he saw a hologram of Sunry killing Elassa.

Ahto West Central
Ahto West Central was connected to the Manaan Docking Bay. It was where visitors, such as the redeemed Jedi Revan, paid to get into Ahto City. It was located between Ahto West and Ahto East Central. A large fountain was located in a central area leading up to the main courtyard. The door of the courtyard was guarded by a security droid, that would restrain or incapacitate anyone who did not comply with the Selkath dock officer and pay the docking fee needed to enter the city. The main courtyard had a circular pool of water in its center. The main kolto distribution center was located here as well. It was from this courtyard that one could travel to the western or eastern parts of Ahto City.

Ahto West
Ahto West was next to Ahto City West Central. it was the headquarters of the Selkath Court of Justice. It also contained a prison. It even contained a bar where the redeemed Jedi Revan met a Selkath named Shaelas, who told them that his daughter Shasa and several young Selkath had disappeared, and he believed the Sith Empire was responsible. Revan learned from an Iridorian mercenary that the Selkath were indeed lured into the Sith Embassy, and that the mercenary did it himself. After Revan broke into the Sith Embassy, he convinced Shasa and the others that the Sith were trying to take over Manaan. Revan was arrested for breaking into the Embassy, but was found innocent when he exposed the Sith's plot. When Revan came with Jolee Bindo to Ahto City West, they were greeted by Elora, the wife of Jolee's friend Sunry. She told the duo that Sunry was arrested for the murder of a Sith woman, and Revan agreed to serve as Sunry's arbiter, although the result of the trial is unknown.

Notable residents or visitors
Ahto City attracted a wide variety of visitors. Many could be found within a cantina, or a swoop lounge. Swoop lounges contained many celebirties, including racing stars Casandra Mateil and Hukta Jax. It also attracted more amatuer racers such as the Ithorian Queedle Molto. The swoop track were ran by such individuals as T'sllth and Sslamoth. During Manaan's prosperity, many businessmen opened up shops to sell simple commodities, weapons, and droid parts, such as... The war hero Sunry, and his wife Elora stay in Ahto as well. During the Empire's reign, such guests as Olodondo Berzix and Zavol Shan inhabited the Ahto Luxury Resorts.

Culture
Intensely neutral, the Selkath used kolto to enforce their neutrality policy. Should any faction threaten Manaan or Ahto City, the Selkath would destroy the kolto. This tactic was very efficient, and was brutally enforced. The Selkath also sought to keep domestic peace through a series of strict laws and extensive security forces. The Ahto City Civil Authority kept the peace in Ahto City, through armed force when necassary. During times of war, rival factions were prohibited from disturbing the peace. If a disturbance occured, the ACCA would inact kolto sanctions upon the faction responsible. Individuals could be imprisoned, fined, or even executed. The Selkath were very serious about upholding their laws, and impartial officials ensured that no one was excluded in punishment. Manaan's second largest export was its tourism industry, and as such, Ahto City's biggest concern, apart from keeping the peace, was making sure its guests were happy. The extenisve city held various resorts, hotels, cantinas, and swoop lounges. Swoop racing was the most popular recreational activity on Manaan. The inhabitants of the city spent much of their time following the standings of their favorite racers, who were some of the most popular celebrities in Ahto City. The best swoop racers inhabited special swoop lounges of their own, making swoop racing a sport and a social opportunity.

Behind the scenes
If Revan walked the dark path (not canon), he spoke to Vek in Ahto East to arrange a "meeting" to kill his boss, Ithorak Guldar, who was a member of the Genoharadan.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Manaan: Depths of History
 * Empire at War