User:Xicer9/Byss

Byss was a planet in the Deep Core.

Description
Byss was a mythic paradise world enshrouded in the dark side of the Force, located within the isolated and nearly inaccessible Deep Galactic Core. It was located at the end of the Byss Run, a heavily guarded artificial hyperlane kept open by hundreds of non-mass S-thread boosters, connecting the planet to the Core Worlds. The world was otherwise nearly impossible to reach safely through hyperspace, due to the high density of stars in the Deep Core and the constantly shifting patterns of the region's natural hyperlanes. Byss was the fifth planet of the Beshqek system and orbited the star Beshqek; it was one of two habitable planets in the system, the other being Relus. Byss was orbited by five moons, which had little influence on the planet's tides.

Physical features
Bathed in a blue-green sunlight, Byss was originally a lush and fertile world. A natural conduit of Force power, it invigorated practitioners of the dark side in a flood of Force energy. Byss was corrupted by dark energies after Emperor Palpatine made the world his personal retreat and began leeching Force energy from the immigrants he lured there. Over time, the planet was transformed into one of the most powerful nexuses of dark side energy in the galaxy.

Byss was renowned throughout planets under the control of the Galactic Empire as a legendary world of serene, paradisiacal natural beauty. The planet was dotted with chains of lakes and rivers where microscopic lifeforms dwelled, as well as wind-smoothed plateaus and canyons. Its isolation from much of the galaxy allowed for its natural islands and pre-Expansionist Era ruins to remain untouched for thousands of years. After its corruption, the planet's soil lost much of its natural quality and produced little more than ferns and lichen. No intelligent species ever evolved on Byss, and what wildlife there existed was largely noctural and harmless. Byss was also devoid of any rare elements or heavy metals. The planet's calm, balmy climate and mild seasons, ranging from clear to rainy, were primarily caused by its miniscule axial tilt and stable geologic foundation. Violent phenomena, such as storms and volcanism, were extremely rare.

Government and society
Politically, Byss was ruled by only two major galactic powers. The planet was controlled by the Rakatan Infinite Empire for nearly five-thousand years before its collapse. Thousands of years later, the planet came under the rule of the Galactic Empire and served as Emperor Palpatine's resort world. The Emperor ordered the creation of his own personal citadel in the planet's ruling city using an non-Human slave labor force. Ornate buildings and complexes were built and soon an entire continent, the Imperial Control Sector, was covered in city. Palpatine drew masses of Imperial citizens to the planet, intending to draw upon their Force energies without their knowledge. The myth of a beautiful siren world was created, and soon citizens of the Empire, almost exclusively Human, were brought to Byss, where they resided within the planet's many cities and resorts. Byss eventually became a dark side theocracy, ruled solely by Palpatine and his Dark Side Adepts.

Under Imperial rule, Byss became one of the most reclusive and heavily guarded worlds in the galaxy. Most natural routes into the Deep Core were mined and the rest were covered by the Imperial Hyperspace Security Net&mdash;a system of gravity well projectors and hyperwave transceivers designed to monitor and control traffic into and out of the Deep Core. Byss became one of Palpatine's fortress worlds after the Empire's collapse at Endor, and served as the capital world of Palpatine's reborn Empire. A number of Imperial superweapons were built above the Emperor's throneworld, including the World Devastators, the Sovereign-class and Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyers, and the Galaxy Gun. The Eclipse itself was a permanent fixture above the planet, serving as a battlestation and meeting-place for Imperial Navy officials. After its destruction, the remains of Byss continued to be patrolled by Imperial Remnant starships.

Security
As a fortress world, Byss was guarded by a number security forces and technologies, all of which were overseen by Byss Security itself. The Byss Security Zone, a restricted area of space around Byss, was guarded by a ring of Star Destroyers, while an entire sector fleet was additionally spread throughout the Beshqek system. A METOSP, or "Message To Spacers," was broadcast to all travelers entering the system as a warning against trespassing. The planet itself was surrounded by a planetary shield controlled by Byss Security, and a system of Gauntlet Scanner Stations were used to monitor traffic around the planet. Gargantuan Hunter-Killer probots were responsible for patrolling the skies above Byss, and were used as capture and detainment platforms for unauthorized ships.

The Gauntlet Scanner Stations comprised of many Golan III Space Defense NovaGuns orbiting Byss where security personnel would coordinate space traffic with the scanner satellites spread over the planet. Officers stationed aboard these platforms typically oversaw the daily operation of the Byss Security Zone by monitoring IFF transponder codes, security codes, and other forms of authorization used to control traffic to and from the surface of Byss. If any traveler was found possessing forged documents, the Star Destroyers guarding Byss had authorization to use lethal force against them. The Gauntlet Scanner Stations additionally served as orbital defense platforms for Byss, boasting firepower equal to some capital ships, and also housed squadrons of TIE fighters and other defensive forces.

On the surface of Byss, surveillance and a heavy military presence was commonplace. Stormtroopers were stationed at every street corner, each landing pad was guarded by a TIE fighter, and undercover Imperial Security Bureau agents were present at most of the planet's public areas to root out any potential traitors. Additionally, shipyards, fighter bases, and military barracks large enough to hold an entire army were present all across the Imperial Control Sector. All of these were camouflaged behind colorful plazas and public buildings, themselves armed with the latest defense turbolasers and shock fields.

Appearances

 * Evasive Action: Recruitment
 * Tales from the New Republic
 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Dark Forces: Jedi Knight
 * Dark Forces: Jedi Knight audio drama
 * Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds
 * Dark Empire 3: The Battle for Calamari
 * Dark Empire 4: Confrontation on the Smugglers' Moon
 * Dark Empire 5: Emperor Reborn
 * Dark Empire 6: The Fate of a Galaxy
 * Dark Empire audio drama
 * Dark Empire II 1: Operation Shadow Hand
 * Dark Empire II 2: Duel on Nar Shaddaa
 * Dark Empire II 3: World of the Ancient Sith
 * Dark Empire II 4: Battle on Byss
 * Dark Empire II 5: The Galaxy Weapon
 * Dark Empire II 6: Hand of Darkness
 * Dark Empire II audio drama
 * Empire's End
 * Empire's End audio drama
 * Crimson Empire 0
 * Crimson Empire 3
 * Crimson Empire audio drama
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Before the Storm
 * Tyrant's Test
 * Vision of the Future
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Before the Storm
 * Tyrant's Test
 * Vision of the Future

Cut appearances

 * Lightsider
 * Love Is a Warm Blaster