- "Better to be spaced than based on Belderone."
- ―Early Imperial saying
Belderone was a planet located in the Outer Rim's Belderone system, situated along the Salin Corridor. The Galactic Empire had a naval base and an R/M Facility Four deepdock on the world, but from early into the Empire's reign, Belderone had a bad reputation as an assignment for Imperial Army members, influenced by how far it was from the capital of Coruscant. It also had a cottaging industry that supported treasure hunters searching for the legendary planet Ossus.
After Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's corvette, the Carrion Spike, was captured by rebels, the Imperial Venator-class Star Destroyer Liberator was reassigned from Belderone's deepdock to the planet Nam Chorios. Belderone was also marked as a possible target for the Rebel Alliance by General Crix Madine, who was inspired by the campaign Operation Ringbreaker being carried out by the Alliance 61st Mobile Infantry.
Description[]
Belderone was a terrestrial planet located in the Belderone system within an intersecting portion of the Outer Rim Territories[1] and the Slice.[2] Situated in grid square R-6 of the Standard Galactic Grid,[3] the world lay along the Salin Corridor hyperspace route[4] between the astronomical objects Trogan and Columex.[3] It shared its name with the Belderone sector.[5]
History[]
Reputations[]
- "The stormtroopers have a saying, Better spaced than based on Belderone, and we're a far cry from Belderone."
- ―An Imperial ambassador, to Wilhuff Tarkin
Beginning during the reign of the Galactic Empire, an Imperial naval base and an R/M Facility Four deepdock were based at Belderone. During that time, members of the Imperial Army, such as stormtroopers, were reluctant to be stationed on Belderone, as it was understood that the troops stationed the farthest from the Imperial capital of Coruscant were of the least importance to the Empire's cause. As such, virtually any reassignment to the planet was viewed as punishment or demotion.[1]
The Salin Corridor provided an access point toward the Cron Drift, an asteroid field and the only known bypass to reach the ancient world of Ossus, which was tied by legends to the origins of the Jedi. The Imperial Navy restricted traffic toward the asteroid field, establishing checkpoints at the best jump points from the Perlemian Trade Route. However, the Salin Corridor and the Tion Cluster were the less patrolled of those access points, and consequently, Belderone and other worlds such as Foran Tutha became home to cottage industries that supported treasure hunters searching for Ossus.[6]
Resource management[]
- "We have additional outposts at Trogan and Jomark. And of course, the naval base and R/M Facility Four deepdock at Belderone."
"What do we have parked at R/M, colonel?"
"Several CR-ninety corvettes, two Carrack-class light cruisers, a couple of Victories, and a Venator-class destroyer—the Liberator." - ―An Imperial colonel and Wilhuff Tarkin
In 14 BBY,[7] a rebel cell led by former Galactic Republic Intelligence officer Berch Teller stole the Carrion Spike, the personal corvette of Imperial Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. After Tarkin and the Sith Lord Darth Vader acquired a replacement ship, Emperor Sheev Palpatine was informed of the situation by several high-ranking Imperial officers, who mentioned that Vader and Tarkin were pursuing the captured corvette toward the Fial system. Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit further relayed to the Emperor that the nearest Imperial presence was in the Belderone system, and thereafter Palpatine ordered that the admiralty at the Belderone system be instructed to send starships to whichever star systems Vader and Tarkin requested in order to pursue the hijacked Carrion Spike.[1]
After the captured Carrion Spike was used to attack Galidraan Station, Tarkin, who had continued to pursue his stolen vessel, liaised with the Imperial colonel aboard the space station, soon asking about Imperial resources available near the Galidraan system. After the colonel mentioned Belderone's two naval facilities, Tarkin questioned what ships there were at the R/M Facility Four Deepdock there, with the colonel confirming that several CR90 corvettes, two Carrack-class light cruisers, two Victory-class Star Destroyers, and the Venator-class Star Destroyer Liberator were stationed at the deepdock.[1]
Tarkin discussed the Carrion Spike's next target with Vader, establishing that Belderone was too fortified for the corvette to strike at and instead predicting that the planet Nam Chorios would be the target. Vader then ordered that Belderone be contacted to have the Liberator be sent to Nam Chorios, and Tarkin told the colonel to establish contact between him and both Belderone and Coruscant to do so. In another meeting between high-ranking Imperial leaders, Deputy Director Harus Ison of the Empire's Imperial Security Bureau called the withdrawal of ships from Belderone reckless, adding that they were risking the curtailment of pacification campaigns elsewhere. The Liberator reached Nam Chorios, finding no insurgent attack, and was redeployed to the planet Ord Cestus afterward.[1]
Rebel targets[]
- "With Operation Ringbreaker meeting early success, I feel our current angle of attack could provide a broader path to victory. This map notes the locations of other major Imperial shipyards and drydocks, as well as key mining centers for metals and ores. Once we take out Kuat, these should be our next targets."
- ―Crix Madine, in an official document to Mon Mothma
During the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, Belderone's facilities were a major part of the Empire's network of shipyards and drydocks.[8] In 3 ABY,[7] the Alliance's 61st Mobile Infantry led the campaign Operation Ringbreaker against the Kuat Drive Yards, attacking more lightly guarded industrial hubs to initiate redeployments of Kuat's security forces.[9] While Alliance Intelligence observed the campaign and its early success, rebel General Crix Madine made a galactic map of the Empire's major shipyards, drydocks, and mining centers that were considered possible targets should the Kuat Drive Yards be successfully sabotaged.[8]
Belderone was marked on the map as a high-priority target with a medium security level. The map was included in an official document sent by Madine to Alliance Commander-in-Chief Mon Mothma, eventually being collected by archivist Hendri Underholt for the compilation of non-electronic documents known as The Rebel Files.[8] The 61st ultimately abandoned Operation Ringbreaker before it could reach Kuat Drive Yards.[9]
Behind the scenes[]
Belderone was introduced into the current Star Wars canon in a mention in the 2014 novel Tarkin, written by James Luceno.[1] In the Star Wars Legends continuity, Belderone first appeared in the third annual issue of the 1977 Star Wars comic-book series, written by Mary Jo Duffy, illustrated by Klaus Janson,[10] and published by Marvel Comics on August 30, 1983.[11]
Appearances[]
- The High Republic Adventures (2021) 1 (Picture only) (Based on correspondence between the galactic map and maps in other sources)
- Tarkin (First mentioned, simultaneous with audiobook)
- Tarkin audiobook (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- Nexus of Power
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game
- Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- The High Republic Free Digital Sampler (Picture only) (Based on correspondence between the galactic map and maps in other sources)
- "The First Order" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- "Scarif and Other Planets in the Outer Rim" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Tarkin
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game places Belderone in the area of space Star Wars: The Galactic Explorer's Guide identifies as the Slice.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game places Belderone along a hyperspace route that Where in the Galaxy Are the Worlds of Rogue One? on StarWars.com (article) (backup link) identifies as the Salin Corridor.
- ↑ Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- ↑ Nexus of Power
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Battlefront: Twilight Company
- ↑ Star Wars Annual (1977) 3
- ↑ Marvel Age #6