Biivren

Biivren
Astrographical information
Region	Expansion Region The Slice
Sector	Biivren sector
System	Biivren system
Grid square	P-9
Physical information
Class	Terrestrial
Points of interest	Biivren's industrial sector Biivren starport
Societal information
Major imports	Drinking water
Affiliation	Galactic Empire

"Biivren is a minor industrial world in the Expansion Region controlled by the Empire."

―Platt Okeefe, Smuggler's Handbook

Biivren was a planet located in the Expansion Region's Biivren sector. An industrial world controlled by the Galactic Empire, it was the site of a large zone of factories and refineries that gradually contaminated the planet's water supply.

The Blood Razors swoop gang operated on Biivren and protected the industrial sector's inhabitants. Following the Battle of Endor, Imperial forces retreated from Biivren, leaving the world to face a shortage of drinking water. A group of free-traders subsequently shipped in large amounts of potable water to sell it to the highest bidder.

Description

Biivren was a terrestrial planet located in the Biivren system, a part of the Biivren sector in the Slice portion of the Expansion Region.

History

Biivren was controlled by the Galactic Empire and served as a minor industrial world. When Biivren was taken over by large corporations, the Blood Razors swoop gang was formed to assist the outcast inhabitants of the planet's industrial sector. Biivren was mentioned in the Smuggler's Handbook, a book authored by the smuggler Platt Okeefe.

Within six months of the Battle of Endor, a confrontation between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance in 4 ABY that saw the demise of Emperor Palpatine and the fragmentation of the Empire, the Imperial forces on Biivren withdrew from the planet. In the process, several of Biivren's factories and chemical plants were scuttled, intentionally finalizing the contamination of the planet's supply of water.

Around that time, a group of free-traders learned of the situation on Biivren. The traders hatched a plan to transport drinking water to Biivren and sell it to the highest bidder. Locating a source of large amounts of potable water, the group shipped it past pirates present in the Biivren system and subsequently located sales contacts in Biivren starport. In the process, the free-traders encountered greedy government officials, competing merchants, and crimelords wishing to control the trade in water.

Inhabitants

"Despite frequent Imperial patrols, an entire society of vagrants, petty criminals and refugees has flourished among the greasy alleys which honeycomb Biivren's industrial sector."

―Platt Okeefe, Smuggler's Handbook

Although Imperial forces on Biivren frequently carried out patrols in the planet's industrial sector, vagrants, petty criminals, and refugees made up an entire society that thrived there. The swoop gang known as the Blood Razors operated in Biivren's factory area, chiefly trafficking black-market goods to the underground and redistributing materials stolen from Imperial forces. The gang avoided being noticed by Imperial forces on the planet by covering up their activities with swoop chases.

The Blood Razors frequently made forays outside of their territory in order to raid Imperial and corporate facilities, attack convoys belonging to the corporations, and annoy officials of the planet's starport. In addition, while Biivren's industrial sector was officially governed by Imperial and local corporate authorities, the Blood Razors were the source of real order and justice in the area, with the local inhabitants being under their protection and most of the intruders there being subjected to harassment.

Locations

"The spaceport, business and residential quarters are surrounded by kilometers of automated factories, chemical plants and refineries, all of which are gradually contaminating the planet's water supply."

―Platt Okeefe, Smuggler's Handbook

Outside the sprawling Biivren starport and the planet's business and residential districts, automated factories, chemical plants, and refineries stretched on for kilometers. Biivren's industrial sector was honeycombed by greasy alleys, and the planet also featured Imperial supply depots. All of Biivren's industrial facilities were gradually contaminating the planet's water supply.

Behind the scenes

Biivren was introduced in "Recon & Report: The Journey to Coruscant," a May 1994 article authored by Peter Schweighofer and published in Star Wars Adventure Journal 2. "Recon & Report" includes an adventure seed for use with the West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, and this article assumes the scenario plays out as described. The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas placed the Biivren system, and therefore the planet Biivren, in grid square P-9.

Sources

• "Recon & Report: The Journey to Coruscant" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 2 (First mentioned)
• "Recon & Report: The Journey to Coruscant" — The Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4
• Platt's Smugglers Guide
• CorSec Database A-G on the official Star Wars Galaxies website (content now obsolete; backup link)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia