Junkfort Station/Legends

"…Junkfort Station, Chewie! Lotta ships get illegal equipment and modifications here…"

―Han Solo, to Chewbacca

Junkfort Station was an Outer Rim Territories space station located in the Tharin sector at the junction of three hyperlanes. A notable shadowport and spice-smuggling point, Junkfort Station was often visited by starships in order to receive illegal modifications and equipment. Historically located in an area of space influenced by the Hutt species, by 17 BBY Junkfort Station was a part of the Galactic Empire.

The smuggler Han Solo and his copilot, Chewbacca, visited Junkfort Station in 0 ABY while searching for one of the rare power gem artifacts. Questioning spacers for leads in the station's cantina, Solo got involved in a brawl with two patrons of the establishment wishing to collect the sizable bounty that had been posted on Solo. Meanwhile, Chewbacca learned from another patron of the the possible existence of a power gem on the planet Antipose, and after rescuing Solo, he and his companion departed Junkfort Station for that world. Nearly thirty years later, forces of the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong species captured Junkfort Station as part of their invasion of the galaxy.

Description

Junkfort Station was a space station located in the Junkfort system, a part of the Tharin sector in the Slice portion of the Outer Rim Territories. The station was situated on the Triellus Trade Route, a super-hyperroute that linked it to the Nimat and Marleyvane systems. Junkfort Station was also connected to the Suolriep sector's Dernatine system by the Lesser Lantillian Route, while the hyperlane known as the Cadma Conduit linked it to the Dagelin Minor and Simbarc systems in the Cadma sector. The station consisted of a patchwork of living modules of various shapes and sizes that were connected by a network of airlink tunnels.

History

Reign of the Republic

Junkfort Station remained within the Hutt sphere of influence as late as the Clone Wars.

Space surrounding the Junkfort system became explored by the Galactic Republic at some point between 15,000 BBY and 8000 BBY. Between 1004 BBY and 1000 BBY, Junkfort Station fell within the area of space controlled by members of the Sith tradition of Force-users. By that time, the station was also a part of Hutt Space, a region dominated by the Hutt species.

The borders of Hutt Space proper had receded from the Junkfort system by 32 BBY, although Junkfort Station remained within the Hutt sphere of influence until at least 19 BBY. The Thirteenth Sector Army of the Republic was tasked during the first campaigns of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY with engaging the military forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems in Junkfort Station's vicinity. By 17 BBY, the station fell within the borders of the Galactic Empire. The smuggler Han Solo visited Junkfort Station at some point by 0 BBY on a mission for a Hutt employer.

Search for a power gem

Arrival aboard a shadowport

"…I doubt they keep power gems in stock, but it's somewhere to start!"

―Han Solo, on Junkfort Station

The Millennium Falcon approaches Junkfort Station.

By 0 ABY, an agent of the ex-pirate Raskar was stationed aboard Junkfort Station. That year, Solo was tasked by Princess Leia Organa with finding and obtaining a power gem, a rare artifact composed of a meteoritic mineral that could disable the deflector shields of starships, in order to help the Rebel Alliance combat the new Star Dreadnought of the Sith Lord Darth Vader, the Executor. Intending to begin the search for the legendary gems in the galactic underworld, Solo and his copilot, Chewbacca, traveled in their light freighter, the Millennium Falcon, from the Alliance base on the Gordian Reach moon Yavin 4 to Junkfort Station.

Boarding the space station, Solo met an acquaintance who expressed his surprise at meeting the smuggler on Junkfort Station in light of the high bounty placed on the latter by the Hutt crime lord Jabba and warned Solo to be careful while aboard the station. Solo and Chewbacca then entered a cantina in order to question spacers on any leads on power gems. Solo's questioning was fruitless, and he was eventually invited over to the booth occupied by a Human and an alien, who pretended to have information that Solo would find useful. In reality, the pair planned to attack Solo and capture him in order to collect Jabba's bounty. Solo saw through their deception and initiated a brawl, calling for assistance from his mighty Wookiee companion.

Finding a lead

"It's unbelievable, Chewie! My nosin' around nearly gets me vaporized… but you find a lead for the price of a drink!"

―Han Solo, to Chewbacca

After obtaining a lead on the location of a power gem, Han Solo and Chewbacca left Junkfort Station aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Chewbacca, however, had become engrossed in a conversation he was having with Raskar's agent, who claimed to have seen a power gem on Antipose, a Centrality planet on which Raskar was indeed keeping one such artifact—and hosting lucrative gladiatorial competitions with the gem as their highly sought-after prize. When Solo was about to be shot by his Human would-be captor, Chewbacca finally rescued his companion by throwing Solo's opponents out of the cantina's window.

When Chewbacca subsequently told Solo of his findings, the pair—discreetly observed by Raskar's agent—left Junkfort Station for Antipose. The agent then returned to the cantina, where he then enjoyed a drink and giggled to himself, which, as speculated by the bartender, he did at the expense of Solo and Chewbacca. The agent also informed Raskar of the duo's visit to the station. At some point between 26 ABY and 27 ABY, as part of their invasion of the galaxy, members of the extra-galactic and anti-technological Yuuzhan Vong species captured Junkfort Station. The station subsequently remained under the invaders' control until at least 27 ABY.

Inhabitants

"No bounty hunters allowed here, Solo!"

―A patron of the Junkfort Station cantina

Junkfort Station was a famous shadowport that hosted a notable spice-smuggling system and was frequently visited by starships in order to receive illegal ship modifications and equipment. By the time of the Battle of Yavin, bounty hunters were not allowed aboard Junkfort Station. The space station's cantina was frequented both by Humans and members of various alien species. Around 25 ABY, the population of the Junkfort system numbered between one and ten million.

Locations

"While we're asking about power gems in the local cantina… watch everything, Chewie!"

―Han Solo, to Chewbacca

Junkfort Station housed several docking bays as well as the Junkfort Station cantina.

Behind the scenes

Junkfort Station first appeared in "The Power Gem," a comic story written by Archie Goodwin, penciled by Al Williamson, and published between July 26 and October 3, 1982 as part of the daily Star Wars comic strip distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate to major American and Canadian newspapers from 1979 to 1984. The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas placed the station in grid square T-8.

Appearances

• "The Power Gem" (First appearance)

Sources

• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
• Star Wars Encyclopedia
• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Third Edition, Revised and Expanded
• Star Wars: The Comics Companion
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The Essential Atlas
• The Essential Guide to Warfare
• Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion on StarWars.com (article) (backup link not verified!)
• Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook
• Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook
• Star Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook

Notes and references

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