Eriadu

Overview

The Core in the Outer Rim

Eriadu was the primary world in the Seswenna sector, and one of the Outer Rim's most active trade centers. It sat on the intersection of several hyperspace routes, including the Rimma Trade Route, the Hydian Way, the Lipsec Run, and the Yankirk Route.

Eriadu was a terrestrial planet that occupied the fourth position from the star Eriadu in the Eriadu system, at the center of the Seswenna sector^[3] in the Outer Rim Territories region of the galaxy.^[1] Eriadu served as the capital of the Seswenna sector^[8] and was situated at the intersection of the Rimma Trade Route, the Hydian Way, the Lipsec Run, and the Yankirk Route.^[4] Possessing a breathable atmosphere, standard gravity, and a single moon, Eriadu was a gray factory world of rugged landmasses and narrow seas whose terrain included industrial cityscape and waste zones.^[3] The planet had a day that lasted 24 standard hours, a year that consisted of 360 local days,^[4] and diameter of 13,490 kilometers.^[3]

Eriadu's climate was polluted and an orange haze appeared in its lower atmosphere; the world was dominated by heavy industry, and toxic by-products spewed from numerous unregulated factories fouled its air, land, and sea. Most of the inhabited regions on Eriadu were heavily industrialized with blocky, utilitarian architecture. The advanced waste disposal systems, atmosphere scrubbers, and aquifer purifiers that were used on most prosperous worlds were absent on Eriadu. Eriadu Manufacturing, the largest employer on the planet, was by far the greatest polluter, and its processes were directly responsible for much of the environmental damage inflicted on the planet's ecosystem. The rapid industrialization of Eriadu drove most of its native species into extinction; the Eriaduan rat, which thrived in the new environment, was one exception.^[3]

In spite of its pollution issues, Eriadu was an active hub of trade and government in the Outer Rim Territories. Eriadu imported foodstuffs, medicinals, and lommite ore, and exported computer technology, manufacturing, textiles, and droids. Although several droid manufacturers were present, droid labor was uncommon on Eriadu;^[3] despite this, at least one EV-series supervisor droid that had been equipped with an MDF motivator instead of the standard EV motivator was used on Eriadu, where, as a result of sadism induced by the MDF motivator, it had the feet of 160 droids melted to a factory floor to prevent them from leaving their work stations.^[9] Apartments on Eriadu, rented under false names, were among the off-world assets of House Organa.^[8]

Major cities on Eriadu included its capital, Eriadu City,^[10] Phelar and Old Town Factoryville. The planet was also mentioned to have forests. Eriadu was orbited by one natural moon, small shipyards, and several orbital habitats.

History

Around 130 BBY, the colony shipFree Enterprise departed from Eriadu, carrying several hundred Jinda and Tulgah settlers, before vanishing on its way to Kuna's Eye in the Moddell sector.^[11] After retiring from the Republic Outland Regions Security Force to assume a political position on his homeworld, Eriadu native Wilhuff Tarkin won the office of lieutenant governor of Eriadu. Ruling from an ostentatious coastal estate, he quickly immersed himself in Eriadu's political and economic spheres. Tarkin arranged a competition between Lommite Limited and InterGalactic Ore in an effort to keep Eriadu's shipbuilding industries supplied with lommite, but when the two companies raced to deliver their ore to Eriadu, their barges were sabotaged and crashed into each other.^[12] The talk show Essence was based on Eriadu by 23 BBY,^[13] and in 22 BBY, Eriadu network executives paid for Jonava Billane's transit to the Seswenna sector prior to a scheduled appearance by Billane on Essence.^[14]

Galactic Empire

Wilhuff Tarkin was granted command of the Seswenna sector upon Palpatine's restructuring of the galactic government,^[3] and as a Moff, Tarkin established his administration on Eriadu and made it the sector's capital. Tarkin's decision took advantage of the system's industrial, commercial, and strategic importance and provided a semblance of Core Worlds culture for Imperial and noble representatives from Coruscant who had been posted there. Under Tarkin's rule, Eriadu's manufacturing grew, its exports of technology increased, and corporations with interests there thrived.^[8] Tarkin directed the Western Reaches Operation from Eriadu in 17 BBY, and after the campaign concluded, Imperial pilot Shea Hublin was given a marquisate on Eriadu, where he married Eris Harro, the heiress of one of the Quintad Houses.^[16] After Emperor Palpatine promoted him to the position of Grand Moff, Wilhuff Tarkin took up residence on Eriadu full-time to oversee his new jurisdiction of Oversector Outer.