INFO: The Kurtzen came from the planet Bakura.
RACE: Kurtzen
HEIGHT: 1.5 Meters Tall
SKIN: Pale pink
DISTINCTION: Degenerative Genetic Disorder
LANGUAGE: Kurtzen
HOMEWORLD:Bakura was a rich, green and blue planet in the Bakura system of the Shiritoku Spur, located on the isolated edge of the Outer Rim, formally a part of Wild Space. It was the site of a historic truce between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic immediately following the Battle of Endor, shortly before the Second Battle of Bakura. The Ssi-Ruuk called the planet Xwhee.
Bakura was a pastoral planet on the very edge of known space, just outside the Moddell sector in the Outer Rim. It was the only inhabitable planet in the eight-planet system of the same name. Its terrain mostly comprised mountains, valleys, plains, and small seas, all of which received a great deal of rain; Leia Organa viewed Bakura as being very similar to a wetter Alderaan. The capital city was Salis D'aar, which was between two of Bakura's major rivers. Bakura's primary exports included strategic metals, an addictive fruit called namana, and repulsorlift components.
Before the Clone Wars, Human settlement on Bakura was sparse until 150 BBY. The Bakur Mining Corporation of Hemei IV, under Captain Deredith Arden, formed a colony on the world—considered the official founding of the planetary civilization. At first the Corporation directly controlled the planet, but after Arden's death and faced with lessening returns of the mining operations and an increase of both population and wealth, a government comprising a Prime Minister and a Senate was established. However, this system of government was not truly representative; the titular head of government (presumably not the Prime Minister) was always one of Arden's descendants, and the Senate elected its own members. The Prime Minister, however (at least after the reforms following the Second Battle of Bakura) was elected by popular vote.
In 97 BBY, there was a major droid uprising on the planet, thus explaining the aversion many of the planet's inhabitants felt for the automata.
In 22 BBY, during the Clone Wars, although neutral in the conflict and independent of both the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, a Separatist base was, for a time, established on Bakura. Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, Count Dooku hid on Bakura, where he was engaged by Jedi Masters Tholme and Sora Bulq, with the latter falling to the dark side of the Force. The Separatist forces defeated the Republic on Bakura using the Force Harvester.
Bickering among the ruling upper class of the Corporation and the local Senate had always been an issue, but grew stronger as years went on. It reached the point where the Bakuran Senate could not agree on matters as simple as school schedules, and it was believed that the planet was near to civil war. Combined with the facts that the Senate directly controlled the small planetary military, and that there was a sense of unrest among the people, Bakura was an easy target for Imperial forces. Desiring control of the planet's repulsorlift industry, the Empire quickly conquered Bakura with two Imperial Star Destroyers in 1 ABY. Wilek Nereus was appointed governor of Bakura and Commander Pter Thanas was made head of the meager garrison. Repulsor coils, and ore from the planet's two mineral rich satellites, were both exported to help in the construction of the Death Star II.
An Imperial Orbital prison was also stationed around Bakura. In approximately 3 ABY, it contained several Rebel prisoners from the planet Hoth. Thanks to the intervention of Rogue Squadron under Wedge Antilles, flying a B-wing starfighter, he was able to disable several Imperial Transports with the B-Wing's ion cannon and allow for an Alliance GR-75 transport to evacuate the prisoners. However, one of his wingmen was hit by a TIE starfighter, whose laser cannons shredded his T-65 X-Wing's stabilizer, causing him to crash onto Bakura, inside Imperial territory. Antilles, thinking quickly, commandeered a TIE/sa starfighter and flew down to rescue his wingmate. The two returned to orbit, just in time to see an Imperial Escort Carrier leap into hyperspace with some scientists captured from rebel transports. General Crix Madine extrapolated the escort carrier's course and estimated that the craft would head for Geonosis, leading to a battle there.
Although there was a short period of violent resistance to the Imperial occupation, and there were several Imperial purges of suspected (and actual) Rebel partisans, the vast majority of Bakurans were ambivalent about the Imperial occupation (perhaps partly fuelled by their passive religion). They acknowledged that Imperial control had ended their near-disastrous infighting, and their major gripe was the increased taxation. At the time of the Second Battle of Bakura, the formal (and not very active) Bakuran resistance numbered only about one hundred individuals.
The day following the Battle of Endor, which saw the death of Emperor Palpatine and the shattering of his Empire, Rebel forces stationed on the Sanctuary Moon received a message droid requesting for help from Bakura. Bakura was being attacked by the Ssi-ruuk—a saurian species from the most distant reaches of the galaxy, which attempted to establish a beachhead for an invasion of the known galaxy. The Rebel Alliance dispatched a small task force led by Luke Skywalker to assist in the defense of Bakura. Once the task force reached Bakura, a temporary truce was agreed to between the Rebels and Imperials. In the end, the Ssi-ruuk were repelled, the Imperials in control of the planet were overthrown, and Prime Minister Yeorg Captison resumed control of the government. After his resignation, Gaeriel Captison, niece of Yeorg and an important figure during the Ssi-ruuk invasion, was elected to replace him.
Though the Ssi-ruuk had been defeated, Bakura could not let down its guard against another invasion, and the Bakuran Defense Fleet was formed as a result. They also developed four powerful warships. These were the three Bakura-class Destroyers Watchkeeper, Defender, and Sentinel, and the Namana-class Light Cruiser Intruder. These warships were equipped with Hyperwave sustainers that allowed them to move through interdiction fields. These four warships were essential in maintaining a New Republic presence in the Corellian Sector during the First Corellian Insurrection. Though this mission was successful, half of the fleet—the Watchkeeper and the Intruder—was destroyed, and Gaeriel Captison was killed.
During the Disciples of Ragnos crisis, Jaden Korr went on a mission with Kyle Katarn to Bakura to prevent a terrorist takeover of a power station. Kyle, however, did not show, so Jaden decided to investigate the station alone. He found out that there were Imperial Remnants operating in the area, who had armed several bombs throughout the station. Jaden battled the Remnant troops and deactivated the bombs before they could go off. Having completed his mission and reclaimed the station, Jaden left the planet in one piece.
Bakura briefly joined the New Republic and was represented in the New Republic Senate by Molierre Cundertol during the Black Fleet Crisis. However, the planet withdrew itself from the New Republic and reasserted its independence prior to 18 ABY.
Later, during the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Ssi-ruuk once more attempted to invade Bakura, armed with new entechment technology. They would use the deception that the P'w'ecks under the mutant Ssi-ruuvi the Keeramak had toppled the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium and had come to Bakura to form an allegiance with the Bakurans. The Keeramak "consecrated" Bakura during a ceremony at the Bakuran Senate, thus allowing the Ssi-ruuk to fight on Bakura since they feared dying on unconsecrated worlds. However, their plan backfired when the P'w'ecks under Lwothin revolted against the Ssi-ruuvi and joined forces with the Galactic Alliance to drive away the Ssi-ruuvi during a second battle. It was revealed that Bakuran Prime Minister Molierre Cundertol, the former Senator, had betrayed his planet. Despite this turn of events, Bakura initially chose not to join the Galactic Alliance. However, with the Yuuzhan Vong making new strides with the destruction of the HoloNet, Bakura joined the Galactic Alliance, contributing ships to the defense of Mon Calamari and giving the Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet access to the HIMS technology for use during the Liberation of Coruscant.
Bakura's only native sentient species was the Kurtzen, a pale, hairless humanoid species, although its most populous sentient species was Humans (who composed the other 95% of the population). Most Bakurans were independent minded and proud of their planet. Much of the population followed the Religion of the Cosmic Balance. The Balance flowered as a faith under the hierophant Dif Istuvi. Dif wrote its sacred text, Fulcrun. He also founded the order of priest prophets known as Zanazi.
Families who counted themselves among the Faithful had pairs of children close in age that followed the Rule of the Feather and Bowl. When each pair were teenagers, they underwent tests. The most promising youth obtained a small feather, while the other was given a golden bowl. The Child of the Bowl left home to join a communal Simple Home, serving the Zanazi. The Child of the Feather stayed as a part of Bakuran society and was given Zanazi funds for a more prestige education. Some Children of the Bowl left the Faith, but most submitted to a lifetime of service.
The native Kurtzen, however, followed their own mystical faith, which featured totems and symbolism.
A droid rebellion engineered by the H'Lokk Consortium caused the death of many Bakurans. This left them with a distrust of machinery, which were banned from public use. Despite this, Bakurans were known for their repulsorlift industry, Bakur RepulsorCorp. Besides the Kurtzen, Bakurans did not know of any other alien species in the galaxy. This made many Bakurans fearful and prejudiced against non-human species, a tendency only perpetuated during their time under Imperial rule.
Bakurans were masters of organ replacement, explaining why so many of them lived far longer than most Humans throughout the galaxy; for example, in 4 ABY Eppie Belden was 132 years old and still young enough to personally lead a guerrilla uprising.
BIOLOGY AND APPEARANCE:The Kurtzen were a pale, hairless, humanoid race from the planet Bakura. They were the only native sentient species on the planet; few in number, they became a minority when Human settlers arrived in 150 BBY. At the time of the Battle of Bakura, only two of forty members of the Bakuran Senate were Kurtzen. They consisted of 5% of Bakura's population by 4 ABY.
CULTURE AND HISTORY:They were nomads with primitive technology when first encountered by Human representatives of the Bakur Corporation. The Kishh district on the continent of Braad was home to the Kurtzen. The eastern continent of Kishh'daar was created as a reserve for the Kurtzen. A notable Kurtzen was Arrizza.
Kurtzen religious beliefs centered around a universal life force similar to the Force of various Force-sensitive traditions including the Jedi and Sith. Their faith was reflected in a multitude of totems and items called "life trinkets"
Kurtzen suffered from a degenerative genetic disorder which limited population growth. Medicine provided by Human settlers helped to overcome the disease. The Kurtzen were extremely grateful for having received the medical and technological assistance. Despite this, it was unusual for more than two children in a family to reach adulthood.
APPEARANCES:The Truce at Bakura (First appearance)
Tatooine Ghost
Force Heretic II: Refugee
SOURCES:The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook
Star Wars Encyclopedia
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
Rebellion Era Sourcebook
I would like to thank Wookieepedia for this info.
