Name: Akuria II
Region: Outer Rim Territories
Sector: Oplovis sector
System: Akuria system
Grid coordinates: M-5
Primary terrain: Ice, Snow, Geysers
Points of interest: Akuria Rebel Base, Polar Base, Polar Wastes
Description: Akuria II was an ice planet in the Akuria system of the Outer Rim Territories.
Early in the Galactic Civil War, prior to the destruction of the first Death Star, the planet was the site of an Imperial base. The Imperials there were defeated by a Rebel force led by Colonel Odan. The Alliance originally considered basing themselves there, but chose Yavin 4 instead.
The planet was also the homeworld of the native Snow Demons, also known as Akurians, which the Empire hunted without realizing that they were particularly intelligent. After liberating the planet from the Empire, the Alliance allowed these creatures to reclaim their frigid world.
After the Battle of Yavin, the clean-up effort of the final remnants of the Imperial garrison there was also led by Colonel Odan. A young man named Maren Kelsome was given his first assignment with the Rebellion as a scout assigned to assist with the clean-up of Akuria II. He performed adequately, sweeping retreating Imperial troopers from the gutted garrison. For his efforts, Odan promoted Kelsome from private to corporal.
Kelsome's experience in arctic survival on Akuria II would inspire him to answer the call for service on the planet Hoth. Similarly, a member of Akuria II's Imperial garrison was later transferred to Blizzard Force, and served during the Battle of Hoth. He was mauled to death by one of the Rebels' caged wampas inside Echo Base.
Akuria Rebel Base
The Akuria Rebel Base was a small Rebel base located on Akuria II. The structure was heated from within by an underground geyser that led into the Geyser Sea. The base was used primarily by Colonel Odan and his forces as well as the native Akurians. After the capture of the mobile fortress, the War Sled, by Imperial forces, Odan, the only one to escape the capture of the War Sled, made his way to the Snow Structure where he collaborated with the Rebel sympathizing Akurians. After a failed rescue of the Rebel heroes, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker from the ruse of an Imperial commander posing as Odan, the Akurians brought back R2-D2 and C-3PO to the Snow Structure, where they planned their next rescue.
Polar Base
Polar Base was the Imperial command center on the planet Akuria II. The facility was run by an unidentified Imperial commander who used the base as a staging point for attacks against the Rebel soldiers led by Colonel Odan. The Imperial installation was eventually destroyed during the Mission to Akuria II, when the native population of Akurians attacked the fortress. Rebel heroes Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa played a pivotal role in the base's destruction when they commandeered Imperial TIE fighters and destroyed the base's outer walls, killing the Imperial commander in the process.
Polar Wastes
The Polar Wastes were a region on the ice planet of Akuria II. At some point, the Galactic Empire created a base here, and as did the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The natural Geyser Sea was also located in the Wastes.
Geyser Sea
The Geyser Sea was a body of water located on the planet of Akuria II. The sea was kept warm through a system of hot geysers beneath it that also seemed to have the effect of changing the color of the water to an orange hue. The Akuria Rebel Base was internally heated by diverting a portion of the Geyser Sea into the base.
After Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker discovered his true identity, the Imperial commander who had been impersonating the Rebel leader Odan trapped Luke inside a runaway War Sled that was careening toward the Geyser Sea. Luke was rescued by Odan, Fafnir, C-3PO, and R2-D2 at the last moment.
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