Freeworlds Territory The Freeworlds Territory was a border region of the Tapani sector until its annexation by the Galactic Empire . Because of its proximity to the Colonies , planets in this region , known as Freeworlds , were relatively independent from the Coreward noble houses of the Expanse . The Freeworlds banded together into the League of Tapani Freeworlds , and consolidated their defenses into the Freeworlds Common Navy , to avoid annexation by the growing power of the seven wealthy Expanse provinces . Some time in or after 3 ABY , the Galactic Empire invaded and occupied the Freeworlds , and cut it off from the Tapani sector , intending to form a new one . The Shapani subsector was thus created , and the Empire assigned a new Moff to oversee the new Tapani oversector . Eventually , this partitioning was reversed , and by 40 ABY the Freeworlds were once again a part of the Tapani sector . Description . The Freeworlds Territory was a rimward part of the Tapani sector . The worlds were generally rich in ores , which made them targets for mining operations , but were generally considered backwater . The five most important worlds in this region were Tallaan , which later served as a capital and shipyard . Mrlsst housed a famous university , Aleron , home of the Aleron Trade Cooperative , Lamuir IV , once a part of the Herglic Trade Empire and the ocean world of Neona . Another world was Fondor , another major galactic shipyard . Several important hyperspace routes crossed the Freeworlds : The most important one was the Shapani Bypass , also called the " Bacta Run " . Part of the large Rimma Trade Route , it was the most important route to transport Bacta from Thyferra to the Core Worlds . The Giju Run connected the Freeworlds with the Herglics and continued in the Procopian Shipping Lane , which connected them with the rest of the Tapani sector . The Three Ellas Run was a spur of the aforementioned Procopian Lane which sprung of at Tavya and connected the worlds Pernella , Dorella and Sorella . History . Tapani colonies . When the worlds in the Freeworlds Territory were first settled , they were nothing more but minor mining colonies of the noble houses of the Tapani Federation . The nobles also used the worlds as a place of exile for house members that had fallen out of favor . Since at this time the Shapani Bypass and other routes had not yet established , the only market for Freeworld ore were the other Tapani worlds . This left the colonies generally poor and exploited by the Tapani Houses . This changed first with the establishment of the Giju Run . The connection with the Herglic worlds brought and economic boom to Tallaan and Neona . 18 centuries later the Shapani Bypass was scouted and the rest of the Freeworlds profited as well . This resulted in a fierce competition between the Houses for the control of the worlds . Before a full - scale war could break out , however , the Nobles agreed to declare the region as " Freeworlds " , similar to the sector capital Procopia , which gave them a certain independence . League of Tapani Freeworlds . The worlds banded together as the League of Tapani Freeworlds , with Tallaan , Mrlsst , Aleron , Lamuir IV and Neona as the major members . Since most of the mining corporations were still under the control of the Nobles and pirates plagued the worlds as soon as the protective navy had withdrawn , the Nobles thought they could control these " independent " worlds with relative ease . However , the worlds had soon built up enough economic strength to shake of the reign of the Nobles . They nationalized companies and then sold them to investors from outside the sector . Trading treaties with the Core were signed and pirates driven away by the newly founded Freeworlds Common Navy . Acts of sabotage , carried out by the houses in revenge soon ceased after several companies joined the powerful Mining Guild . The already settled worlds diversified their industry and other worlds of the sector were developed and settled . Tallaan became a major shipping center while Mrlsst became famous for its university and research centers . This era of independence lasted for several centuries . The Freeworlds were also non - voting members of the Tapani Great Council and were partially affected by decisions made within its halls , though they were not admitted to the Tapani Senate or the Council of Ten . Imperial era . When the Galactic Empire became the ruling power of the galaxy , the nobles made an arrangement with Palpatine that left the Nobles to their own devices , as it had been under the Old Republic . The Empire stationed several forces in the sector under the control of Moff Laird Gustavu , with most the forces concentrated in the Freeworlds Territory to protect the heavily - traveled Shapani Bypass . However , several powers worked behind the scenes to force the Empire to invade the Freeworlds , which happened some time after 3 ABY . The Freeworlds then became the newly - created Shapani sector , a sub - sector of the Tapani sector .