Voxx Cluster

The Voxx Cluster was an asteroid field located in the Outer Rim Territories' Ash Worlds. It was located in a purple-colored nebulous region and was the site of Vranki's Hotel and Casino. The owner, Vranki, also hosted a starfighter racing circuit among the Voxx Cluster's asteroids, where the pilot Hype Fazon once learned to race.
In 34 ABY, the mobile space station Colossus arrived at the Voxx Cluster, where Fazon hoped that he and the other pilots of the station's Ace Squadron could earn the Colossus much-needed credits by participating in high-stakes racing. However, Vranki employed fast, armed droid racers as well as other dishonest methods in order to always ensure a victory for himself. In a series of races held in the Voxx Cluster known as the Voxx Vortex 5000, most of the Ace Squadron pilots lost against Vranki's droids until Kazuda Xiono finally prevailed and thus helped secure credits for the Colossus.
==Description==
The Voxx Cluster was an asteroid field situated in a star system that was located in grid square S-7 of the Standard Galactic Grid as part of the regions known as the Outer Rim Territories and the Slice. It was situated in the sector known as the Ash Worlds. The Voxx Cluster lay in a purple-colored nebulous region and consisted of a winding closed loop of asteroids that also contained a higher concentration of the matter making up the surrounding nebulosity.
==History==
===A promising idea===
The criminal known as the Lobber once claimed to his partners-in-crime Wungo and Ghor that the Voxx Cluster was a type of candy.The Living Force In 33 BBY, Wungo, erupting into an outburst of annoyance at the Lobber's incompetence while on the planet Valboraan, refuted the claim's validity. At some point, the Hutt Vranki, who hailed from the Voxx Cluster, established there both Vranki's Hotel and Casino and a deluxe high-stakes starfighter racing circuit. He was also the first racing sponsor of the pilot Hype Fazon, who learned to race in the Voxx Cluster's asteroids and was considered by Vranki to be the best racer to emerge from the circuit. Fazon eventually moved on from racing for Vranki and became a pilot of the Ace Squadron, based on the station Colossus.
In 34 ABY, the Colossus was facing a shortage of credits for acquiring supplies while the First Order was hunting the mobile station. During that time, Fazon suggested to the Colossus captain, Imanuel Doza, that he allow the pilots of the Ace Squadron to participate in racing in the Voxx Cluster, which would both fulfill the pilots' desire to race and provide a means to potentially earn much-needed money for the Colossus.
===Casinos and races===
After Doza agreed with the proposal, the station traveled to the Voxx Cluster, where a shuttle took Doza, the mechanics Jarek Yeager and Neeku Vozo, and the Ace Squadron pilots Fazon, Torra Doza, Kazuda Xiono, Freya Fenris, Griff Halloran, and Bo Keevil to Vranki's Hotel and Casino. There, Torra and Xiono witnessed through the casino's viewport a trio of Vranki's racing starfighters—in reality, droid starships—competing in the asteroid race course, with one of the racing craft exploding upon colliding with an asteroid.
Fazon, confident in his ability to prevail in any contest set on the Voxx Cluster circuit, then agreed to enter a race against one of Vranki's racers—on the condition that he would enter servitude to the Hutt if he lost. The event was observed from the casino by Vranki; his announcer droid, TC-G3; and Fazon's companions. During the race, the Ace Squadron pilot noted that his competitor, whom he believed was an organic being, was flying through the Voxx Cluster at a speed higher than what Fazon had previously witnessed from other racers in the circuit.
===Voxx Vortex 5000===
Fazon subsequently lost the race, during which the droid racers' true nature was revealed. Captain Doza then negotiated another deal with Vranki—the latter agreed to organize an impromptu race known as the Voxx Vortex 5000, in which the other Ace Squadron pilots would compete against Vranki's droids to win back freedom for Fazon. Fenris also went on to lose the race, after which it was attempted by Keevil. In order to distract the pilot enough to cause him to lose as well, Vranki activated free-floating magnetic mines that proceeded to detonate one of the Voxx Cluster's asteroids. Halloran entered the race next, only to suffer a loss as well due to Vranki employing cannons placed on some of the asteroids.
Finally, Torra and Xiono entered the Voxx Vortex 5000 in the form of a relay race against Vranki's droids. The droid competing against Torra slowed her down by opening fire with its on-board blasters, blowing up several of the Voxx Cluster's asteroids in the process. In the subsequent leg of the race, Vranki once again used magnetic mines, cannon emplacements, and the droid racer's own weaponry to hinder the progress of Xiono. Nevertheless, the pilot, who went off the course in order to travel straight toward the finish hoop, ultimately won the Voxx Vortex 5000. Captain Doza and his team subsequently departed from Vranki's Hotel and Casino with their newly won credits, after which the Colossus left the Voxx Cluster.
==Locations==
The Voxx Cluster was the site of the Vranki's Hotel and Casino facility. Viewports in the casino offered a view of the nearby asteroid racing circuit, and the establishment's hologames were modeled after it. The perilous nature of the race course made it attractive to new pilots, who sought excitement in beating low odds of success and could prove their mettle against the hazards of the asteroid field.
The course was outfitted with several free-floating finish hoops—modified through the addition of a pair of cannons—as well as a pair of holoprojectors that together formed a holographic countdown screen for the competitors. In addition, to help ensure his racers' victory, Vranki employed several cannon emplacements positioned on the race course's asteroids as well as a number of free-floating magnetic mines that, upon activation, would pursue a specific racing craft through the asteroid field.
==Behind the scenes==
The Voxx Cluster was introduced in "The Voxx Vortex 5000," the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Star Wars Resistance. The episode was aired on December 1, 2019. Prior to the debut of "The Voxx Vortex 5000," the asteroid field was depicted in a trailer for Star Wars Resistance Season Two released on the official Star Wars YouTube channel on August 14 of the same year. On November 27, 2019, the Voxx Cluster was named in a preview of the episode released on the same channel. Lucasfilm Animation artist Jim Moore made a concept art illustration of the Voxx Cluster on April 6, 2018, while on March 24 of the same year, Aaron Pham created a concept art illustration of the exterior of the asteroid field's Vranki's Hotel and Casino.
===Concept art gallery===
==Appearances==
*The Living Force 
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==Sources==
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*Star Wars Resistance: Complete Season One 
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*Star Wars Galaxy Map
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*Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
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==Notes and references==
Category:Ash Worlds
Category:Outer Rim Territories asteroid fields
Category:Raceways
Category:The Slice asteroids