Groshik

Groshik was a Neimoidian cantina owner on the mining world of Apatros in the decades leading up to the Battle of Ruusan in 1000 BBY. He operated the cantina in Apatros' only colony. In 1003 BBY, Groshik helped one of his friends, a miner named Dessel, escape arrest after killing a Galactic Republic ensign in self-defense over a game of sabacc. Groshik used one of his contacts affiliated with the Sith to get Dessel smuggled off-world, where he joined the Sith army. Dessel eventually became the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Bane.
==Biography==
Groshik, a Neimoidian bartender, owned and operated the lone cantina in the only colony on the mining world of Apatros. The planet and colony were controlled by the Outer Rim Oreworks Company mining corporation. Groshik made his cantina's interior look ostentatious and tacky, proclaiming that he did so to offend the ORO powers-that-be. This sentiment made him very popular with the cortosis miners who frequented his cantina, as many of them were stuck working for ORO because of debts and resented the company. To maximize profit at his cantina, Groshik spread his cantina's operating hours to cover both mining shifts, so he could serve the night-crew workers before they started and the day-crew workers after their shift was over. His routine never varied and was well-known to all the miners on Apatros.
In 1003 BBY,The Essential Reader's Companion dates the events of Star Wars: Darth Bane Trilogy from 1003 BBY to 980 BBY. As Darth Bane: Path of Destruction is the trilogy's first installment, and the section of the novel including Groshik occurs before the novel's events move forward to a different point in time, its appearance must have been in 1003 BBY. Groshik's cantina was visited by members of the crew of a Galactic Republic cargo ship that had come to Apatros to collect cortosis from the mines. Afterward, one of the miners, Dessel—a Human male who was Groshik's friend—visited the cantina upon being suspended from the mines when he bit the thumb off a miner named Gerd during a fight. Dessel played a game of sabacc with some of the Republic officers in the ORO-operated gaming room of the establishment and was accused of cheating by an angry Republic ensign when he won a seemingly impossible hand. A commotion ensued, and Groshik quickly ended it by firing his BlasTech CS-33 Firespray stun rifle into the ceiling and ordering everyone to leave the cantina. However, he told Dessel to stay, and the two cleaned up the cantina. Groshik also told Dessel that he had been projecting waves of anger and hate while he was playing sabacc, helping to incite the riot.
After Dessel left the cantina, he was attacked by three Republic soldiers, including the ensign who had accused him of cheating, but Dessel fought back and killed the ensign in self-defense. Dessel raced back to the cantina, where Groshik let him in. Dessel told Groshik how he had killed the ensign and that the authorities would surely arrest him shortly. Since Dessel would serve in a penal colony if he was found by ORO, Groshik made arrangements with some of his contacts in the Sith to smuggle him off-world. Dessel was extremely grateful that Groshik had helped him, and he went on to fight in the Sith army in the New Sith Wars upon escaping Apatros. Dessel served with distinction, and, once his Force-sensitivity was discovered, he became Darth Bane, one of the most influential Dark Lords of the Sith in galactic history.
==Personality and traits==
A red-eyed Neimoidian, Groshik was a very hardworking being, one who never varied his daily routine. He was business-savvy and was able to configure his cantina's hours to serve the most people and maximize profits. He was good friends with Dessel and liked him because he had seen him grow from a young boy into a man. He would pour out drinks like Cortyg brandy for Dessel on occasion, whereby if Dessel did not ask for it, he did not have to pay for the drink. Groshik kept his political opinions to himself and, while he allowed political discussions in his cantina, always refused to take sides. Groshik was known for firing his stun rifle whenever things got out of hand at his cantina, such as during the near-riot after Dessel's sabacc game. The Neimoidian held some resentment toward ORO; he intentionally made his cantina look as garish as possible to irritate them, and he broke company rules by helping Dessel escape Apatros.
==Behind the scenes==
Groshik appeared in Drew Karpyshyn's 2006 novel, Darth Bane: Path of Destruction.
==Appearances==
*Darth Bane: Path of Destruction 
==Sources==
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
==Notes and references==
Category:Apatros residents
Category:Bartenders
Category:Individuals of unspecified gender
Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns
Category:Neimoidians