Sacred docks

The sacred docks were docks on the Inner Rim planet Pijal built to house the world's revered soulcraft vessels, managed by the planet's serving Skykeeper. Constructed several millennia before the Republic Era, the docks operated for centuries, serving as a hub for departing ceremonial vessels heading into Pijal's atmosphere on trips into space. Following his appointment in 48 BBY, Pijal's Jedi regent, Rael Averross, ceded much of the monarchy's power to the Czerka Corporation operating on the planet. By then, the world's serving Skykeeper had started accepting bribes from the company to allow them to commercially operate out of the sacred docks. Pijal's crown princess Fanry was appalled by his dereliction of duty and Averross's actions as regent.
Shortly before Fanry's coronation in 40 BBY, Czerka Sector Supervisor Meritt Col indicated her company's interest in gaining more access to the docks for commercial use, though the princess was unenthused by the prospect. After ascending the throne as absolute monarch by force at her crowning, the queen stabbed her Skykeeper with her ceremonial sword for accepting Czerka's bribes to access the sacred docks.
==Description==
The sacred docks were a set of docks on the Inner Rim planet Pijal that housed the world's ceremonial soulcraft ships. The docks, which operated under the control of the world's serving Skykeeper and the Pijali monarchy, were also capable of accommodating other types of vessels, including commercial craft.
==History==
===Ceremonial usage===
Several millennia before the Republic Era, Pijal's first settlers traveled to the world on soulcraft. Not long afterward, the Pijali built docks for their ceremonial vessels and established the Skykeeper religious position to manage the facilities as part of the planet's Force-worshipping religion. Over time, the sacred docks saw continued use as Pijal became a prosperous planet under the leadership of the absolutist Pijali monarchy ruling the world's citizens. Several centuries after the settlers' initial arrival on Pijal, the explosion of a star formed the Byrnum Maw nebula and disrupted the hyperspace routes connecting the world's region of space to the wider galaxy. As Pijal's economic prosperity dwindled, the Pijali continued using their soulcraft, often embarking on short religious excursions into the planet's atmosphere to feel the weightlessness of space and remind Pijali of their planet's beauty. The docks for the vessels remained operational during this time period, even as the Czerka Corporation gained significant political influence over the world's monarchy and its operations.
In 48 BBY,Star Wars: Timelines places the events of Master & Apprentice in 40 BBY. Star Wars: Timelines also dates Rael Averross's regency assignment to Pijal, which Master & Apprentice established took place immediately following the death of the world's monarch, to 48 BBY. the monarch ruling Pijal died, resulting in the Jedi High Council sending the Jedi Rael Averross to serve as a lord regent for the world's young crown princess, Fanry. Averross began ceding much of the monarchy's power to the Czerka Corporation, allowing the company to enslave some Pijali citizens who had committed relatively minor crimes. By this time, the Pijali native serving as Skykeeper began accepting bribes from Czerka and let them use sacred soulcraft docks for commercial use. Fanry discovered this and was furious at the Skykeeper's dereliction of duty but opted not to report her newfound knowledge, as she felt Averross would not care. Over the following years, the sacred docks continued operating as a hub for Pijali soulcraft trips into space, often including both free and enslaved passengers.
As Fanry's fourteenth birthday approached, the princess prepared for her upcoming coronation by secretly organizing part of her royal guards into the blackguard soldier group to launch attacks across the Pijal system, hoping to avoid signing the Governance Treaty motion that would render the Pijali monarchy relatively powerless. By this time, large numbers of Pijali citizens had been forced into enslavement over the years of Averross's regency, though the company still allowed them to partake in soulcraft voyages departing from the docks.
===Skykeeper confrontation===
In 40 BBY, a soulcraft departed from the docks and embarked on a journey to Pijal's atmosphere but was attacked by a blackguard plasma bomb mid-flight. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, eventually managed to douse the plasma fires sparked by the bomb with the help of an antiplasma charge deployed by the Meryx, a Gozanti-class cruiser owned by jewel thieves Pax Maripher and Rahara Wick, leaving the vessel to return to the docks. After the Jedi pair's arrival, Fanry realized her blackguards' attacks alone would not stop the Governance Treaty's signing, prompting her to prepare to ascend the throne as an absolute monarch by force.
Not long after, at a pre-coronation party, Czerka Sector Supervisor Meritt Col discussed the possibility of her company being granted further access to the sacred docks for commercial use. Fanry calmly sipped her glass of fruit punch despite her hatred of the woman, replying noncommittally. Days later, Fanry seized absolute power at her coronation and berated her Skykeeper for taking bribes from Czerka to allow the company to use the sacred docks for commercial purposes. The newly-crowned queen stabbed the religious leader with her ceremonial sword for his offenses against the monarchy, leaving him severely injured. However, following Fanry's abdication a few days later, the Pijali monarchy was formed into a democratic Assembly. The new Assembly was headed by the Pijali Minister Orth, a woman who hoped to continue Pijal's many traditions, including the sacred docks' usage for ceremonial soulcraft trips.
==Behind the scenes==
The sacred docks were mentioned in Master & Apprentice, a 2019 novel written by Claudia Gray.
==Appearances==
*Master & Apprentice 
==Notes and references==
Category:Docking bays
Category:Inner Rim structures
Category:Pijal locations