Amphor, also known as Orian IV, is a large gas giant in the Orian system. The planet was once a highly industrialised world and a source of much needed Tibana gas during the days of the old Sith Empire under the rule of the Sith Lord Urias Orian. The remains of several former colonies remain in the planet's skies, although most have long since fallen in toward the planet's core. There are similar ruins on many of the planet's moons.
The main settlement on the planet today is the Amphor Colony which is overseen by the Dlarit Police. In addition to the main colony in the upper atmosphere of Amphor itself, the Dlarit Corporation has several smaller operations on several of the moons.
Description
Like most gas giants, Amphor has a solid core made of metal followed by layers of metallic gases. Most of the layers of gas are poisonous, and the pressure and temperature are far above what a Human can tolerate. However from approximately 150 to 180 kilometers down from space, there is a habitable layer known as the Amphor Life Zone. This layer has an oxygen atmosphere with temperature and pressure suitable for Human life. The Amphor Colony is located in the life zone. Like most gas giants, Amphor has a number of moons, many of which have small mining outposts. However few of the moon outposts are self-sufficient and workmen usually have to shuttle back to the main colony between shifts. The upper atmosphere is home to a variety of fauna including tibannucks, velkers, rawwks, beldon and airborne algae sacks. Some of these animals can grow to considerable size and at times pilots have to be careful not to collide with them whe passing through the denser clouds.
History
Early history
Amphor was discovered by the Sith Empire more than five thousand years ago. It became the home of Urias Orian, a Sith Lord during the reign of Marka Ragnos. Urias Orian utilised the planet to aid the Sith war machine and the planet was once heavily industrialised with multiple floating cities and many of the moons colonised.
Few signs of the planet's history remain as most of the cities have fallen from the sky and no doubt been crushed beneath the gravitational pull closer to the planet's core. However there are still a few floating ruins, although it is generally considered unwise to go near should their repulsor engines finally choose to stop working.
Recent history
Amphor was rediscovered in 17 ABY when Trevarus Caerick discovered the Orian system. During the following two years as the clans prepared for the Exodus the Dlarit Corporation began diverting resources to the Orian system. The initial funding went toward constructing the primary mining city of Seng Karash on Aeotheran and the military town of Kar Alabrek near Alabrek Castle on Tarthos.
Initially a number of small mines were set up on some of the planet's moons with the workforce shuttling back and forth from Seng Karash each day. These outposts, such as the one found on Amphor 6 contained the bare minimum with all luxuries and living accommodation remaining on Aeotheran. As time went on Amphor's treasures started to appear more lucrative and construction of the Amphor Colony began in 21 ABY and was completed in early 23 ABY.
After the outbreak of the Yuuzhan Vong War in 25 ABY the Orian system was soon forced to take in refugees from nearby systems which had fallen to the extragalactic invaders. Though work was done to expand the borders of Seng Karash, the Amphor Colony was chosen to house the majority of the refugees.
Although the colony began as a grand venture the strain on the Dlarit Corporation's purse strings started to be felt with the growing number of refugees arriving. Life on the Amphor Colony became mean and short. The city had been forced to grow at an alarming pace and generally became rather ugly, the architecture being purely functional without the thought going into the design that had gone into Seng Karash on Aeotheran.
With the Brotherhood Civil War at the same time as the influx of refugees the Clan was forced to turn a blind eye to many of the problems developing on the colony. By 26 ABY there was little in the way of law and order and the lower levels had become home to Orian system's criminal elements with gambling dens where errant miners went to lose their pay on a regular basis. A number of refugees turned to crime, with streetwalkers and gang members preying on the honest workmen. Homicide started to become common and a suicidal jump down into the crushing gases of Amphor became the only way out for many.
The situation on the Amphor Colony did not improve during 27 ABY with losses during the Battle of Antei and the Invasion of Orian costing the Dlarit Security Force more men than it could afford and the colony remained a low priority. It was not until the turn of the year the Dlarit Corporation finally began taking the situation seriously and with the new fleet arriving in early 28 ABY men were needed who could not all be found in Seng Karash.
With construction ongoing on Tarthos to rebuild Kar Alabrek and men needed to restore the Dlarit Security Force to fighting condition since most of the veterans had already been transfered to the newly formed Dlarit Special Operations Group, Amphor Colony became seen as the solution to the corporation's problems. There were many refugees itching to get back in the action, eager to take the fight to the Yuuzhan Vong for having taken away their homes, and there was a mining colony the Dlarit Corporation wanted cleaned up.
The corporation installed Marshal Commander Xanos Zorrixor as military governor to clean up the colony. Members of the Dlarit Special Operations Group were assigned to shadow the Dlarit Police and bring an end to the criminality infesting the facility. Work is currently ongoing to bring the Amphor Colony up to the same standards expected in Seng Karash.