Ruaha

Overview
The moon of Ruaha was a small, craggy, isolated moon in the Chommell Sector. The moon had no atmosphere and as a result, supported no known native species of plants or animals. During the Galactic Civil War, the Glaston Pirates built a base on the planets surface.

Astrological Information
Considered by most to be an isolated, desolate place, Ruaha was simply a mark on a map, and not even all maps at that. Some star charts did not even list the moon due to the fact that it posed little commercial, scientific, of defensive purposes.

Rocky, jagged outcroppings and a lack of any sort of atmosphere prevented any development or colonization. Extremely harsh differences between the sunlight hours, where the temperatures rose to well over 100 degrees, to extremely cold nights with temperatures dropping to -50 degrees below zero also prevented any kind of settlements.

Glaston Pirates and Arrow Squad
Sometime in 2 BBY, members of the brigand group, the Glaston Pirates began building a secret base on the surface of Ruaha. Led by Ras Moltar and Farina, the pirates built a large enough facility to house their ships and personnel. Several large outbuildings, blasted deep into and below the surface of the moon provided the majority of the base's functions. They also built anti-aircraft turrets to defend against attackers.

Perhaps the most interesting installation on Ruaha was the gravity well technology that had been stolen by Solstar and his band some years before. Using this experimental and dangerous technology, the pirates were able to pull unsuspecting ships out of hyperspace and attack them without warning. It was this gravity well technology that helped to start the Battle of Ruaha.

The Rebel Alliance had dispatched Arrow Squadron to the Chommell Sector in 2 ABY to route out the pirates. During some long range scans of the region, using some tricks known to former smugglers and pirates in their ranks, the Arrows had located the pirate base on Ruaha. Planning a surprise attack, the Arrows masked their signals, simulating those of a larger corvette. The Arrows believed that the pirates would not attack such a large ship.

The pirates, however, believed that another ship had fallen into their trap. Using the gravity well, they pulled what they believed would be the corvette from hyperspace. Both the Pirates and Arrow Squadron were surprised by the move and the battle was joined.