Death Star I

[Kitsune]

reading the Trash Compactor question made me think about the Death Star
1) They have prison cells and multiple groups of them. Who are in those prison cells? Are they crew which are being punished, people who just happened to stumble along the Death star and they got jailed, or what? Some might have been the crew of the Prinecess's ship but it sound slike there is far more cells than that.
2) How long has the death star been complete at that stage of the story and how long have they been building the frigging thing?
3) Related to the Beast Monster, with the Death star fairly recently comepleted, how long has that creature been on the station

[Ma Deuce]

1) They have prison cells and multiple groups of them. Who are in those prison cells? Are they crew which are being punished, people who just happened to stumble along the Death star and they got jailed, or what? Some might have been the crew of the Prinecess's ship but it sound slike there is far more cells than that.

Possibly they were used for all those purposes. Also remember that the Death Star is not just a superweapon, it is also a garrison for a massive number of stormtroopers. If the Death Star was called upon to conquer a planet rather than destroy it, the Imperials may find themselves with a large number of prisoners on their hands.

2) How long has the death star been complete at that stage of the story and how long have they been building the frigging thing?

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead. It was undoubtedly quite new at the beginning of ANH (at least quite recently completed). Remember the line "Until this battlestation is fully operational, we are vulnerable".

3) Related to the Beast Monster, with the Death star fairly recently comepleted, how long has that creature been on the station

You mean the Dianoga? Perhaps it was unwittingly brought to the construction site by a transport ship. Dianogas are (rather large) pests that infest garbage dumps throughout the Star Wars galaxy, and can spread to just about anywhere because their larvae are microscopic...
Since dianogas have proliferated across the galaxy from a single planet, it's not hard to see how they could have gotten aboard the Death Star when it was being built, considering that a good many freighters would have to be used to ferry supplies and materials to the site (Dianogas are also known to infest garbage dumps on starships).

[Kitsune]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead. It was undoubtedly quite new at the beginning of ANH (at least quite recently completed). Remember the line "Until this battlestation is fully operational, we are vulnerable".

Wookies labour would explain why they could have a Wookie prisoner transfer as well. Where did you get your informtion from?

[Tribun]

The Death Star was already finished in ANH, they were only still testing all functions, before they would give Tarkin green light for the beginning of the active duty of the Death Star. Remember that Tarkin got the Report :"The final inspection is over. All systems are fully operational." They were only testing before beginning (but knows god how long this takes with such a big beast).
By the way, they tested the superlaser a bit before ANH by destroying Despayre. This was some days before ANH, and is only seen in X-Wing, but is offical. (That is when you wonder why the Death Star is in empty space...they had already destroyed Despayre)

[Ma Deuce]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead. It was undoubtedly quite new at the beginning of ANH (at least quite recently completed). Remember the line "Until this battlestation is fully operational, we are vulnerable".

Wookies labour would explain why they could have a Wookie prisoner transfer as well. Where did you get your informtion from?

The EU novel "Darksaber".

[Tribun]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead. It was undoubtedly quite new at the beginning of ANH (at least quite recently completed). Remember the line "Until this battlestation is fully operational, we are vulnerable".

Wookies labour would explain why they could have a Wookie prisoner transfer as well. Where did you get your informtion from?

The EU novel "Darksaber".

That book is not one of the most releiable sources.....

[Ma Deuce]

Wookies labour would explain why they could have a Wookie prisoner transfer as well. Where did you get your informtion from?

The EU novel "Darksaber".

That book is not one of the most releiable sources.....

Yes, I know, but Darksaber is still an "official" EU novel (yes I know what you are talking about: the pathetically weak turbolasers). Frankly, the Imperial attack on the Jedi Academy was one of the stupidest things in the entire EU. Why did Pellaeon even bother landing troops? with 17 ISDs at his disposal, he could have probably BDZ'd Yavin 4 in less than five minutes, or at the very least flatten the entire Jedi Academy (and everone in it) with a single HTL blast...
I see no reason to doubt the Death Star construction story however, because it does not seem to contradict anything in the movies or the rest of the EU (unless I missed something)...

[nightmare]

reading the Trash Compactor question made me think about the Death Star
1) They have prison cells and multiple groups of them. Who are in those prison cells? Are they crew which are being punished, people who just happened to stumble along the Death star and they got jailed, or what? Some might have been the crew of the Prinecess's ship but it sound slike there is far more cells than that.

It appears that large Imperial capital ships have holding cells, Executors do, and I would expect ISDs as well. Probably due to anti-pirate work, capturing scruffy-looking smugglers, etc. One might also assume that a lot of holding cells may be in need after any won battle. So it isn't strange that the DS has a lot of prison cells, it has the room for it.

2) How long has the death star been complete at that stage of the story and how long have they been building the frigging thing?

Undetermined. This might be something we get a better grasp of after EP3. The DS shouldn't be finished in it, but if we get to know how far that DS plans have gone, and how long before ANH it takes place, we can work it out.

3) Related to the Beast Monster, with the Death star fairly recently comepleted, how long has that creature been on the station

Unknown. However I'm going to quote sw.com on this:

"The dianoga is a disgusting garbage parasite that infests the refuse systems of large Imperial installations and warships."

-z-

"Over the course of millennia, dianogas have propagated to distant worlds in their microscopic larval forms."

-z-

"Though almost universally reviled, dianogas are not always hunted since they do provide a service, ridding waste of biological materials and leaving salvageable minerals and metals behind. Upon discovery, a dianoga is allowed to continue feeding until it becomes big enough to pose a threat. Since there is no shortage of garbage in the galaxy, giant dianogas are a frighteningly common threat in the depths of large metropolitan areas."

So it depends on how long it took for it to grow to 10 m size. I'd guess not very long since the DS would presumably have lots of waste.

[Dorsk 81]

reading the Trash Compactor question made me think about the Death Star
1) They have prison cells and multiple groups of them. Who are in those prison cells? Are they crew which are being punished, people who just happened to stumble along the Death star and they got jailed, or what? Some might have been the crew of the Prinecess's ship but it sound slike there is far more cells than that.

For a battle station that big then assume there were multiple prision cells. My assumtion is based on the people that were fleeing Alderean and people that were going to Alderean (i.e. Han, Luke, Ben), they would need some where to put them.

2) How long has the death star been complete at that stage of the story and how long have they been building the frigging thing?

We'll find out in Episode III.

3) Related to the Beast Monster, with the Death star fairly recently comepleted, how long has that creature been on the station

Well, the creature knows it's job by Episode IV, so it's got to have been there a while unless it's under Vader influence, but it still know to retreat to it's "hole" when the trash compactor compacts, that means it could have been there awhile, unless it's learned that, unless (again) the beast is under the influence of Vader or has been controled in some way, maybe by an electric colar or some other way.

[Drooling Iguana]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead.

In the commentary track to Attack of the Clones, George Lucas said that the Death Star was built by Geonosians.

[Stofsk]

Did he mention how long it took them to build the thing? I wonder if we will see a prototype battlestation in Episode 3. Part me of hopes we don't.

[Mitth`raw`nuruodo]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead.

In the commentary track to Attack of the Clones, George Lucas said that the Death Star was built by Geonosians.

o.o

That's a nice way to shit all over the EU. I didn't know that.

[Stormbringer]

I'm not certain how long it took to build, considering the initial work detail were incompetant convicts from Despayre who did an unsatisfactory job, so the Empire switched to Wookie slaves instead.

In the commentary track to Attack of the Clones, George Lucas said that the Death Star was built by Geonosians.

o.o

That's a nice way to shit all over the EU. I didn't know that.

We don't know exactly what that means. It's possible Geonosians built the materials and provided most of the expertise of it and the Wookies were just crude labor.

[Murazor]

Certainly, Attack of the Clones is pretty clear about who designed the fucking Superlaser and the giant moon-sized battlestation... As a question, what would have the Separatist done with a Death Star?

[Sarevok]

Did he mention how long it took them to build the thing? I wonder if we will see a prototype battlestation in Episode 3. Part me of hopes we don't.

Count Dooku was seen carrying plans for the Death Star in Episode 2. So there may be references to the Death Star in Episode 3. A prototype battlestation is unlikely though since the Death Star was only completed right before ANH.

[GySgt. Hartman]

I dimly remember EU reference to a prototype DS (only the superlaser and the skeleton), somewhere in the galactic core.

[Knife]

I dimly remember EU reference to a prototype DS (only the superlaser and the skeleton), somewhere in the galactic core.

The Maw, actualy. It was a proof of concept, only a frame work and the power core and super laser. It was in the Jedi Academy trilogy.

As for the Geonosions, its possible they continued their work on the battlestation for the GE. It is not like Geonosia ceased to exsist after AotC and they do have quite a large industrial complex built up. Its possible that twenty or so years after their uprising, Palpatine turn to them for initial production of materials and shit for a construction project at Despayre.

[Solauren]

Actually, the 'uprising' was at Palpatine's command, so why wouldn't just use them from the begining?

[Knife]

Actually, the 'uprising' was at Palpatine's command, so why wouldn't just use them from the begining?

Palpy needed the Sepertists for threat, though he controled both sides, so he could gobble up more power. That doesn't mean necessarily that he wouldn't go back to the Geonosians later for their expertise in the matter. After all, they did come up with the original plans for the Death Star, so I don't see any reason why Palpy wouldn't use Geonosis in some way 15-20 years after the Sepertist movment.

[Sarevok]

Palpatinees strategy of winning the clone war was an interesting one. He controlled both sides so by manupaliting them he could affect the outcome of the war as he chooses.

[PainRack]

Yes, I know, but Darksaber is still an "official" EU novel (yes I know what you are talking about: the pathetically weak turbolasers). Frankly, the Imperial attack on the Jedi Academy was one of the stupidest things in the entire EU. Why did Pellaeon even bother landing troops? with 17 ISDs at his disposal, he could have probably BDZ'd Yavin 4 in less than five minutes, or at the very least flatten the entire Jedi Academy (and everone in it) with a single HTL blast...
I see no reason to doubt the Death Star construction story however, because it does not seem to contradict anything in the movies or the rest of the EU (unless I missed something)...

The Imperial attack was neccesary, as Daala wanted Jedi as propganda hostages. However, the means of doing so was idiotic. Who was it that once commented that Daala was adequate stragetically, but hopelessly incompetent in the command of troops and tactics?

The Death Star construction story has a few holes in it, although its surivivable.