Civilians on the Death Star?

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2003-04-25 03:50pm

I only just found out about civilians being on the DS1.

Was this a totally stupid idea? Considering the nature of the DS1 and the rebels interest in it, was having hundreds, if not thousands of civilians stationed on board idiocy of the highest degree, considering the scope for intelligence and internal sabotarge of the station had lived long enough for the rebels to sneek a few agents undercover as merchandisers?

Also, in a combat situation, is having thousands of civilians on board really a good idea?

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2003-04-25 03:51pm

Yes, they were civilians, but they were also employees of the defense contractors that built the battlestation...

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-04-25 03:56pm

The DS is just like any modern warship design that has just left port in a hurry in that it still had workmen onbroad still fine-tuning the equipment.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-04-25 03:57pm

Admiral Johnason wrote:The DS is just like any modern warship design that has just left port in a hurry in that it still had workmen onbroad still fine-tuning the equipment.

Like the King George V during her battle with the Bismarck...the civvie techs
were still on board...

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-04-25 04:02pm

I thought the independent contractors were only on board the Death Star II when it got destroyed?

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-04-25 04:02pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Admiral Johnason wrote:The DS is just like any modern warship design that has just left port in a hurry in that it still had workmen onbroad still fine-tuning the equipment.
Like the King George V during her battle with the Bismarck...the civvie techs
were still on board...

Exactly, but also like how American warships carry some civilies to work on some systems.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2003-04-25 05:22pm

Um, no. SW.com says that the DS carried parks, shopping malls etc, so the stations civilian population dealt with gardening, merchandising etc.

Seems against the normal view that the Empire is totally against civilians on its warships.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2003-04-25 05:25pm

ALI_G wrote:Um, no. SW.com says that the DS carried parks, shopping malls etc, so the stations civilian population dealt with gardening, merchandising etc.

Seems against the normal view that the Empire is totally against civilians on its warships.

Perhaps droids are classified as civillians? I totally agree, it is out of character and illogical, but there are sources that have them present on Star Destroyers as well. But if droids were considered civillians (maybe not citizens, but since they aren't built for combat civillians none the less) it would be explainable.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-04-25 05:31pm

Well, look at it this way, the Death Star is basically its own planet. Now you can waste troops or droids neccesary to keep the station in order to run the many shops, resteraunts, and other conveniences that must be placed there, or you can hire some civilians who need a job and don't mind putting themselves in danger to help run the local economy of the mighty battlestation.

Its possible that ISDs and other warships work in a similar matter; although I can't be sure about that, considering that ISDs probably have small enough crews (by SW standards, anyways) that the whole thing can be run by them.

TrekWarsie · Post by **TrekWarsie** » 2003-04-25 05:41pm

Actually, it would be a great idea for propaganda purposes to have civilians on the Death Star. If the rebels destroyed it, which they did, the Empire could say that the rebels didn't care about the civilians on Imperial worlds at all and that the rebels may have targeted it because it did have civilians on it.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2003-04-25 05:53pm

TrekWarsie wrote:Actually, it would be a great idea for propaganda purposes to have civilians on the Death Star. If the rebels destroyed it, which they did, the Empire could say that the rebels didn't care about the civilians on Imperial worlds at all and that the rebels may have targeted it because it did have civilians on it.

That didn't seem to happen though. Blame the Imperial propaganda agency.

Or maybe those on board were viewed as collaberaters by 'rebel' civilians?

I don't think driods would be viewed as civilians. The way droids are treated by the Empire leads me to believe that they wouldn't class them the same as real people. Any EU clues here ppl?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-25 06:12pm

Is the SW Databank the only place that says the Death Star held civilians? If so, I wouldn't take it as fact, because the Databank is frequently wrong.

I don't see why the Empire would have large numbers of civilians on the Death Star.

1) Too much liability. If one Rebel sneaks in as an Imperial civvie (which would be easier to do than to sneak in as a stormtrooper), the results would have been disastrous.

2) About the propaganda idea; the Imperials were not planning on having the Death Star destroyed, ever, so why bother putting civilians for the purpose of using their deaths as propaganda in the event of the destruction of the station?

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2003-04-25 06:28pm

On the other hand, there being civillians present is about the only way to explain why Han, Luke, and Co were able to walk past those officers withot any problems.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-04-25 06:30pm

Ender wrote:On the other hand, there being civillians present is about the only way to explain why Han, Luke, and Co were able to walk past those officers withot any problems.

I thought the reason for that was because they were going to be tracked. And they were in disguise.

mauldooku · Post by **mauldooku** » 2003-04-25 07:03pm

Did they ever walk by any officers after ditching the disguise (in other words, after the garbage-chute incident?)

IIRC, they didn't.

But yes, they were being tracked, and this is probably why the Imperials didn't just call in a legion to the position of the garbage chute.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2003-04-25 07:09pm

http://www.sfdebris.com/swimages/cap19.jpg

Where did this picture the ASVSers altered come from then?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-25 07:14pm

There are probably some civilian technicians from the designer's f major components, its quite common for the US military at least to bring such people along on the early deployments of new systems to handle faults and collect data. Some officers might have their families aboard, but I doubt the total numbers are very significant.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-25 07:20pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Admiral Johnason wrote:The DS is just like any modern warship design that has just left port in a hurry in that it still had workmen onbroad still fine-tuning the equipment.
Like the King George V during her battle with the Bismarck...the civvie techs
were still on board...

I'm almost certain she didn't have civilian aboard. The POW however had about three hundred onboard, and Rodney had her decks covered in equipment and parts since she had been due to leave for a refit at Norfolk.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2003-04-25 07:20pm

I thought the databank was official? If not then this thread is worthless!

SW canon can be confusing sometimes.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-04-25 07:25pm

Where did this picture the ASVSers altered come from then?

It has to be Photoshopped.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-25 07:30pm

ALI_G wrote:I thought the databank was official? If not then this thread is worthless!

SW canon can be confusing sometimes.

It's littered with errors and its canonicity is undetermined.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-04-25 08:00pm

ALI_G wrote:I only just found out about civilians being on the DS1.

Was this a totally stupid idea? Considering the nature of the DS1 and the rebels interest in it, was having hundreds, if not thousands of civilians stationed on board idiocy of the highest degree, considering the scope for intelligence and internal sabotarge of the station had lived long enough for the rebels to sneek a few agents undercover as merchandisers?

Also, in a combat situation, is having thousands of civilians on board really a good idea?

Those aren't families, they are employees.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-04-25 08:01pm

ALI_G wrote:Um, no. SW.com says that the DS carried parks, shopping malls etc, so the stations civilian population dealt with gardening, merchandising etc.

Seems against the normal view that the Empire is totally against civilians on its warships.

You forget about the circus with the bear and the bearded lady.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2003-04-25 08:03pm

Ender wrote:http://www.sfdebris.com/swimages/cap19.jpg

Where did this picture the ASVSers altered come from then?

Um, maybe from the lunch break in the set?

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-04-25 08:56pm

HemlockGrey wrote:
Where did this picture the ASVSers altered come from then?
It has to be Photoshopped.

No, I remember seeing this picture in Star Wars Insider a few years ago. It was a scene cut from ANH where they are walking along and act nonchalant to try and pass by the Imperial officers.

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Civilians on the Death Star?

Civilians on the Death Star?

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