"A galactic aquarium experience." (This is Star Wars fanfiction for a fan novel in Panhistoria, an online roleplay.)
Inner Orbit
"We're Hot!"
The lifeforms featured in this exhibit come from planets that are very near their primary, are under gravitational stress from gas giants, or are primarily volcanic in nature.
So you thought life could not exist in lava lakes and oceans? Think again!
Eol Sha (Outer Rim P–3)
This planet orbits its primary once every 326 local days. A day lasts 19 standard hours. It is closer to its primary than some planets.
Bugdillos are multilegged crustaceans with glossy black shells. They live in crevasses near hot geysers. The local colonists hunt them with spears. Their pink meat is nicely sour.
Fireworms or lava dragons are crystalized silicon lifeforms that thrive in lava pools. Their crystalized scales protect them from the lava. But that's not all that's protected. Their armored gullets also allow them to suck up lava and spit it out at their enemies. They eat other reptiles that live in the lava pools. But don't worry about getting lava thrown at you. Our lava dragons are holograms.
Flora includes Eol Sha lichen, which thrives on the heat and minerals found on the volcanic planet. The lichen grows in crevasses near geysers, where they are protected from direct contact with scalding water. Eol Sha lichen is edible, after a suitable amount of processing.
Mustafar, Atravis Sector, Outer rim (L–19)
This planet, in the distant Outer Rim, regularly makes the list of worst planets to live on. It orbits its primary once every 412 standard days. Once upon a time it was an inhabited garden world. Now it is slowly being torn in two by two neighboring gas giants, Jestefad and Lefrani. Over time the native life, including sentient life, have adapted to the nightmarish conditions. The local Mustafarians mine the lava for their rich minerals. Other surviving life include:
Lava fleas – 4.6 meters tall, red, insects. They can travel across lava streams and leap up to 30 meters. They have tough exoskeletons and can be used as mounts.
Kubaza Beetles are giant beetles that live in the caverns of Mustafar, where they are protected from the worst of the heat. They live on minerals and ores. Kubaza beetles explode when attacked. But don't worry! Their dark enclosures are dim and sound proof so they can not see or hear you and they are kept safely behind force fields.
Jawenko Lava Beasts are giant, dragonlike creatures. They produce Nkllonian lava extract from liquid xonolite. Our Jawenko Lava Beasts are holograms.
Sher Karss, monster-sized scorpion-liked creatures, are the top predator on Mustafar. We keep them safely behind force fields.
Nkllon (Expansion Region, L–16)
This airless planets of volcanoes and crater fields has an orbital period of only 5 days. It rotates once every 3.527 hours.
Lava worms are serpentine creatures that live in the lava pools of Nkllon.
Shola (Outer Rim, U–14)
This planet is known for its magma rivers, volcanic crevasses, mining shafts, and ancient ruins.
The magma snakes of Shola are one of the survivors of an ancient cataclysm. The cataclysm has led to constant groundquakes, corrosive air, and a volcanic landscape. Despite the hot exterior, the core is made of icy gas. Did the inhabitants overmine their planet? If only the magma snakes could talk; perhaps then we would know.
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