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Situated
in the heart of the galaxy, Coruscant was the seat of
government for the Galactic
Republic and the Empire that supplanted it. Over
thousands of years of civilization, the planet has been
entirely enveloped by cityscapes and urban sprawl.
Immense skyscrapers reach high into the atmosphere, and
stretch down deep into the dark shadows. Crisscrossing
the skyline are streams of unending repulsorlift
traffic. Even in the depths of night, Coruscant is alive
with glittering lights and rivers of traffic, a bustling
megalopolis that refuses to sleep.
Some of the most important decisions, affecting the
lives of trillions, have been made on Coruscant. It has
long been the center of government, and the site of
residence for the galaxy's Supreme Chancellor. From a
towering high-rise overlooking a gleaming range of
mountainous edifices, rulers such as Valorum
and Palpatine
have carefully plotted the future of the Republic.
Though the Chancellor steered the government, issues
were ultimately settled in the cavernous rotunda of the
Galactic
Senate. Thousands of Senators and galactic
representatives from the far-flung worlds of the
Republic would debate pressing issues and push forward
countless agendas.
As Coruscant was the center-point for decisions
affecting the massive engines of commerce in the galaxy,
it was also a nexus
of graft and corruption. Vast fortunes were spent to
ensure that corporations were allowed to operate without
profit-stunting restrictions. Entities such as the Trade
Federation and the Commerce
Guild held incredible sway over the inner workings
of Coruscant politics.
Removed from this corruption and encased in a
gleaming tower was the Jedi
High Council. Coruscant was home to the Jedi
Temple, and the august order was answerable to the
Senate, until Supreme Chancellor Palpatine assumed total
control of the Republic.
A quite different world exists beneath the shimmering
surface of the city-planet. In the lower levels, where
sunlight never reaches, is a haze of artificial lights
and flickering holograms, promising entertainment
catering to a myriad of alien species and the full
spectrum of morality. Citizens from above and below
intermix in countless establishments offering escape,
anonymity, jubilation and more than just a hint of
danger.
Insulated by layers of defenses, the citizenry of
Coruscant felt largely untouchable by the horrors of the
Clone Wars. Nonetheless, the threat of the enemy
provoked numerous changes on Coruscant in the name of
increased security. Huge stretches of cityscape were
transformed into military staging areas, and clone
troopers were everywhere. This made it all the more
of a shock when General
Grievous, leaders of the Separatist droid army,
staged a daring attack on the capital. He broke through
the barriers that protected the city planet, and managed
to kidnap Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The violent
strike resulted in the deaths of thousands of Coruscant
inhabitants.
Proving that danger lurked in every corner,
Chancellor Palpatine found it easy for the Senate to
accept his proclamation of a New Order -- a new
government that would stand for peace and security, as
the First Galactic
Empire. Coruscant continued as the capital of the
galaxy under this new regime.
