The Alderaanian Refuge, a subterranean complex, was situated far below the surface of Sullust, a planet known for its volcanic activity. Following their departure from their homeworld of Alderaan, a group of Alderaanians constructed this haven after purchasing the land from the indigenous Sullustans. Initially, their purpose was to enrich the local culture and provide educational opportunities, but the Refuge's role shifted to that of a sanctuary after the Galactic Empire annihilated Alderaan as a demonstration of the Death Star's destructive power. Jora Astane, a Preserver, assumed leadership of the Alderaanian community on Sullust in the aftermath of Alderaan's obliteration.
Shortly after Alderaan's destruction, Princess Leia Organa, serving as an ambassador for the Rebel Alliance, journeyed to the complex with the intention of locating and safeguarding the survivors of the catastrophe. However, unbeknownst to Organa, Tace, an Alderaanian girl within her entourage, was unknowingly acting as a spy, divulging their location to the Empire. In response, the Empire dispatched an Imperial strike force with orders to eliminate the Alderaanians. This assault was thwarted by Organa's team, aided by a pack of rockrenders whose actions inflicted considerable damage upon the complex. Subsequently, Astane and her people allied themselves with Organa, evacuating the Refuge with the assistance of Nien Nunb, a Sullustan smuggler.
The Alderaanian Refuge comprised a network of cave systems situated far beneath the surface of Sullust, the volcanic planet, specifically to the south of the Mayjein Eruption. The complex incorporated a number of expansive chambers, one of which was particularly large, accommodating several structures designed in the Alderaanian architectural style, arranged around a series of magma pools. A command center, positioned near the cave's ceiling within an alcove, provided a vantage point overlooking the buildings. From this location, Jora Astane, the Preserver responsible for safeguarding the remnants of Alderaan's culture, along with other technicians such as Bornae and Astane's aide, Covis, monitored the movement of individuals in and out of the complex.
The Refuge possessed multiple entry points, including auxiliary hatch three, which was sealed from within and connected to a lengthy tunnel leading from the exterior of the complex to an antechamber. Due to the Empire's mercilessness, the Alderaanians prioritized security, incorporating multiple surveillance rooms equipped with holoprojectors, datascreens, and concealed weapon caches. The most significant of these was the Eyewell, a spiraling descent extending deep underground, located directly beneath the Preserver's command center. Within the Eyewell, numerous computer stations were staffed and monitored by Alderaanians, utilizing the security equipment to oversee the Refuge, the surface of Sullust, and even Sullust's moon.
The entire complex was constructed above Mine 3601, a mine. A natural waterway, alongside a magma river, traversed the mine. Following the Refuge's completion and the Alderaanians' relocation, the mine and waterway became contaminated with debris and waste from the complex. A group of rockrenders, large, orange-colored creatures native to the caves, inhabited the mine, subsisting on mineral deposits found within the caverns.
Sometime during the Galactic Empire's reign, a group of Alderaanians constructed the Alderaanian Refuge within a vast cave system situated south of the Mejien Eruption. These Alderaanians combined their resources to purchase the land from the native Sullustans, hoping to remain undetected by the Imperials, who maintained a presence on the planet, extracting minerals and producing Imperial weaponry and war machines at the SoruSuub Centroplex weapons factory. The Refuge's inhabitants erected numerous structures and expanded several caves to increase the complex's size. They had migrated to Sullust with the intention of providing cultural enrichment, artistic expression, education, and sustenance to the local population.
During the era of the Galactic Civil War, the homeworld of Alderaan was obliterated by the Empire as a demonstration of the Death Star's capabilities. Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan had been forced to witness her homeworld's destruction. Consequently, she embarked on a mission to rescue Alderaanian survivors throughout the galaxy, defying direct orders from her superiors in the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
Following the destruction of their homeworld, the complex's inhabitants grew increasingly paranoid, as the Empire actively hunted down Alderaanians. As a result, they heightened security measures and severed external communications. Tivvy, a native Sullustan smuggler, even asserted that the Alderaanians had become mentally unstable in their desperate attempt to remain hidden. Organa, accompanied by her pilot Evaan Verlaine and her astromech droid R2-D2, arrived on Sullust, landing near the Refuge's auxiliary hatch three in a T-1 shuttle. They encountered Tivvy, who guided them into the complex through the auxiliary hatch. Their arrival was detected by Preserver Jora Astane, who recognized the Princess; however, she considered Organa a traitor for suspiciously surviving Alderaan's destruction. Consequently, the Preserver ordered a rifle squad to apprehend the Princess. Organa and her team quickly subdued the squad and were escorted deeper into the complex to meet the Preserver. The two parties reached a tentative agreement, and Astane led them on a tour of the Refuge, eventually reaching the Eyewell.
While they were in the Eyewell, word arrived that an Imperial cruiser was nearby and had dispatched a Sentinel-class landing craft to assault the complex. Covis had intercepted the signal, tracing its origin to the T-1 shuttle, when in reality, the message was between two sisters: Tace and Tula. Tace had been trying to arrange a meeting with her sister, but Tula, who had become an Imperial officer, intended to capture Organa at the behest of Commander Dreed, her commanding officer aboard the Star Destroyer where she was stationed. Astane ordered her subordinates to eliminate Organa and her team, but she and Verlaine fled into the Eyewell, prompting the Preserver to order her squads to cease fire to avoid damaging the equipment and computers. Organa used a computer to send a message to the Lord Junn, a starship carrying the Melodic Order, a group of Alderaanian musicians Organa had recently rescued from Naboo, which was in orbit above Sullust. Subsequently, the Imperial landing craft touched down, and its stormtrooper platoon began drilling through the ground into the Refuge.
Organa, Artoo, and Verlaine escaped through the bottom of the Eyewell into Mine 3601. They were dismayed by the pollution and disorder caused by the Alderaanians. The Preserver anticipated the Imperial troops would invade through auxiliary hatch three and stationed her troops there. However, the stormtroopers breached the ceiling above the troops' location and rappelled into the chamber while firing on the Alderaanians. Meanwhile, Artoo piloted a repulsorcraft, sped down a cavern, and began herding several rockrenders through the cavern wall into the chamber where the fighting was taking place. The imposing rockrenders easily breached the wall and devoured the stormtroopers, drawn to the minerals in their armor. Soon, the Imperials were all dead, the rockrenders had departed, and Astane pledged her allegiance to Princess Leia. Immediately afterward, the Alderaanians, aided by another Sullustan smuggler named Nien Nunb, fled Sullust.
The Alderaan Enclave made its debut in Princess Leia 3, the third installment of Marvel Comics' five-part miniseries penned by Mark Waid, with artwork by Terry Dodson. The issue was released on April 29, 2015, following a two-week postponement. The miniseries was crafted with input from the Lucasfilm Story Group.
The term "Alderaan Enclave" was never uttered by any character within the issue. It was solely referred to as the "compound" or the "enclave" in dialogue. However, external narrator text identified it as the Alderaan Enclave early in the issue.