In the year 18 BBY, former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano established a resistance group on Raada, a moon situated in the Outer Rim. This group participated in an uprising against the recent Imperial takeover of the moon. However, they were compelled to flee with the assistance of Bail Organa and his own resistance group.
A little over a year following both the downfall of the Jedi Order and the ascent of the Galactic Empire, Jenneth Pilar, an Imperial official, decided to take advantage of Raada as a source of crops for the Imperial Military. This decision was based on Raada's small population and its remote location from systems Pilar considered significant, viewing the moon as a disposable asset. Pilar's plan was to exploit the planet's agricultural communities to cultivate a crop that served as the main ingredient in an Imperial nutritional supplement. This crop would also deplete the soil's nutrients, preventing any future crop growth for numerous seasons after the harvest.
Shortly after the Empire unexpectedly occupied the moon, Ahsoka Tano, using the alias "Ashla" and working as a mechanic in the main settlement, convened with her friends Kaeden, Miara, Hoban, Neera, and Vartan. They expressed their discontent with the new occupation while playing a game of crokin, and discussed strategies to expel the Imperial forces from their world. Upon their arrival, an Imperial announcement was posted in Selda's Cantina, outlining strict regulations, including bans on large gatherings, night curfews for residents, and restrictions on food, alcohol, and the cantina's operating hours. Following this, Ahsoka advised the local farmers to start accumulating rations.
The subsequent evening, Ahsoka and her companions continued their discussion about the situation, seeking a way to liberate their world from Imperial control. Hoban proposed using explosives to deter the Empire, but Ahsoka countered, arguing that it would only prompt the Empire to send reinforcements to the moon. Tano learned from the farmers that the Empire was increasing the workers' shifts by two hours and importing a large quantity of seeds. The group deduced that these seeds would be used to produce crops at the expense of the local labor force. Later that night, a local farmer named Tibbola engaged in a drunken argument with an Imperial officer, who then ordered the man's execution by an accompanying stormtrooper, shocking the patrons inside the cantina.