Shikaakwa

A single moon orbited Shikaakwa, a planet situated within the Tython system in the Deep Core region of the galaxy. It held the seventh orbital position around its sun, Tythos, possessed a breathable atmosphere, and its surface was a mix of landmasses and expansive oceans. Birds also populated Shikaakwa. The Cloud Chaser vehicles were used for transportation within the planet's atmospheric environment.

More than a millennium after 36,453 BBY, Shikaakwa was colonized by non–Force-sensitive settlers from Tython, the fifth planet in the Tython system. These settlers traveled to the worlds neighboring Tython. Eventually, the Nine Houses, feudal gangster clans led by an overlord bearing the title of Kral, came to rule Shikaakwa. In the years leading up to 25,805 BBY, Volnos Ryo, a Twi'lek member of the Shikaakwan Clan Ryo, was renowned as the heavyweight champion of Shikaakwa.

In 25,805 BBY, Hadiya, a Shikaakwa-native Twi'lek female later known as the Despot Queen, united the Shikaakwan crime lords under her command and initiated the takeover of the Tython system's Settled Worlds. Her actions led to a conflict with the mystical Je'daii Order, who sided with Shikaakwan aristocracy members resisting her tyrannical rule. The Despot War ensued, resulting in the deaths of numerous soldiers, Je'daii, and nobles, including Volnos Ryo's father, who was killed by Hadiya for insubordination, compelling Volnos to assume the title of baron. In the war's final stages, Hadiya gathered her military, the Despot Army, and attacked the Je'daii Order on Tython. The Twi'lek queen was killed during this battle. Following Hadiya's death, a Kral was elected, one easily controlled by the Shikaakwan nobles, and Shikaakwa descended into political infighting.

By 25,793 BBY, Shikaakwa had gained notoriety as a frontier outlaw world, yet it was also highly political, serving as a nexus between the inner and outer Settled Worlds. In that year, Jaris Kan, a Devaronian Kallak assassin, was hired by Shikaakwan Baron Garto to assassinate Baron Ryo. Kan eliminated the guards at the entrance of Ryo Fortress and concealed himself in the stronghold's grotto. However, his assassination attempt on Ryo was thwarted by the latter's daughter, Tasha Ryo, a Je'daii Journeyer, who was meeting with her father during Kan's attack. During the struggle between Tasha and Kan, the young Je'daii experienced a Force vision of Xesh, a Human Force Hound of the Infinite Empire. Tasha used her telekinetic abilities to disarm Kan, and Baron Ryo then killed the Devaronian assassin. Two months later, Baron Ryo, while on Shikaakwa, contacted Kora, a Je'daii Temple Master and his wife, via hologram, demanding that she return Tasha to Shikaakwa.

When the Rakata Infinite Empire Invaded the Tython system, they quickly seized the first four planets, but their advance was halted and they were driven back to Ska Gora when they attempted to attack Tython itself. Recognizing the true threat posed by the Rakata, the remaining worlds united with the Je'daii. The Rakata's subsequent move was an attack on Shikaakwa. The Rakatan invasion forces, commanded by Sub-Predor Ceh'let, were defeated by the settled worlds, led by general Rajivari. Shikaakwa was eventually conquered when the Je'daii retreated to Tython, following a vision foretelling the Rakata's attack on Anil Kesh.

Feudal gangster clans, known as the Nine Houses, governed Shikaakwa. These clans were led by an aristocracy, whose members held titles such as baron, duke, and earl. Clan Ryo, a family of Galactic Basic Standard–speaking Twi'leks, was among the ruling clans. Hadiya, another native Twi'lek, would eventually become the queen of Shikaakwa. Following Hadiya's death, Shikaakwa entered a period of political infighting, marked by shifting alliances and broken treaties among the local aristocrats. The strongest of these treaties often involved marriages between noble families. By 25,793 BBY, it was common for Shikaakwan crime lords to employ assassins to eliminate their rivals.

The Shikaakwan crime lords governed their territories from clan strongholds, such as Ryo Fortress, the home of Clan Ryo. It was a large, multi-level structure completely surrounded by water. At least two Twi'lek guards maintained watch over the entrance of Ryo Fortress. The stronghold also featured a large grotto where various luminescent fungi grew, and a species of jellyfish floated in the air.

Shikaakwa was first depicted in the Tython entry of The Holonet, a feature on the official website for Star Wars: The Old Republic, a 2011 massively multiplayer online roleplaying game developed by BioWare. The planet was shown in a schematic of the Tython system. Since its inception in 2008, The Old Republic's website has undergone several changes, leading to the removal of some of the original features and images, including the aforementioned schematic. Shikaakwa's name and additional information were provided in Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 0, a preview issue of the Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi comic series. This issue, written by John Ostrander and penciled by Jan Duursema, was published on February 1, 2012. Shikaakwa also appeared in the first, second, and seventh issues of the series, published on February 15, March 21, and December 19 of 2012, respectively.

The name Shikaakwa originates from the Miami-Illinois Native American language, meaning Allium tricoccum, a type of wild onion found in Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. The French derivation, Chicagoua, is the basis for the name of Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States.