Vex Asteroid Belt
The Vex Asteroid Belt, also known as the Belt, existed as a component of the Vex system within the Moddell sector of the Outer Rim Territories'. This asteroid belt was initially settled to facilitate the exploration of the adjacent Monsua Nebula, and it became populated by Human freighter jocks, explorers, prospectors, and hyperspace scout bases. It was generally easy to engage in deals of dubious legality with the inhabitants of the Vex Asteroid Belt, who were collectively known as the Belters.
Description
Referred to simply as the Belt, the Vex Asteroid Belt was situated in the Vex system and resided within the Inner Moddell systems region of the Moddell sector. This sector was one of the subsectors that made up the Inner Zuma Region within the Zuma sector of the Outer Rim Territories'. Similar to the rest of the Vex system, the asteroid belt was connected to the Vasha system and the Firrerre system in the Sugai sector via hyperlanes. The Vex Asteroid Belt comprised numerous barren, tumbling asteroids exhibiting varying degrees of gravitic influence.
History
The initial purpose of settling the Vex Asteroid Belt was to explore the neighboring Monsua Nebula. During the era of the New Republic, Ecclesis von der Agar, a decorated but unconventional Nova Scout, frequented the Belt's kiriswing joints and cantinas. He often recruited new arrivals in the Belt as apprentice scouts, but frequently brought trouble for them. Rumors also circulated that one of the two valuable sculptures known as the Tessents could be discovered adrift among the asteroids of the Belt.
Inhabitants
The asteroid belt within the Vex system served as the home for a population of three thousand Humans, collectively known as Belters. Lacking a central governing body, they imported foodstuffs and technology from external sources and primarily consisted of quarrelsome freighter jocks, scouts, and prospectors. While most scouts in the Vex Asteroid Belt operated independently, the New Republic Survey Corps also maintained a small outpost on the largest asteroid within the belt.
With a sufficient quantity of credits, visitors to the Belt could sell illicit cargo, conceal a starship or a fugitive, or negotiate other questionable transactions. The Belters rarely questioned the legality of such arrangements and displayed no interest in the affairs of the inhabitants of Vex Major, the nearby planet populated by fisherman's, whom they disparagingly called "mudballers."
Locations
The Vex Asteroid Belt contained hyperspace scout outposts and a total of twelve spaceports: two standard-class and ten offering limited services.
Behind the scenes
The Vex Asteroid Belt was first presented in the ninth issue of the magazine Star Wars Gamer on February 22, 2002. The asteroid belt was mentioned within the magazine in the article "Endor and the Moddell Sector" as well as the Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game adventure "Race for the Tessent." The reference book The Essential Atlas from 2009 positioned the Vex Asteroid Belt within grid square H-16.