Averill was a mining world in the Averill system where the Galactic Empire discovered a rich quadrenium lode beneath the crust; quadrenium was refined for starship construction. The native Humans were originally divided into autonomous mineclans dwelling in inherited mineholds. After the Empire nationalized the local mining operations, a preventable mining accident crippled Selby Jarrad's father. Selby and her cousin failed to created a resistance cell on the planet, so Selby joined New Republic Intelligence.