Kolto

"Manaan's an unusual place. Not for its water, mind you&hellip; it's the kolto. Healing juice. Only place where it occurs in the galaxy."

- Jolee Bindo

Kolto was a liquid known for its healing abilities. It was found in the water of the oceanic planet Manaan, with a significant concentration near the Hrakert Rift along with other underwater chasms. It was considered a valuable commodity during the Jedi Civil War, but its significance was lost over time, being replaced in favor of bacta. During the Galactic Civil War, the effectiveness of kolto was considered to be less than bacta, but some historians have suggested that it may have been more powerful in the past.

History
Kolto was a liquid that could only be found naturally on depths of the oceanic planet Manaan, and it was known for its healing capabilities. Both the Sith and the Jedi had an equally limited supply of kolto during the Jedi Civil War, and so they sought a way to get more of it to gain an advantage, but all attempts to synthesize kolto failed. In turn, it became a vital export for the economy of Manaan and for the Selkath species that controlled the planet.

The Hrakert Rift was considered a prime location for kolto harvesting during the Jedi Civil War, being home to a giant firaxan shark known as the Progenitor, which may have been guarding the kolto. According to Selkath legend, kolto was also produced by the Progenitor. However, the scientists Kono Nolan and Sami believed that the shark had reached its large size and thus old age because it was feeding on the kolto.

During the Jedi Civil War, the Selkath remained neutral; neither favoring the Jedi and the Galactic Republic nor the Sith Empire. As a result, both governments set up "equal" operations on Manaan. In desperation for the healing power of kolto and to get an advantage over the Sith, Republic emissaries crafted a deal with several key members of the Selkath government. Fearing that the Sith would destroy the Selkath society, these leaders allowed the Republic to construct a secret underwater facility in the Rift to harvest kolto.

During the time between the Jedi Civil War and the Galactic Civil War, the production of kolto suffered substantially and the value escalated. With the cost of kolto so high, the market for it collapsed in favor of a less expensive alternative: bacta. The reason for the sharp decline of kolto production is unknown and was hotly contested in academic circles. Nevertheless, the economy of Manaan collapsed and kolto became almost completely forgotten.

With the onset of the Galactic Civil War, bacta had become the primary healing agent used in medicine. Aware of kolto's presence on Manaan and historical significance, Emperor Palpatine invaded Manaan and enslaved the native Selkath. The Galactic Empire exploited the Selkath and possibly their kolto resources. While kolto was still being used during the Galactic Civil War, it did not possess great value. It appeared to be less effective than bacta, but was used as a cheaper alternative. In their research, however, some historians noted that kolto may have been more effective in the past. By 1 ABY, kolto was in use aboard the Imperial prison barge Purge, where it was administered to some medical patients.

Usage
"Kolto for your cuts."

- A military phrase referring to in-field medical care

The most common application of kolto was through complete submersion in a kolto tank. A patient would remain inside the tank, completely submerged in a solution of kolto, until their wounds were healed. During its peak, kolto tanks could be found aboard Republic starships, inside government buildings and in medical facilities. The concentration of kolto could be tailored to the patient, allowing for different solutions to be input.

Kolto was also one of the primary components of a medpac during the Jedi Civil War. Small amounts of the liquid could be placed in the medpac and easily carried or transported. Therefore, the amount of kolto was usually not substantial, so it functioned primarily as a first aid supplement.

Behind the scenes
Kolto first appeared in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a video game released by BioWare during the summer of 2003. In the game, the player is given a choice of two possible outcomes: player can pressurize the fuel tanks to four million sangens, resulting in a detonation in the fuel supply that destroys the internal mechanisms and appeases the Progenitor; Kolto production resumes as it had before-hand. As a non-canon option, player can kill the Progenitor, the death of the Progenitor results in the ceasing of the production of kolto (the poison that killed the Progenitor also corrupted the kolto and made it turn black), spikes in kolto prices, and the banning of Revan permanently from Manaan.

Both kolto and Manaan itself also have an appearance in Star Wars: Empire at War, where infantry units can get a healing bonus due to the presence of kolto. Kolto, however, is not mentioned anywhere else after the Old Republic era, not having been conceived before Knights of the Old Republic.

Comments from Darth Bane: Path of Destruction support the theory that kolto was an inferior healing agent to bacta. It mentions that miners who couldn't afford bacta used kolto as a cheaper alternative. This could be circumstantial, however, as kolto may have already lost its economic significance in the Galactic economy.

Kolto is used frequently in Star Wars: The Old Republic, the MMORPG released by BioWare in December of 2011. It is utilized by all of the non-Force-using player character classes that have access to healing-type abilities.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * Death Troopers
 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption