Kaiburr crystal

"Although the Force exists everywhere and within all living things, certain artifacts have demonstrated the ability to augment it. One such artifact is the Kaiburr crystal of the planet Circarpous V, locally known as Mimban."

- An excerpt of Jedi Scholar Tionne's writings

The Kaiburr crystal was an ancient Force relic, initially located on the planet Circarpous V, locally known as Mimban. When in its natural location in the Temple of Pomojema on Mimban, the crystal increased a Force-sensitive's power one thousand times over. Among its magnification of abilities were the ability to heal, to further augment a Force-user's connection to the Force, to project Force lightning by those typically unable, and to empower and energize a tired being close in proximity to the crystal. If cut properly, the Kaiburr crystal also worked as a lightsaber crystal.

The Kaiburr crystal was initially used by priests to heal the sick in the Temple of Pomojema. However, for reasons unknown, the area was abandoned, and the crystal became a legend in the eyes of the local Mimbanites. The crystal would go on as a legend until around 2 ABY, when an elder woman named Halla purchased from one of the Mimbanites a shard of the crystal, as well as a map which led to Pomojema's temple. The woman enlisted the help of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, on Mimban due to a crash-landing, and helped the two escape from prison. Unknown to the three of them, this caught the attention of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader; unaware, she and her allies went on an expedition to acquire the ancient relic.

They eventually reached the temple and found the crystal; however, Vader had beaten them there. Confronting Skywalker and Organa, Vader engaged in a duel with both of them, eventually defeating Organa and driving Skywalker to the ground before losing his right arm to Skywalker's lightsaber and eventually losing the battle despite the power given to him by the crystal. Halla handed Skywalker the Kaiburr crystal, and, along with his inherent Force sensitivity, Luke used its legendary focusing powers to heal both himself and Organa, as the two were left critically injured after their duels. However, unbeknownst to any members of the party, the crystal lost its power as it left the proximity of the temple and was completely powerless once off-planet. The shard, which began the adventure on Mimban, would stay in Vader's possession until he gifted it to his apprentice, the Dark Lady Lumiya. Luke Skywalker later found use for the crystal off-planet, as a teaching tool when he started his Jedi Praxeum and as a lightsaber focusing crystal.

Properties


The Kaiburr crystal was a deep-crimson-colored crystal which glowed with a faint inner light. Another variant was completely transparent, with no red coloration. When in the presence of a Force-sensitive or in the Temple of Pomojema, the crystal shone brighter. The crystal felt much like it looked: a cool, glowing piece of glass. However, when held by a Force-sensitive, as was the case of Halla and Luke Skywalker, this feeling was enhanced by a sensation much like touching a live electrical current; this was due not to any inherent chemical properties of the crystal itself, but instead its connection to the Force.

Effect on the Force
"Not&hellip; possible! Such power&hellip; in a child. Not possible!"

- Darth Vader reacts to Luke Skywalker's increased power

Proportionally according to size and density, the Force's power was magnified a thousandfold; while a single shard would give off a minor jolt, the entire crystal gave off such a feeling of power and clarity of the Force that the possessor's entire being would course with the energy. The full crystal was also able to channel the Force into a method of healing; Luke Skywalker used this inherent power, along with his limited connection to the Force, to bring both himself and Leia Organa from death.

However, when Darth Vader was in close proximity to the presence of the Kaiburr, the residual effects of the Force caused the Dark Lord's affinity with the dark side of the Force to expand greater. As a result, Vader found himself losing what self-control he possessed, fighting his own son and&mdash;unbeknownst to him or Skywalker&mdash;his daughter against his will, as he had intended to capture them alive. Furthermore, the crystal granted Vader the ability to cast Force lightning, normally impossible due to Vader's bionic limbs and life-support systems.

The Temple of Pomojema was the initial resting place of the crystal, where it was used by priests under Pomojema to heal the sick through the Force. However, the crystal's abilities, whether the full crystal or a mere shard, decreased substantially in direct relation with distance from Pomojema's temple. This meant any metaphysical properties held by the Kaiburr crystal became less and less powerful, and by the time the crystal made it off-planet, it was essentially worthless, save for its history and use as a lightsaber focusing crystal.

Use in a lightsaber
"The most powerful and sought-after gems are rare Kaiburr crystals. However, though lightsabers are powerful weapons, their design is so flexible that practically any kind of crystal can be used. And, since I don't happen to have a stash of Kaiburr crystals, you'll have to make do with something else, of your own choosing."

- Excerpt from a presentation given by Luke Skywalker on lightsaber creation

Shards could be removed from the main crystal easily; as such, these crystal fragments could be utilized as focusing crystals in lightsaber-type devices, including variants such as the lightwhip or shoto. In fact, the crystal's properties made it, according to Luke Skywalker, the most powerful type of lightsaber crystal, and also one of the most sought-after. Later, Skywalker, his sister Leia Organa Solo, and several other Jedi in the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 also used these shards for their lightsabers. Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya would also utilize the crystal in her personal lightwhip; the fragmented piece she utilized was the same piece that had belonged to Halla, confiscated by Vader long before.

The Jedi Exile utilized one such fragment, described mysteriously only as a very powerful crystal for use in a lightsaber.

Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Galen Marek, was awarded the shard of the clear variant of the Kaiburr crystal after a successful mission. Marek was then able to utilize the crystal as a focusing crystal; the natural properties of the Kaiburr shard the apprentice used helped augment his ability to push through the Force.

Creation, legend, and use in the galaxy
"Remember the old legends&hellip; how the temple priests could heal?"

- Halla reminds Luke Skywalker of the power of the crystal

The crystal was known to have existed as early as 3,951 BBY. Due to its mysterious nature, several myths were formulated to explain the origins and usage of the Kaiburr crystal. One was formulated by the residents of Circarpous V, a planet locally known as Mimban, who began attaching the crystal to one of their legends. These legends stated that the crystal was created by Pomojema, a third-rate local god described and known as the god of the Kaiburr. In his temple, his priests would bolster their healing powers to aid the sick with the Kaiburr crystal. Certain elements of this particular myth were shown to be true by Luke Skywalker; however, as it was also later proven, the crystal was only the agent for healing, as it was instead the Force, acting through the priests, which was healing Pomojema's patients. The crystal was held by a stone statue of Pomojema inside the large temple ziggurat, and guarded by a hssiss.

Beyond the localized use, a fragment of the Kaiburr crystal was found off of Mimban. As it was during the time of the Jedi Exile in 3,951 BBY, she acquired a shard of the powerful crystal, and utilized it in her lightsaber as a focusing crystal.

Multiple millennia later, Darth Vader's secret apprentice came into possession of a shard of the crystal. The alternately-colored shard was given to the apprentice after the successful completion of one of his missions to confront rogue Jedi. Marek would then utilize the crystal inside his lightsaber to boost his connection to the Force.

The shard


Aside from very isolated appearances, the crystal was mainly unknown by the galaxy, known only to the citizens of Circarpous V as a local myth. Halla, an elderly Force-sensitive woman who claimed to be a Jedi Master, knew of the legend and the reports of xenoarchaeologists concerning the crystal. She determined discovered such material after purchasing a remnant of the crystal from a local in exchange for an alcoholic beverage as well as through studying the crystal. Halla approached Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, stranded on Mimban while en route to a Rebel Alliance meeting on the nearby world of Circarpous X, due to a crash-landing forced by the Imperial mining operations taking place on the surface, and revealed her sliver of the Kaiburr crystal, which she held in a small box for safekeeping.

After explaining the supposed properties of the crystal, Halla offered the two stranded Rebels a chance to gain passage off-world in exchange for assisting her in finding the crystal. Unfortunately for the older woman, Organa remained skeptical throughout the demonstration; it was not until Halla offered Skywalker the shard to hold, so he could feel its power, that she agreed to the expedition. However, due to a fight they caused, the two Rebels were detained by Captain-Supervisor Grammel and held in a converted Mimban temple which served as the Imperial headquarters. Skywalker still possessed the crystal fragment; Halla and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 had escaped detection and were in hiding. Once at the Imperial headquarters, Grammel interrogated the two; Skywalker attempted to hide the nature of the visit to the Circarpous Major system and was moderately successful. However, Grammel did recognize the two as the same pair who had met with Halla, known locally for her stories and frowned upon by the Imperial presence. Grammel requested that Skywalker hand over the box containing the crystal shard. After a brief attempt at escape by Organa, Skywalker was forced to hand over the still-open container, and the two were placed in the maximum security cell, shared by two Yuzzem, located within the prison.

Imperial entanglements


While Grammel contemplated the crystal fragment, he contacted local Governor Bin Essada. Essada in turn contacted Darth Vader, because the governor recognized the young female prisoner as Princess Leia Organa of the recently destroyed planet Alderaan. Meanwhile, the Yuzzem, who identified themselves as Hin and Kee, took a liking to their new roommates. Skywalker was able to communicate in the Yuzzem tongue, thereby allowing himself and Organa to learn of the two's slavery and service to the Empire. The four eventually escaped, with the timely help of Halla, C-3PO, and R2-D2. When Halla learned that Grammel had indeed captured the fragment, she was unmoved, convinced that the group would soon possess the actual crystal.

After the Rebels' escape and following destruction of the facility with grenades thrown by Skywalker, Grammel, who had been injured and later treated from the blasts, met with Vader, who confiscated the crystal piece as retribution for Grammel's failure to keep the prisoners confined. When the Dark Lord came into contact with the shard, he decided he wanted to track down the relic in addition to catching his son and the Princess.

Journey to the Temple
"Pomojema, god of the Kaiburr. It almost seems familiar, somehow. That's crazy, of course."

- Halla spots the statue of Pomojema

Skywalker, Organa, Halla, the two Yuzzem, and the two droids were able to escape Grammel and left the city in a commandeered crawler, with Vader following close behind. The were eventually forced to detour to a subterranean route to the temple, where they met the nomadic Coway, whom they befriended after a slight incident between Skywalker and one of the Coway warriors. The two groups allied together to battle and defeat an Imperial force. Both teams soon after the slight interruption resumed their journey for the temple.

The Imperial expedition would reach the temple first, allowing Vader plenty of time to organize a plan to capture Skywalker and the crystal. Unfortunately for Skywalker, due to the proximity to the crystal, he was unable to sense either Vader's or the rest of the Imperial team's presence. While examining the temple, Halla located the statue of Pomojema, which held the crystal in its stony grasp. Before they could grab it, an immense hssiss appeared out of the shadows and began an attack. Skywalker held the creature back as Halla stood transfixed by the crystal, which had consumed much of her time. In the midst of the battle with the hssiss, though, Skywalker sliced through one of the support beams of the temple, toppling the roof on both himself and the hssiss. While the collapse killed the beast, it also hindered Skywalker's movement, as his right leg was pinned underneath the fallen stone.

Duel with a Dark Lord
At this time, Vader appeared in the doorway, and began to taunt both Skywalker and Organa. Vader noticed the effects of his proximity to the Kaiburr crystal just before he engaged in a duel with Organa. Little by little he realized that the self-control he had was slowly fading away. His earlier intention to apprehend the two Rebels was soon overcome with a desire to kill them. Leia dealt Vader a few blows, but was soon bested due to the Sith's skills. Before her defeat, however, she handed off the saber to Skywalker, freed from the rubble by Hin.

Skywalker stood before Vader, with his saber brandished in front of him, and engaged in combat with the Dark Lord. At this point, the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Skywalker's former mentor, entered and began fighting through Skywalker. After a bit of time, Vader grew exhausted; however, a boost of energy drawn from the Kaiburr crystal refreshed him. Also resulting from his proximity to the crystal, Vader was able to project Force lightning, a feat thought impossible due to his artificial limbs. Much to his surprise, though, Skywalker managed to block the oncoming bolts, and was able to fight again. Skywalker soon gained the upper hand when he cut through Vader's right arm. Vader calmly removed the still-lit saber from his disembodied hand and advanced to fight again, but tripped over his right arm into a deep pit. Vader would eventually exit the pit, but not before realizing just how detrimental the crystal was to his mission; while it increased his power, it also overrode his willpower.

The duel's end
"It was the crystal, Leia. It healed me, it healed you, and I wasn't even aware of it doing so. Everything Halla surmised about it is true. It does use the Force. The crystal healed you, Leia&hellip; not me."'' ''"Now, Luke boy. You were the agent the crystal worked through. Without you, wouldn't be nothin' but rock"

- Luke Skywalker's explanation

With the Dark Lord out of the picture, Halla approached the two fallen Rebels, exhausted from the battle: Organa was afflicted with several burns and cuts, and Skywalker himself was close to death. Halla told him that she was a mere charlatan of the Force, not a master, and that she could do nothing with the crystal; after revealing this information, she handed the crystal to the young Jedi. Skywalker had a differing opinion&mdash;when he held the crystal, it felt warm to him, much to the surprise of the elder woman.

Enveloped in an odd red light, Skywalker first went into a healing trance to fix his own injuries, then moved to Organa's side, and, with the crystal in his hands, traced over her injuries, healing them. The entire healing process took only a few seconds. She awoke shortly after, free of injury beyond a simple headache. The group left the temple, crystal in hand, and decided a way to get off of Mimban without notifying the Imperial presence.

Later use
"I must say that my new lightsaber is a significant improvement on my old one. But more than that, I feel more connected to this weapon because it carries a part of my history. A long time ago, Luke and I were saved by the Kaiburr crystal. Although I am prepared to activate my lightsaber in the line of duty, it is my hope to employ the crystal so that it continues to save lives, not take them."

- Leia Organa Solo, in a recording made as part of her induction into Jedi Knighthood

Ultimately, the crystal proved to lose its power directly proportional to its distance from the temple. Skywalker nevertheless retained the crystal, as returning it to Circarpous V would make it a target for thieves or the Empire, and later used it as a teaching tool for his students at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Skywalker also performed some tests on the crystal, and found that, if cut properly, its shards could act as powerful focusing crystals. In a speech given to several Jedi in his Praxeum, Skywalker stated that while shards of the Kaiburr crystal were the most powerful and desired lightsaber focusing crystals, he did not possess any at the time. Later, however, he and some of his students would utilize fragments of the crystal for personal use in their lightsabers. Leia Organa Solo, after nearly forgetting about the crystal until twenty-three years after her adventure on Mimban, used a fragment as a focusing crystal, though she hoped that her use would save, not harm or take, lives.

Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya, an Imperial agent, infiltrator, Emperor's Hand, and apprentice to Darth Vader, also utilized a Kaiburr crystal sliver for use in her lightwhip. The piece she used was the same as the one Halla possessed and that Vader had acquired. Lumiya's master gifted the crystal to her. Later, during the time of the Second Galactic Civil War, the Twi'lek Alema Rar infiltrated the Dark Lady's sanctuary, where she discovered a crate of Kaiburr crystal shards. In her searches, Rar dumped the crate and left it scattered on the floor for Lumiya to find when she returned. Lumiya would continue to use the crystal shard in her lightwhip until her death at Luke Skywalker's hands in 40 ABY.

Behind the scenes
"The Force is all around us. It can be collected and transmitted through the use of a Kiber Crystal. It's the only way to amplify the power of the Force within you."

- Ben Kenobi, in "The Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Starkiller, Third-Draft, August 1975," an early draft of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

The idea of the Kaiburr crystal can be tracked to the earliest incarnations of the script for A New Hope; specifically, the May 1, 1975 "Story Synopsis and Typed Outline" from "The Adventures of Luke Starkiller (episode one) 'The Star Wars'." There it was spelled as a "Kiber Crystal." This crystal acted as the MacGuffin for the heroes to capture; Ben Kenobi was intended to explain to Luke Skywalker how the Kiber Crystal collected the Force and allowed the wielder to use it.

Eventually, in a later edition of the draft, "The Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Starkiller, Third-Draft, August 1975," the plot was expanded to include Kenobi attempting to capture his personal Kiber Crystal from the "Crystal Chamber" on the Imperial throne world of Alderaan. The elder Jedi would explain how it had been taken from him during the Battle of Condawn&mdash;the same battle in which Skywalker's father died&mdash;by one of Kenobi's disciples. The few crystals that remained were held in the Alderaanian Crystal Chamber. Later, Skywalker was to utilize the crystal in his fight with Darth Vader.

The original drafts placed the budget for the crystal at £300 (approximately $592). The idea was ultimately dropped, however, when George Lucas decided not to use a talisman such as this crystal and instead let the Force be used without an external source. He felt that the crystal detracted too much from the saga of Skywalker and Vader. The novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye reused this idea of such a crystal.

The name "Kiber" was eventually re-used in scripts for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. There, named a "Kyberdart," it was to be the name of the dart used to kill the bounty hunter Zam Wesell. Eventually, however, the name changed to become the Kaminoan saberdart. The Kyber dart was eventually reused in the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, as one of Mira's armaments for her personal wrist-mounted rocket launcher.

In the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game, "KAIBURR" is used as a cheat code. When activated, the player's character would have unlimited Force points and thus unlimited mastery of the Force. The connection between the crystal's properties and the function of this cheat are obvious. The Kaiburr crystal also appears in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords as a fragment of the main crystal, where it is one of the most powerful focusing crystals one can install in a lightsaber or shoto. In The Force Unleashed video game, the crystal makes an appearance. Its physical attributes are different than every previous depiction; however, its use as a lightsaber focusing crystal, as well as its use to boost the user's Force abilities remain intact.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
 * Splinter of the Mind's Eye
 * Splinter of the Mind's Eye comic
 * The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
 * Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers
 * Tempest
 * Inferno
 * Inferno