Crystal Web Station

The station was secured by three enormous crystal engines, which functioned as anchors, keeping it in place with a network of radiant energy lines. These engines were vital in preventing the station from being pulled into the Voidfire Nebula, as its location was perilously close to it. This positioning ensured a consistent rendezvous point for arriving spacecraft. Without the engines, the station would have inevitably drifted into the nebula, leading to significant damage to its computer systems and electronics due to the ionized gas clouds present there.

The Crystal Web Station became an essential waypoint for vessels traversing the three major spacelanes that converged within the nebula because of the unique characteristics of hyperspace travel in that region. The most strategically advantageous point for initiating or concluding hyperspace jumps along all three hyperlanes was located in the immediate vicinity of the Crystal Web Station. From this point, all the primary star systems along each route could be reached with a single, recalculated hyperspace jump, thereby reducing travel times by days or even weeks on long-distance routes. Prior to the station's discovery, travelers were forced to completely circumvent the hyperlane cluster, resorting to slower and less direct routes.

The exact construction date of the Crystal Web Station remains unknown, but it is established that it must have occurred sometime between the Imperial survey of the nebula in 8 BBY and the incident in 1 BBY that resulted in Daran Tal's scout ship being forced out of hyperspace. The station was already fully operational upon Tal's arrival. The intelligent crystal spiders, whom Tal named the Lucents, had constructed the station with the intention of interacting and familiarizing themselves with members of the galactic community.

The Lucents extended a warm welcome to Tal, and he quickly developed friendships with these crystalline beings. During his time there, he gleaned some details about them, but they consistently remained secretive about their homeworld, offering only vague gestures toward the nebula whenever the topic arose. He discovered that the Lucents were naturally skilled navigators, relying on no instruments to chart courses or calculate hyperspace jumps. Furthermore, he learned that their crystal-based technology operated on principles that were similar to, yet distinct from, the technology commonly used throughout the galaxy.

As Tal's understanding of the Lucents deepened, he became increasingly convinced that the Crystal Web Station could provide them with the interactions they sought, while also generating a substantial profit. He presented his plan to the Lucent leaders, secured their approval, and then had them calculate a hyperspace jump for his ship so that he could set his plan into motion. Upon his return to the station two months later, he brought with him a small staff to operate the station, including Klaar and Lianna Tagon. Their goal was to transform the Crystal Web Station into a smaller-scale version of Cloud City, catering to travelers seeking faster routes along the three major hyperlanes. Aware of the Empire's prejudice against non-humans, Tal assumed the title of Baron Administrator to serve as the visible, if not the actual, leader of the station.

The Lucents remained the true leaders of the station, operating discreetly behind the scenes and ensuring the station's upkeep. They guided ships through the ionized regions using their Crystal Star Tugs and calculated lightspeed jumps for them, all while observing the beings moving about the station. The Lucents had designed the station to prioritize the comfort of other beings. Aside from their private levels and concealed access tunnels, the station resembled any other deep-space station found throughout the galaxy. However, even in areas designed for others, alien influences were abundant. The architecture featured a distinctive web-like pattern, and crystalline construction was evident throughout.

Following the destruction of the second Death Star in 4 ABY, the Crystal Web Station served as the venue for a meeting between an Imperial Admiral, newly established New Republic agents, and Orta the Hutt. Daran Tal had extended the invitation to all parties on behalf of the Lucents. Tal had persuaded the Lucents to offer a small piece of their crystal web technology in response to the galactic power shift resulting from the Emperor's death. While each group sought exclusive access to the item, the Lucents had already decided that all interested parties would receive it. Despite some initial difficulties, the meeting proceeded relatively smoothly, and all participants departed satisfied. Later that year, Moff Jeckor attempted to forcibly conscript "volunteers" into the Imperial navy to crew one of their new capital ships by raiding a cantina with stormtroopers. Thanks to the efforts of security chief Klaar and a group of New Republic agents, the abduction attempt was thwarted.

Situated at the base of the station, this section was the most distinctly alien, designed to maximize comfort for the Lucents. The upper levels of this area housed the Lucent living quarters. Crystal webs stretched across the open decks, forming nest platforms. Each platform served as a nest for a different Lucent family. At the very bottom of this section, integrated into the crystal core itself, were the power cells and energy generators, which emitted a constant hum and glow. These generators supplied power to the entire station, functioning similarly to standard power cells used throughout the galaxy. However, the technology appeared alien, taking the form of crystals and glowing webs that were as aesthetically pleasing as they were functional.

These decks were generally restricted to visitors, as they served as the primary workspace for most Lucents, and the concealed access tunnels that ran throughout the station originated from this area. Most of the Crystal Star Tugs were docked in service bays on this level, while the maintenance bays and deep storage facilities extended toward the crystal core. Many of the station's supplies were stored in specialized units on these decks. Additionally, the Lucents maintained a number of large factories on these levels, designed to accommodate their unique manufacturing methods. The most impressive of these crystal web looms were used to weave kilometers of crystalline building materials.

These levels, the second "highest" in the station, are commonly referred to as the merchant and visitor decks. For those visiting the station, this area was the central hub of activity; hangar bays and maintenance docks led to port services and a ring of inns. The hangar bays ranged from small craft bays to docks for multideck hangars capable of accommodating large freighters and small capital ships. Hangars were located across the exterior of the station, but visitors were most often directed to those connected to levels 80-89. Port services included refueling depots, maintenance and repair stations, customs and inspection facilities, trade councils, and jump coordinate scheduling services.

The cost for obtaining a hyperspace coordinate uplink was typically 10 credits per metric ton of the ship's cargo capacity. The inns located throughout these decks ranged from multibed bunkhouses to luxurious suites that commanded a high price. There was accommodation to suit every taste and budget. The merchant ring was constructed around the crystal core itself and featured a diverse array of shops, cantinas (including Moko's Cantina), restaurants, casinos, and entertainment venues. Most visitors frequented these decks, enjoying the ambiance of the beautiful crystal while conducting business, socializing, spending credits, and enjoying themselves. Because these decks were furnished by the merchants who established the shops there, they had the most "Human" (or equivalent alien standard, depending on the shop owner's race) feel and design. However, the outer structure and station surrounding these shops retained the alien design favored by the Lucents.

The "top" levels of the station housed the control centers and administrative offices responsible for the station's smooth operation. Lucent controllers monitored all incoming and outgoing space traffic, observed changes in the ionic field emanating from the nebula, and oversaw all of the station's systems. The Baron Administrator and his staff also had offices on these levels, although he and his security chief, Klaar, spent more of their time patrolling the station than remaining confined to their office complexes.

• " Crystal Web Space Station: A Setting for the Star Wars: New Republic Campaign " — Polyhedron 93 (First appearance) (Unlicensed)
• " The Luminous Bantha: Adventures for the Star Wars: New Republic Campaign " — Polyhedron 94 (Unlicensed)
• The Essential Atlas
• Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)