Nespis VIII, alternatively called Nespis 8, and also recognized as the Nespis VIII spaceport or Space City, was a space station situated within the Auril system. Its construction took place at some point during the initial stages of the Galactic Republic.
This orbiting metropolis was erected in the early years of faster-than-light travel, serving as a remote interstellar landmark. By 10,000 BBY, Vicendi had already recognized the City as one of the Twenty Wonders of the Galaxy. It endured millennia of galactic conflicts, including the Sith War and the obliteration of the Cron Drift, yet it was largely deserted by the time the Clone Wars began. Consequently, the station became a repository of antiquated artifacts from every era of spacefaring. A Jedi archive was present on the station, but Darth Vader razed this library and murdered its protector, Aidan Bok, during the period known as the Great Jedi Purge. Borborygmus Gog, an Imperial scientist, established a fabricated library in place of the original, with the intention of attracting and capturing Force-sensitive individuals for his research.
Not long after the Battle of Yavin, Mammon Hoole and the Arranda children sought sanctuary on the station, accompanied by ForceFlow, a HoloNet acquaintance of Tash Arranda's. ForceFlow deceived Hoole and the Arrandas, enticing them to join the numerous artifact hunters in search of the fabled Jedi library. Tash Arranda discovered the library and encountered the spectral form of Aidan Bok, who alerted her to Gog's deception. Subsequently, ForceFlow revealed himself to be Borborygmus Gog, but with Aidan Bok's assistance, Tash managed to elude the Imperial scientist.
In 10 ABY, Luke Skywalker encountered Kam Solusar at this location, and Luke successfully guided Kam back to the light side. Mon Mothma and the New Republic leadership sought refuge at the space station following the destruction of Pinnacle Base on Da Soocha V, and it became the place of birth of Anakin Solo. The New Republic equipped it with V-200 ion cannons during the events of Operation Shadow Hand in the Galactic Civil War.
A turncoat within the New Republic's armed forces disclosed Mothma's location to the Galactic Empire. However, R2-D2 informed his superiors of this treachery, prompting the New Republic to initiate an immediate evacuation. In an attempt to eliminate the Alliance leaders before their escape, the resurrected Emperor Palpatine commanded the launch of a Galaxy Gun projectile with the intent of obliterating the ancient space city. Despite the failure of New Republic starfighters to impede the massive missile, a defective timing mechanism, manufactured on Roonadan, prevented the weapon's detonation. Enraged, the Emperor launched a second projectile, but the majority of the Alliance fleet entered hyperspace just as the space station was destroyed.