Shards were a species originating from the planet Orax. These beings, who were based on silicon, existed as cylindrical crystals with irregular facets, typically measuring between thirty and forty centimeters in length. Internally, one could observe subtle light pulsations, which were interpreted as signals traversing their "brains." In their natural state, Shards lacked mobility; however, they could be integrated into specifically designed droids.
On Orax, Shards resided in extensive crystal formations situated near the planet's numerous hot springs. These communities comprised hundreds or thousands of individual Shards, interconnected through a collective consciousness facilitated by their inherent electromagnetic communication capabilities. This electromagnetic sense was the sole natural sensory modality possessed by the Shards. Reproduction occurred through the direct growth of new Shards from an adult Shard. They possessed lifespans spanning millennia before succumbing to natural degradation. Befitting a long-lived, stationary species, Shards exhibited patience, dedicating their existence to gradual, contemplative thought. Political decisions were reached through unanimous agreement, a process that occasionally required centuries to finalize.
It took Human settlers on Orax a considerable amount of time to realize the sentience of the Shards. Upon this discovery, they engineered translation devices, enabling the crystalline extraterrestrials to convert their electromagnetic pulses into audible language (and conversely). Driven by curiosity about other worlds, certain Shards volunteered to separate from their colonies and integrate into specially adapted droids. The Shards initiated trade, exchanging mineral rights for access to droids and computer technology, which their electromagnetic sense allowed them to comprehend instinctively. Shards inhabiting droid bodies, detached from their group consciousness, developed an insatiable curiosity and were nearly overwhelmed by the novel sensory inputs. Individual Shards began to grasp the concept of finite time, thinking and acting at a pace significantly faster than their counterparts within the group minds. Some Shards remaining on Orax viewed this as a corruption of their traditional ways, while others embraced the knowledge acquired from Shards who eventually returned to their colonies.
The Shards' initial encounter with the Galactic Republic took place during its final decades. Many Shard ambassadors were assassinated shortly after the rise of the Galactic Empire. Orax was transformed into a mining hub utilizing slave labor, leading to the destruction of numerous Shard colonies. To prevent surviving off-world Shards from returning to their home, droids were universally prohibited on Orax. During the Galactic Civil War, the Shards allied themselves with the Alliance to Restore the Republic in an effort to liberate their homeworld. They frequently served as droid and computer specialists for the Alliance. One shard integrated itself into a protocol droid known as N-3PO, utilizing its position as a personal assistant to gather intelligence on Tobal Siy.
Despite being inorganic, some Shards displayed Force-sensitives. These Shards, housed within droid bodies, established the Iron Knights, a splinter group of the Jedi Order. Among them were Ilum, a survivor of the Great Jedi Purge, and Ilum's daughter Luxum, who succumbed to the dark side of the Force and was subsequently killed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Another knight, named Firkrann, was killed during the Clone Wars by General Grievous.
It is important to differentiate the Shards from the Tsil, another sentient crystalline species that shares similarities in appearance and certain other traits.