The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower

The Republic Fair's arrival is imminent! The planet Valo is set to host a grand celebration of the Republic, drawing visitors from across the galaxy. While the other Valons get ready for the fair, Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram prefers the solitude of his cluttered garage, filled with tools and mechanical components. However, when an alarm sounds from Crashpoint Peak, a nearby hilltop, he and his reliable droid V-18 set out to investigate. They discover that Valo's communications tower has been sabotaged, a worrying sign that the Republic Fair and Valo itself are in danger. As Ram rushes to warn the Jedi, the dreaded Nihil launch a surprise assault! It's up to Ram to defend Crashpoint Tower and send a distress call to the Republic. Fortunately, he's about to receive help from unexpected new allies…

Ram Jomaram, a Jedi Padawan, is engaged in meditating inside his garage. He is using a damaged speeder bike he is trying to fix as a pretext to avoid assisting with the Republic Fair preparations. Ram is about to pinpoint the faulty component when his droid, V-18, interrupts him. V-18 reports that Crashpoint Tower, Valo's comm tower, is acting up. Vee had been searching for a Jedi to inform for a full hour, but all of Valo's Jedi are occupied. Ram and the Bonbraks who work in the garage, lacking available transportation, quickly attach a propulsor unit to V-18. The pair then venture into Farodin Woods. There, they encounter an intruder who fires a cannon at them before escaping on a speeder. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Ram gives chase.

Lula Talisola, a Padawan, is awakened by her Force-sensitive friend Zeen Mrala aboard the Jedi cruiser Star Hopper. Lula comforts Zeen as their ship gets closer to her home planet, Trymant IV, for a new mission. They had previously met Zeen there months before during a disaster that struck the world, forcing her to reveal her hidden Force abilities. Soon after getting up, PZ1-3 summons the two to the ship's bridge to join Jedi Master Kantam Sy for a briefing from Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh. While Vernestra is giving her report, Lula feels a sense of envy towards the Jedi Knight because they are around the same age, but Vernestra is more advanced in her training.

During this thought, Lula observes how quiet the Star Hopper is with Padawans Farzala Tarabal and Qort fighting the predatory Drengir and Grand Master Yoda pursuing the Nihil without any updates since he left. Vernestra Rwoh stated in her report that she thought the Nihil that attacked Trymant IV might be related to the Nihil that attacked her and her Padawan Imri Cantaros on the moon Wevo. This was because their attack patterns were different from those normally used by the Nihil during their raids. After the Knight's message ended, the Star Hopper exited hyperspace, and the entire crew was shocked to see that Trymant IV had changed from a lush, forested world to a dry, red desert.

Ram continues to pursue the intruders he saw at the tower as they fly higher into the air. He dodges shots fired at him by a Togruta woman and watches her throw a device at the tower, which explodes in a golden puff of smoke. However, as she did this, she let her speeder drop just enough for Ram to use the Force and stall her speeder, causing it to fall. As the Togrutan intruder fell, she fired more blaster fire at Ram, who deflected it with his lightsaber or dodged it, except for one bolt that hit V-18 in his engine cover. After this, the Togrutan got her speeder back into the air and into a larger ship, which then jumped to hyperspace in the atmosphere, leaving the system. The fact that the ship could do this without being destroyed made Ram realize that the Nihil were on Valo.

As Zeen and the Jedi descend to Bralanak City, Kantam Sy reveals that a large piece of debris from the Legacy Run hit the uninhabited moon of Praknat 3, throwing off the gravitational balance of the entire Trymant system. This caused Trymant IV to lean closer to the system's second sun than ever before, causing all surface water to evaporate. As the group walks onto the surface wearing breath masks provided by PZ1-3, they see the ruined city and stop when they see a group of masked and hooded figures gathering around Zeen's old compound where she lived. Before a fight can break out between the Jedi and the masked group telling them to leave, a large, mysterious being tells everyone to stop and says that they will deal with the "intruders". Zeen identifies this being as Elder Barbatash.

The Jedi and Zeen meet with Elder Barbatash, who calms his hostile followers who distrust the Jedi. Zeen asks why the Nihil took Elder Tromak during the Disaster. Barbatash explains that the Nihil started as an "infection" among the Elders of the Path, whom they expelled but who grew into many "different things". He explains that everything must return to its source. Barbatash tells the visitors that the Nihil kidnapped Tromak because he knew about an ancient, powerful weapon that he claims can change the galaxy forever. Barbatash believes that the Nihil are holding Tromak at their base in the Stygmarn system. After consulting Vernestra Rwoh, Master Sy and their companions travel on the Star Hopper to investigate a moon on the far edge of the Stygmarn system.

Ram reflected on his encounter with the Nihil and was relieved that no one had died. However, the sight of small objects floating in the air with small tendrils, likely from the canister dropped by the Togruta, reminded him that he needed to warn the other Jedi about what had happened near the tower. As he began to climb the tower to fix it, he found that two Bonbraks, Tip and Breebak, had stowed away in V-18's saddlebags. They began to fix the damaged droid as Ram replaced some cut wires that had disabled Crashpoint Tower.

As he tried to radio the other Jedi, he realized that none of them were responding because they were probably busy with the Republic Fair. So, Ram and the Bonbraks flew to Lonisa City on V-18 to contact the Jedi in person. When they reached Lonisa City Zoo, Ram stopped to decide the best way to reach the Jedi as quickly as possible. Breebak suggested taking a shortcut along the riverway, which led them to a part of the Valo Temple that was still under construction. Ram had to sneak around scaffolding to reach the Jedi until a security guard spotted him.

Captain Idrax Snat and Officer Torgo Tahn of the Valo Security Force (VSF) detain Ram and the bonbraks, thinking they are intruders. While on their gunship, Ram uses a Jedi mind trick to persuade Captain Idrax to take them to the Lonisa City Republic headquarters. There, Ram asks Idrax to help him contact the Republic–Jedi space station Starlight Beacon.

While scouting the surface of Vrant Tarnum for Nihil activity, Lula and Vernestra narrowly avoid several Nihil ships equipped with eternal hyperspace boosters that had recently sabotaged Crashpoint Tower. They also receive a distress call from Ram and Idrax, who are trying to warn the Republic and the Jedi that Nihil raiders had recently attacked and sabotaged Crashpoint Tower. At that point, Idrax snaps out of the Jedi mind trick and tries to arrest Ram, who runs away. Lula and Vernestra realize that the Nihil are planning to attack the Republic Fair on Valo and decide to alert the other Jedi.

Ram is imprisoned at the VSF detention center and meets his fellow inmates: the former Padawan Ty Yorrick and the Kuranu Mantessa Chekkat. Ram tries to warn them that the Nihil sabotaged Crashpoint Tower, but they don't believe him at first. Ty Yorrick uses her Force powers to damage the droid guard 5-Triad. Just then, the Nihil launch their attack on Lonisa City.

While traveling through hyperspace, Lula tells Vernestra about her doubts and anxieties about attachment, believing that she is not worthy to be a Jedi. Vernestra reassures her that caring for others is one of the hallmarks of being a Jedi. When they exit hyperspace above Valo, they see that Lonisa City is under attack from Nihil fighters, who are bombarding the city. While Lula tries to contact Starlight Beacon, Vernestra flies the Varonchagger into action against the Nihil raiders, taking out one of them. The Varonchagger is pursued by Nihil fighters, but Jedi Vector starfighters come to their aid. After landing near a lake, Vern tells Lula her plans to secure Ram's release, find other Jedi, and ensure the Supreme Chancellor's safety.

Nihil raiders storm the VSF detention center, damaging 5-Triad. Ty Yorrick uses a mind trick to trick a Gran Nihil member Zarabarb into shooting his own comrades. Amidst the confusion and devastation, Ram, Ty, and Mantessa escape their cells. Ram also uses his Force powers to hurl a thermal detonator out of the window to minimize casualties. Ty and Ram also use their Force powers to hurl back several charging Nihil, flinging them against furniture and data-comps. Ram also saves Ty's life by short-circuiting a Mon Calamari Nihil's bowcaster. Returning the favor, Ty takes out a Nihil warrior trying to shoot Ram. They are soon joined by Ram's droid V-18 and Lula, who orders Ty to drop her blaster.

Lula, who knows Ty, has a tense reunion with the former Padawan. Despite their differences, Ty convinces a reluctant Lula to work together because of the Nihil threat. Lula agrees to work with Ty but warns her against lying to her. Mantessa wants to find her daughter. After Ty and Mantessa leave, Lula introduces herself to Ram, explaining that Starlight Beacon relayed his message to her and Vernestra Rwoh, who have come to his aid. Lula tries to contact Vern but finds that her signal can't get through. She and Ram realize that the Nihl have sabotaged the comms array on Crashpoint Tower again.

Ram, Lula, Breebak, and Tip travel to Crashpoint Tower on V-18 since the droid has been fitted with a propulsion engine. Several Nihil marauders chase them on speeder bikes. However, the Bonbraks have installed a laser cannon weapons system on V-18, who takes out the pursuing speeders. The group is pursued by two Nihil speeders. Lula uses her Force powers to leap onto one of the speeders and attacks the Nihil aboard, knocking them off and hijacking the speeder. Ram uses his Force powers to force the second speeder into overdrive, causing it to crash into the streets. After Lula rejoins them, the group continues their journey to Crashpoint Tower.

The group is soon caught in a chemical fog released by the Nihil. Since V-18's engine has sustained blaster damage during the skirmish, they land so that the Bonbraks can repair the droid's engine. Using captured Nihil masks, Ram and Lula wade through the fog. The two Jedi encounter a group of marauding Nihil. However, a Hragscythe that has escaped from the Lonisa City Zoo attacks the Nihil, killing and wounding several with its claws, jaws, and long, spiny tail.

While fleeing the rampaging Hragscythe, Ram and Lula encounter another group of Nihil marauders. However, the marauders are attacked by a rampaging mudhorn. To escape the Nihil mist, the two Jedi climb into an upper-level room. While surveying the surrounding destruction, including Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh's wrecked transport, the Innovator, the two Jedi decide to reach the comms tower and alert the Galactic Republic to the Nihil attack. Ram suggests that they travel from rooftop to rooftop to reach the outskirts of the city.

Ram and Lula travel to Crashpoint Tower by traversing over rooftops. During the journey, Lula loses her footing while navigating a far ledge and grabs onto a gargoyle. Lula manages to climb back onto the roof just as the gargoyle falls to the ground and breaks apart. Before the two can continue, they are attacked by a Nihil asteroid hopper. Fortunately for Ram and Lula, they are saved by Ty Yorrick, who is riding a winged, serpentine sanval. The sanval destroys the Nihil asteroid hopper, killing the crew aboard. Yorrick is accompanied by Zeen, who is also riding a sanval.

Yorrick and Zeen give Ram and Lula a ride on their sanval steeds to Crashpoint Tower. They discover that a Drengir inside the pod that the Nihil attackers had left behind has taken over the structure. They witness several Valon Security Force troopers advancing on the tower, with one of them being devoured by the sentient plant creatures.

After a discussion, Zeen and Ram decide that they will land on the tower and try to reactivate the communication array while Lula and Yorrick hold off the Nihil marauders. Ram and Zeen use their Force powers to leap off their sanval's back onto the platform. Nihil fliers lure Lula and Yorrick's sanval into an airborne trap above a nearby forest. After landing on Crashpoint Tower, Zeen and Ram use their lightsaber and blasters to fight off several Drengir tendrils. However, their attacks only cause the sentient plant creatures to grow more parts.

Meanwhile, Lula uses her Force powers to leap onto a single flier Nihil aircraft. She slices through the flier's engine with her lightsaber, causing it to spin out of control and crash into the forest. Lula then leaps on top of a Nihil pocket cruiser, fighting the Nihil marauders flying the ship. During the fight, the craft is hit by laser fire from an R-wing. Lula uses her lightsaber to deflect a torpedo. She then escapes the cruiser in an escape pod before the flaming ship crashes into the forest. Meanwhile, Yorrick's sanval manages to take out several fliers and pursues a larger ship.

On the ground, three Nihil ships advance on Lula, but she is saved by a newly repaired and modified V-18, who uses his new laser cannons to destroy the three aggressors. Lula stands her ground against the five remaining Nihil marauders. Meanwhile, on Crashpoint Tower, Ram manages to speak to the Drengir, who reveal that the Nihil promised them the entire planet of Valo if they helped capture the tower. Zeen manages to convince the Drengir that the Nihil lied to them by claiming that the planet Valo is not full of "meats" to devour since the Nihil had killed them. After V-18 and the Bombaks arrive, Ram convinces the droid to lend him his transmission vortice.

While attacking a winged Nihil shuttle with her lightsaber, Lula is wounded in the arm. The remaining Nihil fliers converge on Crashpoint Tower, seeking to take out Ram and Zeen. Lula rejoins her Jedi comrades at the Tower. Using the Force, Ram convinces the Drengir to attack the six remaining Nihil fliers. The sentient plants grow extensions that take out and destroy the ships. Lula joins the fight, boarding a Z-trawler and fighting the crew. Using the Force, she jumps out of the ship onto the tower before the stricken craft crashes into a tree. The Drengir also abandon their plans to devour Valo and shrink into their quarters.

Using V-18's transmission vortice, Ram is able to repair Crashpoint Tower's communications, allowing the Jedi and Valo Security Force to contact each other. Lula rejoins her Jedi comrades in the battle to save Lonisa City from the Nihil. While watching Jedi Vector starfighters pursuing Nihil fighters, Ram contacts Lula and Zeen, telling them that he wants to join them in traveling the galaxy and helping the Republic. The two welcome his offer to join them.

The excerpt from Race to Crashpoint Tower that was included in copies of A Test of Courage has a few differences from the final version of the novel: Lonisa City is referred to as Valo City. Ram Jomaram is sitting on an old pilot seat when V-18 interrupts him and recites a mantra taught to him by Kunpar Vasivola, rather than levitating above it and reciting the Guardian's Mantra. Fezmix is called Femix. Masters Kunpar and Lege are said to be preparing for the Republic Fair instead of patrolling by the lake. Jomaram uses the demonym "Valon" instead of "Valorian" for the people of Valo. The fact that Crashpoint Tower is not the structure's official name is no longer mentioned by the droid, although Jomaram points it out to Lula Talisola later in the book. The two areas of Jedi training that Jomaram is least skilled at are called Jedi combat maneuvers and lightsaber training instead of General Jedi Combat Maneuvers and Lightsaber Training.

Vrant Tarnum is described as a moon, even though Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures calls it a planet.

Ty Yorrick's last name is misspelled as "Yorrik".

The Innovator is said to be Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh's flagship. However, in The High Republic: The Rising Storm, the Coruscant Dawn is identified as Soh's flagship.

• ISBN 9781368060660 ; June 29 , 2021 ; Disney–Lucasfilm Press ; US Hardcover [1]
• ISBN 9781368073462 ; June 29, 2021; Disney–Lucasfilm Press; US hardcover, Indie Exclusive Signed Copies edition [10]
• ISBN 9782016289280 ; August 25 , 2021; Hachette Jeunesse ; French Paperback [11]