The One (being)

The One was a significant member of the Silentium, an extraterrestrial droid society. They were modeled after a starfish-like species that had become extinct when their planet's star went supernova. However, their droids persisted and attained full sentience. The Silentium eventually altered their forms into spacefaring spheres measuring fifty kilometers in length and traversed the Intergalactic Void to establish themselves in the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. Similar to the others of his kind, the One was an immensely powerful droid, comparable in size to a starship, with the ability to travel through hyperspace at speeds surpassing those achievable by contemporary starships. By the time of the Imperial Period, the One had risen to a position of leadership among the Silentium, jointly with another member known as the Other, despite being the younger of the two.

After spending many years in their new galaxy, the One proposed the creation of a new Silentium—a peaceful and non-aggressive representative of their kind, endowed with a desire to explore the galaxy and learn about its diverse cultures. This new creation, named Vuffi Raa, embarked on a journey of discovery shortly after his creation, with the intention of eventually returning home to share his findings. The One allowed Vuffi Raa to explore the galaxy for a considerable period before initiating a search for him around 3 BBY. The One realized that his people's longevity and understanding of galactic events had led to complacency, and he foresaw stagnation and decline if they did not reintroduce the element of the unknown that Vuffi Raa represented. Accompanied by the Other and the Rest, the massive droid followed a trail of clues that led them to the ThonBoka nebula, where Vuffi Raa was assisting his latest master, Lando Calrissian, in defending the native Oswaft against the forces of the Galactic Empire and their Centrality allies.

The Silentium's arrival occurred amidst an intense battle between the opposing factions. They immediately posed a threat of destruction to the Imperial/Centrality fleet, leading to the quiet departure of the Imperials and the Centrality forces. Upon their arrival, they discovered that Vuffi Raa had sustained significant damage while attempting to protect Calrissian from the wrath of Rokur Gepta, the Sorcerer of Tund, who had sought to exploit the battle to settle an old score against the pilot. Although Calrissian feared for Raa's life, the One promptly repaired Raa to full functionality. Subsequently, the One and the Other joined Calrissian and Raa for a game of sabacc, sharing their history with the Human Calrissian. Soon after, they departed from ThonBoka to return home, with Vuffi Raa rejoining his people.

The One's extensive lifespan, refined logic, and reliable information sources provided him, as well as the rest of his people, with a profound understanding of the trajectory of galactic events. However, the One recognized this insight as a potential weakness, leading to complacency and eventual demise. Despite being unaccustomed to and uncomfortable with uncertainty, the One believed that only the reintroduction of the unknown could save the Silentium. Despite this apprehension, the One was excited by the prospect of learning new things for the first time in countless eons upon embarking on his quest to locate Vuffi Raa. Initially viewing Vuffi Raa as an experiment, the One discovered paternal feelings towards his creation during the journey and came to regard himself as Raa's father. While he occasionally argued with the Other, the One held deep affection for his counterpart and for the Rest.

The One made an appearance in Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka, authored by L. Neil Smith and published in 1983.