Orax was a planet in the Outer Rim Territories, and was the homeworld of the crystalline Shard. The Galactic Republic discovered the planet in 119 BBY, and Orax became known for its wondrous mineral formations. With the rise of the Galactic Empire, many Shard ambassadors operating off world were murdered, and their homeworld became a mining center using slave labor. Further, many Shard colonies were destroyed. During the Galactic Civil War, the Shards allied themselves with the Alliance to Restore the Republic in order to free their homeworld.