Alpha Red was a clandestine experimental research unit primarily within the New Republic Intelligence Service but also later within its successor agency, the Galactic Alliance Intelligence Service. Formed from members of the Intelligence Service's other secret unit, Alpha Blue, along with several Chiss scientists, Alpha Red was tasked with researching the extra-galactic biology of the Yuuzhan Vong. They were to determine weaknesses in the Vong's biological systems and develop methods to exploit those weaknesses. The team was led by former Alpha Blue scientist Joi Eicroth and its staff included a group of Chiss biotechnicians who worked alongside Intelligence scientists. They were able to create a dangerous toxin, also named Alpha Red.
Alpha Red was formed by Director of New Republic Intelligence Dif Scaur in the aftermath of the capture of Coruscant by the Yuuzhan Vong from the New Republic. Scaur had scientists from Alpha Blue, a secret New Republic Intelligence Service unit, join with Chiss scientists to create the new secret unit. They were to study the Yuuzhan Vong and find a weakness that could be used in their biology to exploit.
The crowning achievement of Alpha Red's research was a biological weapon codenamed "Alpha Red." The airborne pathogen proved in their laboratory tests to target a unique genetic strand amongst all Vong-related creatures, and destroy it. Alpha Red was also tested on sedated Yuuzhan Vong warriors; the tests were successful in killing them. Research was then moved out of the Chiss research facility and into a converted hospital EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate located in orbit of Mon Calamari in order to produce tons of Alpha Red to distribute and unleash upon Yuuzhan Vong-held worlds. Upon hearing of the existence of the deadly Alpha Red pathogen by eavesdropping on a conversation between Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker, Vergere infiltrated the facility and sabotaged the project.
After the use of the pathogen was restricted to a last resort option and Vergere's sabotage, Alpha Red was presumably shutdown. However, it was rediscovered by a strike team of Jedi sent to destroy a yammosk on Caluula. All the Yuuzhan Vong and their living technology were on the verge of death and very weak. A member of the strike team revealed that Alpha Red had been deployed on the planet. Upon discovering the reemergence of Alpha Red, Luke ordered all Yuuzhan Vong vessels in the system be destroyed to keep the bio-weapon at bay. Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane sent an infected vessel to crash-land on Zonama Sekot in order to destroy the planet, but his attack failed.
By 138 ABY, the Sith Lady Darth Maladi, a member of the One Sith, had found notes on Alpha Red and improved the weapon into a much deadlier version: Omega Red.
- The Official Star Wars Fact File140
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Galaxy of Intrigue