Sith scientists were scientists that used alchemy and science to develop Project Blackwing, an Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research initiative to achieve immortality, with the project being based out of a secret research facility on Dandoran. The project went awry when a virus known as "the Sickness" was accidentally created and killed its hosts, turning their bodies into intelligent cannibalistic zombies known as Undead Troopers, or Death Troopers. After the Imperial garrison was overwhelmed and could not contain the virus, Dandoran and Tatooine were accidentally contaminated by the Alliance to Restore the Republic after they sent a contingent of soldiers to Dandoran and discovered the infected garrison.