Blackwing virus outbreak on Dathomir

The Blackwing virus functioned as a viral pathogen, transforming those it infected into undead beings with a relentless hunger for flesh. It was initially conceived by Sith Lord Darth Drear during the era of the Old Republic, who employed Sith alchemy in an attempt to achieve immortality.

Millennia later, Darth Vader ultimately rediscovered the virus. Amidst the Galactic Civil War between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, Vader instructed the Imperial Biological Weapons Division to refine the virus into a biological weapon with the goal of producing superior soldiers. This endeavor was covertly conducted aboard the Imperial-class Star Destroyer named Vector. However, in 1 BBY, an accidental release of the virus occurred on the Vector, and subsequently on the Imperial prison barge known as Purge, transforming the entire crew into savage undead. The only individuals to successfully escape this outbreak were Doctor Zahara Cody, the chief medical officer of the Purge, the prisoner Trig Longo, and the smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca.

Following the Vector incident, the project was not abandoned; instead, it was transferred to a clandestine Imperial Research and Prison Facility situated on the isolated world of Dathomir. The Empire enlisted accomplished scientists from across the galaxy to contribute to the project, with Dr. Griffax Jin leading as chief virologist. Among the other scientists were Dr. Pram Dramango, Dr. Stane Tritan, Dr. Nomi Rhane, Dr. Piodas Ray, Dr. Tare Sal, Dr. Ziris Enz, Marpo Glenfik, Skrat Horle, and Tyla Gallamby. The security detail included Captain Lenders Ennada, Lieutenants Flinn Boster, Arwen Zherooh and Jecht Eris, stormtroopers TK-217, BT-413, DS-378, TK-108, FR-351, GT-643, KD-121 and HX-138. Additional personnel comprised Inquisitor Klex Fulgor, prison wardens Torkin Doha and Derin Hans, creature handlers Tyris Santorini and Yerkys Neir, and maintenance technician Pit Cornburr.

Eventually, one of the scientists involved in the project supplied the virus to Derg Prantis, the chief-scientist at the Mos Eisley Biolab on Tatooine. Consequently, the biologist constructed a secret laboratory on the distant planet Lok to further his own research on the virus. However, Prantis was later betrayed by his lab assistant Bera Jeza, who contacted Jabba the Hutt with the intention of selling him the super soldier formula. Nevertheless, Prantis and Jeza were assassinated, along with the entire staff of Derg Prantis' secret lab.

In 1 ABY, another accident occurred at the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, resulting in the virus escaping containment once more. As before, the virus claimed the lives of most individuals in the vicinity, transforming them into ravenous zombies.

Rather than resorting to orbital bombardment to sterilize the area, the Empire rapidly established a Quarantine Zone to confine the infection. The area was enclosed by a high, fortified wall, with access guarded by a stormtrooper contingent under the command of Lieutenant Liam Waurie. Only a handful of individuals who survived the initial outbreak managed to evade the lockdown, including Tyla Gallamby, stormtrooper Tk-216, and Illrian Nhagy. The remaining survivors, primarily Imperial personnel and prisoners, were trapped within the Quarantine Zone. They established five camps within the area, named Camp Alpha, Camp Beta, Camp Gamma, Camp Delta and Camp Epsilon, in an attempt to find safety while awaiting evacuation. These survivors included Stephon Sprocketfire, Sergeant Mika Horn, Kyra 'Naa, Lieutenant Erlem Marh, Zsu Val, Volo Madine, TIE pilot Jeb Maris, Tripp D'jek, stormtrooper TR-522, Sogan Varga, Oona Wran, stormtroopers HX-138, KD-121 and GT-643, Nils Cridmeen, and Inquisitor Klex Fulgor. The camps were consistently subjected to attacks from the zombies. Furthermore, all rescue teams that attempted to land in the area were attacked, and their members were killed before they could reach the survivors. Landing in the Quarantine Zone was eventually forbidden, and Imperial authorities resorted to supporting the survivors through supply air drops.

The Rebel Alliance discovered the accident at the Imperial Research and Prison Facility almost as quickly as the Empire itself. Immediately after the outbreak, before the establishment of the Quarantine Zone, a small unit of Rebel troops landed near the Imperial Research and Prison Facility to investigate the place and rescue survivors. However, the Rebel forces were soon attacked by undead stormtroopers and were forced to withdraw. They suffered heavy casualties but managed to retreat to their extraction point. Nonetheless, when some Rebel soldiers started to display symptoms of the sickness, the evacuation mission was aborted and the few remaining Rebels were stuck in the Quarantine Zone.

Doctor Zahara Cody and Trig Longo, the survivors from the Purge, soon arrived on Dathomir and were dropped in Camp Alpha from the Millennium Falcon by Han Solo and Chewbacca. Cody and Longo had decided to distribute to the survivors of the Quarantine Zone an anti-virus developed by Dr. Cody during the Vector incident from her own immunity.

Meanwhile, the Zabrak slicer Cale Herron was investigating the disappearance of the scientists employed by the Empire to work on the Blackwing virus project. After the assassination of the biologists Derg Prantis and Bera Jeza in Mos Eisley, he received the support of a group of spacers who assisted him in his investigation. In Derg Prantis' lab on Lok, the spacers found the genetic sequence of the virus, but they did not realize the importance of their discovery. Nevertheless, their investigation finally led them to the discovery of the virus outbreak on Dathomir. When the spacers arrived on Dathomir, the area was already quarantined by the Empire.

Darth Vader personally oversaw Imperial operations within the Quarantine Zone, determined not to lose the virus and its associated research data. Consequently, he instructed Captain Piett to recruit volunteers to venture into the quarantine zone and retrieve a virus sample from the Imperial Research and Prison Facility. Simultaneously, the Rebel Alliance and the Black Sun criminal syndicate became aware of the situation. Mon Mothma tasked Han Solo with contacting Rebel operatives and persuading them to enter the Quarantine Zone to secure the virus before the Empire. Conversely, Guri, the lieutenant of Prince Xizor of the Black Sun, also journeyed to the Quarantine Zone and enlisted unaffiliated adventurers to locate the virus for Xizor. Both the Rebellion and the Black Sun had successfully stolen Imperial authorization codes, enabling their agents to enter the Zone.

Upon entering the Quarantine Zone, these spacefarers faced relentless waves of aggressive undead, including Imperial soldiers and prisoners from the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, as well as native Dathomiri Witches. The spacers battled and eliminated numerous individuals reanimated by the virus, including Fenn Kay'lay, Vil Burren, Jawiin Danod, Salek Panaka, Snotharr, Navik Geelo, Dugo Evnul, Adol Mantid, Tal Freykaa, Kallaova, Soon Dom, Ool Awmod, Jaina Nassin, Wertsnik, Wesk Kit'pay, Ghianna Hayde, Chak Krist, Treena Moldovia, Vina Maljazara, and Pit Cornburr.

The spacers eventually reached Camp Epsilon in the courtyard of the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, where they encountered a contingent of immune stormtroopers led by HX-138. The spacers assisted the stormtroopers in repairing a damaged Lambda-class shuttle, securing their support in locating the virus within the Research Facility. The spacers then entered the Research Facility itself, where they were assailed by the most aggressive undead creatures. They were even forced to confront a gigantic undead rancor in the depths of the Facility. Ultimately, the spacers discovered the chief virologist, Dr. Griffax Jin, who was still alive. However, the man was infected by the virus and soon turned into a zombie and attacked the spacers. After the scientist was definitely killed, one of the spacers managed to get a sample of the original virus in the lab. The spacers also encountered some survivors, including TK-217, Marpo Glenfik, Dr. Pram Dramango, Dr. Stane Tritan, Dr. Griffax Jin and Dr. Nomi Rhane. The spacers helped them to shut down the facility ventilation in order to stop the spread of the virus outside the research center. The survivors and the spacer then used an emergency escape ladder to leave the facility. The spacers escorted the survivors to Camp Epsilon nearby, where a group of refugees, including HX-138 and her troops, were awaiting them. The survivors from the research facility, the spacers and the refugees of Camp Epsilon eventually escaped the Quarantine Zone together in the repaired Lambda-class shuttle.

The Empire ultimately managed to contain the virus's spread. As some Witches of Dathomir were contaminated by the Blackwing virus during the crisis, Imperial forces targeted the Witches living in the neighborhood of the Quarantine Zone and exterminated most of the Howling Crag Clan. However three of the infected witches, Denkra, Naija and Thestriel Kymeri, survived by using the Force to fight off the contagion and learned to control the virus. They became known as the Sisters of the Void.

The Blackwing virus outbreak on Dathomir was featured in the 2003 video game Star Wars Galaxies, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts, prior to its closure on December 15, 2011. The Blackwing virus outbreak was first mentioned in the game during the questline "Something is Obviously Wrong," released with the "Game Update 13", on September 30, 2009, introducing the upcoming "Death Troopers" content of Star Wars Galaxies. The Blackwing virus outbreak on Dathomir was the main addition of the "Game Update 14," released on October 12, 2009. This update was developed in conjunction with Joe Schreiber's novel, Death Troopers.