Marcus Trant

Marcus Trant, a male of Human descent, initially served as a decryption specialist for the Galactic Republic's Strategic Information Service. At the time, the SIS was a secret division within the Senate Library, designed to keep its funding discreet. The Great Galactic War erupted in 3681 BBY with the return of the Sith Empire. As the war progressed, the Senate mandated the SIS's transformation into a fully independent intelligence agency, separate from the Senate Library. Trant became one of the SIS's field agents. In 3674 BBY, Trant found himself stationed on the planet Bomodon, where a platoon belonging to the Republic Military's 45th Infantry Division, under the command of Lieutenant Elin Garza, had crash-landed. Trant aided Garza in conducting a ten-month guerrilla campaign that ultimately forced the Imperial forces to withdraw from the planet.

During the battle, Trant and Garza developed a romantic connection, leading to their marriage soon after. However, their union lasted only twenty-six months before ending in divorce. Garza later married a naval captain named Joron Tal'vor, who died in 3671 BBY. Trant remarried, but the demands of his profession created domestic issues, resulting in another divorce from his second wife. His relationship with Garza remained strained, despite their frequent interactions due to Garza's role as the commanding general of the Republic Special Forces Division, which worked closely with the SIS. Throughout the war, Trant participated in numerous classified SIS operations on various planets across the galaxy, including Ralltiir. In 3654 BBY, he was appointed Bureau Chief on Nar Shaddaa. Over the subsequent four years, Trant established fifty-six safe houses on the moon and successfully executed multiple operations.

Three years following the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant, which marked the end of the Great Galactic War in 3653 BBY, the then-SIS director resigned due to failing health. He designated Trant as his replacement, leading to Trant's promotion to Director of Republic Strategic Information Service. His challenges began immediately: despite the war's official end, the Republic and the Empire remained entangled in a tense Cold War. The galaxy transformed into a battleground of covert operations and spies, rather than conventional warfare. A bounty was placed on Trant's head. Intelligence and counterintelligence became paramount for both sides as they sought to strengthen their positions in anticipation of renewed conflict. The Sacking of Coruscant, an Imperial attack that forced the Republic to sign the Treaty of Coruscant, had left the planet devastated. Other planets, relinquished by the Republic under the treaty, fell under Imperial control. Worlds such as Ord Mantell, Nar Shaddaa, Tatooine, and Balmorra became contested territories between the SIS and Imperial Intelligence. Trant initiated and personally oversaw operations, including those involving Agent Theron Shan and Director of Mid Rim Operations Ardun Kothe. Trant tasked Shan with scouting the planet Makeb in anticipation of a potential Republic intervention. Shan provided Trant with a field report detailing crucial locations on the planet, assessments of key figures, and evaluations of local military strength.

The SIS intensified its activities to gather more intelligence on Imperial Intelligence and the Empire in general, with Trant personally monitoring the Republic's most dangerous adversaries. Under Trant's leadership, the SIS began supporting the overwhelmed Coruscant Security Force by providing intelligence on Coruscant's most threatening criminal and militant groups, such as Black Sun and the Justicars' Brigade. Recognizing the Jedi Order as a valuable asset to the Republic, Trant encouraged SIS agents to collaborate with the Jedi, leading to joint operations in locations like Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa, and Taris. As director of the SIS, Trant had to balance the daily operations of an intelligence agency with the constant politics involved in leading a government organization. Senate budget and oversight hearings demanded information on covert operations, which Trant refused to provide due to security concerns. The risk of exposing his agents' identities was too great, and only a select few had access to SIS personnel records. Nevertheless, the bureaucrats responsible for managing the Republic's finances demanded tangible results for the credits spent. Consequently, Trant continually had to justify the SIS's existence, given that the outcomes of his agency's work were, by definition, covert.

In 3643 BBY, Trant summoned Theron Shan to his office to brief him on the SIS's efforts to weaken the Empire. Together, they traveled to the SIS operations center for a mission aimed at locating a missing Jedi named Ngani Zho. Despite initial hesitation, Shan accepted the mission, as Zho had raised and trained him in place of his mother, Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan. Journeying to the Vesla system, Shan located Zho, who revealed the existence of a powerful weapon called the Sun Razer, under development by Sith Lord Darth Mekhis. Determined to destroy the weapon, Shan contacted Trant to report his findings. Despite Zho's mental instability, Shan believed that Zho had discovered something significant. A week earlier, an SIS station on Nar Shaddaa had been shut down, and Trant had received reports of increased activity within the Sith Empire's Imperial Guard. Knowing that the Republic needed to exploit every possible advantage, Trant supported Shan's mission. Both Trant and Shan agreed that Shan should proceed with locating the weapon and conducting reconnaissance. Ultimately, Shan located and eliminated Darth Mekhis, and destroyed the Sun Razer. Trant later remarked to Shan that his actions might have triggered a renewed war with the Sith. Trant offered Shan time off, but Shan declined, stating his intention to continue pursuing leads to stop the Sith.

The predicted renewed war did indeed commence, and with the apparent death of the Sith Emperor at the hands of a Jedi Knight, the Republic gained an advantage. Trant maintained his vigilance over the Republic's enemies, eventually classifying Cipher Nine, a former Cipher Agent of Imperial Intelligence responsible for the destruction of the Shadow Arsenal on Quesh, as the third-highest threat. In 3640 BBY, the new Republic Supreme Commander Jace Malcom collaborated with Trant to devise a plan to liberate Republic prisoners-of-war from slave markets. This initiative, named Operation Transom, proceeded successfully, with the SIS identifying a major hub for slave trading on Nar Shaddaa, located in the palace of Morbo the Hutt. Three months into the surveillance, Trant received reports from field agents that Theron Shan, who was not assigned to the mission, was seen near Morbo's palace. Trant contacted Shan, ordering him to leave Nar Shaddaa immediately. At that moment, Shan was approached by a Houk and abruptly ended the call with the director. The Houk demanded that Shan explain his presence, which Shan refused to do. A fight ensued, with Shan gaining the upper hand and subduing the Houk. Upon questioning, the Houk admitted to being an SIS agent and revealed details about Operation Transom, surprising Shan. Despite the director's orders, Shan continued to disregard them, infiltrating Morbo's palace. In doing so, he aided several captive Republic soldiers in escaping, alerting the Hutts to the Republic's surveillance. Trant was soon informed of Shan's actions and the subsequent compromise of Operation Transom.

Meanwhile, Trant visited the Supreme Commander's office in the Senate Building. Although Malcom inquired about Shan's interference with Operation Transom, Trant, covering for Shan, accepted responsibility for the mission's failure. Privately, Trant was furious and vowed to thoroughly question Shan about the incident. To advance the effort to defeat the Sith Empire, Malcom had developed a plan to capture and destroy a new Imperial warship, the Ascendant Spear, commanded by Darth Karrid, a Falleen Sith Lord. Malcom presented the plan to the SIS director as a joint operation involving the military and the Jedi, and Trant agreed. Upon returning to Coruscant, Shan was escorted to the Director's office by SIS agents posing as Coruscant Security Force police officers. Trant was incensed with Shan; not only had he disobeyed a direct order, but he had also compromised a three-month surveillance operation. As punishment, Trant removed Shan from field duty and reassigned him to the Analytics Department. However, Trant tasked Shan with developing the details for the new mission against the Ascendant Spear, named Operation End Game.

Shan submitted his final operational plan to Trant, who removed Shan's name. Shan then reattached his name to the document before it was submitted to Jace Malcom. During the discussion about which SIS agent would lead the operation, Malcom requested that Trant assign Shan to the mission. Frustrated that Shan had outmaneuvered him, Trant reluctantly agreed. Malcom also requested the assistance of Jedi High Council Master Gnost-Dural, Darth Karrid's former Jedi Master, who arrived on Coruscant shortly thereafter. Shan, Gnost-Dural, and Trant met in the Supreme Commander's office to finalize the mission details. Meanwhile, Trant had begun a flirtatious relationship with Malcom's receptionist, leading Shan to suspect that she was Trant's next romantic interest. With the mission details finalized, Operation Endgame was initiated. While the mission was formally under Malcom's direct supervision, Trant provided frequent tactical suggestions and information, as well as overseeing reports from Shan. On the planet Ziost, Shan and Gnost-Dural secured a black cipher, a special encryption device used by the Imperial Navy. The cipher was handed over to Trant, who immediately gave it to the analytics team for analysis. Shan and Gnost-Dural continued their mission and recruited a smuggler named Teff'ith to assist them. Trant, however, was skeptical of Teff'ith's abilities and loyalty to Shan and the Republic.

Using the black cipher, the SIS discovered that the Ascendant Spear was scheduled to dock at the space station known as Reaver Station for two days. Trant informed Shan of this, and the team proceeded to the station. Shortly after, the SIS intercepted intelligence about a planned assault on the planet Ruan. Trant shared this information with Malcom, and they decided to allow the attack to proceed to protect the fact that they had access to Imperial communications. The battle at Ruan resulted in a devastating Republic defeat. Trant then briefed Malcom on the damage and casualties. The two also decided to permit a second attack by the Sith, this time on the planet Duro. Meanwhile, upon arriving at Reaver Station, Shan learned about the attack on Ruan. Concerned that the cipher was no longer effective, Shan contacted Trant, who was in a briefing with Malcom. Trant and Malcom explained their decision to Shan, who was horrified and angered by it. After disconnecting with Shan, Trant provided the Supreme Commander with estimated casualty figures for the attack on Duro. Malcom struggled with the decision's morality and sought Trant's opinion. The Director assured Malcom that the decision was correct in the larger context, and he joined Malcom for several drinks that evening. Simultaneously, Shan and Gnost-Dural infiltrated the Ascendant Spear and redirected its course to the Duro system. Shan also dispatched Teff'ith to Coruscant to inform his mother, Satele, about the Ascendant Spear's movements and to persuade Trant and Malcom to defend Duro.

Teff'ith alerted Master Shan, who, in turn, convinced Malcom to take action. As the Ascendant Spear arrived at Duro, a Republic fleet under Malcom's direct command ambushed the ship, leading to a battle. During the conflict, Shan killed Darth Karrid, enabling the Republic forces to destroy the Ascendant Spear and achieve the operation's objective. Shan submitted his final report on the operation to Trant, who then attended the official debriefing in the Supreme Commander's office. Shan did not attend, sending his regrets to the Supreme Commander. Following the debriefing, Trant returned to his office to continue his work as the head of the SIS.

Later in the war, when agents of the clandestine Order of Revan falsely implicated Shan and others in the death of Colonel Rian Darok, an officer in the Special Forces Division, the Director mitigated the consequences for Shan; instead of a death sentence, Shan was labeled as a "disavowed rogue agent, apprehend on sight." After the uncovering of the Revanite conspiracy and their defeat on Yavin 4, Shan was fully reinstated into the SIS with a promotion and a new title. Trant continued to lead the SIS during the conquest of the galaxy by the Eternal Empire of Zakuul, during which the Republic surrendered to the invaders' Eternal Fleet and signed a peace treaty that preserved the Republic's independence in exchange for a substantial tribute of raw materials and resources. In 3631 BBY, former Sith Intelligence Minister Lana Beniko initiated a war against Zakuul, and Shan left the SIS to join her Alliance opposing Zakuul's Emperor Arcann, much to Trant's disappointment.

Marcus Trant possessed dark skin, brown eyes, and dark brown hair. Of average height and build, he maintained a relatively unassuming presence while navigating the Senate halls, which he preferred. Despite his pessimistic nature, Trant was a firm believer in the Republic's ideals and dedicated himself to his work. As Director of the SIS, he faced difficult, often life-or-death, decisions, which he never avoided. He was willing to sacrifice hundreds, if not thousands, if it served the greater good and secured a Republic victory. His covert work placed a significant strain on his personal life, leading to the failure of both his marriages. However, this did not deter him, and he was known for being somewhat of a womanizer. His personal failures contrasted sharply with his professional success. Trant was one of the Republic's most accomplished agents during his lifetime. His ability to manage multiple missions simultaneously served him well as Bureau Chief of Nar Shaddaa, a trait he carried into his role as Director of the SIS. Though not required, he would directly oversee several missions instead of delegating them to subordinates.

The character of Marcus Trant was conceived for the Star Wars: The Old Republic expanded universe. This universe is built around a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game of the same name, launched by BioWare on December 20, 2011. His initial appearance was in The Old Republic—The Lost Suns 1, a comic released on June 8, 2011. He was featured throughout The Lost Suns story arc, but was only referred to as "The Director." His identification as Marcus Trant occurred in the Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia, which Dorling Kindersley published on October 15, 2012. The encyclopedia entries for both Trant and Elin Garza provided details on Trant's past, including his connection to Garza. The Encyclopedia was released shortly before Trant's subsequent appearance in The Old Republic: Annihilation, an Old Republic novel that takes place after the events of the game's class storylines. Drew Karpyshyn authored the novel, which was released on November 13, 2012.

Eventually, Marcus Trant made an appearance within the game itself during the flashpoint "The Nathema Conspiracy," which was introduced with Update 5.9 on May 3, 2018. This flashpoint is accessible to characters from both the Republic and Imperial factions. However, Marcus Trant's appearance is exclusive to Imperial Agent players who either remained loyal to the Empire or chose to become independent agents at the conclusion of their class story. In this scenario, Marcus Trant aims to eliminate the agent who has risen to become the Commander of the Eternal Alliance. His plan involves destroying the Alliance to isolate the agent from their allies and support. To achieve this, Trant allies himself with the Order of Zildrog, led by former Horizon Guard Vinn Atrius, and journeys with the Order to Nathema. There, Atrius and GEMINI 16 intend to awaken Zildrog, an ancient Iokath superweapon with the capability to obliterate the Alliance. Trant confronts the agent, accompanied by Theron Shan and Lana Beniko, via hologram and dispatches an Ancient Guardian Droid to intercept them. After the player defeats the droid, they discover that the GEMINI has deceived and betrayed many of her allies, trapping them in energy transfer chambers to fuel Zildrog's awakening. Marcus Trant meets his end shortly before the player destroys both GEMINI 16 and Zildrog. However, if the agent made the light-side choice to spare Ardun Kothe on Quesh and subsequently accepted his offer to serve as a double agent within the SIS, Shara Jenn will appear in place of Marcus Trant. The other classes face antagonists from their own class stories, meaning that Marcus Trant's involvement with the Order only represents one possibility of many.

Trant had a particular focus on Theron Shan's trajectory. He knew that Shan's mother was Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan, a fact known only to a select few. Trant highly regarded Shan's performance as an operative, viewing him as one of the SIS's finest. While Trant granted Shan more freedom during missions, Shan's deviations from orders often frustrated his superior. Trant watched over Shan closely, almost as a father would, assigning him missions that he personally oversaw and taking an active interest in his well-being. As director, Trant prioritized the safety and secrecy of his agents above all else. He often told them that if they executed their duties flawlessly, their presence would remain undetected. Given the SIS's covert nature, Trant faced constant challenges in withholding operational details from the Senate. He found the political maneuvering frustrating, especially as senators regularly sought to reduce his agency's budget and personnel. Nevertheless, Trant persisted and sought allies to advocate for the SIS's importance. One such ally was Jace Malcom, the Republic Military's Supreme Commander. Their relationship progressed smoothly, and Trant generally enjoyed collaborating with Malcom, as they shared similar goals and philosophies. Trant's success as both an agent and director established him as one of the Republic's most valuable intelligence assets.