The Quarantine Zone represented a specific area on the planet of Dathomir. This zone was placed under quarantine by the Galactic Empire following a Blackwing virus outbreak during the period of the Galactic Civil War.
Following the events of the Battle of Yavin, the Empire engaged in clandestine and perilous scientific endeavors at the Imperial Research and Prison Facility located on Dathomir. Their objective was to bioengineer the terrifying Blackwing virus with the intention of producing super soldiers. However, in the year 1 ABY, an unforeseen incident occurred within the Research Facility, leading to the escape of the virus from its containment. This resulted in the deaths of most individuals in the vicinity, transforming them into flesh-hungry undead beings.
Instead of opting for complete sterilization of the affected region through orbital bombardment, the Empire swiftly established the Quarantine Zone as a means of containing the spread of the infection. The Zone itself was enclosed by a towering, fortified wall, and access to it was guarded by a detachment of stormtroopers under the command of Lieutenant Liam Waurie. Only a handful of individuals who survived the initial viral outbreak managed to evade the lockdown, including Tyla Gallamby, stormtrooper Tk-216, and Illrian Nhagy. The remaining survivors, primarily consisting of Imperial personnel and prisoners, found themselves confined within the Quarantine Zone. To enhance their chances of survival while awaiting evacuation, they established five distinct camps within the area: Camp Alpha, Camp Beta, Camp Gamma, Camp Delta, and Camp Epsilon. Among these survivors were individuals such as Mika Horn, Stephon Sprocketfire, Kyra 'Naa, Lieutenant Erlem Marh, Zsu Val, Jeb Maris, Volo Madine, Tripp D'jek, stormtrooper TR-522, Sogan Varga, Oona Wran, stormtroopers HX-138, KD-121 and GT-643, Nils Cridmeen, and Inquisitor Klex Fulgor. These camps were frequently subjected to attacks by the ever-present zombies. Furthermore, all rescue teams attempting to land in the area were met with hostility, resulting in the deaths of their members before they could locate the survivors. Consequently, landing within the Quarantine Zone was eventually prohibited, and Imperial authorities resorted to providing support to the survivors solely through aerial supply drops.
The Rebel Alliance quickly became aware of the incident at the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, almost as fast as the Empire itself. In the immediate aftermath of the outbreak, even before the Quarantine Zone was established, a small contingent of Rebel troops landed near the Imperial Research and Prison Facility with the intention of investigating the situation and rescuing any survivors. However, the Rebel forces soon found themselves under attack by undead stormtroopers, compelling them to retreat. Despite suffering significant losses, they managed to reach their designated extraction point. Nevertheless, when some Rebel soldiers began exhibiting symptoms of the illness, the evacuation mission was called off, leaving the remaining Rebels stranded within the Quarantine Zone.
Doctor Zahara Cody and Trig Longo shortly thereafter arrived on Dathomir, being dropped off at Camp Alpha from the Millennium Falcon by Han Solo and Chewbacca. These four individuals had previously survived the Blackwing virus outbreak aboard the Star Destroyer known as the Vector approximately two years prior. Doctor Cody and Trig Longo had decided to distribute an anti-virus to the survivors of the Quarantine Zone, which Dr. Cody had developed during the Vector incident, utilizing her own immunity.
Darth Vader himself oversaw Imperial operations within the Quarantine Zone. The Dark Lord, unwilling to relinquish the virus and its associated research data, instructed Captain Piett to enlist volunteers to enter the quarantine zone and retrieve a sample of the virus from the Imperial Research and Prison Facility. Simultaneously, both the Rebel Alliance and the Black Sun criminal organization became aware of the situation. Mon Mothma tasked Han Solo and Chewbacca with contacting Rebel agents and persuading them to enter the Quarantine Zone in order to secure the virus before the Empire could. Conversely, Guri, the lieutenant of Prince Xizor of the Black Sun, also journeyed to the Quarantine Zone and recruited unaffiliated adventurers to locate the virus for Xizor. Both the Rebellion and the Black Sun had successfully acquired Imperial authorization codes, enabling their agents to gain access to the Zone.
Once inside the Quarantine Zone, all of these spacers were forced to contend with a vast number of aggressive undead creatures. These undead included Imperial soldiers and prisoners from the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, as well as indigenous Dathomiri Witches. The spacers engaged in combat, eliminating a significant number of individuals who had been 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 arrived at Camp Epsilon, situated within the courtyard of the Imperial Research and Prison Facility, where they encountered a group of immune stormtroopers led by HX-138. The spacers hoped to enlist the support of these stormtroopers in their quest to locate the virus within the Research Facility. Subsequently, the spacers ventured into the Research Facility itself, where they were confronted by the most aggressive undead creatures. They were even compelled to battle a colossal undead rancor in the depths of the Facility. The spacers also encountered a few survivors, including Dr. Nomi Rhane. Ultimately, the spacers located Doctor Griffax Jin, the chief virologist of the Imperial research project, who was still alive. However, the man was infected by the virus, quickly transforming into a zombie and attacking the spacers. After the scientist was definitively killed, one of the spacers successfully obtained a sample of the original virus from the lab, ultimately delivering it to his employer.
Due to the inherent dangers of the area, those who managed to survive within the Quarantine Zone, regardless of their allegiance to the Rebel Alliance, the Empire, or neutrality, were honored with the Quarantine Zone Survivor award.
The Quarantine Zone was featured as a location in the 2003 video game Star Wars Galaxies, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts, before its closure on December 15, 2011. The areas surrounding the Quarantine Zone were introduced to the game through "Game Update 13," which was released on September 30, 2009. However, it was only with the "Death Troopers" update, launched on October 12, 2009, that players gained access to the area.