Special Projects Division

The **Special Projects Division** is an agency of the Sith Empire charged with the research and development of numerous forms of advanced technology. Despite obvious ties to the Imperial Military and Science Bureau, it operates outside the jurisdiction of the Dark Council.

The division has been shrouded in mystery since its inception. Until documents related to one of the division's research programs were leaked after the disappearance of Darth Marr, most of the Imperial public was not aware of its existence.

## Overview

The inner workings and organization of the Special Projects Division are tightly kept secrets. Beyond the fact that it is led by a director and several deputies, little of its structure and operating protocol has been disclosed.

### Locations

The Special Projects Division was originally headquartered on Taral Five until the installation was compromised during a Republic incursion, after which its base of operations was relocated to Dromund Fels.

Called the Center for Advanced Research, the massive complex is home to a slew of laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art technology that exceeds that of most other Imperial science installations. All operations are overseen from a command tower that stands one hundred stories high. At the tower's highest level is an observation deck that affords its occupants a 360-degree view of the complex.

Secondary facilities are located on Dromund Kaas, Korriban, Quesh, and Taris, in addition to an undisclosed number of space stations spread throughout Imperial space. The division recently established a small outpost on Athiss, after Darth Arctis persuaded Emperor Vowrawn to abolish the quarantine placed on the planet by the late Emperor Vitiate. The outpost is not far from the ruins of the stronghold built by the long-dead Sith alchemist Vodal Kressh, from whom Arctis is descended.

### Key Personnel

Darth Arctis is the only individual who has served as director of the Special Projects Division, having been in command since it was commissioned. Leading the division's research efforts is Doctor Koslov, a visionary but notoriously amoral scientist. At least two military officers who serve under Arctis, Moff Sark and Admiral Vogel, have supervisory roles in the division. Colonel Rebus of Imperial Intelligence also collaborated with the division on many occasions.

### Subsidiaries

According to the aforementioned leaked documentation, the Special Projects Division has about a half dozen subsidiaries. Only one was named, however: the Biological Weapons Group. Its work is apparently centered around the creation of weaponized pathogens.

## History

### Creation

The Special Projects Division was commissioned during the Great War. Darths Azamin, Marr, and Vengean, who shared control of the Imperial armed forces, all wished to create a deep science arm of the military. Thus, the division was born.

### Galactic War

#### Tatooine Rakghoul Pandemic

During an outbreak of the rakghoul virus on Tatooine, the pandemic response organization THORN collected a number of raklings, a small subspecies of rakghoul. While the outbreak was at its peak, several of the raklings disappeared. THORN never recovered the specimens, and were presumed to have been smuggled out of the subterranean caverns from which the outbreak began.

After the rakghoul presence was neutralized, one THORN operations chief released a statement on the HoloNet detailing his personal theory that the Special Projects Division had stolen the rakling specimens. The statement disappeared rather conspicuously not long after, as did the THORN official himself.

### War Resumed

#### Athiss

Concurrent with the Invasion of Ossus, the Special Projects Division constructed a small research station on Athiss. Darth Arctis had successfully persuaded Darth Vowrawn to rescind the quarantine placed on the planet not long after the latter became emperor. Arctis vowed to harness the power of his ancestor for the Empire.