Alpha Red (pathogen)

"Genocide is what the Emperor did. It's what the Yuuzhan Vong do. It shouldn't be what we do. If it is, I'm fighting for the wrong cause."

- Wedge Antilles

Engineered by Chiss biotechnicians under New Republic Intelligence Service Director Dif Scaur and Alpha Blue director Jan Ors, Alpha Red was a biological weapon specific to the Yuuzhan Vong that would kill any Vong or Vong-related lifeforms. The project was sabotaged by the Jedi Vergere. It was later remade, but at the objections of the New Jedi Order, senior members the Defense Force, and members of the Galactic Alliance Advisory Council, it was then put on hold as a weapon of last resort by Chief of State Cal Omas. However, in the buildup to the Battle of Mon Calamari, the weapon was field tested at Caluula, and was successful&mdash;disturbingly so: amphistaffs lost their ability to harden, vonduun crab armor lost their hardness, blorash jelly liquified at a steady rate, yorik coral lost its color, and villips began having difficulty relaying images, all as they were being disintegrated by the bioweapon. Even after death, the Yuuzhan Vong continued to deteriorate, bleeding from the eyes and ears, and their bodies eventually liquified.

Unfortunately, the weapon also mutated, due to infecting so many individuals and thereby adapting to each individual's unique genetics, despite Chiss assurances that it would not, and began attacking other lifeforms on Caluula. Horrified by this development, the Galactic Alliance immediately attempted to quarantine Caluula to stem the spread of the bioweapon. However, a single coralskipper infected with Alpha Red managed to escape destruction and flee to Coruscant. Shimrra Jamaane, the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, was able to recognize the anti-Yuuzhan Vong properties of Alpha Red, and deduced that the weapon must also affect the living planet Zonama Sekot. In a bold attempt to destroy the planet, Shimrra planned to have the infected coralskipper crash into Zonama Sekot and allow the virus to slowly extinguish all life on the surface, as well as the planetary consciousness. To this end he sacrificed his ships and warriors to keep the virus active for its deadly mission in the upcoming battle. However, Sekot was able to foil the attack by unleashing a swarm of insectile craft to drag the infected vessel off into deep space. Following the War, the Galactic Alliance destroyed their remaining Alpha Red stockpiles, as well as the genetic blueprints. It is unknown whether the Chiss did the same.

Behind the scenes
Alpha Red may be a reference to the defoliant used during the Vietnam War, Agent Orange.

Appearances

 * Destiny's Way
 * Force Heretic II: Refugee
 * Force Heretic III: Reunion
 * The Final Prophecy
 * The Unifying Force
 * Inferno