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Project Celestial Power

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Special Weapons Group redirects here.
You may be looking for the Republic Special Weapons Group, its predecessor.

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"The Emperor's energy program is a lie—all of it. The Rebellion on Ghorman was a front from the start: a cover to strip-mine the planet for some mineral they need. They're not looking for partisans on Jedha; they need kyber crystals. The crackdowns. The public order. The labor camps. Scarif..."
"Fronting for what?"
"A weapon. Orson Krennic's been building a secret weapon for over a decade."
―Lonni Jung and Luthen Rael[10]

Project Celestial Power, also known as the Special Weapons Group was a project formed from the Republic Special Weapons Group under the Galactic Empire. The project saw the research and development of the Death Star’s superlaser as part of Project Stardust. As a cover, the project was publicly known as the Energy Initiative, with the stated intent of providing sustainable and unlimited energy to worlds, including those ravaged by the Clone Wars, to solidify imperial authority and transform the galactic economy. As a project related to Project Stardust, the project was overseen by Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research, and by 4 BBY had fallen under the umbrella of the Tarkin Initiative. The project was run by Orson Krennic of the Imperial Engineering Corps.

Description[]

"I met with the Emperor yesterday. He suggested I remind you that the energy initiative remains the centrepiece of his agenda. Access to stable unlimited power will transform the galactic economy and solidify Imperial authority."
―Orson Krennic, to his colleagues[5]

Project Celestial Power, also known as the Special Weapons Group, was an Imperial program purported to provide sustainable energy for worlds ravaged by the Clone Wars. In reality, the project's research was being used for the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. The program was formed from the Republic Special Weapons Group and was led by Orson Krennic of the Imperial Engineering Corps. The program was divided into divisions, which could be overseen by a director of research.[4]

History[]

The Catalyst[]

Early into the reign of the Galactic Empire, the Republic Special Weapons Group, a secret Galactic Republic organization that had made a failed attempt at construction of the so-called "Ultimate weapon", was reformed into Project Celestial Power, placed under the oversight of the newly formed Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research. With the new arrangement, Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic, an Imperial officer who had been involved with the failed attempt at construction, and had held an administrative post at the Institute of Applied Science on Coruscant screening scientists for expertise on energy manipulation, materials science, and theoretical physics, was placed in charge of the newly reorganized program.

In 18 BBY,[1] the crystallographer Galen Walton Erso, Krennic's friend whom he had freed from separatist imprisonment during the Clone Wars, was offered a permanent administrative position on Lokori. Hearing this, Krennic met with Erso and his family at a hotel on Kanzi, during which Krennic convinced Galen to join Project Celestial Power by sharing public cover for the project,[4] which was that the project's goal was to bring the Emperor's dream of energy independence for the Galaxy, solidifying imperial control and transforming the galactic economy.[5][4]

With Galen now brought into the project, Galen was brought to the project's new headquarters, which was built on the site of the B'ankor Refuge on Coruscant, with much of the population being forcefully relocated. Shortly after his arrival, Galen began research in harnessing the large amounts of energy produced Kyber crystals, with many of these crystals being sourced from the lightsabers of Jedi who had been killed during the Great Jedi Purge shortly after the end of the clone wars. Secretly however, Krennic began making attempts to weaponise Erso's research for use in a Superlaser for the "Ultimate Weapon". Despite the program mainly centering around Erso's research, some scientists also worked on various smaller projects such as shield generators[4] and dark matter quintessence containment.[2]

Peace and Terror[]

"the Emperor has given his blessing to enlarging the scope of our energy enterpise. He has such faith in what you've already achieved that he has sanctioned mining on hundreds of worlds to provide materials to make Project Celestial Power a reality. Even as we speak ships are ferrying resources to countless star systems in preperation for the day the Emperor will reveal his plan to the public."
―Krennic to Galen[4]

Dissent into research[]

As Galen began his research on the Kyber crystals as part of the project, he quickly became attached and dedicated to his work. Simultaneously, Lyra, Galen's wife, became increasingly worried over Galen's increasing dedication to his research. Krennic, seeing Lyra as a threat to his plans for weaponizing Galen's research, successfully convinced Lyra to take partaking in a mission to scout a possible network of kyber crystal caves on Alpinn for six months, with Lyra taking Jyn with her. During Lyra's absence, believing his research was being used for the greater good and with unlimited materials at his disposal, Galen continued to dedicate himself to his work on the project to the point of alienating himself from his daughter Jyn. Upon Lyra's return, she found Galen a changed man, completely buried in his work and echoing propaganda rhetoric that Krennic had previously shared.[4]

Disaster on Malpaz[]

Main article: Malpaz incident

As Galen's research continued, Krennic attempted to secretly weaponize the kyber research, building a research facility staffed with ten scientists including Dagio Belcoze and Professor Sahali on Malpaz, and converting a former Baktoid Armor Workshop battle droid factory on Hypori into another research facility. However, disaster soon struck Krennic's efforts when during an attempt to replicate Galen's kyber research on Coruscant, failed to contain the crystal, resulting in a series of explosions, damaging a nearby nuclear power plant, spewing radioactive particles into the nearby capital city, which combined with raging fires from the damaged facility, resulted in over ten thousand deaths.[4]

In the aftermath of the incident, Krennic worked hard to present the Malpaz incident as a separatist attack, including having the research team "removed", though not before Lyra was tipped off by a former colleague of Galen Erso, who believed that Krennic was responsible for the incident on Malpaz. In the ensuing discussions between the Ersos and Krennic, Krennic suggested Lyra once return to exploration expeditions, leaving Galen on his own once again. Krennic then convinced Galen of the separatist attack cover, maneuvering Galen to his side, before pressuring the crystallographer into working in even deeper secrecy, alienating Galen from his wife.[4]

Weaponization[]

With Galen in his grasp, Krennic quickly sprang a trap on Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, who Krennic feared would take credit for his progress on the superweapon. Krennic, manipulating smuggler Has Obitt, tricked Obitt into staging a rebellion with Partisan leader Saw Gerrera in the Salient system, preoccupying Tarkin for a short while. As Tarkin dealt with the insurrection, Galen's kyber research progressed to sufficient levels for Krennic to secretly build a prototype superlaser in a twin laser array. In order to prevent a similar accident to the incident on Malpaz, Krennic had the laser tested on the remote Outer Rim Territories set of Black holes known as the Hero Twins. As Krennic give the order to fire, the laser from the array raced into the two black holes, resulting in a successful test and weaponization of Galen's research for the project.[4]

Soon after the test, Lyra returned from her expedition Alpinn to a completely pressed and changed Galen. Krennic, still worried about Lyra, approached her at her apartment, and informed her to if she was to distract Galen from his research, she could find herself in 'massive trouble'. Following the interaction, Krennic visited the Project Celestial Power's Hypori facility to arrange for the start of construction of the death star superlaser. Upon his arrival, former colleague to Galen and friend of Lyra Reeva Demesne inquired Krennic on the the use of Galen's research in their work and the placement of the new superlaser, as the size was larger than every imperial capital ship. As a result, Krennic came under scrutiny from facility staff, and soon after, Krennic ordered the destruction of the facility, later informing Galen that anarchists had caused the destruction.[4]

Galen stalls[]

"I knew if I had refused to work, if I took my own life, it would only be a matter of time before Krennic realized he no longer needed me to complete the project. So I did the one thing nobody expected: I lied; I learned to lie. I played the part of a beaten man resigned to the sanctuary of his work. I made myself indispensable and all the while I laid the groundwork of my revenge."
―Galen Erso, about his deception[11]

A shock to the core[]

In 17 BBY,[12] Soon after the destruction of the Hypori facility, Galen, concerned with the absence of information or updates from Krennic, began spending more time with his daughter. Soon, Lyra, meeting up with Galen, discovered that they were being watched by Krennic, and attempted to contact Reeva Demesne, only to find her, along with various of their other friends no longer listed as an employees. With limited options, Lyra contacted one of her expedition partners, Nari Sable, and had her relay data to them from the Malpaz and Hypori facilities, finding evidence of imperial-caused destruction, in direct contradiction to Krennic. Following a meeting with Krennic that all but confirmed the Erso's suspicions, the family escaped the Celestial Power headquarters, taking advantage of the traffic caused by the All-Species Week holiday. In an attempt to deter Krennic from searching for himself, Galen did not destroy his own notes, simply hoping that the convoluted notes would slow or halt progress on Project Celestial Power.[4] In the end, while the progress on the project did slow, construction work on the "Ultimate Weapon" as part of the wider Project Stardust continued.

The hunt and return of Galen[]

In the wake of his failure to stop onto Galen's escape, Krennic was demoted by Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, and governor Tarkin, Krennic's rival, was given an overseeing position on Project Stardust.[4] As a result of the oversight, Project Celestial Power was eventually brought under the umbrella of Grand Moff Tarkin's secret imperial think tank known as the Tarkin Initiative, and Krennic was given the position of Director of the program.[2]

Eventually, in 13 BBY,[13] Krennic tracked Galen down to a modest homestead on the Outer Rim planet Lah'mu. Arriving at the Erso's farm on his personal Delta-class T-3c shuttle, Krennic and his complement of death trooper confronted Galen. During the confrontation, Jyn was able to escape the farm, though Lyra was fatally shot, and Galen was captured and forced to return[11] to his research for Project Celestial Power.[6] Finding himself with limited options on stopping the weapon, Galen made himself indispensable to the Project,[11] and worked with his new team from an energy conversion laboratory on Eadu[8][6] while secretly designing a flaw in the superlaser's reactor.[11]

Members[]

Project Celestial Power was led in the early years of the Empire by Orson Krennic with the title of director.[2] One of its divisions was led by Dr. Galen Erso with the title of director of research.[4]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dawn of Rebellion
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Star Wars: The Rebel Files
  3. ↑ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Graphic Novel Adaptation
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Star Wars: Andor — "One Year Later"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ultimate Star Wars
  7. ↑ Star Wars: Andor — "Who Are You?"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Star Wars: Andor — "Messenger"
  9. ↑ "The Voice of the Empire" — Star Wars Insider 170 (reprinted in Star Wars Insider: The Fiction Collection Volume 2)
  10. ↑ Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  12. ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
  13. ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide places Galen Erso's birth, his enrollment in the Futures Program, when he befriended Orson Callan Krennic, when he Lyra Erso, when he married Lyra, the Erso family's escape from Coruscant and when the Erso family was discovered on Lah'mu to fifty-six, forty, thirty-six, twenty-six, twenty-five, seventeen, and thirteen years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which correspond to 56 BBY, 40 BBY, 36 BBY, 26 BBY, 25 BBY, 17 BBY, and 13 BBY respectively.
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