Darth Hater

Star Wars: The Old Republic gives players the opportunity to choose from eight heroic classes, but many of the galaxy’s most influential organizations exist in the shadows, away from the front lines of the war. The Republic Strategic Information Service, more commonly known as the SIS, is one such group. Like their Imperial counterparts, the Galactic Republic places a high value on information and intelligence, and the Republic SIS is their most valuable asset in the area of intelligence gathering.

History

The Strategic Information Service predates the Galactic Cold War, though it originally served a very different purpose. Prior to the Great Galactic War, the SIS functioned as a decryption agency for the Senate Library. When the conflict began to escalate, the organization began performing covert activities on behalf of the Republic. Some individuals within the organization believe that this was not the Republic’s first attempt to create their own espionage unit.

Operations

Officially, the Strategic Information Service operates as the intelligence arm of the Republic military. However, due to their small size and limited history, the SIS are given a great degree of operational latitude, bypassing traditional bureaucratic obstacles as they see fit. Unlike their counterparts in Imperial Intelligence, the SIS generally do their best to respect moral and legal boundaries in the course of their work. Republic intelligence headquarters are in the Senate District of Coruscant, in a facility known as the Heorem Complex. This facility comprises a collection of buildings spanning a kilometer, and containing a Heorem Skytunnel that connects the Senate District and Sah’c District. From there, the SIS carries out operations involving counterintelligence, foreign intelligence, and military intelligence.

Activities During the Cold War

The SIS was responsible for many of the Republic’s covert activities during the Cold War, and the years leading up to it. They were responsible for converting the Rakatan prison complex on Belsavis into a secret facility for some of the Republic’s most dangerous prisoners, and later coordinated with Hylo Visz and her smugglers during the Mandalorian blockade of the Hylian Way. Some time after the Treaty of Coruscant, the SIS received word that a Jedi by the name of Ngani Zho had reappeared, after spending time in Imperial space. Eager to learn anything they could about the Empire’s dealings, they sent Agent Theron Shan to recover him. Despite Sith interference, Shan successfully uncovered a plot by Darth Mekhis to construct a deadly superweapon.

Notable Members

Theron Shan - The secret son of Jedi Grandmaster Satele Shan, Theron did not appear to inherit his mother’s force sensitivity. In spite of this, he proved himself to be highly capable and resourceful in the SIS’s shadow war against the Sith, aided by his training and his cybernetic implants. Initially assigned to investigate the Black Sun, he later became instrumental in uncovering a Sith plot, with the aid of Ngani Zho and a Twi’lek prisoner named Teff’ith. Despite his lack of force sensitivity, Theron practiced several Jedi customs, such as meditation.

The Director - The man known simply as “The Director” was the head of the Strategic Information Service during the Cold War. He was a dedicated servant of the Republic, but privately suffered from a number of personal setbacks. Working for the Republic drew the ire of the criminal underworld, earning a bounty on his head. His first and only marriage ended in divorce and eventually the Republic Senate investigated his ex-wife.

Dr. Godera - Dr. Godera was a scientist and inventor who served the Republic SIS and aided Theron Shan in his missions. He was the creator of the spy ray, a device which could scan an item and translate that data into high-resolution images.

The Galactic Cold War

With the Treaty of Coruscant in place, the need for secrecy and covert action is greater than ever. The Republic SIS continues to be a major force in the Galactic Cold War, and individuals on both sides of the conflict will find themselves drawn into contact with this mysterious group in the years to come. Whether working alongside the SIS as part of the Republic military, or working in opposition as a member of Imperial Intelligence, players will discover the critical role of the Republic SIS in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Some information and images courtesy of Wookieepedia.