Aerandir Calmcacil
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Post by Aerandir Calmcacil on Feb 20, 2015 1:04:03 GMT -8
*The tech labs were located adjacent to the medical facilities, large, expansive, and several stories high, with several labs and facilities to accommodate research and development of various purposes. Some equipment had even been supplied by Doctor Rollins after his relocation from Helska IV. The labs were perfect for technological research and development, and one would find everything they needed here to carry out their projects.*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 16, 2015 19:26:44 GMT -8
The labs were a sprawling complex that housed just about every form of modern and historical science the galaxy had dreamed up over the years, devoting resources and lab space to many a discipline. Situated on the ground floor, set back from the main area that contained the small foyer, the bio labs were a semi-isolated unit that contained labs, cooling chambers, dedicated information center, small comm room, a priority medical suite, as well as an extensive quarantine area. It was also linked to the medical facility across from the tech labs by a sealed corridor with high level security access.
Further back, passed the labs and through several access hatches, there was a secure turbolift that descended several floors to labs set up to house dangerous materials of biological nature, be them natural or artificial. Protocols set in place would prevent the spread of any such materials to the surface, including a destruction protocol that would sear the labs in airborne fire should the need arise.
It was towards this area that Chalco followed the Ithorian, Morgan hurrying along to keep up with their steady pace. Molan moved with purpose as he made his way passed several security doors, his ID taking him through each point with a beep and a whoosh of a sealed door. He slowed as they neared the turbolift, a frown crossing his face as he looked to Morgan.
"You must be wary down here, Morgan. This is a place full of things that can harm you. There are lifeforms down here with only the goal of destroying other lifeforms on their agenda. It is not a nice place, child..."
Concern etched his brow as he glanced over her head back the way they had come.
"Perhaps it is best you do not come down to the secure labs...? You can keep track of what is going on from up here..."
Even as he said it he suspected she would insist on accompanying the all the way. Still, he had to stress his concerns for her well being despite the subtle urgings of the Force that seemed to insist that she would be a help to them.
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 17, 2015 0:40:43 GMT -8
*Morgan herself had never really visited the tech labs much, perhaps to check up on Clem sometimes, but she otherwise hadn't seen much of the facility. She knew Lana occasionally spent some time in here, as well as the woman and the doctor who'd brought her here, but otherwise she generally didn't visit this area.
Now, however, she had a reason, and that was to hopefully find out what was plaguing her beloved planet, her home, her mommy. So she followed the Falleen and Ithorian dutifully, her head turning this way and that as she took in everything she could; it was part of the building where she lived, so she might as well familiarize herself with it as much as possible.
As she looked about, she suddenly noticed that she was walking ahead of Master Gannor and stopped, turning, noticing that he had slowed his walk and was actually looking at her, warning her about the dangers of the secure area, namely creature that only had "destroying other lifeforms on their agenda." Didn't sound too unfamiliar at all, but she was completely prepared and ready and willing to venture down with them— Wait, he was suggesting she wait up here?! Her eyes widened and she looked a little indignant as she shook her head.*
I'm fine, Master! I mean... the jungle's full of dangerous things too but I'm not afraid of it! I know how to be careful!
*The middle sentence was partially a joke on her part, and she even grinned a little to show it, but she was also sincere: She knew how to look after herself, having spent so much time the last couple of years in the jungle, and she recognized potential threats and when to stay away from them.
And the last thing she wanted right now was to be separated even a millimeter from potential important information that could save her mommy.*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 17, 2015 1:16:30 GMT -8
The Falleen Jedi nodded his head gravely. His expression remained serious though the slight twitch of his lip betrayed his amusement at her words. With aplomb he extended his hand to indicate she should proceed, Molans impatience clear in the Force as he waited just within the turbolift itself.
"Very well, little one."
With a swirl of emerald robes he followed after her, stepping into the elevator besides the Ithorian. He rested his hands on Morgans shoulders as the door whisked closed in front of them as Molan once again swiped his ID over the reader to get them moving. A light blazed from the control panel to scan Molan's retina, repeated the process with both Chalco and Morgan. The Jedi Master wasn't sure by what criteria the computer analysed who was to be admitted but it seemed that all of them had the required access to descend to the secure area, a fact he found rather amusing.
After a few seconds the door whispered open and Molan stepped out, hurrying off towards one of the sealed laboratories situated down here. Chalco was more relaxed in his debarking, stepping slowly forward to cast his eyes around and to allow Morgan to take the scene in.
The turbolift opened into a small foyer area, a space of about twelve meters by ten with the longest distance stretch ahead. A desk area was situated in the middle of the far side with doors to either end. It was through one of these doors that Molan moved, getting ready to take such tests as he needed to. To the right there was a huge transparisteel window the looked into a room that had several strange tubes that looked like bacta tanks, some of which contained some form of plant, animal or substance. The tanks varied in size and there were about a dozen of them, with what appeared to be other storage devices behind them along the wall. Access to that room seemed to be through a door in the right hand wall from where the foyer looked in. Opposite this room, to their left, was a glass tank of some sort with a murk substance within. At roughly a meter and half across, half a meter high thick, it rested on a table in front of another transparisteel window behind which was another room. This one had a metal table with various devices on it, some of which looked to be restraints. A lot of the implements looked pretty gruesome, almost giving the room a torture chamber aspect.
The door through which Molan went contained a decontamination room as did the other door in the far wall, both of which led to clean rooms within which one could examine biological samples. There was one more door behind the desk that led to a small room with environmental suits.
It was to this room that Chalco led Morgan, his manner now grim and reserved. The door slid open at his approach and he spent a moment rummaging around in a locker. Finally he stepped back and produced three suits. Two were fairly large, one of which obviously for an Ithorian judging by the faceplate. The third was much smaller. He held it out to Morgan.
"It probably won't fit you very well..." He spoke with apology in his tone and a slight shrug of the shoulders. "It was designed for a Sullustan medic who has sometimes helped here. Its the closest thing we have to your size."
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 23, 2015 13:53:01 GMT -8
*Morgan was pleased she had persuaded Master Gannor this simply, as well as amused him a little; she hadn't missed the faint smile amidst the sea of serious expression. She smiled, satisfied, though quickly frowned again when the gravity of the situation returned to the forefront of her mind. She headed toward the turbolift when gestured, noting the impatience in the Ithorian's presence. She almost frowned at him; if anyone had a right to be impatient, it was Morgan herself, but she decided to leave it be.
The door slid shut and the Ithorian swiped his access card, prompting a retinal scan as well. One that repeated for herself and Master Gannor. Morgan was surprised, first that she had to do a retinal scan herself, then even more so when apparently she had access to the more restricted areas. She didn't even know... Who set up this access system? Was it her father? And if not, had he asked for her to be given access? Or had she been given it on good faith due to her being the child of the headmaster?
Regardless, they were on their way, Morgan feeling a strange mixture of ease and foreboding as the Falleen man rested his hands on her small shoulders. It didn't take long for the doors to slide open into a decent-sized room. She stepped in, taking it all in, the desks, the doors, the window into the specimen room... Morgan grimaced at the forms floating within, then looked toward the opposite side of the room at the tank with the odd substance and the window beyond where the odd implements rested on a table. She hadn't expected the research chamber to be like this...
As the Ithorian moved into one of the adjacent rooms, Master Gannor led Morgan forward to a different room, one with lab equipment, including environmental suits. The Falleen produced three, handing one to her, explaining with apology that it might not fit her but it was the closest they had to her size, it having belonged to a Sullustan who sometimes aided here. Morgan took it, trying to hold it up... It was a little bit taller than she was, that was for sure, but maybe it would fit anyway?*
"I can make it work," *she assured him, setting the suit down so she could remove her bow and quiver. These she set down on the desk, hoping that was alright, before stepping into the suit, pulling it up and over her, then pausing for a moment.* "... can you help me fasten it, please?" *she asked a little sheepishly.*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 23, 2015 14:37:19 GMT -8
He watched with amusement as Morgan removed the quiver of arrows from her shoulder, setting both it and her tiny bow down on an empty desk. Stepping fully out of the storage room he allowed the door to whizz shut behind him, laying the Ithorians suit out on the table next to the bow and quiver. He was just stepping into his own suit when her voice called out to ask for his assistance. With deft movements he hiked the bulk suit up and over his shoulders, letting the hood-like mask dangle about his shoulders.
"Turn around..."
He crouched as she complied and fastened the straps at the back of her suit, pushing the mask up over her head so the clear faceplate hung down over her face. Clinching the back as tight as he could so as to account for the extra dimensions it possessed when on her slight frame, he then straightened to step around her as Molan returned from securing the samples. As the Ithorian hastily donned his own equipment Chalco leaned down to secure Morgans mask.
"Just breathe normally. The suit is a closed environment and will feed you air from these..."
He turned slightly and gestured to the small tanks that were housed in the back of the suits, a contained air purification system that would last several hours. The pack also contained an emergency magcon field should the suit rupture or in some other way fail. He didn't see any need to worry the small girl with such things so he left such details unsaid.
=Molan=
"Are we ready?"
The was no mistaking the urgency in the Ithorians gravelly voice and Chalco turned to see the alien wringing his hands slightly as he watched the Falleen pull his own mask into place. Molan had already secured his own and was standing next to the decontamination room awaiting their readiness.
"Patience, my friend. You have said yourself many a time that such actions as this must not be rushed."
With his mask in place he looked down at Morgan, peering at her through the faceplate of his mask. With a wave of his hand he gestured her forward towards Molan and the decontamination room, following along behind her as she preceded him through the door. Once through Molan went directly to a control panel to their immediate right and hit a big green switch. Joining them in the middle of the room they waited as the lights dimmed and red lights flashed a countdown in front of them.
Machinery in the ceiling and floor whirled to life as the red lights finished their countdown and disappeared. First to happened was the emergence of a fine mist steaming out from vents in the ceiling. It drifted down to settle on their suits, glittering like millions of tiny stars in the reflected light from the control panels various colours. Looking like they were not wearing suits of sparkling diamonds the three figures remained still as robotic arms whirred out from the ceiling to spin around them in a lazy circle, spraying them with some kind of clear liquid, a fine spray that joined the shining coat that they already wore. Tiny rivulets ran down their suits to form a strange jigsaw-like pattern. The light changed from a deep red to a sickly green as yet more arms folded out, this time from the floor. The blast of gas thundered out to obscure their vision, enough force rocking them slightly as they stood. The spray died off and another loud whirring sound heralded the return of the vents, this time sucking the excess gasses from the room.
Chalco has reached out to offer Morgan his hand during the last blast of gas roared out, partly for comfort and partly to steady her should she need. The process had barely finished before Molan was moving to complete the programme and open the way forward into the clean lab.
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 24, 2015 0:59:10 GMT -8
*Morgan complied when asked to turn around, grateful Master Gannor was lending her aid with the strange device. He seemed to be doing his best to fasten it tightly and make it fit her better, but it still was quite obvious it was too big on her; the legs and sleeves were crumpled up as her own legs were much shorter than the legs of the suit and she struggled to keep her fingers within the oversized gloves. She was just glad she wouldn't have to handle anything... at least she assumed not. Hoped not.
Master Gannor then moved to secure her mask and she nodded when he instructed her to breathe normally, that the suit would supply air from the tanks on the back of the suit, which he indicated with a gesture.* "Thanks, Master," *she said after the suit was more or less fastened; it was less than snug and in some ways uncomfortable, but she was willing to deal with it.
She looked up at the still-impatient Ithorian when he asked if they were ready, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. The Falleen Master, who was securing himself in his own suit already, only advised patience, apparently reminding him of a statement that these things shouldn't be rushed. Morgan couldn't hide a small, smug grin, but she quickly wiped it; now was not the time for such feelings, especially when there were urgent matters to attend to.
When gestured toward the decontamination room, she nodded and headed that way, entering into the room and looking around. Sound was muffled and her breathing was amplified in the mask; not entirely an unfamiliar experience, but a rare one. Was this what the Chief felt like? No... his armor had to have been far more comfortable; this suit was simply for dealing with hazardous material.
The Ithorian activated the decontamination process once the three of them were inside, which dimmed the lights and displayed a countdown. This whole thing felt very ominous, more ominous than a decontamination process should, which only added to her nervousness regarding the planetary rot and what possible new leads they may have found. When the countdown concluded, the machinery whirred to life, causing her to jump a little but only due to the atmosphere; she was relaxed again within a moment. The process consisted first of a mist that condensed upon them, then a circular spray that coated their suits with a clear liquid. Finally, as the light changed color, fans rose from the floor, blasting them with... hot air maybe? But she nearly stumbled and reached out to fumble for Master Gannor's proffered hand just in time to steady herself; were she out of this suit, she wouldn't have needed his aid, but this suit certainly wasn't helping her balance right now.
At last, the process was over and the room lit again, the door opening into the lab. Morgan released Master Gannor's hand and stepped inside, looking around, taking a steeling breath.* "Where should I stand?" *she asked aloud, not wanting to be in the way.*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 24, 2015 11:58:21 GMT -8
Chalco followed Morgan and Molan into the lab, stepping up to the small girls side as the Ithorian approached a sealed unit within which the case containing his findings had been deposited. The unit was roughly a meter along the side, half again as deep and tall, made of reinforced transparisteel. The scientist was taking no chances it seemed. The small voice of Morgan came to him across the suits internal comm system and he turned his head to look down at her, smiling at the sight of her all wrapped up in the bulky suit. It spoke well to her natural agility that she was able to move so easily in it, and to her discipline that she did not complain once. Her aura too was calm and assured, so at odds from that of other children her age. The deep connection she bore to the planet and the Living Force lent her a demeanor that bespoke a wisdom far beyond her years.
It was Molan that answered her, one of his mouths speaking out in his gravelly voice as the other pursed its lips in concentration as he manipulated a pair of devices that extended hand-like implements into the sealed case.
=Molan=
"If you and Master Gannor stand by here..." He gestured to the end of the table to his right. "You should be able to see and not be a distraction."
The case popped as its magnetic seal broke and the Ithorian scientists drew it open with the grasping arms. Chalco stepped to the indicated place, gesturing for Morgan to join him there. The Force trembled slightly as Molan drew out a vial that contained some of the black rot they had encountered in the wilderness, strange tendrils snaking up from it to coat the inside of the jar with a spiderweb of strange probing branches. He reached out tentatively with the Force, groping for some kind of reaction...
He grimaced and looked to Morgan, gesturing slightly to the black substance.
"What can you feel, Morgan? What does the Force tell you?"
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 25, 2015 23:54:07 GMT -8
*The Ithorian, after retrieving his case with his samples, directed Morgan and Master Gannor to the end of a table where they could stand. Morgan almost jumped at the voice in her suit; she hadn't expected these things to have comm units, though she supposed it made sense with how bulky they were... plus, it would be hard for people working in them to hear each other while on the job...
She nodded and followed Master Gannor toward the table, standing there and watching as the Ithorian manipulated the case. She felt the ripple through the Force and shivered as her eyes focused on the phial and the substance within. Yep, that was definitely the same stuff that was out there in the rot... She hated it. Jedi weren't supposed to hate, but she couldn't think of any other word that described her feelings for the stuff; it was alien, it was ugly, it was killing.
How long had she been scowling? She tried to loosen her expression, but still she looked upon the substance with disdain, and also hope; hope for some kind of identification and a way to rid it from her beautiful home. Suddenly Master Gannor was speaking to her; she looked up at him as he asked what she could feel and what the Force told her. She looked back toward the substance once more, Force extending tentatively toward the awful substance...
She couldn't feel anything. Like the jungle where the rot appeared, it felt disconnected. As though the Force itself was actively avoiding it. She shook her head, responding,* "Nothing." *Pausing, she reflected on that answer, as well as Master Gannor's questions, then added,* "I feel nothing, I mean. The Force tells me... it doesn't like it."
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 26, 2015 15:58:59 GMT -8
Chalco kept his eyes fixed on the black substance as the Ithorian tipped the vial allowing it to spill out onto the surface of the transparisteel container. While it retained the shape and manner of a liquid there was still a restlessness about it as it rested against the clear floor of its prison. The black stain was also a stain on the Force itself, an absence of light as he perceived it. Yet again he frowned as he tried desperately to sense something, anything, about it only drawing a blank. Not dark, not evil, just absent.
He sighed as Molan began drawing other samples from the case; a bit of the infected Spore Plant, some leaves from various plants, a bit of broken antenna from a Gelagrub. He left each one in its own sealed container as he laid them all out carefully, preparing various other scanners and recording devices as he went along.
"Nothing is right. There is nothing there to feel. No malevolence. No hunger. No malice. It is just an absence in the Force..."
He looked down at Morgan, his old wise eyes visible through the faceplate of his suit.
"There are not many species that can have such an effect on the Force..."
He smiled down at her, once again the teacher seeking to encourage growth and learning. She had been a quick study so far in all of the classes he had the pleasure to teach. He expected this subject to be no different.
"I'd wager you could name me at least one...?"
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 27, 2015 0:48:54 GMT -8
*There were more samples in the case, collections of fungi, leaves, and... a piece of one of the planet's gastropods, it seemed, which made her cringe. Just how many species were being affected by this filth? She shivered again as Master Gannor offered his own perspective, which fell in line with Morgan's own: There was nothing there at all. Even though the voices were coming in through comms, she knew when he had looked upon her specifically, so she looked up at him as he watched her behind his faceplate, noting that "not many species" had such a quality, then wagered Morgan could name one.
... of course. If it were Michelle who'd discovered this and been close to it all, she would have figured it out far sooner. Instead, Morgan only now pieced together the likely origin.* "Yuuzhan Vong..." *she answered, looking down at the ground contemplatively. She'd never seen one in person, nor was she sure what to think of the ones that still existed in the galaxy.
But...*
"I don't remember any being here on Felucia!" *She shook her head as she said this, looking back up at Master Gannor.* "I mean, not recently! I know they were here during the war, and they didn't mess with it..." *She looked away as a thought came to her, musing aloud,* "I bet the Felucians didn't like them..." *Looking back up at Master Gannor, she continued,* "So was it from then somehow? Or new?"
*She wasn't sure they had the answers, or at least not yet, but they at last had a lead! Hope twinkled in her eyes; she knew they'd pull through! They just had to figure out where to go from here...*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 27, 2015 4:39:16 GMT -8
Chalco was actually a little surprised by her answer even though it was the conclusion that he had expected eventually. There were other such creatures that he'd have thought her more familiar with; Yslamiri and Taozin for example. He had expected her to start with them but as always she had plotted her course straight to the heart of the matter. The top of his suit dipped as he inclined his head to acknowledge that she was right, a slight hiss of static coming over the comm unit, perhaps signalling a sigh.
"It was before even my time the Yuuzhan Vong swept into the galaxy, cutting a bloody path from the Outer Rim to the Core. So many planets were decimated, many other subdued and transformed..."
He glanced at Molan who had bowed his head at the conversation, a wave of intense grief pulsing off of him in the Force. Every Ithorian still felt the loss of their mother jungle to the cruelty of Shedao Shai and his subordinate Deign Lian over one hundred years before. The Jedi also bowed his head as he recalled his own planet had not been spared the wrath of the alien species, the terraforming dramatically altering the planet so it bore little resemblance to how it had been in the days of his forefathers.
He looked back down at Morgan as the Ithorian stirred himself and continued with his work, manipulating the samples within the container to draw the wrapped piece of uninfected Spore Plant towards where the black residue rested in the center of the sealed unit...
"Felucia was not spared the taint of that invasion, child. Little is known to extant at which she suffered..."
He had looked into the records; Jedi, terrestrial, and Republic when he and Molan first shared their suspicions but little was known of Felucia at that time. With the galaxy in turmoil it was little wonder and, despite the invasion by the Vong Felucia seemed to have shaken off any ill effects. It was certainly not overtly transformed as were dozens of other worlds, perhaps leading people to believe it had passed through the fires unscathed. It was then natural for the inhabitants to seek to move past the turbulent time and be reluctant to recall any attention to it...
He watched silently as Molan broke the sealed environment within which the piece of the Spore Plant rested and allowed it to drop out next to the alien residue. The reaction was almost instant as the tendrils writhed out to latch on to the bit of stem, wrapping around it and drawing itself along its length. There was a slight start and a sizzling pop as the stem dissolved into the black oozing mass. Within a few seconds it was over and nothing remained of the dead limb, only a slight increase in the amount of black residue.
Molan continued to hold a scanner to the side of the contained, studying readings as they appeared, and adjusting some sort of gain as he did so. The Force was heavy with the grim concentration of the Ithorian as he set down the device and reached once again into the unit with the manipulator arms.
=Molan=
"It appears to attack dead tissue and turn it into this residue we see here. The residue itself is a nutrient compound not dissimilar to the paste found in some military ration packs in purpose but vastly different in makeup..."
The arms reached out and drew closer a package almost identical to the first. This one contained a piece of dead Spore Plant that had broken off of the already corrupted piece of fauna. Molan quickly broke the seal and allowed the stem, covered in the black veins of the rot, drop to the surface of the container next to the black residue.
=Molan=
"While it is obviously a growth agent of some kind it has a bacteriological element that vigorously attacks any organic compound it comes across..."
He paused as he watched the residue do absolutely nothing to the already infected Spore Plant stem, his right-hand mouth twisting in a grimace.
=Molan=
"Apart from this one it would seem."
Chalco had folded his arms across his chest as the Ithorian had spoken, watching with more than his eyes as the substance had absorbed the dead stem. While no longer alive he could still feel where the stem was in relation to the overall tableau that was the Living Force, a kind of echo of when it had once been a part of the larger living organism. As the black substance had consumed it he had felt what was akin to a tear within the Force as if an emptiness was rent into is very substance.
He shuddered and drew his attention back to something the Ithorian had said...
"You said that it attacks dead tissue and turns it into this residue,He mused., does that mean that this black... tar is not the actual culprit?"
Molan glanced at his and nodded his head in approval that the Jedi had picked up on such a point.
=Molan=
"I do not believe so, no. I believe that the agent itself operates on a cellular level and is contained within the substance itself, using it as both a cloak and as a means of transportation."
The grim tone returned to his voice as he turned back to the container and returned the infected Spore Plant stem to its sealed package.
=Molan=
"I also believe it is self replicating, spreading through the cells of the organism it encounters..."
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 28, 2015 0:12:12 GMT -8
*Morgan winced a little at the static, not surprised by it but rather confused. Then Master Gannor admitted that the Yuuzhan Vong invasion had been before his own time, recounting very briefly their "bloody path" to the core. The death and destruction caused by them... If they had done to Felucia what they had to so many other worlds, she would have never forgiven them! But then... would she? Without Felucia around, she never would have visited, never would have made her connection... Thoughts she couldn't imagine, but she reluctantly supposed she would have had nothing to have been angry about, if she had never found this love...
Were her fists clenched? Well, she supposed they were... within the sleeves of the suit, seeing as she had difficulty keeping her hands in the gloves to begin with and now the sleeves had fallen, extended to their full length at her sides. She didn't bother to attempt to find her way back into the gloves, so she let the sleeves stay extended for now.
She then became distracted when she quickly picked up the wave of grief emanating from the Ithorian. She looked up at him, frowning. He must have lost something in the war himself... Wait. What planets were destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong? Too many... Some were only Vongformed, and later recovered, such as Belkadan. Ithor though... wasn't that one of the planets rendered uninhabitable by them? Of course, a significant portion of Felucia's population was Ithorian, because many of them had repopulated here after the war...
She looked up at Master Gannor, only to see his own head bowed. Was it in sympathy, or had the beasts affected his home world as well? She couldn't be sure, though the fact that her own heart was starting to feel heavy was probably a telling sign.
But he looked back at her and, after reaffirming that the Yuuzhan Vong had indeed brought their war to Felucia, noted that there wasn't much information on how much her mother had suffered. It didn't appear to be much, for the planet was still largely intact and beautiful; only until recently, the only blemish she could find was the Rancor Graveyard, an ugly, dead place. Fitting this much uglier rot had been found found near that location.*
"The Felucians never talked about it..." *was her only comment at last.* "I talked to one of the Elders, a shaman named Kyator," *she pronounced the name with a flawless Felucian accent,* "but he wasn't sure what the rot was. He couldn't even feel anything, just like me..."
*As she watched the Ithorian begin to further manipulate the samples, it occurred to her that now she had a new task: Return to the village and see if they had any tales of past wars, particularly of a species like the Yuuzhan Vong. Felucians, being primitive, didn't keep written records, instead carrying tales with them through the generations. Perhaps Shaman Kyator would know some of those tales, if there were any...
She watched as a bit of spore stem was released near the black substance, which immediately engulfed and consumed it. Morgan winced just watching it, but the emptiness left behind was even more pronounced in her own mind; plants and creatures died, yes, but the cycle of life was neverending, and corpses, whether flora or fauna, were a vital part of that, and in a way continued to live on past mortal life. But this... stuff had completely erased the bit of stem.
That was probably why the rot's existence hurt her so much.
The Ithorian explained that the substance acted generally in the way they had just seen: It attacked dead tissue and turned it into residue, which itself was apparently some kind of "nutrient paste" comparable to ration packs, but different in makeup. Having tasted ration food before, and indeed had at least once been forced to survive on it, Morgan couldn't resist retching and quipping,* "Probably not that different..."
*But apparently the substance was refusing to bother an already-corrupted piece of stem that the Ithorian released next, which seemed to mildly surprise the Ithorian. Master Gannor addressed his earlier words, questioning whether the tar was not the actual culprit, something the Ithorian did not believe was the case, and was simply using the tar as a "means of transportation"...
Morgan winced as he concluded explaining his thoughts, still staring at the cancer in the container. At last, she looked up, asking,* "Is it... some kind of Vongforming thing? Can we just find some good Yuuzhan Vong to change it back? If there are any..." *She still had to admit her ignorance when it came to the Yuuzhan Vong in general, especially their alliance and also how Vongforming worked from a... "technical" angle, she supposed. What the Yuuzhan Vong used was technology, it was simply far different from the kind she was used to...*
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Mar 28, 2015 6:27:28 GMT -8
Chalco glanced down at her, pursing his lips thoughtfully. Perhaps that was the best approach open to them but where would they begin such a search, he had to wonder. Molan too turned to look at her, his huge head bobbing slightly as it rotated. The black eyes on the end of the stalks taking in her small form.
=Molan=
"If it is of Yuuzhan Vong origin..." He rumbled"then there is little we can do other than to cleanse the area. The Vong shapers guarded their secrets and those that went home to Zonama Sekot renounced their ways...
The Jedi Master nodded his head at the Ithorians words, turning to pace a few steps before swinging back and facing them.
=Chalco=
"And there lies another problem. Zonama Sekot hasn't been seen in the galaxy for decades. The last reported location was somewhere between Lehon and Lwhekk..."
He continued to pace as Molan turned back to the samples, continuing to run through his tests. The tall Falleens head creased in a frown of concentration behind the faceplate, jaw working silently for a moment.
=Chalco=
"Those Yuuzhan Vong that were stranded in the galaxy seem to generally be a forlorn lot though the majority of them were shapers if I recall..." He turned back to them and shrugged slightly. "Though how willing any of them would be to assist us in this matter I don't know. The fallout after the Ossus Project would likely have put them off ever working with Jedi again."
He was reluctant to go into further detail of the sabotaged project to restore planets affected by the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, many of said details still being deemed as classified by the Jedi council and the Senate.
Molan grunted as he consulted more reading, testing various bits of organic material in turn and noting the results.
=Molan=
"Such considerations wouldn't stop a real scientist..." His lofty tone drew a smile from Chalco causing him to flash an amused glance to Morgan as the Ithorian continued, almost to himself. "If I were to test this process on some living material..."
He hesitated for a moment then flashed a glance at the Jedi.
"Though I suppose that is out of the question...?"
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Mar 30, 2015 0:31:49 GMT -8
*According to the Ithorian, the Shapers guarded their secrets and the ones who made Zonama Sekot their home renounced their ways, and, according to Master Gannor, Zonama Sekot hadn't been seen for quite some time, leaving "cleanse the area" as their only option. Cleanse? Like, purge that portion of the jungle?! Morgan's eyes widened in disbelief at the suggestion, but she knew that the area was already as good as dead... and nothingness would look better than the dead jungle that rested deep within.
She remained silent, eyes watching the Ithorian's work but she didn't really see, her true focus in her own mind. Zonama Sekot was a living world, much like Felucia, only different. Well, maybe not so different... the inhabitants shared a symbiotic relationship with the planet, much like Felucians and herself. Then again, Zonama Sekot could grow living items such as ships and could even enter hyperspace. Felucia couldn't do that... but until Morgan went to Zonama Sekot—if that ever even happened—she was confident that Felucia's Force-enriched environment and symbiotic relationship was stronger, which made it the better planet.
And she still needed to save it.
She looked up as Master Gannor spoke of other Yuuzhan Vong in the galaxy, many of which were Shapers. Her eyes turned hopeful until he supposed that they would be hesitant to work with Jedi again after something called the "Ossus Project."* "'Ossus Project'?" *she asked, sounding defeated as she sank a little, her eyes falling to the ground.
The Ithorian said something about that not stopping a "real scientist," causing her to look up at him again, only a little glimmer of hope returning within her form. Then suddenly he wondered aloud about testing the process on living material, which made her eyes shoot open widen with shock. When he turned to ask whether that was out of the question, she immediately nodded with a sweeping gesture across her body with her arm, the empty glove flopping along behind it.*
"Yeah it is!" *she exclaimed defiantly.* "It's already destroyed a lot! I won't let you destroy any more of my mommy!" *She was starting to sound almost a little hysteric, and indeed her emerald eyes glistened with tears she tried to blink away.
Her choice of word, "destroy," was deliberate; for what this rot caused was more than just death. They could purge the area and that would only eliminate the deadened substances, and any casualties as a result would at least have fallen to the natural death cycle. But this unnatural substance... it caused worse than mere death. And the last thing she wanted to do was willingly subject some other poor plant or animal or fungi to this cruel fate.*
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Post by Lanette Shan Terr on Apr 2, 2015 20:18:36 GMT -8
Most of the adults in the tech labs had shown some form of mild concern when they first saw a small child working with multiple datapads, terminals, and sensitive equipment. All of them had backed off once they had realized that the guise of the small child was just that: a form just to maintain appearances.
She was actually an incredibly advanced AI, programmed by Eliana Shan years ago. The second full AI in the Life Emulator series, LE-02 -- Lana, as she called herself -- was fully capable of experiencing emotion, albeit at a much faster rate than the organic mind could process. And that was a gap she was trying to bridge right now. Lana had made up her mind on a pet project, and she wasn't going to rest -- not that she really did rest, being an AI and all -- until she had made some serious progress on it.
Her tinkering would be its own reward, eventually, and as long as her processes were devoted to this task, she was fine.
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Apr 3, 2015 13:02:39 GMT -8
The Ithorian shook his massive head from side to side as he turned back to his studies, hands gesticulating wildly. His voice was indignant with a slight trace of exasperation as he was once again blocked by what he saw as unnecessary Jedi sensibilities. There was no room for such concerns in scientific progression though Molan was well aware of the ethical debates being raged across the galaxy by his peers.
=Molan=
"It wouldn't be anything sentient of course. Plant life would suffice, perhaps even trimmings from a plant. As long as the subject was actually alive and I could study the infection process then we may better be able to judge the veracity of the invader compound..."
Chalco's voice was firm as he cut the Ithorian off, his calm and even tones backed up by the obvious authority he could always seem to draw from it. It was the gift of a teacher to be able to command the attention of a class and such talents were not confined to the classrooms.
=Chalco=
"It is out of the question, Molan. You know better than to suggest such a thing."
While he could understand the scientists frustrations in such matters, even sympathise to an extent, he also knew that the wily old academic really didn't understand the bond Morgan shared with the planet and all life on it. Chalco wasn't even sure he fully understood such a deep and myriad symbiotic entanglement, though he certainly could measure such things better than someone who could not feel such connection through the Force. Chalco's own intensive studies into the mysteries of the Living Force lent him an empathy to Morgan that perhaps not many could boast, adding a perspective to the strange matrimony between the child and the world she called 'mother'.
With a reassuring hand on the child's shoulder Chalco drew the Force around them both in an effort to sooth and insulate the girl from such an unappealing idea, a kind of mental "there there" for want of a better term.
=Chalco=
"We appreciate your concerns but you must also appreciate ours. Such a course of action would not only run contrary to our beliefs but may have serious impacts on the well being of the symbiotic relationship this world holds with those that dwell here."
The alien being nodded his head with a double-mouthed sigh, his posture full of frustration and annoyance, but seemingly conceding to the point the Jedi made. Chalco briefly considered the possibility that the scientist would continue to pursue his own agenda and defy their wishes, seeking to run such experiments as he saw fit, but the tall Falleen shrugged off the concern. He had known Molan for years and had always found him a strong ally of the Jedi Order, with his conduct above reproach.
Dismissing such unworthy thoughts from his mind he turned and crouched next to Morgan, dropping himself down to eye-level. Peering at her through his faceplate with his emerald gaze serious and intense.
=Chalco=
"IT may be time to take this to your father, child. It is beyond my experience and my authority to dictate further action."
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Morgan Calmcacil
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Post by Morgan Calmcacil on Apr 3, 2015 21:02:29 GMT -8
*There was obvious frustration in the Ithorian's voice and posture as he turned around and rambling on about how they could just use "plant life" or even trimmings to something something science stuff. Morgan stopped caring and her fists clenched within her sleeves as she started to shake, wondering what part of "I won't let you destroy any more of my mommy" he didn't understand!
Fortunately, Master Gannor put his foot down, reaffirming that it was out of the question and stating that the Ithorian should've known better than to ask that. Part of Morgan wanted to feel smug, but she couldn't bring herself to be; protecting her mother was nothing to feel smug about, only concerned. Master Gannor's refusal to relent, his explanation on the further harm experimenting would have on the symbiosis of the world, and his hand on her shoulder along with calming waves through the Force all served to allow her to relax a little, her fingers uncurling, her shaking ceasing. The Ithorian seemed to very reluctantly accept this, but all Morgan was concerned about was that he accepted it.*
"It'll be okay Mommy..." *she mumbled softly, sadly, before looking up at Master Gannor as he suggested they take the issue to her daddy, seeing as Master Gannor lacked the authority to "dictate further action." Before answering, she looked upward, mostly in focus, partially because they were presently underground and he would be somewhere above ground.
It didn't take very long to locate him, and he wasn't alone; a very happy baby was with him as well. She smiled sweetly to herself and looked back up at Master Gannor.* "He's in the courtyard, with Lucy." *Tilting her head to the side, she asked,* "Should we go now?" *Mostly, she just wanted to get away from the lab here... and closer to solving this problem.*
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Post by Gracie Rollins on Apr 3, 2015 21:26:56 GMT -8
Most of the adults in the tech labs had shown some form of mild concern when they first saw a small child working with multiple datapads, terminals, and sensitive equipment. All of them had backed off once they had realized that the guise of the small child was just that: a form just to maintain appearances.
She was actually an incredibly advanced AI, programmed by Eliana Shan years ago. The second full AI in the Life Emulator series, LE-02 -- Lana, as she called herself -- was fully capable of experiencing emotion, albeit at a much faster rate than the organic mind could process. And that was a gap she was trying to bridge right now. Lana had made up her mind on a pet project, and she wasn't going to rest -- not that she really did rest, being an AI and all -- until she had made some serious progress on it.
Her tinkering would be its own reward, eventually, and as long as her processes were devoted to this task, she was fine.
The little short-haired blond girl, actually a human replica droid recreation of her father's lost child with all her memories intact, skipped along through the halls of the tech labs, where her daddy spent most of his time working on projects and such just like before. Silly Daddy, he should've been having more fun on their new home like she was, not keeping himself locked up in labs again! But that was okay, he let her go off to play on her own, as long as she didn't leave the base! It was dangerous out there, and she wasn't allowed to go out without Jedi or someone to lead them and protect them. She knew a girl who said she went out there all the time and could control the planet and stay safe, but Gracie's daddy hadn't let her go out with the girl, which made Gracie disappointed; she wanted to see what was out there! Maybe someday...
She was planning on seeking out friends or fun further into the base, but she stopped when she glanced into a room and saw another friend already there, the girl with the robot brain like hers! Grinning, Gracie skipped into the room the girl was working in, leaning up on the tips of her toes and poking her nose over the top of the desk she was at.* "What you doin', Elly Otu?" *she asked curiously, trying not to get in the way.
"Elly Otu" actually went by another name now, but "Elly Otu" was the name Gracie had imprinted upon the girl when she'd first met her, and she didn't feel like calling her anything else; it was a better name, in her opinion.* |
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Chalco
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Post by Chalco on Apr 4, 2015 13:13:49 GMT -8
With a patient smile and a calm nod of the head Chalco removed his hand from Morgans shoulder, adding a gentle pat before he straightened back up into a standing position. The child's concern was palpable and ran parallel to his own, mirroring an urgency that they get to the bottom of this issue with all haste. In insidious creep of this affliction as it spread slowly from lifeform to lifeform cast a deepening shadow on the Force that had the characteristics of a bruise swelling across flesh. Actually, he thought o himself as his eyes once more returned to the Ithorian, more like a septic would spreading to infection.
=Chalco=
"Yes Morgan. We will go and see your father and baby Lucy..."
He smiled down at her again, a twinkle of amusement rippling languidly through the Force as he continued.
=Chalco=
"Perhaps she can offer some insight into our dilemma, no?"
As he watched her little forehead crease from behind her faceplate as she processed that thought, Chalco's spoke again to address Molan. The tone was firm and obviously insisted on an answer.
=Chalco=
"Molan, how sure are you that this substance is of Yuuzhan Vong origin, and don't give me a line about how you need to run more tests. An opinion will do."
The scientists mouths twisted in a grimace at being forced to answer without the possession of firm facts, his head tilting slightly as he sought to frame a response. While it was extremely difficult to judge such things with the sciences of this galaxy there had been enough encounters during the war for the conventional disciplines to make educated guesses where the Shaping arts and other Vong biomechanics were concerns.
When he spoke there was no debating his firm certainty.
=Molan=
I will know more when these results come in but I am almost certain this substance is a compound used in Vong terraforming, designed to absorb organics of this galaxy and transform them into sustenance for lifeforms of the Vong galaxy. I will go as far to stake my considerable reputation on it."
Chalco remained still for a moment before he nodded his head once. Molan went back to his work while Chalco and Morgan made for the decontamination room...
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