I Am Buzz Lightyear. I Come in Peace. [Protectorate Dominion of Athos IV]

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

One should always seek to educate themselves, this was no different for the Corellian. He enjoyed learning new things and expanding his horizons so to speak. At his age, one enjoys learning of the past for it is the only way to be able to interact with a broad view towards the future.

In this instance, he was quite pleased to gather information not only on the planet itself, but upon literature of old Force methodologies. He was vastly curious in the alchemical properties of crystals and how they interact with a Force sensitive.

This particular bit of information dealt with the ability to Harmonize crystals, an ability that Force-sensitives used to prepare a crystal. The user balanced the crystals and imbued them with the Force so that it could be properly uses within a lightsaber. This technique required meditation to harmonize it and to gain an instinctive understanding of how to use it.

What would become a passing fancy would begin the path of the Corellian Jedi to embark on one day being a specialist in the formation, creation, and crystalurgy through the Light Side of the Force.

 

[Alan]

SHATTERED LANDS


Gravity was high. The rifle would be harder to swing. Slugthrowers wouldn't help on this planet, at least, not at a longer range. He hated blasters. Fouled up too easily. Broke too often. Didn't have the same impact or damage. Shields were also a factor. The man was strong enough and in shape that the gravity didn't bother him too much- after all, he had trained on Carida frequently. He blinked, before moving forward. The shattered lands were an interest- how could a conflict do so much damage? Animus was then humbled by his lack of caring for personal wealth. But he failed to see how an entire species and race was consumed by greed entirely.

He lumbered up to a large outcrop of rock- and then realized, that rock must have been about twenty feet underground, and it was larger than him. The force that pushed it upwards must have been great. He didn't say anything, or radio in- he had nothing really to report. All he was doing, was poking his head around.

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

Surveying the area - Dancing Mountain Lights

They were now in an area one of the locals called, Dancing Mountain Lights. It is an area once held within the Shattered Lands. The explosion that devastated the planet also threw up great chunks of the planet's inner crust. Luminous fumes pool beneath massive, unrefined gems and create a cascading river of color and light against the night sky.

But for all its beauty, there are those would would prefer to mine away the massive gems for sale elsewhere, and a fight continues over rights and mining attempts. Surveys would indeed find several rare gems to be found here.

Aeron, musing quietly to herself, would agree that this area should be left well enough alone.

 

[Kaile Vera]

Kaile would end up focusing on setting up the triage area. Locals were not feeling too well, and there was a concern that perhaps a virus may have spread to the local population.

Testing procedures and the like would commence. So far nothing too crazy, and they managed to strike out the Dark harvest virus or anything far more deadly.

Could just really be a common cold.

Kaile would focus on augmenting what little bit of skills she could do. There was always a training opportunity in every day to day life.

 

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

Rhen would continue to learn more about the planet's history, as well as the mining intricacies.

Athos IV has a mostly unremarkable history until around 1,264 BBY when the world was discovered by accident. Within thirty local years, the planet was transformed by rapidly developing technology and intense immigration. Athosians took every bit of technology they could and used it without caution or fear. No one cautioned them, as the planet's vast resources were exploited without any concerns. It was a veritable gold rush of profits and development

In 1,032 BBY, a fuel mining facility was sabotaged by environmentalists who feared that such unabated drilling would destroy their world. Ironically, their sabotage triggered a cascading failure that resulted in the facility exploding violently, with more than a quarter of a billion liters worth of fuel caught beneath the inferno. For weeks, the Athosians scrambled to develop a way to contain the damage as the inferno raged. Some believed that the fire would eventually burn itself out while others feared that the fire might work its way deep into the planet and set off the pocket of explosive material underneath.

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

[background=#232323]Surveying the area - Dancing Mountain Lights[/background]

They would stay at the Dancing Mountain Lights area for another hour or so. Apparently there was more information about the type of gems and mineral deposits here.

In the meantime, Aeron took it upon her self to do a bit of sightseeing herself. Taking her microbinoculars out, she would pan her attention across the surrounding area, recording what she could about terrain. She knew how well those S.A.A.T members enjoyed having plenty of holo surveillance.

Idle time while data was being retrieved was spent in practicing her skill with ballistickinetics. There was something about fine tuning one's specialty that required daily practice and training, and Aeron wasn't going to waste time she could be using thusly for it.

 

[Kaile Vera]

Medical Area


Kaile spent her time in the medical triage area. The set up took some time, but she was able to learn a couple of things while helping out. While she wasn't a pro field medic, she did have some basic aide she could utilize to help. A lifetime of sleeper agent missions allowed the young woman to be quick on her feet when it came to wounds. This would be no different.

Well, okay, a bit different because she was not undercover for some super secret mission. A small laugh came to her then. If she could at least bring a smile to someone's face, she could call it a great day.

 

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

There was more information to be gleaned from the planet, and Rhen would not stop at mere culture. The local cities and their history came next.

Details from locals would reveal that Athos City is the capital city of the planet. It is one of the oldest cities still in existence, though not the most technological or largest. Besides being the seat of the ruling monarch, Athos City houses the main monitoring systems for the planet's shield wall system. This lets them know whenever a wall's power output begins to fall and when areas need replacing. It is also the cultural heart of the planet, with museums and academies centered around the Old Way; enshrining deities and ancestors alike and teaching their lessons to the next generation.

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

Surveying the Area

It was time to go to another part of the planet, now that the scientists managed to get as many samples as they could from this particular surrounding area.

Aeron spent the majority of the time enhancing her abilities with telekinesis, focusing mainly on small minute items. The smaller the better. That was her forte. The more she practiced it the better she would get at it. While Siobhan Kerrigan was able to chuck asteroids, Aeron was able to use a paperclip and let it fly with keen precision and power behind it.

She had a thought to perhaps practice this more with slugthrowers, so she figured in the next area, she would set up a small target practice to do just that.

 

[Kaile Vera]

Kaile spent the bulk of her day training a bit more in field medicine, and Bobo certainly brought a few smiles to shine. Good as new! she'd muse to herself as she placed a small bacta patch upon the knee of a youngling.

There was much for her to learn as she did various small odd job tasks. Field medicine wasn't something to look down upon, and the more training one got, all the better.

She even ended up turning a wrench fixing some small things round the area and making a friend or two. Who knew what else she'd learn while she was down here.

 

[Vulps]

Zarro flicked his tail as he entered the Airspace of Athos. Yet another day, yet another planet. In truth, he hadn't really been here before and it was good to reach frontiers, though whether he would want to set up shop here was yet to be seen. Tapping int his holocom, he set himself to speak to the leaders of this mission. "Zarro Verres of Verres Trading Co. How might I offer my assistance?"

 

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

Rhen would learn more about Athos -- for example the following.

Kraniea is one of the oldest cities, as well as the largest. If Athos City were the technological and learning center of the Athosians, Kraniea is its spiritual center. Founded on the direct opposite side of the Shattered Lands, Kraniea holds many of the planet's ancient spiritual records as well as relics claimed to have been used by Janir in forging the Athosians. Foreigners are required to acquire a special pass from Athos City in order to board the sole transport line to the city, for fear that those ignorant of the Athosian way might damage or corrupt the city.

Vector 024, an oddity of a name, is perhaps the newest city to achieve merit, though not for good reasons. Vector 024 is said to be where the first Old Republic ship touched down, and it is a place in stark contrast to the Old Athosian way of life. Fully embracing the capitalistic lifestyle of most of the galaxy, Vector 024 has become a haven for those who are shunned and rejected by the Old Ways. Many Athosians tolerate the city's existence, if only because it gives them a place to send their dishonored and embarrassments. However, the city has seen a steady increase of young Athosians attracted by the bright lights and affluent lifestyles of the city and many wonder if the city is a beacon of the second Anavosi'nri, or Apocalypse.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Kaile Vera"]

Athos IV wasn’t an important planet in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t possess any worthwhile resources or technology that would put it on the figural galactic map, but there was something else: an opportunity to generate some good publicity and strengthen the bonds between a certain company and the Protectorate. ‘Least that was what I thought when I heard of the efforts Cater was going through in adding the planet to the fold of his Nation and I couldn’t pass up such a chance.

So I got in touch with Cater and worked out a deal with him and the Monarchy currently presiding over the planet, Santhe Corporation would supply medical apparatus and their own experts to help with the healing effort for a reasonable price, OP would be able to claim that they were doing something about the problems Athos was facing, Santhe Corporation could claim they were doing humanitarian work and with that everyone would be happy.

I found myself walking through one of the sick camps and even I was put back by the sheer amount of men, women and children under duress. It was a wonder they were still alive, one could ask what would have happened if the Protectorate hadn’t knocked on the door just at the right time… ten points for Cater, he knows when to fly in on a rescue plane.

One girl caught my attention, she wasn’t really anything special, just a girl with… a green… lizard thing on her shoulder. That was… interesting? I decided to walk over there and perhaps start up a conversation, maybe I could help out in some way.

‘ My Lady, can I help you with that? '

 

[Ayden Cater]

"Millennia later, and it still looks like it happened yesterday," Ayden remarked as he stood on one of many viewing decks onboard the Athosian Citadel. They had been invited onto the citadel as part of the negotiations to bring the Athosians into the Protectorate. Their shield technology remained impressive even thousands of years after its creation. If they could find a way to acquire it and adapt it to modern power sources, they could create new military-grade shields for the Protectorate's bases. Of course, that was assuming they were successful in their negotiations.

So far it had been several months since they had made initial contact. They had been granted leave to establish a few small medical outposts on the planet to stockpile supplies for dispersement. The goodwill from that had earned them little in return, unfortunately. Athosian memories ran deep. They still remembered how they had been exploited and abandoned by the Old Republic, harboring resentment even to this day for their failure to stop the explosion that scarred Athos IV. "You cannot push back against the Shattered Lands by yourself. Even now, your Shield Wall is beginning to fail. It needs new parts and updated pieces. If it fails, your planet will once again be a desolate wasteland."

"And you would just let that happen?" One of the Athosian Council members harrumphed and raised a gray eyebrow at the Corellian.

"Of course not. But at the same time, I have to look out for all of my people as well," Ayden explained once again. This had been a conversation that had been repeated a number of times now. "You do not ask for food without giving something in return. I'm not asking that we be given free reign to mine of your planet til a second Anavosi'nri befalls your people. Let us examine the shield emitters. We can give further military support and help you maintain the citadel. We have so much to offer you, why can't you accept all of that for so little?"

 

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

Rhen went to study on more about Atho's history. It appeared that eventually the idea was stumbled upon to use massive shield walls, like those that had been constructed on Telos millenia ago. The entire planet's industry was poured into the development and construction of these shield projectors around their cities and as much of their planet as they could afford. Many were erected and activated while still undergoing construction. The worst fears were realized when the fire spread to a drilling pipeline that led straight to the facility's main fuel reservoir. Within hours of the shield emitters being finished and all activated, the fuel pocket exploded.

The entire planet suffered massive earthquakes that left hundred of thousands dead, tens of millions homeless. Within days, the area's out side the shielded cities were reduced to a hellish wasteland with corrosive fumes and temperatures beyond anything a humanoid could survive in. Soon after, the planet's economy collapsed and millions fled the world. The Athosians technology progress was set back centuries, to levels before introduction to the galaxy at large. A few groups managed to retain the knowledge to maintain the shield walls and kept the Shattered Lands at bay.

For centuries, the planet lay forgotten by the galaxy. By the time of its rediscovery in 237 ABY, the Athosians had begun climbing the technological ladder once more. When records surfaced of how the planet had been ruthlessly consumed and abandoned, the Galactic Federation Triumvirate pledged to restore the world to its former beauty. Ithorians were brought in to begin the process of restoring the planet's ecosystem while the shield emitters were studied to begin reclaiming sections of the planet.

Progress went smoothly, with more than sixty percent of the planet reclaimed and restored when the Gulag Plague hit. For the second time, Athos was abandoned as the galactic community retreated within itself. However, the restoration efforts had reclaimed enough of the world that Athos continued to grow and thrive throughout the Four Hundred Years of Darkness. Its population has recovered nearly to the levels it had possessed pre-devastation.

 

[Nyos Val]

Deleted.

 

[Miles Varden]

Shattered Lands-Ground Zero

Miles and his team walked down the slope to the shanty town at the bottom of the crater. Once at the edge of town, Miles ordered the team to spread out, "Eyes up, but keep your guns down, we may have survivors."

Having fanned out, Miles and the rest walked down separate streets towards the center. Footprints dotted the ground but there were no signs of the inhabitants anywhere.

There was one large building opposite the soldiers in the center of the shanty town, Miles figured the 'civvies' were there. He had the men stay back a few extra paces as he knocked on the doors of the building. He heard bustling and gestured Mac to scout the building with his drone.

As the drone circled the building, Mac noted heat sigs inside, about two dozen or more.

 

[Basaba Willamina]

[member="Zarro Verres"]

"Move" Basaba stood there and crossed her mechanical arm over her chest with the other while she starred off at the people. The light blue of the armor and arm matched but more importantly behind her the cerberus war droid moved cooing almost for her as she grinned under the helmet. This world wasn't so bad but she was a warrior and ready for a fight should it break out. Who knew maybe this one could get her a baby leviathan like she wanted. "I protect you, you get me pet."

 

[Feena]

[member="Katagiri Ike"] [member="Noah Corek"]

The healer clutched her medkit ever tighter. She so hated this. Not feeling the solid ground under her, fresh air. Space travel was nauseating. And landing on a foreign planet? Even more so.

"When we arrive, please let me know. Until then, I will be sitting here with my eyes closed humming to myself."

 

[Ayden Cater]

Weeks had passed and the Protectorate was still sluggishly progressing. There was a lot of mistrust that ran very deeply in the Athosian history and it was not something that could be healed overnight. Even so, it was still frustrating for Ayden to return the planet again after almost four months and still be a simple visitor. There was a part of him that wished he was a brutal dictator that could just order a military invasion and be done with it. But he knew that that wasn't who he was at heart. It had been he who had kept such a military invasion at bay from Eriadu after the execution of a Protectorate diplomat. Cira had wanted blood but he had kept her wrath at bay. That sort of level-headedness was needed now more than ever.

For all the quagmire, there was progress. Thanks to the efforts of the Protectorate's doctors and healers, the damage and illness the Athosians so chronically suffered due to the fallout was being halted and reversed. Children were walking for the first time in theirs lives and the sight was being restored to the elderly. New sciences and histories were being brought to the planet, encouraging a technological renaissance amongst the population. Shield emitters that had once been failing and falling apart were being restored at record speeds ensuring that the fallout would remain in the Shattered Lands behind the shield walls.

It wasn't enough to get the Athosians to agree to join the Protectorate, but it was a start.