Public Journey to the Center of the Earth

[Katarine Ryiah]

​

Location: Ice Covered Planet in Wild Space

Dr. Nemoy was a well respected geologist from Coruscant University. His research centered on fossils and extracting living organisms from geographic hotspots. Recently the esteemed Professor had secured grant funding to explore a mysterious heat signal that a backwater droid station had picked up. The planet had no visible life on it, yet the signal radiated enough heat for a small village. It was very curious indeed and possibly the professors next big discovery.

With grant money in hand the professor had hired all sorts of help for the expedition. There were explosive experts, fellow scientists, reporters, sharp shooters, mercenaries, equipment operators and more. The budget for the project was a hefty one and had attracted a lot of attention in the right channels.

Several speeders and vehicles full of equipment raced towards a set of mountains in the west. The heat signal was coming from directly below these mountains and the crew had been assembled to dig their way down. Or so they thought. When they finally arrived it was to find a perfect tunnel already existing. The long tube went for miles with no end in sight.

Confused, but pleased that they were ahead of schedule the team decided to make camp. A makeshift large tent had been set up next to the tunnel and generators were used to fight off the frigid temperatures. Inside the tent the team was seated around a campfire, eating the nights rations.

“I don’t believe you all had the chance to meet so introductions are in order. I am Professor Nemoy, the principle investigator of this trip. Why don’t we go around the fire and introduce ourselves and our skills?”

 

[Holly Starstorm]

Holly Was the first to speak up over her steaming cup of caf.

“My name is Holly Starstorm. I’m here representing HNN and producing a documentary on the expedition. I am very thankful to be included. “

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra was the next to speak.
"I'm Padawan Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri. This is my first mission without my Master. I'm here to help defend the members of this team if necessary. I have enhanced senses, strength, stamina, and reflexes, and I am trained in several forms of combat and various skills." She fidgeted with her parka sleeve. "Um...I'm not that good at social stuff." She said, chuckling nervously under her breath. "Oh, and call me Kuxirra. I've never been one for formalities."

 

[Subject 648 Slipknot]

Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri Holly Starstorm Katarine Ryiah

Slip sat next to Kuxirra, eating from the rations that were passed out to them. His green hair had an orange glow from the light of the fire. Why he had signed up for this, he had no clue, but all he knew was that now he was here, and there was no going back.

The shadow man stood in the corner of the tent, looking at everyone silently. Of course, no one could see the shadow man, as he was a hallucination, a figment of Slip's brain, but he seemed so real... And sometimes other people could see, hear, and even feel him physically through touch or through the Force. Slip thought that it was his skill at illusions with the Force, but it was still somewhat of a mystery.

Then, everyone started introducing themselves. First the Doctor did, then a reporter named Holly Starstorm, and then Kuxirra. Then, it was Slip's turn. "Oh! Uh... er-, right! My official designation is Subject 648, and my name is Slipknot, but you can just call me Slip!" He started. "Like Kuxirra here, I'm a Padawan, and genetically modified and enhanced supersoldier! My specialization is reconnasiance, but I'm also good with machines, and I can influence minds with the Force!" Slip exclaimed, introducing himself.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

"I'm an experiment, too. 643. We were raised together. He's like my brother." Kuxirra said, looking in the same direction as Subject 648 Slipknot and seeing nothing. Knowing about Slip's hallucinations, she cast a worried glance his way, but it was subtle enough that only Slip saw it—she hoped. "You good, bro? What do you see?" She murmured at a volume only her brother would hear. "It's Shads, isn't it? You can show me if you want."

 

[Koran Bardok]

Koran decided that he should probably speak next.

"I'm Koran Bardok, a Grey Jedi and a scientist, and while I'm a decent fighter that could protect us, my goal here is to research this anomaly instead. My field of research is the force, and I do believe that this anomaly of ours could prove beneficial to my research. I look forward to working with all of you."

Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri Subject 648 Slipknot Holly Starstorm Katarine Ryiah

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Katarine was reading her data pad as the others spoke. A few padawans, a reporter, some scientist, it all made for an interesting team. She did not bother with her introduction and honestly nobody seemed to notice she was skipped out anyway. Most people were just excited to get started.

The Next Morning:
The equipment was set up and the idea was simple. They were going to use rock climbing equipment to slowly scale the ice tunnel. The issue was that the ice tunnel was slick and seemed to be emitting a force signature. When one of the scientist set up the equipment and started down it wasn’t long before the line snapped and everybody started sliding straight through to the center of the planet.

 

[Naten Harel]

While the rest of the group was busy chatting with each other or introducing themselves, Katarine Ryiah silence didn’t go unnoticed by Naten who also skipped out on introduction thinking no one would care to hear his own introduction.

It wasn’t everyday that he took up quests like these, ones that involved guarding scientists while they research whatever the hell they were studying, but the fact that the location of this quest took place in the Wild Space was the one thing that caught the mercenary’s attention. It was the Wild Space and the Unknown Region that Naten loved exploring whenever he got the time and money for it. Lately he’s been running a little low on credits and with his ship needing a decent upgrade and maintenance soon, a little escort mission for exchange of some shinny chips will do.

Unfortunately, Naten didn’t expect his morning to start with his line snapping and him falling with the rest of the party. In the back of his mind, he wished I used his own line that he brought with him instead of the tacky looking one that scientist offered. Lucky he had his jet pack equipped so before he came close to hitting the ground, the flames of his pack ignited, breaking his fall and pulling him into an upward position before glancing up and catching an individual who was about to crash into him.

“Carefully there, this ride was only meant for one passenger.” he said to the stranger in his arms as he glared at them through his helmet.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra grinned sheepishly. "Sorry." She said. "You can put me down now. I'll be fine."

 

[Naten Harel]

The Mercenary gave a small nod before suddenly dropping his hands and letting her fall to the ground; but not hard enough to cause serious injuries.

“Kuxirra was it?” Naten asked as he tried recalling the right name with the matching face from the night before.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra nodded, landing on her feet. "Yeah, I'm Kuxirra. Some call me Kux, which I forgot to mention last night. Didn't catch your name, though."

 

[Naten Harel]

After a soft landing and his repulsor pack deactivating, Naten tilted his head to the side, giving it a loud crack before answering the girl before him.

“Heral,” he simply replied as he started scanning the area for other survivors but didn’t see any around so far. To his guess, the others probably landed further away, “but Naten will do just fine. Did you happen to catch sight of where the others fell?” he asked as he turned his attention back to her.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra shook her head. "I didn't see them, but I can sense them." She said, pointing in the direction the others had fallen. "They're over there."

 

[Naten Harel]

"Alright then, let's see who did and didn't get luck from the fall cause it could get pretty nasty with out a proper break." Naten said as he started heading off towards the direction Kuxirra pointed. He could tell the girl was a little nervous with socializing but it didn't bother him one bit since he's used to interacting with different types of people.

"So," he began in order to break the silence, "you're some kind of jedi, Force-User, sith or whatever people call them?" Naten asked with a small shrug.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

"I'm a Jedi Padawan, like Slip." Kuxirra said. "We're part of the SJC. How about yourself?" She asked, walking in the direction she'd pointed.

 

[Naten Harel]

Naten contemplated on which information about himself that was safe to share with Kuxirra, but just hearing she was a Jedi, at least a Jedi, he believed it wouldn't hurt to tell who he is.

"I like to call myself a mercenary, though sometimes I don't mind taking a bounty here and there." He said as he stepped over a large branch and frowned at the environment of the place. "I used to be part of the Hutt military, Special Forces to be exact, but that was...years" he sighed with a hint of nostalgia in his tone. He'd be lying if he said he didn't miss being with his squad, but he needed a new path to follow.

"Anyways...is You partner Slip your boyfriend or something? You two seemed awfully close last night near the campfire." He smirked under his helmet as he chuckled.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra nodded at what he said and laughed at his question. "Boyfriend? Hardly. He's practically my brother. We were raised together in the labs."

 

[Naten Harel]

"Labs eh..." He brushed sone dirt off his coat and frowned, "...what the he'll do people try to create these days..." Naten muttered under his breath before taking out a death stick from his pocket and briefly lighting it. "Well you're not the first one I've met who came out of the labs. How'd you escape kid, if you don't mind me asking." He asked as he took a long drag from his stick.

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

"The labs were all destroyed about six months ago." Kuxirra explained. "Some of us chose to leave. As you probably heard last night, we were super soldiers. If I remember correctly, Slip was created there. I was kidnapped at three months."

 

[Naten Harel]

"Sorry to hear that kid," Naten said as removed his helmet, revealing his weathered looking face before blowing outa big smoke into the air. "At least you're in better company now...I hope. Hey, if you ever feel like you're malfunctioning or feel like something is wrong physically, I know a couple of people who can probably help you." The mercenary offered as he displayed a small holo projection of contacts who ranged from shady doctors to scientists. He didn't know or trust much people from the Inner Rim or even the Mid Rim, so it was practically the least he had to offer the girl.