Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

After Order 66, few Jedi dare to venture outside the shadows—rumors of the dark and terrible Darth Vader haunting even their waking moments. Yet, some Jedi find this life of fear unbearable. The Empire is always watching, and Vader himself is eager to confront any Jedi that might bring him closer to the whereabouts of his betrayer, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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Shurijo
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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Shurijo » Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:15 pm

Correct. You only know (very little) about Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn's encounter with Darth Maul. You've only heard second and third-hand that Maul was a Sith. The information about Sith/Emperor was only discovered by the council right before the chaos/purge. They weren't able to distribute that knowledge via any communications and they haven't made it 'public' knowledge so the mining base's benefactor (who provided some intel/news) doesn't know either.

"Good. Good" The Grand Inquisitor states. "I'll send someone to your quarters soon." As he turns to leave, the door slides open and a white armored trooper hands him another tray of food. He takes the try and places it down inside Shoshannah's room and then departs.

* * *

A few hours later, the door slides open once more revealing a young male human, around the same age of Shoshannah and an older female human, both flanked by the white armored troopers.

The elder woman states, "Shoshannah Nadeel, I am Dr. Zori Sorbaru and this is my assistant, Tavleth Dren. We have been instructed to escort you to the research facility. The flight is scheduled to depart in three hours and fourty two minutes. Until then, gather yourself and things. We will talk more on the shuttle."

As she glances over to the troopers, one says "Move along" while the other trooper tosses in a cloth bag of clothes and then closes the maglock door. The clothes look the same as Zori and Tavleth was seen wearing which includes a patch on the side, which could represent the research facility or their designation as researchers.

For plot sake, I'm allowing some of this. I don't want to roll too many dice in these types of things, because a failure or success could really upend some social encounters. If you're really lying, then I'll roll, but if your telling the truth but hiding something then that's fine
There some time between now and your flight, so we can just skip ahead when you're ready

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Muskrat » Wed Aug 25, 2021 5:58 pm

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Sorbaru, Mr. Dren," says Shoshannah cautiously. Once the door closes, she sighs. It seems she was to be moved to a shuttle and then a research facility. It didn't look like she would be allowed to work here, as she had hoped. Well, there was still a chance she could free herself--and she might be able to track down and help the others later. For now, she ate the food and reluctantly put on the uniform.
I'm ready to move ahead to boarding the shuttle.

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Shurijo » Thu Aug 26, 2021 12:13 am

One hour and twenty eight minutes later, Shoshannah's door opens once more to reveal more white armored troopers. "Put this on and come." The trooper tosses in a pair of stun cuffs which would restrict the movement of her hands. Additionally, she noticed these were stun cuffs and could stun her if a button was pressed.

Shoshannah had been around Clone Troopers long enough to recognize their voices and patterns. Even though the Jedi helped them pursue their own identities, clones sounded almost the same as each other. Over time, someone might learn to find the small differences in clones' individual voices. But that was not the voice of a clone, she realized. While the armor looked like an upgrade or newer model, the soldiers' heights and postures lead her to believe they were not clones. Looking out the door, Shoshannah sees more than a platoon of troopers with light and heavy blasters.

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Muskrat » Thu Aug 26, 2021 5:57 pm

Shoshannah reluctantly puts on the stun cuffs. Clearly, they didn't trust her. Which was disappointing, but not surprising. Especially since she actually had no loyalty to the Empire.

As they travel, she studies these new troopers. She had gotten to know the clone troopers well and wonders what had become of them and why they were replaced. But for now, she focuses on looking for clues to differences other than the obvious between the clone troopers and the new ones--things about their training and the like she might pick out from how they held their weapons or moved together.
Cunning 2/ Perception 1

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Shurijo » Fri Aug 27, 2021 3:43 pm

Shoshannah keenly watches the troopers. Their movements mimic the Clone Troopers, but there were small things that only those who served with and knew clones could recognize. To a commoner, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference by their appearance or movements. The varying heights was not dramatic, but only a few centimeters of difference in most cases. The postures were similar to each other, but not identical like with clones. Even the way they held their weapons varied slightly, while the clones' intensive training caused them to use the exact same grip and hand placement as each other.

As they exit the facility, Shoshannah notices a Lambda-class shuttle with its rear ramp down and troopers flanking each side of the ramp in anticipation of their arrival. Dr. Sorbaru and Mr. Dren were walking up the ramp. Neither of them were physically restrained, that she could see. As she was escorted closer to the shuttle, Dr. Sorbaru glanced back at her and commented, "Nice to see you... have decided to join us."

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Muskrat » Fri Aug 27, 2021 7:11 pm

Shoshannah nods and says truthfully, "I only wish to help others to the best of my abilities." She says nothing about suspecting that if she did not agree she would, at best, have been left to rot in a prison cell, if not tortured for information.

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Shurijo » Mon Aug 30, 2021 10:11 pm

Dr. Sorbaru responds, "Hopefully, we will get that chance." Behind the three, the shuttle's ramp closes and a few troopers remain aboard the shuttle alongside the others. A few minutes later, the shuttle takes off and Shoshannah can feel the ship leaving the orbit and entering space.

Before they enter hyperspace, another man enters the area holding a tray of food and drinks. He places the tray on the nearby table and then walks over to Shoshannah and releases the binding, but leaving the binders around one of her hands. With her hands free now, Shoshannah still has the stun cuffs around one of her wrists.

"Enjoy the food and drink. We will be at our destination soon." He states, "I am Director Acina. You will be working on the Imperial Agricultural Corps special projects. Our goal is to feed the Empire." Turning to leave, he says, "The research facility will have all of the equipment and resources you desire. If you require anything additional, please submit acquisition requests and I will personally see that it is fulfilled." A few moments later, the Director disappears around the corner and perhaps to a private cabin aboard the shuttle.

Dr. Sorbaru turns to address Shoshannah, "I was the department head at Garqi Agricultural University. Tavleth was the professor of genetic agriculture engineering. Based on your cuffs, you must be the most dangerous agricultural student I've ever met."

Meanwhile, Tavleth takes a glass of the red colored drink and a few bites of the food.

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Muskrat » Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:47 pm

Shoshannah finds herself smiling in wry amusement despite herself. She considers keeping her training to herself, but she would need to come with an alternative story and she doesn't know how much the others already know. So, she says, "I was an agronomist in the Jedi Service Corps. I think I can count myself lucky that I'm only wearing cuffs."

She begins eating some of the food. "So, you can probably guess how I ended up here. Tell me about the work you were doing at the University. How much of it are you able to continue with now?" She wants to draw the others out and find out as much about them as possible, to get a sense of who they were and where their loyalties lay. And the best way to get a scientist talking was usually to ask them about their research. After she had heard a bit from them, Shoshannah began asking questions to steer them towards the topic of how they had ended up where they were now.
Presence 3/ Charm 2

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Shurijo » Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:35 pm

Tavleth finishes his glass and then answers some of Shoshannah's questions. "I didn't catch your name." He notes before going into discussion. "I think the Empire took some of my research and papers regarding genetic engineered plants to create a rapid growth and nutrient rich crop. I'd guess they couldn't figure it out. Or they succeeded, only to come to the same conclusion I did -- that it can't be done without destroying the soil, at least not at the expediated growth rate."

Dr. Sobaru nods and continues, "There were many undergraduates with Dren over the last several years. A few of their dissertations focused on related topics. We were looking for a way to help arid planets with low farming potential create small farm parcels that could feed an entire colony."

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Chapter 5C: Barren Soil, Fertile Mind

Post by Muskrat » Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:37 pm

Shoshannah nods. "My apologies--my name is Shoshannah Nadeel. From what I was told, they did indeed conclude that the crops you developed would destroy the soil--but they went ahead and grew them anyway. It seems that they regarded this as a necessary evil. I think they want us to do work on both how to improve the crop so it doesn't destroy the soil and reverse the damage they've already done." Shoshannah has the impression that these two are just scientists trying to adapt to the change in regimes and not Imperial loyalists. Still, she wants to be cautious about what she says. But she watches Dren and Sorbaru, trying to gauge how they respond to her revelation of the actual use of the crops.
Cunning 2/ Perception 1

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