Bota Botanist

[Galen Adina]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Galen rifled through his research notes as his ship descended on the green jewel of a planet, trying to find all his information he had on the Bota plant native to Drongar. It had become mutated in the late clone wars and had lost most of it's miraculous properties, but it's chemical properties had been well-documented. A quick pour over his notes told Galen that the plant had grown in the swamps on Drongar, and only in some rare spots. It also could not be used outside of the planet's atmosphere, yet another stipulation further complicating the recreation of the original plant. But still Galen had faith in his knowledge and skills, he knew that if anyone would be able to bring this plant to the greater galaxy it would be him.

He folded his research documents and journals as he began to pack his satchel in preparation for the harsh environment, torrential rain already pounding against the window blurring his vision of the planet's surface. "We will be there soon, Dr. Adani." He lifted the hood of his rain coat as he raised from the comfortable seat and made his way towards the ramp door. The wind immediately began to shove him as he made his way down the ramp to the research encampment that he had funded. A few former students that he was now proud to call colleagues waved at the man, beckoning him to share a drink with him but he refused. He made his way into the main building, a stable conditioned building that they would be using to attempt and make a new and improved version of the Bota plant.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Galen Adina"]

Cathbodua looked out at the world from the field tent they had set up to observe on the planet. The jedi teams that were researching and working on more of it had found a small patch of the bota plant here near the swamps but it wasn't exactly the easiest place to get into but there were others coming. She had put out a call for some scientists to try and revive for lack of a better term the plant using some hopefully improved methods. The fertilizer that had been developed by Sasori made it so plants could grow larger, stronger and in better places but the bota plant was something you didn't want to be wrong about ot well guess with such a limited supply in some cases. One of the thoughts was cloning and genetic modifications to try and reverse what had been done but they would need a fair amount of material to work with and synthesizing the plant was next to impossible. Cloning likely would result in failure... so her second or third plan was to try and see if they could modify it to be growable in other conditions. It was done to other plants to grow on worlds they normally wouldn't, perhaps they could make it growable in a biodome on another world. Time would tell and they would have to look for the sciences to be hopeful.

 

[Galen Adina]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Galen was taken aback as he noticed the Jedi in the corner of his tent, he hadn't paid much attention to who was in the location and quickly bowed to the figure. "Apologies for my late arrival master Jedi, I didn't expect the weather to be this bad."

He raised up as his eyes went over to the multiple samples of bota that lay before him, slinging his satchel off his shoulder. "Well I suppose it's about time that somebody find out how to get this thing off this planet." He went over to the microscope on one of the side benches and examined the plant before and after it had been exported.

The carbon in the plant had rapidly been replaced, causing the plant to dry up but this didn't explain how the healing properties of it disappeared.

"Has anything in the Jedi's records explained what causes the healing factor to disappear?" He looked towards the Jedi with an inquisitive appearance, hoping for an answer that he likely would not get.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Galen Adina"]

She was looking at him and there was the screen that was showing the plant for them as well and she looked under it. "Not really, the healing properties of the plant itself are not often explored or explained in the archives we have worked with just that it was very good. If there is a force property to it that is a possibility for how it was able to heal. It could also be part of a larger organism and die rapidly once it is detached." She doubted the last part but the galaxy had strange things that were within it. They might be able to find a purpose to the plants here on the planet though and if they found it was highly force sensitive then they might be able to work on more of it. She was holding some of it as the hardlight brought up the plant and some of the structure of it. "We might be able to use what information there is that brought the previous teams here and cause the problems but that is vague and I could explain more with guess work then the information provided." Which was a bad thing she didn't always like."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"] | [member="Galen Adina"]

Wandering around a little deeper in the Academy's labs, Taygeta was extending her knowledge of the layout of the research areas. This sector of the Academy was, for all intents and purposes, her territory, a place she found solace, meaningful work, and a place to advance her studies. She was a simple-looking young woman; Under her labcoat she wore a purple, sleeveless tunic and white capris. For shoes, she wore simple backless sandals that featured only an upper strap and a smaller loop over the greater toes. Her sandy-blonde hair was done up in a loose, messy bun and her green eyes masked only by spectacles of a weakish prescription. She didn't fit the stereotypical look of a Jedi of any level, let alone a scientist, the labcoat with her name and credentials on the lapel notwithstanding.

She would saunter along, a light slapping sound of padded synthleather against otherwise bare heels betraying her approach. She thought she heard voices and could certainly feel she wasn't alone anymore. As she got closer to the source of the sound of conversation, she could make out words in the exchange; a man and a woman were discussing some sort of biological project from what she could gather. At this point, she would speak up in response as she rounded a corner to confront the conspirators.

"Then perhaps the origin of the organism should be studied further?" she proposed. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding, but I was getting myself more familiar with the lab facilities."

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Galen Adina"] [member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

She tilted her head up and was looking at them while she presented a few ideas to go with it. "The origin is just as shrouded in some things. We have a couple of reports of it possibly being on other worlds but it is hard to confirm them." THey were working and looking to send out teams as the jedi knight brought up the screen and there were different probe droids going out across the systems. It helped when there were mapping and stations across the galaxy so they could search which had been a big thing that Sasori and Sakura along wiht the others had been developing. "We have a massive scanning and mapping system across the galaxy for searching to find resources like nysillin or algae that can be used for medical supplies. A few tweaks and it can search elsewhere while she work here to try and reverse what has been done to the plant."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"] | [member="Galen Adina"]

Taygeta listened to the Jedi Knight. She then glanced at the specimens and equipment between the two. A thought was forming in her mind, given what she was told.

"What is the specimen? What do we know about it, currently, and where does it come from?" she asked.

She'd then pause a while, stepping forward a few paces to join them. "And what do we know about its distinct genetic structure?"

 

[Galen Adina]

[member="Cathbodua"] [member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

Galen turned to his fellow doctor with a look of pride and glee. "I'm proud to tell you that I found this specimen myself doctor Lightkeeper, it is a one of a kind Bota plant from nearly a millenia ago when the plant was in it's prime state. What we are hoping to do is turn that into that, but that's where it has me stumped." He gestured to both the decayed plant and the fresh specimen. He did avoid telling his associates that he had spent a large portion of their budget on the plant, though with all luck it would be all they needed.

"I was hoping that I could find the answer using my new force powers, but unfortunately I am not the most gifted and I haven't the experience to get it to work properly." He flexed his hand, his voice trailing off into a bit of disappointment before raising in renewed excitement.

"That is why Jedi Knight Cathbodua has joined our scientific venture, we hope to bring this medicine to all corners of the galaxy. Even our enemies" His cheery disposition made way for a serious glare at the Jedi, he considered himself one of their order but unlike most of them he believed that even the Sith deserved life. A pacifist to the truest sense of the word, Galen was only interested in this project if it would bring about a better galaxy.

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Galen Adina"] | [member="Cathbodua"]

To Galen, Taygeta would nod in acknowledgement, now understanding what they were trying to do. She examined the two specimens carefully. At the mention of new Force techniques, she'd grin slightly. She found him familiar, but had never gotten his name.

"Well, I myself am merely a novice in the Jedi arts. I have really only been practicing the basics, but I haven't begun formal training under a mentor. In that respect, perhaps, you might be better off. But, where knowledge of the Force is insufficient, perhaps, is where traditional science comes into play." she suggested, adjusting her glasses where they rested on the bridge of her nose.

"From empirical observation, It seems I'm looking at a dead sample and a fresh one. And I assume that our concern is more than merely keeping the Bota plant alive, correct?" She asked, reaching for her datapad to seek information on the plant. The man's compassion toward all, even the traditional enemies of the Order, intrigued her. Those of the dark side had understandably left a foul taste in her mouth after the ordeal that lead her here in the first place, but there was a sense of kinship with a fellow researcher that prompted her to accept his overt goals.

Finding only a little information about Bota, she discovered that it was known to readily exhibit mutations not long after it left its planet of origin. This was not yet fully understood, either. Taygeta's interest was piqued. "Alright, the best place to start would be to compare the genetics of both samples, using the decayed and mutated one as a control." she began, pointing at the decayed specimen. "This is what normally happens to this organism, presumably rendering its medicinal effects useless and the other is stil potent, right? We need to determine what the difference between the two is on the molecular level. We then need to find out if there is a way to engineer the plant to remain stable in more diverse environments and/or isolate and synthesise the medicinal compounds." she suggested.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"] [member="Galen Adina"]

Well bota was notorious for being unable to be synthesized so that might be a problem but there were a number of ideas that she was wanting to work with while there was a display. "We might not be able to synthesize it but there is work that can be done and come from it. Genetic engineering to make it so that the plant can grow in more varied environments or remain viable for longer periods of time. The Agricorp has developed force enhancing fertilizer that allows for stronger and larger crops to be grown. This isn't something with a simple answer and is going to take months maybe years of testing before it could be viable." She was looking at this in the long term and they would need something maybe that would be very impressive to work with it. She had a few ideas but they had to isolate what changed when they harvested the flowers for more of the things. "We'll need to find what changes once it is harvested first. That would give the reaction and from there we can move to try and figure how to prevent it."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"] | [member="Galen Adina"]

Taygeta looked again at her datapad. True enough, there was a footnote suggesting difficulty in compound synthesis. The young geneticist smirked. "Hmmm... Well, if making the good stuff itself isn't a practical measure, then I agree with performing genetic research on the plant. Personally, I find it interesting that this organism so readily mutate simply on the basis of being removed from its native environment. Normally, mutations species occur in isolated incidences and with an antagonising event. I ask why moving this plant away from its native world antagonises a debilitating mutation.... and is the mutation we are observing the same for every specimen?" she asked.

Taygeta leaned over, narrowing her bespectacled eyes as if daring the mutated specimen to do something. "What's the homeworld like?" she asked further.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

She looked at the young padawan and there it was some ideas for the different things. "The world is rarely remote, not many go there." She was looking over more parts of it before leaning back and they were working on the planet as well as with some of the other planets that might have had it on them. They had discovered some things on worlds like Iego that might be able to help. "There is some specimens that we have been working with and one plant that we found on Iego may come in handy for the later processes." She was looing at ways they might be able to grow the plant in a better situation instead of something this hard or simple. They could work on splicing it to improve it so that it could grow in different place.

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Taygeta nodded. "Right, but what of the exact conditions of the plant's evolution?" she asked. "Do we know anything about it or will this involve a field trip?"

What Dr. Lightkeeper had been considering as a solution strongly involved replicating the plant's natural habitat as an ideal breeding environment. She was also keenly curious as to whether the plant could be cloned from a fresh, unmutated genetic sample. Cloning could produce more of the specimen to study, as well.

her curiosity piqued, Taygeta would start rummaging for the appropriate tools to collect and isolate genetic samples for sequencing and synthesising of the genetic material. There might jsut be a way to bypass the mutations if she could get a good sequence.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

A field trip would be perfect for them, the lab work that they had to work with and some of the other things. Cathbodua stood up tall letting all of that hapen stature remain even in the confining bodysuit as she gave a nod of her head. "It would likely turn out best to go and see the natural area where it is growing. We have set up this lab to be close and work in the field but there is very little that beats being out there." She said it while looking at the padawan with a grin under her face mask. THe normal light here and the natural light wouldn't let her take off the mask but she did have a look of oh yes on her face. "If you are for it padawan your skills shall become a welcomed addition as well as expertise. We can get more of the samples and check on the progress of the other teams searching out possible locations. If we can find what is common between them and what we need we might be able to better work with the flower." Cathbodua moved over near Taygeta and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder as she motioned. "We have some field lab coats that you should be able to use and some boots. Don't want you getting to wet and sick on us."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Taygeta gave the proposal some consideration. "I will have to ask my mentor, [member="Kära Vi'dreya"]." she said, thinking that there might be some wisdom she could shed upon the situation as well as things for the young scientist to learn during such an excursion.

At the mention of gear, she looked first at her own lab coat, wondering the the field labcoats mentioned were special somehow. And ... boots? Really? Taygeta' gaze then shifted to her sandaled feet. The girl didn't even like wearing shoes to begin with. Her simple and comfortable choice of footwear worked for labwork and general activity. They were backless, but not terribly loose; like, if she ran, she wouldn't run out of them due to the toe-loop and upper strap design. Further, the separation between the padded insole and her heels were minimal and barely audible. She, of course, tried to weseal her way out of it. "Really? Boots?" she asked with a smirk of general dislike.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

Yes boots is what she wanted to say but looking at the padawan she spoke while walking. "You'll need something comfortable that you don't mind getting wet. There can be a lot of rain when we are unlucky." She was prepared to do it and the field packs they had developed for use gave a lot to work with. More so because it would be used likely in the new science series for the jedi. Much like her healers robe which made healing abilities augmented for someone to use. She was looking to get more the computer and informational databases so that they would be able to work in the field and send it back as needed. "Alright, whatever might make you comfortable for moving around in the mud and you are willing to let get dirty."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Taygeta didn't like boots... or for that matter any shoe that enclosed her feet. She didn't wear shoes hardly at all as a kid and well into young adulthood, she still didn't wear them unless she had to. Even then, they were sandals she could just slip of when she no longer needed them. She just shrugged a bit.

"Dirt doesn't bother me. I once had to collect specimens for a college project, one of those dreaded group projects, and I was the only one brave enough to get into the mud for a sample. I just slipped off my sandals and did it. The mud was up to my knees, but skin cleans better than leather or fabric." she reasoned.

She'd just follow Cath, leaving her work to run itself until she got back. it would be a while to complete the sequencing project anyway. She would only have to manually analyse each set of genes afterward. Being cheeky, she'd walk in a way that made her shoes slap on her heels for a mental snicker.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

She looked at the padawan with a look on her face under the mask while she gave it a look though. "Alright then." She was not to worried about it and she had worked on it as well when she was going to school to work on getting the edical degrees she needed to be a better healer and doctor compared to some of the others. It let the jedi knight provide a few better ideas about what she was going to be able to do. "Alright then, we are going to work on a lot of it and while we are out there you might change your mind but don't be worried. Drongar can be dangerous." She opened up the one door leading out of the field that prevented the spores if they appeared to get in there while the biot droids were moving around. The jedi doctor was moving around as she had the small equipment pack and the probe droid that would be holding the samples for them while going around. "Alright lets go and be prepared for all fo this. We will work on some of the very nice things with this project padawan and your ideas should come with it."

 

[Taygeta Lightkeeper]

[member="Cathbodua"]

taygeta followed Cath closely, unfamiliar with the territory she was in. She barely knew how to fight, let alone use the force in any meaningful way. This was, perhaps, the only thing that bothered her. Nevertheless, she went along, datapad in one hand and sample vials from the counter in a carrying case in the other.

"Well, lead on. I can't say I'm very well versed in combat, should the need for it arise. at best, I have a women's self-defense course under my belt, for what good that will do against the local predatory wildlife."

Little did she know this world was a territory being annexed by the Silver Sanctum, an act usually met by resistance. She couldn't shake having a bad feeling somewhere in a bowels of her mind.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Taygeta Lightkeeper"]

The more she listened tot he padawan the more she seemed confused by her. "Your master has not taught you how to defend yourself?" She was listening to it and it seemed like something that was not very helpful. A padawan served more then just in the field, even ones who did sciences within the order were still taught the same lightsaber and defense classes as a padawan. It wasn't for women it was for jedi." She stuck with it while they were still going and here on Drongar she might be one of the more skilled jedi but she didn't expect to have to deal with something like this. A padawan who wasn't even taught was a dangerous thing thast endangered everyone in a situation. Her eyes were flicking around as she brought up the probes and scanners on her tactical pad to show the jungle and where they were all looking for the things. The portable labs they had developed would help so that they would be able to start here where it was important to see it in its natural habitat.