Munching happily on a roast nuna sandwich, Triam noticed she began to see data flood her ships local network, a stream of interesting data of varying usefulness from the previous working group. The data ranged from interesting (a Neti Jedi Master confirming her intelligence that the "Y-effect" was entirely force based, and additionally hypothesizing some kind of mental link between nearby Ysalamiri), to less interesting but potently amusing in the 112 test results of "Flashbang v. Ysalamiri" (
They really exhausted all possible manners in which to flashbang a lizard? These people are hilarious psychopaths!). It was even funnier when she found the "Part 2" series among those files.
At that point it was clear to her, they just wanted to watch the things squirm for amusement purposes.
It seemed to her the groups have all preferred the biological approach to the problem, from flashbangs, "stoning" them with ixetal cilona, analyzing their neurological activity for patterns, to throwing the "ABC's" at them with an Audio-Biological-Chemical Scrambler in the hopes of distressing them enough to either kill through fear or having the fear in some way effect their ability. Triam thought this approach was rather too direct and impracticable, and probably solved more easily with a railgun.
Sure, you could "fight the source" of the issue all day long with physical threats, but that wasn't actually the issue intended to be solved. From what Triam understood, utilizing these creatures effectively meant armor, particularly if the target is Mandalorian, that becomes a problem very quickly in a combat situation. You can't kill "the source" without first being able to kill the individual... which would then make the issue of the Ysalamiri moot to begin with.
Now, [member="Saga Runfridh"] was on to something with not just eliminating a source of Ysalamiri influence, but
THE source of all Ysalamiri influence. Destroy the supply, and eventually the issue of how to beat a Ysalamiri null field goes away. No Ysalamiri, no force nullification fields to contend with. Of course, it was a brutal and all too very simple solution, and Triam hated it. Not only was it
stupidly straight forward, it was technical genocide, and she wouldn't abide by it. Sure, the Ysalamiri might only be a dumb animal which had useful properties, and wasn't sentient by a long shot, but she didn't see it as justification for the eradication of the species.
Too many species found their end by prejudiced eradication, she wasn't about to facilitate that on any level. Which meant she had a more solid investment into the project to find a better solution, before some half-witted harebrained virologist decided the only way to solve a problem was to bomb it with viral agents.
Triam got to work constructing her
Superconductive Energy Feedback Barrier Prototype, and would soon send the schematics to the Work Group. If they already had one on hand they could test it sooner, but she was interested in the barrier type regardless for her own purposes. At the same time, she also began to study that possible neural link the Ysalamiri appeared to have according to the Neti Jedi, who explained the idea reasonably. There were at least a few interesting technologies that scrambled neurological processes at range, from droid
neural pacifiers to
neural scramblers it was patently possible to interfere with mental processes at a distance, which could range from stunning an individual to causing them a loss of consciousness.
If one could pinpoint the exactly neurological pattern associated with the Ysalamiri's merging null fields and sensing the presence of force adept individuals, hypothetically one could fashion a neural interference device that could remotely disrupt a Ysalamiri's ability to merge with other Ysalamiri, or even more impressively, cause their innate ability to fail to notice an individual entering its field of influence. It was a stretch and required further research, but it would in essence grant an individual the ability to not only influence the minds of Ysalamiri remotely, but the minds of
any biological creature with enough study.
Triam was getting another step closer to perfectly replicating and competing against the abilities of the Jedi and Sith through the use of technology. She had already all but perfectly mastered the art of telekinetic use and combat through technology (albeit at the expense of massive energy consumption), and now she was for the first time venturing into the unknown territory of mental attack.
Utilizing the Neti's notes, Traim began to form yet another hypotheses which could lead to further research.
To [member="Connory"],
Thank you for the information, it was enlightening in at least one significant manner, particularly the notes made by [member="Orn Pharr"].
Though before I continue revealing my hypotheses in this regard, I should have it known that I am personally appalled by the thoughtless suggestion of committing to the genocidal extinction of a species which poses no danger other than that their uniqueness is exploited by conquerors. Such suggestions should not be at the forefront of the mind when there are far more intelligent, and creative measures to go about it. Bombing a helpless ecosystem with a viral disease transmissible to so many other species is to be considered a ludicrous potential war crime, I will not allow it to occur.
With that digression out of the way, in regards to [member="Saga Runfridh"] sordid suggestion, I will move on with my research.
It is my belief the Jedi Master may be on to something with this whole "mental connection" with other Ysalamiri, though I disagree on the importance surrounding semantics of how this might be achieved by them. All that is important, is that according to your own research there is a definitive neurological response from the Ysalamiri whenever a being enters their field of influence, as well as a response from the being entering.
This means that while the ability of the Ysalamiri may be an involuntary one, it is not one with which they cannot sense the presence of other beings (particularly force sensitive ones), this should inform us that despite their force nullification field they at least are capable of receiving remote sensory input (likely through the force) despite their own negation field. Perhaps the negation field itself is purely a mental one? Neurologically removing the communication link between the user and the force? That would likely be a stretch, as users utilizing their abilities outside of the bubble can still conjure their powers towards the bubble, but stops short universally. It is less likely to be a purely mental connection, but as discussed, the neurological activity is an indicator that perhaps a Ysalamiri's involuntary abilities can be fooled.
Say we utilize a Neurological Pacifier or Scrambler, but modify them to target, suppress, or overwhelm the Ysalamiri's response to the presence of beings inside of their field of influence? I cannot say nor predict the effects this may have, but such devices, if fine-tuned correctly could possibly simulate such force abilities that relate to mentalism, without the need of the force. With a species-specific neural scrambler, one could directly target the brain of a creature and cause any number of effects.
One could even possibly fashion a device that could directly render the mind of a Ysalamiri (or indeed, any living thing with a complex brain) totally inert - brain dead.
Such a device would be deadly, and likely illegal by all accounts, but exceptional effective on an individual level. Armor may be a factor against this method of attack, however. Whether being brain dead has the same effect as actually being dead as far as the effects of the Ysalamiri is concerned, is unclear at this time, but I suspect a comatose lizard is one with which it will be unable to enact its involuntary force ability. Though, I could be wrong in this assumption, further testing is required.
It will take time, but if given research on the neurological map of a Ysalamiri and perhaps a data-splint with knowledge on Neural Scrambler construction (I am a compatible cyborg), I could potentially fashion a prototype, of which I could send schematics for, once finished. Let me know how you wish to proceed.
P.S. Oh, and I'm working on a prototype of the previously discussed barrier, though it isn't finished, here is the schematic I am building.
Signed,
Triam Akovin