Czerka News Network - HyperMap Conference

[Nor'baal]

Location: Etti IV - CNN Conference Center
Time@ Early Evening

''I cannot believe the....''

''Do you think it's even poss....''

The news drone caught snippets of discussions from the throbbing tumult that served as the crowd, passing overhead ignored yet not unnoticed, the CNN Logo emblazoned on the side as it worked with its counterpart drones to catch the best angles of the stage, and shots of the audience. Thousands stood in attendance, within the main compound of the vast domed room, huge video screens active for their viewing pleasure and ease, showing the dominating figure of Jedan Ridan, talking people through to the holo-screen behind him.

''We will not stand idly by whilst the Galaxy tears itself apart with war, we shall move onward into the stars!'' boomed Jedan Ridan, Director of the forthcoming Colonisation mission for which purpose the conference had been called. ''Though the Galaxy seeks to destroy itself, let us seek to create new worlds, new civilisation out there in the infinite space of the Galaxy, like the Colonists of Old we shall forge opportunities anew!'' he continued, falling silent to the applause of the audience, as he invited fellow crew members to take to the stage and say their piece, before a break to mingle with the executive and VIP guests, in which recluse more questions could be asked...

OOC - This is a non-violent thread for the crew and interested parties of the forthcoming colony arc to meet one another and to meet potential allies, enemies or sponsors from other factions.

 

[Riunn]

-Standby....Standby-

Take the stage? That would not be happening today for him, a robotic predilection to not take the spotlight, a calculated analysis to not show the cards he had been dealt. When the offer to settle new paths, reap possible new civilizations of their robotic advances, and even have so amusement while at it, appealed to him. In response Riunn would let a simple program run that cycled the eyes sensors, turning them off and on in a circular fashion, a adequate response. Whatever came of the sentient beings responses to the possibility of exploring, he would listen. After all, what better to know flesh bags, then hear them waste precious air.

-Amusement- would tickle his processor with that thought..now to just wait

 

[Nirock]

*Takes stage* "This man and by extension this organization reminds me of myself when I was but a youngling. I couldn't wait to travel the galaxy and set foot on every corner of the night sky. Sadly those days, my arms, my legs and many of the people I've met along the way have long since passed. But I didn't, and I am standing here today because I was destined to survive and i believe this future colony and I share the same destiny."

 

[Livgardist]

Jaron stepped into the CNN conference center several minutes late, too late to see the main speaker for the mission at hand. He was neither surprised nor disappointed. Nasif had spent the last few months traveling the galaxy on various mercenary jobs; the last few weeks on the planet of Trigalis finishing up some loose ends in regard to his business venture there. Only two hours earlier had he landed on Etti IV, and with just enough time to get a shower and a shave at the hotel room before heading to the press conference to hear the details of his possible latest assignment.

In his pocket, he still had the letter containing a job offer, as head of security for the colonization mission. It appeared that despite his idealism, Director Ridan needed men like Nasif, men of controlled violence, to protect his people from the unknown dangers of space. A saary offer was included in the letter as well; more than generous, and double Nasif's usual fee for long-term mercenary engagements. Enough to pique his interest, at the very least.

He pulled out a chair, sat down, and leaned back, watching the rest of the crew members enter the stage. Thoughtfully, his hands almost automatically searched his pockets, found a pack of cigaretes, and lit one.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla didn't feel like she stood out among the crowd of thousands. She was perhaps a bit tall to be considered a normal human woman, but among all these different people she felt kinda average. Wearing her plain jedi robes with the too long sleeves and her long white hair draped around her shoulders. She felt rather at peace.

She had heard about this conference... From... Somewhere. She couldn't quite recall. After the events of this galaxy, all the pain and suffering, Balla had been keeping her eyes peeled for something different. Something new. And this was something in that direction. A whole new world, a new place... Perhaps she wasn't too fond of the coperate logo plastered everywhere, it was still a noble goal.

 

[Tom Kent]

Tom had been one of the many to enter the room in a big cluster of people. He was dressed down and nobody was paying any attention to him. Well almost. He had attracted the interest of many of the women in the room. They were looking at him, some clearly ogling. As usual a predatory smile from his rugged face had them blushing and quickly looking away. Only for them to steal another glance a few moments later. Much to Tom's satisfaction.

During the presentation he paid attention to the things that were left unsaid. The subtext and implications that were not in the words but in the tone of voice and the pauses Mister Ridan made. This colonization would be more strenuous and dangerous than many of the people here expected it to be. Still he was not worried. Kents after all were breed to be successful. This little endeavor could well be a chance to reestablish his Corporation in this sector of the galaxy.

Standing at the back of the room away from the news drones he watched the stage after the speech was finished and some of the crew members of the colonization effort stepped on the stage. There were Humans, near-Humans and aliens. The crowd as much the same. Except there were even droids present that seemed not to be fitted with a restraining bolt.

Tom looked around when something tugged at the back of his mind. His eyes came to rest on a head of hair that was so light blonde it was almost white. Not sure why that particular woman had caught his interest he moved on to let his gaze wander and simply paid attention to the room and the people in it. There was clearly more to happen here and information still to be gained.

Spoiler: Tom's apparel

 

[Lanre]

"Lord, I'm as nervous as a new whore."

Lanre looked up from where he sat, running his sweaty palms up and down the tops of his thighs. His bodyguards, faceless beneath their helmets, gave no indication that they heard him. He frowned. Despite their vows of protection, their loyalty bought and paid for with credits from the Saruthi holdings, the journey from Serenno had been a lonely one for the newly minted Margrave. Each attempt to draw his companions into conversation had been met with mixed success, and he was having some serious doubts. He hadn't expected them to be loquacious, but he couldn't say he very well enjoyed muted muscle. The trappings of power, he supposed. He twisted the signet ring on his hand, its surface a bas-relief depicting a krayt dragon wrapped around a pawn.

Today, he was not the Moody Hammer he had been for most of his life, nor was he the aspiring Dark Lord, learning at the knees of long dead Sith through their holocrons. Today he was Lanre, as close to the natural truth as any were like to get, withdrawn from the Force. He was nobility, born if not bred, and he was not-so-privately chafing at the new identity he wore. Dressed in creamy silks and voluptuous velvet in the colors of his house, bold black and outrageous red, he cut a dramatic figure all the same, regal without being ostentatious. It was subtle, not like his entrance. When his shuttle docked and his retinue disembarked, it was to the quiet fanfare of more than a half-dozen boots striking durasteel and the news that Lanre Saruthi, scion of the House Saruthi, had arrived.

Unarmed save for the three bodyguards that took comfortable distances away from his fore, flank and rear with blasters and vibroblades at their hips, Lanre strode through the sprawling complex that was the CNN Conference Center until he was well and truly involved in the sea of bodies, rather enjoying the cacophony of noise that came close to drowning out thought itself. He smiled pleasantly, shook hands, received condolences from those who had known his father, and more-or-less passed time in amiable company while he listened to Jedan Ridan and waited for the opportunity to talk to the man himself. This was not Lanre's element, but he was a Saruthi. He could play the part well enough.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla's hair stood on end. Not literally, mind you, but she could suddenly sense something off...

A sith? Someone plotting something evil? She frowned and looked around with her slightly displeased look on her face but could not spot anything that was truly off. Then again there were too many people here for her alone to figure out what was going on. A small voice told Balla to stop worrying, that today she wasn't a Jedi Knight and she was just here as another common citizen. She was no different from the people standing next to her. There was no real danger...

Balla's hand clenched into fists as she thought about the fight... All the people wounded. The streets lined with-No, no, no. She wasn't going to do that here.

Her fists relaxed and she shook out her hands, making her long sleeves dance about as she started to move. Standing in the center of the crowd was starting to take its toll on the tall woman. Everything was far too hot and far too crowded. Maybe that was her issue instead of sensing something off in the crowd.

"Excuse me. Pardon me." She smiled kindly at the strangers as she moved her way past the crowd of people shaking hands with a man she didn't recognize and finally managed to pop out of the crowd of thousands to be standing to a different man that almost rivaled her in height, she was just an inch taller, and had blue lapels on his outfit.

She nodded her head in mere greeting to the man before turning to face the vast crowd once again. It looked so much smaller when you weren't standing in it all. Everything looked a little different when you weren't in the thick of things.

 

[Tom Kent]

Tom had not paid the silver haired female any more thought when she promptly turned up close to him. She nodded and it was supposed to be a greeting he could tell, yet he wasn't sure if he had met her before or if it was just her being friendly. He wasn't one to remember the faces of people around him if he could help it. Too much useless information for his taste.

As if someone had distilled the warm feeling of sun on ones skin and managed to bottle it up Tom put on his nice smile. He still didn't look any less like the hard man he was but now it seemed that there was a soft core underneath that rugged exterior that was shining through with this warm smile. His grandfather would have been so proud.

The woman was about his height and actually a little bit taller. Not tall enough so he had to look up to her, but just enough for him to notice. Even if though, the only people he had ever looked up to had been his father, his grandfather and great grandfather. Her height, unusual for a woman and her eyes with that odd lilac color had him wonder if she was even Human. It was quite possible she was some near-Human species.

He turned not only his head but his whole massive body towards her. His whole attention was focused on her right now. His eyes and ears and even his sense of smell. His nostrils flared as he took a deep but calm, almost meditative breath. Quickly the sounds of the crowd were fading for Tom. “Do I know you?” He asked nicely, his deep bass rumbling from his chest.

 

[The Living Daylights]

How droll, Xoro thought as Jedan Ridan concluded his speech. The Czerka News Network's hypermap conference had attracted all manner of guests, but as usual, that had not been enough to coerce Xoro into a public appearance in the flesh. Instead, he had sent his usual public representative, an X0-R0 probe droid, to serve as his eyes and ears. The droid floated around the fringes of the room, away from the bustling crowds and with a view of both the throng as well as Jedan Ridan himself. The droid had an intimidating appearance of a black sphere with a single, sinister red eye; the drug injector on its side didn't make it look any nicer. That kept most people away - an arrangement that suited Xoro just fine. He didn't intend to converse with the vast majority of the people here, if not all of them. The droid's presence was solely to keep Xoro up to date with the proceedings at the CNN Conference Center - its sensors took in visual and audio material that Xoro saw simultaneously on his computer screen back in his hideout on Nar Shaddaa. If Xoro wished to communicate with someone, he would send the droid up to them.

As it floated around the perimeter of the Conference Center, X0-R0's red eye caught a curious-looking humanoid droid standing away from the spotlight (@Riunn). It, too, seemed to be avoiding communication with anyone else. From its measuring scanner, X0-R0 deduced the droid to be 1.8m and its mass to be 114kg. It was possible that this was another envoy, although Xoro allowed himself to entertain the idea that it was an independent droid that had developed an individual personality as a result of having gone too long without memory wipes. Interesting. Most interesting. X0-R0 slowly floated towards the humanoid droid from behind, the soft whirring sound of its repulsorlift drowned out by all the other noise in the room. The black sphere would occasionally direct its eye elsewhere, both so as to not look suspicious as well as to see if there were any other significant developments in the room that demanded its attention. Its central focus, however, remained the backside of the humanoid droid, which had unusually attracted Xoro's attention. For now. X0-R0 halted its movement several metres behind the humanoid droid, hovering contentedly in one spot as it waited for events to play out.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla seemed to snap out of her train of thought when someone spoke to her. It was the man with the lapels. Balla didn't respond right away, now she was really looking at him. Looking past his lapels and feeling out with the force.

Everyone deserved a bit of kindness. Balla personally believed everyone was deserving of love and kindess. No matter what she sensed from them.

She smiled, it was warm and inviting. This man might even be able to feel that sense of motherly love radiate off her. Like she wanted to wrap up the entire world in a big old hug and just soothe all their woes.

"No. I am Balla." She paused for a second, realizing she had just invaded his space and he was looking at her, in her plain brown and white robes, rather intensely. Had she moved in on a spot she shouldn't have? She had merely chosen this spot because it was close to where she had been standing and less populated. Someplace where she could just... Watch.

"I'm sorry, does my presence bother you, sir? I can move."

 

[Tom Kent]

Tom watched her react to his words and she must have been in thought before. She had not expected that he would talk to her. To him her standing next to him had been a subtle cue. She obviously wasn't born into, or in any other way affiliated with, high society. There such a thing rarely happened without a certain intent. You chose where to stand and who to stand close to very carefully. For her it might have been an insignificance. He had never quite understood how normal people could go about their lives without thinking about important things like this.

“No, feel free to stay.” He said. He thought about introducing himself, but then again what was gained by her knowing his name? So he turned back towards the crowd but it was obvious that he was not doing so to end their conversation. He simply nodded his head upwards and towards the stage and asked Bella what she thought about the show. “Well, what do you think?”

The fact hat she had touched him in the force had not remained hidden to him but he chose not to react to the fact. It was not like she had tried to pry. She had tried to make him feel a certain way about herself. At least that was how he interpreted her actions. For now he held back on any final judgments about her.

 

[Balla Vahla]

He seemed to relax, and turned back to face the crowd... Or was he relaxing? It was hard to tell with people in general? Even more so difficult when they didn't want to read. She wasn't really picking up on that though, he seemed more like a blank slant. Like he could do whatever he wanted and that was perfectly dangerous.

Again, he snapped her out of her own thoughts when he asked about the conference. She turned and looked at the vast crowd before them, then up to the screen with almost sad eyes.

"I feel... Conflicted. It's great to branch out, explore new places, plant new seeds... It won't be without trouble but..." She sighed, "Its shame to want to leave home... To flee from home, really. It's gotten so chaotic, that they feel this is a need."

Balla understood and felt for both sides but knew whoever joined on this mission would not feel the warm embrace of home for many many years. They would basically be making a name for themselves in a world no one really knew about. Balla didn't bother to hide the look of sadness on her face. Like she was really wounded by their leaving.

"What about you, sir? Do you plan on being one of the brave few to join them?"

Her heart went out to him if that was the case. Balla hoped none would die.

 

[Tom Kent]

Tom noticed her movement out of the corner of his eye but didn't turn his head to look what she was doing. When she answered his question she spoke of her conflicting feelings. What Balla said had merit. It was good to move on to new places. Expansion was what drove economic growth. As for her worries about leaving home, he did not share them.

“Those that don't move forward fall behind!”

He remembered an old saying that his great grandfather used to quote. He said it with wholeheartedness. This was something he believed in. One had to change and adapt to the ever changing circumstances of your life. Only those that were ready to dare and take risk would be rewarded with success.

“I signed on to help establish the colony.”

He explained. Colonization was a hard and harsh business. Even nowadays with droids and prefabrication there ere things to do that demanded a lot from the colonists. Hardship and strife in the wilderness of some far off planet, working every day, to tame it and make it a new home. Away from advanced medical facilities and fancy amenities of modern civilization. No Spacebucks in the morning, no holonet access if you were unfortunate and sometimes even only a dodgy subspace connection. There were injuries, sickness and disease, dangerous animals and sometimes pirates. Plenty hard labor was to be done before a colony could thrive and be self sustaining.

“They need able people with a wide array of skills and I seem to fit their bill.”

He explained. On such an endeavor it made sense to pick people who had more than one field of expertise. Even though he was pretty sure the woman who had interviewed him for the position had mostly picked him for his biceps and broad shoulders.

“What did you sign up for? Do we need a Jedi on this?”

Tom asked her and didn't sound worried. With an hand wave he gestured towards her tunic. She wasn't exactly hiding the fact. Of course she might be wearing these clothes for some other reason but that was what he had concluded.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla doubted his words a bit... People who didn't learn from the past were doomed to repeat it. Just moving forward wasn't enough you had to study and learn from your mistakes. Balla didn't say anything against his words, but it was clear by the disbelieving look on her face that she didn't agree.

She wasn't about to be the one to try and tell this man he was wrong though, because he wasn't wrong either. You did have to move forward at some point. Stagnation wasn't a great idea for the races of the galaxy either. Like fish, they had to keep moving in order to stay alive... Maybe they just made a lot less mistakes as they moved on. She tucked a strand of her long snowy hair behind her ear, and looked down a bit alarmed when he gestured downwards at her tunic, she scanned her torso quickly before patting her stomach, not seeing any spots or anything trying to kill her. She hadn't quite picked up on the fact he had figured out she was a jedi from her clothes alone.

"Oh, well... I am a Jedi, but I won't be partaking in this as a Jedi. Officially, I just happen to be a woman with... Force like abilities. I excel in healing and linguistics mostly, but I assume they will try to use my lightsaber for when we land... Which I don't mind."

Oh, she minded. Balla really minded. She did not wish to partake in fighting, she hated fighting. She was much better at defense when people got too close to her. Perhaps being able to use a lightsaber was a better then not being able to use one at all. However, if her fighting on the planets meant that they were going to be safer she would do it. Begrudgingly, but she would do it.

Besides, Balla had not officially signed on just yet. She was worried what her time away from the Jedi Army would do to her. Or to the army in general. She was going to miss the younglings... There would be no younglings on this trip, but breeding would be an important factor she assumed. In order to build a colony they would need more people. The Jedi Army was very free, in a sense. She had always been allowed to come and go as she pleased, as long as she returned at some point and came with something to teach.

"I suppose then, if you don't think of me as an Jedi, I also fit the bill of... 'Wide array of skills.'" She shrugged. "Besides, even if I was, titles won't matter when we are on a planet that one has ever touched. Or once the ship leaves this system. We will just be... People."

 

[Riunn]

-Processing Recording, Moving Recording to Subroutine, freeing up Primary Routines-

The meetings had been recording, along with everything else that he would overhear. Everything would be shunted to a plug in storage bank that he would disseminate later. After all it was important to understand everything that was going on, it would also it would show who was emotionally compromised, and who could help further his goals of finding new tech among the colonization route. After all, that was his only real motivation for this trip, his alignment was to himself and those that he recently had aligned with.

Turning slightly to see the other droid that had floated in next to him, delegating two of his sensors to focus on the droid, while the other four were ever so placed around the room, focusing on the key elements including the stage. He would of course greet the other Droid. [@The Living Daylights],Communication would commence in Droidspeak, or binary to the layman..Fast sounds like that from a Astromech droid would emit under the cover of people talking. :Binary: "Greetings, I am Riunn." Of course it was quick, but it also was established communication between droids, with no need for sentient beings to overhear.

 

[The Living Daylights]

X0-R0 watched as the humanoid droid turned around and noticed it. As the other droid began to designate some of its sensors to inspect X0-R0, Xoro activated his probe droid's sonic imprint sensor, in preparation for any conversation that might ensue. The device would allow him to record the conversation for any potential future use.

Sure enough, the humanoid droid emitted a round of beeps, signalling its introduction even as it studied X0-R0. "Greetings, I am Riunn," it said in Droidspeak. All droids could speak and understand Binary, though Xoro greatly preferred to speak Basic, even through his droid units. It was clear, however, that this Riunn desired a private conversation, and Xoro was, as of yet, not averse to that preference.

In Droidspeak, the hovering X0-R0 replied "I am X0-R0. What, may I ask, has brought you here?" As it spoke, the droid shifted its position continuously to allow its red eye to trace the outline of Riunn's body in analytical fashion.

@Riunn

 

[Riunn]

-Scanning-
It was simple enough to process the binary into understandable code, after all it was the most basic communication a Droid could have with another Droid. Responding in a timely fashion, with the quieted beeps and whirls associated with binary. :Binary: "Discovery of new technology.." It of course would end short, the information transmitted over and his attention turned back to the speakers that would be filling the room.

Threat predictive analysis associated with his security suite seemed to be more or less very active at the moment, picking out key features among the crowd, the predictions of weapons they may have, or possible outcomes that may be achieved. Information was always at a premium, and making sure he could react to it, to keep himself alive

 

[The Living Daylights]

Righting itself to a standard position, X0-R0 began to trace the movements of a few beings behind Riunn with its red eye as it replied to the humanoid droid's statement. "Ah... something I find very desirable as well." Rotating to look out towards the crowd, the spherical droid continued to speak in Binary. "Perhaps we have much in common, insofar as our interests in this colonization effort, at least."

X0-R0 paused for several long moments before continuing. "I must admit that the prospect of colonizing a brand new world does have its own appeal." There was a subtext to "its own appeal", but it would not be something that the other droid would notice - or understand. Taking a notice of Riunn's interest in perceiving the flow of the crowd, X0-R0 drove the conversation deeper. "What is your occupation?" it asked forthrightly. The probe droid was attempting to steer the conversation into a virtual interrogation - a cross-examination that would give it a greater depth of understanding about the other droid's origin, purpose in being here, and its place in the galaxy. Unfortunately, this was as close as Xoro could get to small talk.

@Riunn

 

[Riunn]

:Binary: "Expanding outward is by design intelligent when resources are required, above all us the ability to find new lifeforms that may have different droid architecture" Expanding a little bit of his processing to carry on this conversation gave him no concern, they seemed to be mostly basic question that did not probe at Riunn's personality. Two sensors would rescan the spherical droid although, giving it another look over and imprinting it in a datafile. It would now come to the moment where he suspected that this was more then a simple probing, yet withholding information did not fit into his primary motivation, and thus would be pointless. Deciding the answer the rest of X0-R0's questions for the time being, as he kept the lines of dialogue scan open, waiting for something else that may require processing power directed towards it.

:Binary:"I am a transporter of goods, allows me to move between star systems following primary motivation"