Research Facility Iota is an advanced medical and science facility located in the research wing of the Camp Dall'ra military academy, and base of operations of the K.U.D.F. stationed on New Tython. It's original purpose was supposed to be weapon's research, but during it's construction post-war it was re-purposed as a holding facility and medical center for Fireteam Echo, the newest additions to the K.U.D.F. special forces. Housed inside are a variety of state-of-the-art medical and research equipment used to expand the knowledge of genetic and cybernetic modification.
History
In 37 ABY, during the Thuron-Tythonian War, the original Facility Iota was housed underneath Ooroo Abbey, in an underground tunnel system long since unused. While the original facility did have the needed instruments and tools, it's purpose and construction were temporary at best. Plans were made, even pre-war, to build a better equipped, modern facility somewhere in Menat Ombo. However these plans were cut short by Cy Thuron's rebellion and subsequent occupation of the planet.
In late 37 ABY construction began on a new base for the K.U.D.F. stationed on New Tython. Construction began just before new year's day of 38 ABY and finished several months later, with a new base and training grounds around it. Facility Iota was situated inside the base, in a restricted-access building, not too far from the main command center. It's location was ideal as the defenses around the base provided adequate security for the researchers, unlike the one under Ooroo Abbey that was open to attack.
Facilities and function
Primary research lab
The primary research lab houses the main equipment for day-to-day running of Facility Iota. Located in the center of the large building, this lab is segmented into two main divisions and four sub-divisions, each with a very specific purpose in mind.
The two main research divisions, Cybernetics and Genetics, hold all the sophisticated equipment needed to perform regular medical inspections on all three subjects. These are air sealed, sterile environments only accessible through airlocks on either ends of the lab. Scientists who enter here usually do so in sealed suits so as not to contaminate any samples with their own DNA, or any substance brought from the outside. Each subject is assigned to one of the three workstations sporting either multi-spectral scanners for deep medical scans, or a fully automated workstation for armor or cybernetics maintenance.
The four sub-divisions are Armor, Cyberware, Medical and Geneprobing - each assigned to either the Cybernetics or Genetics division, respectively. The science teams assigned to these sub-divisions are all trained professionals brought from off-world and offered asylum on New Tython in exchange for their work. Apart from Dr. Arriana Axios, a local, who is head of the project, two more individuals are considered of a higher rank in the facility - Doctors Sylvia Steissel and Kyran Stu'llssi - heads of Genetics and cybernetics, respectively.
Staff quarters
Staff quarters are arranged on the south-western side of the facility and house the offices and bunk-rooms for any scientists that need the rest during their shift. Most of these rooms are cluttered with everything from datapads and holodiscs to half-eaten food and drinks.While the cleaning staff cleans them daily, there is always some kind of mess inside them. The scientist's offices are actually one large room with retro-fitted console-banks and holo-projectors. These are mainly used to maintain personal journals - a necessity in this line of work - or for keeping research notes, which are categorized and archived on the shelves lining the walls of the room. Showers, lavatories and exercise rooms are located down the hallway from the bunk-rooms, convenient for those 24/7 workaholics that refuse to leave the lab.
Public areas
Public areas are so called because they house several common rooms, a kitchen, bar, and entertainment system. They also house the sleeping quarters, main barracks and officer's room of the facility's guard detail and engineering team, who constantly work on maintaining the delicate machines in the inner labs. Most of the common rooms are just places to relax, meet with coworkers and converse.
Lead scientist's office
Doctor Arriana Axios' only demand upon taking over Project Dejarik and Facility Iota was for her to have her own space and her own office. Her demands were met without a lot of fuss, and soon part of the east wing was refurbished to hold everything she needs for her work.
The office itself is large, but cramped as dr. Axios sometime seems to forget that her workplace requires maintenance as well. While all of her notes, datapads and work-related materials are categorized and archived in a proper and tidy fashion, much of everything else is spread out all over the room. Old glasses and plates seem to pop up every now and again wherever she finds a place to put them, while her lab clothes never seem to find their way into their proper place - the cupboard in the corner. The office is not at all dirty or smelly, however, it does need some more tending to mirror the rest of the pristinely clean facility. Most of the time, the cleaning crews have problems with her letting them in, since the door is locked more often than not. However even in her own mess, she does her work impeccably, on time, and with gusto.
Staff
Dr. Kyran Stu'llssi
- Species: Mon Calamari
- Role: Head of the cybernetics research division
- Equipment: Medical datapad
- Motto: "I am the very model of a scientist Calamarian."
Born on Dac thirty-seven years ago, Kyran Stu'llssi has been fascinated with technology ever since he was able to speak. His family encouraged him to evolve his fascination into potential and talent, and eventually, study and work. His years of study began when he was only fifteen. A very smart child for a very important destiny, as his father said at the time. Kyran was indeed very smart, smarter than anyone in his class. He had advanced to a scholarship and academy well before anyone else, and at the age of twenty graduated from the MonCal University of Science and Technology. It was then that the Yuuzhan Vong attacked the New Republic. Recruited into a special task force for the New Republic Navy, Kyran researched Vong weapons, armor and any other alien technology found, in the hopes of finding a weakness. He began work on a project involving advance weaponry capable of dismantling living matter in an instant. However before he could finish his research the war ended and the project was dropped. Disheartened, he returned to Dac and found that two of his sibling were killed in the war and his father had died of an incurable illness. Grief and depression gnawed at him for years. He worked at the university as an assistant professor and later a Docent, until a new opportunity showed itself. In 35 ABY he was shown a Project being developed on one of the worlds in Esstran sector named New Tython. The project, named Dejarik, was so profound that Kyran immediately set out to find it. He has worked as a lead researcher of cybernetics on the Project ever since.
Meticulous, cold and a straight-shooter, kyran seems to hold everyone at a distance. Everyone except dr. Axios that is, who seems to have a sort of authority over him. When she speaks he shuts up. He is a brilliant scientists and he knows it very well, often allowing ego to cloud his common sense. This has brought him into conflict with colleagues before and does not seem to bother him at all.
Dr. Sylvia Steissel
- Species: Hapan
- Role: Head of the genetics research division
- Equipment: Medical datapad
- Motto: "I’m never wrong. I thought you’d have learned that by now.”"
A young and vibrant red-headed genetics specialist, Sylvia seemed to always be destined for jobs in high places. While much of her work is her own doing, and she is indeed a brilliant young scientist - if a little inexperienced - most of her life she has "passed through" almost any obstacle due to her family's influence. As a child of an old Hapan noble family, anything she wanted was hers and all she wanted was to be a scientist. While her mother and father did not see eye to eye in this matter, her mother's will to let the child go her own path prevailed. The fact that she was the fourth daughter seemed to help her case in the long run as she had barely any belongings, except a few family resorts on Hapes. With little interest in any of her family's dealing, she proceeded to attend the University of Corellia's and study genetics and medicine. For her doctorate paper she had written a thesis on genetically modified embryos and how genetic modification affects certain species. This is when she was contacted to join Project Dejarik and lead their genetics research program. She has been the head of genetics at Facility Iota ever since.
Naive, but brilliant. That is how one would describe Sylvia. She is a hard-working and dedicated individual, who seems to have an under-developed sense of social interaction. She is alone most of the time, and when she is not she keeps silent, giving a shy smile every so often. She talks very little except with dr. Axios, dr. Stu'llsi and the subjects themselves. Some of her colleagues remarked that she is often seen evading any Jedi that may be walking by on their usual inspection of the facility. Why she does it she will not tell, however. She seems to have a friendly relationship with Echo-2, while Echo-3 seems to intimidate her far too much.
Trivia
- Research Facility Iota was created as a plot device and has no connection to the Odan-Urr OOB