Entry Forty-Six – Days after Geonosis Two Hundred Ninety-Four
From small kindness may great gifts rebound. It is one of the few sayings of the Rebagaic I still remember. Today it came to knock upon my door. It seems the Ongy appreciated my efforts to provide succor vastly out of proportion to their impact. Through the endless churn of rumor and gossip some among them learned of my efforts to confront the Miscaf fungus – being a species endowed with prominent skull horns they suffer from it themselves – and word went out through the whisper network of the Bucket's squatters and transients in search of a means to offer aid.
This emerged in the form of my newest visitor, a being who calls themselves Scarpe. They are, wonder of the Force, a Gen'dai. I have only ever heard stories of these nigh-immortal beings. Indeed, there had been some debate in academic circles as to whether or not the species was extinct. Scarpe, for their part, claims to have lived on Corsucant since 'the days of Revan' and has not so much as met another member of their elusive species in centuries. While understandably cagey regarding any personal details, they offered any assistance they might provide in regard to my project. Only violence was prohibited, for Scarpe claims to have forsworn mercenary work in an oath made the day the Republic was founded.
Not that I had any such intentions. Isoxya is entirely too willing to fight people on my behalf as it is. But Gen'dai are perfect living test beds, their distributed biology is not only functionally immune to disease and side effects, but can produce hundreds of differentiated internal environments at one time. With Scarpe's assistance I can begin in vivo testing at once, and run countless physiological variations in a single sequence.
I might be able to move to live testing in target species in no more than a few weeks.
The diversity of the underworld's populace is truly extraordinary, and tragically understudied. I realize now that while working the Temple I, and many truly accomplished colleagues often traveled to distant and poorly known parts of the galaxy to seek out species who could far more easily be examined literally underfoot. While I would not say the underworld is less dangerous, exactly, than exotic planets on the edge of the galaxy, it is certainly closer to medical and scientific centers. A proper institute established here would offer immeasurable advantages in low-cost research and coordination.
At least, it would if the people came to trust it, which I suspect would be a challenge. I confess that perhaps I might be able to do something in this regard myself. Amazingly, at least some portion of the Bucket's people have chosen to extend their trust to me. If possible, I shall try to redeem that gesture by providing some long term support. Already I have decided to stay here after the war is done, if the Council allows. Perhaps something can be built. Maybe that troublesome Mr. Logas could help find funding, if I can convince him he owes me a favor.
Such dreams shall remain such for now, of course. It is too far ahead to consider actual plans, especially with the unknown darkness lurking below. The fungus must remain my focus for now, that is the problem for today. The war shall doubtless change what comes tomorrow. The vaccine will be a down-payment at least, progress to keep the news at bay. That litany is as unrelenting as ever.
Notes
Gen'dai are a canon species, best known through the character of Durge. Additional details regarding the species were developed in SWTOR, including an immunity to disease due to their distributed biology.
The reference to Revan is now canonical in Legends and Disney. A four thousand year old Gen'dai is not out of line with their biology.