11-08-2017, 10:40 PM
Dr. Mordin Solus had seen a lot of beautiful cities in his day. Sur'Kesh. Omega. London. The Citadel. Coruscant easily ranked among the list of the most technologically gorgeous city-scapes he had ever seen. Of course it was pretty, but that wasn't what drew Mordon to it. What he liked about it was the sheer diversity of machinery that seemed to run the place. From the moment he arrived through the gate from the Nexus, his senses were attacked by different sights. The advertisement screens were bright and vivid, but didn't seem to be hooked up or projected from anywhere. The massive fountain in the center of the plaza they had arrived at was floating in the air, leaving questions to where the water was draining in and out of. Mordin was a scientist of some renown, but even he was left wondering how these things were possible.
"Astonishing," he whispered under his breath. He was looking up at a slew of buildings towering above him. This wasn't an unusual sight for him, but it seem awfully clustered for such a big city in an open space.
"Come on, hurry it up," one of his escorts broke his concentration. He quickly brought his eyes back down to see the stormtrooper, who seemed to be impatiently waiting with his buddy for him. "You can gawk later."
"I don't gawk," Mordin corrected, but he did start walking again. "I am observing."
The stormtrooper didn't answer, but the good doctor didn't expect him to. Neither of the troopers seemed to be particularly talkative since they intercepted his arrival to this Omniverse at the Fountain of Infinity. Looking around, the other soldiers in similiar white armor didn't seem like they had much personality either. They were all just standing their posts or walking patrols. It was the citizens of this city that interested Mordon the most. He came from a diverse universe where dozens of different races lived among each other. Humans were by far the majority here, but he could easily spot other alien or mechanical creatures that he had never seen before. They all seemed to carry themselves with a level of entitlement, leading Mordon to think this part of the city was for the upper class. Unfortunately, he didn't see any other alien that resembled a salarian like himself.
The street they were walking along grew busier the closer they got towards the center of the city, where a looming castle took up most of his view. Once again he found himself distracted, looking up at the fortress. It stood taller then the skyscrapers surrounding it. He must have looked like an obvious tourist as his feet came to a stop in the middle of the bustling street. Someone suddenly slammed his shoulder, pushing past. "Move it, freak."
Mordin found himself spinning to see who had said that, but couldn't identify the voice. He was hit from the other direction by another rude passerby. "Excuse you!" A female said this time.
"Out of the way, lizard-boy!"
The salarian felt very small as he tried to recover himself, trying to move to the side of the street. A strong grasp tugged at his arm and yanked him sideways, causing him to exclaim out of surprise. To his relief, it turned out to be one of the two stormtrooper escorts. At least, he seemed this was one of them. He had no actual way of identifying them from the other troopers walking around. "You can't just stand like that in front of the Imperial Palace," the soldier told him. His voice confirmed his identity. "This is the busiest street on Tier One."
Mordin looked amazed again as his eyes traveled up the figure of the Imperial Palace. He then looked back at the trooper. "Apologies," he said. "I get excited by new things easily. One of the perks, and the drawbacks, of being a scientist. You said Tier One? This city is stacked on itself, is that right?" This wasn't the first city he had seen that was built on layers as opposed to taking up a wide expanse of land. He preferred the country-side kind of city more, which was ironic for a scientist who loved his tech.
"That's right," the escort nodded. "Seven Tiers. This is the top, where all the big-wigs go. The farther down you go, the worse it gets. You wouldn't survive much towards the bottom, so I'd stick up here if I were you." The soldier looked Mordin up and down, as if he was sizing him up. "No offense, doc, but you look like you'd have trouble just about anywhere. If you can't handle some tourists, you won't be able to handle the Omniverse. Prime or not."
The scientist grinned. Inwardly, it was a devious smirk. Outwardly, it was a kind, grateful smile. "Thank you for the concern," he told the armored man. "I will keep that in mind." That was one of the perks of looking the way he did. Mordin preferred it when people had no idea who they were dealing with.
"Let's go," his escort told him. Mordin nodded and followed him down the side of the street to where the other soldier was waiting.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" The doctor asked the two as he followed behind them. The trio had turned down a less busy market-like road. The merchants here were selling strange foods and expensive-looking accessories.
"Empire Research and Development," one of them answered. "Its where we take most of the new Primes nowadays." Just as the man said that, the building itself came into view. It was shaped like a semi-circle and made mostly of reflective glass, so the light from above shined off of it. The sign in front of the building suggested it was, in fact, some type of laboratory.
Mordin was excited to see a place of science. This was exactly what he wanted. A place where he could talk to other great minds and figure out what kind of world he had stepped into. The city had showed itself to be a hub of wonders and curiosities that he wanted to explore. Even the worse parts of it made his mind tinker with possibilities. This was where he'd get his answers. This was where he'd find out why he was there to begin with.
"I'm ready," The doctor declared, and stepped towards the building.
"Astonishing," he whispered under his breath. He was looking up at a slew of buildings towering above him. This wasn't an unusual sight for him, but it seem awfully clustered for such a big city in an open space.
"Come on, hurry it up," one of his escorts broke his concentration. He quickly brought his eyes back down to see the stormtrooper, who seemed to be impatiently waiting with his buddy for him. "You can gawk later."
"I don't gawk," Mordin corrected, but he did start walking again. "I am observing."
The stormtrooper didn't answer, but the good doctor didn't expect him to. Neither of the troopers seemed to be particularly talkative since they intercepted his arrival to this Omniverse at the Fountain of Infinity. Looking around, the other soldiers in similiar white armor didn't seem like they had much personality either. They were all just standing their posts or walking patrols. It was the citizens of this city that interested Mordon the most. He came from a diverse universe where dozens of different races lived among each other. Humans were by far the majority here, but he could easily spot other alien or mechanical creatures that he had never seen before. They all seemed to carry themselves with a level of entitlement, leading Mordon to think this part of the city was for the upper class. Unfortunately, he didn't see any other alien that resembled a salarian like himself.
The street they were walking along grew busier the closer they got towards the center of the city, where a looming castle took up most of his view. Once again he found himself distracted, looking up at the fortress. It stood taller then the skyscrapers surrounding it. He must have looked like an obvious tourist as his feet came to a stop in the middle of the bustling street. Someone suddenly slammed his shoulder, pushing past. "Move it, freak."
Mordin found himself spinning to see who had said that, but couldn't identify the voice. He was hit from the other direction by another rude passerby. "Excuse you!" A female said this time.
"Out of the way, lizard-boy!"
The salarian felt very small as he tried to recover himself, trying to move to the side of the street. A strong grasp tugged at his arm and yanked him sideways, causing him to exclaim out of surprise. To his relief, it turned out to be one of the two stormtrooper escorts. At least, he seemed this was one of them. He had no actual way of identifying them from the other troopers walking around. "You can't just stand like that in front of the Imperial Palace," the soldier told him. His voice confirmed his identity. "This is the busiest street on Tier One."
Mordin looked amazed again as his eyes traveled up the figure of the Imperial Palace. He then looked back at the trooper. "Apologies," he said. "I get excited by new things easily. One of the perks, and the drawbacks, of being a scientist. You said Tier One? This city is stacked on itself, is that right?" This wasn't the first city he had seen that was built on layers as opposed to taking up a wide expanse of land. He preferred the country-side kind of city more, which was ironic for a scientist who loved his tech.
"That's right," the escort nodded. "Seven Tiers. This is the top, where all the big-wigs go. The farther down you go, the worse it gets. You wouldn't survive much towards the bottom, so I'd stick up here if I were you." The soldier looked Mordin up and down, as if he was sizing him up. "No offense, doc, but you look like you'd have trouble just about anywhere. If you can't handle some tourists, you won't be able to handle the Omniverse. Prime or not."
The scientist grinned. Inwardly, it was a devious smirk. Outwardly, it was a kind, grateful smile. "Thank you for the concern," he told the armored man. "I will keep that in mind." That was one of the perks of looking the way he did. Mordin preferred it when people had no idea who they were dealing with.
"Let's go," his escort told him. Mordin nodded and followed him down the side of the street to where the other soldier was waiting.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" The doctor asked the two as he followed behind them. The trio had turned down a less busy market-like road. The merchants here were selling strange foods and expensive-looking accessories.
"Empire Research and Development," one of them answered. "Its where we take most of the new Primes nowadays." Just as the man said that, the building itself came into view. It was shaped like a semi-circle and made mostly of reflective glass, so the light from above shined off of it. The sign in front of the building suggested it was, in fact, some type of laboratory.
Mordin was excited to see a place of science. This was exactly what he wanted. A place where he could talk to other great minds and figure out what kind of world he had stepped into. The city had showed itself to be a hub of wonders and curiosities that he wanted to explore. Even the worse parts of it made his mind tinker with possibilities. This was where he'd get his answers. This was where he'd find out why he was there to begin with.
"I'm ready," The doctor declared, and stepped towards the building.
Quote:Quest attempt: There Are No Lines
1071 words