Post by Mara on May 11, 2009 18:17:54 GMT -5
Name: Irrina (Ina) Icharus [pron. ear'REE'na (EE'na) ICK'ah'riss]
Race: Arkanian Offshoot (75%)/Human (25%)
Age: 28
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 145 pounds
Appearance: Being an offshoot of her species, Ina is not the typical-looking Arkanian by any means. After thousands of years of genetic engineering the true definition of a pure Arkanian had been lost; however, the offshoots were in even more stark contrast. While baseline Arkanians still retained the pure white eyes and four-fingered hands of their species, Ina's ancestors had been modified to hold a more human appearance, something that was increased when some bred with normal humans. She has five-fingered hands and instead of the white eyes, her eyes are a light blue color. Because of this, she cannot see into the infrared spectrum like baseline Arkanians. Her skin is very pale, almost white, and her long hair is the same almost-white color, which generally covers her somewhat peaked ears, though they are not completely sharply pointed as some Offshoots' are. As far as clothing goes, Ina generally prefers tastefully elegant but comfortable clothing, whether it's her more formal senatorial wear or something she wears informally amongst friends. One item that never leaves her is a necklace that has a circular silver-looking gemlike disc, a gift from her father that helps her communicate with her AER droid, AER-05 or Ofi, and to generally alert her of situations. The only time she deviates from her elegant wear is when she paints; then she wears a paint-covered smock and other items that can get dirty.
Personality: Ina is a very friendly being. She always looks for the good in people at first sight, and sometimes this will backfire, making her disappointed in people when they turn out to be something different than she thought they were. But this doesn't mean that she's necessarily very extroverted. Ina's not exactly shy, but she does prefer smaller groups of beings over large ones, something she's trying to change after being elected senator. Ina also has a bit of a stubborn streak, never letting anything get the best of her, and trying until she makes something right.
Birth place: Adascopolis, Arkania
Occupation: Politician
Rank: Republic Junior Senator representing the planet of Arkania
Bio:
The life of junior senator Irrina Icharus from Arkania started out a lot differently than that of most senators. Hers had been a humble one—in fact, below than humble—born in the mines of Arkania outside the city that Adasca Corp. had built: Adascapolis. Her parents were miners, members of the Offshoots, the beings the 'true' and 'perfect' pure-blooded Arkanians looked down upon. Even experimented on them. So much so that many Offshoots only partially resembled their original Arkanian ancestors. Years of genetic manipulation and also inbreeding with other miners left these Offshoots disfigured and less than equal in the Arkanian minds. Quite an ironic belief considering the 'pure-bloods' modified themselves as well, though usually with mechanical and prosthetic enhancements, not genetic ones.
She never knew who her father was, nor ever had the chance to ask her mother who he was either. This wasn’t because her mother died, but because early in life she was abandoned. Probably a small mercy because her mother would have been hard-pressed to remember which of the Offshoot men had fathered her child, so many she had been with, making some extra money on the side to supplement her mining pay with prostitution. Not to use the credits for a better life in the city’s poorest district but to buy the occasional drugs, uppers, something to help the dreary days seem a lot better than they were. The man who had ended up being Ina’s father had been one of her mother’s clients, nameless and anonymous.
Discovering her predicament a month or two later, Zuna, as she was known—as most Offshoots, she had only one name, surnames and genealogies being unimportant—was severely disappointed. Her only income for awhile would be her simple miner’s pay. Though she milked her nights for as much as they were worth, hooking until she was so large and undesirable that no man—Offshoot, Arkanian or otherwise—would sleep with her, only scorn her. Eventually she had to stay home nights and, later, days. Zuna begrudgingly was glad for the extra time in her dingy home. She could rest her swollen ankles and eat her cupboards dry. And plan what to do with her unwanted offspring in another few weeks when it was sure to be born. Many options had come to her mind throughout the past months since discovering her pregnancy, but most were too expensive on her meager salary or too late to act on them. Finally she decided on the best course of action that would benefit her the most.
When she went into labor, the man who she had contacted took her to the local clinic that served those less than worthy to attend the lauded Arkanian hospitals. He waited patiently outside the delivery room door, thoughts of credit values running through his head as he denied attempts by the staff to name him as the father on the birth certificate. He would never be anything remotely fatherly to this child or even see him or her very often after today. The baby turned out to be a healthy daughter for Zuna, though relatively quiet after her initial scream. No one thought anything the matter; every baby reacted differently to the trauma of birth. A day later Zuna was cleared to leave with her daughter, and once outside, the baby girl left in the arms of the wizened man she had hired with the only thing her mother had taken the effort to give her: a name, Irrina. Without looking back as Irrina was carried away, she dove a hand into the bag she had traded her child for, filled with credits, thinking about how she would celebrate her change of fortune. The extra credits would satisfy her for at least for a little while until she had squandered them again, requiring a stint back to the mines and the dark streets of the city.
Jaron Tsun took the small girl with him to his orphanage on the other side of the city. He ran it like any other orphanage; however, most of the children there were more like slaves, helping to fill Mr Tsun’s pockets. One might think it strange that he would pay such a huge price to fill his slave labor orphanage when he could just rely on drop-offs and stealing children. He did, but he found it a win-win to deal in the way he did with Zuna. The family got credits and peace; he got a higher quality child (generally) that would work harder and fetch a higher profit for himself in a few years.
And so the baby Irrina lived an easy life at Mr Tsun’s residence, as she was too young to work as slave labor. An expensive time for the man, but well worth it for the future. He had a couple housekeepers who also looked after the children when they were not working. There were about a dozen of them, but Irrina was the only baby at the time of her arrival. The women paid extra care to her, making sure she was well-fed and had ample social time with them.
It wasn’t until about a year later that the women began to get worried about the young girl. She seemed to be happy and healthy enough, but she also seemed unresponsive when they talked with her, especially if her back was turned to them. The women wondered at this; usually by this age children were babbling and beginning to speak, but Irrina would just sit there and smile, if one of them made a funny face. Further concerned, they told Mr Tsun about the girl, wondering if perhaps she had a serious medical condition. The man shrugged if off, preferring to wait it out, hoping that the young girl would eventually catch up, that she was merely a slow developer.
But another year went by with Irrina in the care of Mr Tsun’s housekeepers with no change in her development. She was still mute and didn’t seem to understand what was being said to her, though she was past two years of age. By now Mr Tsun was getting worried himself, thinking he had been swindled by the girl’s mother. He didn’t know what to do with Irrina. She wouldn’t do well as an ordinary slave or servant; she would do well enough in his care, but it was not his prerogative to keep the children. He just bought them relatively cheap, raised them strong and solid and then sold them for a profit. This girl, though, wouldn’t get him much in the way of credits, he figured. She would be more trouble than she was worth. Mr Tsun decided he had to cut his losses and dispose of her before too much more of his own money was wasted on her, money that could be dispersed among the others.
So, under pretense that he had found a loving family for Irrina—the housekeepers didn’t know the true function of the orphanage—Mr Tsun left with the little girl who smiled dumbly at him. He knew the many scientists in the city liked to experiment, testing new theories and products. It would be a way for him to recoup some of his losses of paying for this deficit slave girl. He arrived at the large building, headquarters for the medical research division of Veridian Technologies, one of the many scientific enclaves spread throughout Asdascapolis. Mr Tsun was to meet a Dr Coreline who was expecting to buy Irrina from him for research purposes in his lab.
However, fortunately for Irrina, another scientist happened by during the middle of the transaction. He was horrified when he found out what was going on. The man came up and interrupted Dr Coreline and Mr Tsun, demanding answers and pulling out his pocketbook. The scientist was well aware of what his counterparts were up to, but there had been nothing he could do about it or risk his grant funding for his own research. But the experimentation still made him feel ill inside. Right then and there he offered double to Mr Tsun for the toddler he held. He knew all the slave trader wanted was money; the other scientist didn’t care about his colleague’s personal agenda. If he couldn’t fight from the outside, he could do some good from the inside. Mr Tsun accepted his new customer’s offer and handed over the child while Dr Coreline walked away disgusted. The scientist, Dr Rand Icharus, then did the only thing he could think of—he took the child into the turbolift and up to his lab at Veridian’s Medical Research & Development Division.
Dr Rand, as he was usually called, was well into middle age when he adopted the poor little girl for his own. He had no wife or children of his own; the life of a research scientist on Arkania rarely allowed much time for a personal life. Those that did try to squeeze a family into their tight schedules rarely saw their families. Dr Rand knew this and had kept himself away from attachment, knowing he would do more good in the lab than at home. Thus he had spent almost 20 years in this lab, transferring after receiving his doctorate and other degrees at university. So he knew he was undertaking quite a challenge in this stage of life, notwithstanding his age and status. But he was up for the challenge, knowing that any life he could give the little girl would be better than she would have had with either Mr Tsun or Dr Coreline.
The scientist quickly set up a play area for the 3-year-old girl in his lab, a place where he could keep an eye on her while he worked. Though he had no experience with children, Dr Rand knew one so young couldn't be left alone at his small apartment. With the meticulousness of a scientist, little Irrina had the best toys of any child her age. He also made sure he had lots of holobooks and other learning materials. Dr Rand was glad of the freedom his tenure at the lab gave him--no one bothered him and the few colleagues who did see the child playing in the corner didn't care, assuming she was, as an Offshoot, a test subject of some kind. All in all, Irrina was well taken care of.
While her new father worked--Dr Rand's position and salary had allowed the adoption process to go fairly quickly--Ina quietly played in her little corner. She ignored most of the toys and holobooks, preferring to just use plasticine building blocks to make elaborate structures or sometimes taking a drawing implement to sketch out her versions of the items around her. Ina would proudly hold up the art to her father with a smile, and he would just nod and smile back. Most of the time, the drawings were unintelligible.
Generally, though, he as too immersed in his work to pay much notice. He had a deadline to meet and his new project was proving to be difficult. Dr Rand did spare his attention to Ina later when he noticed her scribbling over the pages of some of his old flimsi medical journals. Horrified, he ran over to her play corner and yelled at her to stop. Nothing happened; the girl kept doodling away as if she hadn't heard him. He yelled again, this time grabbing the girl's arm. She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. Feeling foolish for yelling harshly at so young a child, Dr Rand sat down net to her and carefully removed the stylus from her hand. He tried explaining to her about what she did and to never do it again. Still, Ina didn't seem to comprehend. Years and years of his medical knowledge began to click in his mind. He had been so busy with his project the last few months after adopting her that he had failed to notice that anything was wrong with the girl. But surely at this age she would have been talking?
To prove his theory, he stood back up, forgetting his journals, and gathered some items from around his lab. Dr Rand wanted to make sure of things before he sought any treatment. Though not a qualified physician he had spent enough time in the medical research field to mock up a test. He returned to the girl and proceed to make various noises, banging pots, blowing whistles--and she made no response. In face she didn't even look at her father until she saw movement when he rejoined her. The scientist was sure of his theory now--his daughter was deaf. It explained her odd behavior and why she didn't read any of the holobooks. Ina had never been taught because she couldn't hear her lessons. Dr Rand knew he had a big challenge ahead of him now, doubly so with his project on top of it all. He briefly wished he had decided to marry years ago but tossed the ideas aside. It was just him and his daughter now, and he would make sure that Irrina got the best medical care possible.
Right away he found her a tutor, a kind old human woman, who specialized in teaching deaf children. Dr Rand wanted to do more for her but with his project deadline looming, Ina would see more of Mrs Willox than of her father. At first Ina distrusted her tutor, having a fear of strangers. It had taken her months to finally realize the man who had taken her from the man at the orphanage wasn't going to harm her. She still didn't understand, at 4 years, that he was her father now. And so Mrs Willox worked slowly with the girl, working with her on basic sign language so that they could communicate. Ina began to enjoy this, thinking it was a secret code only she would be able to use. Mrs Willox began to be her favorite part of the day, and she no longer thought ill of the woman.
She learned quickly then, picking up her numbers and letters, shapes and colors, happy to finally have a name for things, even if she had to address them with her fingers. Ina was taught to read and love this almost as much as drawing. For it was in holobooks that beings could talk to her and she could actually understand them without needing to sign. And so after a particularly good job in her lessons Mrs Willox would reward Ina with a new set of paints and flimsi or a new storybook to read.
The next couple of years went by very much the same way. Mrs Willox would stop by the Icharus apartment before Dr Rand left for his lab. Ina would excitedly sign to him a farewell and "I love you, daddy." Though she had been calling him that almost since she had learned the truth, it still had brought him joy and the courage to finish his project ahead of schedule. Rewarded with a little free time because of it, Dr Rand started to work on something special for his daughter. While he was away at the lab, Ina would get her daily lessons from Mrs Willox. Now almost 7, Ina was already proficient in her sign language, able to string multiple hand patterns together into sentences. Her tutor was gradually getting her up to speed of that as other children her age. Ina had started in the basics of mathematics, history, geography, science and other subjects. She learned those with ease but still preferred reading and the more creative aspects of Mrs Willox's lessons, always looking forward to when it was art time.
One day when he came home from working in the lab, Dr Rand was especially happy to see his daughter, a concept he still hadn't completely gotten used to. Ina could almost feel the atmosphere in the room change when her father entered. Mrs Willox had heard the door and signed to the girl that her father was home as was her usual. Ina had so far refused any kind of hearing aide, explaining to her father--through Mrs Willox--that she had no use for anything. She could sign, and that was enough. At such a young age she had already grown accustomed to her life and was content. However, her father's busy schedule hadn't allowed him to learn more than just the basics of his daughter's language, having to rely on Mrs Willox or on flimsi and stylus to communicate with INa. Today, though, he hoped everything would change. He had finished his personal project and was eager to present it to his daughter.
After initial greetings were said, and Mrs Willox had left, Dr Rand conveyed to Ina to stay put while he went back into the hall. He hurried out and then pushed in a repulsor cart on which sat a large covered object. Ina was afraid of what might be hidden there, but the joy on her father's face made any insecurity go away. By the time he removed the cloth to reveal the object, Ina was just as excited as Dr Rand. What stood before the girl was as silvery humanoid of a species she didn't recognize from her studies with Mrs Willox. Getting out his datapad, Dr Rand explained to Ina that the figure was a droid, most importantly, a protocol droid. Since she wanted to communicate through sign and refused so far to learn to speak with use of an aid, SP-1 would help her speak with beings more easily on her own terms. The droid had been fitted a processor that understood over a dozen different versions of signed language. Also Dr Rand had given SP-1 special arm and hand attachments so that the droid would be able to--hopefully--sign back to Ina.
Ina was skeptical; so set in her ways she was, even as a 7 year old, but grinned approval at her father anyway. At least he wasn't trying to force a hearing aid on her again. SP-1 would be a companion for her if or when Mrs Willox could no longer tutor her while the scientist was in his lab. Ina was not old enough, in the eyes of her father, to go outside the apartment alone. Right away Ina got started testing the droid's knowledge banks and was surprised at how much more SP-1 knew than even Mrs Willox. The girl very much enjoyed the gift of SP-1, and thought of the future possibilities.
Around the age of 9, Ina thought her life couldn't be more perfect. She had a teacher she loved, a father she loved even more and lots of spare time to spend painting or having fun with SP-1. But it was also at this time that Mrs Willox began to realize that the girl would soon no longer have need of her. She had learned everything. The older woman knew she would miss the cheerful young girl with the white hair and bright blue eyes; never had she been with a charge as long as she had been with Ina. Dr Rand knew this time would be coming, for Mrs Willox could not tutor Ina forever. The girl would outgrow her lessons and begin to get bored if not stimulated with new material and information. The two adults decided not to make a huge deal of the transition with Mrs Willox promising to continue to visit Ina even after she finished teaching her. Dr Rang wanted as little change as possible, knowing how susceptible to change Ina was.
And so it was with heavy hearts that her father and teacher took her aside one night and told her the news along with SP-1's assistance. At first Ina didn't understand, knowing that there was still so much out there to learn; SP-1 couldn't replace Mrs Willox. The droid with exchanged processors wasn't for much more than simple tasks and translating for Ina. Who would teach her? And where would Mrs Willox go? The woman had effectively raised teh girl, a mother figure to her to compensate for her father and the demands placed on him by Veridian at his research lab. Though they explained it more than once, Ina was still distraught and left to hide out in her room, burying herself in her art and telling SP-1 everything. The droid had become a sort of sounding board for her.
Her father came in later to check on her and to apologize for the way things had to be. If she wanted to keep learning she needed a new tutor or to go to a formal school. He also reminded Ina that although she would no longer be instructing her, Mrs Willox would be visiting from time to time. Ina nodded in agreement and embraced her father, later explaining that she had talked everything through with SP-1. And that she had decided she wanted to go to a real school. Until this time in her life, Ina had rarely left her apartment. At the ripe old age of 9 the girl had figured it was time for the real world. And since she had SP-1, it didn't even need to be a special school for deaf children. Again, she emphasized wanting as normal a life as could be. Dr Rand was concerned; a private tutor would be safer and easier. But he also understood he could no longer shelter his daughter. She deserved a chance to met children her own age and make friends other than SP-1. To experience the joys and pitfalls of life. Dr Rand knew that there was possibility she could be picked on for more than her deafness. Her obvious non-baseline genetics wouldn't be hard to miss. But he knew that was all part of life, and that it wouldn't be all bad. And so he enrolled his daughter in the local preparatory school, paying the best for the best. Money was no option when it came to his daughter.
The beginning of the new school year at one of Adascopolis's most prestigious academies found young Irinna Icharus, 10 years old, leaving her father's apartment for the first extended length of time. Living nearby meant she would still come home in the afernoon, but for eight hours each day she would be out of her father's care. He worried for her but knew she would be well taken care of by SP-1 and the school's faculty, as the aptly named Veridian Academy received annual donations from the large technology company in which Dr Rand worked. Gradually he put aside any worries and focused back on his work, another project, another deadline.
For Ina, however, the transition didn't go as smoothly. Almost immediately the other children in her class ignored her or at the very least looked down upon her. All of them being the sons and daughters of prominent Arkanians, the children were inbued with an inner racism. Ina with her blue eyes and five-fingered hands stood out as an anomaly, an Offshoot, an inequal. This ostracization confused her because she thought it was because she was deaf and SP-1 followed her around, helping and translating. Thinking perhaps that the other children were jealous of her, not realizing right away that she didn't look like them. Appearances had never been important to her. Mrs Willox was human, her father Arkanian, the figures in her history lessons all different beings with different and important contributions to society. Ina could understand being shunned for her disability but not for her appearance. In fact, the students in her class didn't even know she was deaf, never bothering to spend enough time with her or assuming she was stupid and shy. And so the young girl started school without any hope for gaining friends.
After about a month she thought about giving up and asking her father for a private tutor. But the stronger part of her will refused to give up, refused to allow that he was right. Ina knew this experience was important. She vowed that it would get better; eventually the children had to realize she wasn't poison. Right?
Despite whether this actually worked or not, Ina would not let it get in the way of her lessons. That was the reason she was at the Academy in the first place and not sitting at home, bored. Her teachers held her complete attention in all her classes. If they disapproved of her, they could not afford to show it. Ina held their fate in her hands as the daughter of a Veridian scientist. SP-1 stood off to the side near the teacher, signing everything to Ina. This allowed her to keep her eyes on any visual aides but also simultaneously 'hear' the lesson. The droid was at first a distraction to the other students, but they grew disinterested after a while.
She loved all of her classes, loving that she was learning more of the same things Mrs Willox had taught her. But art class was the tone class she was especially fond of. It was here that she was truly happy. Not only was she allowed creativity and independence here, but she hardly had need for SP-1 in this environment. Her art spoke for her. Ina gradually lost interest in any social life, burying herself in her studies. All he wanted was to learn and have fun doing it. She had accepted her fate and moved on. Something that made her extremely mature for her young age, as her father thought when she told him of her revelation.
Her schooling continued in much the same way for the next few years. Ina focused on her studies, excelling in all her classes and excelling, unbeknownst to her, at making the other students dislike her even more. When she was not in classes, Ina was in her apartment poring through her father's medical journals (this time with eyes not stylus) and historical documents. The former because they were readily available; the latter because it interested her. The only breaks she took were to take to her sketches and paintings creating her own masterpieces.
By this time Mrs Willox's visits had become more frequent, and the rather smart 13-year-old Ina knew the recent widow was no longer coming for eh sake of the girl. She saw the way her father looked at her former teacher and vice versa. Ina was happy about this. In her mind Mrs Willox had always been like a mother to her in everything but name. She was sure that her father would eventually see past his microscopes and spectacles and marry the woman. The fact that such a union would crate a large scandal in the city never entered her mind.
Not until a few weeks later when Mrs Willox was found dead in the street outside her house. Ina was devastated and hid herself even further into her schoolwork. Her father stayed later and later at the lab, only returning home to sleep. And sometimes not coming home at night at all. This forced Ina to become even more independent. She cooked and cleaned and took care of the apartment along with SP-1's help. Ina was effectively an orphan again without thinking about it in those terms. She and her father had different ways of dealing with grief--that was her take on the situation. It was merely just another challenge for her to overcome.
And so it was one day shortly after her 14th birthday that she and SP-1 were out in the city returning home with some bags of groceries. With their hands full they walked in companionable silence. They were only a few blocks away from their building when a male humanoid of a species Ina didn't recognize came up behind them. He yelled at them for their money, and SP-1 turned around, but Ina walked on, not hearing a word. The strange knocked the groceries from the droid, angry not to find anything of value--SP-1 would not fetch much on the black market. He yelled again at Ina, who by then had turned around, noticing that her friend was no longer walking beside her. Instead he lay on the ground, unmoving. The menacing figure came at her but her fear kept her frozen in position. Even if she could call for help, no one would help her. Passers-by were giving her and the thief a wide berth. To them it was merely an argument between a man and his maid. Ina shook with fear, not knowing what the man was saying to her. Remembering her datapad, she dropped the groceries and dug around in her purse. Thinking the girl was going for a weapon, the man grabbed her and shoved her against a wall, making her drop her only hope of communication. By then the would-be thief had other things on his mind. Because he was not Arkanian, he had no problem with this beautiful young girl. The squeak of a scream that finally left Ina's lips only focused the assailant even harder to his new task. He pulled her into an alley and began ripping at her clothes. Somehow SP-1 had regained his feet, though, and interrupted. With is attention turned, Ina leapt away, running home. She never saw SP-1 again.
Ina didn't go to school the next morning, and they called Dr Rand at work. Finding this odd, he went straight home, only to discover his daughter curled up in the corner of her room, crying silently. He felt again the pang of grief at Mrs Willox's death as he stood in the doorway not sure how to approach this situation, to even begin to ask her what was wrong. In his limited knowledge of teenage females, Ina could be upset because of any number of things. The loss of Mrs Willox as replaced then with a sense of guilt as he realized he had been a rather absent parent for most of Ina's life and especially lately; he had no real knowledge of his daughter's life, her real life. Whether she was grieving for her old tutor or there was trouble at school or... he didn't know. In any case he resolved then to fix that, and finally found his feet and moved across the room and knelt beside his daughter. He did the first thing that instinctively came to him--drew the girl into his arms and let her cry.
Eventually Ina quieted, and with some prodding from her father, haltingly told him what had happened the previous afternoon. They had to resort to her datapad towards the end. Her hands were shaking too much for Dr Rand to understand her. And again he felt guilty for not being around. But the scientist in him knew he couldn't fix the past, only try to make the future better, so he didn't bother with any thoughts of vengeance. Instead he just tried to convince Ina that perhaps her school wasn't a fit, that she wouldn't be safe. Despite everything, Ina refused to leave her school, explaining that the attack had nothing to do with the kids there. Dr Rand relented but vowed to try to be a larger part of his daughter's life. Her safety was foremost on his mind and he began sketches that night of a new prototype.
Life for Dr Rand and Ina slowly went back to normal with the exception that he as succeeding most nights in not working late and also personally seeing that Ina got to her school safely. Without SP-1 he had to step it up. Even if Ina had wanted a new droid--which she didn't, believing as most 14 year olds that she didn't need the help--Dr Rand would have refused. In order for his daughter to have as normal a life as possible he would have to help her in a less intrusive way.
Ina continued to thrive in her classes despite now having to communicate solely with a datapad and signing. She still didn't gain the favor of the other students, which continued to confound her because without SP-1 her disability wasn't as noticeable. Ina could only think that they ignored her because of any special attention she might receive, still not realizing it was about her race, not her deafness.
After a few months, though, without any changes to her social life at the Academy, Ina decided to just focus harder on her lessons. She began enjoying her history classes almost as much as her art ones. The lives of former beings intrigued her, how they overcame odds and adversity to become great leaders, scientists and inventors, even artists and musicians. None she read about were deaf like her, but she liked to believe that such a thing hadn't been worth noting, that they had become famous for their skills and not their disability. One day Ina hoped to be remembered in the same way.
Her perspective on life changed, though, one evening as she rifled through her father's medical journals and other articles he had saved that were gathering dust. He was in the next room working on 'some secret new project,' and so she had decided to amuse herself with reading. To her astonishment it quickly became more informative reading than she had planned on. Ina happened upon a journal detailing Arkanian scientists' experiments on their own kind as they created what became known as the Offshoots. Besides the surprise she had finding out--through image comparison--that she was not like her father and pure Arkanians but a 'lesser' race, Ina was more astounded that he had never learned this at the Academy or with Mrs Willox. This new revelation only made her find more information on the subject and keep reading. She knew deep inside her father did love her, and she couldn't bring herself to ask about it. But she did start to see the purpose behind the stares from the children at school. They must think her a freak.
During this time Dr Rand was working on something special for his daughter as a replacement for SP-1, knowing that he wouldn't always be able to be with her as they both got older. He was planning it for her 16th birthday, since it was drawing near. Unbeknownst to him, though, someone else was also planning a very special gift for Ina. News of Dr Rand's good work and his daughter's condition traveled the channels at Veridian all the way to the top to Veridian's parent company. The mysterious man in charge left a package at Dr Rand's lab office, in care of another man wearing a strange insignia, explaining the gift was for his daughter 'because no good deed goes unnoticed.' The man waited there with the package until Dr Rand left for home, not wanting to let the box out of his sight. The good doctor didn't understand this but took the package along with his own gift home on Ina's birthday, wondering at the strange care the man had taken.
Ina was in her room painting when he father came home, working out frustration from her latest readings on Arkanian culture she had never known before. So lost was she that she had briefly forgotten the plans they had made for her birthday that evening. When her father came into her room all dressed up in his nicest clothes, a rare sign, she remembered and ran to him, apologizing profusely--a 16 year old apologizing for forgetting her own birthday! Ina quickly recovered, though, and got ready for their dinner out. An hour later they left together, Dr Rand only bringing with hi his own gift. The other was much too large for the restaurant, plus since he didn't know what it was, he thought it would be best to open it home in private.
The meal went by smoothly, Ina calm again so that she talked slow enough for her father to read her hands and understand her. Dr Rand had grown fairly fluent in sign language by now but only if his daughter didn't speed-sign. It was while waiting for dessert that he brought out his small gift, tastefully wrapped in a box. He was grinning from ear to ear as he waited for her to open it. Curious and intrigued, Ina picked up the small package and unwrapped a stylish-looking necklace, silver with a disc-shaped pendant. She jumped from her chair and hugged her father before he could explain it. Though she admired the trinkets the other girls at school wore, she knew she had a simpler life and couldn't expect the same things from her father. So this gift was a real treat. When Ina sat back down, her father began to explain to her that the necklace had a dual purpose. Not only was it beautiful and decorative, but it would serve a purpose. He encouraged her t put it on and proceeded to explain how it worked with vibrations and would alert her to any danger. It was programmed with a 5-meter radius and also could be connected to objects such as doors. When the disc picked up something it would vibrate against her skin, letting her know with touch if someone was behind her or opening a door. Ina was amazed; eh father had given her something to be independent, and it wasn't a hulking nanny-like droid like SP-1. She hugged him again, thinking ti the best gift ever.
Well, until she got home. Back at their apartment, Dr Rand brought out the other box that had been left at his office. He told her about it and then shrugged, emphasizing that he had no idea why or what it was. Intrigued for the second time that night, Ina carefully opened the box and inside as what looked like a metallic bird. Confused at why her father's bosses would send her a figurine--let alone any present--she drew it out of the box and immediately got the shock of her young life. The bird wasn't a toy or a fancy paperweight; it was alive. Jumping from her hands, it focused its glowing red eyes on her. Ina didn't move as she was a little frightened. He father was reading a note that had dropped from the box when the bird moved. He handed it to Ina to read. The note explained that the bird was AER-05, one of a special series of droids. 05 was trained in assassination, but the scientist's mysterious benefactor thought the bird would offer protection for his daughter, having heard of her earlier assault. Ina and Dr Rand gradually got used to 05 as they realized it was there to help them, not kill them. 05, equipped with a female voice, introduced herself and explained her purpose, similar to what the note had said. Ina's father acted as mediator, translating back and forth. It would be quite an adjustment, but Ina was sure that 05 would work out a lot better than SP-1 had. She finally believed that she would be all right now on her own, now with the necklace and the droid.
The next couple of years went by smoothly, well, as smoothly as they could with 05 trailing along to school with Ina, and Dr Rand returning to a higher workload at the office. His brief stint at being home more for his daughter had ended, but she didn't mind. She was well taken care of now and was blossoming into an independent young woman who just happened to be deaf.
Ofi (05's nickname garnered from Ina's schoolmates' interpretation of a deaf being trying to speak that had stuck) would unobtrusively sit in the back of her classes, allowing her freedom to learn as she wanted. She continued to excel in her classes, especially enjoying art and history, even a bit of local civics and politics. Her love of historical figures overcoming odds combined with what she had learned at home about Arkanian experiments had imbued her with a sense of meaning for her life. Though she loved art and knew it would make people happy, she wanted to make the world a better place, do something important. And so while she paid attention to her studies, she also began to focus on bigger things as well--politics, government and activism. For now it was all thought, not action, but Ina knew that when she was done at the Academy, that would change.
As well as being there in case of emergency, Ofi became one of Ina's dearest friends. With no friends at school, her father busy working and Mrs Willox gone, Ofi was the girl's only confidante. The deadly bird was an easy listener and a quick study of sign language. While 05 could not sign directly, she could understand it and reply back by jacking into Ina's datapad. And so Ina and Ofi talked about everything from gossip to deeper subjects like the current state of affairs.
Graduation day at the Academy came and went for Irrina Icharus. Thankfully she had not been valedictorian, not because she would have had to sign her speech, but because she didn't want another reason for her classmates to resent her. Despite any political aspirations she may have had, Ina still planned on going to university on the art scholarship she had received. She figured that university life would afford her the time to have many interests without having to focus on only one.
Even with all her hopes for her future, both father and daughter would be tested when Ina left for university. Though working a lot and allowing his daughter more and more independence, the time Dr Rand id spend with Ina was precious. And now in a few short days he would be coming home to an empty apartment. In addition to the same foreboding empty feeling as he father, 18-year-old Ina also feared that university would be like the Academy all over again, with her deafness and differing heritage getting in the way of true friendship. Not that this would stop her from going. She would have Ofi and also her extreme stubborness to learn as much as she could. For this young woman, the many pros strongly outweighed the few cons.
Just before leaving, with all her bags packed and in the waiting speeder, Ina asked her father again why she couldn't just stay home and commute. If Ofi could have, the robotic droid would have rolled her eyes. Dr Rand explained again that it would be far too much to travel for school. And that she could visit on weekends if she wished. Finally satisfied, she hugged and kissed her father good-bye and got in the airtaxi. As she looked back and waved to the aging scientist, shes couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach at this new chapter in her life.
Ina needn't have worried, though. The university, while still in Arkania's biggest city, was a complete 180 of the Academy of her earlier schooling. There were many different beings there, most coming for the prestigious science programs. The Offshoot would no longer stand out in the bustling and chaotic university community. Her roommate ended up being an Omwati named Riquiwa Cu. A very bubbly personality, Riquiwa immediately told Ina to call her Riqi and seemed at ease with both Ofi and the fact of her deafness. With everything going so well at this new school, Ina could feel that her life had nowhere to go but up. How far up would be the real surprise.
Though enrolled in the art program (and Riqi in the science one), Ina still had the flexibility to take some other courses like politics and sociology and other topics that interested her. Despite the increased education level, real friends like Riqi and a growing social life, she continued to study hard and make good marks Perhaps not as impressive as she had at the Academy but still in the highest percentile at the university. And she still enjoyed every minute of it, not feeling as strange that she was deaf. Here students were generally more serious and accepting and didn't allow petty things like deafness get in the way. Ofi would usually just perch in the back of the classrooms and let Ina do her thing, using lipreading in some cases, her datapad in others to gather information from lectures. The professors were much more accommodating to their students and posted notes via the Holonet that could be accessed.
When Ina wasn't in class, studying or out with Riqi and her other friends doing what university students loved to do in their spare time--goofing off and watching holovids--she as out looking for a way to get active in the local political scene. Even though the university was full of these groups, none of them really suited her, something that she later confided to Ofi and Riqi. And it was this conversation that gave her the solution--create her own group to raise awareness of the Offshoots to the general Arkanian public. With others behind her, she couldn't be ignored by the 'true' Arkanians, and it would finally allow her to put to use what she learned from her father's journals and her own life experience. Ina liked the idea and pitched her idea, starting advertising right away.
Things started slow with only Riqi, Ofi and Ina herself attending. But gradually other students began showing an interest after hearing Ina's personal story. Ina would sign, and Ofi would watch and translate for those who didn't understand sign language. Her group, while not as successful as some of the groups on campus, had a good core member base that met once a week. The only sad part to Ina was that no Arkanians had joined--lots of other beings but no Arkanians. She had hoped at least one would, to show that some were different, like her father.
Her father--she missed him, but it was a healthy ache, and after returning home the first weekend after going to university, she hadn't been back home, content to speak over text holocomm and enjoying her full life at college. Though he missed her as well, Dr Rand was happy for his daughter.
Ina's life at university continued on in much the same the next three years, the only difference being her classes and her Arkanian Offshoot activist/information group, which had grown steadily. Now it was a good 200 or so strong, and she had even had her father stopped by a couple times to speak. However, those were the only times a true Arkanian had come to her group.
By now her schedule contained mostly art and historical/political classes, those being her key interests. Ina continued to excel at her studies, enjoying them as much as she did in her first year.
The only thing she enjoyed more was defending her heritage and spending time with her friends, two activities that overlapped multiple times. In the three or so years since she had started it, they had held some rallies on campus, one of which had even caught the attention of the local news media and important and angry Arkanian businessmen. This fact, once discovered, only gave the university students more fuel to keep doing what they were doing. They felt the attention was sort of a vindication for their advocacy. And Irrina Icharus had become more than just the progenitor of the new proposed O.L.F. or 'Offshoot Liberation Front;' she was its figurehead. What had once been her interest and concern had snowballed into something much, much larger, and Ina couldn't have been prouder. As much as she enjoyed the looks on beings' faces as they marveled at her paintings, there was nothing like the feeling that hes was doing something really important with her life.
As the end of her university life drew near, Ina began to struggle with thoughts of what to do with her life afterwards. Ever since she was a little girl she had enjoyed painting, drawing, crafting beautiful things. And she had always planned on getting a small place somewhere and living a poor but happy artist's life. But now she felt like her life had so much more meaning now with her small advocacy group that was ever-growing. Ina had never envisioned herself moving into actual politics instead of studying from afar. Now, though, that was a thought that was joining her old childhood dream in her mind. And she had about a month to make up her mind, along with help from Riqi and Ofi, of course.
Dr Rand was proud when he joined the other parents and family members to watch Ina receive her university degree along with the other students. His daughter had come a long way since she had first come into his life. He was certain that if he hadn't stepped into interfere, Ina would not be standing there now, receiving her diploma or even have had any education at all. And that knowledge made him happier beyond words.
But his happiness was soon joined by sadness. Dr Rand had assumed Ina would move back home with him after university, at least for a little while, before she took the next step into the real world. Ina, though, had made p her mind and wanted to stay in the heart of the city. She would still be nearby, but Adasacapolis was a large bustling city with the scientific distinct on the opposite end of where the university and young beings' hot spots were. Ina explained to her father that this would be the best way for her to continue with her true passions. She would be near her friends and fellow activists and be in the middle of the city's art scene. Dr Rand was disappointed but understood his daughter's decision. His daughter was 22 now, an adult, and he had to let her be one. WIth Ofi, Ina was fully capable of taking care of herself. So Ina came home only for some quality time with her father and to pack those items that hadn't gone to university wit her. Then she kissed hi good-bye and went off to the vibrant happening district in the city. Riqi had returned back to her home to pursue her degree, and so Ina rented a small loft for herself and Ofi (along with her father's help--a last token before he let go). Ina was now fully on her own for the first time in her life.
Life in her downtown loft went fast and smoothly for Ina. Dr Rand sent her monthly stipends for food and other necessities. It was the only way he would let her live on her own. She spent most of her time painting, enjoying the freedom she had had as a child to continue to work as long a she wanted. No longer was she restricted by ending class periods. Plus the plight of her fellow species, the Offshoots, kept inspiring her work, and more solemn colors entered her paintings, sparked with a little bit of bright red, signaling hope. Ina couldn't think of a happier time in her life.
With Ina staying inside a lot except to attend rallies here and there, to run errands or study up on the current political arena, Ofi was left idle much of the time. But this didn't bother the bird-like droid at all. It gave her time to update her memory banks, always gathering the latest information on Ina's interests. The two of them would sometimes have heated debates, Ina signing to Ofi and Ofi responding promptly through Ina's datapad. The droid had given up trying to sign with her metal wings.
When they went out, Ofi would sit on Ina's shoulder or more often, nestle into the young woman's large bag. No one hardly gave the pair a second glance; they were intent on their own business or maybe just didn't see the small Ofi. It was one of these times--Ina had heard about a gallery opening a few blocks from her loft and wanted to check her 'competition'--that they happened upon a gathering in a city park. Curious, they detoured to check it out and discovered it was some kind of political rally. Signs were everywhere. Ina knew elections were soon but never thought a candidate would come to this area of the city. Young beings were picky voters and didn't always agree with the older politicians. Ofi and Ina went to investigate, wanting to know who was speaking and what he was saying. It turned out to be a familiar face, Benzi Malacan, someone she had gone to university with and who had attended a few of her O.L.F. group meetings. He was a young upstart human, trying to garner attention away from the city's current mayor. Ina knew he was ambitious, having aspirations far beyond that of city mayor--but she also knew it would be hard for a non-Arkanian to be elected to office, especially one so young, as he was 25, only a year older than Ina's 24 years. She wished him luck, though, and stayed for his speech. If canyon could change Arkanians' minds (besides herself) it would be Benzi.
She believed in his platforms (equality for all, lower taxes for middle class, reducing factory emissions, etc.) so much that she joined his campaign. Ina's painting and art took a back seat as she and Ofi worked hard to spread the word of Benzi Malacan for Adascapolis mayor. Most beings she encountered snubbed them; Arkanians because of her looks, others because they believed Benzi had no chance. But they pressed on, Ina's quiet stubbornness pushing through, and she rose the ranks in the campaign, becoming one of Benzi's inner circle.
Election day came; votes were counted. All the news media around the planet watched and waited, elder politicians wanting to prove they were right, the young beings wanting to prove others wrong. And in the end the results were close--Benzi Malacan was elected mayor with only 4,500 more votes than the current mayor. So confident were the elder statesbeings of the result, they hadn't bothered to vote, leaving room for Benzi to squeak through. Thee weas a huge celebration that night, and Ina was one of the key speakers on Mayor Malacan's behalf. She was beginning to see all her talk and hard work from university paying off. No longer was it just a dream. Perhaps now with Benzi in power, the concept of equality for all, Arkanians and Offshoots, would gain purchase in the political arena.
With the election over and the media circus surrounding it drying down, Ina's life went back to normal, with one big change--she began working in Benzi's office, easily making the transfer of duties. Her hours were shorter, though, and she had time again to attend to her art. On the weekends she continued looking for a gallery to show off her art, while during the week she worked in the mayor's office. Her role and importance had been downgraded a bit, but she didn't mind. It gave her more freedom.
But after only a few months of working there, the 25-year-old Ina began finding out the truth of who Benzi Malacan really was. She had thought he was different, but he turned out to be like all the other politicians she had read about. He had used lies and her ideas and help to get himself elected. After that, he didn't care how many promises he went back on. Ina was disgusted and finally quite her job. As much as she enjoyed seeing the inner workings of the mayor's office, she knew she couldn't work for a double-crosser like Benzi. And so she left, going back to fall on her art and new pieces with a lot of black, wondering if any politician would ever stand by his or her word.
She tried not to let this new revelation get her down, preferring to stay positive. Though, this was hard, considering it still rankled her that Benzi had been a two-faced politician, only attending her university group as an 'in' to the mayor's office. And the beings higher up on the ladder weren't any better; Ina felt all the planetary leaders and the Arkanian senators were corrupt, too, not to mention the rest of the Republic Senate. The more she read from the Holonet the more she feared for her beliefs. She wondered if the Offshoots would ever be treated equally. Here in the heart of the bustling metropolis it wasn't so bad, but in the outskirts--she couldn't bear to think about it.
Ina kept to her art, the only thing that let her mind escape. She still painted but had also ventured into sculpture, liking the way the clay felt in her hands, her five-fingered hands. Punching and squeezing it was a great stress relief. A week-long visit from Riqi also proved to bolster her spirits, and she, Ofi and her friend stayed up late talking, just like in university.
It was one of these nights that would again change Ina's life. She had been telling Riqi about the real Benzi Malacan, and Ofi had brought up gossip she had heard regarding the mayor and a possible empty senate seat in a year and a half. The senior senator was retiring, the junior one moving up, creating a vacancy. The droid had heard whisperings of Benzi's higher political aspirations. Ina couldn't stand the thought that Benzi would spread his poison on the galactic scale. And so, without another thought, Irrina Icharus, Arkanian Offshoot, stepped into the race to give Benzi a run for his money.
The next year blew by fast for Ina as she held fund-raisers, made campaign speeches (with Ofi's help), attended rallies. She even visited the other cities on Arkania to get her name out there. Even with her father's money and influence backing her, Ina knew it would be an uphill battle. No one else stepped up to oppose Benzi, and it would be p to her to take him down. The Arkanians had a tough decision head of them--would they vote human or lower class Arkanian? Preliminary polls showed favor towards Benzi, but Ina pressed on, knowing what she spoke for and stood for would never be a lying promise. The people had to get over their prejudice, or she would never win.
Riqi helped as well, contracting old university friends and reconnecting with the current O.L.F. on campus, rather small after Ina graduated. Ofi spread rumors through the Holonet about Benzi, some legally, some not. Dr Rand continued to give what credits he could and tried to convince his superiors to back his daughter, not Mayor Malacan. But it was hard for the general populace to accept Ina as a senator, let alone an equal.
Slowly but surely, though, there were murmurings that Ofi came across that suggested the senatorial race might be closer than anticipated. Beings were hearing Ina's platforms and thinking about them. Mostly the interest was from the lower class and non-Arkanians, but it was something. Though high-ranking Arkanians held most of the power on the planet, they were not in the majority, and majority also held some power in numbers. Ina and her supports were feeling optimistic. Perhaps they could still beat Benzi and get the plight of the Offshoots heard by more than just a few--and start a movement to gain equality for all.
Everyone gathered in Ina's loft the night of the election to watch the results come in--Ofi, Dr Rand, Riqi and her boyfriend and a couple die-hard activists the Omwati brought from the university. Ina was so nervous she sat at her easel, one eye on the holoprojector. The results came in slowly with Benzi in the early lead but Ina only 5-7% behind at any given time. Ofi was right; it was going to be a close one. The numbers continued to pouring in silently; Dr Rand didn't care for the commentary and muted it. Ina was gaining on Benzi, but he still had the lead. The small group waited up all night until the entire planet's votes had been counted. And in the end the result was close--Ina had won by only 2% over Benzi. The 27-year-old deaf Arkanian Offshoot with bright blue eyse and almost white hair had become the newest junior senator for her planet. The young woman was stunned as she sat by her painting, her friends celebrating around her. The next step for her was to move to Coruscant, a reality that was just not hitting her. She would miss her father, surely, but it would be for a good cause. Now he people finally had some hope, and Ina was proud to provide it.
[See Ina's Databank thread for more of her continued adventures.]
[continued below]
Race: Arkanian Offshoot (75%)/Human (25%)
Age: 28
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 145 pounds
Appearance: Being an offshoot of her species, Ina is not the typical-looking Arkanian by any means. After thousands of years of genetic engineering the true definition of a pure Arkanian had been lost; however, the offshoots were in even more stark contrast. While baseline Arkanians still retained the pure white eyes and four-fingered hands of their species, Ina's ancestors had been modified to hold a more human appearance, something that was increased when some bred with normal humans. She has five-fingered hands and instead of the white eyes, her eyes are a light blue color. Because of this, she cannot see into the infrared spectrum like baseline Arkanians. Her skin is very pale, almost white, and her long hair is the same almost-white color, which generally covers her somewhat peaked ears, though they are not completely sharply pointed as some Offshoots' are. As far as clothing goes, Ina generally prefers tastefully elegant but comfortable clothing, whether it's her more formal senatorial wear or something she wears informally amongst friends. One item that never leaves her is a necklace that has a circular silver-looking gemlike disc, a gift from her father that helps her communicate with her AER droid, AER-05 or Ofi, and to generally alert her of situations. The only time she deviates from her elegant wear is when she paints; then she wears a paint-covered smock and other items that can get dirty.
Personality: Ina is a very friendly being. She always looks for the good in people at first sight, and sometimes this will backfire, making her disappointed in people when they turn out to be something different than she thought they were. But this doesn't mean that she's necessarily very extroverted. Ina's not exactly shy, but she does prefer smaller groups of beings over large ones, something she's trying to change after being elected senator. Ina also has a bit of a stubborn streak, never letting anything get the best of her, and trying until she makes something right.
Birth place: Adascopolis, Arkania
Occupation: Politician
Rank: Republic Junior Senator representing the planet of Arkania
Bio:
The life of junior senator Irrina Icharus from Arkania started out a lot differently than that of most senators. Hers had been a humble one—in fact, below than humble—born in the mines of Arkania outside the city that Adasca Corp. had built: Adascapolis. Her parents were miners, members of the Offshoots, the beings the 'true' and 'perfect' pure-blooded Arkanians looked down upon. Even experimented on them. So much so that many Offshoots only partially resembled their original Arkanian ancestors. Years of genetic manipulation and also inbreeding with other miners left these Offshoots disfigured and less than equal in the Arkanian minds. Quite an ironic belief considering the 'pure-bloods' modified themselves as well, though usually with mechanical and prosthetic enhancements, not genetic ones.
She never knew who her father was, nor ever had the chance to ask her mother who he was either. This wasn’t because her mother died, but because early in life she was abandoned. Probably a small mercy because her mother would have been hard-pressed to remember which of the Offshoot men had fathered her child, so many she had been with, making some extra money on the side to supplement her mining pay with prostitution. Not to use the credits for a better life in the city’s poorest district but to buy the occasional drugs, uppers, something to help the dreary days seem a lot better than they were. The man who had ended up being Ina’s father had been one of her mother’s clients, nameless and anonymous.
Discovering her predicament a month or two later, Zuna, as she was known—as most Offshoots, she had only one name, surnames and genealogies being unimportant—was severely disappointed. Her only income for awhile would be her simple miner’s pay. Though she milked her nights for as much as they were worth, hooking until she was so large and undesirable that no man—Offshoot, Arkanian or otherwise—would sleep with her, only scorn her. Eventually she had to stay home nights and, later, days. Zuna begrudgingly was glad for the extra time in her dingy home. She could rest her swollen ankles and eat her cupboards dry. And plan what to do with her unwanted offspring in another few weeks when it was sure to be born. Many options had come to her mind throughout the past months since discovering her pregnancy, but most were too expensive on her meager salary or too late to act on them. Finally she decided on the best course of action that would benefit her the most.
When she went into labor, the man who she had contacted took her to the local clinic that served those less than worthy to attend the lauded Arkanian hospitals. He waited patiently outside the delivery room door, thoughts of credit values running through his head as he denied attempts by the staff to name him as the father on the birth certificate. He would never be anything remotely fatherly to this child or even see him or her very often after today. The baby turned out to be a healthy daughter for Zuna, though relatively quiet after her initial scream. No one thought anything the matter; every baby reacted differently to the trauma of birth. A day later Zuna was cleared to leave with her daughter, and once outside, the baby girl left in the arms of the wizened man she had hired with the only thing her mother had taken the effort to give her: a name, Irrina. Without looking back as Irrina was carried away, she dove a hand into the bag she had traded her child for, filled with credits, thinking about how she would celebrate her change of fortune. The extra credits would satisfy her for at least for a little while until she had squandered them again, requiring a stint back to the mines and the dark streets of the city.
Jaron Tsun took the small girl with him to his orphanage on the other side of the city. He ran it like any other orphanage; however, most of the children there were more like slaves, helping to fill Mr Tsun’s pockets. One might think it strange that he would pay such a huge price to fill his slave labor orphanage when he could just rely on drop-offs and stealing children. He did, but he found it a win-win to deal in the way he did with Zuna. The family got credits and peace; he got a higher quality child (generally) that would work harder and fetch a higher profit for himself in a few years.
And so the baby Irrina lived an easy life at Mr Tsun’s residence, as she was too young to work as slave labor. An expensive time for the man, but well worth it for the future. He had a couple housekeepers who also looked after the children when they were not working. There were about a dozen of them, but Irrina was the only baby at the time of her arrival. The women paid extra care to her, making sure she was well-fed and had ample social time with them.
It wasn’t until about a year later that the women began to get worried about the young girl. She seemed to be happy and healthy enough, but she also seemed unresponsive when they talked with her, especially if her back was turned to them. The women wondered at this; usually by this age children were babbling and beginning to speak, but Irrina would just sit there and smile, if one of them made a funny face. Further concerned, they told Mr Tsun about the girl, wondering if perhaps she had a serious medical condition. The man shrugged if off, preferring to wait it out, hoping that the young girl would eventually catch up, that she was merely a slow developer.
But another year went by with Irrina in the care of Mr Tsun’s housekeepers with no change in her development. She was still mute and didn’t seem to understand what was being said to her, though she was past two years of age. By now Mr Tsun was getting worried himself, thinking he had been swindled by the girl’s mother. He didn’t know what to do with Irrina. She wouldn’t do well as an ordinary slave or servant; she would do well enough in his care, but it was not his prerogative to keep the children. He just bought them relatively cheap, raised them strong and solid and then sold them for a profit. This girl, though, wouldn’t get him much in the way of credits, he figured. She would be more trouble than she was worth. Mr Tsun decided he had to cut his losses and dispose of her before too much more of his own money was wasted on her, money that could be dispersed among the others.
So, under pretense that he had found a loving family for Irrina—the housekeepers didn’t know the true function of the orphanage—Mr Tsun left with the little girl who smiled dumbly at him. He knew the many scientists in the city liked to experiment, testing new theories and products. It would be a way for him to recoup some of his losses of paying for this deficit slave girl. He arrived at the large building, headquarters for the medical research division of Veridian Technologies, one of the many scientific enclaves spread throughout Asdascapolis. Mr Tsun was to meet a Dr Coreline who was expecting to buy Irrina from him for research purposes in his lab.
However, fortunately for Irrina, another scientist happened by during the middle of the transaction. He was horrified when he found out what was going on. The man came up and interrupted Dr Coreline and Mr Tsun, demanding answers and pulling out his pocketbook. The scientist was well aware of what his counterparts were up to, but there had been nothing he could do about it or risk his grant funding for his own research. But the experimentation still made him feel ill inside. Right then and there he offered double to Mr Tsun for the toddler he held. He knew all the slave trader wanted was money; the other scientist didn’t care about his colleague’s personal agenda. If he couldn’t fight from the outside, he could do some good from the inside. Mr Tsun accepted his new customer’s offer and handed over the child while Dr Coreline walked away disgusted. The scientist, Dr Rand Icharus, then did the only thing he could think of—he took the child into the turbolift and up to his lab at Veridian’s Medical Research & Development Division.
Dr Rand, as he was usually called, was well into middle age when he adopted the poor little girl for his own. He had no wife or children of his own; the life of a research scientist on Arkania rarely allowed much time for a personal life. Those that did try to squeeze a family into their tight schedules rarely saw their families. Dr Rand knew this and had kept himself away from attachment, knowing he would do more good in the lab than at home. Thus he had spent almost 20 years in this lab, transferring after receiving his doctorate and other degrees at university. So he knew he was undertaking quite a challenge in this stage of life, notwithstanding his age and status. But he was up for the challenge, knowing that any life he could give the little girl would be better than she would have had with either Mr Tsun or Dr Coreline.
The scientist quickly set up a play area for the 3-year-old girl in his lab, a place where he could keep an eye on her while he worked. Though he had no experience with children, Dr Rand knew one so young couldn't be left alone at his small apartment. With the meticulousness of a scientist, little Irrina had the best toys of any child her age. He also made sure he had lots of holobooks and other learning materials. Dr Rand was glad of the freedom his tenure at the lab gave him--no one bothered him and the few colleagues who did see the child playing in the corner didn't care, assuming she was, as an Offshoot, a test subject of some kind. All in all, Irrina was well taken care of.
While her new father worked--Dr Rand's position and salary had allowed the adoption process to go fairly quickly--Ina quietly played in her little corner. She ignored most of the toys and holobooks, preferring to just use plasticine building blocks to make elaborate structures or sometimes taking a drawing implement to sketch out her versions of the items around her. Ina would proudly hold up the art to her father with a smile, and he would just nod and smile back. Most of the time, the drawings were unintelligible.
Generally, though, he as too immersed in his work to pay much notice. He had a deadline to meet and his new project was proving to be difficult. Dr Rand did spare his attention to Ina later when he noticed her scribbling over the pages of some of his old flimsi medical journals. Horrified, he ran over to her play corner and yelled at her to stop. Nothing happened; the girl kept doodling away as if she hadn't heard him. He yelled again, this time grabbing the girl's arm. She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. Feeling foolish for yelling harshly at so young a child, Dr Rand sat down net to her and carefully removed the stylus from her hand. He tried explaining to her about what she did and to never do it again. Still, Ina didn't seem to comprehend. Years and years of his medical knowledge began to click in his mind. He had been so busy with his project the last few months after adopting her that he had failed to notice that anything was wrong with the girl. But surely at this age she would have been talking?
To prove his theory, he stood back up, forgetting his journals, and gathered some items from around his lab. Dr Rand wanted to make sure of things before he sought any treatment. Though not a qualified physician he had spent enough time in the medical research field to mock up a test. He returned to the girl and proceed to make various noises, banging pots, blowing whistles--and she made no response. In face she didn't even look at her father until she saw movement when he rejoined her. The scientist was sure of his theory now--his daughter was deaf. It explained her odd behavior and why she didn't read any of the holobooks. Ina had never been taught because she couldn't hear her lessons. Dr Rand knew he had a big challenge ahead of him now, doubly so with his project on top of it all. He briefly wished he had decided to marry years ago but tossed the ideas aside. It was just him and his daughter now, and he would make sure that Irrina got the best medical care possible.
Right away he found her a tutor, a kind old human woman, who specialized in teaching deaf children. Dr Rand wanted to do more for her but with his project deadline looming, Ina would see more of Mrs Willox than of her father. At first Ina distrusted her tutor, having a fear of strangers. It had taken her months to finally realize the man who had taken her from the man at the orphanage wasn't going to harm her. She still didn't understand, at 4 years, that he was her father now. And so Mrs Willox worked slowly with the girl, working with her on basic sign language so that they could communicate. Ina began to enjoy this, thinking it was a secret code only she would be able to use. Mrs Willox began to be her favorite part of the day, and she no longer thought ill of the woman.
She learned quickly then, picking up her numbers and letters, shapes and colors, happy to finally have a name for things, even if she had to address them with her fingers. Ina was taught to read and love this almost as much as drawing. For it was in holobooks that beings could talk to her and she could actually understand them without needing to sign. And so after a particularly good job in her lessons Mrs Willox would reward Ina with a new set of paints and flimsi or a new storybook to read.
The next couple of years went by very much the same way. Mrs Willox would stop by the Icharus apartment before Dr Rand left for his lab. Ina would excitedly sign to him a farewell and "I love you, daddy." Though she had been calling him that almost since she had learned the truth, it still had brought him joy and the courage to finish his project ahead of schedule. Rewarded with a little free time because of it, Dr Rand started to work on something special for his daughter. While he was away at the lab, Ina would get her daily lessons from Mrs Willox. Now almost 7, Ina was already proficient in her sign language, able to string multiple hand patterns together into sentences. Her tutor was gradually getting her up to speed of that as other children her age. Ina had started in the basics of mathematics, history, geography, science and other subjects. She learned those with ease but still preferred reading and the more creative aspects of Mrs Willox's lessons, always looking forward to when it was art time.
One day when he came home from working in the lab, Dr Rand was especially happy to see his daughter, a concept he still hadn't completely gotten used to. Ina could almost feel the atmosphere in the room change when her father entered. Mrs Willox had heard the door and signed to the girl that her father was home as was her usual. Ina had so far refused any kind of hearing aide, explaining to her father--through Mrs Willox--that she had no use for anything. She could sign, and that was enough. At such a young age she had already grown accustomed to her life and was content. However, her father's busy schedule hadn't allowed him to learn more than just the basics of his daughter's language, having to rely on Mrs Willox or on flimsi and stylus to communicate with INa. Today, though, he hoped everything would change. He had finished his personal project and was eager to present it to his daughter.
After initial greetings were said, and Mrs Willox had left, Dr Rand conveyed to Ina to stay put while he went back into the hall. He hurried out and then pushed in a repulsor cart on which sat a large covered object. Ina was afraid of what might be hidden there, but the joy on her father's face made any insecurity go away. By the time he removed the cloth to reveal the object, Ina was just as excited as Dr Rand. What stood before the girl was as silvery humanoid of a species she didn't recognize from her studies with Mrs Willox. Getting out his datapad, Dr Rand explained to Ina that the figure was a droid, most importantly, a protocol droid. Since she wanted to communicate through sign and refused so far to learn to speak with use of an aid, SP-1 would help her speak with beings more easily on her own terms. The droid had been fitted a processor that understood over a dozen different versions of signed language. Also Dr Rand had given SP-1 special arm and hand attachments so that the droid would be able to--hopefully--sign back to Ina.
Ina was skeptical; so set in her ways she was, even as a 7 year old, but grinned approval at her father anyway. At least he wasn't trying to force a hearing aid on her again. SP-1 would be a companion for her if or when Mrs Willox could no longer tutor her while the scientist was in his lab. Ina was not old enough, in the eyes of her father, to go outside the apartment alone. Right away Ina got started testing the droid's knowledge banks and was surprised at how much more SP-1 knew than even Mrs Willox. The girl very much enjoyed the gift of SP-1, and thought of the future possibilities.
Around the age of 9, Ina thought her life couldn't be more perfect. She had a teacher she loved, a father she loved even more and lots of spare time to spend painting or having fun with SP-1. But it was also at this time that Mrs Willox began to realize that the girl would soon no longer have need of her. She had learned everything. The older woman knew she would miss the cheerful young girl with the white hair and bright blue eyes; never had she been with a charge as long as she had been with Ina. Dr Rand knew this time would be coming, for Mrs Willox could not tutor Ina forever. The girl would outgrow her lessons and begin to get bored if not stimulated with new material and information. The two adults decided not to make a huge deal of the transition with Mrs Willox promising to continue to visit Ina even after she finished teaching her. Dr Rang wanted as little change as possible, knowing how susceptible to change Ina was.
And so it was with heavy hearts that her father and teacher took her aside one night and told her the news along with SP-1's assistance. At first Ina didn't understand, knowing that there was still so much out there to learn; SP-1 couldn't replace Mrs Willox. The droid with exchanged processors wasn't for much more than simple tasks and translating for Ina. Who would teach her? And where would Mrs Willox go? The woman had effectively raised teh girl, a mother figure to her to compensate for her father and the demands placed on him by Veridian at his research lab. Though they explained it more than once, Ina was still distraught and left to hide out in her room, burying herself in her art and telling SP-1 everything. The droid had become a sort of sounding board for her.
Her father came in later to check on her and to apologize for the way things had to be. If she wanted to keep learning she needed a new tutor or to go to a formal school. He also reminded Ina that although she would no longer be instructing her, Mrs Willox would be visiting from time to time. Ina nodded in agreement and embraced her father, later explaining that she had talked everything through with SP-1. And that she had decided she wanted to go to a real school. Until this time in her life, Ina had rarely left her apartment. At the ripe old age of 9 the girl had figured it was time for the real world. And since she had SP-1, it didn't even need to be a special school for deaf children. Again, she emphasized wanting as normal a life as could be. Dr Rand was concerned; a private tutor would be safer and easier. But he also understood he could no longer shelter his daughter. She deserved a chance to met children her own age and make friends other than SP-1. To experience the joys and pitfalls of life. Dr Rand knew that there was possibility she could be picked on for more than her deafness. Her obvious non-baseline genetics wouldn't be hard to miss. But he knew that was all part of life, and that it wouldn't be all bad. And so he enrolled his daughter in the local preparatory school, paying the best for the best. Money was no option when it came to his daughter.
The beginning of the new school year at one of Adascopolis's most prestigious academies found young Irinna Icharus, 10 years old, leaving her father's apartment for the first extended length of time. Living nearby meant she would still come home in the afernoon, but for eight hours each day she would be out of her father's care. He worried for her but knew she would be well taken care of by SP-1 and the school's faculty, as the aptly named Veridian Academy received annual donations from the large technology company in which Dr Rand worked. Gradually he put aside any worries and focused back on his work, another project, another deadline.
For Ina, however, the transition didn't go as smoothly. Almost immediately the other children in her class ignored her or at the very least looked down upon her. All of them being the sons and daughters of prominent Arkanians, the children were inbued with an inner racism. Ina with her blue eyes and five-fingered hands stood out as an anomaly, an Offshoot, an inequal. This ostracization confused her because she thought it was because she was deaf and SP-1 followed her around, helping and translating. Thinking perhaps that the other children were jealous of her, not realizing right away that she didn't look like them. Appearances had never been important to her. Mrs Willox was human, her father Arkanian, the figures in her history lessons all different beings with different and important contributions to society. Ina could understand being shunned for her disability but not for her appearance. In fact, the students in her class didn't even know she was deaf, never bothering to spend enough time with her or assuming she was stupid and shy. And so the young girl started school without any hope for gaining friends.
After about a month she thought about giving up and asking her father for a private tutor. But the stronger part of her will refused to give up, refused to allow that he was right. Ina knew this experience was important. She vowed that it would get better; eventually the children had to realize she wasn't poison. Right?
Despite whether this actually worked or not, Ina would not let it get in the way of her lessons. That was the reason she was at the Academy in the first place and not sitting at home, bored. Her teachers held her complete attention in all her classes. If they disapproved of her, they could not afford to show it. Ina held their fate in her hands as the daughter of a Veridian scientist. SP-1 stood off to the side near the teacher, signing everything to Ina. This allowed her to keep her eyes on any visual aides but also simultaneously 'hear' the lesson. The droid was at first a distraction to the other students, but they grew disinterested after a while.
She loved all of her classes, loving that she was learning more of the same things Mrs Willox had taught her. But art class was the tone class she was especially fond of. It was here that she was truly happy. Not only was she allowed creativity and independence here, but she hardly had need for SP-1 in this environment. Her art spoke for her. Ina gradually lost interest in any social life, burying herself in her studies. All he wanted was to learn and have fun doing it. She had accepted her fate and moved on. Something that made her extremely mature for her young age, as her father thought when she told him of her revelation.
Her schooling continued in much the same way for the next few years. Ina focused on her studies, excelling in all her classes and excelling, unbeknownst to her, at making the other students dislike her even more. When she was not in classes, Ina was in her apartment poring through her father's medical journals (this time with eyes not stylus) and historical documents. The former because they were readily available; the latter because it interested her. The only breaks she took were to take to her sketches and paintings creating her own masterpieces.
By this time Mrs Willox's visits had become more frequent, and the rather smart 13-year-old Ina knew the recent widow was no longer coming for eh sake of the girl. She saw the way her father looked at her former teacher and vice versa. Ina was happy about this. In her mind Mrs Willox had always been like a mother to her in everything but name. She was sure that her father would eventually see past his microscopes and spectacles and marry the woman. The fact that such a union would crate a large scandal in the city never entered her mind.
Not until a few weeks later when Mrs Willox was found dead in the street outside her house. Ina was devastated and hid herself even further into her schoolwork. Her father stayed later and later at the lab, only returning home to sleep. And sometimes not coming home at night at all. This forced Ina to become even more independent. She cooked and cleaned and took care of the apartment along with SP-1's help. Ina was effectively an orphan again without thinking about it in those terms. She and her father had different ways of dealing with grief--that was her take on the situation. It was merely just another challenge for her to overcome.
And so it was one day shortly after her 14th birthday that she and SP-1 were out in the city returning home with some bags of groceries. With their hands full they walked in companionable silence. They were only a few blocks away from their building when a male humanoid of a species Ina didn't recognize came up behind them. He yelled at them for their money, and SP-1 turned around, but Ina walked on, not hearing a word. The strange knocked the groceries from the droid, angry not to find anything of value--SP-1 would not fetch much on the black market. He yelled again at Ina, who by then had turned around, noticing that her friend was no longer walking beside her. Instead he lay on the ground, unmoving. The menacing figure came at her but her fear kept her frozen in position. Even if she could call for help, no one would help her. Passers-by were giving her and the thief a wide berth. To them it was merely an argument between a man and his maid. Ina shook with fear, not knowing what the man was saying to her. Remembering her datapad, she dropped the groceries and dug around in her purse. Thinking the girl was going for a weapon, the man grabbed her and shoved her against a wall, making her drop her only hope of communication. By then the would-be thief had other things on his mind. Because he was not Arkanian, he had no problem with this beautiful young girl. The squeak of a scream that finally left Ina's lips only focused the assailant even harder to his new task. He pulled her into an alley and began ripping at her clothes. Somehow SP-1 had regained his feet, though, and interrupted. With is attention turned, Ina leapt away, running home. She never saw SP-1 again.
Ina didn't go to school the next morning, and they called Dr Rand at work. Finding this odd, he went straight home, only to discover his daughter curled up in the corner of her room, crying silently. He felt again the pang of grief at Mrs Willox's death as he stood in the doorway not sure how to approach this situation, to even begin to ask her what was wrong. In his limited knowledge of teenage females, Ina could be upset because of any number of things. The loss of Mrs Willox as replaced then with a sense of guilt as he realized he had been a rather absent parent for most of Ina's life and especially lately; he had no real knowledge of his daughter's life, her real life. Whether she was grieving for her old tutor or there was trouble at school or... he didn't know. In any case he resolved then to fix that, and finally found his feet and moved across the room and knelt beside his daughter. He did the first thing that instinctively came to him--drew the girl into his arms and let her cry.
Eventually Ina quieted, and with some prodding from her father, haltingly told him what had happened the previous afternoon. They had to resort to her datapad towards the end. Her hands were shaking too much for Dr Rand to understand her. And again he felt guilty for not being around. But the scientist in him knew he couldn't fix the past, only try to make the future better, so he didn't bother with any thoughts of vengeance. Instead he just tried to convince Ina that perhaps her school wasn't a fit, that she wouldn't be safe. Despite everything, Ina refused to leave her school, explaining that the attack had nothing to do with the kids there. Dr Rand relented but vowed to try to be a larger part of his daughter's life. Her safety was foremost on his mind and he began sketches that night of a new prototype.
Life for Dr Rand and Ina slowly went back to normal with the exception that he as succeeding most nights in not working late and also personally seeing that Ina got to her school safely. Without SP-1 he had to step it up. Even if Ina had wanted a new droid--which she didn't, believing as most 14 year olds that she didn't need the help--Dr Rand would have refused. In order for his daughter to have as normal a life as possible he would have to help her in a less intrusive way.
Ina continued to thrive in her classes despite now having to communicate solely with a datapad and signing. She still didn't gain the favor of the other students, which continued to confound her because without SP-1 her disability wasn't as noticeable. Ina could only think that they ignored her because of any special attention she might receive, still not realizing it was about her race, not her deafness.
After a few months, though, without any changes to her social life at the Academy, Ina decided to just focus harder on her lessons. She began enjoying her history classes almost as much as her art ones. The lives of former beings intrigued her, how they overcame odds and adversity to become great leaders, scientists and inventors, even artists and musicians. None she read about were deaf like her, but she liked to believe that such a thing hadn't been worth noting, that they had become famous for their skills and not their disability. One day Ina hoped to be remembered in the same way.
Her perspective on life changed, though, one evening as she rifled through her father's medical journals and other articles he had saved that were gathering dust. He was in the next room working on 'some secret new project,' and so she had decided to amuse herself with reading. To her astonishment it quickly became more informative reading than she had planned on. Ina happened upon a journal detailing Arkanian scientists' experiments on their own kind as they created what became known as the Offshoots. Besides the surprise she had finding out--through image comparison--that she was not like her father and pure Arkanians but a 'lesser' race, Ina was more astounded that he had never learned this at the Academy or with Mrs Willox. This new revelation only made her find more information on the subject and keep reading. She knew deep inside her father did love her, and she couldn't bring herself to ask about it. But she did start to see the purpose behind the stares from the children at school. They must think her a freak.
During this time Dr Rand was working on something special for his daughter as a replacement for SP-1, knowing that he wouldn't always be able to be with her as they both got older. He was planning it for her 16th birthday, since it was drawing near. Unbeknownst to him, though, someone else was also planning a very special gift for Ina. News of Dr Rand's good work and his daughter's condition traveled the channels at Veridian all the way to the top to Veridian's parent company. The mysterious man in charge left a package at Dr Rand's lab office, in care of another man wearing a strange insignia, explaining the gift was for his daughter 'because no good deed goes unnoticed.' The man waited there with the package until Dr Rand left for home, not wanting to let the box out of his sight. The good doctor didn't understand this but took the package along with his own gift home on Ina's birthday, wondering at the strange care the man had taken.
Ina was in her room painting when he father came home, working out frustration from her latest readings on Arkanian culture she had never known before. So lost was she that she had briefly forgotten the plans they had made for her birthday that evening. When her father came into her room all dressed up in his nicest clothes, a rare sign, she remembered and ran to him, apologizing profusely--a 16 year old apologizing for forgetting her own birthday! Ina quickly recovered, though, and got ready for their dinner out. An hour later they left together, Dr Rand only bringing with hi his own gift. The other was much too large for the restaurant, plus since he didn't know what it was, he thought it would be best to open it home in private.
The meal went by smoothly, Ina calm again so that she talked slow enough for her father to read her hands and understand her. Dr Rand had grown fairly fluent in sign language by now but only if his daughter didn't speed-sign. It was while waiting for dessert that he brought out his small gift, tastefully wrapped in a box. He was grinning from ear to ear as he waited for her to open it. Curious and intrigued, Ina picked up the small package and unwrapped a stylish-looking necklace, silver with a disc-shaped pendant. She jumped from her chair and hugged her father before he could explain it. Though she admired the trinkets the other girls at school wore, she knew she had a simpler life and couldn't expect the same things from her father. So this gift was a real treat. When Ina sat back down, her father began to explain to her that the necklace had a dual purpose. Not only was it beautiful and decorative, but it would serve a purpose. He encouraged her t put it on and proceeded to explain how it worked with vibrations and would alert her to any danger. It was programmed with a 5-meter radius and also could be connected to objects such as doors. When the disc picked up something it would vibrate against her skin, letting her know with touch if someone was behind her or opening a door. Ina was amazed; eh father had given her something to be independent, and it wasn't a hulking nanny-like droid like SP-1. She hugged him again, thinking ti the best gift ever.
Well, until she got home. Back at their apartment, Dr Rand brought out the other box that had been left at his office. He told her about it and then shrugged, emphasizing that he had no idea why or what it was. Intrigued for the second time that night, Ina carefully opened the box and inside as what looked like a metallic bird. Confused at why her father's bosses would send her a figurine--let alone any present--she drew it out of the box and immediately got the shock of her young life. The bird wasn't a toy or a fancy paperweight; it was alive. Jumping from her hands, it focused its glowing red eyes on her. Ina didn't move as she was a little frightened. He father was reading a note that had dropped from the box when the bird moved. He handed it to Ina to read. The note explained that the bird was AER-05, one of a special series of droids. 05 was trained in assassination, but the scientist's mysterious benefactor thought the bird would offer protection for his daughter, having heard of her earlier assault. Ina and Dr Rand gradually got used to 05 as they realized it was there to help them, not kill them. 05, equipped with a female voice, introduced herself and explained her purpose, similar to what the note had said. Ina's father acted as mediator, translating back and forth. It would be quite an adjustment, but Ina was sure that 05 would work out a lot better than SP-1 had. She finally believed that she would be all right now on her own, now with the necklace and the droid.
The next couple of years went by smoothly, well, as smoothly as they could with 05 trailing along to school with Ina, and Dr Rand returning to a higher workload at the office. His brief stint at being home more for his daughter had ended, but she didn't mind. She was well taken care of now and was blossoming into an independent young woman who just happened to be deaf.
Ofi (05's nickname garnered from Ina's schoolmates' interpretation of a deaf being trying to speak that had stuck) would unobtrusively sit in the back of her classes, allowing her freedom to learn as she wanted. She continued to excel in her classes, especially enjoying art and history, even a bit of local civics and politics. Her love of historical figures overcoming odds combined with what she had learned at home about Arkanian experiments had imbued her with a sense of meaning for her life. Though she loved art and knew it would make people happy, she wanted to make the world a better place, do something important. And so while she paid attention to her studies, she also began to focus on bigger things as well--politics, government and activism. For now it was all thought, not action, but Ina knew that when she was done at the Academy, that would change.
As well as being there in case of emergency, Ofi became one of Ina's dearest friends. With no friends at school, her father busy working and Mrs Willox gone, Ofi was the girl's only confidante. The deadly bird was an easy listener and a quick study of sign language. While 05 could not sign directly, she could understand it and reply back by jacking into Ina's datapad. And so Ina and Ofi talked about everything from gossip to deeper subjects like the current state of affairs.
Graduation day at the Academy came and went for Irrina Icharus. Thankfully she had not been valedictorian, not because she would have had to sign her speech, but because she didn't want another reason for her classmates to resent her. Despite any political aspirations she may have had, Ina still planned on going to university on the art scholarship she had received. She figured that university life would afford her the time to have many interests without having to focus on only one.
Even with all her hopes for her future, both father and daughter would be tested when Ina left for university. Though working a lot and allowing his daughter more and more independence, the time Dr Rand id spend with Ina was precious. And now in a few short days he would be coming home to an empty apartment. In addition to the same foreboding empty feeling as he father, 18-year-old Ina also feared that university would be like the Academy all over again, with her deafness and differing heritage getting in the way of true friendship. Not that this would stop her from going. She would have Ofi and also her extreme stubborness to learn as much as she could. For this young woman, the many pros strongly outweighed the few cons.
Just before leaving, with all her bags packed and in the waiting speeder, Ina asked her father again why she couldn't just stay home and commute. If Ofi could have, the robotic droid would have rolled her eyes. Dr Rand explained again that it would be far too much to travel for school. And that she could visit on weekends if she wished. Finally satisfied, she hugged and kissed her father good-bye and got in the airtaxi. As she looked back and waved to the aging scientist, shes couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach at this new chapter in her life.
Ina needn't have worried, though. The university, while still in Arkania's biggest city, was a complete 180 of the Academy of her earlier schooling. There were many different beings there, most coming for the prestigious science programs. The Offshoot would no longer stand out in the bustling and chaotic university community. Her roommate ended up being an Omwati named Riquiwa Cu. A very bubbly personality, Riquiwa immediately told Ina to call her Riqi and seemed at ease with both Ofi and the fact of her deafness. With everything going so well at this new school, Ina could feel that her life had nowhere to go but up. How far up would be the real surprise.
Though enrolled in the art program (and Riqi in the science one), Ina still had the flexibility to take some other courses like politics and sociology and other topics that interested her. Despite the increased education level, real friends like Riqi and a growing social life, she continued to study hard and make good marks Perhaps not as impressive as she had at the Academy but still in the highest percentile at the university. And she still enjoyed every minute of it, not feeling as strange that she was deaf. Here students were generally more serious and accepting and didn't allow petty things like deafness get in the way. Ofi would usually just perch in the back of the classrooms and let Ina do her thing, using lipreading in some cases, her datapad in others to gather information from lectures. The professors were much more accommodating to their students and posted notes via the Holonet that could be accessed.
When Ina wasn't in class, studying or out with Riqi and her other friends doing what university students loved to do in their spare time--goofing off and watching holovids--she as out looking for a way to get active in the local political scene. Even though the university was full of these groups, none of them really suited her, something that she later confided to Ofi and Riqi. And it was this conversation that gave her the solution--create her own group to raise awareness of the Offshoots to the general Arkanian public. With others behind her, she couldn't be ignored by the 'true' Arkanians, and it would finally allow her to put to use what she learned from her father's journals and her own life experience. Ina liked the idea and pitched her idea, starting advertising right away.
Things started slow with only Riqi, Ofi and Ina herself attending. But gradually other students began showing an interest after hearing Ina's personal story. Ina would sign, and Ofi would watch and translate for those who didn't understand sign language. Her group, while not as successful as some of the groups on campus, had a good core member base that met once a week. The only sad part to Ina was that no Arkanians had joined--lots of other beings but no Arkanians. She had hoped at least one would, to show that some were different, like her father.
Her father--she missed him, but it was a healthy ache, and after returning home the first weekend after going to university, she hadn't been back home, content to speak over text holocomm and enjoying her full life at college. Though he missed her as well, Dr Rand was happy for his daughter.
Ina's life at university continued on in much the same the next three years, the only difference being her classes and her Arkanian Offshoot activist/information group, which had grown steadily. Now it was a good 200 or so strong, and she had even had her father stopped by a couple times to speak. However, those were the only times a true Arkanian had come to her group.
By now her schedule contained mostly art and historical/political classes, those being her key interests. Ina continued to excel at her studies, enjoying them as much as she did in her first year.
The only thing she enjoyed more was defending her heritage and spending time with her friends, two activities that overlapped multiple times. In the three or so years since she had started it, they had held some rallies on campus, one of which had even caught the attention of the local news media and important and angry Arkanian businessmen. This fact, once discovered, only gave the university students more fuel to keep doing what they were doing. They felt the attention was sort of a vindication for their advocacy. And Irrina Icharus had become more than just the progenitor of the new proposed O.L.F. or 'Offshoot Liberation Front;' she was its figurehead. What had once been her interest and concern had snowballed into something much, much larger, and Ina couldn't have been prouder. As much as she enjoyed the looks on beings' faces as they marveled at her paintings, there was nothing like the feeling that hes was doing something really important with her life.
As the end of her university life drew near, Ina began to struggle with thoughts of what to do with her life afterwards. Ever since she was a little girl she had enjoyed painting, drawing, crafting beautiful things. And she had always planned on getting a small place somewhere and living a poor but happy artist's life. But now she felt like her life had so much more meaning now with her small advocacy group that was ever-growing. Ina had never envisioned herself moving into actual politics instead of studying from afar. Now, though, that was a thought that was joining her old childhood dream in her mind. And she had about a month to make up her mind, along with help from Riqi and Ofi, of course.
Dr Rand was proud when he joined the other parents and family members to watch Ina receive her university degree along with the other students. His daughter had come a long way since she had first come into his life. He was certain that if he hadn't stepped into interfere, Ina would not be standing there now, receiving her diploma or even have had any education at all. And that knowledge made him happier beyond words.
But his happiness was soon joined by sadness. Dr Rand had assumed Ina would move back home with him after university, at least for a little while, before she took the next step into the real world. Ina, though, had made p her mind and wanted to stay in the heart of the city. She would still be nearby, but Adasacapolis was a large bustling city with the scientific distinct on the opposite end of where the university and young beings' hot spots were. Ina explained to her father that this would be the best way for her to continue with her true passions. She would be near her friends and fellow activists and be in the middle of the city's art scene. Dr Rand was disappointed but understood his daughter's decision. His daughter was 22 now, an adult, and he had to let her be one. WIth Ofi, Ina was fully capable of taking care of herself. So Ina came home only for some quality time with her father and to pack those items that hadn't gone to university wit her. Then she kissed hi good-bye and went off to the vibrant happening district in the city. Riqi had returned back to her home to pursue her degree, and so Ina rented a small loft for herself and Ofi (along with her father's help--a last token before he let go). Ina was now fully on her own for the first time in her life.
Life in her downtown loft went fast and smoothly for Ina. Dr Rand sent her monthly stipends for food and other necessities. It was the only way he would let her live on her own. She spent most of her time painting, enjoying the freedom she had had as a child to continue to work as long a she wanted. No longer was she restricted by ending class periods. Plus the plight of her fellow species, the Offshoots, kept inspiring her work, and more solemn colors entered her paintings, sparked with a little bit of bright red, signaling hope. Ina couldn't think of a happier time in her life.
With Ina staying inside a lot except to attend rallies here and there, to run errands or study up on the current political arena, Ofi was left idle much of the time. But this didn't bother the bird-like droid at all. It gave her time to update her memory banks, always gathering the latest information on Ina's interests. The two of them would sometimes have heated debates, Ina signing to Ofi and Ofi responding promptly through Ina's datapad. The droid had given up trying to sign with her metal wings.
When they went out, Ofi would sit on Ina's shoulder or more often, nestle into the young woman's large bag. No one hardly gave the pair a second glance; they were intent on their own business or maybe just didn't see the small Ofi. It was one of these times--Ina had heard about a gallery opening a few blocks from her loft and wanted to check her 'competition'--that they happened upon a gathering in a city park. Curious, they detoured to check it out and discovered it was some kind of political rally. Signs were everywhere. Ina knew elections were soon but never thought a candidate would come to this area of the city. Young beings were picky voters and didn't always agree with the older politicians. Ofi and Ina went to investigate, wanting to know who was speaking and what he was saying. It turned out to be a familiar face, Benzi Malacan, someone she had gone to university with and who had attended a few of her O.L.F. group meetings. He was a young upstart human, trying to garner attention away from the city's current mayor. Ina knew he was ambitious, having aspirations far beyond that of city mayor--but she also knew it would be hard for a non-Arkanian to be elected to office, especially one so young, as he was 25, only a year older than Ina's 24 years. She wished him luck, though, and stayed for his speech. If canyon could change Arkanians' minds (besides herself) it would be Benzi.
She believed in his platforms (equality for all, lower taxes for middle class, reducing factory emissions, etc.) so much that she joined his campaign. Ina's painting and art took a back seat as she and Ofi worked hard to spread the word of Benzi Malacan for Adascapolis mayor. Most beings she encountered snubbed them; Arkanians because of her looks, others because they believed Benzi had no chance. But they pressed on, Ina's quiet stubbornness pushing through, and she rose the ranks in the campaign, becoming one of Benzi's inner circle.
Election day came; votes were counted. All the news media around the planet watched and waited, elder politicians wanting to prove they were right, the young beings wanting to prove others wrong. And in the end the results were close--Benzi Malacan was elected mayor with only 4,500 more votes than the current mayor. So confident were the elder statesbeings of the result, they hadn't bothered to vote, leaving room for Benzi to squeak through. Thee weas a huge celebration that night, and Ina was one of the key speakers on Mayor Malacan's behalf. She was beginning to see all her talk and hard work from university paying off. No longer was it just a dream. Perhaps now with Benzi in power, the concept of equality for all, Arkanians and Offshoots, would gain purchase in the political arena.
With the election over and the media circus surrounding it drying down, Ina's life went back to normal, with one big change--she began working in Benzi's office, easily making the transfer of duties. Her hours were shorter, though, and she had time again to attend to her art. On the weekends she continued looking for a gallery to show off her art, while during the week she worked in the mayor's office. Her role and importance had been downgraded a bit, but she didn't mind. It gave her more freedom.
But after only a few months of working there, the 25-year-old Ina began finding out the truth of who Benzi Malacan really was. She had thought he was different, but he turned out to be like all the other politicians she had read about. He had used lies and her ideas and help to get himself elected. After that, he didn't care how many promises he went back on. Ina was disgusted and finally quite her job. As much as she enjoyed seeing the inner workings of the mayor's office, she knew she couldn't work for a double-crosser like Benzi. And so she left, going back to fall on her art and new pieces with a lot of black, wondering if any politician would ever stand by his or her word.
She tried not to let this new revelation get her down, preferring to stay positive. Though, this was hard, considering it still rankled her that Benzi had been a two-faced politician, only attending her university group as an 'in' to the mayor's office. And the beings higher up on the ladder weren't any better; Ina felt all the planetary leaders and the Arkanian senators were corrupt, too, not to mention the rest of the Republic Senate. The more she read from the Holonet the more she feared for her beliefs. She wondered if the Offshoots would ever be treated equally. Here in the heart of the bustling metropolis it wasn't so bad, but in the outskirts--she couldn't bear to think about it.
Ina kept to her art, the only thing that let her mind escape. She still painted but had also ventured into sculpture, liking the way the clay felt in her hands, her five-fingered hands. Punching and squeezing it was a great stress relief. A week-long visit from Riqi also proved to bolster her spirits, and she, Ofi and her friend stayed up late talking, just like in university.
It was one of these nights that would again change Ina's life. She had been telling Riqi about the real Benzi Malacan, and Ofi had brought up gossip she had heard regarding the mayor and a possible empty senate seat in a year and a half. The senior senator was retiring, the junior one moving up, creating a vacancy. The droid had heard whisperings of Benzi's higher political aspirations. Ina couldn't stand the thought that Benzi would spread his poison on the galactic scale. And so, without another thought, Irrina Icharus, Arkanian Offshoot, stepped into the race to give Benzi a run for his money.
The next year blew by fast for Ina as she held fund-raisers, made campaign speeches (with Ofi's help), attended rallies. She even visited the other cities on Arkania to get her name out there. Even with her father's money and influence backing her, Ina knew it would be an uphill battle. No one else stepped up to oppose Benzi, and it would be p to her to take him down. The Arkanians had a tough decision head of them--would they vote human or lower class Arkanian? Preliminary polls showed favor towards Benzi, but Ina pressed on, knowing what she spoke for and stood for would never be a lying promise. The people had to get over their prejudice, or she would never win.
Riqi helped as well, contracting old university friends and reconnecting with the current O.L.F. on campus, rather small after Ina graduated. Ofi spread rumors through the Holonet about Benzi, some legally, some not. Dr Rand continued to give what credits he could and tried to convince his superiors to back his daughter, not Mayor Malacan. But it was hard for the general populace to accept Ina as a senator, let alone an equal.
Slowly but surely, though, there were murmurings that Ofi came across that suggested the senatorial race might be closer than anticipated. Beings were hearing Ina's platforms and thinking about them. Mostly the interest was from the lower class and non-Arkanians, but it was something. Though high-ranking Arkanians held most of the power on the planet, they were not in the majority, and majority also held some power in numbers. Ina and her supports were feeling optimistic. Perhaps they could still beat Benzi and get the plight of the Offshoots heard by more than just a few--and start a movement to gain equality for all.
Everyone gathered in Ina's loft the night of the election to watch the results come in--Ofi, Dr Rand, Riqi and her boyfriend and a couple die-hard activists the Omwati brought from the university. Ina was so nervous she sat at her easel, one eye on the holoprojector. The results came in slowly with Benzi in the early lead but Ina only 5-7% behind at any given time. Ofi was right; it was going to be a close one. The numbers continued to pouring in silently; Dr Rand didn't care for the commentary and muted it. Ina was gaining on Benzi, but he still had the lead. The small group waited up all night until the entire planet's votes had been counted. And in the end the result was close--Ina had won by only 2% over Benzi. The 27-year-old deaf Arkanian Offshoot with bright blue eyse and almost white hair had become the newest junior senator for her planet. The young woman was stunned as she sat by her painting, her friends celebrating around her. The next step for her was to move to Coruscant, a reality that was just not hitting her. She would miss her father, surely, but it would be for a good cause. Now he people finally had some hope, and Ina was proud to provide it.
[See Ina's Databank thread for more of her continued adventures.]
[continued below]
