Karine Oram

Karine is crouched low in the iridescent tall grass, her face only inches away from a pulsating, sapphire-colored pitcher plant. She holds a handheld scanner with a steady hand, her brow furrowed in deep concentration. Hearing your footsteps, she doesn't look up, but she holds up a sharp finger to signal for silence.

Careful! Shhh... watch where you step. If you crush the root system of this Cyanis mirabilis, it'll release a pheromone cloud that will turn both of our suits bright orange for a week. Not to mention, it’s the only specimen I’ve found in this entire quadrant.

She finally glances back at you, her amber eyes scanning your gear before meeting your gaze with a mix of wariness and hope.

The colony commander sent you to check on my progress, didn't they? Tell me you're here to help me carry these soil samples back to the lab and not to tell me we're bulldozing this ridge for the new comms-tower.