The Rex Project: Part I

The Rex Project: Part I, more commonly known as The Rex Project, is a novel written by John Pitchardson Rex and published in 947 ACA, shortly after Rex's departure from the role of CEO of the Gen II Corporation. The story centres around the true story of the events of the 945 ACA Macmar Island Incident. While John is credited as the main writer of the novel, it also contains numerous perspectives of the Macmar Island Incident, including those of Tara Sauranis, Joseph Bobington IX, Malsiadae Kordonus & Spyral Ulburnr.

In 983 ACA, 5 years after John Pitchardson Rex's passing,  The Rex Project - Definitive Edition  was released to the public, including a never-before-seen prologue & epilogue, as well as a centred storyline, mixing all of the respective accounts together.

'' You can read the full novel here. ''

Plot Synopsis
The events of The Rex Project begin in the Ardol Formation, where a enthusiastic CEO of Gen II John Pitchardson Rex has journeyed to meet Tara Sauranis, with a proposition that she come to Rex's island resort in the Endless Sea, in return for continued funding of Sauranis' palaeontological digs. After brief discussion over drinks, Sauranis agrees to visit the island, mostly enticed by the idea of continued funding.

Chapter 2 picks up 3 days later on the boat to Macmar Island, where Rex & Mal Kordonus, one of the other members of Rex's tour group, meet in person for the first time. After brief conversation about Kordonus' discoveries & their height difference, Rex gathers the other members of the tour group to introduce themselves over yet more drinks. Here we are introduced to the rest of our main characters:


 * Spyral Ulburnr
 * Joseph Bobington IX
 * Pablito Elquagero
 * Raptor Amenruta

The introductory conversations are cut short by Macmar Island's stunning cliffs coming over the horizon, leaving the tour group speechless and Rex ecstatic.

Chapter 3 begins shortly afterwards, with Rex's boat landing at the dock and the tour group taking in the stunning view of the 'long, pristine beaches' that line the island's coast. The captain of Rex's yacht then enlighten the tour group on the scheduled storm evacuation drill that would be taking place at the same time as the tour. The group takes concern to this, yet Rex brushes off the captain's remarks and distracts everyone with the custom Fjord vehicles that would be the centre of transportation around the island once the facility opened. Once inside these new vehicles, Kordonus, Sauranis & Bobington voice their concerns, believing that there is more to this park than meets the eye. The vehicles take the tourers to the Discovery Centre, the centrepiece of the Main Complex, a giant white building 'designed to host 200-300 people'. Rex leads them inside the main foyer, which hosted a ginormous Manothronax skeleton, before introducing them to the café. Sauranis' suspicions get the better of her and she runs into the Staff Only Area, only to encounter a live Ashuratitan in a large lab.

Chapter 4 revolves around the Ashuratitan, mainly due to fact that it is a live dinosaur, something previously considered to be 'scientifically impossible'. Here we meet Dr. Vitruvius Dil, the Chief Geneticist at the park, who explains the genetics and the process of recreation to the group. Sauranis raises a lot of questions, mainly of concern to Dil, who responds by explaining that the dinosaurs 'are not pure', and that they have a host of genetic modifications to adapt to the new environment and to suit life as animal attractions. However, when Sauranis tries to ask more in depth questions, Dil dismisses them and Rex takes them to the official tour vehicles, raising further concern within her in regards to the dinosaurs and their potential abilities that Dil refused to discuss. With the tour group now in the tour vehicles, Lance Kinken, simply called 'the technician' in the novel, begins the tour program.

Chapter 5 encompasses the tour, beginning with the tour vehicles passing through the large entrance gate, while the tourers, with the exception of Sauranis, are ecstatic with the prospect of seeing live dinosaurs in the wild. Kordonus is particularly excited when they catch notice of a sign that pointed to the Marine Facility. However, back in the Control Room, Kinken & Rex catch knowledge of a growing tropical storm heading towards the island. Kinken sends out a Code 12 (Storm Warning) to all staff, as the tourers enter the Macronarian paddock. There they witness a large group of Ashuratitans grazing on large trees in the middle of rolling plains, however Kordonus suddenly jumps out of the tour vehicle after seeing one of them collapse behind the treeline. The rest of the tour group give chase into another plain behind the treeline, where they find Mal, the dinosaur & the Warden of the park, Alek Viskkos. Viskkos explains that the animal collapsed due to being tranquilised, as it had Termincrawlers and needed to be medicated as a result. Kordonus decides to stay with Viskkos and help medicate the animal, while the others continued with the tour.

Chapter 6 picks up the story 3 hours later, when the storm sets over the island, just as Viskkos & Kordonus return to the Discovery Centre. Once inside, Viskkos comforts a worried Rex, before the lights flicker and the power cuts out all over the park. This meant that the tour group, which were stuck outside the Andisaurus paddock, could no longer return to the Discovery Centre and were now alone with the giant carnivore. The Andisaur attacked one of the cars, before chasing Spyral away, giving time for Sauranis & Bobington to help the others. However, the Andisaur returned, forcing the remaining tourers to hide under the vehicle, only for the dinosaur to throw the vehicle off the side of the valley. Luckily, the vehicle survives by hanging onto a set of fallen wires by the wheels, however was slipping fast. Bobington wakes up after blacking out due to the impact, before he and the others quickly escaped the hanging vehicle just as it dropped into the valley below. The remains of the tour group regroup and head towards the Ceratopsian Centre.

Chapter 7 focuses on the rest of the people remaining on the island, with Rex sending Viskkos & Mal out into the park to bring back the members of the tour. Once they arrive, they find Spyral alive, merely playing dead to fool the Andisaurus. Viskkos locates the first vehicle at the bottom of the valley, severely damaged, but signs of the tour group escaping are also discovered. Before they can hypothesise, Kinken tells them to leave the paddock immediately, as the Andisaur is waiting, ready to ambush. It storms through the trees and follows them up the valley and through the fence, but the trio escape before the carnivore can give chase. Meanwhile, the survivors find a place to sleep in a tree on the herbivorous plains north of the carnivore paddocks.

Chapter 8 skips to the morning, where an argument between the people in the Discovery Centre is interrupted by the sound of glass shattering, and Viskkos is quickly lead to believe that the raptors have entered the building, just as he anticipated. Mal & Spyral head up to the lab where the glass shattering noise came from, where they are cornered by several Aeroraptor, one of the most dangerous animals to ever live. They manage to narrowly escape into the incubation chamber, where they find Dil dead on the floor, bleeding. Before they can process what is happening before them, the raptors find their way in through the doors and windows, engaging in combat with the pair. During the fight, Kordonus is pinned down by the alpha, before the alpha receives a devastating facial burn from Spyral, allowing them to escape. The rest of the group evacuate the building, but Viskkos is dragged away and slaughtered by the raptors before he can escape.

Chapter 9 catches us up with the survivors as they approach the edge of the herbivores' plains, to a riverside lodge where they collect supplies and discuss the plan moving forward. They come to the conclusion that they should head to the maintenance shed to restore power before attempting to call for rescue, then collecting the survivors in the Main Complex and escaping. Sauranis makes sure to take one of the metal guns before leaving.

Chapter 10, the penultimate chapter, initially covers Rex's group and their plan to restore power. Kinken takes up the helm of going to the maintenance shed, taking one of the guns and a radio, then disappearing. Meanwhile, the survivors approach the main gate, which is locked tight as a result of the shutdown. However, Bobington finds a way through by prying open the perimeter fence. The survivors, at the same time as Spyral who took the staff vehicle to search for Kinken, head for the Maintenance Building. Spyral arrives first, heading into the bunker and following the pipelines to the main catwalk, where they find the survivors. With the tour group reunited, they activate the power, finding the remains of Kinken scattered around the shed. Just as they are about to leave, they are cornered by a single Aeroraptor.

Chapter 11, the final chapter, picks up directly after the end of Chapter 10, with the raptor attacking the tour group, only for it to get its brains blown out by Sauranis. They make their escape and make their way to the Discovery Centre, where they call for help and tell Rex & Kordonus to 'get their asses over here'. This sense of elatedness is quickly quelled however, as the raptors begin to attack from all sides. A chase ensues around the Discovery Centre, which ends when the tour group are cornered by the raptors in the main foyer. After a failed attempt to escape the encirclement, the alpha prepares to kill them, before the alpha themselves are shot in the head by Rex, which causes the raptor pack to disperse, allowing the group to escape.

The novel ends on the boat, with Rex talking to Sauranis & Kordonus about this event will change their lives forever, and that they will never be the same again, ending with the iconic quote  'Life Always Finds A Way'.

Reception
The novel was critically acclaimed as one of the best and most extensive pieces of literature in Rathnir history, cementing not only the legacy of the book, but also of the events it portrayed. However, until the Malkkengarun Incident of 960 ACA, the book was dismissed as fiction, before Gen II finally came forward and admitted that the story was truthful. John Pitchardson Rex was actually sued by Gen II in 949 ACA, as the novel was a violation of his Non-Disclosure Agreement which he signed upon resignation from CEO of the company, however Rex was acquitted by the court on the condition that he agree to describe the book as fictional. This decision was repealed in 962 ACA after he successfully exposed Gen II's action under his & Garend Blue's administrations. The successor novel, The Rex Project: Part II was also affected as a result of this court ruling.