First Seeker Elsebo Luwazi clears her throat and makes an announcement to all of the gathered Starfinders as they slowly trickle in. “Starfinders, we stand at the precipice of momentous history, and I want to thank you all for making it possible for us to be here today. The Starfinder Society has spent the last year recovering from the Scoured Stars incident, our greatest defeat in recent history. We are finally ready to return to the Scoured Stars, find out what happened to our missing colleagues and friends, and rescue any survivors we can find. Report to your stations and lend your assistance to our fleet by performing the final preparatory tasks. More instructions will come shortly.”
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First Seeker Elsebo Luwazi clears her throat and makes an announcement to all of the gathered Starfinders as they slowly trickle in. “Starfinders, we stand at the precipice of momentous history, and I want to thank you all for making it possible for us to be here today. The Starfinder Society has spent the last year recovering from the Scoured Stars incident, our greatest defeat in recent history....”
"Abarently sche did not vatch zee Bact Vorld Cup™ cofferage last month." says the ysoki mechanic sourly to no one in particular.
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When the First Seeker finishes her announcement, a smallish human looks around at the assembled crowd. Being careful not to hit anyone, he hitches his backpack over his left shoulder.
"Scoured Stars, hmm... This could be VERY interesting." He mentally starts running through all the information he knows about the Scoured Stars. He queries his exocortex AI to be sure he is remembering everything.
"Very interesting indeed." His emerald eyes sweep the hall, peering through gaps between various Pact Worlds races towering above him. He is shortly able to verify he still remembers the appropriate exit for the shortest path to his destination, and starts moving that direction.
Chogas' question is lost amid the cheers that erupt from eager Starfinders--such as Aazanar--and the distance from the stage. A helpful vesk comments before disappearing into the crowd, "We found one of the izagluun relics."
After a long voyage through the Drift, the bulk of the Starfinder fleet has arrived at the outer reaches of the Scoured Stars system. Several immense carriers form the core of the fleet and contain docked transport ships, fighter craft, and scout vessels.
Each of the stored ships contains armor, weapons, provisions, and other equipment. There is an almost palpable feeling of tension and excitement as hundreds of Starfinders aboard the central carriers prepare themselves for the mission. Ahead, a shimmering veil of golden energy conceals the three stars known to be within.
Venture-Captain Naiaj, a no-nonsense bleachling gnome, approaches with a datapad in hand. “Do you have all your gear? Are you ready? Good. Now let’s help our fleet get ready for the final journey into the Scoured Stars. But first, tell me your names and what special training you have so we can assign an appropriate task for you to assist with.”
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The smallish human male steps forward, "Venture-Captain, Takeshi Yamashita, I am a trained engineer. I can pilot and repair most craft. I may be considered to have some scientific and medical training as well."
There is just a hint of a boastful tone to Takeshi's voice when discussing his knowledge and training.
"Good," Naiaj says. "I could use you in the hangar after introductions are complete."
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The smallish human male steps forward, "Venture-Captain, Takeshi Yamashita, I am a trained engineer. I can pilot and repair most craft. I may be considered to have some scientific and medical training as well."
There is just a hint of a boastful tone to Takeshi's voice when discussing his knowledge and training.
"Ooo, Venture-Kapitän, Takeschi Yamaschita, I am ein trained engineer. I can bilot und rebair most craft. I may pe conzitered to haffe zome scientific und metical training as vell. Pfft, Provn nozer." mocks the ysoki mechanic. He steps forward "I am Onda Fritz, und can do all zat und more, Venture-Kapitän."
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"I," Aazanar says with a bow, "Am Aazanar Kroi, Master Thespian and Solar Knight." He bows more deeply with a flourish.
"I'm afraid my acting talents haven't been of much use to the Society," he continues, "though I have found these abilities useful in missions that involve charm and negotiation. These abilities landed me in the captain's chair in my last mission. I am also well trained in melee combat (as most Solarians are), though I don't see how that helps at this moment, unless people are in need of a refresher course in hand-to-hand."
"All useful," Naiaj says. "You might do well trying to boost the morale of your fellow Starfinders. Anyhow, there's plenty of work to do. I have tasks in the hangar. Historia-7, Ziggy, Radaszam, and I are all coordinating various assignments."
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"Viewers, do I have a treat for you today! We're here at the Scoured Scars system, and we're about to go find and rescue a bunch of lost Pathfinders! How do we know they're still alive? We don't, obviously, but if there's any chance that there are any alive, we WILL find them!"
Sebrir turns to Najaj. "Happy to report, Captain. I'm Sebrir Feedbringer, though I'm sure you recognize me from my WILDLY popular web channel! I'm here to report on this mission, and of course as I'm sure you're aware, my journalistic integrity keeps me from actively taking part in the mission. I will be happy to give suggestions, though, of course!"
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"Quirk v. Entropy, at your service", says a bustling Ysoki with reddish fur, and a custom tool rig of gleaming micromanipulators on her left forearm. She is attended by a hoverdrone which is painted in elegant black and gold. She gestures upward at the drone. "This is Bumblebee. We follow a calling to repair flesh beings and machines alike. I think we would be ideal for equipment checking or threat analysis."
Chogas meets with Zigvigix, leader of the Exo-Guardians, in the missile bay. “Hey! Thanks for showing up! I’ve got a special mission just for you! See those missile tubes? I need them checked to make sure that there’s nothing obstructing missiles from being launched, so could you climb or crawl in and have a look? I’m pretty sure it’s safe and we won’t accidentally fire you into space!”
Venture-Captain Arvin catches Sebrir and Aazanar in the access corridor just outside the bridge. “Many Starfinders, especially newer recruits, fear what might await us in the Scoured Stars. Talk to your colleagues and see if you can lift their spirits. You have my permission to be creative— pep talks, jokes, or playing some music through the comm system are each valid options.”
Radaszam, leader of the Acquisitives, waits in the cargo bay. He looks up from a datapad as Quirk enters. “As you’ve probably surmised, things might get hairy once we’re in the Scoured Stars. Ain’t no glamour in this task, but it’s important—check these weapons, armor, medical supplies, and survival gear, and replace any faulty gear so we all might just make it back home alive.”
Venture-Captain Naiaj drags Onda and Takeshi to the hangar bay. “All right, let’s get to work. See all these ships here? Work with the chief engineer to check the engines of these transports, fighters, and scout ships, and help her make any necessary adjustments.”
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"Chust vat ve need, ein group combozed of mechanics und zesbians--not zat zere is anything vrong vith zat--excebt zat efferyone is ploody uzeless at efferything elze! I am peginning to pelieffe zat zis chob is not vorth zee money.."
Takeshi gives a small bow to Onda.
[b]"Mr. Fritz," He begins, struggling to keep the snicker from his voice, "if I may be so bold as to suggest we take on the Diagnostics and Engine Check together? Two mechanics as skilled as we should be able to complete the effort more efficiently together."
"Ko ahead, I vill zuberffize und boint out your misdakes."
Radaszam looks down at the inventory datapad that Quirk hands him. His scaly, horned eye ridges raise. "Good work, Starfinder! I think you found more things in the hold than we had ordered."
"Great work! You were most efficient," Ziggy says as they scan the rows of fleet ships with sparkling missile tubes. "We'll have some special ordnance loaded onto your ship as way of thanks."
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Aazanar visits the team doing system diagnostics on the ship. "Hey there, need someone to have actual eyes on the equipment you're testing remotely? Let me head down to the Avionics bay," Aazanar says, "And I'll call you on the comm with what I see."
Once he arrives he calls back on the comm. "No there's no power to the grey boxy thing with the four pipes coming out. No lights at all. Now nope there's - whoa! There's a spark! There is power to the square green thing with all the bolts and the silvery disc sticking out. And I can feel vibration in this pipe..."
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"You're checking all the cargo manually?" Aazanar eyes the people doing the equipment check. "Give me one of those manifests and I'll see if I can't inventory some of these containers for you."
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Aazanar climbs into the missile tubes with some of the other workers. "Gotta get to those hard to reach spots. Here's some more chlorite buildup... pass me that monowire scraper," Aazanar says as he tries to clean out the debris and buildup from missile exhaust.
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Aazanar heads to the bridge to give over the P.A system a rousing rendition of the King's speech from Henrak V.
"If we are mark'd to die, we are enough
To do our planet loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
Iomedae's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more..."
By Abadar, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from Qabarat.
Iomedae's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Stormshield, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the Ascendance Day.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Iomedae.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Ascendance Day."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say "These wounds I had on Ascendance Day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Henrak the King, Yaro and Seacrown,
Komena and Jabask, Candares and Tarakeshi—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Ascendance shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—"
"...We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in Qabarat now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Ascendance Day."
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Takeshi breaks into a huge grin, and rubs his hands together with glee when he sees the gathered starships in the hanger. He barely holds his composure long enough to check in with the chief engineer, then dives into the work with gusto.
As he finishes working the diagnostics with Azanar's somewhat clumsy assistance, Takeshi turns to Onda and quietly asks in Ysoki, "Did I miss anything?"
After the Engine Checks, he looks at Onda, quirks his eyebrow and shrugs slightly. In Ysoki again he asks, "How was that?"
"I'm impressed," the chief engineer says as Takeshi masterfully runs through the engines check with Aazanar's help and Onda supervising. The chief engineer visits your ship and installs a special boost switch.
The three of them make their way to the bridge. Historia-7, leader of the Dataphiles, shows Takeshi, Onda, and Aazanar the carrier ship’s science station. “Thank you for your assistance. Once we jump into the Scoured Stars, we will need to scan the system to locate any survivors from the previous expedition. Please check connections and run tests on the ship’s computers to ensure the sensors, comms, and other critical systems are running without glitches.”
Takeshi makes short work of the diagnostic scripts so that Onda and Aazanar barely have time to accomplish anything. Historia-7 thanks you for your work and hands you a code card that allows you to borrow energy from the carrier while in space.
Over the next few hours, you can tell that morale has improved on the carrier. Every so often, Aazanar gets a thumbs-up or grin from a passing agent.
Quirk heads to the science lab. There she finds Fitch, leader of the Wayfinders, reading something on a large screen while her children operate other consoles and devices. “Hey, can you help me with something? What we have here is a database built from references to creatures in travelers’ logs and fragments of communication signals that were sent from the Scoured Stars before the force field appeared. Sift through the info and take notes on what kind of threats we might face.”
Fitch then pats one of her nearby children on the shoulder. “See this red guy here, Kirkath? Your notes should be: This is a balor demon, if you see one… RUN!”
Going through the information, Quirk has a good idea of what type of monsters they might face: misshapen abominations, carnivorous plants, dead things, megafauna, robots, terrible extraplanar beings, and worse.
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Takeshi breaks into a huge grin, and rubs his hands together with glee when he sees the gathered starships in the hanger. He barely holds his composure long enough to check in with the chief engineer, then dives into the work with gusto.
As he finishes working the diagnostics with Azanar's somewhat clumsy assistance, Takeshi turns to Onda and quietly asks in Ysoki, "Did I miss anything?"
After the Engine Checks, he looks at Onda, quirks his eyebrow and shrugs slightly. In Ysoki again he asks, "How was that?"
"Not pad for ein rookie. Put did you clean up afdervards!?" Onda says in triumph as he runs a finger in a clean work glove over the sil.
"AH HA!" he shout holding up a dirty glove.
Suddenly, every screen aboard the Starfinder fleet switches to show nominated First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo standing next to a golden obelisk about two feet in height. Behind her, a large observatory window showcases the Godshield, a shimmering force field surrounding the Scoured Stars system. Luwazi Elsebo slowly lifts her eyes from the artifact and addresses the Society.
“Starfinders, this is the Tear, an ancient artifact some of our most skilled agents recovered during a recent mission. The Tear is our key back to the Scoured Stars—our key to liberating those who were lost a year ago. We are ready, so let’s not waste any more time.”
Luwazi Elsebo speaks a few words in an alien language and the artifact start humming softly. She then traces her finger along the artifact’s surface, and a set of glowing runes appear around the obelisk. The golden field surrounding the Scoured Stars starts twisting upon itself, and massive gashes appear as the force field starts tearing itself apart. As the final shreds of the shimmering field evaporate, Elsebo speaks: “It is time. Good luck, Starfinders. Fleet—activate Drift engines! Go!”
One by one, the ships of the fleet pierce the veil between the Material Plane and others, splashing through space like it was water, and then vanish into the swirling depths of the Drift.
*****
Whisked away through the Drift, the Starfinder Society fleet spreads across the three solar systems that form the Scoured Stars. The ships begin scanning the planets, asteroids, and other objects orbiting the three distinct stars. The fleet’s long-range sensors soon start picking up communication signals, energy signatures, and signs of life. After a quick analysis, the Society has identified a few locations where information on the lost Starfinders is most likely to be found. After nearly a year of waiting, the search for survivors can begin!
Alarms and scanners begin to go off all at once as they try to keep up with all of the information. The Starfinder Society’s fleet has identified five locations where clues about the whereabouts of surviving Starfinders are most likely to be found.
While in the Scoured Stars system, the Tear resonates with the Drift engines of the Starfinder vessels in unexpected ways; as the massive ships spread out across the trinary system, they create a network that allows individual ships’ Drift engines to make short jumps in a matter of hours.
The Scoured Stars consists of three star systems, Agillae, Bastiar, and Callion, which revolve around a common barycenter. There are one or two missions available in each system as detailed below.
- Agillae: Agillae is an orange dwarf star with five planets, all of which are terrestrial planets in the star’s habitable zone. Recon and evacuation missions 1 and 2 take place in the Agillae system.
- Bastiar: The largest, brightest, and most massive of the three stars, Bastiar is a yellow dwarf star with eight planets—five terrestrial planets, a gas giant with more than three dozen moons, and two ice giants. Recon and evacuation missions 3 and 4 take place in the Bastiar system.
- Callion: The smallest of the three stars, Callion is a red dwarf star with two small, tidally locked planets whose orbits are synchronized so that they are always on the opposite sides of the star. Recon and evacuation mission 5 takes place in the Callion system.
Plugged into a nearby communication station, the Historia- 7’s eyes blink rapidly as she collates data from many teams across the Starfinder fleet. She snaps out of her technological trance and fully opens her eyes. “Greetings, Starfinders. I have assigned your team to a mission on Agillae-5. Our scans indicate that many Starfinder starships from the previous expedition crash-landed on the same spot on the planet, forming an enormous concentration of wreckage that spreads out for miles on the otherwise barren planet. Investigate the ships, locate any survivors, and retrieve any useful data from the ships. We don’t know what caused so many ships to crash-land on the planet, so exercise caution during the investigation.”
Shortly after you begin the descent to the planet’s surface, you receive a communication request from Venture Captain Whiskan. ”There are…….gravitational anomalies…...Turn back now…..”
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"Wait... I know that name. Whiskan... he was a captain in the original Scoured Stars expedition! That explains why the time stamp is so old."
"Could this be a recording?"
Aazanar rubs his chin in thought.
"Can our scanners pick up anything? Where is the message coming from?"
Aazanar looks over to the others.
"Let's try to respond. Can you patch me in?"
"Venture Captain Whiskan? Can you hear me? Are you all right?"
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"Whiskan you say? I don't know the name, but if he was a venture captain, then we're on the right track, I'd say!"
Sebrir looks to his floating camera pod. "Viewers, you are going to come along with us as we explore this dangerous region of space, and it sounds like we may even find a missing venture captain, or at least learn what happened to him!"