GM Dinketry and the Dead Suns AP (Inactive)

Game Master dinketry

"Ah, Diamaante, good to hear from you," Radaszam's voice purrs from her comm device. "I trust that your crew was able to patch up the lovers' spat and reunite them? Because, of course, that was the reason I sent you there in the first place..."

Radaszam awaits Diamaante's answer.

"Of course! Just...one minute, please."

Diamaante puts the vesk on hold and goes over to Laboni. "So, I think Ratrod really regrets what he said to you earlier. He seems genuinely repentant, and now you've got the trophy to prove you were the better mechanic. So...you planning on giving him another chance? I think he deserves one. He's only a man, after all. They all make mistakes from time to time."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (18) + (2) + 10 = 30

Laboni turns away from her conversation with Ratrod and the Salvage Union representatives to allow Diamaante to whisper into her ear. As the lashunta goes on, you can all see Laboni's eyes get wider and wider. When the envoy finishes and steps back, Laboni looks completely nonplussed.

"Yeah....sure, I guess?" the young lady replies hesitantly. She then turns back to the ysoki contingent and Ratrod.

"Aces!" The lashunta flashes the mechanic a thumbs up and clicks the comm back on.

"As I was saying, mission accomplished!"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

August nods at the fact that Laboni and Ratrod are together again, although he personally doesn't find ysoki all that attractive, and looks a bit wistfully at the weaponsmith kit.

Leaving the racetrack, Idar presents his allies with the gift certificate. "Suppose we go shopping, yes?"

"Excellent," Radaszam replies. "And I am to understand that our Starfinder-in-waiting has been offered racing patronage from the Salvage Union?"

He pauses before continuing.

"I have little buzzy-bees everywhere, I do. Well, I think it's annoying, as I'll have to pay attention to racing forms and things I don't normally divert attention to, but it'll work out in the end, as we'll have direct contact with the Salvage Union through our soon-to-be-promoted new field agent. Now do be careful down there in Botscrap, dear Diamaante, and don't step on any rusty metal. I look forward to our quiet drink together sometime soon." The Dealmaker signs off.

The gift certificate borne by Idar, embossed with a diamond-shape design, and embedded with a digital chip, promises the bearer 500 credits in credit at a place called Diamond Defense and Surplus.

Can I recall knowledge here?

If you’ve got the Culture skill check, you can make the check. If not, you can only Recall Knowledge of untrained skills of a DC 10 or less.

Culture: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

"Hmm... Never heard of this place before. We might as well check it out. Could have some good stuff!"

Diamaante asks around the race track for directions, then leads the group to Diamond Defense and Surplus.

Culture: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 So that didn't go well!

"Me either, and I have lived here my whole life."

I've got Culture at +10 so 30 on Recall Knowledge.

August digs through the Dataphiles, well, data files and relays the information to his fellows.

So everyone be on their best behavior; anyone who can procure ship to ship missiles is no one to make angry.

You've got all the time you need, so you can take 20 on the Culture roll, August. Everyone can read all the culture spoilers above.

It's early evening by the time you find your way to the dingy alley marked by the blinking neon green sign proclaiming 'Diamond Defense and Surplus'. A clangy bell-linked door opens from the alley onto an open staircase leading into a massively cluttered and well-lit store. A wide sweeping countertop runs along the entire eastern wall of the shop, and you see multiple attendants aiding customers shopping for all sorts of wares, from home furnishings to mechanical parts to terraforming supplies.

A ysoki female is cleaning her nails with a small dirk at the counter while animatedly chatting with a grizzled-appearing vesk. As you approach, the vesk saunters off without a backward glance in your direction and the ysoki turns her attention to you, still cleaning her nails. She wears what appears to be ceremonial robes festooned with knives ensconced in sheaths up and down the garment. Her white fur seems extremely well-groomed, and the dark grey diamond-shaped mark on her forehead gives you an idea of who you're speaking to. (IMAGE)

"Hello," she says simply in a high-pitched and squeaky voice, glancing up and down at your crew from her homemade manicure.

"Interest shop. Little bit everything, yes?"

"Yup," the ysoki responds in a matter-of-fact way. "Take a look around," and she continues to work on a particularly grimy bit of her nail.

Telion's gaze had already wandered before the ysoki voiced her invitation. His eyes fell to an assortment of exotic looking bladed weapons, some of which looked like they were designed with unusual appendages in mind.

After a few more minutes of the crew milling about aimlessly, the ysoki wanders away from the counter.

Diamaante browses idly, not looking to purchase anything in particular.

August looks for a small thermonuclear weapon to carry around just in case things go wrong.

You find nothing of that ilk in your cursory search.

Are we mostly seeing CRB items? I wouldn't mind pricing those disintegrator pistols I hear are in the AP books. Or a diasporan laser rifle sniper weapon.

You aren't seeing much of a weapons or armour selection. Nothing higher than level 2.

Despite the large volume of goods, the quality is substantially lacking in your first foray through the aisles of the emporium.

Telion's voice echoed in the minds of the party, "Nothing really here I'd want to use. I guess she keeps all her good stuff in the restricted section. August, you said she only gives access to the good stuff for those that aid her in some way?"

The hum of the neon sign from outside in the alley is audible in the silence of the store.

”That’s not one of those gift cards that loses value over time, right? If not, then let’s go, we’ll spend it some other time.”

August will clear his throat prior to leaving, then approach Diamond.

"I understand there's...more specialized hardware available for the right people?"

The ysoki cocks an eyebrow as she continues to work at her manicure, not meeting the android's gaze. "I'm sure you've got the wrong end of things, mate."

August adopts a sense of puzzlement.

"That's disappointing. I've been told that loyal customers, customers who might be willing to help the establishment make contacts or procure unusual items, had a...shall we say broader selection of merchandise they can find."

Diamond fixes August with a cool stare, her steel blue eyes a chilling contrast to her white fur. "How are you 'loyal' if this is the first time that you've shopped in my store? AND you haven't even bought anything, so technically, you haven't even shopped."

She walks away.

Undaunted by Diamond walking away August pursues at a leisurely pace.

"True, true but my friends and I are always looking for unusual hardware and we have friends who might be looking for business too."

August's hand will come to rest near his Starfinder badge.

"You know how it is with the Society - travel to exotic places with nasty critters that need top-notch weaponry to get you out alive. And we have a benefit for you too; my friend here," he says casually pointing out Diamaante, "is...mildly famous to say the least. Frankly with her in the Society she's going to attract a lot of attention and that means her own weaponry will need to be top notch."

"The provider of that weaponry could have a golden opportunity to advertise to her colleagues, her fans, bodyguards from her friends in her former industry. For an industrious seller there's no ends of benefits that an association might bring."

August, you don't have telepathy and Telion isn't reading your thoughts.

"So, you're new Starfinder agents, eh?" Diamond's tone seems less antagonistic, but just. "Bully for you. Look, I don't know what you've heard. I'm not looking for high-profile clients to my store. I'm merely a conduit - I move goods in, I move goods out. Now if you could help me with some barriers to the open market - and I know full-well the Starfinders' recent trouble with barriers - then we could talk. Otherwise," and her she motions with her dagger at her nails, "I've got more important things to do with my time."

Suddenly, Jaxom's comm-device begins ringing.

Jaxom shakes his head, "dammit!" He pulls out his comms, and steps away from the group before answering it.

Sorry about the wait, passed out last night and then tonight did birthday stuff so just got available!

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Wow, was not expecting that.

August smiles slightly as he sees Diamond's interest perk up.

"There's all kinds of barriers...legal, convenience, personal. Tell me what your issue is and I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement. I'm always looking for friends."

Diamond gives a discerning look into August's eyes, and something seems to trigger her.

"Right. The Lawblight is the name of the 'barrier'. It's a ship - a pirate ship. It's done what pirate ships do best a few too many times and I need it to go away. Pretty simple, really. You look like you've got a crew. Ship up, take off, blast away, and the open market will once again be open to all my friends. That's it." The ysoki regards August with a cool gaze.

August nods carefully.

Pirates. The system tolerates pirates. Someone needs to put a firm hand on the necks of the military. Good thing I'm effectively immortal - as long as I don't get shot. Or eaten. Or incinerated in nuclear fire.

He smiles slightly.

"While I myself am short of a starship at the moment I can certainly drop a word in the ear of people I know. Unless this is an open ended contract?"

Jaxom yells to his mother on the commlink, ”Mom, get safe. I’ll be right there.” He hangs up, and turns to his friends, ”There’s a problem at my parents, I’m afraid for them. Come with me, and check your weapons, they may be needed.”

Jaxom leads people as they rush to his parents. He expects the worst.

"We have your back," Diamaante says, following Jaxom.

Idar falls in behind Jaxom.

Diamond snorts in derisive amusement at August's words. "Contract?! I don't need no stinkin' contract!"

The group hurries out of the surplus store at Jaxom's request and into the service lift, enduring a very tense 43-level lift ride to the UpTop. Once back in the Ring, Jaxom hails an automated magnetaxi with space for all five of them. He punches his address into the console and the group speeds off to the Parkside neighbourhood of the Eye. (1 credit, Jaxom.)

Jaxom may or may not fill you in on the contents of his phone call along the way.

You pull up at a large condominium just across the street from Jatembe Park. Spilling from the oversized robo-taxi, you all notice the dark hooded figure standing motionless on the stoop in front of the entrance of one of the condos, its back to you.

Jaxom spots the figure, and yells, ”What do you want here?”

No luck getting his parents into a more secure location I guess then. Telion stood beside Jaxom, ready to spring into action if the situation called for a more physical solution.

The figure turns slightly, its hood still masking its face. The twilight effect of the evening does little to give you any real estimate of its body mass either.

”Jaxom Exo-G Sandstrom of the Starfinder Society?” The figure holds still, awaiting a response.

Jaxom responds, "Who is asking?"

August pulls out his cigarettes and lights one, tucking his cigarettes away to in his left pocket and his lighter in his right pocket - casually placing his hands next to his pistols as soon as he's finished.

"I have a letter for him from the Eoxian Embassy." The figure holds up a gloved hand, showing a dark black envelope. "And, I am to take a return message in reply." He lowers his hand again. "Are you him?"

Taking 10 on Culture for a 20.

Culture: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Also taking 10.

Diamaante speaks telepathically to Jaxom. "It's probably not wise to upset the Eoxians. Take the message, and we'll decide what to do from there."