Orlam shrugs. "It could be. Thank you for the information. And my condolences about Duravor. He seemed a good sort, from what I have heard."
"Don't worry, we'll be fair and impartial in our investigation. I'm mostly just hoping that in the worst case, the crew has quarantined themselves because of a nasty infectious cold they don't want to be spread," Valius offers with a smile, trying to be positive even as his heart knows that they would find some worse fate for the crew.
"Actually, just one more question. They would have taken some samples of the Drift Rock before deciding it was worth dragging here, right? Where would they keep those samples?"
Otal finishes shaking hands with the group and ponders. "Well, the last time that I was aboard the Acreon they didn't have any sort of on-board science equipment. So maybe any samples they collected will be in the cargo bays?"
He smiles at the group as they ready to board the shuttle back to Absalom Station, mirthless and grim."Thank you again for agreeing to go to investigate the Acreon, and all the best of luck with it." He begins to turn before turning back. "Wait - one more thing right quick. Now, while I'm hopeful you'll find the crew well enough to come back to us, the chances of that happening are as likely as me setting foot on the surface of the Sun and not burning to a crisp. So if you find anything of use or value on the Acreon during your investigation, its yours. If Chimara or her crew are still alive, they're not going to care that it was used to rescue them. And in the case that they're not, then they're not going to care that it was taken either."
Mysterra stares at Otal for a long, long, LONG time, before suddenly standing.
"Goodbye."
She strides back onto the shuttle... finds and seat... caaaaarefully buckles herself in... then sits in stony silence.
What a lovely ship! I hope we can come back an visit again some time.
The short journey from the Dust Runner back to the awaiting arms of Absalom Station is short, allowing only a few minutes to mull over the conversation had with Otal before the pilot of the capsule announces that the docking process is underway. The capsule shudders to a stop against one of the umbilical clamps, and after a couple more minutes the group are free to alight back onto the station and go about the remainder of their preparation for the exploration of the stricken ship.
During this final respite before their trip to the Acreon, an eComm from Otal arrives. True to his word, the communication contains a crew manifest detailing briefly the name, race, and job title of the six members of the Acreon’s personnel.
- Chimara Hoenn: female human, captain
- Tormul Hoenn: male human, engineer
- Kingare Truss, male dwarf, demolitions specialist
- Orlumiel Sov’rin, male half-elf, pilot
- Phryne Swilern, female human, geologist
- Carret Frink, male human, engineer
A second message, this time from Ambassador Nor, arrives as the group are settling down to rest for the evening. The eComm instructs them to be at Docking Bay 12 at 9am, and to confirm that a shuttle has been arranged for their use in flying to the quarantine field. The remainder of the evening passes otherwise uneventfully, meaning a decent nights rest for the group of Starfinders, and they awake in the morning.
Orlam looks over the manifest, picturing the people behind the names and wonders at their lives. Were they somehow still alive on board that ship? Or were they all as dead as Duravor? The soldier shakes his head, knowing that death could come swiftly and unexpectedly - especially in deep space - but it sometimes seemed so senseless. Did the crew of the Acreon find something that others would have kept secret? The asteroid perhaps? Or maybe even the 'trinket' that the ambassador asked them to retrieve? Was Astral Extractions behind the incident, somehow? All questions that they might soon have answers to. If they survived long enough to tell the authorities on Absalom Station.
When Ambassador Nor's message comes through, the kasathas considers the instructions with an air of wry humor. "It seems we are being treated as very special persons. Or someone wants us well away from the public eye. Docking Bay 12 is a private-use docking bay, usually reserved for diplomats and other high-ranking officials." Orlam wonders if his concerns about this endeavor is becoming full-blown paranoia...
"And we don't have to worry about a customs check. So if we come back this way, nobody looks at the Ambassador's package."
Mysterra looks over the messages in stoic silence. Beneath her blank exterior, she worries.
At Orlam's words, she nods her head once, jerkily. "Interesting."
Then she excuses herself and retires for the night.
The group retires for the evening, the looming investigation weighing on their minds as they prepare themselves for the task at hand.
17 Lamashan 317AG
Waking the next morning and making their way through the station to Docking Bay 12, the people around them seem blissfully unaware of the group's mission as they go about their daily lives. The journey through the varying neighbourhoods is short, and soon the five Starfinders find themselves in a large open hangar with several individualized air-locked bays along the far wall. The station security presence here doesn't feel any less thorough than any other area of the station, with a number of armed guards posted at regular intervals within the hangar.
A familiar figure floats by the entrance to the second airlock door, flanked by no less than four of the Eoxian bone guards. Ambassador Nor, dressed in the same diplomatic finery as yesterday, casually turns in the air and gives a small bow of his elongated skull, the green pinpoints of light flaring brightly. "Ahh, you made it! I am glad indeed," he says, the four bone guards shuffling away from the diplomat and forming a semi-circle behind him.
"I trust that you are prepared for the undertaking of your investigation. As promised, I have secured a ship for you to use for your journey to the Acreon, which has been graciously given on loan by the Stewards." The Ambassador waves to the heavy perspex window set into the airlock door, revealing a light freighter painted in a faded yellow with blue trim sitting in the bay on the other side. "May I present to you the Hippocampus, graciously loaned by the Stewards. They have allowed me to install several improvements onto the vessel also in order for you to be better prepared for anything you may face and maximize your success."
Nor floats over to a small crate off to the side and lifts the lid off of it with a wave of his skeletal hand, revealing a diminutive drone that softly whirs into life. A pale blue light begins to blink steadily on the drone's underbelly. "As per our agreement, this drone will follow you throughout the Acreon and the Drift Rock, streaming audio and video to the Embassy for the purposes of collecting an unbiased record of the investigation that will be presented to both parties involved in the mediation. Measures have been taken to ensure the authenticity of the footage, at the request of both parties."
With another wave of his hands, a set of small patches floats out of the crate and into Ambassador Nor's grip, and he hands one to each of the group assembled before him. The patch appears to have a small camera lens and audio-capturing filament on one side, while the other side is coated in a plastic sheet on an adhesive backing. "If you could please adhere one of these to yourselves, these will act as both a tracking focus that will enable the drone to stay in proximity to one of you at all times, as well as provide a secondary means to capture footage in the event you are separated from one another during your investigation."
The skeletal figure clasps his hands together and nods. "I am sure that you are eager to begin. Have you any last questions before you settle onto the ship?"
Mysterra is practically bursting with excitement--on the inside. Outwardly, she seems as stoic aas ever. She gives her companions a jerky nod in greeting, and follows them off down the road towards Docking Bay 12.
After a full minute of travel she suddenly says, "Greetings."
She seems unsurprised to see Ambassador Nor, and makes no vocal reply to his remarks, although she does nod awkwardly to him once.
Then she moves to examine the Hippocampus.
Whatever she's discovered, she makes no visible reaction.
When Nor reveals the drone, Mysterra moves over to examine it instead, as well as the tracking patches.
Valius arrives with his helmet already in place and triple checked to ensure that his armor was airtight, knowing just how much his life might depend on it. He felt more than a little amusement seeing that the android members of the party were for the most part unconcerned with the possibility of having to become exposed to the vacuum of space.
When offered the adhesive lens, he peels it off and places it on his helmet's forehead so to get a view close to what his eyes would see. "It should be a cake walk. Probably. Hopefully. I just hope that the worst thing to happen is that they all died in their sleep." He clearly seemed positive that was probably not the case.
The ship itself is an unfamiliar vessel to Valius, though he expected that he could figure out which end the cockpit and engineering rooms were on the vessel. "What improvements have been installed?" He asks the Ambassador, still feeling a bit creeped out by being so close to an undead person. He kept telling himself that they were a person, and not some ravenous monster that would devour his guts.
Giving the drone and the camera patches a thorough examination, Mysterra notes that everything seems to be legitimate. The device is a spy drove that appears to have been retrofitted with a stronger digital emitted not unlike a personal comms unit, along with a slight buffer to allow the footage collected from the patches to be stored and streamed with the live footage. There are no hidden weapon compartments that she can see within the sleek design of the drone, but she does note the presence of a countermeasure to prevent tampering with the feed - several of the systems have been reconfigured to deliver a severe electrical jolt to anyone who may wish to tamper with the device.
Ambassador Nor turns his Baleful gaze towards Valius and dips his head before escorting the solarian and the rest of the Starfinders towards the airlock bay doors. ”Of course, allow me to show you to the ship myself, and I will explain along the way.” The doors begin to open slowly with a mechanical grinding not uncommon on the station’s Arms, and the ship fully comes into view. Two members of the Stewards armed with heavy artillery lasers and resplendent in their polished armour stand by the boarding ramp, clearly on edge about something.
”I have had the Hippocampus outfitted with improved armour plating and defensive measures as well as installing a number of lifeboats into the rear of the vessel should the unthinkable occur,” Nor explains as he casually floats above the metal floor towards the ship. ”I have also agreed to upgrade the power core, shield capacity, and computer systems, along with installing an additional turret on the vessel at my own cost. These additional and somewhat superfluous improvements were not an inexpensive undertaking, but agreeing to such excessive modifications was the only way to secure a vessel from the Stewards. Very few within the galaxy will do anything purely out of the goodness of their hearts, and the Stewards are no different.” One of the Steward guards shifts uncomfortably, having clearly heard the thinly-veiled barb. Both Guards stand stiffly at the approach of the group, stepping back from the boarding ramp.
”It is my hope you will not need to avail yourself of these upgrades, but your safety is paramount and as your investigation is exploratory in nature I would rather you be in a position to defend yourselves if necessary.”
Once she's done examining the drone, Mysterra stands and places one of the camera patches on her shoulder. Apparently it meets with her approval.
She follows behind Valius and the ambassador (and his retinue) stiffly, straight backed and eyes staring straight ahead.
When Private Eye arrives he has traded in his suit for a set of armor, though he still has on his long coat. Underneath the jacket he has his pistol holstered on his right hip and a knife on the left.
"I am eager. Let's do this."
Orlam arrives bedecked in his heavy armor as usual, with a suit beneath that will help protect him from radiation, should it prove necessary. He gives the Eoxian ambassador a polite nod and takes note of the extensive modifications their skeletal sponsor points out, all of which matches up with what the kasathas notes for himself. Impressive, indeed he admits privately to himself.
As they approach the ship for the interior tour, the kasathas attaches the adhesive patch to the breastplate of his armor while taking note of the edgy Stewards. Orlam tries to determine if they are nervous about the presence of the ambassador, or something else entirely. Based on what Nor is telling them, the Stewards should be quite happy about the modifications done to the Hippocampus and their reactions seem... odd.
Putting the matter out of his mind for now, the kasathas takes special note of the coilgun and its controls, though it seems unlikely he'll get a chance to use it. Still, Orlam is trained not to take anything for granted, and familiarity with his weapons is second nature to the soldier.
Xera looks the ship over.
"A Ringworks Caravaneer. Vercean design. Nice... a dependable kind of ship. A little much just to get a few miles out to the Armada, though isn't it? Well, I'm not complaining, mind you. I'll get started on the pre-flight checks."
Xera turns and heads for the bridge, and settles into the Pilot's chair.
The Ambassador nods and floats off to the side of the boarding ramp. ”The quarantine field is an estimated two-to-three hours out from the station at this point, I believe. The heading has already been entered into the navigation system, yes?” Nor says, turning to one of the Stewards. The shorter of the two men nods tersely, glowering at the Ambassador and the Starfinders boarding the ship.
”Excellent,” the Eoxian says, the green lights in his eye sockets flashing. He turns back to the remaining Starfinders, Xera having already gone off to the bridge. ”Well, without further ado, I will leave you to get acquainted with the Hippocampus. I wish you the very best of success with your investigation.” The embassador begins to float away from the ship, nodding at the Steward guards as he passes them, and returns to his retinue. As the remainder of the group board the ship, the two Stewards begin to make their way toward the airlock door. One of them turns and shoots a narrow glare at the Starfinders as they leave before turning back to the larger hangar, and the airlock doors begin to close.
On the ship’s bridge, a set of six stations are all brightly lit up, several of the settings already in place thanks to the initial pre-flight operations started by Xera as she sits in the pilots station.
Mysterra takes her place at the Engineer's console.
"Beginning system's check."
"I've never had to work on a ship before. I suppose I'll man one of these guns."
Valius hesitates for a moment, looking at the Captain's seat behind Xera. He's not sure if he's the right person for the job, but as far as he knows, he's the only one who has served on a ship before. He could imagine imitating his mother in the heat of pursuit if necessary. Though he didn't think that they'd run into much trouble on the short trip to their destination.
"If you all don't mind," He asks as he takes the Captain's chair, settling in uncomfortably as he looks at the console. He puts on a assured grin even as he hopes he can fake this until he can make it - or someone better steps in to serve the role.
"Systems operating at 100% efficiency. Beginning pre-flight diagnostics, Captain."
Mysterra, at least, has accepted Valius' leadership without question.
"So what's a Hippocampus, anyway? Isn't that a region in the brain?"
Loram frowns as the ship doors close. "Those Wardens seem a bit hostile, don't they? I wonder why..." Putting the matter out of his mind for the moment, the kasathas grins at Valius when the youthful human takes his seat in the command chair. "Aye, Cap'n." He sketches a brief salute, then heads off to man one of the weapons along with the android.
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Small light freighter
Speed 6; Maneuverability good (turn 1)
AC 14; TL 14
HP 40; DT n/a; CT 8
Shields Basic 20 (forward 5, port 5, starboard 5, aft 5)
Attack (Forward) light laser cannon (2d4)
Attack (Turret) coilgun (4d4)
Power Core(s) Arcus Light (75 PCU); Drift Engine None; Systems basic medium-range sensors, crew quarters (common), mk 2 armor, mk 2 defences, mk 1 trinode computer (tier 1); Expansion Bays cargo hold, guest quarters (common), life boats
Modifiers +1 any three checks per round, +2 Computers, +2 Piloting; Complement 5 (6 max)
Crew
Captain (Valius) Diplomacy +7 (1 rank), Engineering +4 (1 rank), gunnery +1, Intimidate +6 (1 rank)
Engineer (Mysterra) Engineering +11 (1 rank)
Gunner (Orlam, Private Eye) Orlam: gunnery +1; Private Eye: gunnery +4
Pilot (Xera) Piloting +11 (1 rank)
Science Officer (NIL)
As each of the Starfinders take a seat at one of the six stations in front of them, the HUD monitors reconfigure themselves to provide quick access to the predominant systems they would use for their chosen roles. After the system checks are complete and the airlock doors are sealed, Absalom Traffic Control opens the outer door of the bay's airlock, revealing the tranquility of space on the other side, and after the doors are fully opened gives the all clear for the Hippocampus to leave the station.
The thrusters of the freighter take a couple of minutes to fire up completely, sending a subtle vibration through the entire ship as it lifts off of the hangar floor and launches forwards. As Xera navigates the Hippocampus around and through the Armada, getting used to how the ship handles, the navigation system automatically begins setting the suggested heading and coordinates as programmed by the Stewards - a nearly two hour voyage out to the quarantine zone where the Acreon and the Drift Rock are floating.
After a short trip of weaving through the ships and other space-bound buildings in the Armada, the Hippocampus finally enters truly open space and Absalom Station retreats behind the group. About an hour into the journey, a cursory glance at the ship's sensor array reveals that a small ship has broken away from the Armada and appears to be following the Hippocampus, closing in on an intercept course. Strangely though, the other ship's transponder does not appear to be working and it is not broadcasting any identification codes.
"We have an unidentified ship approaching, Captain." Mysterra announces. She switches positions, moving over to the computer terminals.
"Activating sensors, Captain. Scanning the approaching ship."
"Hmm... do they respond to hails? Maybe we should call it in."
Xera activates her comm.
"Absalom Station Control, this is the Hippocampus. We read an unidentified craft inbound on an intercept course. We are not reading any transponder signal. Can you identify this vessel? Please advise. Over."
Xera looks at her display. "That ship's coming in pretty fast. There's nothing wrong with Hippocampus, but she's not a racer. I don't think we can outrun whoever that is."
"Keep trying to hail them. Might be one of the Hardscrabble's ships. We should hold off on aggressive actions for now, but make sure our shields are up before they enter firing range," Valius speaks up, looking at Mysterra. The fact that they couldn't identify it with normal transponder and IFF tags was raising all sorts of alarms in his head.
"What kind of ship is tailing us? If we can't out race them, I'm hoping we can outgun them. Nothing to hide behind in open space if things get dicey..."
Managing to send a communication to Absalom Traffic Control before their range runs out, there is a brief pause before a crackling voice comes back over the communicator at Xera's station. "That is a negative, Hippocampus - vessel is not broadcasting any I.D. codes, and no docking information about the ship is available. Over."
Attempting to hail the intercepting ship is met with a sinister silence in communications as whoever is piloting the other vessel refuses to respond, choosing only to continue to close on the Hippocampus. A tense few minutes threatens to expand into eternity before several alarms on the bridge blare loudly - not only is the mystery ship armed, but its targeting systems are now locked onto the Hippocampus.
Current roles
Captain: Valius
Engineer: -nil-
Gunner(s): Orlam, Private Eye
Pilot: Xera
Science Officer: Mysterra
Current phase: Engineering/Helm Phase (combined)
Xera: Go ahead and make a Piloting check to determine round initiative - if you get a 20 or lower, you move first (I will leave a small square on each of the two ships to indicate their starting positions), as well as make any other rolls as applicable for the stunt you are undertaking.
Mysterra: If you wish to do something different than the Scan action, go ahead, otherwise we will default to that as your action (using the above roll).
Valius: Jump in at any time - if you are holding off on acting until the Gunnery phase, please indicate as such.
"Here they come. Okay, hotshot, let's see what you're made of." Xera grips the controls, ready to turn the ship around and face the enemy.
The enemy ship moves it’s full complement of speed to catch up with the Hippocampus, preparing to fire its weapons.
As the enemy ship closes into range of the ships mid-range sensors, Mysterra performs a full scan of the ship and begins to analyze the results:
Basic information: 1 living crew on board, Death's Head Necroglider - tiny interceptor, speed 12, perfect maneuverability.
Defenses: AC 17, TL 17, 30/30 Hull points, basic 20 shields (5 in each quadrant), 70 PCU
Weapon 1: Gyrolaser (forward mounted)
Weapon 2: Light EMP cannon (forward mounted)
Orlam growls from his position in the forward cannon. "Looks like we get to give this ship a field test. Bring that ship into the forward arc so we can use both guns on it."
"One hour. We've been in space one hour and already someone is trying to kill us," Valius groans as overviews the skirmish, looking at Private Eye.
"Fire the main guns and blow out their shields! Make them have some second thoughts about screwing with us," Valius encourages Private Eye.
"Sounds like we don't want to be in front of it. Hang on!"
Xera pulls hard to port and swings the shuttle around.
The Hippocampus wheels around expertly under Xera’s control as she manuevers the ship outside of the range of the enemy’s EMP cannon. The necroglider’s other weapon, the gyrolaser, still releases a volley as the Hippocampus turns sharply, but the lasers don’t seem to make an impact against the larger ships shields.
Though not particularly agile with the heavy guns, Orlam has some knowledge of weaponry use in general and does his best to bring the big weapon around to lock onto the target and blast it with the forward light laser cannon.
Includes +1 to attack roll from ship's 'floating' modifiers
This isn't too different from the controls on that bomb diffuser drone you trained on. Once. Years ago.
Despite his reservations Eye seems to have the hang of firing the weapon.
Both Orlam and Private Eye pull the triggers on the weapons HUD in front of them, unleashing a torrent of lasers and projectiles towards the small interceptor. While none of the lasers fired from the forward gun hit the enemy craft, Private Eye’s HUD displays a confirmed hit to the port side of the interceptor as the projectiles tear through the shields and ship alike.
Round 2
3/3 computer bonuses (+1) remaining.
Current roles
Captain: Valius
Engineer: -nil-
Gunner(s): Orlam, Private Eye
Pilot: Xera
Science Officer: Mysterra
Mysterra hurries back over to the other control panel, taking over to the role of Engineer.
"Diverting power to guns, Captain."
"Damn! Okay, hotshot, how about this!"
Xera hammers the throttle, aiming directly for the enemy ship. At the last minute she presses down on the stick, sliding the Hippocampus right under the enemy vessel!
Gunnery is an attack roll, the same as an attack in normal ranged combat, with the exception that you can use the number of ranks you have in Piloting Skill in place of your BAB. Gunnery is not a skill check.
"Ha! And take one of..." Private Eye got a little too cocky and is off his mark this time.
Orlam grins as Xera sends their ship screaming toward the bone-white enemy vessel in an aggressive maneuver that allows both guns to fire on the damaged port side.
Includes +1 to attack roll from ship's 'floating' modifiers