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“That’s my specialty!” Leo excitedly blurts out, rushing over to the fallen Maarbadvae.
He falls to his knees and immediately goes into a pseudo-trancelike state. It wasn’t any sort of magic trance but a very focused flow onset by his automatic programming. Doing medicinal and life-related tasks always triggered his old protocols. He works and moves with automated precision, with nearly possessed accuracy.
He spends 60 seconds administering first aid, then another minute to treat potentially deadly wounds.
Fuskee, Glitch and Vandor take advantage of the free and open bar to drink a few of the finer liquors that Podswald had been hiding, but only have a chance to take a few shots of two before the commotion around the downed bodies of the two attackers attracts everyone’s attention.
At Moktargarn’s request, Glitch moves over and does the closest thing she can to providing medical aid detecting magic. While she is concentrating on that, though, L.E.O. moves in and starts to stabilize the heavily wounded Maarbadvae, quickly staunching the bleeding. He digs out a medkit as well and starts to provide more medical assistance, but that proves to take a bit longer than he had expected.
While the android treats the woman, Glitch detects the unmistakable presence of magic radiating from the woman’s head. And investigates to find a mk. 1 Mindlink Circlet . Stripping the rest of the supllies off of the ysoki and shobhad results ina small haul of equipment and gear.
second skin,
battle staff,
hunting rifle with 6 rounds,
spell gem of remove condition,
assorted shobhad bangles and charms (worth 300 credits)
second skin,
azimuth laser pistol with 1 battery
club
Just as L.E.O. finishes reviving the downed Maarbadvae, Podswald shows up at the entrance to the bar, looking incised. ”Are you quite done fighting in MY bar? Better hope you haven’t wrecked the place, or I’ll tan your hides and take my expenses out in court!” She takes a glance around the place, before seeing the open bottle on the counter. She rushes over to investigate further, and Fuskee decides it is time to leave and quickly. He hurries everyone out of the bar, fearing what retribution the sharp-lounged Podswald might bring upon them when she finds out her best bottle of Castrovalean whisky had been opened.
Outside of the bar Maarbadvae, her unconscious ysoki companion in her arms, gives you a sharp cutting look, but doesn’t seem to have will to fight. She sharply stalks off in the opposite direction before a scream of rage from the bar sends everyone scrambling to the speeder. As you run down the streets, the happy ceerful atmosphere is replaced with unhappy and distrustful stares. You quickly reach the speeder that is luckily okay and leave the town and a screaming Podswald behind.
Reaching the mines it proves to be easy to track the one Talbot has been using, as the fresh tire tracks stand out in sharp relief compared to everything else. You park the car and stealthily move into the mine entrance only to find there’s no one there. To the west a sloping ramp descends down a corridor hidden from sight. Made of hard-packed red dirt, it shows signs of heavy vehicle traffic. The ramp opens into the large square chamber with rough walls you are standing in. A metal track runs along the ramp, through the gap in the west wall and then turns north, ascending another five-foot ramp and then running along the north wall until the track terminates. A pair of metal lockers stand in the southeast corner, and a heap of ore is piled to the southwest.
You realize this room must have been designed for loading trucks to delivery. The tracks look like they belong to a likely automated mine cart system, that runs up the five foot ramp and could probably be unloaded into a waiting truck below.
The tracks in and leading into and out of the chamber are fresh, very fresh. Most of them can’t be more than a week old some of them might only be a day at best.
The piled ore to the southwest is unrefined thasteron, no worth much. A closer look though reveals a few pieces where the illusions still haven’t worn off. It looks like a unique and interesting mineral you have never seen before.
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“Look!” Leo calls out as he approaches deposit of piled ores to the southwest.
“This is, well, thasteron. It’s, uhm, unrefined. Cheap, he explains, taking a close look, “But this bit here is... is different. Weird. Uhm... Nothing I’ve seen before. And the way it seems to meld into thasteron... must be, erm, an illusion.
Leo points out certain pieces of ore among the thasteron. Unique and odd, the mineral ore seems to be half-thasteron and half-something rather incredible looking. Obviously, the illusion is fading away, explaining the weird, hybrid appearance of the ores. Seeing them, one could see what kind of fake mineral Talbot must have been selling off. When the illusion was fully active, it was clear that the mineral looked expensive and spectacular.
“I wonder... I wonder what else, y’know, could be an illusion.”
Leo looks around to see if there’s any more illusions going on. Talbot had the Charlatan’s Stone. For all he knew, anything could also be an illusion.
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While the group checks out the lockers and ore, Fuskee stealths up ahead to the tracks and tries to get a glimpse deeper into the mine. Once he moves up and gets a look around, he uses his exocortex to attempt to connect to any commlinks that the group may have equipped so he can relay information to them quietly. "I think our contact with the Society said that Talbot didn't know he had the Charlatan's Stone, thinking it was something else. He may have figured it out but I think that they were suggesting he doesn't know he is creating illusions."
Glitch-702 quickly determines that the locker is more jimmied shut than truly locked, the mechanism for actually locking it having rusted to the point of not moving decades ago. She quickly finesses the locker open with a few well placed knocks and starts to dig around in the contents. She pulls out a basic medkit and an engineering specialty tool kit. She almost it about to close the locker when she spots a glimmer of something sticking from a very worn miner's outfit and pulls out a credstick with 300 credits on it.
L.E.O. on the other hand finds the pile of partially glamored thasteron and realizes that anything in the mine could be an illusion. Deciding he won't be tricked, he starts willfully disbelieving things he finds, even getting to the point he starts questioning whether or not some of his companions are really there or not.
Having found almost everything of interest in the frankly uninteresting mine entrance, Fuskee decides to press on. In the corridor just off the entrance room, the floor and tracks gently slope off in either direction. The one headed to the north has a layer of dust that suggests it hasn't seen any use for a few years if not decades. The one to the south however seems to have been recently repaired and maintained. You head to the south. Quickly reaching a dead end, with not a living creature in sight, he decides to call everyone else in. After a moment of discussion, the group decides to explore the room to the east.
The passageway leads into another rectangular chamber with rough-hewn walls. The metal mine-cart tracks runinng parallel to the passage, turns and enters the room before ending abruptly. A mine cart in an obvious state of disrepair lies adjacent to the tracks. Tools cover a table against the east wall, while a pair of metal lockers stands in the southwest corner. Glitch-702 and Fuskee quickly determine Carr and tools to be so rusted and neglected to be useless, and a quick scan of the lockers produces more overused miner's garb and safety-material data sheets for explosives that were popular a hundred years ago and banned a good forty years later. There proves to be no sign of the explosives, though. L.E.O. spends a considerable amount of effort looking at everything and trying to disbelieve its form, but finds nothing of note.
Leaving the a stark reminder of the disrepair these mines were in that was that repair bay, the group heads west.
Just before the group starts to move beyond the pillar, though L.E.O. gives a warning as he realizes part of the wall to the north is glamored and hiding an auto targeting laser rifle.
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Vandor follows the group as the others take the lead through the mine. He watches LEO with amusement as the android wanders around examining rocks and other random debris claiming that anything could be an illusion. Although he's not so amused when he briefly finds himself the subject of an up close and personal examination from LEO. "Hey! Watch it pal! Yes I'm real, haven't you ever heard of personal space?? Wacky android, what does he think he's gonna find anyway?"
In the second chamber, having an interest in all things antique, Vandor is pleased to examine the old mine cart while the others search around. Although he is sorely disappointed that the old explosives were nowhere to be found.
When LEO spots the laser rifle trap he slaps him on the shoulder congratulatory. "Way to go buddy! I knew you'd find something! Let me see if I can disarm it.". Although he appears confident, he also strategically moves behind the pillar in the middle of the passageway, "just in case."
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Fuskee continues to sneak around, hunched down with his laser rifle out, but stops when warned about the trap. He watches as Vandor offers to disarm it but after a few minutes, he can tell that the human is having difficulty managing the wirings of the laser rifle and steps up to give a helping hand.
"Weird, this thing is like impossible to disarm. Maybe we'll just have to shoot it from a distance."
After a few failed attempts by Vador and Fuskee to get the trap disabled, and the former about to resort to savagely beating the thing with a rock, Glitch-702 calmly walks up to the fuse box on the side of the wall and pulls the fuse for the trap, depowering it.
Fuskee takes the opportunity to do some scouting, the tunnel to the north shows the same amount of dust and disrepair that the other northerly tunnel did. The southern passage heads west and then opens up into a T-shaped room. The ceiling is higher than other chambers, cut to fifteen feet in height and permanent light fixtures set in the ceiling provide better lighting than the rest of the mine. A single mine car stands on the tracks. Across from the cart is a small office fashioned from two out-of-place plastic walls set into the stonework. An open door provides access to the room within a room. Fuskee peeks his head around the corner.
Unnoticed, the ysoki is able to spy on the group for a moment, noting their placement and general sense of ease. One of them gives a big yawn before turning and asking a question at someone in the plastic-walled room Fuskee can't see into. "Talbot, sir, are you positive someone is coming to get you? It's as quiet as Eox out here."
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Leo forgets a little about the notion of personal space, but at Vandor’s reminder, he begins to focus more on the environment than his allies. He is ashamed and embarrassed until Vandor pulls a 180 and congratulates Leo on his keenness.
Leo nods as he watches Gltch work. He would’ve done the exact same thing and is surprised neither Fuskee or Vandor thought of disarming the trap in such a way.
Anyways, as the party continues on, Leo continues to keep aware and quiet. He takes a cue from Fuskee, and in addition to looking out for more illusions, he tries his hand at stealthing. Though, he stays behind with the group.
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Fuskee makes his way back to the group and puts a finger to his lips, motioning them to be quiet. He whispers to them, "Talbot is up there and someone is with him. Let's jump him and make this an easy payday." His synaptic accelerators turn on as he feels his exocortex begin to overclock and heighten his reflexes, ready for battle with his laser rifle ready.
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Leo pulls out the “Charm Person” spellgem from before.
“If-if we want to be, uhm, quick, sh-should we just use this? It’s a, uh, a spell that makes people... well, friendly. And... er... It works best when they’re, you know, not under fire. ”
Leo always preferred winning combat by stopping it before it began, but as usual, would defer to his allies.
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Leo nods at Glitch's question and takes a deep breath to steel himself... which was hard because he is mostly made of plasthril and not steel.
(Plasthril is a relatively antiquated compound of flexible plastic-like materials and mithril. It used to be very popular for android creation but has since been replaced with better alternatives. It dates Leo and is also the reason why Leo's synthetic skin is tinged blue, a side effect of the material that was one of the main reasons alternatives were sought.)
After a short moment of quick contemplation, he explains his plan, "Okay, so I will, uh, go alone at first. And then try and... and cast the spell quickly. As soon as I see Talbot. And, uhm, if they shoot... if they shoot, please save me."
With that, Leo takes another large breath and makes awkward and nervous strides down the tunnel that Fuskee just came from.
As he makes he way into the more-open area, Leo comes out with his hands raised up in surrender. He sees what Fuskee saw - three men who were not Talbot - and assumes Talbot is inside the crude shack.
"Uhm, hello! I-I come in peace. Please! I just want to talk - to Mr. Reynald Talbot! ... Just want to talk to Mr. Reynald Talbot!"
He realizes the spellgem might be a little threatening, so he tells the truth.
"The, uh, the spell in this spellgem is friendly... I promise! Charm Person. The spell. Charm Person, like, uhm, y'know the one some youngling academies... erm... use to get antagonistic students to be civil with each other. Yeah, so... I'll only use it if I have to," Leo pauses, obviously worried about the worst case scenario then blurts out a wholly innocent and genuine final plea, "Just want to talk!"
Leo waits and hopes for Talbot. He would only consider using the spellgem when he knows that it'd work. If it did work, Leo also hopes Talbot calls off the other three in case they prove hostile, too.
While he waits, Leo's eyes dart around, observing the room.
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Moktargarn smiles as Leo calls down the mineshaft. He liked this android. Stepping up beside Leo, Moktargarn drew his pulsecaster pistol and taclash in readiness.
"And if you don't, there's a Vesk out here, pissed off at being dragged halfway round a planet for you, Talbot! Your call!" Moktargarn threw as much menace and anger into his voice as possible, hoping that his people's reputation would do the talking for him. He looked down at Leo and grinned.
The two guards nervously watch L.E.O. as he rounds the corner and starts talking to them, but seem content to listen to his story. Once he mentions the spellgem, though, things start all happening at once. Moktargarn steps into the brighter light with both of his weapons drawn and the miners draw theirs. At the same time Talbot sticks his head out the door grumbling loudly. ”Who is that? I don't recognize the voice… ” Before giving an ‘eep’ of surprise at the angry vesk calling his name and ducking back into the door way.
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As Moktargarn follows beside Leo with weapons drawn and makes his intimidating threat, Leo shakes his head 'no' with adamant vigor. He hands remain up in surrender.
"No! Please! No! Uhm... no killing today! Yes, erm, none of that at all! Please put your weapons down!" He shouts to the miners and Talbot, hoping to somehow cancel Moktargarn's menace.
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Throughout their journey to the mine, Vahni is unusually quiet, waving off questions with a tired smile that doesn't quite reach their eyes. When LEO points out the glamered thasteron, their grip tightens around the hilt of their blade, but they remain quiet.
When combat breaks out, Vahni finally lets out some things they've been ruminating on. It almost hurts to look at their shield, it's glowing so brightly, and even their eyes seem to be shining.
Vandor moves around the corner and readies a shot in case hostilities break out which proves to happen pretty shortly as Moktargarn standing next to him opens fire. The vesk proves to be a crap snap shot though and the pulse goes wide over everyone's heads.
A bright light starts to filter into the room from the hallway as Vahni activates her stellar attunement.
L.E.O. readies his spell gem just in case and tries to talk down the guards and Moktargarn but the guards fail to listen. Instead they choose to open fire on the group.
Red raises her gun to take a shot at L.E.O., but takes a bullet to the shoulder from Vandor. Snarling slightly the gruff woman re focuses on the man and takes a shot at him. She returns the favor of Vandor's shot, pegging the man in the shoulder.
Teal takes a quick shot at Moktargarn, while Cream does the same for L.E.O. Teal proves pretty in accurate with his gun, completely missing Moktargarn, but Cream proves to be a much more practiced shot, hitting L.E.O. squarely in the leg and causing the wound to start oozing a dark liquid.
Talbot frightened of the large intimidating vesk runs out of the small pop-up office and dives for the cart, huddling inside it.
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Leo feels surprise as the pistol shot flies through his leg like paper. And then he makes the mistake of looking down, and he feels terror.
It isn't the pain that creates such a dramatic response; he didn't feel pain. He wasn't advanced enough to have that kind of artificial nervous system. No.
As the ichor that runs through him begins to pour out like inky weeping, vivid flashbacks flood in.
It isn't the pain; it's the memories.
"No... No! PLEASE STOP!"
Leo reels like a cornered animal. His head snaps away from the sight of the liquid. His arms jolt forward to cover Leo from the miners. Where 150 years ago this same action would've only been a show of terrorized submission and pleading, instead, three radiant surges erupt from his free hand (the one not holding a spellgem).
Their bright display is incredible, and they appear almost like tiny stars. But as if in the vacuum of space, these shooting star-like missiles make no sound whatsoever. And they find their targets easily.
Vahni, their shield glowing an almost painful brightness, runs up to the mining cart and stands in front of it and the man in it. As they slides pass one of the miners, he starts fumbling for his club still on his belt, but Vahni is gone by the time he gets his club ready.
The distraction proves to be a fatal one, as L.E.O., reliving some psychological pain and trauma, sends a mystical shooting star through his shoulder and Fuskee milliseconds later pegs him in the head with his laser rifle. Ashe falls to the ground the other two both receive the same shooting stars, leaving bleeding multi-pointed shape on the shoulders.
Glitch-702 rounds the corner, drawing her weapon, and taking stock of the battlefield. Meanwhile Vandor takes a step so he has a clear shot of the battlefield and opens fire on Talbot. The shot is just a few centimeters too low and ends up pinging off the cart instead of hitting flesh.
Moktargarn takes advantage of the bleeding wound, by stepping up and whipping the end of his taclash into the wound and pumping it full of electricity, the man starts to waver, but stupidly decides to take another shot at the large vesk.
Teal also gingerly heft his pistol and takes a shot at the large creature.
Finally Talbot, calmed down some now that his escape route is clear, presses a button on the rim of the cart and kicks it into full motion. It bashes into Vahni and shoves them aside. It shoots further down the track, bashing into Fuskee and tossing him aside, too. By the time anyone can react it is a good 30 feet down the track.
While riding the cart he pulls out his gun and double checks that it is ready for him to shoot, checking the charge and turning off the safety.
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Fuskee sees the cart coming and jumps to move out of the way but a part of his foot is caught on the tracks for a second as the cart knocks him away from the tracks.
He turns and sets his combat tracking (move action) to target Talbot before firing off a quick shot with his rifle for revenge.
......
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Seeing the team's quarry escaping in the mine cart Vandor takes another shot at Talbot, hoping to take him out before he can get away.
"Oh no! He's getting away!...very slowly"
After the shot, he moves down the corridor along the track and gets ready to try to leap into the cart as it goes by.
"This is a really bad $&#&ing idea!"
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Still in shock from his surprising ability to produce the star-like motes of energy, Leo tries to see if he can do it again. This time with intention in his eyes, he shoots his free hand out. In his mind, he concentrates on producing the same effect.
And it works.
Out of his left hand shoots a single shooting star that silently speeds towards Talbot.
At nearly the same time, Leo notices Fuskee battered by the cart. Ignoring the wound in his own leg (it'd just make him more uncomfortable anyways), Leo pulls out his medical kit in preparation.
Vahni quickly jumps out of the way of the cart as it starts up with a few creaks before zooming down the tracks. Fuskee, on the other hand, so intent on collecting data about the people he will be shooting at doesn’t notice in time and takes the cart across his hind legs throwing the ysoki clear of the tracks.
On the other hand, Motargarn lashes out with his taclash as the miner with the name tag of “Cream” on readies his weapon and takes aim. The lash wraps around the man’s neck and delivers a giant shock to the man. The miner collapses to the ground, foam spilling from his mouth, unable to take his shot.
The cart keeps racing on, as it passes by Glitch, with a slight twitch she shoots off a magical flare of fire, but the man dicks into the cart and avoids the brunt of the flames. His duck also unfortunately coincides with Fuskee’s shot and it goes wide over the open cart. Vandor on the other hand times his shot better and lands a glancing shot on Talbot’s shoulder as he stands back up. He and Vahni then jog up to a good location to catch the moving cart and prepare for a quick finish boarding.
Moktargarn, on the other hand, deciding to focus on the final miner, He advances slightly and takes a swipe with his taclash at the man. The line goes wide and the man who initially looked a little worried as it seems to be him and the vesk only, gives a smile, and in retaliation, shifts his pistol to his left hand to draw his club and then moves in closer to the vesk, ready to strike the large vesk.
Back in the cart, Talbot uses the opportunity presented by ducking Glitch’s spell and the smoke it creates to take a pot shot at the android. The static shot comes out of nowhere and strikes the android across the shoulder, .