Navasi gives a slightly pensive look for a few moments. "Previous investigations, ehh? This has been our most prestigious and definitely the best paying one we've had for a while, but there was one time our group was asked to investigate the murder of a ysoki merchant traveling from the Pact Worlds to Vesk."
Navasi takes amoment to sip her drink, building the tension. "The man and his ship entered the drift just fine and the ship left the drift with no problem, but the poor ysoki had been shot to death. It had a lot of people stumped until Quig here decided to search the outsides of the air locks. Turns out someone latched onto the ship with a tiny craft right before the ship made the jump. The killer moved aboard, killed the ysoki and left the drift in his own ship. They ended up catching the killer a month later when he tried to contact the ysoki's wife for his payment."
She takes another bite of the bland food and chases it with a swallow of the drink. "But that's enough about our investigations, surely you have a story or two yoursel...ves?"
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Iseph blinks mechanically then turns to address the Warden. "I once had to track down an escaped prisoner. A particularly problematic Vesk. We followed him through three systems. The fugitive seemed to be just out of our reach. We discovered that a member of our crew was secretly feeding the target information. Seems our crewman had struck up a secret communication and claimed to be helping the Vesk find his lost family and felt the Vesk was unfairly incarcerated. A pity. I rather liked Thelan."
Another blink before the android continues. "Once we eliminated the leak, only a matter of time before we caught our quarry. The Vesk was returned, unharmed as per the contract."
"I have taken Chik-chik to see many places, but have many journeys still ahead of us. We once befriended an air rhino on a gaseous planet outside the Pact Worlds. That was enjoyable."
"Quig was part of a demolition team on Aucturn once. We were in charge of clearing an area for a new exploratory station when we unexpectedly opened up a nest of Orocoran's.. Nasty beasts let me tell yea. Quig barely escaped with his fur that day, many were not so lucky. There's not to much a liberal application of explosives will not fix however. I'm pretty sure a new location was selected after that day."
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"Not so long ago I was killing many in service to the Veskarium. Now I get to do it while also getting paid well to do so... There's nothing else to it, really: some people die, some others get paid" Obozaya states bluntly when asked to elaborate on her past deeds while stubbornly refusing to give details.
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The Warden squeals with delight at every story, paying no heed to plausibility or outlandishness. Eventually they sigh, "Unfortunately, contact with the prisoners is forbidden." A credstick appears in one of their tentacles. "Our maintenance fund is rather low, and it's just not safe for visitors. Donations are always accepted, however. You'd be surprised at how quickly repairs can be made."
Navasi gives a sigh to match the Warden's. "We might have a problem there. This is our first job in some time and all of the meager discretionary funds we were provided with were used up traveling out here. I don't know about my associates, but I'm assuming they're little strapped right now, too." She then gives a smile and continues in a pleading tone, "But we are all very capable people and don't mind a little danger. Is there some way you could give us a tour of what repairs you need funds for so we can decide if it's worth spending our last credits on?"
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Iseph perks up and nods to Navasi. "Yes, we have a diverse array of capabilities. I am sure we could donate our expertese to your cause."
"Seems like a good opportunity to bring in some extra income for sure.."
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"We are happy to work with such esteemed persons as yourselves."
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The Warden burbles telepathically. "You guys are alright. You shall be our eternal friends forever! Your investigation seems pretty important as well, so we think we can get this sorted." The barathu guards from earlier, or some that look very similar, return and bob by the doorway. "They will take you to the common room where Livewire will be waiting. Keep your credsticks handy, you'll probably need a bargaining chip with her."
The idea that anything could smell worse than the Warden's office seemed impossible, but the common area defies belief. Several half-naked, sweat-soaked prisoners of various species crowd around here, and the barathus escorting you merge together into a larger intimidating blob. After several minutes traversing through this sweat-slicked region, the barathu guard amalgam stops at a table where a ysoki sits. The ratfolk constantly licks her paws uncomfortably while grooming her drenched and matted pelt. With the guard’s arrival, she looks up and acknowledges an unspoken communication between herself and the barathu collective. In an instant, the barathu collective splits into its separate entities and floats off in independent paths throughout the complex, leaving the you alone with the sweat-soaked ysoki who looks up with cautious interest amid a timid introduction, “Hiya, the name’s Livewire. What can we do for each other?”
Navasi gives the yoski a smile and plops down into one of the seats. "I'm Navasi, and there's quite a bit we can do for each other. But first, I must ask, why the name Livewire? It sounds like a name that one would choose themselves, and that almost always means there is a story behind it." With this she gives a deep sigh and reaches into her belt to pull out a small folding fan, she opens it with a flick and absent mindedly starts fanning herself. "Sorry, It's pretty hot in here isn't it?"
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"We are needing some information about Salvation’s End. We are headed there for some scouting and need to know what happened to your crew? In return perhaps we can make your life here a bit easier or possibly get your sentenced reduce.. What do you say?"
Iseph steps to the side allowing his fellow agents to speak to the prisoner, he looks about the room, keeping an eye out for danger or anything of interest.
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Livewire speaks freely of her crew. "There was five of us. Borgor was big jerk, meanest captain I ever met. I only came along as a favor to Bago, his second mate and twin. We was close, and I was going to help him get away from Borgor once we got paid. Then we had Snips, a cutthroat human, and Xalak-don, a big dumb vesk." She glances at Obozaya, "No offense. Those two were planning a mutiny after the job, and that's when me and Bago was gonna sneak off. Everyone else went down to the surface, and I never saw them again. If you guys can find the Archer's logs, you'll get some confirmation on the crew if you need it."
Livewire wrinkles her nose and rubs at an ear. "Now you guys need to do me a favor. This place is filthy! Only a few things have value here, soap. Towels. Deodorant, especially. Get me a bunch and I'll tell you guys what we found on the moon. And my tool belts! I left them behind when I got away. If you guys can take them to my family while I'm in the clink I'd appreciate it."
Navasi nods at Livewire's words, while trying to get a judge of the Ysoki. When she finishes talking, Navasi cuts in. "And just what are you not telling us about the twins? Twins very rarely try to run off from each other with out good reason, and rarely treat each other badly enough to consider it an option..." She then shakes her head, and flashes a credstick with tape covering the Starfinder's logo. "But you can tell us after we get you some trading supplies. You're lucky we have a bit of credits for such eventualities, but don't tell the gaurds, it's a secret." With this Navasi gives Livewire a conspiratorial wink. "And we'd love to deliver your tool belts to your family, we'll even let them know what happened to you if you'd like. Where do they live and any messages in particular?"
When she finishes up settling where the belts need to go and any information to go along with them, Navasi folds up her fan and plainly sets it on the table in reach of Livewire. She wanders over to a group of inmates and starts haggling over supplies.
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"Aye, we will do what we can to return your things.."
Iseph, not really getting a good read on Livewire as Navasi questions the ysolki, decides to remain vigilant. When Navasi approaches the facility inmates, he quickly gets to her side in order to protect the captain. As the walk, he leans over to caution,
"This could be dangerous Captain. Desperate people will use anything as a bargaining chip, including hostages."
Glad everyone is agreeing to help the poor ratfolk deliver her things to her family, Navasi gives everyone a bright smile. "Now let's go round up some toiletries!"
When Iseph* follows her, she acknowledges the man's worries, but returns, "The here, there, over there, there and there have him well surrounded and probably wouldn't let the prisoner demand anything. If we were a risk or at risk they probably wouldn't have let us in here and" with this she leans in closer, "I do have a weapon on me and can defend myself."
Having spent a bit of time liberally, but with a face making it seem like she was spending the last of her life's savings, spreading some credits around a schmoozing with prisoner, guard and warden alike, Navasi, with the help of everyone else, gathers a sizable amount of soap, towels, deodorants, and other sundry toiletries. She brings them back to the table, and slowly starts grilling the ysoki for any information she has, starting with the unsaid story about Bago and Borgor.
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Livewire slips some of the hygiene supplies into her cheeks, then hides the rest in her prion jumpsuit. “People call Salvation’s End a ‘false moon,’ but that can’t be true. I’m pretty sure that floating metal hulk is actually some kind of really old starship caught in the nearby planet’s orbit. I don’t know what happened to it, but its signature and style don’t match up to any Pact World design.”
She looks around for any eavesdroppers and continues. “There’s a noticeable spire rising from the false moon’s outer hull. It’s teeming with activity. Crude painted symbols are all along structure’s exterior. Inside, a hive of space goblins flourishes in one of their misbegotten makeshift nests. The goblins sneak out to rummage for scrap metal and other junk found on the false moon’s exterior.”
“Lots of ships disappeared while flying too close to Salvation’s End. Until recently, this phenomenon was kind of an urban pilot legend, but I know what it is! There’s some kind of really powerful tractor beam on that moon. It was strong enough to reel in the Archer, and I only got my whiskers out of there by crashing into the damn thing and ejecting an escape pod right before impact!”
“On our first flyby, we ended up skirmishing with a few goblin junkers. After the battle, we detected a strong signal emitting from underneath the space goblin spire, and even thought our sensors could barely penetrate the tower, the source of the signal was just under the surface of Salvation’s End. There’s something down there, I swear it!”
Navasi gives the ysoki a hard, judging look. "Is that everything you know? Do you have any details on the ships these goblins have? Any ideas on how they avoid getting caught in the tractor beam or any suggestions for how to avoid it?"
Once Navasi judges that Livewire can't tell them anymore, she stands up from the table, gives the small creature a warm smile and says, "Thank-you Livewire for the information! We'll make sure to deliver your toolbelt, and I hope life here's a bit more comfortable with your new supplies. Now we'll be on our way." With this she turns to face the rest of the group. With a gesture to the door she says "Shall we go 'investigate' Salvation's End?"
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"Indeed.."
"As ordered Captain."
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As you turn to leave, Livewire grabs Quig's arm. "No matter what, please let me know what happened to Bago. If the old lunk’s still alive, tell him I miss my ‘Hairless Monkey.’ If you find it in your hearts after exploring that damnable false moon, please put in a good word for me with the authorities. I’m not sure I can last here for my entire term."
Luwazi Elsebo contacts you once you leave. "Very good, head to Salvation's End and see what you can find." After several days in the Drift, you exit near the false moon. In the distance, a great metallic structure breaks the bleak monotony of space. Massive in size, the grandeur of this planetoid is hard to take in all at once. Before the scale of the moon sets in, a shrill song pierces through the ship’s communications system. As the first notes of the song shriek out, a trio of vessels blink on the sensor screens, followed swiftly by a warning alarm klaxon.
"Jam your sensors, you be blind,
All our targets we will find.
Sitting duck depleted shield,
You go BOOM in our starfield!"
For the first 3 rounds, you take a -2 penalty to all skill checks during the Gunnery Phase.
Engineering Phase
Take whatever Engineering actions you want.
Helm Phase
The goblin fighters bank around on your port side.
Navasi throws on the comms channel. "Obozaya, don't let their taunting worry you, we can beat them easily! They're just space goblins after all."
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Quig attempts to scan the enemy space ships then..
"Taking evasive action Captain. Be ready on the port!"
Iseph turns the vessel to engage the enemy fighters. He swings the ship hard to port, dipping and diving the ship to avoid incoming fire. He attempts to move the ship to get behind the fighters while exposing the enemy to fire from the fore and port guns.
Evade
The ship moves up to its speed and can turn as normal, but it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its AC and TL until the start of the next round. To perform this stunt, you must succeed at a Piloting check (DC = 10 + 2 × your starship’s tier). If you fail, the starship moves as normal. If you fail the check by 5 or more, the starship moves as normal, but it also takes a –2 penalty to its AC and TL until the start of the next round.
When it's back to the engin phase Quig works quickly to divert power to re-up the port shields..