Avery begins casting a spell.
Dej'arrick's rifle takes down one of the Downside Kings who was trying to hide behind some barrels.
Without a clear path to any of their adversaries, Aaron instead makes a run for the downed dwarf in an attempt to perhaps provide some aid to the injured man.
Without a clear path to any of their adversaries, Aaron instead makes a run for the downed dwarf in an attempt to perhaps provide some aid to the injured man.
Calculating quickly the best course of action, Aaron moves fast, charging at one of the enemy combatants, his fist connecting solidly with the man's chest, the crack of bone audible even above the sounds of combat.
Aaron drops the Level 21 ganger with crushing blow to the chest. His buddy, directly to the north, spots the android and shoots!
The shot splashes off the shipping crates just next to the prone form at Aaron's feet.
Despite the deaths of one each of their number, the gangs blood is up, and they only have revenge past slights on their minds. Laser fire continues to cris-cross the bay as they try to eliminate their rivals.
The laser pistol hits Aaron on the arm, searing flesh.
Lolo didn't know much about polite society, having spent most of her life in her warren, or in the midden heaps and litter-strewn alleys of level 14. But, she was pretty sure shooting up a docking bay was a definite faux pas.
Good thing I'm a good rat with a gun!
Crouching, Lolo scoots forward, drawing her weapon as she goes. "T! With me!" The little droid's fans whurr as it follows along, right behind Lolo.
Pulling her gun, the ratling takes aim at the guard in front of her and pulls the trigger, a loud CRACK! echoing throughout the docking bay.
Dej’arrick doesn’t waste any time at all as the gangster falls to the ground with a fresh smoking hole through his sternum. He adjusts his sights on the gang member’s partner slightly closer to him and fires again.
As their spell began, Avery's eyes turned black, a deep void of nothingness. As they continued to cast, stars appeared in the inky orbs, brighter and brighter, until with a flash of light their magic was complete.
A tiny starfighter, comprised of hundreds of miniscule stars, burst from a momentary portal by the northwestern corner of the docking bay. It strafed the gangster near it, fiery bolts flashing across the few inches to strike him from behind.
The spell concluded, Avery's eyes returned to their normal green. Drawing their sidearm, the priest took aim at the gangster due north of them and fired a beam of brilliant violet laser fire.
With his first foe down, Aaron turns around and charges another. With speed greater than most humans can muster, the android makes his way to him easily and delivers a strike with the back of his right hand at the right side of the man's face.
Dej'arrick shoots another ganger, the shot striking him the leg.
Avery's elemental strikes one of the Level 21 Crew, while Avery shoots another.
Aaron charges the same target that Avery shot, slugging him in the gut.
The gangers, somewhat surprised there is someone else to shoot besides the opposing gang, turn their attentions on you.
One ganger steps aback and shoots the elemental, his azimuth pistol having no effect on the creature!
The woman facing Aaron drops her pistol and pulls her baton, striking Aaron!
The man Dej shots takes careful aim and returns fire, scoring a hit!
The last ganger fires at Lolo, but misses!
Calumney! Lolo thinks, ducking as the laser flies over her head. Scurrying forward, the ratling fires again, this time at the fleabag that shot at her. T-14 follows behind, landing on the crate beside Lolo, while another shot echoes throughout the quickly emptying docking bay...
Dej’arrick winces as the laser shot clips his wing. He quickly reloads his rifle and sights in the gangster who shot him. He tries to regulate his breathing as he takes aim and fires again.
"Just stay down please," Aaron says simply, his tone dispassionate despite his wounds, as he delivers another solid blow to his opponent.
The elemental dissipates into stardust, and Avery assesses the battlefield. Turning their attention to the gangster next to the elemental that just vanished , they fire off another laser blast, but the beam scorches the box in front of their target instead.
Lolo's shot grazes the Downside King on the arm.
Dej's target takes his shot in the leg, and she slumps down, dead.
Aaron slams the ganger in front of him, the crunch of cestus on bone audible even over the commotion in the bay.
Avery misses.
One member from each gang remains, but they see no reason to die for it, so they bug out. Each one bolts back the way they came, getting lost in the crowds of people in the docking zone.
Dej’arrick slaps another round into his gun to make sure he has both shots again if he needs them before calling over the personal coms, ”Check Kreol. I’ll keep watch Incase there’s more of them.
Holstering their pistol, Avery rushes to the fallen dwarf's side. They look around as well to see if any other civilians have taken fire.
Glancing at their wrist comm, they rouse the artificial personality inside with a quick tap. "Sidhea, contact station security. I'm sure you can look up their emergency number on the infosphere. If they don't already know about this, they should be aware that there was a gang shootout in..." They glance around, looking for a sign. "...bay 94, I guess."
They bend down to examine the dwarf, checking to see if he's alright.
"How is he?"
Aaron asks the question as soon as he approaches the half-elf and the fallen dwarf. With the fight over, the android leaves his opponents where they lie, instead preferring to focus on his allies and their contact.
Breathing heavily - I shot one! I shot someone! - Lolo scurries towards the fallen dwarf, hoping that their contact is alright.
The ysoki holsters her weapon as she runs - no point in waving a gun around when the cops arrive!
As you gather around Kreel, it's very obvious that he is beyond help. The laser hit burned clean through his neck.
It's at this point that station security arrives, rounding up witnesses and making sure that no one leaves until questioned. A squad of them is directed towards your group, and they approach with hands on weapons.
"You there!" a security guardsman orders, "Stay where you are!"
Dej’arrick sees the security guards moving toward the group and slides his rifle back into his back. He raises his hands in the air and flies down next to the others and whispers, ”Don’t give them a reason to draw. They might be jumpy.” He gets down on his knees and places his hands on the back of his head with a sigh. The action almost looks rehearsed, like this might not be the first time he had been in this situation. ”Don’t worry I’m not resisting arrest!” he calls out to the guards.
"Perhaps we could explain what happened? I am certain if we tell them precisely how events unfolded, they are bound to reach the conclusion that we only acted in self-defense," the android offers. From his tone it is quite evident that he more or less truly believes things could actually that way.
"Yep!" Lolo says, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender and turning to the guards. "Aaron's right. We're the heroes here! These dummies started blasting at each other, and lots of folks got pasted in the ensuing shootout, like Kreel here," the ysoki continues, nudging the dead dwarf with her foot. "Not our fault we were in the right place at the wrong time! Seriously, check the security footage. You'll see we saved a lot of lives!"
I hope!
Station security looks skeptical, but they take no further action besides assigning a pair of officers to watch you while they question people. An hour goes by before various witnesses corroborate your story. The leader of the security detail detaches himself from the last group of witnesses, and walks over to where you stand.
"Ok, your story checks out." he says. "Stay out of trouble." He then leaves you to your business.
The security detail moves off after marking the bodies for a clean up crew. They clearly are not concerned about a couple of no-name gangers and a poor innocent bystander.
A quick search of the gang members nets you several (4) credsticks. Kreel's body only has his computer. Any weapons were confiscated by station security.
Lolo reaches down and scoops the dead dwarf's computer from the man's body, experiencing a twinge of guilt as she begins prying through his things.
But just a twinge.
"Kreel's burner's only got our names and descriptions on it, and one other. Some belker named Chiskisk, and his address. Maybe we should go let Chiskisk know their buddy got pasted?"
The ratling drops Kreel's computer into her pack. Free computer!
Avery sighs. "I guess we should. Maybe Chiskisk was a prospective member of the Society just like us. I wonder why they didn't make it here?"
"It is possible that this Chiskisk was unable to get here," Aaron offers a possible explanation. "Perhaps they are hurt or dead." He pauses for a moment before adding, "Or perhaps they are not a prospective member like us. They could just be a contact of Kreel's."
"Either way it would be a good idea to pay them a visit, yes."
"Furthermore," he also says after a brief examination of the credsticks while Lolo busies herself with the dwarf's computer, "these credsticks seem to contain 200 credits each for a sum total of 800 credits. Could it be advance payment for a job, a... hit so to speak?"
Lolo scratches behind her ear. "Wait, do you mean that these belkers were paid to hit Kreel?"
"Whatever it is, it is 200 credits for each of us!"
"Wait a second... Chiskisk. That name sounds familiar... I got it!" exclaims Avery. "They're one of the leaders of the Starfinder Society! Probably Duravor's boss. And... yep, this address is for the Lorespire Complex - Society headquarters. Let's head over there and let them know the bad news."
"Agreed," the android says simply. "As for the credstick," he continues as he proceeds to hand each one to each of his companions and keep one for himself, "this should take care of it."
"Now, let us hurry and meet this Chiskisk."
So the Lorespire Complex. Well known as the headquarters of the Starfinder Society, you've seen plenty of holovids about it. But buried here in the depths of Docking Bay 94, you have no idea how to get there.
Avery wastes no time flagging down someone who looks both friendly and local to the station. "Hello, friend! I'm new on the station, can you show me how to get to the Lorespire Complex? I'm looking for the Starfinders." Their genuine smile tends to win over all but the most stubborn hearts.
You are provided directions to the Lorespire Complex in the station's Ring Sector. Arriving at the campus, you enter the eponymous spire that most people associate with the Starfinders. A receptionist greets you as you enter the main lobby of the Spire.
"Good morning, travelers. How may I help you?"
Dej’arrick nods to the receptionist and says, ”We have some urgent news for Chiskisk. We don’t have an appointment, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to want to hear what we have to say.”