"Yep," Lolo says, nodding along helpfully with Dej'arrick. "We've got really important news for Chiskisk. We totally should not be kept waiting!"
Unconsciously, the ratling pats the dead dwarf's computer resting in her pocket.
The receptionist stares at you for what seems like an hour. She doesn't say it, but it's obvious she's heard this line before.
"Perhaps if you leave a message, I can have Chiskisk contact you at his earliest convenience." Her million-credit smile is as warm as the sun, but her eyes are ice cold.
"Ummm.... OK!" Lolo says, shrugging off the receptionist's icy stare. "The dwarf Kreel that Chiskisk sent to meet us is now the dead dwarf Kreel. He was shot in the face by some pikers at the docking bay on Level 21."
Shaking her head sadly, Lolo gives a nervous twitter, kind of a tsk tsk tsk sound. "Life is toooooooooo cheap these days. My condolences!"
"Anywaaaaaaays, we'll wait for Chiskisk, thanks!" Bouncing over to a nearby chair, Lolo climbs into it and begins pawing at her everpresent cowlick.
Why do they call them cowlicks anyways? What the heck is a cow?
Avery tries to give some context to Lolo's exclamation. "I'm really sorry that we have to be the bearers of this news. We got caught in the crossfire of a gang shootout and the Starfinder we were supposed to meet, Duravor Kreel, was shot dead. Please make sure Chiskisk hears about this. We really do need to speak with them."
Aaron remains silent, diplomacy and charm not quite being his strongest point. Still, even the android has to admit to himself that perhaps he could have done a better job at explain the situation than Lolo and her cheerful directness.
The receptionist maintains her cool demeanor through both Lolo's and Avery's sharing of information. She instructs you to move in a small waiting room just off to the side of the main area. After several minutes, a functionary arrives and without a word, motions for you to follow him. He leads you through a labyrinth of offices and halls until you reach a rather cluttered office space deep in the complex.
Waiting for you in the office is a member of the Starfinder's Society elected leadership council: the Forum. Seated behind a polished and unadorned plastic desk, Chiskisk wears understated business clothes and is nervously flexing their antennae from side to side—a shirren expression of perplexity. Chiskisk welcomes you, offers you refreshments (filtered water and processed-protein wafers), and bids you sit down. Once you are comfortable, Chisksik gets down to business, speaking telepathically in your heads.
"We are to understand that you were present when Starfinder Kreel was murdered, we are curious how and why you were involved."
"Thank you for meeting with us, and let me say again how sorry we are to have to bring you this tragic news. We had just disembarked from our transport in the docking bay and no sooner than we had spotted Duravor through the crowd, we noticed what looked like armed gang members taking cover for a firefight, about to attack one another across the crowded bay. I shouted a warning, but..." they sigh, looking at their hands. "He took a laser blast in the first volley and fell. We tried to hold off the gangsters in an attempt to get to his body, but we were too late. He was dead when we got to him."
"I see." Chiskisk says, antennae twiching slightly.
“I am sorry that I cannot welcome you to Absalom Station under better circumstances. I assure you that such attacks are not a daily occurrence, though I realize that is likely small comfort to you. I am pleased that none of you were seriously hurt, but I grieve for Duravor’s death. He was a valued member of the Society, and a friend. May the Lady of Graves be kind in her judgment of his soul.” The shirren bows their head momentarily, then looks up, their compound eyes glittering.
“What puzzles me is the reason behind the attack.” Chiskisk taps a few commands into their computer. “According to the incident report just released by station security, two gangs were involved in the attack: the Downside Kings and the Level 21 Crew. Gang wars are not uncommon on the station, but they usually confine themselves to the more lawless sectors like the Puddles. It is rare for street gangs to battle openly in public areas like the docks. I cannot help but wonder whether all is as it seems. There must be a reason why those two gangs were at Docking Bay 94 at that time—the time of your arrival, coincidentally. But was it coincidence? Were you and Duravor just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, or might you and he have been specifically targeted? And if so, why?
“My understanding is that you are interested in becoming Starfinders, and since you were witnesses to the attack, I would like to ask you to investigate the incident on behalf of the Society. Find out exactly what happened and why. It may simply be a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time—I have no doubt station security will rule it so—but if Duravor was murdered, I would like to find justice for my friend. At the same time, this will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your own skills and abilities and show the Society that you are worthy of the title ‘Starfinder.’”
The shirren taps a few more keys on their computer. "I've taken the liberty of transferring my personal com code to you, as well as 200 credits to each of you for a signing bonus and expenses. I'd recommend getting settled in before you start. There is a suitable hotel nearby - the 'Moons of Sleep'. They offer a discount on rooms for Starfinders who book for a week or more. Good luck"
"Tragic," Lolo says, nodding her head and imitating Avery's sympathetic tone. "Shouted a warning. We tried... we tried..."
The ysoki's unable to hide her bubbly mood, however, when Chiskisk transfers the money over. Starfinders! We're Starfinders! Well, provisional members, but that's still pretty great! And I get to sleep in a hotel! That's much better than the warren!
Sliding off her chair, Lolo's bootless paws hit the floor with a thump. "We'll find out why what happened to Kreel happened! Thanks for the opportunity, Chiskisk!"
The Moons of Sleep! Sounds fancy!
As they leave, Lolo pulls her rig from her pocket and begins searching the infosphere. There has to be information about these two gangs in the local newstrids...
"Investigation work then," Aaron says simply as they exit the building and start making their way to the hotel. "I believe we can rule out mere coincidence. As for motive, perhaps Kreel had run afoul of one or both of the gangs in the past? Though both does sound a bit less plausible. Or perhaps they were hired to kill him? But again... both gangs?"
The android's words are more or less thoughts spoken aloud as he tries to make sense of what transpired only a little time ago.
"As for us being the targets as well, who even knows about us? We hardly know each other."
A short walk from the towers and spires of the Eye, the Moons of Sleep is centrally located and has both efficiencies and suites available for 16 and 50 credits, respectively.
Vid screens are everywhere as you head over to the hotel. Flashing ads and news feeds change every few seconds in a visual and auditory assault of your senses. Despite the ever-changing information, one topic dominates the news: the sudden and mysterious arrival of the ship Acreon and the fate of it's crew. Reports say the ship appeared a few days ago, towing what's being called the 'Drift Rock', the crew nowhere to be found.
Tied to the news of the Acreon is the dispute between the Hardscabble Collective and Astral Extractions over the rights to the ship and the 'Drift Rock'.
Escaping the blare of the vids to your room, Lolo gets to work. Knowledge on the infosphere is sketchy, leading you to believe you're going to have to do some footwork to get more information, but this is what you can glean:
The Downside Kings are a brutal street gang that controls several decks of Absalom Station’s lower levels, or “Downside,” through a combination of intimidation and violence. They are known to engage in a wide variety of illegal activities, from extortion, fraud, robbery, smuggling, and theft, to drug and arms trafficking, kidnapping, murder-for-hire, and trafficking in sentient species.
The Level 21 Crew are a street gang that claims (unsurprisingly) Level 21 of Absalom Station’s seedy lower decks as its territory. Their known criminal endeavors include theft, fencing stolen goods, gambling, prostitution, racketeering, and smuggling.
After she checks into her room, Lolo leaves almost immediately and begins working around the nearby area, spending her time in bars and restaurants, happily eating her fill and then eating her fill again. She talks incessantly at anyone that will listen, and isn't terribly subtle about it; asking for information about the 21s and the DKs, and telling any listeners that she's working a case on behalf of a dead starfinder...
Avery heads out into the station to blend in with the teeming masses of people and see what they can learn about the local gangs. A newcomer to the station, and a lover of diverse cultures, Avery is captivated by the throngs of visitors from across the galaxy. As they mingle with aliens, workers, socialites, and seedy types, they chat up the people around them to see if anyone knows anything about the strange gang activity going on of late.
Choosing the less expensive of the two as his needs are relatively spartan, Aaron, much like the others, tries to gather more information. Still, his manner and his neither-warm-nor-cold demeanor are not traits an information gatherer generally prizes. Thus, he has little to no luck at finding out almost anything of importance.