Venture-Captain Arvin summons you for a briefing in the Lorespire Complex on Absalom Station. The doors to the office slide open with a soft pneumatic hiss. Inside is a well-lit and blue-carpeted office. Venture-Captain Arvin, a handsome and determined-looking damaya lashunta, sits behind a desk, his eyes riveted on a glassy display. After a heartbeat, he glances towards the open door and motions everyone to enter.
"Apologies, please come in. Be seated if you like, although this shouldn't take long." Arvin taps a button on a console and murmurs to a digital assistant, "Croyd, put everything on hold for a few minutes. If anyone calls, please explain I'm in mission briefing and I'll get right back to them." He then darkens the display to give his full attention to the assembled Starfinders.
"Right. I have an assignment for you. This one is a little different than others you might have received." He pauses before he explains, "It's an internal matter."
"You're probably aware that after the Scoured Stars incident many of our colleagues elected to leave the Society. That is unfortunate, but not surprising. We hate to lose good field agents, but no one is conscripted into our ranks. Normally we wish them well and that's that. In this case, the defector, former field agent Reynald Talbot, stole an artifact from the Lorespire Complex before departing. Theft is where the Society draws the line; I need you to get that artifact back."
Unfortunately, Talbot left weeks ago and we only discovered the theft in the last 24 hours. We launched an immediate investigation to determine the identify of the thief and their last known whereabouts. It's our bad luck that Talbot was smart enough to get off the station and head to Akiton, where there's no central government or law enforcement to easily call upon. I need you to track him down and recover the artifact. We know Talbot caught a shuttle to the Akitonian city of Maro, so that's a great place to start. The Society will, of course, cover your travel expenses."
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Everyone else comes through the door, but a muffled sound from the HVAC vent above the door indicates that one agent took a alternate route. As the cover pops off, a cheerful brown rodent face emerges. "Heya! Sorry about the unusual entry, but I heard a buzzing in the vents, and I hate to bother maintenance with stuff like that; they've got so much to do now, so I figured I'd just go in and fix it myself! I'm Mori Half-Tail, by the way."
She carefully climbs out, and replaces the cover. The number of leftover screws and bolts she still carries is somewhat concerning, but the climate control system seems to work better than ever, even dispensing faint scents of vanilla and sandalwood. "I made a few other adjustments while I was in there! So what's the job?"
The particularly petite brown ysoki's last name is of obvious origin. Half her tail is missing, though she has attached some kind of mechanical prosthetic, with visible circuits and lights, completing the normal length of a yoski's tail. It twitches back and forth as she listens. Her freebooter armor has an unbelievable number of pockets, holding all manner of tools.
"Good old Akiton, home sweet home! We should probably keep armor on, the atmosphere is a lot thinner there. Even I have to be careful until I re-acclimate. The gravity is much lower there; you can jump so high! It's a bit of a depressing place though, lately; pre-Drift fuels are almost worthless and that used to be their biggest export."
"So what should we do with Talbot when we find him?"
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Ice-9 stands rather than sits. He casts an impressive figure, standing 6-foot tall with scruffy, pitch-black hair covered by a large, flat-brimmed hat. His blue tinted skin is highlighted by its lavender circuitry that weaves across his face. A second skin armor is barely visible beneath his long, floor-length black, leather trench coat. His head tilts slightly to the side as Mori clutters through the vent cover.
As Ice-9 shifts his stance, his duster opens slightly to reveal twin side arms within easy reach of his hands. He cocks an eyebrow at the rodent and then turns back to Arvin, ”Greetings Captain, you probably already know who I am... The android pauses for some glimmer of recognition in the Venture-Captain’s eyes, then pauses even longer when he doesn’t see one. Ice-9...? The name should key your commlink (ring a bell). Soldier of Fortune, Seeker of Lost Things, and all around amazing guy.” He flashes a smile, but it seems forced and appears more of a smirk, than a warm grin.
Never heard of this Atikon place before, but I am sure we can hunt down the thief for you, no problemo.”
The Venture-Captain blinks a few times at Mori's unique entrance, and gives a blank stare as Ice-9 introduces himself. "Well, you two do seem well-suited to a recovery mission, at least," he says.
He responds to Mori's question. "Your primary objective is to recover the missing artifact. Talbot's not worth the expense of dragging back here, so you can do whatever you think is necessary with him. That said, you don't have a license to go on a mass killing spree. Don't make the Society look bad. It might be tough to do on Akiton, but don't take that as a challenge."
"What other questions do you have?"
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The large and colorful vesks rests at the table reading while he waits for the meeting to begin. Finely scaled hands rest comfortably on either side of a circular glass disk, which projects a holographic image of an old-fashioned tome. On the table is the very large haft of a traditional vesk weapon, the doshko.
He nods as each of the others comes in, "Q'Qwaan, Senior Research Developer" by way of introductions. The emphasis on senior sounds like their might be some confusion to other vesks named Q'Qwaan.
He notes the variations of height, weight and skin color each has compared to the norms of their people. Not so much to size them up, but in an effort to distinguish them from the others. This first comes out in his speech when he greets the ysoki. "Greetings, Mori Half-Tail, and almost under his breath adds. Half-tail: halftail. Easy enough, and later Ice 9: blue ice.
The vesk closes his book when the Venture Captain begins. As the tome winks out he picks up the disk and puts it his eye like a monocle.
"Talbot: species? talents? other recognizable? features?", he asks.
Later he adds, "And... this... artifact? What does it... look like, what is it made of; or what... does it do and who might be interested in its abilities?" The attempt at being more conversational is a little awkward for Q'Qwaan.
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Navasi leans against her knee, arms crossed, with one foot resting on the seat of a chair. She flips her long, purple-and-yellow scarf over one shoulder, then cleans underneath her nails with a small piece of plastic while she waits for the meeting to commence.
She starts upright when Mori clatters through the vent, but breaks into a wide, lopsided grin at the ysoki's report of modifications. Ooh, she'll be fun! These other two seems a little stuffy. Nice monocle, though!
She hops into the chair to listen to Arvin's briefing, and the soft cushions emit a loud poomph. Once he finishes, she speaks up.
"Yeah, Akiton! Super lawless!" she says enthusiastically. Her voice is energetic and cheerful. "Locals give outsiders some serious side-eye. But that's part of the fun, and to our advantage—they'll probably have noticed this Talbot guy, and we can pump 'em for information. Though he'll probably have moved around a lot."
She leans forward in the chair and steeples her fingers; her mismatched eyes twinkle over her hands. "And he should be easy to follow. Not much money on Akiton, which means any Talbot spent'll stick out like a sore thumb. He should leave a glittering trail'a credits behind him." Pearly teeth show through her fingers.
When Q'Qwaan asks about the artifact, she points at him emphatically/ "Yeah, yeah, great questions!"
Arvin nods along as the gathered Starfinders ask their questions. A look of approval briefly crosses his face. "Yes, excellent questions indeed. As Starfinders, it is important to have a full understanding of your mission before proceeding. Failure to ask questions would be reckless, to say the least."
"Talbot is a male human with long, dark hair. He's a decent shot with a pistol. He is smart, capable, a bit brash, and a reasonable field agent. Talbot is also self-entitled and ambitious. After the Scoured Stars incident, he expected to be promoted to venture-captain, but the Forum felt he needed more time. He got angry. We think this theft is retaliation."
"The object he stole is... well, it's complicated. What the artifact is and what Talbot thinks it is are two different things. We're operating under the assumption that Talbot thinks he's stolen an object from old Golarion called a philosopher's stone. Legend has it that the stone could transmute matter, among other properties. What Talbot actually stole was recently re-cataloged as a charlatan's stone. It does something similar, except the effect is a potent illusion and only temporary. We think ancient con artists used it to make false gold. The stone just looks like a sooty black rock."
"You may be wondering why we need to recover the artifact at all, given its lack of actual transmutation abilities. We need to make a statement. Rumors of the theft are already circulating through the Society, and it's important to send a message that we're not going to tolerate that type of betrayal. Also, if we don't react, we convey that our work is not very important because it's not worth defending. The Society is in a precarious enough position as it is, and we need to prove our strength and attract supporters. That said, the charlatan's stone is not worth dying over. Be careful out there, and be prepared. You should take some time to get to know each other so you can cooperate more effectively."
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"Excellent, fleeing to a planet that's mostly desert will ensure Sarenrae's light shines upon our quarry and guides our righteous hunt," declares a shirren with a yellow carapace and a hologram of the Dawnflower's holy symbol displayed above his head. "It will also give me a chance to try out my new speed suspensions in a low-gravity environment!" He enthusiastically jumps up and down, enjoying the extra spring in his step.
"Most folks call me Izzip, and I will happily serve as a medic should Talbot respond to us with deadly force."
"A whole planet is a lot of ground to cover in search of one man. Does Talbot have any known contacts on Akiton? Do we have a lead for where to begin our search?"
Navasi's enthusiasm cools a bit. "Yeah, I know all about making statements, unfortunately. We'll make one, though."
She thumps a fast against her chest. "As for me, I can talk my way out of just about anything. Or into! Into's easier." She winks at Izzip. "So we may or may not need your expertise there, friend."
She cocks her head towards Ice-9 and Q'Qwanna. "What about y'all? I see swagger and see-through books on tap; what else y'got?"
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She cocks her head towards Ice-9 and Q'Qwanna. "What about y'all? I see swagger and see-through books on tap; what else y'got?"
"Q'Qwaan," the vesk corrects. "I hope you are not implying all vesk are soldiers. True I did attend the mandatory years of military academy, but I served with honor. And I discovered I excelled in this," he gestures at a magnificent beard of spiky protusions, [b]"And this," he adds pointing to the crest of decorated frills. Then he gestures to the ysoki. "I could help you grow your own back. If you want." Q'Qwaan is very successful bioengineer and shows a bit of wyrmgland modifications as proof.
"This is my people's honorable weapon. I excel in it as well, top of my class." he holds up the doshku. Most people see a vesk and expect a soldier. I delight in surprising them, especially if it means crushing them." he sees something from the corner of his eye.
"Don't blanch. It will be my honor to protect you."
"Soldiers? Oh no, no, my apologies! When I said swagger," Navasi hooks a thumb towards Ice-9, "I meant this fella! Glad to have your expertise, Q'Qwaan."
"A whole planet is a lot of ground to cover in search of one man. Does Talbot have any known contacts on Akiton? Do we have a lead for where to begin our search?"
"We know Talbot caught a shuttle to the Akitonian city of Maro, so that's a great place to start."
With your questions answered and your purchases complete, Venture-Captain Arvin encourages you to get moving as soon as possible. He has arranged for transportation to Akiton via an in-system transport shuttle. After four days of uneventful travel, you arrive at your destination.
Outside the observation windows floats Akiton, a world the color of blood, rust, and red clay. A thick shell of white caps both poles. The shuttle descends toward the planet, and a barely perceptible shift in gravity occurs as the ship's artificial gravity begins to lessen and the planet's natural gravity begins to take hold.
From suborbital heights, a handful of small towns, large complexes, and industrial sites that spew noxious fumes into the thin atmosphere surround the trench city of Maro. A spidery web of dirt roads scratched into the rust-colored ground by regular traffic connects these sites to the metropolis.
Maro, the so-called City of Lights itself, comes into view as the ship begins its final descent. The city occupies more of a vertical space than horizontal, built into a six-mile-long section of trench that is half as deep and a half mile wide. Entire neighborhoods and business districts are built into the walls, accessed by patio entrances. Lights, neon signs, and holographic advertising bejewel either side of this urban canyon, while an active spaceport and industrial zones occupy the ground level. As the shuttle lands, it does so beneath the backdrop of an immense mural of brightly glowing neon-green graffiti that reads in Common: "Git out! Planet's Broke!"
"I can leverage my natural charm, ask around." Navasi flips her scarf over a shoulder. "Discreetly, of course!"
With the arrival of Met, the Starfinder team is now complete. They make their way out of the spaceport, passing numerous humans, ysoki, androids, and a few other individuals from all over the system. These folk mostly keep to themselves and their work, and pay little attention to the Starfinders.
Immense graffiti masterpieces decorate the upper reaches of the city. The descent into the chasm is a colorful journey, in large part thanks to this graffiti, but also thanks to the countless neon signs and lights illuminating nearly every surface. On the way down, your crowded lift begins trembling. The locals hardly seem to notice, and eventually the source of the reverberations reveals itself: it is the deep, resounding bass of several competing shumka beats!
Following the music, you arrive at an establishment near the lift that seems to cater to those going to and from the spaceport. Q'Qwaan thinks this seems like a natural place for Talbot to have visited. The waitstaff are diverse, and so are the food and drink.
Navasi and Met mingle well enough with the crowd, and learn from a Ysoki Drift-duster named Rev that AbadarCorp, the largest corporation in the Pact Worlds, recently purchased a large amount of Drift engine fuel from the nearby town of Tasch. The discovery of Drift fuel on Akiton is impressive, but apparently the AbadarCorp fleet that purchased the fuel is 2 days overdue for departure. "An' they'was suppos'a off'a gig in'a 'gine'room. Was fin'ly gettin' off'a this rust-bucket, know'me? Then they AWOL. Sucks!"
Unfortunately, Maro is a busy port city, and the group is unable to find anyone who has heard of Talbot.
Rev shrugs. "They tell me nothin'. Promise job, then no job. Been'a coupl'a weeks. I think maybe they fo'get me." She takes a long drink. "Think we stuck on Akiton fo' life!"
Mori thinks that it is highly unlikely that someone discovered a significant amount of materials for Drift engine fuel in this region (or any region) of Akiton. Following the advent of Drift technology, there were extremely thorough efforts to find such materials on the red planet. They were unsuccessful. Tasch, the town that Rev spoke of, is a small mining town, but most such towns on Akiton are struggling, at best. The mines are far less valuable now that Drift technology exists.
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"Would the deed to a mine be worth something if one didn't see the mine itself?" the vesk chuckles. "Buyer Beware, and all that." To his fellow Starfinders he later says. "I agree with the lady Halftail. Talbot may be trying to use the stone to make a mine appear more valuable than it is. Lead to gold for example."
At Q'Qwaan's speculation of the stone's use, Navasi nods, raps her knuckles on the glimmering tabletop, and stands. "Right. Solid lead, so let's follow it."
She turns to leave, but stops before completing the motion her mouth twisted in a melancholy expression. She waves her cred stick near Rev's, thumbing the button to authorize a transfer. "For the emigration fund."
She offers a two-fingered salute and walks out of the establishment.
Unfortunately, the Starfinders are unable to discover any more information about Talbot or recent events in Tasch before they leave. Izzip is not sure what sort of illusion magic might be able to disguise such a large quantity of Drift engine fuel, but it's reasonable to assume that Talbot is somehow involved. The Starfinders ask around and easily find a place to rent a vehicle (a sort of elongated dune buggy) for the two-hour trip across Akiton's surface to Tasch.
A long dusty road, lined with single-story dwellings, runs through the town of Tasch. Some powered vehicles rest chained to their owner's homes. A small general store stands near the center of town, illuminated by flickering white lights. Another building, full of locals, hosts a signpost that reads "Digger's Dive"--clearly the town bar. Although the sun beats down on this desert town, its citizens meander around the bar in good cheer. Most are ysoki and humans, with the occasional lumbering four-armed shobhad mingling among them.
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"Say. Do folks seem suspiciously...happy? This isn't the kind of place where everyone's normally all smiley."
Mori taps at a flickering light in front of the store and, if no one stops her, she pulls out a couple of tools and starts tinkering, until the light glows steadily, gradually changing colors.
"There we go. That was going to bother me! Well, folks, how about a drink? 'S'prob'ly the best way to get information around here."
Mori heads to the bar, if the rest of the group is amenable.
"Does the Starfinder Society do expense accounts? Love expense accounts—if any of you're lucky enough to snag one, you use that thing to its fullest!" Navasi wipes fine red dust off one shoulder, then shakes out her scarf. "Not that I can't afford a drink. And not that we can afford to miss any potential leads," she says from inside a rusty, rapidly-dispersing cloud.
"C'mon, Q'Qwaan!" She slaps the big vesk on his shoulder. "Important to stay hydrated while you're on Akiton, everyone knows that! We'll check out the Donkey Despacho once we've seen to your health."
With a swish of her cape, she follows Mori inside the Digger's Dive. Once orders are made and a table is secured, she surveys the crowd.
Ice-9 mingles through the crowd and lights up an old fashion hand-rolled stogie as he orders a drink at the other side of the bar. He keeps one eye on the crowd and one eye on his companions.
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"Staying hydrated you say? Whatwhat. Interesting enough, among the masters of staying hydrated," the vesk says to Nevasi, "are a number of reptiles that thrive in the deserts of Akiton. The horned ketenkale actually channels morning dew to its mouth through tiny canals in its scales." He looks at the menu and points to something he can pronounce. "I shall however deem to 'hydrate' in the traditional manner."
Looking to the jovial crowd, he smiles and shares in their enthusiasm.
"What splendid fun."
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Izzip meanders over to some of the locals at the bar. "How lovely to see so many people in such good spirits! If Sarenrae has showered blessings upon the people of Hasch I'd love to order a round in the Dawnflower's name, but I'm a bit confused about what we are celebrating. To whom - or what - should I raise a glass in honor of this revelry?"
Ice-9 takes another looooooong drink.