“You’re insane!” the technician yelps as she sees Vandor once again threaten her with the pistol.
Looking to Haastaskin, she pleads “Please protect me from him!”
It is a reasonable request, she isn’t asking you to hurt Draak — just prevent Draak from hurting her. Restraining him (grapple) or otherwise making it harder for him to hurt her would all be appropriate actions.
Basically anything that might break up the fight without hurting either is great. Doing non-lethal Damage would probably be too much at this stage.
Right now she has no weapons out and Vandor has a lethal weapon out.
Round 1:
Vandor Draak
Ninja
Chikasa
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Haastaskin
Seven of Eleven
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Vandor moves into the room, "Hey, it doesn't need to go down like this. Just let us take you into custody and we'll get it all sorted out.
Haas we're on the same side remember? If your new friend is who she says she is she should have no problem standing down. Think about this buddy."
As a move action, Vandor can choose one enemy within 60 feet. That enemy must succeed at a Will save or take a –4 penalty to all attacks it makes against him until the end of his next turn.
Vandor tells the technician to stand down. She takes a step back and reaches into one of the pockets of her stationwear suit. “Hey, I’m the one doing my job here! Go get one of the guards, they will tell you!”
Round 1:
Vandor Draak
Ninja (delay)
Chikasa
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Haastaskin
Seven of Eleven
The combination of Darkrunner-42’s laser pistol and warning cause the technician to pause.
Round 1:
Vandor Draak
Ninja (delay) shaken
Chikasa
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Haastaskin
Seven of Eleven
As Chikasa moves towards the AV room, Zo! Leaves the stage and Lawazi Elsebo takes center stage.
“Ah, just what I was waiting for!” the technician says and she clamps down on whatever was in her pocket. There is the sound of a faint click as she clamps down on the item.
She gives a puzzled look out the window. “It didn’t work?”
She was waiting for Luwazi to take position on stage. Likely everything up to this point was an attempt by her to stall until Luwazi got there.
Luwazi is standing directly over where one of the explosive devices was found.
@Haastaskin, if you made the Sense Motive that is enough to end the effects from when the technician first talked to you.
Round 1 & 2:
Vandor Draak
Chikasa
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja shaken
Haastaskin
Seven of Eleven
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"She's been stalling until Luwazi got on stage! But she didn't count on us deactivating her bombs. Too bad you didn't hit the button while I was stumbling through Yamlet, we all probably would have been happier. Now for the last %#@!ing time; surrender already. The bar is calling, and we've all had one hell of a day."
Vandor maintains Not In the Face and readies a shot at the assassin if she acts violently.
Haastaskin vows to protect their friend the technician.
Seven of Eleven aims at the technician and warns them to surrender immediately.
Vandor claims that the technician was stalling and points out where Luwazi is currently standing.
Round 2:
Vandor Draak readied shot if technician makes a hostile move
Chikasa
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja shaken
Haastaskin
Seven of Eleven readied shot if the technician doesn’t give up
Darkrunner-42 reinforces Seven’s warning with one of their own.
The technician says “You folk already cost me a lot of money. No way you are taking my freedom too!” as she runs towards Vandor. As she moves, she gets out her knife.
Seven’s shot with the rifle hits her.
Vandor’s shot goes wide.
Darkrunner-42’s laser hits true.
Hurt, she still takes a swipe at Vandor.
Round 2 & 3:
Chikasa
Seven of Eleven
Vandor Draak
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja -10
Haastaskin
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Haastaskin silently swings her armored fist at her former 'friend' the would-be assassin.
"You were never my friend, you just tried to use me against my allies. Surrender now or face oblivion, Assassin!" she says with absolute disgust.
This time Darkrunner-42 distracts the technician before shooting them.
Round 2 & 3:
Chikasa
Seven of Eleven
Vandor Draak
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja -13
Haastaskin
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Chikasa holds out an open palm, and the holographic interface he had used earlier reappears above his hand. He taps on the interface, then sticks his fingers through a few holes that appear in a dial hovering beside the display and rotates the dial to turn up the energy channeled into his spell. Three bolts of arcane energy materialize in the air in front of him, then streak toward the assassin and strike her with severe force.
Chikasa reminds the assassin that mages are no to be ignored.
Round 2 & 3:
Chikasa
Seven of Eleven
Vandor Draak
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja -26
Haastaskin
As the technician flees, Haastaskin bops them on the head to show how they feel about what happened.
Seven of Eleven misses this time with their rifle.
Round 2 & 3:
Chikasa
Seven of Eleven
Vandor Draak
Darkrunner-42
Other NPCs
Ninja -32
Haastaskin
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With a guttural hiss, Haastaskin quickly moves forward while drawing her doshko. Closing upon the assassin, she takes it in both hands and takes a swing at the fleeing foe.
"No one betrays my trust and tries to harm our First Seeker, deceitful scum! May your death bring as much joy to others as it will to me!"
Haastaskin’s doshko slams into the assassin as she gives voice to her anger. The assassin does not survive the strike.
Shortly after that, the assassin’s body shifts — changing into a reptilian humanoid creature. Evidently, they were some sort of shapeshifter which explains why she was so good at disguises.
Other than finding the detonator in their pocket, you don't find anything of interest.
Radaszam calls over the comms "Nothing exploded, so you have taken care of the devices. How is it coming with locating the assassin? I hope they didn't get away."
Looking out into the room, the crowd seems to be paying a lot of attention to whatever announcement Luwazi is making. Guess you will have to catch the recording later.
Chikasa believes it is a Reptoid, a race of reptilian creatures that various conspiracy theorists say are the secret masters of the Pact Worlds. Their infiltrators are said to stay in an identity for years at a time. This is the first time he has seen one, but everything matches with what little he knows about the race.
Radaszam replies over the comm “Great job! I will send a couple of my people up for the cleanup. I think that Luwazi would like you down here now that you have neutralized the danger.”
Assuming you go down immediately, Luwazi is just finishing her speech.
“Thanks to the tireless research of my associate Royo, we have identified a lead on understanding the Scoured Stars incident. And so, the Starfinder Society will continue researching the Scoured Stars, in the hopes of reuniting with our lost colleagues and better understanding this phenomenon.”
The First Seeker meets your eyes in the crowd, adding, “And I already have highly qualified agents in mind to undertake the first mission!”
There is a moment of surprised quiet over the room, and then the guests, starting with Ykris, begin to applaud in force. Iteration-177 regards the elected First Seeker with an indiscernible expression, slowly joining in on the applause. Royo nods enthusiastically, taking in some of the fanfare for his role in the announcement. Naiaj frantically appends work orders, noticeably perturbed by some news she has just received. Zo! actively backs away from the assembled group, still enthusiastically clapping but also making desperate calls to acquire televised rights to all Scoured Stars related endeavors.
Later you are able to watch a recording of the first part of her speech.
First she thanks Zo! for all his support of the Starfinder Society and the media attention he has brought them.
She pauses a bit, before starting with her own announcement.
“I had planned for this evening's announcement to be an exciting one, but I'll admit this is not quite what I had in mind,” the First Seeker begins, her smile wry but determined. “Now I find my resolve only further galvanized.”
“As many of you know, the First Seeker has the privilege and the responsibility for choosing the direction of the Starfinder Society's research efforts. I have refrained from setting such a direction while we regroup and rebuild—an undertaking which all of you here have made possible. Also, the fact that Guidance has not yet chosen to formalize my election is another matter, but not one the Society can risk dwelling on.”
“Now that the Society is again in a position to reach for the stars, I am pleased to formally announce the focus of our efforts during my tenure.”
The recording then gives the part of her speech you caught as you were coming in, announcing her plans to research the Scoured Stars in hopes of reuniting with the agents trapped there.
Radaszam Is mightily impressed that you neutralized the explosives and caught the assassin. He gives you each an advanced Diasporan rifle in the sleek black design of the Obsidian Spiders mercenary group. “For the work you did today, I want to give you honorary membership in the Obsidean Spiders!”
“We now have a clue to who at least some of our hidden enemies are!”
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Chikasa accepts the rifle and immediately begins looking it over, his old, but still keen eyes scanning over the weapon as he works the bolt, checks the sights, and feels the action of the trigger. "This is a fine weapon, sir," he says to Radaszam as he slings the rifle over his shoulder. "It's an honor to be considered one of the Spiders. At least, it's better than some o' the crowds I ran with in my younger days." The ysoki gives a wry smile, then salutes the vesk.
Later, when given the opportunity, Chikasa approaches Luwazi Elsebo and congratulates her on her speech. "You've set high goals for the Society, ma'am," he says, "Seems like just the sort o' thing a real leader should do. I look forward t' joinin' you in the expedition to the Scoured Stars. Thank ya for givin' me the opportunity."
“Your group did well, finding clues and then handling the situation without the assassin even realizing the devices had been deactivated.”
“Just the sort of initiative I look for in members of the Acquisitives, should you ever be looking to join another faction.”
——
Smiling, Luwazi tells Chikasa “We have some leads we need to chase down before our return, but if possible I think it is important we rescue those who are trapped there.”