GM Cwethan's Commencement

Game Master Cwethan

Alpha respectfully bows its head to the faction leader: "Greetings! I am Prototype Android & Nanite Genes...", before realizing the screen went dead.
Shrugging, it looks around to see where the elevator banks are, or how to reach E-Deck.

***
At the Race
***

Markar cannot help but clench his fists with arms raised as their craft edges past the speedier foe at the last moment, then he realizes what he is doing and puts his arms down with a cough. It is well that even this element of society is aware of the honor and skill of the Starfinder Society

At the vessel of the second leader they are tasked to assist Markar retrieves both his pike and his rifle from their holsters. This seems suspicious to put it lightly.

We will not know until we look into it, Maia points out. Are there any details we ought to be aware of for this particular task?

Who's Maia linked with telepathically there? Fitch is substantially more than 30' away if that's who you're trying to reach, but if you like you can just give her a call.

She's speaking with the group, responding to Markar, and asking in general if they think there's more they ought to ask about before embarking on this next task. c: Apologies for the confusion!

Alpha shrugs: "I'm okay to check out whatever cut the power off. Might be one of those workers Fitch was yelling at. I've my tools to repair whatever...".

Markar nods As our last task demonstrated, we have many talented engineers in this party. I am confident that we will be able to determine what has occurred and fix it for the faction master.

Does anyone want the armour from the Race? If not I will take it if there are no objections?

Heading away from the race aand towards the intriguing fleet of the Armada, Cybel ponders the nature of their next task. Having never met the enigmatic leader of the Wayfinders he had no idea what they would need to accomplish and their previous task had been peculiar to say the least. As they take the shuttle, Cybel watches his allies' interactions with interest, still pondering the differences between the gathered androids.

As the hassled Ysoki briefs them, Cybel is about to respond when they are cut off mid reply. Rolling their eyes, the Android nods to his allies' suggestion.

"Yes E-deck seems to be the best chance then. These are some unusual tasks so far..."

Lynn is leaning over, trying to get a pic with both herself and Fitch's face on the drone holoscreen when the connection is cut off. She crosses her arms and leans against the bulkhead.

"That Fitch! This is just like her, I swear. Couldn't even spare a few moments to meet us! Maybe if we deal with this problem on E-deck she'll give us more than a few pico-secs of her time?"

Despite her irritated tone, Lynn's face is thoughtful. "E-deck hm?" She passes the ship's schematics to her datapad and takes a look, trying to work out what is housed on that deck. She also checks what there is on the decks closest to E-deck, in case this power outage is somewhat related to them instead.

Not entirely sure how to be helpful, Maia nods at the information and asks, Is it very unusual for such problems? She fingers her blaster, very much aware of the threat Fitch had mentioned - something might be messing with the wiring, which was why she'd requested combatants to begin with. Are there be any special tools we ought to take for this task?

As Lynn examines the ships schematics it looks as though most of E-deck was designed as crew quarters and communal living spaces, but ever since the Scoured Stars Incident... Well, there's not enough personnel to need it. They're probably using it for storage or something now.

The lift is still running down to E-deck, but all that greets you is inky blackness.

Stepping out of the lift, there is a slight whir as Cybel's optics compensate for the sudden gloom covering the deck. Spying the console, the moves softly across the room and hacks in remotely, trying to overcome the systems powered down state as his face is illuminated slightly by his data-pads softly glowing screen.

Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

"Hmm, nothing much on here of interest, though I can get the auxiliary power running in a short area to give illumination. One monent."

Typing quickly for a few moments, Cybel nods as the back-up power slowly kicks in and the lights begin to power up.

Alpha, thinking of possible saboteurs, unslings its rifle, chambers a bullet, removes the security, and takes long gun in both hands, ready to bring it up and aim.

Red-hued emergency lighting comes on, revealing to those without the nightvision of an android both a door, still unpowered, but partially open, and a nearby computer in the process of slowly booting up.

Let us see what is happening with the computer Markar suggests as he moves closer to the open door with his weapons at the ready.

Alpha nods at Markar, and, turning on his armor's flashlight, carefully enters the room, looking around, and stepping to the side of the door, back against the wall, rifle in hand.
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"So. E-deck is supposed to be a set of crew quarters. But they haven't been using them lately because of the Scoured Stars incident. Weird place to sabotage, right?" Lynn shrugs in the dim glow of the emergency lighting.

When Alpha starts to swat team his way into the next room, she giggles "Wow, gotten spooked have you, Alpha? It's probably just a bit of bad wiring or something. Nothing to worry about."

She steps on over to the computer booting up and pays close attention to what messages it may be reporting. Once it's accessible, she uses the access codes Fitch provided and checks to see what it has to say about the status of the deck.

If needed: Computers: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 Well, hope its not needed!

Do androids have the abiity to download things into their circuits?

The console boots up to a partial selection of security cameras showing a couple of human children in the next room over. As Alpha begins laboriously sliding the doors open enough to squeeze through, Lynne can see them quickly access a console before finding a place to hide.

Aside from some of the cameras, all that seems to have power is the emergency lighting and fire suppression, but you don't have access to further power restoration from here.

Once the door's open you can see a mostly empty storage chamber. There are scattered barrels and boxes lining the lowered floor, with a thick bulkhead to the port side.

Checking that his upgrade is still functional, Cybel slips through the opening door with no weapons in hands, taking time to look over the Icon announcer's shoulder at the details on the computer screen, spying the small shapes hiding, he is wary about the panel they messed with.

. "Younglings." he whispers, "Doubtful they are our saboteurs but someone else deal with them."

Once more, there is a soft whir as his optics account for the poor lighting here and the Android listens out for signs of the intruders.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Lynn whispers to the others "The scan is reading some human kids in the next room. Cybel, I saw them fiddling with a console, they could be behind this. Either way, be careful with your weapons."

Lynn continues to monitor their positions. If they keep hiding in the same places, she steps on over to Alpha, cups her hand up against his ear (or aural sensor) and whispers their locations to him along with "Might be fun to make it a game! Even if they aren't supposed to be here, they're just kids." She smiles impishly in the dim emergency lighting. "Maybe spook them a little. So they remember for next time?"

When I was young, I was scared of naught but our teacher of the physical arts. Markar glowers from behind his mask I will shout at them and promise them a good hiding if they have anything to do with the troubles aboard this vessel.

Then let us proceed, Maia agrees with this course of action. Children, at least, were something tangible she could handle unlike the strange technological components that people so often futzed about with.

"Kids? No idea what those really think or do, never been one myself...".
Alpha moves over to the next door... and peeks around the corner.
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Markar moves ahead also Per: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

They shouldnt be too hard to deal with remarks the noble.

Would it be possible to mark on the map where Lynn saw the kids hiding via security footage?

Lynn steps back into the previous room and checks the computer again to confirm the kids' location. She also double checks that the footage was current, and not some kind of old, looped vid.

As she works she brainstorms, tapping her lips with a finger and humming to herself.

Out loud, loud enough for the kids to hear, she says "Any sign of the saboteur? The computer here is giving some strange signals. Not sure what to make of them."

Unfortunately, Alpha is unable to see through the sealed bulkhead. So far as Lynn is able to tell, the footage is current, and the kids are still there.

Markar can hear some slight rustling from behind the boxes in their corner, which seems to bear this out as well.

What do you do?

Come out from behind there you little brats! Markar growls loudly shaking his pike at the rustling boxes Or I will drag you out and give you a hiding such that Talavet himself will relay stories of it.

Intimidate: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Two young boys come out trembling from their hiding place, talking over each other in a jumble.

"You found us! It was dark and we couldn't find-" "Are we in trouble?! It was Lan's idea!" "Nuh uh!" "Was so!"

What's the problem? Maia quickly steps forward, kneeling so she's at the same level as the children to keep from scaring them off. I am Maia Lilia Lanasky, she informs them. Tell us; what were you looking for? Are you okay? She does try to broadcast her telepathy to the others - those who are okay with it, anyways.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Darn, I had a cool idea about how to get them out of hiding. I'll have to save it for another time.

Lynn slips her datapad back into her pocket, then follows Maia into the room. She peeks over Maia's shoulder at the two boys and gives them a smile to help calm them down.

Diplomacy aid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

"No lying now, OK?" She winks at them.

The children look around in confusion at Maia's mind-voice until they see her antennae and visibly relax.

"It got all dark in here when- Uh. When we were in here. But we didn't do it!" "We were just visiting. Can we go?"

The smaller one (Lan), points at Alpha "He shouldn't go in there, we should just go home." "As long as you're not gonna tattle on us." The bigger one crosses his arms.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13
Alpha is surprised that it can read the fledgling human's faces: "Tell the truth now, why do you feel guilty about the door?".

sense motive: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1

Completely unable to read the children's strange shivering and cnfusing it for being cold, Cybel strides through the room to the door at Alpha's question and begins to check it out carefully.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

We need to get this vessel operational again. But Perhaps we should escort these human civilians back to safety first.

For all his anger Markar is concerned about their well being.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17

"What's over there?" Lynn points to the door "If you made a mess, don't worry, your big sis Lynn will fix it." She points her thumb at herself as she theatrically puffs out her chest. "We won't tell. But you have to tell us what happened. And slower this time!"

Lynn glances around the room for the console the kids accessed in the security footage and tries to see if there is anything still displayed.

Checking the console, Lynn can see that the fire suppression system has been recently accessed as the children quickly confess.

"We didn't want you to hurt it!" "It's just a fire extinguisher, we didn't even really break it or anything!" "You have to promise you won't hurt it, it's our pet!"

Exactly what the "pet" is is unclear, but after they've pointed out what to look for, you're able to piece together what they've done to the fire suppression system. The temperature at which it activates has been set to just over 25 degrees, low enough for most humanoids to trigger it if they walked through the western bulkhead.

Shamefacedly, they disarm their makeshift trap.

Lynn pats both of them on the head "Thank you for being honest boys. Now head on back to the elevator, OK?"

"Any chance you could tell us what your pet is? We'll get a hold of it and bring it right back to you."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Thank you, Maia says, echoing Lynn's words. She's pleased that they were able to at least get an honest answer from the children despite their evident guilt. She can't help but be a little concerned at Lynn's gentle treatment of the situation. Not knowing what the 'pet' was concerned her, especially considering whatever it was might've ruined the circuitry or wiring or whatever it was that had caused power to go out.

Is that wise? she asks Lynn, curious what the android's reasoning is.

Lynn focuses her response at Maia "Hm? Bringing back the pet? If it took out the power, super definitely no! We don't need to tell the kids that though."

She gives the lashunta a bemused shrug.

Better understanding what Lynn intended, she nodded. I see. Thank you for the clarification. I was concerned since there was a possibility that we'll have to, ah... remove it.

Yes, be off, We wouldn't want you to get hurt he comments.

It's kinda like a snake, but with more legs. And its head doesn't look like a snake. It's probably scared by now. It was hiding in the vents when we first found it too.

The boys are happy to be put back on the lift if that's what you guys want.

Alpha looks up at the vents, and make sure it does not have its back to one.

Let us proceed. I will be in the front as is proper Markar moves ahead of the rest towards the door after the boys are safely in the elevator.

Per: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Anyone have Life Science? We might be able to work out what this thing is ahead of time.

Lynn shoos the two boys and follows after Markar and Alpha. Once the boys are in the elevator, she says "A snake with more legs and a weird head? It sounds zetta gross. Keep it away from me!"

He does
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 life science check

Maia can't imagine what it could be, but her mind certainly comes up with some strange and awkward ideas. She passes the images along to Lynn with the sense of a question - Like this?
No Life Science here. :<

Donavaan isn't certain what the creature could be based solely on that rather nonspecific description. Though Maia's first strange idea does seem unlikely.

Markaar moves forward into the area the children had tried to protect, consisting of two adjoining chambers.
Four large containment capsules fill the fore room, three of which hold stasis-locked objects, including a tablet, a strange curved sword, and an odd spiral of bioluminescent coral.

A crack leaks fluid from the fourth capsule, which displays a foot-wide breach near the bottom. The aft room contains several desks, each hosting a deactivated computer terminal.

Scattered along the walls are a multitude of small markings, especially around the half-open vent covers. The creature's tracks?

You can probably get a good idea of where the creature is if you're any good at following tracks (Survival). Otherwise, you'll probably have to crawl around in the vents yourself (Athletics), or figure out some way to use the fire suppression system to "encourage" the creature to emerge (Computers).