Jaymiss Keft is not hard to find, as he has a shop in the middle of town where he sells his trinkets. He is a middle-aged man who greets you as you enter his establishment. "Greetings galactic travelers! You must be from off-planet, I can always tell. What are you looking for? I do custom work as well."
"Ah yes... we need a bit of custom work done. Only a name really." Francis alludes to Keft. "Do you have a place a bit more private for this?" the man asks.
Jaymiss looks a bit worried at Francis' suggestion but answers, "Yes, yes, come back here, I have an office. Let's discuss your needs."
Francis follows the man into his office and takes a seat, even without an offer to do so. "We need the name of a spy that works in the area. He has some information that we need and you seem to have his name."
"A spy?" Jaymiss says incredulously. "Well, I don't know if I would ever use that term. Operative? Perhaps. Loyalist? Definitely so. But can I prove that he is a spy? Maybe not absolutely, but I've got my suspicions. He goes by the name Haddon Pike, a sunsurfer and occasional smuggler. The thing is, many of his supposed smuggling trips around the star don't actually involve moving goods. Now I know the undermarket pretty well, and I've noticed that Haddon seldom buys or sells any contraband goods before or after these trips. What other explanation is there? But if you want to ask the man-or stalk him- his cottage is just outside of town."
Francis looks the man over, curious as to why the man would give up such valuable information for free. "So, you are just telling me this because..." the Captain of the Millenium Yak leaves hanging in the air.
Francis doesn't sense any ill will from Jaymiss. He shrugs. "You're the newest Free Captains I've been hearing about, right? I imagine being on your good side will benefit me one of these. Might be that I need a favor in the future and then you'll owe me one. Deal?"
"I'm sure something can be arranged, Jaymiss." Francis says with a shrug and a wink. "I trust that you know how to contact us if a need for this favor arises."
Francis shakes the man's hand before heading out onto the street of the floating space station.
---
"Maheem, tell the crew to be ready to go at any point. Things with this spy might turn ugly." Francis remarks over the comms.
The Captain presses another button on his suit and a helmet encases his head as they reach the air lock. "Do we leave through this airlock to find his floating cottage?" the Captain asks Xerxes, the man with knowledge of the area.
Aye aye, Capt'n. Get ready for boarding, suit up! All hands on deck! warns the protoss, eager to get into the action.
Haddon's residence is a small station rotating to simulate artificial gravity. The door is locked but there are several port windows where you can see inside to a dead body with two stinger bolts sticking out of his back, his head submerged in a large fish tank. The spike-toothed fish creature inside has gnawed away most of the face. Clutched in the man's hand is a statue carved to resemble a birdlike humanoid with a narrow beak.
"Kkkkk... Can anyone open the hatch to get us inside? Kkkk...." Francis relays over the radio to his team as he floats in space, anchored to the floating station with a hook clasp and a stretch of space cord.
At first only static, then becomes something more audible as Karter comes sailing around the ass end of the Yak in his zero-G suit with rocket assist. "May I be of service Capt?", pulling up to the voice panel, "Open the door man!"
On it, Capt'n.
Xerxes then loads his break & enter tron toolkit and gets to work.
It takes a combination of Karter's natural space talent and Xerxes' mechanical knowledge to open the airlock and allow you to enter the station safely. Haddon's dead body slumps before you, the Maula Pistol bolts sticking from his back.
While the cottage has been thoroughly ransacked, you find a concealed compartment in the fish tank’s heavily carved wooden base. Inside is a waterproofed bag containing 40 pp, 259 gp, and a scrimshaw walrus tusk scroll case (worth 50 gp). Inside the case are several rolled up scrolls of sheet music and lyrics that are part of an Imperial opera.
Looks like he's about a week ripe capt."
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"Hmm... anyone a fan of Imperial operas?" Francis remarks as he opens his mask once they are inside the sealed station. He floats the papers over his shoulder to Sh'yl.
He moves to investigate the body and finds Karter there already with his fingers plugging his nose. "Yes, looks like it. Someone got here before us."
Francis radios back to the Millenium Yak, reporting on the death. "I need an expert on Imperial music, First Mate. Found some hidden music sheets and they might be our only lead."
Turning to his three Free Captains, Francis tells them to search the whole place. "This was unfortunate. Any thoughts besides searching this whole place?"
I have no music knowledge, sorry. Says Sh'yl who looks at the music notes.
Capt'n, I may know someone who could help us understand what this is about. communicates Xerxes as he frowns upon the musical sheets.
"Copy that, Xerxes." the Captain says as he calls to the Millenium Yak.
"We are ready for pickup." Francis radios in.
--Blue shiny fade to black--
Back on the Millenium Yak, Francis calls the crew together. "I need everyone to get to work on these music sheets. Find out everything you can about them. In the meantime, we are going to hunt down an expert on Imperial operas."
Turning to Xerxes, the Captain has a stern face. "Get up to the deck and tell Maheem where to set a course for, then we will get our answers..."
Unfortunately no one in the crew is trained in music, much less the complicated operas you have found. Bards and musicians are always easy to find throughout any sector though, it is just a matter of weeding out the frauds and wannabes from the real talent. Luckily Xerxes knows of a bar where a smashing band of aliens play a mean jig. For a small fee of 100 gp they agree to help you with the music.
"Quite interesting! Look at the minor chords: here, here, here, and so on. The syllables spell something out. A series of instructions, it seems. They order someone named Haddon to report on the movement of ships visiting Drenchport, especially those belonging to the "Master of the Gales". Let me see here. . . Ah yes, the instructions also identify a contact, someone named Roweena Kellet in Hell Harbor on the planet of Devil’s Arches."
"The Devil's Arse indeed", Karter tries to be polite in light of the two musicians putting there heads together. "So Haddon is our snitch, Capt? Do we need to bother with this Roweena?"
Francis gladly pays their fee and gathers the other Free Captains at his table, document in hand. he demands.
"Let's collect ourselves. Have a drink and then go find Haddon and ring his neck until we get answers. Sound good?" he asks of the gathered men.
he bellows, tossing a small sack of coin on to the table.
Following the leads from Haddon Pike’s home, you journey to the planet of Devil’s Arches and the town of Hell Harbor in search of Roweena Kellet. A few questions identifies Roweena as a harbor quartermaster in the employ of Arronax Endymion, lord of Hell Harbor and a former admiral in the Empire navy. Roweena manages two of Endymion’s smaller trade warehouses, but she’s recently gone missing. Since Roweena’s disappearance, the goods in the warehouses she managed have been transferred to other holdings, leaving both warehouses empty.
Former admiral Endymion? I wonder if he still has some ties to his old masters...
"Dammit... Dead ends at every turn." Free Captain Francis snarls at the news. "Alright, Karter and Xerxes, care to investigate the warehouses while Sh'yl and I have a talk with the Admiral?" the Captain asks, curious on their thoughts on the matter.
Karter and Xerxes head to the warehouse and find one of the side doors already broken open; it leads to an office which has already been ransacked, with shipping and other mercantile papers scattered about.
Asking around town, Francis and Sh'yl try to get a meeting with the former admiral Arronax Endymion. He is quite a busy man and one of his underlings repeatedly asks, "But who are you and what is your business with the admiral?"
Karter found it comforting to be in the company of someone who he can introduce as "Mr. X", ominous enough even without the blades. He activates a light wand and sweeps the area, readies the Zul, just in case.
"...not even a crumb.
Most interesting, a ledger. It appears to list the names of numerous major pirate lords, each with a large number beside it. Let's see... yes, Endymion is among them, with a dash rather than a number. There's also a scribbled line: "send with Corlan". Anyone knows what it could mean?
Sh'yl says to the Admiral's underlings.
This is the Free Captain Francis Ulhutch, and I am Sh'yl M'sshakul, Lord of Tidewater Rock, servant of the Force, chaplain of the Millenium Yack, son of Sh'aar and Sh'uu M'sshakul, blood scourge of the Space, Captains of the Starship Blackdeath.
We require an audience to the Admiral Arronax Endymion, we must speak to him in private. It's a matter of space security.
"Impressive," the man spits back at Sh'yl, "but the Admiral is a busy man. I'll give him your name and he'll contact you if he's interested. But if it's a matter of security, I wouldn't hold your breath. He's already got security and knows everything that goes on in this harbor. He doesn't need your help."
"Listen, whelp." scowls Francis, clearly having a bad day after finding lead after lead extinguished. "I am Francis Ulhutch of the Millenium Yak." he reminds the boy.
"I have taken over a pirate's vessel with only three other men outfitted with plastic knifes. Do you think that I ask for an audience with someone such as Admiral Edmington?" he says, purposefully mispronouncing the name.
"We are not here to aid your leader, but to allow him the opportunity to aid us in our venture and it appears that you are the only thing standing between me and what I want. The last few people who tried that felt the sting of my lash as their flesh burnt from their bones. Care to answer again with the proper respect that one of your position should afford one of my position?" Francis asks, teeth snarling and a ball of flame appearing in his hand.
"Free Captain? A smuggler then, a low-life. What is a admiral of the Empire going to want with one like you? And he certainly won't be seen helping a Free Captain! What would the Empire think! Then he'd be a goner for sure!"
Francis bursts out laughing as the sniveling man continues to speak. "Hahaha! Hahahahahahaha!" he utters as he doubles over, unable to control himself. He wipes his eyes as he finishes laughing. "Sorry, I just was thinking about how this will not work out well for you."
"Good day, but I'm sure you will see me again." Francis says with a grin. He nods to Sh'yl and the pair head back to the Millenium Yak to see what the other pair found.
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"I have taken over a pirate's vessel with only three other men outfitted with plastic knifes."
You find a ledger listing the names of numerous major pirate lords, each with a large number beside it. Of these names, one stands out: Arronax Endymion, whose entry has only a dash rather than a number. Scribbled at the bottom of one page is a single line: send with Corlan.
Having no luck with any other leads, you decide to start asking around about "Corlan". You discover that he is a smuggler from these parts and has a house nearby.
Before you approach the house, though, Sh'yl notices something very strange: someone is up on the roof of a two-story factory just down the street with a sonic rifle lined up on Corlan's front door.
Francis strides boldly up to the door and knocks profoundly on the wooden surface as the other Free Captains keep their eyes peeled. "This bloody idiot better be home."
Xerxes moves alongside his Captain, acting as his personal bodyguard, psyblades drawn. He keeps an eye out for possible traps.
Sh'yl moves near Francis and whispers Captain, a sniper on the roof, right in front of the admiral's door...
The door creaks open and an unidentifiable humanoid wearing a helmet answers but immediately a sonic wave whistles past Captain Francis' ear and a small syringe-like object embeds in Corlan's chest. You hear a cough from beneath the helmet and the man falls to his knees, reaching to the door frame to hold himself up. Looking up, you can no longer see the sniper.
”Aww great!”, Karter throws his hands up, turning around to curse at the disappeared assassin, ”Couldn't knock on the door yourself could you?!”. Quickly bending down and flipping off the helmet, he shoves a dose of adrenaline into the neck, hoping to get some confession before Corlan joins the Force.
"A slight bit of heads up would have been nice, however what's done is done." remarks Captain Francis as he reaches for the radio unit on his shoulder.
"I need immediate transport for the Free Captains and an additional humanoid with an unknown substance in his body. Immediate priority. Get Quinn ready." he informs the Millenium Yak.
"Additionally, please use the scanners to lock on to any individuals leaving the immediate vicinity with weaponry beyond what would normally be found in the area. A syringe sonic rifle, if you can locate it, is our target. We will teleport to engage if you can find him." Francis relays to the First Mate and Maheem.
I fear this may be too late, but we have no choice. regretfully thinks Xerxes, wishing he knew more about poisons.
"A death on our hands is not blood on our souls." states Francis, oddly out of character. "Either way, this assassin's blood will be on my hands once I find him..." he growls, waiting for a response from the ship.