About a dozen travellers that came out of the Rift from all over the universe are now at the last part of their journey to Absalom station. As the shuttle departs from the last ship before returning to the station you hear over the comm device "We greet the most recently entered passengers on our shuttle service to Absalom station. Our next stop will be at the final destination in about 15 minutes. The weather outside is still vacuum, but on Absalom Station you can select every weather and climate you like. I wish you a pleasant journey."
Then the drives fire up indicated by the boom changing to a high pitched tone and the acceleration pushing at everyone in direction of the back. After a short moment the shuttle reaches travel speed and and sitting in the two opposing rows of seats becomes relaxed again.
Two mechanics who were collected from a repair job of one of the ships surrounding Absalom Station are talking about the day and speculate what one has to do to ruin a power core in that way. Mostly by making puns about pilots and their 'special' skills.
Damn seats never have space to put my tail. The large Vesk thinks to themselves with a sour expression
Soryn had mixed feelings about this trip. He was not happy to be leaving the jungles of his hometown in Castrovel and did not really look forward to going to Absalom Station. All the information gathered pointed to metal husk floating out in space. Hardly a home for humanoids.
On the other hand, he was happy to leave his hometown, especially the shotalashu ordeal. They did not take kindly to having one of their prized steeds released back to the wilds. And his mother and family name had been shamed in the process. He was happy for the opportunity to get away from that and start a new life as a Starfinder.
Being off-world for the first time was certainly exciting. So many different people. The lashunta barely resisted the urge to pry into people's minds. Although the vesk there seems uncomfortable.
He put on his warmest smile and asked, "Are you here for pleasure or business?" I hope that's not too nosy...
"Business." Boreal replies shifting uncomfortably. "Blasted seats!" she grunts under her breath. She closes her eyes for a moment and breathes before replying, "Appreciate you not speaking into my head. What is your goal on the station?" she asks, intentionally not smiling
"Business." Boreal replies shifting uncomfortably. "Blasted seats!" she grunts under her breath. She closes her eyes for a moment and breathes before replying, "Appreciate you not speaking into my head. What is your goal on the station?" she asks, intentionally not smiling
The lashunta smiled and straightened out his khaki colored shirt and pants, "Oh I would never do that. I was told that it was not polite if the other person is not telepathic."
He shrugged, "I would imagine it would be a little unnerving too."
He changed the subject, "I'm here to meet a potential business associate."
Honest and trusting to a fault, he saw no harm in divulging his plans, "I'm hoping to become a Starfinder."
He followed up by extending his hand, "My name is Soryn."
"Greetings." Boreal says struggling to turn in her seat. She extends a large muscular arm and shakes Soryn's proffered hand. Carefully mind you. The greeting is possibly too firm to be comfortable.
"I am Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon." She says her name with a ritualistic and respectful tone, emphasizing the epithets of her forebears. The lack of an epithet in her name stands in stark contrast
Soryn smiled and joked, "Well, that's a mouthfull," and quickly regretted it. "I meant no offense. People back home also rattle off their family's names but that's only to hide their lack of individual achievements and hide in their family's name."
Quickly realizing this was the wrong thing to say, "And I'm not implying this is your case at all. I was just..."
He breathed in, "Let's start again. I should have said, 'Nice to meet you Boreal'."
Hoping he hadn't ruffled any feathers, the lashunta asked, "What line of business are you in?"
"My name is Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon. You know it is impolite to speak telepathically but it is beyond you to address a person by their name?" she finishes with a dismissive snort. As she speaks the corners of her mouth curl and you can tell that she is very agitated.
"My name is Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon. You know it is impolite to speak telepathically but it is beyond you to address a person by their name?" she finishes with a dismissive snort. As she speaks the corners of her mouth curl and you can tell that she is very agitated.
Soryn nodded ans smiled then, "OK then, who am I to judge someone's customs. So it's nice to meet you 'Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon'"
That's a real mouthful; I pity those that have to deal with her.
Damn cowlicks! Lolo licked her hand and ran it across her brow, cursing silently as the tuft of fur above her eye sprung right back into place - or misplace, as things actually were.
The ysoki was suddenly very self-conscious. Becoming a Starfinder seemed like a good idea back in the Pipetown midden heap, but here, on this shuttle? Lolo had quickly cashed in her, um, borrowed ship's com-unit and bought a shiny new gun with the proceeds, but the rest of her... we'll, it was obvious that her armor was cobbled together with spare parts, as was the drone circling that Vesk's head. That very annoyed looking Vesk-
"Psst. T! Stay in your lane!"
"I am perfectly capable of wandering the shuttle without humping anyone's leg, thank you," the drone said, nunplussed.
Lolo sighed. T-13, no, now it was T-14, it had come back a little weird from its last rebuild. Still, at least T listened; the little drone slowly circled back over Lolo's head. Lolo turned her attention to the Vesk, realizing it wasn't annoyed with her at least!
"Ms. Boreal Typhon Daughter of Zerushkesk Hornbreaker Typhon, um, Daughter of mumblemumblemumble Typhon, I'm sure he didn't mean any offence. Besides, he wants to be a Starfinder!"
Lolo turned to the Lashunta. "I want to be a Starfinder too!"
The ratling wetted her hand and ran it over her brow once again. Damn cowlicks!
"Whether offence is meant or not is beside the point. There is a proper way to do things." she says, but the apology, even though it comes from someone besides the offending party does actually calm her somewhat.
"You asked what business I am in. I hunt." she says by way of explanation, "Unfortunately I am also here to meet with the Starfinders."
Very happy for the interruption, Soryn jumped at the opportunity, "Exactly. No offense meant. Really."
a... ysoki
The lashunta once more extended his hand, "I'm Soryn but guess you already know that. Good to meet you..."
He paused, hoping the ysoki would fill in his name and really hoping that it wasn't as long as the vesk name.
Lolo grabbed the lashunta's hand, marveling at how his completely covered hers. Warm!
"I'm Lolo Natalaksa Aeolo..." The ysoki paused, and then couldn't help herself, counting off on her fingers as she continued. "Daughter of Eltic and Norrana Aeolo, sister of Twinkle, sister of Ela, sister of Noleene, sister of Ytak, sister of Alleah, sister of Urna, sister of Nick, sister of Lalah, sister of Shakes, sister of Oooo, sister of Diinyah, sister of Kalbesh."
Lolo's brow furrowed. "Oh, and sister of Peytee. Poor Peytee. Always exactly the middle child. You can call me Lolo. In my culture, we'd never get anything done if we had to go through family bushes all the time."
"Annywwwwways," Lolo continued, pointing to her drone. "That's T14. 'T' is for tiny. He's the fourteenth of his name."
Turning back to Boreal, Lolo smiled, a large, toothy grin. "A hunter? I'm a hunter... of sorts. I hunt salvage. Build things. Sell things. But mostly build things. What do you hunt?"
Swamp rats. I bet its swamp rats!
"People." is the curt response, accompanied with a toothy sneer
Soryn had heard of vesk before. In fact, he was intimately familiar with large reptile predators but to have on sitting next to him in a small enclosed space was... unnerving.
He steered the conversation towards more pleasant venues, "So it seems we are all here to meet the same person."
The lashunta's antennas flattened when the little drone flew by, "Are you also here to meet a dwarf named Mr. Kreel?"
The being known as EH-RK sat quietly in the shuttle. He once had work that required parsing large quantities of energy readings into small packets for use by an engineering firm. He found that this tedium was best accomplished by moving as little as possible...and so he found himself using that same skill during shuttle crossings with beings he did not know. It was Eric's opinion that most biological beings could not sit without moving for very long, and that they tended to leave constructs that did not move alone.
However, at the mention of the Dwarf Kreel Eric's head, and just his head, swivels towards the Lashunta.
I too have a meeting with the Dwarf Kreel. It was my understanding that the Dwarf Kreel required extensive assistance with questions of science.
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Too slow. Too slow! They're not grinding the pipes or pre-loading the injectors. I bet they even left life support on during the ascension phase!' Wraith thinks, all but vibrating at the lack of the ship's stick in her hands. 'Ah hell. Since we're going at horse-and-buggy speed I may as well talk. What was the last question. Okay, well, what was the first one?'
"Both," the young woman in the corner at last pipes up, amicably. "Business and pleasure, Soryn. I heard about job, needed people to go places, do things. I do both of that, so here I am. Name's Wraith, by the by. Daughter of None of Your Business, sister of Not Your Concern.
...
You think this thing would go any faster if we got out and pushed?"
How much longer do i have to bear these insults? Boreal thinks to herself rolling her shoulders, closing her eyes and trying to breathe deeply
However, at the mention of the Dwarf Kreel Eric's head, and just his head, swivels towards the Lashunta.
I too have a meeting with the Dwarf Kreel. It was my understanding that the Dwarf Kreel required extensive assistance with questions of science.
Soryn was pleased, "Science eh? Then I'm sure I can help. I have extensive knowledge of plants and animals."
He asked, "What is your field of expertise?"
"Both," the young woman in the corner at last pipes up, amicably. "Business and pleasure, Soryn. I heard about job, needed people to go places, do things. I do both of that, so here I am. Name's Wraith, by the by. Daughter of None of Your Business, sister of Not Your Concern."
That made Soryn chuckle, "Good to meet you as well. And your secrets are safe with me."
"You think this thing would go any faster if we got out and pushed?"
Another nervous chuckle, "That would not be a good idea. This is not the first time this shuttle makes this run, right?"
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"So you'd think it would go faster!" Allison counters to the Lashunta's observation. "If you do a run so many times you can do it with your eyes closed you'd think it was time to shake things up a little, huh?
Hellz, I bet they don't even have the nadion thrust assembly online. And since we're not chucking our cookies the dorsal bi-neural is probably still magnatized. So I guess I should be happy we're moving at all!
So, that's all that you do? You know plants an' stuff? you a like a plant doctor or something?"
"Hellz, I bet they don't even have the nadion thrust assembly online. And since we're not chucking our cookies the dorsal bi-neural is probably still magnatized. So I guess I should be happy we're moving at all!"
The lashunta chuckled and made a motion with this hand like something just went over his head, right after he flattened his antenna.
"So, that's all that you do? You know plants an' stuff? you a like a plant doctor or something?"
He thought for a moment, "No and yes. I'm not a plant doctor although I know enough about to plants to know what ails them and can heal them. Same with animals. And same with humanoids."
He thought a moment longer, "I guess if I have to describe what I do, it would be that I preserve natural environments and prevent others from abusing them." he was satisfied with that definition, "Yeah, that's right. That's what I do. I let nature take its course."
Soryn asked, "You talk about the ship's systems like an expert. Is that what you do? Fix starships? I can see why you would be valuable to the Starfinders."
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Allison snorts. "Heh! Ya, I guess I do that, fix 'em. Of course, I usually have a fair hand in breakin' 'em first. It's not like I'm really talented or smart, or anythin' like that, it's just that people are always saying, 'Allison, don't overcharge the phontonic accelerator' and 'Allison, don't forget to compensate in the variance in the neutrino field or you'll blow out the ionic flow circuit!' But if the thing just needs a new half-cred lithium shifter, who cares if it lets you hellburn!?"
Apparently not noticing that she just said her real name, she looks down and starts typing on the personal comm velcroed to her forearm, carrying on the conversation.
"Meh. But that's just me.
So you're an 'all-things' doctor? That's pretty wiz. I kinda like to grab the laws of nature by the throat an' throttle it until it screams for mercy, but letting it takes it's course is chill too, I guess."
Lolo nods enthusiastically along. "I built a spaceship. Well, more like a near-space ship. No interplanetary capability or anything, just near-atmosphere short orbits. Used her to salvage out by The Armada."
A momentary twinge crosses the ysoki's face, and then its gone. "Blown ionic circuits are a real pain. I should know, it took me a month to rewire one."
"Anyways, I'm to see the dwarf Kreel as well. Think she's got a job for us?"
Lolo grins, obviously pleased with herself. "I used a Homebright Brand oven, set to self-clean in a perpetual cycle! You know how the oven lid gets closed and locked and a vacuum to put out any fires? I routed that unit to expulsors and fed a simple HVAC cooling tube into the unit, keeping it perpetually warming. Then, with a re-introduction of air - carefully modulated and expelled, of course - into the vaccum and BAM! - propulsion!"
The salvager's excitement falls a little, Lolo quickly looking to the ground.
"It was pretty slow going, honestly. Less powerful than this shuttle we're on now. It would take me two+ hours to reach the Armada from Pipetown."
Brightening again, Lolo looks back up and licks her hand, running it along her cowlick.
"But all it cost was seven months of my time!"
So you're an 'all-things' doctor? That's pretty wiz. I kinda like to grab the laws of nature by the throat an' throttle it until it screams for mercy, but letting it takes it's course is chill too, I guess."
Soryn smiled not quite knowing whether the woman was kidding or not. "There are times when I also want to grab things by the neck and shake them."
He added, "I usually stop when they start screaming though."
He was really impressed, "So where did you learn all technological stuff? Back home, my village is in the outskirts of Laubu Mesa, a city state which is pretty isolated from the rest of the city states. I guess that means that we are not reliant on as much technology as the rest of the lashuntas."
The salvager's excitement falls a little, Lolo quickly looking to the ground.
"It was pretty slow going, honestly. Less powerful than this shuttle we're on now. It would take me two+ hours to reach the Armada from Pipetown."
Brightening again, Lolo looks back up and licks her hand, running it along her cowlick.
"But all it cost was seven months of my time!"
With the conversation going well over his head, the lashunta listened attentively. he knew he would have to pick up this technology stuff if he was going to be of any use to anyone.
When the conversation stopped, he also expressed admiration for the ysoki, "You make it sound like you failed but the fact that you could even build something like that is just... impressive."
He asked, "Is that skill what you hope gets you hired with the Starfinder?"
How much longer do i have to bear these insults? Boreal thinks to herself rolling her shoulders, closing her eyes and trying to breathe deeply
The shirren sits in the shuttle, silently watching everything happening around him. His antenna twitch sporadically, reading the body language as much through vibrations as sight.
As the conversation turns technological, he leans in conspiratorily to the vesk.
"You seem distressed by the softskins. Would you care to talk about it? Or I have sedatives if you prefer a more... direct approach." The shirren begins checking pockets on his jacket.
"That is a kind offer. No thank you. There is no need for sedation." Boreal replies, opening her eyes to look down at the insectoid that chitters beside her, "My name is Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon" she says with the same respectful tone, "You are?"
"I've selected as my speechname Manteca Imani. My choice of career is a doctor of the mind, as I find it to be a universal field - xenobiology makes traditional medicine much harder these days. I typically air selected treatments on the infosphere, to some small acclaim amongst those who follow such things; perhaps you've heard some of them?" The shirren's antennae agitate anxiously.
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So you're an 'all-things' doctor? That's pretty wiz. I kinda like to grab the laws of nature by the throat an' throttle it until it screams for mercy, but letting it takes it's course is chill too, I guess."Soryn smiled not quite knowing whether the woman was kidding or not. "There are times when I also want to grab things by the neck and shake them."
He added, "I usually stop when they start screaming though."
He was really impressed, "So where did you learn all technological stuff? Back home, my village is in the outskirts of Laubu Mesa, a city state which is pretty isolated from the rest of the city states. I guess that means that we are not reliant on as much technology as the rest of the lashuntas."
"Meh," she says, not looking up from her comm. "Back on 'Central lotsa tech stuff made it's way to the dumpster where I spent most my time. I figured 'long as it was broke, can't get no broker, y'know? So I'd break this, break that, mebbe salvage a part. Sooner 'r later I had a pile of good parts an' a frame t' put 'em together. Got th' knowing and after a bit I could make some reel l33t stuff just by diggin' through trash. Made my first ride that way. Made my second ride from some trash an' the wreckage of the 1st ride too.
You all were isolated? Shouldn't that make you a farmer or sumpin'?"
"I can't say that I have." Boreal replies. Unsure of how to respond to Manteca.
"They are all here to meet the dwarf, are you here for the same reason?"
"I can't say that I have." Boreal replies. Unsure of how to respond to Manteca.
"They are all here to meet the dwarf, are you here for the same reason?"
The shirren seems to deflate slightly. "That's understandable - it's a small show, and some beings find the airing of psychological or personal issues to be distasteful in an abstract. It's my opinion, however, that such openness helps build community and goodwill amongst participants who engage with an open mind."
The anxious antennae-wiggling begins again. "I'm sorry, I ignored your question. Um. Yes. The Starfinder. I too am here to meet him." The shirren slumps in his seat some, clearly struggling to balance his enthusiasm with the stoic vesk. "I hope to be of service. Perhaps an administrative role would fit... It seems the rest of you are talented in a variety of ways."
"I am certain that the show is informative. It is important to know your own mind, the mind of the comrade at your back, and the mind of the enemy at the fore." Boreal says, remembering back to lessons drilled into her during squad training.
"I had lessons on psychology during training." she says after a brief pause to think
The shirren perks up, suddenly fascinated. "Well of course psychology is critical on a battlefield! A sufficiently trained psychologist can soothe allies, disrupt enemies, understand the limits of an organism's psyche - all to rules of cause and effect! To a well-organized mind, there is no longer such a thing as 'unpredictable behavior,' just behavior that we have insufficient data to predict!" The shirren begins again to sift through his pockets. "I need to write all this down, this would make for an excellent episode."
"You do that then." Boreal says looking down at him
"You all were isolated? Shouldn't that make you a farmer or sumpin'?"
I'm not a farmer but am I sumpin'? Yeah, maybe.
Soryn smiled, "Well isolated just means that we were difficult to get to and our elders like to keep it that way but we do have contact with other lashunta."
He added, "There was an undercurrent of thought in the city-state that too much technology is not good for the soul but nothing too crazy."
He bluffed, "I mean I have seen computers and such and can find my way through the infosphere. Is that what it's called?"
He stopped for a response while he thought to himself, Only a few times and I never find what I'm looking for. It's all very frustrating because I never have the latest updates.
The shirren perks up, suddenly fascinated. "Well of course psychology is critical on a battlefield! A sufficiently trained psychologist can soothe allies, disrupt enemies, understand the limits of an organism's psyche - all to rules of cause and effect! To a well-organized mind, there is no longer such a thing as 'unpredictable behavior,' just behavior that we have insufficient data to predict!" The shirren begins again to sift through his pockets. "I need to write all this down, this would make for an excellent episode."
It was hard to keep his curiosity in check for Soryn, especially when it came to insectoids.
He raised his hand in a meek 'hello, I'm here' and hoped the insectoid would allow him into the conversation...
It was hard to keep his curiosity in check for Soryn, especially when it came to insectoids.
He raised his hand in a meek 'hello, I'm here' and hoped the insectoid would allow him into the conversation...
Manteca tilted his head in interest at the Lashunta.
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"You all were isolated? Shouldn't that make you a farmer or sumpin'?"I'm not a farmer but am I sumpin'? Yeah, maybe.
Soryn smiled, "Well isolated just means that we were difficult to get to and our elders like to keep it that way but we do have contact with other lashunta."
He added, "There was an undercurrent of thought in the city-state that too much technology is not good for the soul but nothing too crazy."
He bluffed, "I mean I have seen computers and such and can find my way through the infosphere. Is that what it's called?"
He stopped for a response while he thought to himself, Only a few times and I never find what I'm looking for. It's all very frustrating because I never have the latest updates.
"Oh yeah, I've heard of you guys," she says, her comm beeping and booping politely. "So you do a lot of barn raising, yeah? You guys wear lots of white an' suspenders and hate telephones and have lots of sex with Harrison Ford.
So why'd you leave? You like the soft, soft comforts of the tech-tech too much? That's wiz.
An' it's called whatevs you wanna call it. 'sphere, 'net, 'cortex, 'wave, 'warez, 'space, 'bahn, 'space (again), 'way, 'ntion, 'sture, 'n-way, 'work, 'shun, 'dubs, 'eway, 'the village', 'munity, an' 'Ereal or 'Vreal, chummer."
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The shirren perks up, suddenly fascinated. "Well of course psychology is critical on a battlefield! A sufficiently trained psychologist can soothe allies, disrupt enemies, understand the limits of an organism's psyche - all to rules of cause and effect!"
"Sheyeah!" Allison interjects, pausing her comm and looking at the insect-man. "Look, omae, all that touchy-feeling hugs'an'puppies hippie logic ain't gonna help you when a Mark VI anti-ship has lock-on. You can give out all the smiley buttons an' handshakes you wanna, but in the end you gotta hope that you got a got jockey with a solid stick that knows when it's time to Hellburn an' short out a capacitor or two all in the name of living to see the next sunrise, ya know?"
"Oh yeah, I've heard of you guys," she says, her comm beeping and booping politely. "So you do a lot of barn raising, yeah? You guys wear lots of white an' suspenders and hate telephones and have lots of sex with Harrison Ford.
So why'd you leave? You like the soft, soft comforts of the tech-tech too much? That's wiz.
An' it's called whatevs you wanna call it. 'sphere, 'net, 'cortex, 'wave, 'warez, 'space, 'bahn, 'space (again), 'way, 'ntion, 'sture, 'n-way, 'work, 'shun, 'dubs, 'eway, 'the village', 'munity, an' 'Ereal or 'Vreal, chummer."
Soryn just assumed that the woman was just kidding and just chuckled.
It was clear that it would be difficult to get used to new customs and people.
Manteca tilted his head in interest at the Lashunta.
Soryn nodded and projected a quick 'yes' before turning back to regular speech, "It's good to meet you. My father has told me lots about your kind and it's an honor to finally meet one of you."
He asked, "Is there a hive at this Absalom Station?"
"Sheyeah!" Allison interjects, pausing her comm and looking at the insect-man. "Look, omae, all that touchy-feeling hugs'an'puppies hippie logic ain't gonna help you when a Mark VI anti-ship has lock-on. You can give out all the smiley buttons an' handshakes you wanna, but in the end you gotta hope that you got a got jockey with a solid stick that knows when it's time to Hellburn an' short out a capacitor or two all in the name of living to see the next sunrise, ya know?"
The shirren cocks his head at the human's outburst. "I would certainly not disagree," it states neutrally. "Knowing your opponent's mind is only helpful when an enemy has a mind - but wouldn't there be value in knowing when an enemy will shoot too soon, or too late? I'm unfamiliar with vesk martial psychoanalysis myself, but anticipation of action is a recurring theme in many works of military theory. But, like a, erm, 'solid stick,' this is but a tool."
Soryn nodded and projected a quick 'yes' before turning back to regular speech, "It's good to meet you. My father has told me lots about your kind and it's an honor to finally meet one of you."
He asked, "Is there a hive at this Absalom Station?"
Manteca picks up the hint to speak aloud. "I don't know that it would count as a hive, as it were, but there are other of the shirren aboard the station. I typically choose the company of other species, even when I return to the station - shirren possess far fewer surprises to me." Again, that curious head tilt. "What did your father know of the shirren?"
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Having sat near the back of this section of the shuttle in order to read some stories on her comm unit a Kasatha in dark purple robes with bits of red trimming felt she needed a break after reading for long. When one presented itself in the others mentioning a certain dwarf she was also intending to rendezvous with she was also about to chime in when the conversation switched to spaceship... stuff. Technological-stuff. Mechanical-stuff. Stuff-stuff.
The stuff that made an already tired Kasatha slowly drift away while gazing out into the vastness of space. Her head slumping to the side soon snoring could be heard coming from her veiled mouth.
Suddenly the shuttle decelerates and takes a sharp turn around its vertical axis. It drifts slowly closer to the airlock that protrudes from this sidearm of the station like a short elephant trunk. The powerful magnets pull the shuttle into position and with a clonk followed by a hiss the shuttle is docked and the pressure in the airlock adjusted.
"We have reached the final stop. Thank you for travelling with the Absalom Shuttle Service. Please check that you have all your luggage before leaving. Absalom Shuttle Service wishes you a pleasant stay at Absalom Station." Then the doors open and you leave to docking bay 94.
The brightly lit docks of Absalom Station are abuzz with activity as travelers bustle by, preparing to board or disembarking from starships bound to or from any of dozens of worlds. Brash and swaggering starpilots, scurrying ysoki mechanics, and expectant colonists mingle with enigmatic kasatha mystics, hard-faced asteroid miners, imposing vesk mercenaries, and more, creating a microcosm of the abundance and variety of life in the Pact Worlds. New arrivals meet friends, loved ones, or business contacts, and are whisked away into the humming activity of daily life on the vast space station. Beyond them, ground crews tend to the docked ships, and dockworkers in mechanized cargo lifters load and unload freight and baggage. A sharp tang of ozone hangs in the air—a byproduct of electrical discharges from the docked ships — but underneath, the station’s atmosphere has a slightly used aroma. The docking bay’s deck plates thrum beneath your feet, though whether it’s from the passage of innumerable feet or the vibrations of the station’s power conduits and air recycling systems is impossible to say.
On the opposite side of the bay is a tall and lanky dwarf, with a bristly, iron-gray beard and deep-set eyes beneath bushy eyebrows. With his patched and stained coveralls, the dwarf looks like just another dockworker, but a badge bearing the symbol of the Starfinder Society stands out on his chest. He checks the computer he’s holding and looks up to scan the crowd. When he sees you, he raises a hand in greeting and gives you a friendly smile. But just in that moment hell breaks loose on the bay. There is the typical "peeuh" sound caused by the discharge of laser pistols everywhere around you. The dwarf is hit and drops like a sack to the floor.
Boreal is still off kilter from the events during the shuttle trip.
Dr. Imani freezes in the shuttle door, shocked at the outburst of violence around him.
Happy to be off the shuttle, the lashunta was not particularly looking forward to Absalom Station, a floating metal box in space, as some of his compatriots called it. Still it was better than face the shotalashu and his mother. Deep breath. You've faced bigger lizards than whatever can be here.
His confidence was quickly shattered as he saw people, with guns, take position on either side of the bay. And the dwarf, Mr. Kreel, was in the middle of it.