Contemplative Ailabiens 21:2: In your analysis would you be able to pinpoint where exactly Zan found such writing on Castrovel? We have a similar sample found on a piece of Rock recovered from the Drift.
I'll add my analysis and what I can find of Doctor Solstarni work about it to the copies of Zan's papers. Ailabiens 21:2 assures EH-RK.
Boomer nudges the new Vesk companion in the crew.
"Boreal right? So, what're we doin here again? i sorta dozed off with all this yappin' goin on." Boomer says yawning.
"My name is Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon." Boreal says with a grunt
Boomer raises an eyebrow. "Well ain't that a mouthful. Okay Boral Typhon daughter of Zralaghafraglsnazzle Hornybreakrythingy..." and he mumbles the last little bit and shrugs.
'Oh yay... more talking." Then he walks over to one of the windows and peers outside.
Is it so difficult to repeat a name. Why are all these species so disrespectful! Boreal fumes internally
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... Thank you for the kindness, Professor. He looks at the other members of the party. Anything else we'd like to ask our good Contemplative? Or to Dr. Muhali?
The three dimensional projection of Castrovel showing where the Burning Mother casts her light on it turns slowly - only noticeable with a lot of patience and watching closely - hangs in the corner of the room at the ceiling, indicating the time of day while Manteca's question lingers in the room.
Contemplative Ailabiens 21:2 Is it possible to have the original writings digitized, along with imagizied so that we might take the records along with us on our datapads? Also, you mentioned a Dr. Solstarni, could we speak with this humanoid as well?
You didn't expect me to hand you paper copies, did you? Ailabiens 21:2 answers. About the availability of Dr. Solstarni you'd have to ask Dr. Muhali."
Ailabiens 21:2 starts working on what he promised without so much as looking at the group anymore.
So you leave and go back to Dr. Muhali. "That was a quick success. Thank you." she greets you as you enter her office.
"What help do you need now that this issue is resolved?"[/b] she asks, hoping to get over it quick.
Damaya Lashunta Professor Muhali: You are welcome. We have need of your assistance. As contracted members of the Starfinder Society we came across the following writing. Eric sends over a HiRes photo of the script It is our belief that this writing was discovered by one Halkueem Zan, late of the Qabarat University of Xenoarchaeology and Exoanthropology. We wish to peruse his files and findings.
"That is easy enough. You just need someone to accompany if you want to see the original notes." Muhali says, pondering whom to bother with that. "You know what? That's a job for Dr. Ailabiens 21:2. I write him a note."
She picks up a ring and looks at it. "Here, you can have that too. It was for Ailabiens 21:2, a mk 1 ring of resistance. It is among the items
that the contemplative requested in a grant application that fell through thanks to his recent gaffe. Anything else?"
"Yes, Dr. Ailabiens also mentioned a Professor Solstarni who had looked at the Halkueem Zan originals?" Manteca asks. "Is she available to speak with?"
"Yes, that can be arranged." Muhali replies. Tyoing something in her device she stops halfway. "He should be in his office at this time, but his communication device is not online."
"I'll lead you there. Please follow me." She get up, locks her computer and after all are out her room and leads to another floor. There at a door with a brass sign giving the name of Dr. Solstarni she stops and knocks.
As no one answers she tries the door to find it locked. But her keycard unlocks it. This office is in disarray, with cabinet doors ajar, several stone artifacts scattered across the floor from open archival drawers, and a traveling bag open and half-packed. The computer on the desk at the far end of the room is dark, but a diode at its base blinks regularly.
Seeing the scenery Muhali excuses herself to call security.
"Looks like someone had a party in here an' didn't clean up." Boomer says as he peeks around the doorframe into the room.
Manteca steps gingerly into the room, antenna twitching in agitation. "Any money on whether this was just mere vandals, or... someone more sinister?' He tries to sound confident, but his speechvoice has a quiver of nerves.
Manteca begins to search the cabinets and area for any sort of clues. "Does someone want to check her computer?"
Eric begins tapping his datapad
Humanoids: I will access his computer and attempt to ascertain a timeline for this event.
You also find a series of 15 messages exchanged between Dr. Solstarni and a person named Dr. Eyrub Paqual regarding Solstarni’s research into the ancient elven settlements of Ukulam. The exchanges begin fairly cordially as Paqual and Solstarni discussed minor details of interest from the minimal research published about these sites. As the discussion continued, however, Paqual grew more insistent and attempted to cajole the kasatha to meet with him at a cafe called the Five Arches in Qabarat’s Gateway District 2 days ago to appraise several artifacts he had recovered. Solstarni refused, citing a busy schedule.
Eric sends the vidmails via datapad to his associates.
Humanoids: Notice the patterns emerging here. There is a high probability that this Eyrub Paqual is a person of interest.
Eric attempts to find more info on this sentient being
Furthermore, your researching Paqual detect inconsistencies in his online
bios and records, suggesting he might be entirely fictitious.
Manteca watches the vidmails with growing agitation. "Someone knew all about the site, knew to contact Doctor Solstarni, and did all of it ahead of us... This can't be coincidence." The shirren looks at Boomer and Boreal. "Have either of you found anything of interest in here?"
Shirren Manteca Imani: I believe I predicted the news of our find would precede us... my probabilistic algorithms are very precise. I am now swnding over information on this "Dr. Eyrub Paqual". There is an increasing likelihood that this information is forged or otherwise false.
"This can't be. It's like the ground opened and swallowed him. I can't reach Dr. Solstani and none of his friends or family I know of have an idea either." Dr. Muhali states as she comes back with a pair of guards from the university.
Manteca begins pacing the office, wringing his claws. "Dr. Mulhali, I'm afraid that our presence and the kidnapper's interest are likely intertwined. He appears to have been pursuing the same information as us... and it appears he took a more direct approach. Please, anything that you know about Doctor Solstarni's research could be instrumental in helping us find her that much faster."
Vesk Boreal Typhon and Ysoki Codename Boomer: Do you have thoughts on how to track this "Dr. Eyrub Paqual"?
[
"Hmmm. Probably not a known alias." Boreal replies "Are there any cameras in the hall or the grounds outside?" she says as she searches the room thoroughly, looking specefically for a few things, Standing up she turns and says "A good place to start might be the meeting place. Maybe they have some information?"
Boomer walks around, trying not to step on things. Every now and again he turns something over or looks under a chair or desk. He picks up a stone artifact and nonchalantly throws it over his shoulder and with a crash he winces and when everyone looks at him he srugs with an awkward smile.
"So what's the deal with this guy anyways?"
"This trainwreck looks like a dead end. 'scuse the pun. Could be that our best bet is to meet this fella's contact at that Five Arches cafe place. Or try find that contact if he ain't there."
Vesk Boreal Typhon: Indeed. A quick search of the network reveals...
Ysoki Codename Boomer: The Five Arches does seem a likely lead. I will find out what is available on the infonet.
"The building has security cameras in its hallways and at the entrances, but there aren’t any inside individual offices and classrooms. The receptionist Ikimsi can review the video logs with you." Dr. Muhali suggests.
Doing so shows, that a trio of korasha lashuntas carrying heavy backpacks and wearing uniforms entered the building 2 days ago in the late evening — after all reception personnel had left. They then took the stairs up, but there seems to be no footage of them on other floors or even leaving the building.
The Five Arches is a café dedicated to serving the discerning palettes of a dozen worlds. according to the self description on the infosphere.
According to online reviews, it’s an eclectic dive with wildly variable food and drink quality combined with bizarre food pairings for the daily specials. Overall, the reputation suggests it’s not a place that right-thinking individuals frequent willingly.
Meanwhile the police shows up. Two officers introduce themself as Detective Dick and Detective Tracy. They question everyone to get to know what happened, and what was changed in the room so far. They make copies of the messages on Solstari's computer as well as the video surveillance at the reception.
Eric sends over info on the Five Arches
Humanoids: There is a increase in probability that anyone frequenting such a place would be engaged in criminal or otherwise extralegal behaviors.
Shirren Manteca Imani: Does it seem as if something is wrong with this video feed. Can we identify the Korasha Lashunta present?
Manteca watches the footage, rewinding a few times. "Those are the Gateway District's Port Authority uniforms," he says, "and there's something weird about the footage... Like..." He rewinds again. "Look! Right there! The clock in this shot, it leaps backwards... here! It's a loop! Someone hacked and edited the footage!"
-------------------
He cooperates fully with the detectives when they get there, and is eager upon seeing the menu of the Five Arches. He seems to be completely ignorant of the fact that the site has reviews and ratings, and neither are very favorable. He doesn't seem to hear EH-RK's analysis of the extralegal ramifications. "Look, they do fried mountain eel fry! That's like a pun and delicious-sounding!"
"EH-RK, could you hack the cameras like this? How difficult is it to do? Those uniforms are likely a cover." Boreal says watching the footage.
"We have two leads now though... We should search for any familial resemblances to these lashunta as well, they might've used a serum to look different."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the Police
"Anything else like this happened before?" She asks towering over Dick Tracy
Vesk Boreal Typhon: It is indeed possible to hack video feed to produce such results. I would have to access the main dataframe for the security video, but no doubt our culprits have done just that and absconded with the data.
"I didn't ask if it is possible, I asked if 'you' could do it. If it was done remotely would there be a trace?"
Boomer leans in. "I'm more a hands on kinda rodent. Think we could go check out the fourth floor and see what's what? Maybe the footage was hacked but maybe also, someone up there saw summin or heard summin. We could knock on a couple doors and ask polite like."
The receptionist checks a couple of log entries.
"No one from the 4th floor, but Dr Solstani was there at the time. At least no one that has an office there."
"Well, that leaves the restaurant still to see," says Manteca. "If we get there early enough we can get appetizers...? If anyone else is hungry...?"
The detectives Dick and Tracy finish their investigation and leave to make further investigations at the airport.
As there is nothing else to do anyway and you have to wait for Dr. Ailabiens to finish his work to get you the copies you go for a snack.
A short ride in a taxi later you are in front of it. The Five Arches is readily apparent from the street, thanks to its glaring neon sign suggestive of the numerous portals in the district. A riot of different worlds’ souvenirs plasters the interior’s walls, and each table, booth, and bench bears the name of one of the Pact Worlds’ planets or habitable moons.
The proprietor, Uilee - a female android, runs an efficient business marred only by her insistence on developing new recipes that her muted sense of taste can’t properly judge. Even so, she delights in creating “authentic” offworld cuisine that is utterly inconsistent.
There are about a dozen patrons having drinks and talking. Manteca orders something that sounds interesting, but once he tastes it, he finds out why everyone else only has drinks.
Vesk Boreal Typhon: I believe my response was sufficient. I will forward you technical demonstrations and vidlogs of such an event from the Infosphere. If you believe you might understand better please feel free... Eric says flatly
Eric pulls up the collected information on Dr. Eyrub Pacqual and a HiRes photo of Dr. Solstani and shows it to the Android
Android Proprietor Uilee: Greetings. We are in need of beverages and information. We are looking for two individuals. These two Professors from the University. They've gone missing.
"What drinks should it be?" Uilee asks, ignoring the part about the information for now.
Boomer walks into the place, brow furrowed as he scans for any twitchy suspicious types.
He elbows Boreal Typhon and nods towards a lashunta. "Hey B. That 'shunta over there got all shifty when Paqual was mentioned. Keep an eye on him."
Then Boomer asks the android "hey lady-droid. You got a back way outta this place?'
"Back entrance is for staff only." Uilee replies, while waiting for the orders.
Eric does a probabilistic analysis of which orders might please the Android. He selects her most exotic, and most expensive, drinks and orders 4 of them. One for himself, Boomer, Manteca and Boreal.
Android Proprietor Uilee: I am sending payment for the requisite drinks. I have included a sizable gratuity.
"That is well appreciated." Uilee replies and creates the drinks from a lot of bottles and tops them off with some exotic fruit that looks interesting.
"That Dr. from the university I've never seen. But I heard the name of that other guy once or twice." Uilee explains. "I guess he was here for business reasons." she adds and nods in direction of the lashunta that is listening in on the exchange.